Nice Peaceful Weekend--NOT

The high temperature on Saturday was:  72 degrees

Sunny and nice

=====================================

Dar was over quite early on Saturday morning.

"I'm depressed and I had to come over so you can make me feel better."

"I know what would take your mind off your problems.  Do you want to vacuum my rugs?"

"No...not really."

"Do you want to mop my kitchen floor?"

"No...not really."

"Well, what do you want to do?"

"I woke up at three this morning, with the kids on my mind.  It makes me sad."

"I know.  What can you do about it?"

"I told myself, 'piss on 'em!  If they are going to go back fifty years and blame me for everything bad that has happened in their lives...well...so be it.  I am NOT going to try and explain it to them.  I am NOT going to keep trying to contact them.  This is the way they want it...then so be it!' "

"Okay, but it's still going to be in your mind."

"I won't let it!"

"It will creep in during the night or when you are home just sitting there, doing nothing.  I think...you need to pray.  Ask God to forgive them and ask God to forgive YOU!  THEN, you honestly and truly....really...give it to God and put it away from your mind.  Really."

"You are going through something like me and yet...you don't get very depressed anymore."

"No...I don't...because...I did that very thing.  I pray every day that God will bring reconciliation between Jennifer and me, but a year ago...I asked for His forgiveness for my wrong doing and I asked Him to bless Jennifer and said, 'I give it all to you, God'.  and I meant it.  I rarely think about it anymore.  Nothing I can do about it.  She has to come if and when she is ready."

"Okay.  I'm going home now."

...and out the door she went.  Now---a couple of years ago, Dar was telling me that Jesus sits in the chair beside her bed and talks to her.  She has often told me that I have to become closer to God.  That I was a "baby" Christian and I had to read the Bible every day, study it and really believe.

I always thought I was doing all right.  I have become closer to God in the last two years.  But, in her superior way, she tended to ridicule me.

Now, she has told me she hates God.  She hasn't been to church in nine months and she use to practically live there.  She hasn't opened her Bible in that time and no longer even reads her short daily devotional.  I do not know what has brought this on because nine months ago--her life appeared to be wonderful.

I know this poor woman.  She isn't going to feel any better until she gets her faith back.  Because she has been so strong in her faith, for so many years---she needs to get back to it or, she's going to be miserable.
=======================
I DID mop the kitchen floor AND vacuum all the rooms.  YAY..finally.  I have a question--if any of you have the old style (20 years ago) type of vinyl flooring--what do you use to mop it with?  Mine isn't wanting to shine like it used too.  Comment your reply--please.  I need help on this.
=========================
Pammie called and we spent about 30 minutes laughing and whopping it up.  She had just come in from raking her yard and was complaining about all the "crap" the guy who lived there has left.   Junk cars--trucks--a pick-up camper--a dune buggy.  All the junk he got and was "going to work on, fix up and sell."

Pam says, "I swear that man was born in the hills of Kentucky!!  He's like some redneck--white trash--or something.  Old tires piled up.  Vehicles up on cement blocks.  He could care less what his yard and home look like.  WELL--I CARE what mine looks like!"

"Well, tell him to get his crap out of there or at least, haul it back behind the barn until he can get it out of there.  At least it wouldn't show from the house or the road."

"Momma!  I told him it had to be out of here by last August.  He said he was gonna--you know that phrase men like to use.  I'm gonna?"

"Yes, I am well aware of that phrase."

"Hey--I got the hole in the roof fixed."

"How."

"I knew I needed some tar to put in the hole, but I didn't want a whole pail of tar.  So I went to the hardware and told the guy and he said, 'Follow me', and he showed me a tube of tar that you use with a caulking gun.  Cost me ten bucks!"

"But---how did you get up on the roof?"

"I went out the front windows--just like you use to do when you decorated the peak at Christmas time.  I scrambled up to the top of the roof, walked along the peak--making sure I didn't have any other limbs sticking in it, or holes and then...I took my handy-dandy caulking gun and my putty knife and filled in that hole and put the shingle back in and.....done!"

"WAY TO GO!!!"

"It felt so good not to have some man telling me how to do it, or I wasn't doing it right.  I can fix anything all by myself!!!  Just like my Momma has always done!"

I just had to giggle.  She is so much like me.  We've had similar lives--similar struggles, but we keep going forward...ever forward!  I love that girl of mine so much!
================
 I watched the Masters--sister and her hubs are there, I saw storm warnings for counties north of here--up by Saginaw--mid-state.

Then--all heck broke loose.  I saw a warning on TV that a town west of where sister, Mark and Pammie live had a severe thunder storm warning--it was headed right their way.  Micro Bursts from wind shears along the front could touch down.

I called Mark--it had already passed him.  "Mom, the barn was moving...it was twisting back and forth, but...everything is all right."

Then I called Pammie.  "Are you all right!"

"Yeah, but--I have never felt this house shake like it just did.  I was headed for the basement when it stopped.  It came up so quick..oh..you know all that crap of Gene's outside?  It's all over in the hay field.  Even the truck camper and that big truck.  Man--it was really something."

"You be careful picking debris out of that field.  Don't hurt your back and...don't get cut on the metal pieces."

"You know what, Momma?  I am going to call Gene and have HIM clean it up.  It's his stuff anyway!!!"


"Good idea!  Hey, can you do me a favor and run up to The Farm to make sure everything is all right there?"

"Sure will, Momma."

Then I jumped on Face Book to see what my friends in Byron were saying.  Middle school roof, heating/cooling system and the walkway from the Middle school to the gym, extensively damaged.  The roof went off the gym, rain soaked the floor--it is totally destroyed.  You can see the air conditioner laying on the ground here, along with other debris.

That silver hallway looking place, is the walk-way from the gym

up into the middle school--the school off to the right.

It is structurally unsafe.

The high school is way off to the left--on the other end of the gym.

Nothing damaged in the high school.

The roof on the old town hall, is off and onto the laundromat next door, and the gas station next to it was on fire!

Pammie called back.  "Everything up at The Farm is okay--lots of branches and limbs down--dead ones left over from the ice storm.  The barns are all right, but....the outhouse is gone and laying down by the road."  (The outhouse--over 150 years old, that my sister had recently "decorated" and used for rakes and shovels.)

BUT--Susan's 157 year old house, and Pammie's 94 year old house and Mark's 120 year old barn--all standing!!!

I called Chuck and Susan and let them know.  Susan said, "Maybe we will just get rid of it.  Fill in the pit and be done."

"Just think of all the DNA in that pit," I said.  "We could clone great great grandpa or even...Dad.  We could have an ancestor come back to life!"

"If we did---it wouldn't be an ancestor--it would be a baby and thus, a descendant, wouldn't it?"
==============

Lots of damage on other homes--parts of roofs gone, decks torn apart, windows broken, sheds blown away, but it wasn't a tornado--it was straight line winds--micro bursts, which I guess can produce stronger winds than a tornado.

Just glad everyone is all right!!
==============================

The high temperature on Sunday was: 76 degrees

Cloudy and thunder storms expected tonight.

Forecast--1 to 3 inches of snow Monday night.  

Now you know why I haven't raked and uncovered my gardens.

===========================================

I made it to church.  The choir had a wonderful Cantata, so I sat nearer the front so I could hear it better.  It is a weird feeling--sitting up in front.  I was totally unaware of how many people were in church, until I turned around to leave.  There was a whole bunch of people in back of me.  YIKES!!

I stopped at Taco Bell and got three soft taco's for lunch and came on home.  Haven't done a single thing except watch the Masters Golf Tournament.

I am so glad Susan and Chuck could drive on down to Augusta, GA and walk the course.  I have always wanted to--especially this hole, which is my favorite.

13th hole at Augusta Golf  Club 

I don't watch golf too much anymore--it just makes me kind of sad.  Golf was such an integral part of my life for about twenty years.  My Mother taught me how to play when I was twelve.  They put in a golf course in 1968 in Byron--just 5 miles away.  

As the kids got older, I organized a woman's league and played every Tuesday morning from April until September, subbed on the Thursday night league and played--probably three times a week, if I could.  I taught two of my best friends how to play golf and I also taught Pammie--when I moved away, she took my place on the league.

I was really quite good actually.  I love golf because it ISN'T a team sport--I didn't have to rely on anyone but me.  When I lost, it was my own fault.  I liked the competition against others, but most of all, I liked to go out alone and play against the course.  I did win the golf course woman's championship one year.  I haven't played in twenty years, but I still miss it.  Can't afford it now and couldn't walk the course, so I'd have to pay for a cart.  <sigh>

Look at those strong arms!  I could hit it a mile!!!

This is the way you are supposed to hold a crochet hook--like holding a pencil/pen tipped sideways.

This is how I hold mine.  I can't crochet holding the hook the correct way.

I just grab it and go and crochet quite fast.
My left hand holds the yarn and the row that I am working on.

I wanted to take a video so you could see, but for the life of me, Buddy will not learn how to hold the camera and take pictures for me!!!
===================
Well Ladies--tomorrow is finally my visit to the Cardiologist.  I'm kind of nervous.

I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Freaky Friday!

Today's high temperature was:  68 degrees

Sunny all day!!

================================

Dar called last night and told me that 2 Ltr. Diet Pepsi was .88 cents at the Meijers, but only Friday and Saturday and a limit of 6.  She works there and told me she would pick up 6 jugs for me.  Nice of her.

This morning, I had to run up to Howell, so I stopped at the Meijers store there and got 6 jugs of Diet Pepsi--that is all.  This afternoon, I decided to run into the JoAnn's in Brighton to return the yarn I bought Wednesday and so I stopped at the Meijer across the street and got 6 more jugs--and two cucumbers.

Dar came by after work with 6 more jugs.  So, now I have 18 jugs of Diet Pepsi, which should last me three weeks and maybe another special will be on by then.  

Don't scoff at me!!! I don't drink coffee or tea, so this is my caffeine.  Just think if your favorite coffee went on sale for 45% off?  AHA--now you get it, LOL.

Charlotte--not to bother you, but I think I figured out the yarn problem.  It's not the color, it's the brand!!

I thought we were using Baby Soft--I always use Baby Soft for ALL my baby projects.  Come to find out, we were using Softee Baby.  Baby Soft is made by Lion's Brand and Softee Baby is made by Bernat.

After working 8 rows with the Softee Baby and getting really

ticked off at the way it split--practically every stitch,

I cut off what I had crocheted and threw it away.  I still have

quite a bit left on that skein, but I took the other three

skeins back and got my usual brand

...and have 8 rows done with it--not one split.  

I can now crochet as fast as I normally do.

I think this white with pink will make up a

nice blanket for an expected baby girl? 

=======================

Dar is having a lot of problems and is in the midst of trying to have a nervous breakdown--and she may succeed.  Her youngest daughter, who use to live with her, moved out two years, with her four children, and has accused Dar of child abuse.   Dar hasn't heard a word from her our the grandchildren.

Dar has two sons.  One has bipolar.  His wife is the one who "heard" that Dar had accused her of being a bad mother and wife.  Actually, Dar's brother said that, but it got back to the wife that Dar had said it.  The son has sided with his wife and Dar has not heard from them in six months.

Dar's other son, has lived with her from time to time.  He is a Heroin and alcohol addict.  When he's sober, he is very nice and comes out to visit...and of course, Dar lays money on him to "help".  Then he goes off into his other life.  Dar hasn't heard from him in almost a year.  She thinks he might be in jail.

Dar's oldest daughter and her had a nice, normal (I think) relationship.  The daughter is a Lesbian and has a life partner.  They came to visit Dar over Christmas and both are very loving to Dar and really nice people.

Dar was going to move down to North Carolina to live near them.  Apparently, when this daughter was young--7 years old--she was such a great swimmer that there were coaches who wanted to train her for the Olympics.  The girl would have had to move near the coaching facility and the cost would be $1,000.00 every six months.  This was back in 1968.  Dar didn't have that kind of money so she never told her daughter about what the coaches had said.

Now--the daughter has found out (from Dar's sister-in-law) about it and is very angry at Dar because she didn't find a way to facilitate her swimming.    She called Dar last week, confronted her and told her she wanted nothing to do with her because...get this..."you weren't a very good mother.  Not telling me!  Not allowing me to get the coaching I needed.  Not even allowing me to make a decision if I wanted too or not?."

GOOD GRIEF!!!  The girl was 7 at the time.  This was 46 years ago.  Aren't parents suppose to be the ones to make decisions for their kids?  Especially a 7 year old??

Dar is very depressed and says, "Now, I'm going to die alone and never see any of my grandchildren again!"

To add insult to injury--Dar has a leak along her roof line, from her living room all the way back to her bedroom.  I cautioned her about having someone check for ice damming on her roof because it looked to me like she had it and told her (early on) to get the calcium chloride bags to throw up on her roof.

Not only that--the tub in her bathroom is falling through the rotten floor beneath it--she has had a leak behind her shower for at least a year.

Not only that--she had a raccoon get under her house and it has torn up the "under the floor" insulation and the covering that holds our "underneath" insulation in place.

Not only that---she has a hole in her roof from branches falling on it during the ice storm, SO--water has been leaking into her roof insulation all winter AND she has black mold.

Dar lives in a $50,000.00 double-wide manufactured home.  It will cost her $7,000 to get a new roof.  I have no clue as to what the other repairs will be.

She has called contractors to look at it and they just shake their heads.  "Luckily, I have house insurance," she said.

"Hm-mm.  I also have house insurance, but...they would not pay for a new roof when I had the ice dam problem.  AND...they won't pay for flooding in your home."

"Well-mine will!" she said.

She told me this evening that the insurance agent is telling her they will NOT pay for the roof--that it is normal "wear and tear", which my insurance company told me two years ago.

She pays $700.00 a year for insurance with a $1.000.00 deductible.  She DOES NOT have replacement insurance on her house OR her contents.  She has her contents only insured for $20,000.00.

I pay $350.00 a year for my insurance with a $1,000.00 deductible.  I have $50,000.00 replacement on the home and $30,000.00 on the contents.

I can see the next few weeks are going to be a very difficult time for Dar and ...probably a lot of her hysteria will flow through my living room too.  

==========================  

I have been crocheting the last three days because, cross stitching was making my arm and neck hurt so much.  I think perhaps I bend my head over too much when I cross stitch.  It doesn't matter--I enjoy crocheting too.  

I have also been reading voraciously!  I haven't read much in the last couple of years, but...all of a sudden, I can't seem to put the books down.  "Oh--it's late.  I'll just read one more chapter."   "Oh, can't stop now...I will read just one more."  And soon it is 1-2 in the morning.  (and you wonder why I don't get up until 9:00 in the morning--if I'm lucky.)

I read Melissa Gilbert's autobiography entitled "Life On The Prairie".  Wish I hadn't.  She was darling as half-pint, but................in her real life--especially when she got older--she was (I don't want to get sued for slander), let's just say, a pretty mixed up young woman, not living a very healthy, moral life.  She now lives up in Howell with her 3rd or is it her 4th husband and goes to my doctor and shops at Meijer's...so seeing her is often.  I can't really look at her because of the horrible way she lived her life.  Oh well--best not too put our actors on pedestals I guess.

Now, I am reading Melissa Sue Anderson's book about her time playing Mary on Little House.  I hope she doesn't end up the same.

In between, I read, "Mark of Evil" which is written by the guy who wrote the Left Behind series--of which I own every book.  Man, was it good!!  Man was it scary!!  Man, if that is the way our society is going to go, I hope I don't have to experience it.  Man!!  All Bible based and really good reads.

These, a little brighter today, by my porch steps.

As I go in and out, they just make me smile.

Have a nice weekend, Ladies.  Maybe tomorrow, I will get the vacuuming, mopping the kitchen floor and a bit of raking done.  Lord know, I have put it off long enough!!

See ya--Jude

Lots of Pictures--Not Many Words

Today's high temperature was: 70 degrees!!!

Sunny, but windy

=================================

When I went out to get the mail, this is what I saw in my side garden.

 

My wind chimes and flag blowing in the wind

I did not mop the kitchen floor, like I was suppose to.  I did not vacuum the carpet, like I was suppose to.  I did a lot of watching the show on my deck.

Little red squirrel came in for a snack.

Then big grey squirrel came in for a nosh

The fur kids watched the show.  Buddy hunkered down because he's scared of squirrels.

Maggie ready to go through the partially opened screen to chase them.

I saw a recipe on Face Book for Cinnamon Roll Cake and I've been craving Cinnamon Rolls, so I attempted to make it.

It turned out great!!  I put raisins in the cake because I like raisins in my cinnamon rolls.  As you can see, I got a lot left over.  I took down 4 squares to Merle and Pearl's.  They were gone, but house open wide, so I went in, petted Tiger, their cat and set the storage dish on their table.  I think these will freeze real well and when I get a craving for a "T. J. Cinnamon's"--I can nuke and eat.  YUM!!

This is what Buddy is doing tonight.

Just a peek to make sure I am still in my chair where I belong.  Can you tell, he is one mellow cat?

Note to Charlotte:  I have started the baby blanket.  You are right, the yarn splits!!  I have used this brand of yarn for many years--I always use it to make my baby afghans, sweaters, booties and bonnets with no problem.  I use white, pink, and blue and love it because it is so soft.  I think it is the variegated yarn.  Something with the different colored yarn put together?  I don't know, but it is a pain.

I forgot--Throwback Thursday.  Back in the day, we didn't take our newborn babies out in public right away.  We waited a couple of weeks so they would be more resistant to germs--I guess that's why we waited.  My son Mark is 21 days old.  The first time he has met my sister and my Daddy.  As you can see, Susan is closer to his age than she is to mine, LOL

There Are No Words

Michigan State, nation mourns loss of 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth

Michigan State center Adreian Payne carries his special guest Lacey Holsworth onto the court where he was honored with fellow seniors on March 6 at the Breslin Center. 

The passing of 8-year-old Lacey Holsworth, whose battle with cancer and friendship with Michigan State basketball became national stories, has inspired an outpouring of support and mourning today.

It inspired emotion from MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo, who said in a phone interview: “I’m supposed to be a guy who leads men, and now an 8-year-old has impacted my life like this. … the impact on all of us will be lasting, and that’s especially true for Adreian (Payne).”

It inspired ESPN analyst Dick Vitale to call Lacey’s father, Matt Holsworth, and tell him he’s going to donate $250,000 in her name, with fund raising starting now at dickvitaleonline.com.

“I can’t believe it,” Vitale said of Lacey’s death in a phone interview before sobbing for several seconds. “This rips my heart out, man.”

Lacey’s family posted the following on Instagram around 3 a.m.: “Princess Lacey has achieved the ultimate victory. She now dances among angels.... The world is a better place because you were in it. Our hearts are broken. We love you Doll. Dance all night... Mommy and Daddy, Will, Mitchell and Luke #LoveLikeLacey”

Lacey, of St. Johns, became especially close with MSU senior forward Payne, starting more than two years ago when the team visited her at Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital. A tumor had wrapped around her spine at the time, limiting her ability to walk. Treatments eventually removed the cancer from her body, but it returned in the fall and her condition worsened in recent weeks.

In that time, she accompanied Payne on his senior night at Breslin Center, helped cut down the nets after MSU won the Big Ten tournament in Indianapolis, and made appearances on “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America.” She was with Payne last week in Texas, cheering him on in a slam dunk contest.

Izzo said he talked to Payne around 7 this morning about Lacey’s passing.

“Even though he knew this was inevitable, it’s hard,” Izzo said of Payne. “But he took it with the class and dignity that she taught him. I told him, ‘Not everybody gets to touch somebody’s life like you have. And sometimes other people impact your life, too.’”

Izzo also spoke on the phone with Vitale, who had Lacey and Payne as his guests at his annual Dick Vitale Gala to fight cancer last spring in Sarasota, Fla. Izzo said he was blown away by the emotion and determination from Vitale.

“His passion for this,” Izzo said of Vitale and fighting cancer, “makes my passion for basketball look like an ant.”

Many have expressed their support on Twitter, including ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, who posted: “RIP Lacey Holsworth. A beautiful soul, whose strength and courage touched and inspired us all. Heartbreaking.”

Forever my brother. Forever my team.

Please give my big brother @adreian_payne a hug from me today if you see him! He is very far away from home and I miss him❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

LACEY

·

18 DAYS AGO

GOOD GRIEF!!!

Today's high temperature was: 62 degrees

Sunny and lovely all day

===========================

I had no neck, shoulder, scapula, arm or chest pain all day.  What a relief.  I just might cancel my next visit to the Chiropractor if it takes me a week to recover from the deep tissue massage!

Everything was going along pleasantly today.  I did three loads of laundry, a load of dishes in the dishwasher, cleaned out my air purifiers and ordered new filters and got the mail.

After my Soap, I opened the mail and there was my gas bill.  Account balance: $271.64.

"WHAT?"

I looked at the usage scale.  I used 13.3 thousand cubic feet in January, 10.2 in February, and 11.0 in March.  It showed 27 for this month's bill.

'HOW CAN THIS BE?  THEY TOLD ME THE NEW FURNACE WOULD SAVE ON MY GAS BILL!!"

I looked at the top of the bill.  It was an "actual" meter reading, not estimated.  7858 was the reading in March, 8128 on April 4th.

"THIS CANNOT BE POSSIBLE.  I HAVEN'T USED 27 UNITS ALL THE TIME I'VE LIVED HERE!"

So, with shaking hands, I called the gas company and after being transferred forty eleven times I finally reached Dorothy.  My mother's name--I began to feel a bit more comfortable.

"My goodness...this bill can't be right," she said.

"I know," I wailed.

"Okay--I want you to go outside and write down the numbers on your meter now.  I'll wait."

So I scooted out and read 7949 and came back in and told her.  

"Human error," she said.  "Someone put in the wrong numbers."

"But...it's read by the digital meter reader they hold in their hand.  They put it up to the meter and it reads it automatically."

"Well, something went wrong.  Can you hold a minute?"

and I did.

I held for 18 minutes and she finally came back on.

"I have called too other departments.  They promised to straighten this out, but....it will take four to six weeks because they are so back logged."

"What amount should I pay?  The reading I took today is a five week reading instead of a four week reading.  I don't know how much to pay."

"You could pay half, just to be on the safe side?"

"I can't afford to pay half.  I will just pay my normal monthly budget plan payment of forty-nine dollars this month.  Okay?"

"Okay.  I have all my notes here and what we talked about and I will be sending them over to the other department."

"Next month is my recalculation month for my budget plan.  What if this incorrect bill makes that payment go up.  What should I do then."

"They will do a new meter reading on May fifth.  Your new budget payment won't show up until your June bill.  It should be straightened out by then."

"Okay, but....after the meter reader leaves, I am going to go out and write down the numbers on the meter---just to be sure it's correct."

She laughed, "Good idea.  Stay on top of things."

<Yeah Dort.  You can be sure of that!>

=========================

I walked up to Pearl's and we chatted a bit.  I told her about the gas bill fiasco and then asked if she would let Merle know I had taken down the insulation from the back door and whenever he had a chance, I would appreciate it if he would come down and unscrew the 1 x 3 at the bottom (that we stapled the insulation on.)

"I can't unscrew it," I said.

Pearl says, "You can't UNscrew it or you can't screw?"

"I can't do either," I said.

Just then Merle walked in.  Pearl says, "Go ahead, tell him."

You know, he is a slow speaker--he is a slow mover--very easy going, kind of an "aw shucks" person.  So I asked him and he says,   "Ya mean...ya can't get that...ah... board outta there?"

"Well Merle," I said.  "I don't screw anymore.  Can't screw anymore because of the arthritis in my wrists.  So I need help screwing."

Pearl just about fell out of her chair in laughter.  I mean she was yelling with laughter.

With that dead pan look he always has on his face, Merle replied, "Well, I guess...I'm gonna have to help you with your problem.    Pearl has that problem too....but....it's usually 'cause she has a headache."

Then Pearl and I both guffawed and he ambled off to the back of their trailer.

Such fun!  You know--you couldn't be like that if you were in your 40's--even 60's.   Men might take it the wrong way and their wives wouldn't like it probably, but here we are, in our mid 70's and it is all very light hearted and funny to kid around.  

===============================

These kids came to visit the last of the peanuts I put out.

Gray Squirrel came by

...and when he was full, little Red Squirrel came for a snack 

  

What Happened to Monday?

No--I didn't lose track of Monday.  Remember, I have my "hanging" reminder of what day it is on the door of my bedroom closet.

I will tell you what happened and the reason I didn't post.  I watched the NCAA Basketball Championship game and it got over late and I was so tired from the pain I was struggling with all day that...I took a pain pill and went to bed.

Dar was over here at the crack of dawn (8:00) and I shocked her by being dressed.  Pain had woke me at 7:30.  She wanted the letter I had typed for her to turn into park management and she also wanted me to type one up for Jackie.  So I did.  Dar read them and said, "Oh!  I love the way you write.  It is so...Downton Abbyish."

"What?"

"The way you write.  Like this..."I would ask the park to take into consideration the issue I am having with broken limbs and dead trees.""

"Okay.  I thought that was how you were suppose to write a business letter?"

"I don't know.  I never wrote a business letter.  You do it so well."

So, I got rid of her and sat down and wrote a letter for myself about having my Mulberry tree taken down.

Then I got busy with taking down the insulation from the back door.  Put it all in a big bag and will return it to Merle.  I had become so use to the door being covered that I forgot how nice it is to have the sun coming in the window.

All of a sudden, Dar came running in the front door.  "QUICK!  GIVE ME YOUR LETTERS!"

The CEO of the new management company was outside.  So I got my two letters, about the tree and about the tornado shelters and went out to meet him.  Dar was complaining about her trees and he said, "I have to wait until the trees leaf out before I can determine if they need trimming or cutting down."

I said, "Of course you do.  That's the only way to tell."

"But--I can tell you!  That one behind my house IS dead!" says Dar and then laughs her Nyuck Nyuck laugh.

I handed him my letters, told him how glad I was to meet him, and that he had a big job ahead, shook his hand and came back in the house--hoping that he didn't think I was anything like my weird neighbor lady!!

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The pain in my neck, shoulder, scapula, left arm and upper chest was so terrific all day yesterday and I began to wonder if it could be a heart issue.  It wasn't a steady pain, but rather a shooting pain.  The muscle in my upper arm felt like someone had punched me.  So...I did all that I knew how.

I took an anti-inflammatory pill, I rubbed the horse liniment on and went about my business.  Later in the afternoon, I heated up my rice sock and laid that on my neck and shoulder.  Last evening, I got out my T.E.N.S. pads and slapped them on and hooked myself up to electric pulses.  At midnight, I took half a Percocet and laid in bed and felt the pain melting away.

This morning, I woke up feeling great with no pain at all!!!  

Over in Jean's blog, she was writing about memory tests they give us when we get old and they think we are feeble-minded or senile.  It reminded me....

When I was in rehab after my last hip replacement, I was lounging on my bed one afternoon and in walked a young woman with a clipboard.  She looked familiar.  She asked how I was doing and then said she wanted to see if my mind was clear.

"I will give you three words and later I will ask you to repeat them back to me."

"Okay.  Cool," I said.

"The words are...Sock.   Angry.   Blue."

Then we chatted about stuff and I remembered the reason she looked familiar.  She was in the same ballet company as my grand daughter Maddie and she was a friend of my grand son Marcus.  They had graduated together and both attended University of Michigan (that college I hate.) :-)

After about twenty minutes she asked me to repeat the three words back to her.  Instead, I said,

"Well, there was this sock.  He was very angry.  He was blue and he wanted to be green.  All the members of his sock family were green.  He was the only blue sock."

Her eyes were about as big as saucers!

Then I went on, "The blue sock felt angry because he had to go to that college south-east of here where all the other blue socks go.  His entire family had gone to the college where all the green socks go.  He not only was angry, he was really quite embarrassed."

She sat for a minute and scribbled on her clip board and then said, "I went to that college...where the blue socks go."

"I know," I said.  "You and Marcus Rivard both went there."

"OH MY GOSH!!!  You're Maddie's grandmother!"

"Did I pass your memory, senility test?"

Now when I see her at Maddie's ballet performances, I like to sidle over behind her, bend down a bit and whisper quietly, "The blue sock is still angry."

She is now a nurse.  At the time I was in rehab, she was on an internship, working with geriatric patients.

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I got a notice from my prescription drug insurance company.  I no longer have to pay my monthly premium of $16.10, I do not have any co-pay AND my one prescription that costs $12.00 a month, will now be free.  Any non-generic drugs (I don't take any now) will be $2.00.

God continues to send me financial help.