Saturday's Scribbles

 

Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where much needed rain arrived yesterday! More is expected for tonight.   Fall is officially here now and I'm loving it.  It is a time to gather and harvest.   

Speaking of loving it,  Joel has gotten some good bike rides in this week including one 30 mile ride on the wapsi trail up to the Minnesota border. A  beautiful ride!  He has done some woodworking and office work.   He went to Wednesday Night Alive at church and went to his coffee group, Gabby Grandpas, this morning.  Last Sunday we went to church, 1st time for me in weeks.  We watch Lutheran Church of Hope Saturdays at 5 also.  We are still doing their Bible in a Year program which includes podcasts at noon on Wednesdays and their Sunday services which connect with where we are at in scriptures.  Just finishing up the first 40 books of Isaiah and the book of Philemon in the NT.  Still hold the view that the OT is d.a.r.k.  for the most part.

Wednesday I saw my oncologist for a check up.  All was good including blood work.   Will have a CT soon rule out anything else though.  She IS thorough...I have been walking daily and today made Joel some oatmeal cookies.  I called a family member who has Covid and we had a nice little visit.  She is doing better finally.  Yay!  There is just a lot of Covid going around again.  Ugh.  

This past week we pulled up a series we started this past winter, Darby and Joan on Acorn TV.  It is pretty good I guess.  One of my favorites, although dark, is Vera on Britbox.  We are still hanging in there with America's Got Talent although I mute most of the screaming that goes on.  Good grief.  I think we watched a couple of Hallmark Movies too that we hadn't seen.  They are usually about a B- rating in our eyes, BUT they are relaxing and calming before bed. A good thing.  

Speaking of relaxing, that is the best way to describe our porch sitting.  Joel goes out first thing in the morning, and then we sit out later in the day or early evening.  We are so thankful we added this porch on to our house in 2008.  It was Joel's outdoor space when we had Lyme and it was a comfy place to enjoy nature.  It still is.

Today is our oldest granddaughter's birthday.  She graduated from Pharmacy school thi Spring and has a job as a Pharmacy manager in Iowa.  Lots of new exciting adventures for her.  I still remember laying with her on the loveseat reading a book to her when she was just a little thing.  And now, all grown up with a career that helps others.  Nice. Our son-in-law had a birthday this past week also.  He just turned 54 and I think back to where we were when I was 54...just 21 years ago~ Yikes!  Or even our grands...one turned 25 and another 24 in September.  When I was that age.............  yeah.........I was married with 2 kids and soon 2 more on the way.  We were in the military living overseas. None of our grands are married or close to thinking about it.  It is a different time...

Thinking I will close this Scribbles today.  Grateful for Joel getting in that long and fun bike ride this week.  Grateful for much needed rain.  Grateful for FALL and all it's beauty.  Grateful for a good Oncology report.  Grateful for being able to make Joel cookies.  Grateful for phone calls with a daughter and a sibling.  Grateful for texts, pictures, and emails and phone calls that keep us connected to each other.  Grateful for birthdays to celebrate.  Grateful for all this and so much more........

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this typical September weekend.  Temps in the 60's to low 70's during the day and 40's to 50's at night.  We turn the furnace on each morning to take the chill off.  It is Fall!  We live just across the river from the High School so we get to "hear" the games and band playing on Friday nights.  It is kinda nice......We noticed this week that the flowers are starting to fade out....especially our pansies that have graced us with beauty so long.  We still have 1 hummingbird hanging around, trying to get nectar from our petunias,  

Last Sunday Joel preached at two churches south of here.  He leaves before 8 and gets home around 12:30.  So many churches are without pastors....our synod has something like 38 churches without pastors and one of our daughter's synods has 40.  It is the same most places.  Joel has 700 miles on his bike so far this summer/fall.  He managed a few 10 mile rides this past week.  Thursday he went to his pastors conference meeting which was less than two miles from here.  He has been going to those gatherings around the area for 26 years.  He spent time outside doing woodworking...building a few more boxes.  He is trying to finish 3 for the fill-in postman who liked them.  I look at his energy and shake my head.  He is so active and I am so grateful that he is!

My week has been spent close to home.  The trigeminal is acting up which affects my balance more. It is an ebb and flow problem out of my control.  I have managed to clean some and write a little.  I still walk 20-25 minutes a day.  God continues to give me the verse, "Those who hope in the Lord will soar on wings like eagles...They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31.  I continue to stand firm, believing...What choice do we have?  Believe what the world says, or believe what God says?  The God who created the universe...the galaxies....the stars.....the earth we walk on.  HE wants to have a relationship with us...little us.  AND He makes promises we can hang on to.  Do we see them all come to pass?  Not in our lifetime.  BUT that does not take away the promises in His Word that are for us.

I have been listening to George Winston play piano this morning on Alexa.  Piano music reminds me so much of our two older girls and their years of piano playing at home.  Both went to the McPhail Center of the Arts in downtown Mpls. MN.  What a special time it was.............The oldest plays piano and flute at her church and accompanies for the local High School competitions.  She teaches piano and has since high school.  Do I play?  Only in my dreams!  My mom was very musical and played piano, though.

We finished watching a 4 part documentary on Netflix, "Live to be 100:  Blue Zones" the other night.  It really was interesting as it showed how America has turned to the fast food world and in doing so become the most obese unfit country in the world.  More importantly it revealed some of the "secrets" to longer lives...good food choices, exercise and activity, friends and family, rest, and attitude.  I don't plan to live to 100 but Joel certainly has it in his genes and body to do so.  His two aunts on his mom's side lived to be 108 and 109.  It wasn't the goal of most of the people in the Blue Zones to live a long life, it just happened because of how they lived.  

We enjoyed phone calls this week from two of our grands who are off at different colleges,  and also a daughter.  Such FUN to talk to all three of them.  It makes our day when the phone rings and family is on the line.  Having a cell phone makes all the difference in the world, doesn't it.  Wayyyyy back when.....it cost so much to call "long distance" so calls were few and far between and after 7 at night when it was cheaper.  Now, we can call anywhere, anytime and yet it seems to us that calling becomes less and less as people text more.  We miss hearing voices......so when we do?  We celebrate!  Cell phones also make it easier for kids to be away at college or jobs.  They can connect so easily with those they miss......a good thing!

Speaking of good things, so grateful today for cell phones, phone calls, voices of loved ones.  Grateful for Fall weather, a lone hummingbird hanging around, flowers still sharing theiir beauty.  Grateful for porch sitting, naps, good food, and the ability to walk and ride.  Grateful for Bible verses that come from God is threes.  Grateful for texts, photos, prayers, piano music, and so much more.  

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this beautiful Fall day in Iowa.  Yes, it is early Fall, but it is FALL and I am loving the cooler temps we have had the last few days.  Nice!  The squirrels are busy storing their acorns, etc. and one decided to store them in our purple pansies on the back deck.  He dug them up so much they died.  Not cool!  The yellow ones up front are still going.  We'll have to add some mums to the landscape soon.  

Once the cooler temps came back Joel was able to do more biking.  He gets in a minimum of ten miles each ride.  He sticks to a route that avoids roads.  In fact, our river road has been paved and baracaded so that only bikers and walkers can use it now.  So great!  He continues to do some woodworking and this week he did our windows on the main level,  Our house does not have any roof overhangs so they seem to get more dirty.  They look good now, although of course he went out to do them when the heat index was 96.  Really? Hmmmm

I headed back to the chiropractor this past Tuesday and then the grocery store Friday.  In between I was in the house and not accomplishing as much as I would like.  The trigeminal nerve is acting up which means the balance is off too.  Are we having fun yet?  I have listened to a couple podcasts, livestream, and audiobooks.  I finished Laura Bush's book and am looking for another memoir to enjoy,  Any ideas?  I have written on my book a tiny bit, and am reading The Way Out a little at a time.  I have started doing Lymph Massage for the ears and sinuses.  It seems to be helping!  Joel brought me home a surprise decoration for fall this week.  What a sweet thing to do!  It even says "Welcome Fall!"  

Yesterday our youngest stopped for a visit and this morning our granddaughter L. called us from college to chat.  We had a great visit, leaving both Joel and I smiling!  Just love hearing from our grands.....our two youngest are both sophomores this year.  How did that happen?

Speaking of time going by,  I was talking with L. and told her that her grandpa grew up in a solid home and community like the Waltons........or Lake Woebegone.  Me?  Not so much.  She had never heard of either.  Yeah.  I am that old!  

Speaking of old, I heard Joel say he plans to live to 110.  Two of his Aunts lived until 108 and 109 but he plans to live over that to 110.  I do not think that way.  If this body continues to cjomplain so loudly I am thinking 110 is too old.  Give me Heaven and a NEW body by then.....ha

Speaking of age, we have been watching a documentary on the Blue Zones and what keeps people in certain areas living past 100.  For sure, healthy eating....we in America consume 220 lbs of meat yearly but in these areas they eat only 20 lbs of meat a year.  That is kinda a big difference. Lots of grains, freshly cooked veggies, beans, some fish, tofu, etc.  About a year ago we cut out eating meat twice a day......but I am thinking we need to add protein.  I do eat a lot of yogurt, plain, with fruits and nuts or oatmeal at night.  Whole grain cereals and oatmeal for Joel for supper.  Sometimes eggs and cheese.  We tried recently to go back to meat meals twice a day and it just doesn't feel right now.  Interesting.  I read an article this week written by a woman who moved to Ireland and said she is so much healthier now...lots of walking and biking there and fresh healthy foods available.  That was another key in the blue zones....staying fit.  AND fellowship with friends and family.  It is an interesting documentary on Netflix.  We can all do some small thing to live healthier and hopefully longer lives.  

We watched another silly movie this week.  My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.  It had us laughing and that is a good thing,    We have managed some good porch sitting.  A hummingbird has been visiting our petunias and that has been fun to see...and of course the pesky squirrels trying to store up food for winter.  We always enjoy people watching....as they use our street to get to the river road from our association.  Mostly we like to watch their dogs!  They each have their own personality which comes out as they walk. Big or small they are each unique.  Just like people!

Time to stop this rambling scribble.  So I am grateful for my old laptop that keeps working....an old IPad that does the same.  Grateful for dryer, cooler weather that makes porch sitting so enjoyable.  Grateful that we had have very few mosquitos this year!  Grateful for silly movies that make us laugh.  Grateful for lymph massage that helps drain our bodies, grateful for a granddaughter reaching out to call us.  Grateful for a Wordle connection, texts that keep us communicating, phone calls, surprise gifts from my hubby, colorful pansies, a hummingbird's visits, the beginning of my favorite season, open doors and windows and fresh air, clean windows, documentaries that make us think, a daughter's visit, Amazon deliveries!  Grateful for all this and soooooo much more.

Enjoy your weekend~

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this first weekend in September.  I think we need a reminder that it IS Sepember since the temps this weekend are supposed to be in the high nineties.  What?  Or as our oldest questioned....Why?!?! The animals may be a bit confused too....I am happy to report that my yellow pansies are STILL blooming and that has never happened. They always die out by mid summer so it is fun to have them around.  Our red geranium is blooming too.  Nice!  

Speaking of nice, it has been a week to seek out with gratitude all things good, cuz things have been off. Monday we went to our chiropractor with my back out.  By Monday evening Joel was feeling funky.  Tuesday was a day of 3 one hour naps and alot of Castle reruns for him.  By Wednesday he was up and running!  I took over his spot on Thursday evening and Friday.  A bit better today.  Yesterday I listened to books or read on the IPad.   It is all getting old.... like us!

Speaking of getting old, I used to bee able to read several books at a time, switching back an forth......or listen to two conversations at the same time, etc.  Not any more.  I am reading 4 different books right now....two on audio and 1 on an old IPad and 1 in my hands.  It's too much.  I am enjoying Laura Bush's audio book, "Spoken From The Heart".  It is written from her journals I expect.  As a teacher and librarian she is quite orderly and detailed.  I do like getting the perspectives of first ladies on their times in the White House.  

Joel spent a couple days riding, doing woodworking, and doing our floors.  When it is floor time?  THIS is when we say we need a smaller house!  He went to Gabby Grandpas this morning to coffee and chat with some guys.  He just helped me get a large tray full of veggies and chicken thighs ready to roast in the oven.  It should last us 4 meals.....we like leftovers so it works for us!

A dear friend sent me a text and shared she had been praying over my/our lives while outside and a shadow came over her.  She looked up and two eagles were flying over.  Later she shared a few words with me and I felt so touched by God.  You see, without her knowledge...only God's,  He had given me 2-3 times this week,  Isaiah 40:31 that says "Those who wait upon the Lord with soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  God connected the dots for me through this friend.  It happens often.....and I am richly blessed by it.  He hears.....He cares.....He is so good.  

Joel and I were talking about past Labor Day weekends.  We spend them mostly alone but when the kids were young we spent them getting ready for school and doing work, like clearning the garage, etc.  Not exactly fun times!  Looking back, Joel and I were good at working and overworking but not so goot at the fun stuff.  It brings us joy to see our kids do things differently.  Life is just too short to not throw fun into the mix~

Today I am grateful for some porch sitting and blooming pansies to gaze at.  Grateful for sofas when necessary, reruns of Castle, walking and riding, and cleaning and woodworking.  Grateful for clean floors and veggies roasting in the oven.  Grateful for reminders from God through eagles and friends.  Grateful for phone calls, texts, and emails.  Grateful for all this and so much more.

Enjoy your weekend.  

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this last weekend of August!  The oppressive heat and humidity has left, no more tropical climate here in northern Iowa.  I have noticed that our flowers have been loving the humidity......but not so much the people! There has not been much porch sitting or outdoor work when the "feels like" temperature was 112!  

Speaking of tropical climates and flowers, when we lived in The Philippines, Poinsettias grew wild on big bushes. There were plenty of beautiful flowering bushes there but I was always fascinated wih the "Christmas" plants growing year round in such heat and humidity.  

We had a bit of "drama" here Thursday night.  When I was getting ready for bed and doing my nightly routine for my artifical eye, I noticed it was not where it should be but  appeared to look like it was more in the corner.  Joel tried to move it with the soft tool we were given but he could not.  He took the eye out 2 times but when he put it back in I was feeling a lot of discomfort and it would slide back to the corner.  Finally we got the papers I had been given which had very few instructions.  We tried again....Ouch!  So.....when all else failed I googled "How to put an artifical eye back in"!!!  All kinds of instructions and videos came up.  Turns out the eye had swiveled and was upside down.....we took it out, lubricated it and got it in it's proper place.  Ahhhhh   Of course all this happended as I was getting ready for bed so sleep was slow to come.  We have it all figured out now so if it happens again (this was the first time) we now know what to do!  Who would ever think I would google such a thing.....but....we did ....We got this!!?!

Speaking of that, I am happy to report that the trigeminal nerve symptoms were much less and the blanace issues about 80% gone.  A dental appointnent and the eye drama raised the bar, but it was exciting to have improvement for the last two weeks.  The ear infection seems to be gone and Benadryl is temporarily helping me sleep at night and get rid of fluid in the ears.  Progress is such a good thing~  Still walking 20-25 minutes, worked on the book a bit, and managed to balance rest and activity.  Although....rest is still a four letter word for me....Too many sofa years with Lyme makes it hard for me to find it posiitve to "have to rest".

Speaking of resting, Joel's recumbent has been doing so.  Joel has not been able to ride or do any outdoor projects due to the thick heavy air, heat and humidity.  He spent time in the office....a lot of time actually.  Tomorrow he has services here at a church in town so he has gotten ready for that.   

I was talking to my sister Jan and told her when I go to Heaven I plan on working in a Bakery.....where I can eat all the caramel rolls I want.  I haven't had one for decades.  I have eaten some of a cinnammon roll a couple times but sugar and gluten are not my friends.  Anyway I love the idea of working in a bakery.  AND having a new body with all my working parts again.  sigh....Yeah "Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace"......and maybe bakeries and other fun places to enjoy.  You never know!

Today is International Dog Day which had us thinking about our two dogs, Jake and Levi, both Miniature Schnauzers,  "Sir Jacob Manchester Sackett" was with us for nearly 15 years.  That dog came at a highly stressful time in our lives and spread his love over everyone in the family.  He was protective but friendly.  He slept on our bed for years and comforted anyone who needed it. "Levi The Little Guy" was with us nearly 13 years....came from a puppy mill, and did not have the confidence or breeding Jake had.  He was always a bit anxious but loved to snuggle with us.  Those two dogs were such a joy.  We miss having a pet for sure.....and yet Joel holds back from having one now....so we enjoy our grand dogs when we get to see them.

Last night we watched the movie '80 For Brady".  We didn't know if we would like it so waited until it was free on Prime Video..turns out it was a pretty clean movie, and very funny!  I didn't realize it was based on a true story! We enjoyed the acting by Jane Fonda, Rita Marino, Sally Field and Lily Tomelin.  

Today I am grateful for laughter, movies that carry a message, memoires wih our two little dogs, google for "how to's", artifical eyes, cooler weather, porch sitting again, beautiful flowers the end of August, bakeries in Heaven?  Grateful for phone calls, texts, pictures from texts, emails, and just so much more.......

Enjoy your weekend~~

Saturday's Scribbles

 

Good Saturday to you from our corner of Iowa where August weather is upon us.  The next few days will be in the mid to high nineties with heat indexes in the low one hundreds.  Okay then.  Yay for air conditioning and early morning porch sitting. Our flowers are happy and in full bloom once again.  So lovely.  I expect they like the humidity.  

Joel has been riding between 10-15 miles most days.  Still doing some woodworking but had another accident with the power saw.  This time it kicked back a jpiece of wood, hitting his thumb first and then chest.  He has quite a bruise on his chest, so we are grateful the wood hit his thumb first.  It's sore and bruised also, but it would have been so much worse if it had hit his chest first!  Then yesterday he was changing out something on his pedals and riding really slowly in front of the house when the bike just tipped over and down he went on the street.  It's a recumbent so lower to the ground.  He bruised right away and got a stiff back, but all minor and is a-okay.  I'm just thinking he needs to sit in his recliner for a few days!!  

Monday we headed to Rocheser for a check up of my artifical eye.  All is well....they took it out, cleaned it and polished it, and put it back in.  Go back in 6 months.  Afterwards we went to Trader Joe's...yay....and then stopped at a family member's house half way home for a short visit.  Nice day.  The woman we visited has very limited vision but is so courageous in her journey through life now.  She makes me more brave!

Today our youngest daughter stopped by for a visit.  She came into our lives at age 2 just as our oldest graduated from high school.  Now she is 36 and has a teen of her own.  The years go by so quickly....

I made cookies for Joel this week, plus a gluten free snack for myself.  I have been walking 20 minutes daily and done a little cleaning, but for reasons we don't understand, energy has been low.  One of my favorite things to do when needing a boost is to go to Julie Meyer's Facebook page where she sings the Psalms and prays over people.  So soothing and inspiring.  Singing the Word of God.....it's so good!     I have been listening to audiobooks and finished Barbara Bush's book.  Now I am reading Laura Bush's book, "Spoken From The Heart".  I am a curious person and so these kind of books are very interesting to me.  Especially getting different perspectives from people then what appears on our screens or phones.  

Maui.  What can be said about the tragedy that has swallowed up Lahina.  It is shocking and so sad to see it all unfold.  We need to pray.....help if so led.  Lord have mercy.

This week one grandson has beenn working at the Iowa State Fair, sharing his stories with Papa Joel.  Another granddaughter has stepped into the world of teaching as she embraces young children with speical needs.  Another recently moved to new city to start her pharmacy career.  And today another granddaughter is setting up a new place to call home in her college dorm.  Two more will go back to their own college rooms in a couple of weeks.  My goodness........how much motion and change is happening in our family.   

Today I am so grateful for all our grands and how well they are doing life.  Grateful for a good report with the ocularist.  Grateful for a cool house and car.  Grateful for audiobooks.  Grateful for those helping the people of Maui.  Grateful for Joel fairing well with the "accidents".  Grateful for being able to walk inside when needed.  Grateful for phone calls with family and friends, texts, emails, laughter, tears.  Grateful for Julie Meyer's music and ministry.  Grateful for homemade goodies, plenty of food and Trader Joe's good deals!  Grateful for all this and so much more.........

Enjoy your weekend~