Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this last weekend of November.  The cold has settled in here with a high of 30 forecast for today.  Joel put the outdoor lights up late yesterday....there were warmer days for it earlier in the week but a trip to the cornea specialist in Des Moines had him getting his cornea scraped on Monday and a few days of rest to follow.  Life is full of surprises.   We are grateful it could be done and that our brother-in-law was able and willing to drive our vehicle.  I was unable to go because I had a follow up appointment with my urologist six days after my overnight hospital stay for a kidney infection and passing a small stone.  Pumped full of antibiotics and saline for dehydration and low sodium I was sent home the next day.  Again, life is full of surprises.  

Medical drama aside, we had a nice Thanksgiving for two.  It was a quiet day, but we enjoyed good traditional food, and feel very blessed to have spent so many Thanksgivings together.  Loneliness can set in when it is just the two of us, so my heart goes goes out to those who are alone for the Holidays.   

Looking back on Thanksgivings over the years I think of the first one after we were married......we were separated by "Uncle Sam" and talked briefly on the phone since each phone call was costly "back in the days" before cell phones.  Another one that stands out is our 2nd holiday together when I made my first turkey and had no clue there was a "bag" of goodies in the cavity OR that I should uncover the bird to brown it~  Haha  And of course our often told story of our Thanksgiving in the Philippines where we were in the middle of a typhoon....ran out of gas for the stove and the electricity was shut off.  We had jello, chips, pie, and a little half cooked turkey.  We had candles for light for 4 days if I remember correctly.  During that typhoon ( went throough 7 in 2 1/2 weeks) our maid Amphy stood at one door with a broom pushing water back out under the door and I did the same in the livng room at the main door.  Joel was off at work as a meteorologist in the Air Force.  Quite the experience! Another year my whole family gathered here and we took over the chuch fellowship hall and kitchen, cooking a BIG dinner for the many many who gathered.  Good memories......

Speaking of memories, as I write this today I am listening to Christmas music, and a few songs from my favorite oldest Alabama Christmas "record"/CD is playing.  It oridinally came out in 1985 and in CD form in 1998.  It brings up old memories of when we decorated the tree as a family while listening to this music.  It is the kind of memory that can make you smile while shedding tears at the same time.  

My sister Jan's phone "broke" over Thanksgiving week and I have to say, I have really missed her texts or replies to mine.  It is really a gift to be able to stay connected so easily,  She and I still like to talk to each other......voices are so important. Texts are good, phone calls are better.....in person is the best!  I like to share a story about when we were in the Philippines and phone calls were out of the question, cells nonexistent.  We decided to send tape cassette recordings to each other.  One day she got lonely and decided to listen to one of our cassettes.  As she heard me talk she started to cry but then as it went on she realized it was HER talking about her family!  We sounded so much alike that she was crying at the sound of her own voice.  

Lots of reminiscing this week.....lots of memories......lots of wishing that wishes could come true......smiles....and tears......and so much to be grateful for during this Thanksgiving weekend.

I am so grateful for Joel's continual love and support.  So grateful his cornea scraping is over and he's doing well today.  Grateful my hospital stay was brief. Grateful for good food and of course pie and whipped cream for dessert!  Grateful for memories that make us smile and even those who bring tears.  Grateful our life story continues on....Grateful for Alabama Christmas songs, the outdoor lights up, and the tree will be next.  Grateful for a warm home, a fireplace, phone calls, texts, emails, and photos that bring family close....and so much more!

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this Veteran's Day.  It is a day to remember and honor our veterans that serve or have served our country.  We live in the land of the free because of the brave who protect and serve.

Speaking of that, I am giving thanks today for the eight years Joel served in the Air Force.  He was drafted into the Army in July of 1968, but knew he did not want to serve "on the ground" so enlisted into the Air Force.  He spent half of his eight years in training or in college (paid for by the government)  and then served 4 years as a meteorologist, forecasting weather for pilots.  We were stationed in The Philippines when Saigon fell to the "enemy".  Quite an experience.  We are grateful for the years he served and I am proud of Joel for his service.  Thank you to all who have or are serving our country.

Speaking of Joel, he is still riding his bike, although not as much. He has 1,050 miles and looking ahead as long as the weather holds.   He spent time raking and bagging leaves this week plus working on a sermon for tomorrow's two services.  He drove me to Mayo Clinc and the chiropractor this week too.  The time change is limiting outdoor work for sure.

Speaking of time change, is anyone else finding it more than a little challenging?  The first three nights I woke at 4:30 am for the day.  Not cool.  Two more days at 5am and finally this morning I awoke after 9 hours of sleep.  I just wish the country would listen to the people on this ....MOST want it to stop.  I am one of the "most".  

Speaking of time.....our grandmother clock stopped working this week when Joel was setting it for he time change on Sat. night.  We have had this clock since 1975.  When we lived in The Philippines we took a picture of an Ethan Allen clock down to a small Filipino business and asked them to make the clock they saw in the picture.  They did!  We were able to get the insides from a pilot who flew to Taiwan...the clockworks came from Germany but were put together in Taiwan and he brought it back for us!  That worked for years....then stopped so we bought a different kind of clockworks that worked for nearly 20 years.  Now we just reordered again a new replacement and Joel will put that together too.  We feel pretty lost without hearing our clock bong on the hour.  After gracing our home for nearly 44 years, this grandmother clock is like a family member!  Ha  Looking forward to hearing the chimes again soon...

My Mayo lymphedema check up went well and we received some good dinformation regarding the chest wall cartilage...the sudden knee issue....the low energy....and how the arm is doing, which is okay.  We have been so blessed by the Mayo Lymphedema Clinc and especially my PT, Jenny.  A real gift! Speaking of gifts, I walked down along the river again yesterday which was nice.  VERY COLD but nice!  Fresh air and nature......what's not to like? This morning my sweet hairdresser came to the house in the midst of her busy schedule and cut my hair.  She has been doing it for so many years and I am so grateful for  her willingness to do so.  Her faith is strong, we are grateful for each other's prayers and the history we have.  She and her family were members of the church Joel served from 1996-2006.  

We were able to get to Trader Joe's while in Rochester.  We save soooooo much money going there and buy in quantity...almonds, cashews, almond butter, almond flour, almond torillas, etc.  Plain organic yogurt is over $2 cheaper per carton. That is serious savings that add up.  

We have given in to the Hallmark Channel's Christmas marathon of movies....and watched a couple.  Options are slim at night for decent TV.  Speaking of TV....we have a nice one that was a gift around 5 years ago..so in today's world that is old.  Sometimes it turns on, sometimes it doesn't.  Sometimes it gets stuck on a channel....the solution to ALL issues?  Just shut it off, unplug it and wait 5 minutes...then plug it back in,  turn it back on and we are good to go!  Kinda like our phones and computers, right?  I sometimes think as we age we need one of those options.  Shut it down, reboot and restart and we are good to go!  hahaha  

Today I am grateul for quick fixes....and for Joel's willingness to "figure things out" when fixes are not quick.  Grateful for the many years our grandmother clock has served us well.  Grateful for Joel's 8 years of military service and for ALL who have served.  Grateful for my Lymphedema PT.  Grateful for safe travel, for a walk by the river again.  Grateful for Trader Joe's and being able to go and buy in bulk.  Grateful for our family, friends, and all the phone calls,texts, and emails.  Grateful for a hair cut!  Grateful for the love and prayers that sustain us.  Grateful for all this and so much more...........

Enjoy your weekend!

Saturday's Scribbles

Good Saturday to you on this first weekend in November.  The weather has been up and down but in the low 50's now.  Joel has been busy raking, mulching, and bagging leaves, cleaning eaves and eavestroughs and getting ready for winter in Iowa.  The squirrels seem to be busy doing the same.  Joel is soooooo close to his 1,000 mile goal for biking this year.  The weather has been cooperating too, so he should hit 1,000 today.  Yay!

Yesterday Joel drove me down to the "river road" below our cul-de-sac, and I went for a short walk along the river.  I can't climb the hill for now due to my knee/back issue and wanted to get out and get some fresh air in a familiar place.  We have walked the river road for years, and I hope to again.  Mostly I walk indoors for now.  

Last Sunday Joel and I made him some apple crisp.  He had picked the fallen apples from the college campus ....they go to rot each year!  It was a lot of work, but he enjoyed it all week!  He did say that next year he was going to make an apple pie...much easier! Of course that would be with a boughten crust!  We also made homemade chicken soup again.  Just that time of year.....

Last night we watched a 20/20 episode on ABC.  We don't ever watch that or Dateline unless it peaks our interest.  This one did, but what hit me was hearing that there are an estimated 14,000 unidentifed bodies  in unmarked graves in our country.  14,000 Jane Does or John Does who somewhere have family that wonders what happened to them.  How very sad.  It also took me back to our son Kevin who died of congestive heart failure in Colorado.  We wanted to bring his remains back here but did not have the authority for that.  We went to visit his grave in 2015 and it took us a long time in an enormous cemetary to find his "unmarked" grave.  There was a record of his buriel and who he was buried next to, but no stone.  After talking with the man in charge of the cemetery we discovered we could legally get him a gravestone.  We went right "across the street" and found the perfect stone for him, ordered and paid for it and within a few weeks it was in place.  It gave us such peace.  Everyone deserves to be "known" in life and in death.  I go back to those 14,000 unidentified bodies and unmarked graves across our country and how sad it is.  Someone is missing each of them.  Someone cared.  

It was Halloween this past Tuesday and so cold here we were not sure how many kids we would have.  Turns out....many!  We gave out 7 bags of mini candy bars, mostly to older kids.  Joel enjoys handing it out.  He had two guys come for candy and they both had beards.  NOT kidding!  Joel asked them how old they were and they said, "20".  What????    Yep.  they were 20 and trick or treating~  Joel got a good laugh out of that.  He said they were polite and nice, but a "little old" to be trick or treating!  Maybe from the  nearby college?~  

Our two older girls will be coming home tomorrow from a week long adventure in Scotland.  It has brightened our days to "see" through their eyes the fun they are having and the places they are exploring.  What a precious time for them. 

So with that I give thanks for their new adventure.  Give thanks for a walk by the river, for Joel reaching his goal this weekend!  Giving thanks for Halloween and the good laugh Joel got over the "older" boys trick or treating.  Grateful for the leaves getting taken care of....for my husband's strength and mindset he has of "work is a privilege".  Grateful for homemade soup and apple crisp for Joel.  Grateful for all things Fall.  Grateful for all the pictures, texts, and phone calls.  And so much more...............

Enjoy your weekend!