I Take My Cue From Them . . .

Hi All!

Well, it has been HOT, HOT, HOT here. I think we have had ten days in a row over 100 degrees. When things get THAT hot, I watch the cats and take my cue from them . . .

I spend a lot of time laying belly up these days!

sdgh

Unfortunately, I have had a run of headaches for the past couple days. I had a bad one on Thursday and then Friday was spent feeling like I had been hit by a truck. Saturday was better and then on Sunday - just as we sat down in church - another headache hit!

sgh

NOT GOOD!

sgh

Since this time my eyes couldn't take the light and the normally dim sanctuary seemed as though it was lit by spotlights! The white paper of the bulletin was horrible because it reflected the light right into my eyes.

sfh

So - I kept my eyes closed most of the time.

sgh

I did peek when the baby was baptized - you have to see the baby!

fh

After church we went to a Wal Mart in a neighboring town to get some oil for Hubby's car - we couldn't find the right kind of oil at our Wal Mart. That was a lot of fun for my head but . . . I survived.

sfgh

Then it was home to take some meds and try to sleep the headache off.

sfh

Didn't work.

sfgh

I ended up taking more meds last night and so this morning . . . the headache is gone but that "hit by a truck" feeling - it is here in full strength!

sfgh

I did managed to get out and do my walk/swim this morning which helped a bit.

fh

Today I plan on hitting the grocery store before succumbing to another nap forced by my headache!

sfgh

Wish me luck!

sfgh

Trisha

sfgh

Voice Update: I did manage to read from my book this weekend but on Sunday my eyes didn't want anything to do with the print. So - I badgered Hubby into talking to me a lot so I could get my exercise in. Poor Hubby!

So Close!

Hi All!

Well - we almost got rain yesterday. The skies certainly looked right and we got thunder and lightening. But . . . about 15 raindrops and that was it. Rats!

Supposedly there is a chance of rain all this weekend. We will see how that goes!

sfgj

To be fair - places around us got rain. In fact some even got bad winds which ripped off shingles and knocked down fences. We are happy we didn't get the wind but the rain . . . we could really use it!

sgh

I got my hair cut yesterday - short again (not that it ever was very long!) but this will be good with swimming and the heat. For everyone who thinks that I should let my hair grow out . . . you really have no clue how hot this darn hair can get!

sdgh

I have no idea what is going on this weekend. I might be meeting some friends for lunch - don't know for sure yet. We will see how things go! I do plan on taking a nap though!

dgh

Have a super weekend!

dhgj

Trisha

fdhj

Voice Update: Doing well. I didn't do a whole lot of reading yesterday but I did enough to give my voice a nice workout.

A Bug and Dinner

Hi All!

Well - yesterday was pretty much a wash - I woke up with a horrible headache at about four in the morning. I took meds and went back to bed. When the alarm rang at about 6:30 - there was NO WAY I was going to get up. I told Hubby he would have to eat out and shut my eyes.

That only worked for a little bit. Skor AND Miss Cleo both decided that they NEEDED me out in the kitchen before they would eat. Great!

Hubby was kind enough to let me keep my eyes closed (I had some MAJOR light sensitivity going on) and he guided me out to the kitchen and then back to bed. He is a WONDERFUL man!

Anyway - after that it was back to sleep until about 8:45 ish when I called Mom to tell her that I wasn't going to be on IM - due to the headache which was still with me. The next time I woke up it was about noon and I shuffled out to have some luch/breakfast.

After that, the whole day was sort of . . . blah.

I always feel like I have been hit by a truck after a headache like that. This time was no exception.

Hubby did point out a very interesting "stink bug" for me to take a picture of though.


sfgj
Isn't it funky?

sfj

It was hard to get a semi-good picture because the sun was so bright outside. Oh well - I like the spikes on his/her legs. Very medieval!

sfgj

After taking my car for a short shoppping trip with Hubby in the passenger seat to check out the new windshield (verdict: the new windshield is perfect!!), we both headed home for some dinner. Grilled chicken salad - which was Hubby's suggestion.

You have to understand that Hubby usually doesn't suggest anything involving green stuff. This was an impressive suggestion!

sfj

This morning I feel better. Not completely better from that dang truck but . . . better.

fshj

I didn't walk/swim though - I just needed a bit more sleep.

sfj

Later I get my hair cut. I am thinking of going pretty short for the rest of the summer to make the swimming thing easier. What do you think?

sfj

Trisha

sfj

Voice Update: Well, I didn't talk a whole lot yesterday but I did talk to Mom for a while which took place of reading since my eyes didn't like reading yesterday (thanks, headache!).

Expected Home Today

Hi All!

Yesterday evening I got a call from Frank, the service guy at Toyota who has temporary custody of my Venza. Frank told me that I was indeed getting a new windshield and that my car will be ready to come home with me today around 4:00. I am excited!

While the Camry that I have while my Venza is in the shop is fine . . . I miss my Venza!

dfh

So - it will be nice to have it back home where it belongs!

sfg

Yesterday I made a mammoth haul at the grocery store. Since I hadn't shopped for meat for a while, I loaded up yesterday.

dfg

Luckily, we have a vacuum packer to package our extra meat for freezing. We have had it for a while and use it all the time.

dfgh

Upon returning home from the store and lugging all of the million of grocery bags into the house (actually, there weren't quite a million bags because the bagger liked to pack each bag full, full, full!), I immediately set upon the meat. Because there are only two of us, I normally package the meat into two portion packages. I did the pork chops, the hamburger/turkey, and the breakfast sausage. Then I combined some more hamburger with ground pork and made a meatloaf for me to eat during the week.

gh

Well, that didn't work out too well.

dh

The meatloaf smelled wonderful but the addition of the pork made it less tasty than normal for some reason. I still ate a bit and then sliced the rest of the loaf and froze individual portions.

sdg

When the groceries were put away and the meat all packaged and the meatloaf cooked and packaged, I pulled the sheets off the bed and threw them into the washer.

fg

Then I headed outside to rig up a clothesline to dry the sheets on.

sdfh

No - my drier isn't broken. I just like the smell of line dried sheets and since it was already 103 degrees outside, I knew that the sheets would dry quickly.

gfh

Despite the clothesline looking a bit less than impressive, it did its job admirably and last night Hubby and I slept on fresh smelling, sun dried sheets.

fgj

I wish I could have taken a video of Skor while Hubby and I were making the bed. For some odd reason Skor LOVES to play on the bed while we are making it. First he likes to get all wrapped up in the sheets before we actually get them onto the bed.

dfhd

After a little encouraging, he finally gets out of the sheets and allows us to put the sheets on the bed. Then he rolls and scoots around on his belly. He romps all over the King sized bed and just has such fun. Hubby and I have fun watching him and trying to figure out just why this cat likes to do this.

dfh

Weird!

gh

I wish I had a video. Maybe next time I will!

Trisha

dxfhjk

Voice Update: Still doing well. My throat is a bit crunchy but not too bad at all. I was supposed to have a speech appointment today but it has been postponed until next Wednesday because Susan won't be in today. I did my hour of reading yesterday- once more in my current book (it is about 800 pages long so I will be reading out of it for a while!).

The Secret to Grocery Shopping With a Smile

Hi All!

Well, today I have decided to stick pretty close to home. I am going grocery shopping and then will do some laundry. Doesn't that sound like fun?

I know that many people don't particularly like grocery shopping but, I know the secret to making it almost enjoyable. That secret is actually several rolled into one.

1) First, you need to go into the whole thing like an adventure. Shopping is more fun if you look at it this way. A chore? No way! This is like a treasure hunt. Yes, you need to pick up the "usual" things but there is always something different that you can find to bring home. I like to find something different each time I go shopping. It could be a different fruit or vegetable or a different kind of meat. You never know what I will come home with!

2) Next, don't look at the other shoppers as annoyances, look at them as stories waiting to be told. When I find my path blocked by some elderly woman's cart or by some man checking out pasta sauce, I take a second and imagine a story for that person. True, it is surely way off the mark in terms of truth but, I must say that my stories keep me amused!

3) Chat with yourself while going through the aisles. I do this all the time - at the insistence of my speech therapist so that I get vocal "practice" during the day - and it really makes things "interesting." You get a lot of strange looks and sometimes, people even come up and ask if you are okay. Also, this sometimes solves the problem of people blocking your way. If you are talking to yourself - other people tend to move out of your way pretty quickly!

4) Finally, if all of the other suggestions don't work, just think of other things you could be doing which are actually worse than grocery shopping. My list includes cleaning up hair balls, dealing with insurance companies, waiting in an emergency room waiting room, sitting in a very boring college lecture, giving my cat (either one) medicine, and dealing with sun poisoning rash. Compared to these things . . . shopping is heaven!

Well - at least it isn't too bad when I can come home and take a nap like this fellow . . .

By the way - who stole all of our clouds? The skies are clear and the weather is HOT, HOT, HOT!

sdgh

Have a super day!

dfgh
Trisha
dfhj

Voice Update: Doing well. I am still reading from my latest book and I wish I could read it while driving and grocery shopping but . . . I can't!

My Car???

Hi All!

Happy Monday! I am feeling very optimistic this week and that is partly because I have things to do. It might also have something to do with the fact that I cleaned out two closets over the weekend. I feel like I have accomplished something.

Anyway - today's list of things to do included walking/swimming (check!), taking my car to the dealership to have the trim piece replaced and to have them check the windshielf distortion (check), take items from cleaned closets to the CCA (Community Christian Action resale shop) and to Goodwill (check).

So . . . what is up with this?


As you may notice - this is NOT my car.

ssdgh

My car, while blue, is a much different color. AND it is a Venza - NOT a Camry.

sfgh

So - what is up with this???

dfhj

Well, let me tell you. My beloved Venza is spending time at the dealership hopefully getting a new windshield. I have this "loaner" for a while until I get my pretty car back. It is a nice, basic car. Nothing fancy. It did do a good job hauling everything to CCA and to Goodwill and it even took me to Palio's for pizza for lunch and to the Yogomom frozen yogurt place for a treat!

fhj

What a day!

dghj

While I am not certain what is on the agenda for tomorrow . . . I am sure it will be interesting!

dghj

Have a super day!

ghj

Trisha

ghj

Voice Update: Doing well - I am taking a brief break from reading the Bible though - this is primarily because I am having a hard time keeping my nose out of An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon - my favorite author. Due to this I am reading from that book daily instead of the Bible. I want to continue reading the Bible but I might have to wait until I get this one done!

Missing Barb

Time is an odd thing. It seems like it constantly works to throw us together with strangers and then to rip us apart from the same people when they become like family.

When we are young, we find ourselves surrounded by friends who we can not imagine life without. We play together, learn together, laugh together, cry together, make memories together. We make pledges that we will grow up together and take on the world - together. At night we slip into sleep comfortable with our world and our friends.

Sooner than later, we discover than while leaving friends is painful, life does continue.

We are faced with the disconcerting thought of finding new friends among a group which looks so different from the group of friends we just left. How will we ever make friends with these people? As days pass we slowly make inroads into the group. We find similarities. We find differences. We play together, learn together, laugh together, cry together and make memories together. This time we are a bit wiser and don't pledge to stay together forever. Instead we pledge to stay in touch no matter what happens. We will be friends for life.

Sooner than later, we discover that staying in touch isn't that easy.

Once more we brace ourselves for the process of making friends. We are a little better at it this time and it doesn't seem to take that long. Now we are older, maybe in college. We find people who we like because of their ideas, their thoughts, their souls. We study together, party together, laugh together, cry together, do reckless and wild things together and make memories together. Even wiser than before, we know that some of these friends will fade with time while some - a rare few - will stay in touch.

Sooner than later, we find ourselves facing the prospect of being adults.

We enter the work place and find that it is just another set of people to make friends with. We move into our own houses in different neighborhoods and find neighbors to interact with. We find a group of others like us who are doing their best to be adults in a world without a guide book. Despite busy schedules, work, and family, we learn together, laugh together, work together, and create memories together. Now there are no promises of staying friends forever. Yes, there is a feeling of loss when friends leave or you leave. However, we understand by now that this is life.

Our hearts know to hold on to the memories.

When we have a chance to sit down and think back over the course of our lives, there are certain friends who stand out. One might be a childhood friend, another from high school, a couple from college. One might be that first neighbor who you cried with when you couldn't get the toilet to stop overflowing at midnight while your husband was away. One might be the co-worker who seemed to just know what you were thinking. One might be that crazy person from down the road with whom you chatted every morning during your walk.

Then there are those who could never be forgotten because of their impact on your life. Teachers, mentors, friends who were wise beyond their years. People who guided you on your journey to becoming you.

These people are never forgotten because their hand prints are on your soul from where they helped mold it. Their smiles are imprinted on your heart. Their voices are held in your dreams when you need to hear their wise voices.

Recently, on of these very special people in my life passed away. Her name was Barb. She was something of a second (or third or fourth) mother to me during my teen years. I can't think of the years between twelve and twenty-something without seeing her there. She was someone who honestly cared. She was a shoulder to cry on when things weren't going my way and she was a proud smile when things were going well.

I met her during my time in Rainbow Girls. For those of you who aren't familiar with this organization (formally called The Order of the Rainbow for Girls), it is a youth organization related to the Masons and Eastern Star. No - it isn't a satanic cult - it is a service organization which helps young girls grow into young women with grace and confidence (they hope!).

As a young girl of twelve, I joined "Rainbow" and it immediately became a VERY important part of my life. Prior to this I was a rather shy person. My "people skills" were not the best. I was a bit awkward. Well, suddenly, I was in the company of others who either were just like me or who had figured things out. The older girls were examples to look up to while those of my age were friends to learn with. The younger girls (in later years) were friends to help along their way. I loved pretty much each and every moment of the experience.

Barb was the mother of one of the older girls in Rainbow. They went to the same church as my family and I saw them pretty much each and every Sunday. While Janet, Barb's daughter, was a guide in Rainbow, Barb became like a mother to me - and to the other girls in Rainbow. You see, we would have meetings and activities and while the girls would be off doing something, the mothers (and/or fathers) would gather to chat. I suppose they were doing other things too but . . . I never knew since I was off with the girls. If anything was needed, any of the gathered adults acted like the parent and reprimanded (if needed), soothed, encouraged, or provided advice.

Many were the times when Barb gave out hugs to us as we darted to and fro. Also, the times when she called us in order to tell us to behave were many! Like I said - she was another mother.

I will never forget her.

When I got married, I got the gift of two throw pillows from Barb. These are actually throws which fold up into pillows. These pillows are on my big, comfy reading chair and each time I sit down to read in that chair, I take a minute to think about Barb.

One of those special people whose hand prints will forever be upon my soul.

God Bless, Barb. I will miss you.