Quack, quack, quack!

It’s been raining nearly all day, off and on, complete with occasional wind and not even a peek of the sun. In fact, I believe it rained half the night, too, as it seemed I was awake much of that time.

Part of the reason for my unsound sleep was from my cough and the other part was likely because I had set my alarm on the phone, a sure thing for losing sleep. After I got home from lunch with Judy C. yesterday and sat at my desk, a cramp of some sort shot through my upper leg. Immediately I leapt back to my feet, thinking I sat wrong or something, but periodically the jolt would return. During the night it signaled me more than once, not as severe as the first one and as of now, seems to have subsided. That was a bit scary!

Janet arrived on schedule this a.m. and I led her to Victory, driving most of the time in the rain. At times it was very heavy downpours and we were quite glad to arrive there safely. She hopped into my car to wait for a break in the storm, and then Cary, my Trivia partner, came out with the umbrella to walk us in. We felt badly for those LWMS participants coming from long distances in that wretched weather.

It was great to see many familiar faces, and the Ladies of Victory did a fabulous job preparing for the Rally. Our speaker was the pastor’s wife from Tallahassee, who had served with Kingdom Workers in Taiwan after graduating from Wisconsin Lutheran College. After the business meeting, we had a genuine ‘first’ for an LWMS Rally---we were able to Skype with the missionaries serving now in Taiwan! It was a full 12 hours later there than here so they stayed up late to talk with us.

Our lunch was nice but I had to chuckle about it---Gretchen and I got in line together, dished up our salad, a roll, and she took fruit, and then went to the dessert table. Where’s the beef? I was not aware what was on the menu since it didn’t matter really, so only took a small taste of the salad. Later, Anne H. sought me out to see if I had enough to eat, saying, “I know you are a bit of a picky eater…” I showed her where the chicken salad had been on the plate and the ladies sitting with me confirmed that I had some chicken salad. Thanks, Anne, for looking out for me!

The ladies served us on plastic plates which looked just like your mom’s fine china (lower case ‘c’ there…) and the eating tools were also plastic. Sure fooled me! The plates were being kept but the artillery was being disposed of. I had read a few months ago how Stephanie had taken the plates home with her after a function, washed them all, and then brought them back to church for the next event. One could sure see why she did that, they are so nice!

After lunch we had a hymn sing where we could pick a favorite, and Anne asked me to request “In Christ Alone”, stanza 4, if we had to pick. She said I was her plant in the audience! We did that hymn, then “Beautiful Savior”. Judy C. requested “Go, My Children” which took me out. Having no tissues, I walked across the aisle where I saw a clean napkin on the table to mop up with. It was very nice and I am thankful Rachel can play on the fly like she does.

Before the event actually got underway, though, I had some tears. Bonnie, from Palm Coast, came up to me and said she had something for me in her car. It was a small box of books. Evidently, after the memorial service last week, some of the family had brought in a couple boxes of books to donate to the church. Marian’s confirmation hymnal with the name inscribed on the cover, a catechism from MLHS days, and her Bible. Bonnie knew that I would like to have those items, if no one else did, and I was blown away getting these mementos. How I would have loved getting the Small Catechism, the little brown one from my school days, but am pleased to have the Large Catechism from Marian’s school days! Thanks, Bonnie!

After the Rally, a lady came up to me and asked, “Are you the lady who had the leak?” I remembered sitting near her a year ago at the Rally and we had compared notes on condo floods. She reported having had her neighbor’s toilet overflow (fresh water) not long ago. I told her about hearing my neighbor’s toilet running last week one day and having to wait until the baby woke up for feeding before they made it stop. I told her I am sensitive to the sound of water dripping and she admitted being the same way. It can happen in a private home too, having a leak, but for some reason, it’s worse in a multi-family building. Or that might be why it’s worse, it affects more than one family!

On the way home from Victory, I stopped at my friend, Chrissie’s house. She is recovering from her surgeries and, with me having this stupid cold, we did not hug and such. We waved across the room, basically. I gave her the bracelet and earring set I had made at craft night at Victory last year to commemorate breast cancer awareness. She loved it, and showed me the book about jewelry making on her side table. Chrissie is all about the hand-crafted items and her hubby helped her get the bracelet on before I left. Her friends and church family are bringing them prepared meals regularly and someone was coming after I left with dinner for the family. What a great gift that is for her family, under the circumstances. Thank the Lord for good friends and for excellent surgeons, taking care of Chrissie this way!

It speaks for itself....

Sunrise October 7, 2011

What an incredible day thus far!

Today’s mail, instead of bringing me a check, brought me a very nice, hand-written letter from one of the young ladies, Nicole, who stayed with me this summer. I was blown away! She included with her note a photo of herself, her junior class picture at Rocky Mountain Lutheran High in Denver.

Mike C. told me last weekend that the teacher who accompanied the kids has said the young folks still talk their time here, and me (I guess I was a hit!). To top it all off, supposedly Nicole’s family moved into a new home and she told her teacher there is a room for me, with my own bathroom, when I go to visit there. How thoughtful of them!

Nicole told about their homecoming events coming up soon and how the student senate, of which she is part, is planning dress up days that week. The theme of the dance is ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and the décor sounds quite fun, like giant playing cards and other icons from the book and movies. Made me smile like a Cheshire cat myself!

The mail on the weekend brought another nice note from a friend of Marian’s in WI, her former co-worker, thanking me for keeping her informed when Marian was still alive and forward. Marcia had asked me to get the funeral plant for her, which I did, and gladly so.

*

Bible study was fantastic, having a new face join us this week. Beth, whose daughter, Hannah, passed away last year from a brain cancer, had off from work today and decided to come. Sunday will be the one year anniversary of Hannah being relieved of her suffering, and it was a bit difficult sometimes to keep the tears at bay. Sometimes, we both failed, but the comfort found in the Word soothes the spirit. The new booklet we began is about the ministry of the Keys and will be most interesting a topic.

After class I said to Beth, “It occurred to me it was a year ago that I had a terrible cold and could not sing in the choir at Victory for the funeral.” And now, I have one again, only not so serious. I told Beth that the only hymn I could sing was the closing one, “Abide With Me” which is one I normally cannot sing without choking up. The others around me were not members but were teachers and hospital staff, so they HAD to hear the message of this wonderful, comforting hymn. We hugged and hugged before she left and I hope I see her on Sunday when I go back over there.

I am going to Victory on Saturday for the LWMS Rally and after seeing the service folder for Sunday, must go back for worship Sunday. The sermon text is Philippians 4, my funeral chapter. His sermon is not the entire chapter but selected verses, some which helped me get through my personal struggles. Pastor said I will get a preview of my funeral then, and I said, “It might be an audition!” We had a good chuckle over that one! The only problem is I have to go for the 9:00 a.m. service since we have an ‘emergency’ meeting at GS after the service. No worries, I can make both, but won’t get to hang with Stephanie because she attends the Bible study which takes place at the same time as the early service. Oh, well, at least I get hear my funeral sermon…

I have a p.s. to add here: Via Facebook, I got a notice from my friend, Chris, with whom I used to paint, with a caution. She told me that the new movie, "Courageous", now in the theaters, has a child dying in it, and she wanted to give me a heads' up, in case I was going. The trailer for this movie aired before the movie "The Help" so I was aware that a child died, but how greatly I appreciate Chris warning me, to save me upset. Like I said last week Thursday, I have the best friends!

A reprint of my posting of Lisa's birthday (I updated her age and number of children!)

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the birth of my niece, Lisa. Growing up in a family with six girls plus my mom and having my grandma integrated into my life, I knew nothing of what it was like to not have females in my life. When my older sister, Lynn, told us she was going to have a baby, my sister, Lori, and I were in the sewing room of our family's home, jumping up and down with glee. I was a senior in high school at this time. It quickly became a "we" situation because in our family, sharing was important! My memory about exact dates and times is vague but I do know that Lynn could not be at my cousin's wedding because she was in labor. BUT I do remember being among the very first people to hold that little monkey baby when she was born!

*

Lisa was quite dark in color when she was born, hairy as could be, and the most beautiful thing I ever laid my eyes on! My former spouse was my boyfriend at this time and we just could not get enough of her. We went to Copp's the day she was born, when Copp's was still a department store, and bought her outfits and necessary baby items. We bought her a little sweater outfit which is what she wore home from the hospital. I think it was mint in color and with her coloring---gorgeous! (Her two sons wore the same outfit home from the hospital, too, as a tradition)

*

Our lives would never be the same, the sun rose and set on that child. When Lynn's husband rejoined the service, going into the Navy, it tore our hearts from our chests to say good-bye to them as they left for Norfolk. They had stopped at my house in Milwaukee, as I was married at this time, on their way to Norfolk, and after they left, I threw myself across the bed and sobbed my heart out.

*

Lori, my former spouse, and I drove out to see them at Easter, enjoying our time spent on the East Coast, seeing them and the sites around Williamsburg, VA, etc. That year at ThanksLiving we girls and Mom chipped together to fly Lynn and Lisa home, and surprised my dad. He was asleep in the chair and we put Lisa on his lap. He opened his eyes, and ta da!, there is our little dolly, Lisa. We had an airport in Manitowoc at the time, prop planes, but sadly, no more. The next January, Roger and Lori borrowed my brother-in-law's truck and drove out to pick up Lynn and Lisa, to bring them home for good. The husband did a Dear John thing, so the family to the rescue!

*

We rallied to help Lynn out with Lisa, by this time I had moved back to Manty from MKE, and could pitch in where I could. Lynn got a job through a temporary service at the area technical school, working in the mail room. She did so well that she was hired permanently and is presently there at LTC about 33 years! Lynn is an administrative assistant and works in public safety training, etc. To help Lynn out, Lisa was cared for between her aunts and eventually went to day care. Still the most adorable child you would ever want to meet. My brother-in-law, David, asked Lisa once, "What is it like to have people hang on your every word?" I really don't think she had a problem with it!

*

During the summers when Lisa was not in school, she would often spend her days with us where she was trained on office etiquette. Lisa loved to play with the typewriter, the big clunky type we used back in those days. Since our building business was run from our home, she had to learn the proper way to answer the phone, take messages, and so on, and did a good job at it. Later should thank me for the training as she would be complimented on her skills, both phone and people ones!

*

Where I went, Lisa went, and we spent good time together. Memorable for me, if not for her. And memorable for my sisters and Mom who also spent a good deal of time with Lisa. When we would go to the Mall, I would meet and chat with people, much to Lisa's chagrin. After years of enduring this, she asked me, in exasperation, "Do you have to talk to everyone????" Yes, I do! She would cringe when I sang along to the music in the grocery store and would duck down in the seat when I used the windshield cleaner when driving down the street. Yes, Lisa, I was quirky! And she loved every minute of it!

*

Fast forward through her dance recitals, Christmas programs, her confirmation and the party (at our house), her cleaning and eventually babysitting for me...She visited us often when we moved to Florida and, then, she was getting married. Oh my! Here it gets tricky (sorry, sweetheart.....) because the same year she was getting married was the same year problems came to light in my marriage. She had always wanted my former spouse, who had been like a daddy to her, to walk her down the aisle, and it was touch and go there for a while whether he would be in the picture or not. He did "give the bride away" at her wedding while I had the privilege of singing for the service.

*

Now Lisa is the mama of three darling boys and the wife of Noah, a wonderful husband and daddy to his boys. She was the only granddaughter/niece for a full twelve years, spoiled beyond measure and loved beyond measure. And today, we celebrate her birthday!!!

A clean desk is the sign of a messy mind

I have heard it said that a messy desk is the sign of a messy mind but now, even after my desk is cleaned off, I still have a messy mind. Lots of stuff swirling about in the folds of my brain. Do not mistake swirling for confusion, however; simply much to consider.

Today, in the wee hours, 3:50 a.m. to be exact, I found myself awake, needing to take a walk. “Redeye” was on TV and it was fun to see Greg Gutfeld at this hour, his normal hours, as well as on The Five at 5:00 pm. I like him very much on The Five, bringing some humor to sometimes tense conversations. It didn’t take long to fall back to sleep.

The soreness is still in my throat and now have added a little cough for good measure. Not like I had last Christmas, at least, not so far. Terri T. told me she has a sinus infection and since I was with her on Sunday….No, I won’t let her take the ‘blame’ for this as my sinuses are fine.

On the news this a.m. there was footage of huge riots and protests, and I had trouble figuring out if it was Greece or the USA. The particular scene I glanced up at was actually Greece but sadly, it could have been Wall Street. When one reads the placards and signs being waved in NYC, they are primarily concerned with money and who has it. I have not seen one sign or protester complaining about the basketball players or other athletes bargaining for millions of dollars.

The other day there was a music mogul with the protestors, Russell somebody, who first gave a speech, the one I mentioned when the kids chanted back to him everything he said, including, "Thank you all for coming out today!" He then sat and meditated with some of the Buddhists and yoga people. His net worth is $350 million dollars---I wonder if his fellow people on the line knew this. Or cared. After all, he looked like he was their ‘class’.

If he had walked around and handed out $100 bills to everyone there, would they accept it or refuse the money? After all, are they not opposed to people having money? Isn’t $100 money? Or would they hand the money to the person next to them, since they are all about sharing the wealth? If he is opposed to wealth, why does he charge people for music? Why don’t the musicians work for free?

There was a chart I saw on-line that showed what people who live at the poverty level, as determined by the government, have as far as assets. Yes, the very poor have assets. According to the 2005 census, one of the figures which caught my eye was the high percentage (well over half) of those in poverty with more than one TV. Almost all have at least one car, have A/C in the home, and yes, those with boys also are likely to have a game system.

If you look at the protestors on Wall Street, many are recording the goings on with their Apple iPhones and their iPads, or other electronic devices in near proximity to their person. They won’t lay their phone down and walk away from it, leaving it for someone else, because it is ‘theirs’. Sharing the wealth ends with the cell phone or laptops.

On another note: the other night at Ladies’ Group, we ladies and the pastor sat around the table, waiting to see who else was coming. One lady announced, “Amanda is on her way home…” Who? Amanda who? Someone from church? No, she was referring to Amanda Knox, the young woman who had just won her appeal in Italian courts regarding her murder conviction. Interesting...

I see a submarine!

Click the photo to make it larger

It might not be a real one, but it sure looks like a submarine. It must be a barge without a tug boat in charge. Since I began writing and took the photo, it looks like it made a left turn and is now headed toward Julington Creek. The other river traffic today was helicopters and lots of them. I wonder if the pilots can see me when I wave at them.

Oh my goodness, what is going to happen? The news is on and it seems Bernanke is getting scared now, too. What should I do? Should I call my advisors and discuss this? What is anyone else doing? Tell me, please!!! And I wish that spokespeople and those being interviewed would quit using the word ‘notion’---I am sick of it! Yes, my throat still hurts and might be making me cranky…

Given my tender throat situation, I am staying home from Trivia tonight, leaving “Nothing Tips Like a Cow” in the hands of others. And my dinner would have been free tonight, too. No worries, it will be free next when I go. With rehearsal Wednesday evening, I am nursing it today and tomorrow in hopes of being able to hit the high notes at choir.

This morning Judy J. called to let me know she plans to join the fun for dinner at Whitey’s next week. That makes a group of 12 going and I hope it’s nice enough to sit outside. Nice enough for me, that is! I can wear my fuzzy slippers and layers to keep warm, if need be. We have a number of our members in the hospital and Judy was going to visit Bonnie today, and had seen Fausto yesterday. June, Martie’s sister, is ill in PA, having a heart procedure done. Martie will be with her on Saturday when she flies north. Terri T’s sister-in-law is on a ventilator to help her breathe and today was reported to be doing better. That is good news as Terri recently lost her father-in-law.

My friend across the river that some of you remembered in prayer has had a double mastectomy performed as well as her gall bladder removed. A port was again put in place to administer her chemotherapy. She is now home and recovering before beginning her cancer treatment. In 2009, not long after getting married, she battled breast cancer and it was such a terrible shock to hear it came back again in the other breast. She wanted the doctors to remove any other organs that might be affected sometime down the road, hence, the gall bladder came out. She must be doing all right since she posted her update on Facebook about being home.

I did a load of wash today, and had two shirts which needed to be dried out of the dryer. Since the breeze was so delicious, the shirts were draped on chairs in the river room, almost like hanging them on the drying string! Quickly they were dry and ready to be hung in the closet. Still waiting for someone to come do that!

When I was talking with Judy J. this morning, my upstairs neighbor called with another computer problem. I called her back and said I needed to shower and dress before coming up. Thankfully I was able to help Nancy with one of her questions but I could not figure out how to open files not opened since 1980. They came up as little boxes and figures instead of words, not good since Nancy is a writer! 

I came back home and sent an e-mail to my other neighbor, Randy, to ask him how to convert them. He told me how to do it, and when I went back upstairs again, I did it! Yay! Randy and I are heroes! Nancy was embarrassed by not being able to figure it out herself but I reminded her that at the age of 80, she was doing just fine. I am not 80 and did not know how to do it, either, without asking Randy for help. Teamwork!

“I have ashes in my throat”

My niece, Lisa, used to say this when she was a little girl, when her throat hurt. I am saying it today. It could be ashes or it could be crushed glass, by the way it feels, with a slight cough accompanying. As I sat in church Sunday, it was like the coughing never was quiet, not mine, but others. Something must be going around, and it’s my turn. Perhaps the germs mixed with the weather change caused the problem, or influenced it, anyway. The low humidity takes some getting used to!

Most of us wore long pants due to the cooler temperatures, and were glad to have them for dining at Longhorn. Brrrr…..Bible study was not that chilly, I think he only had the fan running to move the air around. I did not need moving air but I am sure the others liked it. Only six of us in the class this week, but am glad to have Kristi join in now that she is retired. She does not join us for lunch though and I told her she spoiled us by coming once. We studied the prayer of Ezra which was really quite interesting. The conversation then went to mixed marriages and their challenges and sometimes, blessings. Good class.

Last week I remarked to the manager of Longhorn about how cold it was in the restaurant, we could nearly see our breath! He was telling how the temperatures are controlled by a central office (which the previous manager had also told us) and I find this to be so incredibly ridiculous. He can change it, adjust it, but after 90 minutes the temp resets itself. 90 minutes is enough for us. Fred, the manager who took care of us this week, told us he had to climb on a chair to reach one of the thermostats which was on the ceiling (that would never work in a house, especially since warm air rises!) when he came to work. He said he did adjust a different one when we came in, Judy saw him do it, but we did not feel much warmer. Next week we should take blankets in with us, or eat outside!

Did anyone notice the markets falling again? This has been a long time coming and now it’s here. I told Diane, my friend and finance counselor, I was going to buy a wheel barrow to put my money in when I walked to Winn Dixie to buy a loaf of bread…She laughed but agreed that those days are not far off unless things get under control. Don’t mock my food storage, pitiful as it might be!