Finally, I get back to the blog... I was ill for weeks, had surgery, and now that I'm back to myself;  I shall continue.  In our part of the country, we have been in the middle of a ice-sleet-snow storm.  It started Thursday, this is Sunday, and we don't have thawing weather forecast for 2-3 days. That brings long days inside.  With that in mind I enter this incident.

     Being snow-bound does something to your mind after 2-3 days. Meandering through the house about 12:00, I said, "Has the mailman run yet?"
      "No, this is Sunday."
      "Oh, yes, I forgot."
      A few hours later, I saw some envelopes on the table,"Did you go to the mailbox?"
      Dan held up two fingers and said, "This is twice---IT IS SUNDAY."
      "Oh, yes, I forgot what you said."
      Later, I walked into the kitchen, he was busy at the counter with his back to me. A little mischievous elf walked through my mind..." Did you ever check the mailbox?"
He sighed, slowly turned to face me -- I wiggled my eyebrows and flashed my "Gotcha!" smile. He slowly turned back to his bowl, "Yes, but we didn't get anything." — feeling happy.

Rough Month         Oct. 16, 2013

   It started in September.  I had an acute gallbladder attack which led to 2 weeks of high powered antibiotics, 3 weeks of healing and then surgery.  Finally, I feel like I'm alive.  It is good to be back with the living.  I wish I had a funny story to tell, but nothing about the past month and a half has been funny.

Pranks September 24,2013

     A few days ago, we ate at Wendy's he ordered himself a hamburger, baked potato, and a frosty.  He had to go to the bath room, and I opened his hamburger and took a bite (It smelled so good, because I have been taken off red meat.) I couldn't resist just one bite.  Then I wrapped it back up .  When he came back, he was working on the potato, and finally, he opened his hamburger.  The  big missing bite was the first thing he saw. I wish you could have seen his face. Hahahah. It didn't enter his mind that I would have touched it, because I have been faithful to the doctor's orders.  He looked up front (trying to figure out what to do with it)  and then back at his hamburger.  It was just too much, and I started laughing.  It takes so little to amuse me!!!!!

Sept.'s gifts and other things Sept.17 ,2013

Ahhhh, the joys of September...cooler days (yeah), curling leaves falling to the ground, cicada's screaming through the solitude, and gnats.
Yes, gnats... this is their month.  Where they come from, nobody knows.  They just appear one day and multiple.  I have searched the house.  What could possibly be creating a hatchery for these little flying creatures?  How do you combat them?  They are faster than a speeding bullet and can leap tall refrigerators to escape any evil plans I have for them.
My husband and I   planned another diversion tactic.  I read of a bowl of vinegar with soap in it...done..in the kitchen and the bathroom.  Next, a trip to  Walmart  to buy fly spirals (those sticky things that hang in spirals).  One hanging in the kitchen and two in the bathroom.  All good so far.  Wow, gnats al  la vinegar bowl-- gnats covered spiral:).  It appears this could work.  I believe it is a catching machine.  We are sooooo smart :) until...until... I go into the bathroom and reach for a towel and was stuck like a gnat to the sticky thing!!!  This horrible nasty thing had captured me. I pulled and was stuck more.  It took the other hand to pull myself loose and now that poison and goop was all over both hands.  Let me tell you , I fully understand how it catches  things.  It took FOREVER to get that stuff washed, rubbed, washed again and   off of me.  The gifts of September can bring surprises.

Bed time visitor Sept. 8, 2013

Snoozing away, I felt it. My eyes popped opened, and I did a back flip out of bed,and snapped a light in the same motion. Ripping the covers apart, I searched for that monster! Do you know what a grown woman can do when she's looking for a creepy crawly? I stood there panting staring at that bed. I saw it, a tiny brown moth that blended right into my rosebud sheets. At that point, I had enough adrenalin in me to kill a Bengal tiger with my bare hands, and that moth didn't have a chance. I wonder when I'll go back to sleep.

Thought I was going to die! August 30, 2013

It's been nearly a week since the horrible GALL BLADDER ATTACK!!!  In the wee morning hours of August 25, 2013, I was awakened by the uncomfortable feeling below my chest.  Tums! that's the thing to take, unless ,of course, that uncomfortable feeling is followed with PAIN and VOMITING.  Somebody must have stabbed me right there in the bed.  I felt the sheets to see if there was anything wet and red.  Nothing.  So I had to move- I couldn't stay there.  For 6 hours I walked, cried, begged for help, and finally got in touch with the doctor, who said it was fine to take a pain pill.  with that came relief.  But my body was exhausted and I slept all day and night.  I got an appointment with the specialist through an appointment with her.  I had to have an ultrasound, which meant the hospital.  From there, the next day to the specialist.  I was prepared for that 2:30 P.M. appointment.  I hadn't eaten anything since a cracker and small amount of soda at 7:00 A.M.  If he said go to the hospitable for surgery, I was prepared.  Believe it or not, I was too sick to go.  He said it's infected, and he would prefer to do drug therapy for 2 week and heal for 3 more before I have it done.  So here I am waiting.  Please no more attacks.

Almost September August 28,2013

The weather is back to normal and HOT!  Labor Day is nearly here and the rides are moving in.  It is always a time of anticipation.  The memories go back to childhood.  I can remember rising early on the farm, ready to go to the picnic. Momma had other plans for a little while.  We had to cook breakfast and clean the kitchen.  Then the beds had to be made and everything put in order.  SWEEP THE FLOORS!!!  Holy Cow, Momma,  Let's go.  We had to put on fresh clothes.  We had to be clean even though we would be wet with sweat in a few minutes of getting on the grounds.  First the parade---streets were lined with people, children running everywhere....the bands and the floats and so much anticipation for the rides-- but finally we were there.  The first job was to find my friends then I could ride.  It was a great day of fun.  Momma and Daddy would go sit where all parents sit, I guess.  It was my job to find them if I needed more money or tickets.  I would ride, and ride and ride, until.........I threw up.  Every year, I would get so sick around lunch and we would head home to bath, nap and sleep.  By the time I had a long nap the nausea was gone and I was ready to go again.  And we stayed until the fireworks were shot.  I was always so tired that I dreamed sometimes that I was trying to find my way home from the picnic ground, because somehow I was out there in my underwear!!!!!Memories, memories, memories,  The one that stands out is that big old broom!  I had to wrestle that monster all over that front porch and living room.  Well, that's been 60 years ago and the time is here again.  I 'll go and watch my grandchild dance to the bands and wave to the pretty girls on the floats.  It is so good to come from a small town area.  It's fun to remember the times we shared with our friends.  I've seen the twinkle in the eyes of a friend who had found the love of his life, and as he watched her ride the Scrambler with friends.  Never taking his eyes from her he grinned and said "My little girl".  Life is good most of the time.  Just remember the good times.

Moving Forward August 18, 2013

It is a gloomy day,  Perspective.... If we were in the middle of a drought, this day would look good.  The possibility of rain in the heavy overcast skies.  In the middle of August with this cool damp weather, the thoughts drift into "When is the sun going to shine?"  It's been a strange year, but life is unpredictable.
So we just take what we get and try to do the best with it.  I am trying to get some projects to entertain me.
Maybe crochet, sewing, reading, or writing.  I'll keep on until I figure it out.

Wendy's Again August 16, 2013

It's quick -it's good-and I can dance around the May Pole that I am not having to cook again :). James likes to eat at Wendy's and today he felt like getting out and going to eat.  So we took him there.  Although he doesn't have the sparkle in his eyes that he had a year ago, he still needs to be out with people.  You can go crazy seeing nothing but 4 walls and silence.  He doesn't have a t.v. (he couldn't stand what was on it anyway), and the noise of the music cd's bother him now.  The recordings of the bible, seem to bother him also.  I think his hearing is so bad now that it sort of runs together. So he just rests in his recliner and naps.
*
It is a sad time nearing.  It has almost been a year since Danny's mother passed away.  James is 90 years old now and so empty and lonely.  He prays that he is ready to go.  He got some medicine that was not good for him and he was living in another time.  She was back and he could see her and talk to her and follow her around the house.  It was an eye opening experience for me.  It was so real to him and that is because that is where his heart is.   Life holds the strings and we just play along until they are dropped and life ceases.  There are so many things we do not understand.  We just take them day by day.

Lost in Time May 9, 2013

Sometimes I find myself wishing I could travel in Time. The great captor that carries us through the world never releasing us. When I worked I had a reason, to know what day had arrived. Now, in retirement, I just float. The thing I cannot do is wriggle free of the firm grip it has on me. I may not want to get gray hairs, but Time sees that I do. I do not want to become inflexible and stiff, but Time must enjoy watching the aches and pains. I do not like to look into the mirror and stare at the person that I have become. I do not know this person that has fading eyes, wrinkled skin, and layers of unwanted fat, but Time forces me to look and accept that I can not go back. No matter how much I want to run with the wind, sing with the meadowlarks, play games with wild rabbits, I am forced to accept that I will never do the things that thrilled my spirit . At what point did Time get the hold on me? From the very beginning, It pulled me along through joys and heartaches, through successes and failures. Loosely, the reigns gave me enough room to decide: to choose- good or bad, sweet or sour, love or hate, flowing forever toward the end. Perhaps, I did not listen to the warnings, I don't remember grasping the concept that these choices are eternal. I must live with all the choices. Never being able to reverse them. Each word is written in indelible ink. Oh, we are told that forgiveness erases them. It doesn't. They are forever there in our minds. Forgiveness lets us forgive ourselves and maybe gives some peace to the injured party, but it never erases it. That's why I would like to travel in Time. I would go back and choose differently, or at least say I'm sorry for back choices. I can not tell someone who's gone that I'm sorry--that I was wrong--it was a lie that caused the pain--a lie that I never knew was told until it was too late. The one thing that Time does is remove you from your pain- whereever it comes from. It will set you free of your burden.

Snow????? May 3, 2013

Another new for me...It is snowing in northwest Arkansas. Snow in May?? It is raining here in northeast Arkansas. It rained all night. It wasn't a pouring rain because there is not a build up in our field. Maybe it will pass soon. It is time for the fields to dry and be planted. At least I have documented it here on my blog that a new record was set in Arkansas. We will go to town in a little while to get James and go eat. It is a dreary day. It would be easy to just snuggle up with a good book and stay in my pj's.

Another new beginning??

At the end of October Suzanna and Brad made the choice to begin a life in the town of Jonesboro. It has been quite a shock to us. Since the day she was born, Suzanna has been with us or next door to us. We had to adjust when Lisa left and moved to Jonesboro, then on to Missouri for several years. Now Suzanna was ready to spread her wings. That leaves us with an empty nest. The home place where we thought we would always be is now a lonely place for just two people. It hold memories from the time we married 50 years ago. We have seen many changes here at White Oak. I was born a mile from where we live and Danny was born a mile in the other direction. We haven't ventured far from our birth roots. Yet, as I walk down the lane of memory, so many things have changed. My dad who taught at the White Oak Elementary School has passed away nearly twenty years ago. My mom who protected me, made my clothes and was my best friend is gone now 17 years. Danny lost his mom last year and his sister 10 years ago. Major changes of children growing up and marrying and having children have moved through our lives. Now, we are here alone. We have lived in this house for 44 years, but now we are alone. The swing hangs limp, the yard is empty and void of laughter and children playing. The trees are draped with new green leaves, the grass is growing- waiting for the footsteps of children. Toby follows at my heels and tries to replace his playmates with playful nips and giant attacks sometimes leaving me with faltering balance. The Easter chickens (the three that are left) race across the yard to see me and beg for seed. {It always comes to mind how good the animators were of that chicken movie.} The girls reward me with fresh eggs everyday. Our lives have taken on new roles, where these lead we do not know.