MORE RAIN

I didn't sleep well last night and was going to stay in my jammies all day. I had the recurring dream - about driving into water, or near the water's edge. It's been a while since I've had it. It's disturbing, not exactly scary, but not pleasant either.

This morning I did paperwork, minutes for Women on Mission, worked on thank you note for the Vidette (newspaper), did some laundry. Paul has been sick the last couple of days with a cold and he absolutely rests, which is why he seems to get over pretty fast. He takes OTC cold medicine and sleeps. I'm sure working out in the yard set it off, regardless of what medical science says. He wasn't sick before. He worked sleeveless - it was a beautiful day, but then cooler in the evening.

Sandra called me about 1:00 and asked if I could go help finish cleaning Mama Nick's room out, so we did that. I'm so glad it wasn't me alone, because as Brenda says, "You have to touch and feel and ooh-ahh over everything." It took about an hour to finish. We left the recliner, chest and two tables for someone else to use. Carrington said they would be glad to have it as some don't have as much.

It's rained so much that below the house is standing in water again and surely all this will pack the dirt down well over the field line. I'll be glad to get it leveled so that huge long brown scar can start healing and growing green again.

Across my back feels as if someone tied a huge knot in it and Paul did massage some of it out a while ago. Bedtime for Bonzo pretty soon. Going to take an Aleve and get on heating pad for a bit.

Have been listening to my sister-in-law Carol's CD and it's so pretty. I don't tire of hearing the old gospel songs and some of the newer ones. She said there are plans to add a guitar track to it.

Tomorrow is a rest day. Tomorrow night is the retreat at Harmony; and Saturday morning. Even Aunt Ginny had to slow down last night and today. Before I went to sleep I felt so empty and I know it was missing Mama Nick, the time after all the busyness.

Happiness Is...

Sharing a hot fudge sundae with your dog on a humid late spring afternoon. I made sure he didn't get any of the chocolate. I couldn't eat all of the chocolate either it was so sweet.

It's also getting things organized - things I've stuck here and there thinking, oh, I'll put them up later. And now it is later. Actually making files for things instead of sticking pieces of paper behind a letter divider in the file drawer. Repurposing binders and dividers - I sent a couple back to the office with Paul for him and Theda to make use of if they can. The space between the wall and the file cabinet is still a storage area, but I know what's there now and I can see it without having to move other things. Lovely!

Happiness is having good insurance, although today I had to run down some more PPO information. It seems that the first of the year our out-of-state in-network hospital provider (Memphis area at least) is now Baptist again. It was Methodist for a few years, and before that, Baptist. Switches back and forth with each new PPO it seems. It's a job coordinating the physician with the hospital affiliation. Not that I think I'll need a hospital - I hope not! But it's good information to know because otherwise the coinsurance is 30% instead of 10%!

I took a break from my new hobby of organizing and went to Walmart and of course, did not leave without spending at least $100. Then the hot fudge sundae beckoned me. Now I really need a nap, but it's kinda late... Back to work.

What!? What am I thinking? If I were still working, I'd be nearly weeping because I couldn't take a nap.!

Have a good afternoon, everyone!

~~~~~~~~~~

After my nap:

Downloaded some pictures from camera and this was there - the bottom two quilts are ones Paul's maternal grandmother, Mother Ruth (Broughton), made - every stitch by hand. Mama Nick said her mother made it for her; some of the edges are ragged and I need to find how to repair or at least keep the edges all together. (One website said to encase in tulle or other sheer fabric. It is all still there, but not liable to get torn off the quilt.) The top blue and white is one Mama made for me (Hunter's Star); and the light blue, white, tan is a twin size matelasse I got while at Sher's - seashells on the bluey background. Years ago I rescued two quilts Paul had from home (his home) that he used in the shop! Pretty major damage, but I have those folded on top of a bookcase. This Dutch Girl (my former boss's wife Mildred Carpenter made a Dutch Girl for me years ago) has 48 little girls, all hand-appliqued. Patience, heritage, heirlooms...

Sunday

Paul went to SS and church this morning and I read my SS lesson in the book we have this quarter. Then I got frustrated and my foot really hurt and I counted my pills and by taking only two a day they will last till next Monday. Then what? But as it turns out, tears release a lot of frustration and I have only had to take one half pill today, so that's good, and things are better. It doesn't take much to make me happy.

This afternoon Paul turned the living room area rug around because it crawls and is wrinkling. In the process the door of the table we use for a coffee table (which is cluttered with all my stuff - brush, hand wash, thank you cards, bowl of M&Ms, etc.) swung open and hit - you guessed it - my left foot. "To the moon, Alice!" That's where I felt like I was going. More tears and apologies - but it was just one of those things no one could help, and again I felt much better after shedding tears. I found that it can take a fairly good lick and not fall off. Paul felt really bad, but it wasn't his fault. I should have had my foot up on the couch.

The box fan in the hall has been running on "3" probably because it sounds so comforting. There's nothing quite like a fan whirring to calm one down. Sounds of the baseball game (Phillies and SF Dodgers) is on TV - cracks of the bats, cheers or ooohs of the crowd, announcers' voices. The NASCAR race was rained out today, so the racing engines' sounds were absent today.

No pictures from Sher today; I guess she's decided on her bed coverings. Haven't heard from Amy. I called Mama Nick yesterday. All is quiet.

Take a Breath

I have this, this, and oh, this to do. In my mind I thought there were weeks to go to get holiday things completed. Then I looked at a calendar! What!!!?? If I get anything at all mailed I will have to do it by Monday, because the next week is Christmas week! Suddenly time is growing shorter! How? Wasn't it a month until Christmas? Oh, that was from Thanksgiving...

I have some cards mailed; I have a few others to do. I have Mama Nick and Aunt Ginny's gifts half-way ready to mail. I have Nate's gift ready to mail. There are two Sunday School parties Sunday afternoon. A casserole to make, and I always make brownies for the three city departments. Call Aunt Ginny. Call Mike. Paul talked to David last night and told him our stay-home-be-with-Amy plans, and he understood.

Yesterday afternoon I had to go home for R&R, not recreation, but rest. The Lyrica trial is over and I'm trying to get back to "normal." My normal. It's a process. I tried the med. It had side-effects I couldn't live with. After a nap and some soft Christmas music yesterday, I felt better.

I still haven't watched my Christmas movies: "It's a Wonderful Life," "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," "The Christmas Story." My choice of one of the three at this point: George Bailey.

It's a process.