Just Traveling on Elderly Road...Somewhat Reluctantly

 Happy President's Day everyone or Happy Day Off From School or Happy Birthday Lois N! It is all three today. The sun is out, the morning is cool and the afternoon holds warmer temps. Rain begins tonight and will probably last throughout the week, but we shall see. Nothing is written in stone when it comes to weather here. 

After wearing a pair of hiking boots for about three years and can happily say, no real hiking has been done in them, more like trips to stores hiking, I realized that those hiking shoes are more blue than gray. I have always thought they were in the gray spectrum of color. I will file this in the Under utilized file-now that I am elderly...at least to others. Funny, I used to tease my Grandma B cause she would have on shoes that didn't match her dress and she'd laugh and say, one day this isn't going to matter to you but since it does today, I will change my shoes. Not that we were going anywhere, cause she didn't have a car nor did she know how to drive. So, although I can drive and have transportation, too often now I think, Grandma B was right, there are many days this doesn't matter to me. Of course I try not to expose the grocery stores and post office to the mix mash of colors but around home and Lowe's, Katy bar the door. 

Roy and I were able to have breakfast conversation time this morning. Only happens if he gets up at 6:00 am cause for the most part, the hour of arising from sleep is a little more after 7:00 am for this elderly girl. He told me some story that didn't make a lick of sense and it wasn't until we broke down the story that understanding came for me. It was a metaphor story only that wasn't understood. He finally said, it isn't that good of a story, so let's talk about something else. Yes, I have just taken up some of your valuable time relating this conversation. We did talk about why I am not feeling a 100 % and what could be causing this malaise. It wasn't until Saturday, while visiting with Christy, of Christy's Crafts, and telling her the happenings since December 18th, that she said...all these things wrapped together feel like you've had a full time job. That's it! I haven't felt this way since the last year of working at First Baptist-Houston. Timelines and projects, with the additional pressure that we were feeling to get things accomplished in an excellent manner, took their toll on me heath wise. Not that we weren't doing an excellent job, because we were. It just felt heavy and cumbersome. That is how I have been feeling with deadlines, working through the system for approval for benefits, extra patience for state agencies when things were in flux and the like. Top it off with feeling insecure in teaching Ezekiel and Daniel, plus adjusting with Roy here. Truthfully, that has not been that much of an adjustment except for doing things in combination of what has been our individual customs, to sharing space. We do our quiet times differently, I am not always a morning quiet time person but Roy is pretty much, you can set your watch to his schedule. Well, except if he decides to sleep in a bit. 

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No surprise, but here it is Wednesday. Every once in a while you have busy days away from home. Yesterday, I had a haircut appointment and afterwards I went over to the dentist and ophthalmologist office. They are in the same building. Now here is where I felt elderly, I could not remember when my eye appointment was nor the Dr who I go to. Got that info but kept calling the Dr by my cardiologist's name...both begin with B. The wonderful receptionist/check in person then spoke slowly to me asking if I wanted a card with the info written down...yes, please. Then made Roy's appointment and he will go the following day in August. Got a card with date and name. Upstairs to the dentist to make an appointment for Roy. That will be in May. Nothing is quick around here appointment wise and Roy is adjusting better to that than I did when first arriving here and needing appointments. 

The bike guy came yesterday, didn't have the correct parts for the recumbent bike but put the spin bike together in no time. Once the parts arrive, he will come back and repair the recumbent bike, which is still working but not efficiently. Since the guy was here, I wasn't in too big of a hurry to get back home. After making appointments, I made a Target stop. I don't know what is going on there but that usual neat and orderly store was a humongous mess. It didn't seem to be from putting new stock out because the shelves were rather bare, but it seemed as if, they decided winter was over and piled and threw stuff on tables or overcrowded racks. Even the lawn and garden area was sparse, as well as Easter stuff. I know supply chain issues but still, it was rather a gruesome sight of maybe the horizon of an in person shopping experience. Nice thing, no long lines to checkout. On the way home, stopped at Hobby Lobby to look at small Easter gift bags, bingo, found some and then stopped on the way home at the post office. The surprising delight of the Hobby Lobby stop, no long lines to checkout. Yes, I see the elderly is creeping in on me. I see you old age and some stuff I welcome and other stuff, well, there still is some fight in me. 

Saw Bobbsey from a distance this morning as well as a huge not good surprise of Frankie or one of Frankie's offspring. Could not tell. It has been over a year since he has been around and for this I am thankful, but seeing him up on a rock in the backyard this morning, brought out the elderly fist shake at him. Breakfast was a full fam deal with growl fest continuing because Punky and Mama Cat were both in attendance. Everyone else kind of gave them room. Lots of growls but no fights. Charlie let me pet him a little this morning but food has a way of letting the young ones be more open to a little rub on the head. 

The afternoon turned out nice and the sun came out yesterday. Roy thought we should go walk at Lake Louise but being in the later part of the day when my energy wanes, we decided to do some dead plant pulling, box flattening and storage box go throughs in the nice warmth of the outdoors. I do not feel 100% but I feel much better than last week. Guess that is what happens as one travels the elderly road. 

Progress

 

This morning as per usual, I go out to the garage and feed the Fam. It wasn't a full house, mainly the Quadros, four younger cats that are just about identical, and Charlie the orange kitten that showed up and has been accepted by the Fam. Punky, hissing and growling her way through breakfast being a little more feisty than usual, made me stop preparing and go a looking. At first, I thought this was Baby from a distance, only Baby has a black nose...and Baby is an alpha cat of the group, so he don't take nothin' from the other cats. At first the inclination was to think, is this HP? I knew it wasn't but as I watched him, I realized this possibly could be Bobbsey. I came inside and began looking through pics and low and behold, we have a match! Bobbsey is back, well back for breakfast at least. It will be interesting to see if he stays around today. By the looks of his white fur on his back legs, he is not a domestic cat because they are covered in the stains of red clay and mud. Yesterday, I thought about Hector Protector and the probability she won't return. Funny, rarely these days does she get a thought not because she's gone but because she had my heart and so different from all these Feral Family members. It prompts a huge loss feeling. So maybe Bobbsey is like John the Baptist and is preparing the way...for HP. Who knows, but there is joy this morning that there was a Bobbsey sighting, totally unexpected. 

Thunderstorms were forecasted last night and while we didn't hear thunder, the rain was rather hard for a little bit of time. This weekend is cool and sunny, then back to a rainy week ahead. This is making us rethink our appointment in Morganton. I have driven that freeway in the rain both light and hard and the consensus is this, it is not a fun drive...  Since we have a little more time on our side now, we can make this appointment adjustment. Just made the cancellation and a new appointment closer to home, but a little ways off date wise. 

Roy learns a little bit each week how living here is so very different than in Texas. I am trying to encourage him to think in patterns here. He is so used to not needing to have his cell phone with him in the mornings because his watch and phone synced. Now that he has an iPhone, his watch and phone somewhat communicate but not all together. He used to laugh at me when he was here for short periods of time when I discussed patterns and such. Funny, he doesn't laugh too much about that anymore because there it truth in the madness.  

This morning I got more good news approval wise, so that is awesome. I also slept really well last night and it is easier to stay asleep when things are on your mind. Then you pray and give it to the Lord and then a little later, you know, you take it back. Then give it back...it's a struggle. 

On this day back in 2011 we put a down payment on our lot and home in Cinco Ranch. Funny, because Roy never makes fast decisions, I didn't bring the checkbook. We beat out another couple for the lot by several seconds, then we had to drive back home, get the check and then get back out to CR to make it official. Oh, in 5:00 traffic. What a memory. 

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Just got home from church. Roy taught the lesson this morning because, I am not a good teacher when it comes to prophecy...too many details to remember and Roy is serious about learning prophecy, so it seemed like a good match made in heaven. Daniel 7 is a strong chapter. This week I haven't felt very good and it was a help not to have to study. He did very well this morning. I loved his approach as we began the lesson, Psalm 46:10... beyond the be still part where I usually stop with that and not give a lot of attention to the later part of the verse. Instead of getting into all the particulars of what every thing that is written in Daniel 7 and trying to guess what this and that symbolizes, we heard about the glory of God. It was very good and I am so thankful he is teaching this in my stead. 

Saturday, we headed over to Burnsville and then over to Christy's Crafts. Spring décor season in full swing. Bought a few things and then headed over to Erwin...Food City. They were having a great sale on things we use or eat often, so it was a good trip. Then as a treat, we went to The Farmer's Daughter. Delicious and our first time to sit in one of their booths. Ran into the Amish store for cinnamon raisin bread  and we started back home. It was a very fun Saturday with Roy. 

Roy finished up his last continuing education hours this week. The last four hours of required ethics class. He got that taken care of so now he'll get those required hours sent in. 

Scheduled maintenance for our recumbent bike is set for Tuesday morning and while the tech is here, he is going assemble and set up the spin bike Roy got from his former company as a retirement gift. Roy is very happy for that to happen. We needed to get stuff out of the house before getting it set up and since we are outsource people, we are especially happy. I don't think either one of us were looking forward to assembling that bike. 

I'm back to looking for a good read. I started a book and realized in the second chapter I had read this story before, different author, and knew how this was going to go. Off to the Goodwill box. If it was holding my interest I would have continued on. 

A Fam note, Bobbsey hasn't been back, just the two days, but as always that can change. While I was out in the garage getting cat food arranged and a couple of shelves at least useable for storage, I took out a few minutes to play with Sweetie and Toupee with the kids fishing rod. Always fun to watch them chase the feather lure. 

Approval and Progress

 Hallelujah! Approval has come! The big three things on my mind have taken a backseat this morning and for this I give thanks! What a wonderful Valentine gift to discover checking in online while eating toast. For the past few months we have checked about twice a week, with little to no results. Last week we talked with someone who pointed us in the direction we needed to go and we felt this might result in the process that began in November to finally arrive at the correct destination. They approved it all on the 14th so this is why it is a Happy, Most Happy, Valentine's Day. 

I was feeling so spritely that while Roy was on a Zoom Toastmaster meeting, I moved furniture. We have had it stacked up in the dining room since the first of the years as we thought about, then forgot about and then made plans for it just to postpone plans. I kept trying to figure out how we could use one of the chairs from the living room. Nothing seemed to work except yesterday, I began thinking on a new set up. Moved two chairs to the front porch, not for sitting but for loading up later to take to Habitat for Humanity. Then began the rearranging. By the time Roy came downstairs from his meeting, I had it all done. He was none to pleased with the fact I had done this alone but he was kind of relieved he hadn't had to be a part of all the moving. Really, it works out because I am a little more efficient in this kind of thing and he makes more work. Once he was off his call, we loaded up the truck and moved to Beverly...Hills...I mean over to Habitat. Then Big Lots and finally Publix. Yes, a big day with approval, chair moving and shopping. 

This morning I feel as if I have been run over by a truck...not a cute decorative truck, but a full on working type. Shoulders and arms are sore...wonder why? Oh yes, ran over by overstuffed living room chairs. I also slept on my back a little last night and I hardly ever do that, so a bit of a crick in the neck. Today, clean off the dining room table which collects everything in the free world on it. Second, the kitchen table that collects everything only second in the free world. When one doesn't know what to do with something? Put it on the table. We both need to break that bad habit. 

Tackled one box yesterday. Threw out several things that yes, once again, I have packed up for several moves. Then, there was room for several Christmas wreaths my mom had made us. She was such a talented seamstress. Throughout all the box rummaging, several different outfits she made for Barbie are still hanging around. How anyone can be that patient to sew such tiny items? 

It feels really cold out this afternoon with the wind blowing and the sun going in and out of the clouds. We were planning on looking at fruit trees but no way to get blown about and then try to warm up. We will table that trip for another day. 

I made a huge dent in cleaning off the dining room table. After lunch I kind of lost interest in doing that and frankly, didn't do too much this afternoon. 

These Things Remain.....

 These things remain, boxes, storage containers and being on hold but the greatest of these things is being on hold. We have memorized the music as it pertains to to whom we are calling. I was impressed today that while Roy was on hold with the SSA, he also made a phone call with a business and completed the business call before the SSA call went through to a representative. Here of late, the calls have been concerning my status, but there was a little blip with Roy's and he took care of that this afternoon. He is trying to help run an international speech contest, get his CPA continuing education hours in and doing his CBS homework in I and II Peter. That was my least favorite study in Community Bible Study. Meanwhile, I am in the midst of Daniel and it felt like it began to come together this morning. Once I get an outline going it is good. These Bible stories that are so beloved sometimes makes it more difficult to teach. Last week, I felt I was all over the place as we studied Daniel 3 and was discouraged for the rest of the day and into Monday over that. Ugh!

After talking with a SSA representative, we had some faxing to do. We had been told to mail the form in and they hadn't received it yet. Off to UPS and fortunately, my prescription was ready at Publix. Since I am in limbo, I am using Good Rx for some of my meds in the gap. Publix had the better price. We did that and then went over toward Mars Hill. We washed the Mustang and made a quick trip into Ingles. Then came home the scenic back way so we could see if the new DMV office is close to opening. Roy went and looked through the windows. No computers yet, but chairs in a waiting area. That is good to keep up with. My friend Georgette when trying to find out an opening date for us, told me she checked with the hair salon in the same shopping center and they had the most knowledge of what was happening. 

Looks like we will have one more warm day until the cold returns on Sunday. We didn't get to the yardwork today, but hopefully we will get some more done tomorrow as well as Roy cleaning the water filter for our well. 

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I slept through the night and I am celebrating that this morning. The vanilla caramel coffee is especially good this morning with zero sugar sweet Italian cream creamer. Several weeks ago there was a special on new creamer made by Splenda, so we bought a couple of bottles. Yesterday, we just poured out the remainder of that kind of creamer. It left such a chemical aftertaste and the coffee was overpowered by it. 

Read a little before going to bed last night. The story is picking up speed as the two women telling this story have met, one a little more in the know and the other young professional trying to survive life after her husband falls accidentally on the stairs of the new house they designed. Now she is living in the house and questioning her decision to do that rather than just sell it. Going between the years of 1965 and 2010, the civil rights story and the efforts of those who worked to register the African American communities to vote is told very well. Sometimes we can read about important moments in history or people in the Bible and we just kind of kind of gloss over some of the difficulties and just keep the end result in mind. We follow Ellie and Win in this particular part of the story and the fear of being so brave and doing the right thing brings the hard work to light. Roy and I were talking about Daniel last night and reading and studying this chapter, 6, has brought to life what Daniel was really facing, not the lions but the attention of enemies who wanted to do bad on him. He must have felt that scrutiny most of his exiled life. These men knew what he did, his schedule and his faithfulness so all that was left to them, trickery and deceit wrapped up to present to the King, bait wrapped in the king's pride. Daniel goes to his home, knowing what is ahead for him, the verdict of being sent to the lions den. Certain death. He does his usual thing, he goes upstairs to the open window, facing toward Jerusalem and prays.  

Well, here is a highlight, not! I am cleaning out a corner in the garage and I found a dead mouse. Not quite sure if it is from a cat conquest or just died of boredom. Called in backup to help me dispose of the pestilence. Another reason I am so thrilled that Roy is here. 

Our generator just went off. Damage to equipment in the area this morning. It sure is nice to have the generator that keeps things rolling along. Blossman was just here  this week checking our propane tank level and we were good. A member in Roy's Toastmasters Club was kind of trying to guilt Roy about having a generator. Nope, not going to happen, especially on a well cause when the power isn't on, the potty don't work. 

Today's boxes held surprises. My mom's penny collection, long ago perfume bottles, her high school ring, her fountain pen from school and more pictures. I was able to message a friend who knows quite a bit about coin collecting and he was able to direct me in the direction we need to go with an appraisal. She has one really good penny but it is rather beat up, so who knows. I did find the perfume bottle on eBay. Lots and lots of pictures from all seasons of life. We are making it slowly but surely and getting the boxes narrowed down so to speak. 

Arrange and Once Again

 Almost, but not quite, up at 2:00 am. It has been a good run of consistent nights, though. It is feeling like this just might be a short blip in an otherwise good night of sleeping. 

Tuesday morning Roy was the heralder of good news. The Great State of Texas had come through with an important item I had been waiting on. Roy gets a notification each morning from the USPS complete with picture of what has been delivered to the post office box.  With a deadline just a week and a half away, this arrival made me almost buoyant. First off, I thanked God and did a little praise dance around the house. Let me be honest, a big praise dance. Then I stopped and sang this song.

Texas, Our Texas! All hail the mighty State!

Texas, Our Texas! So wonderful so great!

boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test

O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.

God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,

That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.

The arrival made Tuesday plans flexible and we could move onto Plan B for our day, which was really what we wanted to do anyway. Since we were up, cleaned up and might I add the third day in a row wearing makeup, new record since March of 2020, and headed out the door. Roy didn't wear makeup any of these three days. We ran errands, fun errands now, and had a very early Valentine lunch. It was an especially fun day and 1/3 of the burdens of my heart had rolled away. Now for the other two thirds to happen. Which, thinking of these 2/3 is probably why I am up this early in the middle of the night. 

Yesterday, we were able to ease into the morning, then make a trip to Goodwill. We had done a lot of work and the result boxes that needed to be out of the house to continue the work. We came back home, had lunch, then headed outside to do some cleanup of branches that are across the yard from various windy days. We dead headed the rose bushes in the front. I hardly touched them last year and they bore that testimony. We were trying to determine where the best place would be to plant kiwi. Roy loves them and he thought it would be fun to try our hand at that in the spring. We did about two hours worth of work and we both came back in the house tired, but it was that good type of tired. 

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I slept till 4:00 am, that is good. It is Friday morning and I just realized we missed a funeral yesterday because we both kind of got our days mixed up. The service was for a man that in the limited time I knew him, seemed larger than life and this is after he retired. I bet he was larger, larger than life in his prime. He was 93 years old. His wife passed away a couple of years ago. 

Just got the crock pot started and with the early start we might be having lunch at a normal time. Yesterday, we got involved with projects and errands, we ended up having a later lunch than usual. After a couple of off weeks we went to $5.00 Thursday at the Fresh Market. I go for the pizza and Roy for the chicken. We both like the shrimp cocktail. We went later than usual and ran into an interesting slice of humanity. Truly a melting pot. 

We have just a few weeks left in Daniel and this Sunday we are in the lions den. Over the years, if one attends church or Bible studies enough, the story of Daniel and the lions is on the rotation. Such an interesting study of trusting God and His faithfulness and having to once again deal with those who plan hurt. Would Daniel have lived such an interesting life in Judah? Maybe, but we might not be privy to read and learn from him. This morning I read an article that addresses Daniel and his continual service and prayer habit to and with God. 

Our morning has been spent on the phone with SSA. Each phone call we make a little headway. So this morning we have our instructions. When these situations come up I have been reminded to pray like in the book of Jonah. God arranged a worm, a tree, shade...and I ask the Lord to arrange for us to speak to the right person that will give guidance not dismissal. Last week when speaking to TX government, that was my prayer and today, once again, this was our prayer. The Lord blessed, that is for sure. 

Well, it is off to UPS to fax a document, once again.  

A Quick Post

 There was a little surprise for us this morning, snow and ice. Not much and as of an hour ago small flakes were still falling. The sun is out and although it is still below freezing the residue of dusting will melt away. Seeing some of the local well traveled roads on FB covered with patches of ice and snow, it didn't take much for our decision to make different plans for at least the morning. That's okay, Roy has more CPE credits of continuing education he needs to get in and as for me, a great morning to ease into the day and then once again begin on my life's work, going through storage containers. Now some may think, don't you have that done? There was a day that I would have blitz right through these but steady and slow is my way to go in approaching the redistribution and riddance or retaining of a lifetime of memories stored away. Like, the first doll that my parents gave me on my first birthday. Being on a tight budget, my father had found a doll on sale and the only flaw was the crushed-in forehead. Hmm...anyway, I still have that doll. I don't remember it fondly in playtime or bedtime, but it is still with me. Whereas, the two teddy bears that I absolutely loved and the little swiss boy doll my Grandma D made for me, are on display upstairs. Treasured for sure. I named the cloth doll Chris, after Chris Ballard. He and I walked together to school in the first and second grade. He gave me those little onion flowers that grew as weeds in everyone's yard in a small bouquet at least twice a week. That little doll was my confidant and he heard all my innermost thoughts and secrets. One of the teddy bears had a music box in it. The box is still in the bear but the key has been lost or discarded along the way. These teddy bears have spent most of their lives in storage containers, well the mid portion of their lives and now before they are thrown into the trash by whomever has to get rid of things after we are gone will be prone to do not knowing their history and the early and now late joy they are bringing. Gosh, I am trying not to sound like Mr. Burns and his teddy bear Bo Bo. 

Roy got up early and I slept in a bit because I woke up around midnight, got up and went back to bed around 1:30 am. After reading The Vanderbilts, I started a fiction book by an author I discovered last year. I was late to the game on her. 

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I never made it to the computer on Sunday and now it is very early Monday morning. I declared to Roy last night I was officially old because I fell asleep yesterday afternoon, sitting in the chair. 

Revisiting one of the early Bible stories that we first learn as children was especially poignant while studying it for yesterdays lesson. I found the childhood Bible I remember taking to Sunday School. 

The pictures in this Bible is what I remember as well as special cover enclosure of The Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23. One summer in VBS while at my grandparents, we were to memorize Psalm 23 as part of our memory work. I loved all that had to be done to find it was look at the inside of the back cover to find it. We studied Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego, trusting God in a big moment. Again, I am struck how these men responded to the King, saying we will not bow down and they trusted the Lord and didn't have to yell and scream to show their trust. I am also struck with the reminder how music played a part in moving the people to bow down and worship the gold image. Their bindings off but nothing else, no smell of smoke or singed hair. The three Hebrews believed God no matter what and probably had plenty of "small" opportunities to practice this. Never overlook those small opportunities. For this Sunday's lesson, I looked through the Bible posters that my mom had saved when she helped with either Sunday School or Training Union. No Daniel in the Lions Den picture but over the years I have collected a couple of children's Bible stories books and there seems to always be a picture of Daniel and the lions. With this study I have come to see Daniel in a whole different way and to appreciate his life of consistency in trusting God. He then carried that trust out in daily life. 

Fade With Age

 It is 55 degrees here and back in Texas friends are experiencing below freezing temps. Y'all stay warm and hope the power grid holds up. We will have our warmest temps this morning and as the day progresses it will become cooler. 

While unpacking boxes, my new job, I found a notebook my grandpa B kept. I've written before that he loved quotes and he'd cut them out of the newspaper or a magazine. Several Sunday School lessons are in the notebook as well as notes from church meetings, attendance records and his bank balance. He also has recorded family events and it helps to know these things when putting together that side of the family tree. Taking the time to read and look through the notebook takes time away from arranging and sorting but it feels like time well spent. He wrote in pencil and some of the pages are faded with age making it difficult to read. His paper is almost like the manila paper we used in elementary school with a kraft paper vide. Love me some craft paper vibe. 

We have noticed something in the past few weeks with Roy here full time, we aren't as sharp as we used to be. Or yes, there are moments and I am so thankful that the moments for Roy is all this prep work for the future as well as taking care of various things due to the robbery in December. My moments run toward keeping up with appointments and emptying boxes, oh and still being the chauffer. People still ask me, well, how's it going, you know with y'all being together all the time? Well, so far so good. My friend Karen was so encouraging after experiencing this kind of life before her husband retired, she said you'll be surprised that it is an easy adjustment. She was right. Roy and I talked multiple times during the day these past few years, texted a whole lot, and made the conscious decision to keep each other in the loop. You know, he went to work and the grocery store mainly...I mainly stayed home and went to the grocery store. Also when the edge is off of youth somewhat, it is easier to adjust to one another again. We also know the foibles of each other and we are both quick to apologize if we misspeak. Just now, I went upstairs to check on Roy and he is involved with stuff that is above my pay grade. I now know how he can get me out of a room quickly, open up an Excel spreadsheet. He puts everything in Excel, his journal, his homework for life, daily Bible reading...I mean a lot more than just numbers. He is doing a cost replacement analysis on our appliances and an estimated replacement date for future budgeting. Just writing that sentence made me sleepy. I love being married to a plan man because other than keeping supplies in stock for our home and keeping my phone charged up, I am a fly by the seat of the pants person. We still make each other laugh and crack up at least once a day over something silly. I am thrilled to see this more with Roy because he was ever so serious about his job especially these past few years. I am getting to see Roy again with his dry humor. Reminds me of when we first met and began to date. The lighthearted side to him. The has not faded with age. 

I am almost finished with Anderson Cooper's book, The Vanderbilts. So interesting but at times tough to go through because with all that money, there was a whole lot of sadness. I kind of skimmed the chapter on the Americas Cup because the victory won and now days would be said with an asterisk, I couldn't get into the ups and downs of sailing with the Vanderbilts. Now, I am in the chapters that have to do with his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt. Her early childhood trauma shadowed her whole life and many decisions. Just finished up the chapter on Truman Capote and the effect of his presence and then chapter published that ruined his staying in the society world of New York. Maybe some of that childhood trauma kept her from divulging her innermost thoughts to him, but he did take a swipe at her in this chapter and used her real name, no a pseudonym that was easily identifiable to people in the know. There is just a few chapters left so I will probably finish the book today. The theme that runs through these books is better use your youthful years to capture what you want because soon enough, one will become faded with age and invited to social events only because you once were the belle of the ball. Once the commander of the social world, Caroline Astor found herself in that position. Alva Vanderbilt Belmont took a different route. She broke the Vanderbilts into society but once she and the Vandy man split and divorced, she took to the suffragette movement. Anderson writes how she marched with others down the street where she held court. Many of her former friends looking out their windows wondering what happened to her or wishing they could be as brave to break away. Not on the same level at all but I remember a tennis friend remarking on the new house a fellow teammate and her husband were building in the Memorial area. She was disgusted at the fact that stock market money had built the house, nuevo rich she said. Although, it wasn't like she and her husband were generations old of Houston money, nope. Real Estate built their house most probably. I had no idea, well yes I did but I didn't know the depth, of what she thought of us. I soon found out when Roy was laid off and we were not at the levels financially that she wanted to be associated with. Dropped me like a hot potato although she soon left tennis world and went onto her next endeavor, horses. On a much smaller scale she was experiencing the same kind of life, making the best of youth and furiously planning how to stay with her presence in the social circle. I attended a funeral of a mutual tennis friend's husband. I had played a lot of tennis with the widow, enough to go to the service and pay my respects. Former friend was livid I attended and pretty much read me the riot act to not attend the reception afterwards...wasn't planning to. I sat with other tennis friends for the funeral. The sad thing is, this man that passed away, cheated on his wife throughout the years, a lot, a WHOLE lot! It was said that several of his mistresses were in attendance. After being reamed out about my presence, it was added that even with all the lost  weight, nothing would help my appearance. It hurt to hear that from her but I also know where it came from, there are those people who will mourn with you but will not be happy with anyone that makes beneficial changes in their lives because it emphasizes they are helplessly stuck in their world and of their own making. We all fade with age and I often think how she approaches that situation. 

We finally ran our errands this afternoon once the rain stopped. Got restocked grocery wise too. The order from Chewy's came so the Feral Fam now have a variety of flavorful food to eat. Roy took care of getting the recumbent bike scheduled for maintenance and all those kinds of things. I continue with all the boxes and those are quickly becoming empty boxes. For this we give thanks. 

I finished the Vanderbilt book and it was very good. The last few chapters are poignant and emotional, but yet tell a complicated story of life and the same mistakes being made generation after generation. Anderson Cooper said, the money set them apart, not talking about himself, but his ancestors but he said the problems and concerns they experienced on a much grander level than most of us are in fact the problems and concerns we face in the everyday of life. This book will stay with me for a bit and I will probably reread the last couple of chapters again before passing the book on to others. One thing Gloria Vanderbilt said was, she didn't want to live when she lost her beauty. Her son brought that up to her because she lived into her 90s and she said, well that is just stupid, I must have said that when I was drunk. 

Fresh Wonder On Old Paths

 While cleaning out boxes I came across a quote and while I wrote the quote down, I didn't write how the author of it is. So not original to me but it is a great thought. "I found fresh wonder on old paths." 

For this time lots of fresh wonder looking back on boxes full of old paths and now making a new path to the garbage bag. Getting the pictures, journals and memories down to fewer storage containers and getting a lot of them put away in the closet. Still have a ways to go because this is such a slow process. There are several items that I have held onto and there might be some value to them but it is the tedious work in research and then finding the person who might be interested in the items. This sounds like a Roy job.  Guess I am emulating the slow process of Zoom appointments, phone calls and paperwork that Roy is so wonderfully plodding through. This morning he has a phone appointment and later he has a Toastmaster meeting. He is trying to do everything for Toastmasters in order to wrap up duties as a district area representative. 

This morning I put on a pork lion to cook in the slow cooker. It has been awhile since making this particular meal. Other than bacon and ham before living here, pork didn't make it into any kind of meal prep. When we were first married, I did make smothered pork chops but that recipe fell of the rotation. 

Slowly but surely we are replacing items that can be replaced from the robbery in Mobile at the Holiday Inn Express off of I 65. Roy found a great deal on a lap top and I found him a great deal on a winter parka at Eddie Bauer's online. He had been wearing one we purchased in 1989 or so and it kept him warm. Good for temps 32 degrees below zero. Just like shoulder pads in football over the years technology has gotten better so now the new parka is lightweight and still will keep him warm in 32 degrees below zero temps. Going to the mailbox to pick up a few packages was just the opportunity he needed to test this thing out. He loves the parka. While not loosing any socks in the robbery, I did get two pairs because we can all always use socks and we qualified for free shipping while ordering some fleeces. It's all good. 

Anderson Cooper's book on the Vanderbilts continues to hold my interest even with all the sadness that comes with these stories. There are so many avenues he could take but thankfully, he has kept the chapters on a particular lineage of the family. Richard Morris Hunt makes appearances it seems with all the Vanderbilts building and furnishings needs or wants. I haven't gotten to the part on Gloria Vanderbilt, Anderson's mother, but the Truman Capote appearance holds sway with just reading the book on Capote's relationship with NYC society and such. I always look at the pictures in a book before reading it. 

As I have been going through another closet this morning if I have thought my ADD has been in remission, well sadly I was in denial. In the items removed I have gone through my 2014 going to make an art journal, to think I will learn how to can, specifically salsa, to any all kinds of brown kraft paper that would make great notes or stationary, and of course the ubiquitous travel journals and I don't really like to travel nor am I good at it. Then back to the 2020 plywood project that might get a looksee from me again. From thing to think to thing. Even found an unopened scrap book I bought in the former east Germany. Out my house!  

A survey was taken among residents of our county and the consensus is nice place to visit, but wouldn't want to live here, except since it was survey of residents, they are already living here. Rent is too high and other stuff like that. I don't think I would want to live in the city and the rural area where we are is changing, but we love living here, for the most part. I think our main concern is the slow pace and it was this way before Covid 19, in which you can receive an appointment for anything medical baring a miracle and thankfully I have experienced a couple of those miracle appointments. 

I must get back to the wonder of old paths because I have gone onto wander for the time being. 

Out of Vacay Mode, Sure Surprised Me

 Yesterday, I threw away things that my mother had saved from my school days. Like workbooks, not that they held any clue of academic genius because they don't. Read the story, draw a line to objects found in the story. No, not one hint of promise in those reading workbooks. Some incomplete pages because I got bored with it. This early morning as Roy and I talked over coffee and before he eats his oatmeal, the conclusion came to me, the environment when it came to learning, didn't mesh except for when I went to summer school in the fourth grade so I could pass onto the fifth grade and 7th grade summer school for math with Mr. Batcher. I don't remember too much about fourth grade summer school except it was hot. No, walking eighteen miles in the snow, no just sweating bullets in a hot, only cooled by those big noisy fans summer school. In 7th grade math summer school, I made an A. I understood what was being taught. I loved going to class. It was also my first experience with a die hard Aggie. He talked about being an Aggie everyday in class. Of course back then, I enjoyed the stories but didn't buy in because only boys could go to A&M in the olden days. 

Lots and lots of pictures made it into the trash bag. Doug told me when he was going through things at our parents house before it went on the market, he tossed so many old photographs...mainly of scenery or trips that didn't mean anything to him or rather to us. With that mindset, I went through pictures that have been dragged around for years, with people I cannot even remember or places that look familiar but why I was there doesn't even ring a bell. So many photos faded out with time, but it was a joyful moment to see pics from trips to Colorado, the audit we did in Conn, vacationing in Napa and Sonoma, San Francisco, our beach trips to Jekyll Island, Savannah, Hilton Head, and along the coast of Florida. My, my how fashion changes over the years, hairstyles both good and bad... I saw in an article yesterday that stirrup pants are back. Think I am just going to take a pass on that fashion road. 

Next to go were cards bought over the years with people in mind to send them to, except I never sent them. Now, those cards after all these years of lugging them from move to move, most of them were thrown away. The envelope sticky part meshed onto a lot of those cards making them unusable. Some were so yellow with age. Some of those cards still make me laugh. There were quite a few cards from the season when I loved the Current Catalog.  

Just got in from feeding The Feral Fam. Biggio let me pet him this morning and KH left his calling card on Biggio's back leg. I really, really, really do not like King Herod. I got a little bit of the ointment I used on Hector Protector on him. I think he knows I am trying to help him. It is almost as if KH knows which cats I favor and he goes after them. That is giving too much credit to a cat but it sure seems like it. 

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After several good nights of sleep, I am having one of those middle of the night wake up calls. Usually, due to overthinking something but sometimes I just wake up, wide awake. This was a little bit of all in this particular wake up. It was a profitable day yesterday. Roy got a lot of things cleared up paperwork wise, with another visit to UPS to send and fax. I talked with TX DMV and think we have things figured out. Whew! Now it is all that waiting...

Today holds more phone calls but it is a good day to stay in and take care of things. I finally was able to go back to sleep and this morning, truly, I am easing into the day. Slept a little later and the first thing I did downstairs is go out and feed the Feral Fam. Toupee was back after a days absence. She was eager for breakfast and along side her, Blazey. Those two eat together and I put out two bowls to keep fussing to a minimum. This afternoon I hope to tackle one of the upstairs closets to see what can go and how to use the space a little more functionally. Storage is limited here or isn't as much as we grew used to. Still it was the view and the house that drew us in. We are coming up to our seventh year. 

Roy is making a dent in paperwork, I am making a dent in unpacking boxes. We make a good team. Together, we worked together pulling all the confirmations we need for an upcoming appointment. He sorted and stapled, then put into folders. My part was going onto the internet and finding what we needed online. He said yesterday, he felt like he was getting out of vacation mode. Wow, he sure had me fooled.