All in All, A Good Monday

 It has been years since we have watched the Oscars and in that same thought it has been years since I have seen very many theater movies. So when you don't know the actors and you don't know the movies, why watch? It doesn't matter who is wearing what on the red carpet to me either. Then the news this morning about the slap. People are debating and arguing was it real or not this morning. Seems there might be a history with Smith and Rock. Don't know any of the back story, but it has been a momentary diversion from war coverage on news programs this morning. 

I Thessalonians is such an eye opener to the softer side of Paul. That statement right there could be considered a slap to all those hard liner Paul people. In all the years of reading and studying, the softer, warm hearted part of Paul shines through this time. He really loved and cared for the Thessalonian church. Sending Timothy to get word on their growth or on chaos, praying earnestly for them night and day and praying specifically for the persecution they were facing. These verses reminded me of Epaphras, the person of prayer only mentioned three times in the New Testament, but what a legacy. He visited Paul in Rome and remained there with him for some time before returning to his church in Colossians. This week we begin chapter four, where Paul begins to write in a teaching and instructing style. I mean when you read in the first verse of chapter 3, finally when we could stand it no longer we stayed alone in Athens. We have all experienced that emotion somehow or sometime. Like, when you know a gift you have for someone is going to make them so happy, you can hardly wait and a lot of times, we go ahead and give the gift early cause we can't stand it no longer. It comes to mind that Popeye was rather biblical when he said, "I can'ts stand it no more as well as I am that I yam and that's all I am. I'm Popeye the sailor man...toot toot." A favorite memory is a Wednesday night teaching session with the student ministry. We were taught the lesson and review for the Sunday lesson and the question was asked who else said I am? Well, we had been talking about God, so the obvious answer didn't seem to be the answer to the question. No one stirred, no one hazarded a guess...so I said, Popeye? The teacher was miffed with the answer...no, he said. Jesus said it...well, we were talking about God and with the Trinity and all....I thought it was an all inclusive kind of thing.  

 These past few weeks Roy and I have quoted this young man a lot. He and his cousins were playing and wanted to be bad guys. Mom catches them, there's a video but the sound isn't good. You can hear she is trying to keep back from laughing as he does a little PR to get mercy and says, maybe we should think about what we've done and then makes that face captured in the picture.

So when Roy or I do something that kind of miffs the other one, we now say this. I finished up the coffee yesterday morning not remembering that Roy takes a to go cup of coffee to Sunday School. What aggravated him was, after losing power due to a vehicle hitting a power line pole, I asked him if the coffee pot had turned off in those few seconds before the generator kicked in. Then when I came downstairs and saw his coffee cup in the sink, I assumed he was done drinking coffee and thus not thinking to go, drank the little remaining. When he came downstairs to fill his to go cup and there was no coffee, he wasn't too pleased. He just made a small amount to take with him then. One thing he says to me at times is, I haven't lived here long enough to be used to this or that. Told him, that worked for me too. I totally forgot because it is not a part of my pattern of getting ready on Sunday morning when here alone ever included taking coffee to church. Then I said the line, maybe I should think about what I've done, made the face. Good news is, student ministry once again is doing a pop up coffee before Sunday School as a fund raiser for camp. So we can both drink all the remaining coffee next week if we want to and not stress cause there are more at church as well as pastries. It's all good!

Yes over 1600 of us lost electricity yesterday morning. I was in the shower rinsing conditioner from my hair and when I opened my eyes, it was pitch black, but then saw a little bit of light coming in through the window, then the generator kicked in. Out here it is a lifesaver for sure. When you are on a well and septic system, the pumps work by electricity. The first summer here, we had several outages due to storms and fallen trees. We had a generator in Rancho De Five, so we had one installed here. Think it has been used more in the summer here than in the winter. We need to check the propane level today. We have one mainly to keep the temps cool because heat and hot do not mix well with my heart. Meanwhile there also has been several brush fires in the area, none too close but it does keep you on your toes and your nose to the wind.  

We restocked strawberries and zero calories Sunkist today. We ate the last of our leftover porkchops from yesterday and making fajitas later this week. Mike the Mower Man came today and the fresh fragrance of mowed grass filled the air. Our yard was getting a little raggedy looking. Roy is finishing up Bible study homework for CBS and I have started looking at this Sunday's lesson. All in all, a good Monday. 

Stately Travels

 Thankfully, I have not had too many of these nights in the recent past. Sleeping much better for so many reasons, but this morning, 4:00 ish, I woke up and wide awake. I grabbed my study notes and Bible, headed downstairs. Before I begin reading through I Thessalonians 3 for this Sunday's lesson, a brief update seemed to be the right thing to do. Even with a few days of easing into the morning which is the optimal time to blog, just haven't wanted to do that. A weather report and update on activities is what seems to take up most of my thoughts on "paper" these days. While I am enjoying these days and enjoying having Roy here, you might not want to know the escapades of our worldly I mean stately travels to SC or TN. Thank you for trudging along with me.

Several have asked about The Feral Fam and if they are still around. Yes. I do believe we have lost Junioretta and Mr. Biggio. Junioretta seemed to be rather fragile and Mr. Biggio has had several encounters with King Herod. Junior and Baby don't hang around here and very rarely see them but they've shown up a couple of times this past week looking for food after tom catting around. Junior has had an encounter with KH as well. Big, nasty bite on his back. The girls, Toupee, Sweetie and Cutie are around. Toupee and Blazey get special breakfast service away from the others, mainly cause they let me pet them and they have made sitting on the container with bird seed, their dining choice and place. Charlie, the little yellow cat that just showed up one day is friendlier. Each morning I get to pet him a little more than the day before. He inserts himself between Blazey and Toupee while they get petted and he generally runs to the back door to greet me every morning. The ubiquitous black cats with the little and varying sizes of white tuft are nearly identical. I did notice the other day some differences between them but they have to stay still long enough for those observations. I enjoy The Feral Fam but my heart is still saddened by Hector Protector not being around. Yesterday two of the black with white tufts, not kittens but I still refer to them as such, were out playing on the newly planted apple trees as the wind blew the description cards of type of apple around. Roy went out there to cut off the tags because those newly planted trees are a bit fragile in this early stage and just his appearance sent those cats a running. I got the whole show from the upstairs window. 

Even lower than last week, we got gas at Costco for $3.63. Wowsers! In today's world that is a huge discount. We decided on a whim to go back and buy a few more supplies for the house. Low and behold they had organic potting soil for $7.50 for a forty pound bag. The limit was ten and we bought ten. That is an extremely good price. The cost of anything gardening seems to have escalated with everything else these days. I debated on getting a couple of geranium hanging plants but decided to punt that idea, although they had coral ones.   

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Good Saturday morning. With our trip to SC on Thursday and to TN on Friday, we came home and vegged out. We punted our plans for today and are sticking close to home. In TN yesterday, I think we came very close to being robbed in the grocery store parking lot. We should have moved onto another spot before parking. But, we got out quickly of the truck and moved with focus toward the entrance of the store. The man, who looked like the Uni Bomber moved from the passenger side of the vehicle in front of us. I knew he was behind us for the first couple of yards and closing in at a fast rate, but at the right time there were people and cars driving by. When we got into the store, we looked out in the parking lot. He was nowhere to be seen. What made me think he was up to no good, he stood outside the car, talking to whomever was driving with the hoodie pulled way over his head and he kept something in front of his face, till he turned and looked at us and I memorized his face in that nano second. It was a bit unnerving and Roy and I were both a little shook up. After we shopped and paid for our groceries, Roy went outside the entrance to see if the man and car were still out there. Gone, but we still loaded up the truck at the entrance of the store. Someone might have noticed something because a police car was nearby keeping watch over the parking lot. I remember years ago, after playing tennis, a friend and I were standing in the parking garage outside of the University Club by our cars visiting. We noticed two young men coming toward us with an intent of harm. They were about ten feet from us when they abruptly stopped. They were looking up and their faces contorted into fear. They turned and ran away so fast. I have always believed that angels were watching over us and gave the two guys a little display of who they are. The world is a much meaner place these days and now to use a very familiar phrase, we continue out of an abundance of caution keep our eyes and ears open. I also know to follow those gut feelings. Thank you Lord for protecting us. 

The rest of the day in TN was quite uneventful but beautiful as spring blooms begin to take the stage. It won't be too much longer and produce stands will dust off the shelves and fill them with an abundance of produce. For this we give thanks. 

After two days of fun and going, I still can feel the effects of whatever is effecting me health-wise. I am feeling much better but a few nagging symptoms that change daily doesn't seem to warrant a visit to the Dr. The fear of being labeled a hypochondriac dogs me as both of my parents had those tendencies. Still feels very much stress related. 

When I need a distraction I go to realtor.com or Zillow to look at houses around the area, sometimes even into east TN. Before we added on the back porch, we were kind of looking at condos in the high country. Not a real looksee, but nevertheless in case we found a bargain of a lifetime for a weekend retreat or something. Now, I am keeping a watch on the land across the way. Last week we saw a couple walking around the barns. The real estate prices around here will blow you away. Glad we bought in a buyers market. 

Off to finish up the lesson for tomorrow. 

Repairs and Plans

 We were outdoors yesterday, in the front yard picking up all the small branches on the ground around the willow tree. This year seems to have an overabundance of little and some bigger sticks on the ground. While we worked, I watched a man with a post digger working around the fence, thinking he was shoring up the fence a bit. Oh how I wish it were so, but later while filling the bird feeders, I saw that it was a sign advertising the sale of the land divided into two parcels or in one lump acreage. I brought this sad news to Roy and we went to realtor.com to check the listing. The back six acres is $299,000.00 but no listing on the thirteen and a half acreage. It should be combined a little over a million dollars to purchase, that is unless the land gets into a bidding war. The barn lights were off last night and he might have moved the cows already. If Roy hadn't recently retired and we are new to all of this lifestyle, we would probably make a run at buying it, but alas, even if we did, there are homes being built on the hillside off in the distance and it would be just putting off the inevitable. With our back porch, we find ourselves spending the most time there as opposed to the front. This will help us make the choice of building a fence in the front yard, not to cover the homes to be built, but to draw the eye more so to our own property. The last time they had the land perked, not many places that could draw water via a well and with interest rates going up, maybe that will hold it off for a bit. Or maybe a person will buy it and build one house. Originally, we had heard the man who owns the land was going to do just that. The rumor too is that he has land in TN and is moving there full time. The cows showed up and I will enjoy them, from a distance, until they move on. 

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A beautiful morning. Lots of sun. We will probably go back outside to do clean up yard work a little later. 

I mentioned our trip to the grocery store in the last post and our puzzling conversation about an outdoor cleaner the other day. I don't want to leave the impression that Roy isn't still sharp. Words have never been his strong suite, numbers oh yes. He is so sensitive to fragrances and we try to avoid the ones that set off sneezing and a runny nose. Roy's new job around here is research on the stock market and learning how to play Rummy. He used to play bridge and loved the challenges bridge brings and he said rummy is just as challenging. I like to play UNO. Not too much to think about or Nertz for the fast action. 

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A rainy Wednesday morning. We are easing into the day. The bike repairman has to order parts for the recumbent bike, so he will have to use his spinning bike for the next two weeks. We got our gate repaired yesterday and we were so happy for that fix. The guys who originally installed it, had to come back and fix their mistakes, only there were still a lot of mistakes that never got resolved. So, we got on the waiting list for Asheville Fence and once the parts came in, they were out here. The gate closes all the way now and the creaking like a screen door is gone as well. My brother gave us an initial for the gate and now we can put in on. 

We are making our plans for the next few days. Then next week we begin a round of appointments of the various and sundry kind. In between we hope to get a couple more chores accomplished in the front yard. Roy made a huge dent in the process yesterday. It seems we both are affected by heat these days and that slows us down just a bit. Sometimes we have difficulty in processing that at times, mainly in our bodies, that we are older and have to adjust accordingly. We have decided we will let those chores and things go that came so easily to us. Not diminishing our abilities for giving into fear, but in order to live long, healthy lives and go and enjoy every place I have scouted out for Roy's photography in the last seven years. I just went back and read a couple of posts from that time. One thing that I realized last year, the moving truck was here on April 1st 2015. Some of the posts from back then are about dealing with the lies my father told to Adult Protective Services. In those last few years in Houston, there are days that count as liberation days from all his narcissist ways but April 1st 2015 was the most important and April 1st, 2017 the day he died, a finality.  

That Happens

 Snow on the weekend and rain today. Monday and Tuesday pleasant days temperature wise. Most probably the snow is over for this winter season but there should be a few frosts till May. It is so tempting to put out plants, but experience says, nope, ya gots to wait. I notice our forsythia has a few blooms so that is good news. Neighbor's forsythia is out and out blooming but they are mature plants. 

Last week we ran by Lowe's for birdseed and topsoil. Roy was in the Garden Center and I was taking my time to get out there. I had stopped at the flower seeds section. While going through all the choices a woman asked me if I was a graduate or had I gone to Mars Hill. She asked because I was wearing a Mars Hill University sweatshirt. No, just a fan and our conversation continued. She told me that both she and her husband were graduates and he was a long time trustee. I mentioned our friends Kyle and Judy, of course she knew them. So we continued on as they have returned to the area after being gone for several years. She works for the garden center but not for Lowe's and we discussed flowers and the like. In rural terms of neighborhoods, we are neighbors. I described our home, she knew exactly where we are and she described her home and I knew the area and next time I am down her road, I will look. It was one of those fun experiences. Mainly, people ask me about sweatshirt schools when I wear a Baylor one or tshirt. First Mars Hill experience. 

Yesterday, we went to Spartanburg for a several time postponed trip to Costco. It was worth the wait. Filled up with $3.79 gasoline, only one car ahead of us and then into the store. Roy's card had been stolen in December, so he got his card made and we were off to shop. We made a list while driving of things we didn't want to forget. We found just about all of list except for two things. We usually eat lunch while there in the area, but I had a strawberry sundae and Roy ate almonds so we could get back on the road. We had a couple of deliveries to make, bought BBQ from Shorties and we were on our way home. 

I think I am almost to the point of deactivating my Twitter account or pausing it. There is just too much arguing for me over nit picky stuff but then there are issues that needs to be addressed and confronted. The new article on sexual harassments that went on at Christianity Today, without a reprimand or something being done about it while not surprising and not shocking, it is a sad commentary on the protection that is extended to those who supposedly bring something of value, to be protected, to the table. Their actions get overlooked because, well just because that is always how it has always been done. It is easy but not welcomed to remember the various "could have been terrible" moments from childhood into teenage years and into adulthood. A scary encounter in the 7th grade at a church function by a mentally challenged young man was stopped when someone just happened upon the scene and rescued me from the situation. Only thing, I was lectured afterwards as if I had encouraged the encounter and also duly noting I rarely attended youth events, I didn't know anyone, so why did I come that night? Believe me, I didn't want to but my father forced me to go. The adult correcting me said they were going to speak to my parents. I don't know if they did or not cause that would set up the third bad encounter from that event, attacked physically,  then emotionally and at home a veritable potpourri of punishment. I believe if they did speak it might have been just to my mom. If my father had the knowledge, there would have been a whole lot of beating and emotional barraging going on.  

My prescription, ready, and we went to pick it up as well as shop on wisdom, senior adult, discount day. Yes, we were in the mix of our own ilk, but think we are a tad cooler than most. Haha! As we checked out, the lady in front of us swore up and down that Klondike bars were on sale. They were last week but someone had left the sign from last week on the ice cream bars. Funny thing, the kind of Klondike bars she had weren't even on sale last week. So, she didn't want them. While we were checking out she came back with the sign and the checkout lady just gave them to her. Great move by Publix. We are an interesting group of older ones. Roy and I are a little more penurious these days as compared to last year. But the thing that gets me is how narrowed down some actions go with gray hair wisdom, especially in the parking lot. Senior men especially, don't look around to make sure they can make the turn without hitting another car or people. My new arch enemy replacing the mini van are old men, in beat up cars, with their eyes on the prize of a close parking spot. Also replacing Instacart shoppers.  Roy and I added some entertainment on the cleaning product aisle as we got into a discussion about Carbona cleaning products. I love the carpet cleaner as well as the outdoor cleaner. Roy wasn't making a bit of sense over his concerns and I assured him I had used the products before. He kept talking about the scent being overpowering or something. Anyway, we got the product and when we got to the car he realized he had used the wrong word. Oh well, that happens. 

Last Blast of Winter and Other Various and Sundry News

 A beautiful sunshiny morning but later this afternoon, we will have rain and maybe a few storms. Wind gust advisory has been issued. The Feral Fam fed and that is the beginnings of our day. Errands to come as we adjusted our plans for the week as we discussed everything last night. The little jaunt has been pushed down the road when we can combine several things in one trip due to gasoline prices. We filled up the truck at $3.89 on Thursday. Don't think we will see that low price again anytime soon. 

It was good to be teaching after a two week hiatus. We have started I Thessalonians. Seeing Paul experiencing joy over this very young church has been especially enlightening this read through and studying the back story made it come even more alive and real. Especially timely message for the days we are beginning to experience. This morning while having breakfast this week's lesson from the quarterly was my companion. Roy had retreated upstairs for his Bible reading, bike riding and beautifying for the day. Ah, alteration, such fun.  

These past few weeks of not feeling well have been strange to say the least. I cannot say that it has been just one thing but a series of things affecting different parts and innards. It has been a combo of heart, digestion, muscle aches, especially hamstrings, hip pain from the hip that was replaced, a brain fog and an allergic reaction to a hair product. So much of these have been experienced in the past and that is why in a nonprofessional opinion, this all feels very stress related. Well, except for the allergic reaction to a hair product. 

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It's Thursday, so several days have gone by since writing these few paragraphs. Once again we are working on paperwork and being on hold but we are making progress. A re-visit with insurance on a few more things that fall under compensation for loss. Tedious work doesn't defer Roy and for this I am thankful. I think we have both have received all the cards for being officially a senior adult now and yes, for this I am thankful. 

Our vehicles are full and we are getting to a mindset of combining trips even more so. Yesterday, we took care of Roy's hair cut and while he was doing that I made a Publix run for strawberries and a few other things. He was next for the haircut, so I went back to Big Lots and got more cheap Kleenex and a new mesh sink drainer. Timed perfectly to go pick him up and head back home. A lot of the gas stations around here have stopped posting prices cause they go up so quickly. Our regular station still posts prices and yesterday it was $4.19 a gallon. 

Roy is beginning to see how slow process is here with appointments. He is waiting for our gate to be repaired as well as getting the bike guy here now that the correct parts have been delivered. He is waiting on a call back for a Dr appointment. He is finally believing me cause he laughed every time I told him about this. 

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Friday morning, we will cover plants and pull in the patio citrus trees before the cold and snow come this evening into tomorrow. Hopefully, this is the last big winter blast although we will still have a couple of frosts and such. 

Talked with my brother last night. So fun catching up with him. He is thriving and that is so good! We were discussing the apple orchard behind my grandmother's home and when we came along it was over grown and unkept. We shared the stories that we had heard trying to put together some understanding if it had ever been an orchard that made them produce stand money or what. I do remember my grandmother telling me that during the depression their part of the neighbors who came together to share their produce or dairy were the apples and plums. They all had their own gardens but got milk from the neighbor down the road. That way they all survived and had a variety of food to choose from. Other than that I was told to stay out of the orchard and not to stand on the top of a covered abandoned well in the backyard. 

Hopefully, the Sunday lesson will come together today after spending the week studying and researching. 

Toastmaster, Ring of Fire and Supper

 The few hours hold Toastmasters, Toastmasters, Toastmasters. Roy is running an area district contest via Zoom for the Houston area he is over. This is one of his last things he has to do with the Houston clubs and we will both be so very happy when the contest is over tomorrow afternoon. So in the words of Elmer Fudd, be very very quiet, I'm hunting rabbits, but for me to move quietly around the house until about 1:00 pm. 

I got him away from Toastmasters and the computer for about ten minutes yesterday afternoon to help move two galvanized fire rings to a more level area in the yard. Light weight but one had a tall blaze azalea in it and needed to be lifted over it. Teasingly, I call Roy, Roy More Work Monarch, because he seems to add more steps to a project than needs to be done. He wanted to take the ring around the rosies, but it was less than three feet to roll it to him and only one rose bush would feel the brush of metal. He got himself in position to catch the ring, which he did, but he thought I will let it roll into place. Now this would work in Houston, but not here. That ring got away from him and he began to run with the ring almost like back in the olden days kids would use a stick and a hoop. He forgets there are holes in the grass and we are working on a decline. I'm yelling and laughing at the same time to let it roll, seems like a Mardi Gras theme here except it wasn't a good time to roll, and finally he slides like he is going into second base. He stops and the ring of fire went down, down down, that ring of fire, that ring of fire rested against the peach tree. I have never seen Roy laughing so hard as he stood up. I am laughing just as hard and for one brief second I thought, we both might wet our pants. Thankfully, it was a non-event and moving the second ring was easier. Roy said where do you want the second one? I pointed to an area in front of the tulip and daffodil patch and said, put a ring on it. 

Our neighbor brought us a dozen eggs from her chickens and one goose egg yesterday morning. Goose eggs are huge! Roy eats a ton of eggs every month. We stay on the search for eggs on sale all the time and now that her chickens are laying again, we just have to go up the hill or get mountain side service. Not a bad deal anyway you look at it. 

It has felt good to be back studying for a Sunday School lesson. We begin I Thessalonians tomorrow. What a timely study for the world today. Several commentaries have said that this is truly a "real" letter from Paul. Meaning that he isn't writing to them a theological treatise but from the situations Paul and the church found themselves in.  The theme of a heart felt letter is especially poignant while cleaning out or saving nostalgia from the boxes moved here in January. So many letters from my mom. We were great stick figure drawing people as we sent each other stick figure themes from our lives. She constantly moved her flowers from the backyard to the front yard and usually there was another diaspora or two during the season. I drew figures of tennis games and such or of Tiff the Wonder Dog. 

Roy's Zoom finally ended around 2:00 this afternoon. He worked hard on this contest and both are thrilled that it is over. I finished up the lesson and worked a little bit doing easy things outdoors. Such a nice day. We made beef fajitas for supper tonight. Not too bad although I am going to work harder on locating skirt steak here. Sometimes they have it and sometimes not. We had delicious strawberries for dessert. 

Sickness and Distraction...

We are watching along with the rest of the world the war happening in Ukraine. Truthfully, the news has never been on this much around here. Even Sunday morning, which usually consists of just music, we turned the news on to catch up as well as pray. Last night the news was on as background noise while studying the lesson for Sunday. With the majority of attention on the lesson, every time I heard the term oligarch, it sounded like Olive Garden. Looking up at the screen clearly they were not reporting on Olive Gardens in Russia.  

It has been about a week since posting on Monablog. One reason, distraction and the other the fire in my being to write, sadly the fire right now is more like embers. Most mornings I get up and feed the Fam and settle in at the desk to blog or work on other pieces or character develop a story while having a cup of coffee. The other distraction has been a few health issues. I was so fortunate for Roy to teach for me the past two weeks because that took some pressure off. Taking advantage of his willingness to study, I did what I thought I needed to do to get better. Other than afib which comes and goes, the occasions of a few bumps in the road didn't seem to warrant a doctor visit or a trip to the ER. It has felt like the December-February stresses exacted a toll. The stress as I have written about before held some similarities to the stress I felt in the last year of working at First Baptist. That stress took a toll, that is for sure. In previous blog posts I made the comment of late night tug of wars with the Lord. Giving Him the problems, then at peace and picking them up again later in the day. The timing of everything has worked out but the effects of everything slowly but surely is leveling off. Then I had a few side effects from the newest meds. It has happened once before but getting the timing right of when taking it seems to be the answer to the occasional flare up from it. So, that is the happenings and because of the happenings and the distractions, I've been somewhat noncommunicative with friends. That will be changing. It just has seemed so exhausting to do much of anything than what needed to be done. The last couple of days have almost felt normal and for that I am thankful. 

Our temperatures this week are springish and the temptation to begin gardening is strong, but alas, we have dogwood and blackberry winter still ahead. Mike the Mower Man was here this week getting the grass fertilized and with rain forecasted next week, that will be helpful. Andrew was here the other day trimming back shrubs and bushes in the backyard. Roy planted two more blackberry bushes and we nixed the idea of kiwi and muscadine grapes. We don't feel responsible enough for such detailed care. Think we might try our hand at tomatoes later when it is safe weather wise to plant them. 

I'm excited about beginning I Thessalonians this Sunday. This week of reading and studying has been healing to this weary soul. Viewing the first chapter in context with Acts has brought a lot of interesting conversations with Roy as we talk about Paul on his second missionary journey. When the context is compared to the first chapter, it is the Word alive and active. 

This is short but wanted to check in with readers. Hopefully the health issues are behind me and life with more activity will resume.