Thursday - kind of a blasé day

I got up about 0700 again this morning, Kathleen had gotten up as well, but she must have gone back to bed after I went downstairs. I made myself some waffles this morning, I just felt like that kind of morning.

After I ate, I unloaded the dishwasher; I did not get around to doing that last night. Once the dishwasher was empty, I loaded up what was in the sink and counter and then cleaned the sink and counter.

While I was reading the paper Kathleen got a phone call, and when I when upstairs to let her know, I discovered that she was back in bed mostly asleep. So I went back downstairs and swept and mopped the kitchen floor, and then vacuumed the rest of the downstairs.

Kathleen came downstairs about 1115 and took a bath. She was still not doing too well, so I suggested that she go back upstairs and go to bed, which she did. While she was sleeping, I scrubbed the tub.

Next I pinched the barbs off about four dozen flies, it makes catch and release less messy for the fish. It was getting past time for my lunch so I heated up a jar of chili. Kathleen got up again about 1430 and had something to eat.

Andrea came over for a while to pick up some things that she left here yesterday. She did not stay too long today. Kathleen made some macaroni and cheese for dinner tonight. I think that is all for tonight so I will say my good night now.

Doctor's appointment

I got up around 0700 this morning, Kathleen was just coming back to bed and I was not quite ready to get up, but I knew that I would not be going back to sleep. I seemed a little lighter out this morning, it was not raining when I got up, but shortly after 0800 it started to drizzle a little bit.

I had cereal again this morning; it is almost time for me to start on the oatmeal routine again. I think for the last few years I have been having oatmeal, raisins and blackstrap molasses for breakfast five or six times a week. I had switched to Cheerios and shredded wheat for the summer, but I think it is about time to switch back.

I noticed it was drizzling when I went out to the front lawn to pick up a beer can that some one graciously left on my lawn. Actually, someone in a passing vehicle probably threw it there, but nonetheless it was there. While I was out there, I noticed some other dropping that worked their way onto the lawn so I picked them up as well.

Kathleen had a doctor's appointment at noon today, to have her blood drawn, to check up on her diabetes. She actually saw a nurse practitioner and got a couple prescriptions; one for dropping off and having filled locally, and the other to send away and get a three months supply.

While we were out we stopped at the credit union, Montivilla Sewing Center and then to Fred Meyer to fill her prescription and for me to exchange something that we bought yesterday. While waiting for the prescription to be filled Kathleen found a fleece vest and I picked up a couple jars of chili.

When we finally got home, we were both pretty hungry, so Kathleen opened up a couple of the jars of chili and we had that for lunch. Andrea came over and she had stopped by Burger King so she joined us for lunch. She stayed until about 1900 and then went home to make dinner for John.

Kathleen had a Fellowship Team meeting tonight so I was left to myself. I cannot honestly say that I accomplished anything, I know that the floors need vacuuming, but I just did not feel like it tonight. I think I will practice my putting, that sounds like a good use of my time.

Well, I think that is it for today, so good night.

Where did the sun go?

I got up about 0700 and it was still dark out, it does not seem that long ago that even when I got up at 0530 it was light out. I went downstairs and had to turn the lights on, which for me is something. Even though it did not rain today, it was overcast all day.

I had cereal again this morning and I also had some raisin walnut bread with peanut butter on it. After breakfast, I went and raked the front yard, mostly to get the walnuts shells off the lawn. I also did a couple loads of laundry, folded, and put it away.

Kathleen came downstairs about 1115 and had something to eat, so I went upstairs to put the laundy away. By this time I think I was on my third or forth cup of coffee. I was reading the mail when she came into the living room, we got out property tax statement, I went up a little, but not as much as I thought it might.

About noon I micro waved the leftover spaghetti from last night and had it for lunch, Kathleen went upstairs to get ready for her physical therapy appointment at 1300. We were even early for it today.

She is doing much better with her physical therapy, she did not even cry when she was stretched today. She only has three more appointments and we were discussing whether or not she needs to continue beyond that.

We stopped by Fred Meyers after her appointment and Kathleen got three pair of gloves, one pair were extra long for pruning roses and the other two pair were regular work gloves. We also picked up a couple mum plants and four pansies plants.

After we got home and I changed clothes I went out front and planted them. I think that this is the first time in a really long time that we have actually planted something the same day as we bought them.

Before we left for physical therapy, Kathleen prepared a roast I cut up some onion and garlic and then we put it in the oven, so when we got home the smell had permeated the whole house. More incentive to hurry up and get the plants planted.

Well, I think that is it for today...good night!

Yep, the rainy season is officially here!

Well, Kathleen came to bed about 0500 this morning, for some reason she woke up about 2100 and did not get sleepy until early this morning. I finally got up about 0730. I was not raining at the time, but it rained most of the night, at times it rained really hard.

I let Reggie out and made myself some cereal. After breakfast, I read the paper and then went outside and picked up after Reggie. By the time I got back in the mail had come, so I read the mail.

Kathleen had come downstairs about 1100 and took a hot bath about noon. While she was taking her bath, I reconciled my checkbook and savings account. I like to do it as soon as the credit union statement gets here each month. Luckily, it checked out okay.

After Kathleen's bath, I made myself a couple limburger cheese and pumpernickel sandwiches for lunch, mmmmm good! Kathleen finally came back downstairs about 1500 and we went to Winco, we had not been to the grocery store for a couple of weeks and were running out of many things.

We got home about 1700 and put the groceries away. Kathleen went upstairs to do something, so about 1800 I was getting hungry so I made some whole-wheat spaghetti and some garlic sausage tomato sauce. Kathleen sliced up some baguette and put some butter and garlic powder on them and them toasted them.


It rained again today but we were grocery shopping when it started and it stopped by the time we were done. I cannot think of anything else to write about so I will just say good night.

I think that the rainy season is upon us.

I got up a little after 0800 this morning, not quite as sore as when I went to bed last night and my stomach was feeling better. I did not feel well enough to go to church and Kathleen went back to bed about the time I was getting up. She had gotten up earlier, did not feel good, and was still tired.

I went downstairs, let Reggie out, and noticed that it was drizzling. After Reggie came back in I made myself a couple eggs and I had the leftover hash from last night for breakfast. After I ate, I spent about an hour loading up the dishwasher and cleaning up the kitchen from Kathleen trying to make grape juice last night.

After I had the dishwasher loaded, I started it up, and then went to work on the hand washing. It is hard to believe that the kitchen was such a mess; I had it pretty well cleaned up while Kathleen was at "Women of Faith" yesterday. Oh well!

While the dishwasher was still going, I made myself some coffee and decided to sit down and read the paper. It felt good to sit for a while. The dishwasher stopped before I finished reading, but I waited until I finished the paper and then emptied it.

Kathleen still was not up and it was after noon so I decided that I would make myself some lunch. In the refrigerator, I found a leftover baked potato and hamburger grave that Andrea made Friday night before they took off for "Women of Faith". There was also some broccoli and green beans leftover from sometime last week.

Kathleen finally got up about 1330, she still did not feel too well and the only reason she got up was to get something to eat. Since she was up, I decided that I would do a load of towels. However, I had put the grapes in the utility sink that the washing machine drains into, so I asked Kathleen to do something with them. She boiled the grapes and is now draining the juice out.

I was answering Andrea's e-mail when the dryer signaled that the towels were done, but I finished the e-mail and then took the towels out and folded and put them away. By now, it was getting to be dinnertime; I looked in the refrigerator and there was some fried rice, a half of a baked potato and a couple hamburgers, all left over from the last few days.

I heated up the fried rice and one of the hamburgers for myself; I did not heat up anything for Kathleen as she just went and lay down on the couch. When she finally got up, she decided that she would rather have a couple egg yokes on top of the potato half.

Well, I think our nice weather is probably over for this year, it was nice while it lasted, but we do need the rain. I did not get a lot done today, but after all, it is the day of Sabbath rest. I think I will just call it a day, so good night!

Women of Faith weekend

Well, today was a little different; Kathleen had to get up so that I could take her to church so she could ride one of the church vans to the conference. Her alarm went off about 0645, and even though I was awake I was not quite ready to get up yet, but I did.

We left for church a little before 0800, I helped her put up the posters that she, and Andrea had made. We managed to get them all up before the vans left; in fact, I left before the vans left.

I got home about 0830 and made myself some cereal for breakfast. By 0900, I was outside raking the front lawn, so that I could put some lime on it. Once I finished that, I raked the back yard and mowed it.

Realizing that this may be one of the last chances that I will have before the rainy season starts, I decided to do some more weeding in the rose garden. Two of my smaller roses were just barely visible because the weeds were so thick.

It took me most of the day but I got all but a small section, about four feet by ten feel left to finish. Some of that area is part of one of my iris beds. I dug several irises up a couple of weeks ago for Alyssa so that area is not going to be too hard.

I also cut off the foxglove stalks and pulled most of the dead plants. This might be the best my gardens have looked this time of year. I guess there is something to say for not having to work.

I finally quit and put all my tool away and went into the house, I could not believe it but it was 1620. I guess I was having too much fun as I had no idea it was so late. I ached pretty much all day, but I was just too stubborn to quit.

I cleaned up a bit, just enough so that I could pick up Kathleen at church. I got there about 1645 and Kathleen did not get back until 1720, so I read my "Arthritis Today" magazine that had come today.

Kathleen went out back and picked a large colander full of grapes and she is in the process of making some "grape juice". She fried up a couple cans of hash, so that was good.

I am writing this now as I am looking forward to taking a long hot shower. So I will say good night.

Friday the thirteenth

Well, it is almost over, I knew it was Friday the thirteenth, but I did not think about it too much, I had too much else to think about.

I got up early, before the sun came up, so I ate breakfast and read the paper before 0900. I hand washed a couple of the frying pans that Kathleen used last night and the night before and vacuumed the living room floor, there was a lot of scrap paper on it from Andrea and Kathleen making those posters yesterday.

I also raked the front lawn again, it is not that it was really bad, but if I keep up with it, it is a lot easier than when there are a lot of leaves and they are wet. I know that this great weather will not last forever... and when the wet weather sets in it is usually here for a while.

I had the leftover sausage from the other night wrapped in a couple of tortillas. I did not have too much time to be too creative as it was getting close to the time we needed to leave for Kathleen's physical therapy appointment.

The appointment went well, and everyone was saying how much better Kathleen's range of motion is than when she first started going there. We got home about 1530 and I changed my clothes so that I could plant the columbine that I dug up yesterday. After planting it, I watered the rose garden, where I had planted the columbine.

It still was not time for dinner yet so I did some more weeding in the berry patch. I hope to have most of the gardens in pretty good shape for next Spring. It is always such a chore trying to get the gardens looking good each Spring.

Before I finished Andrea called and said that dinner was ready. She and Kathleen must have eaten before she called me as they left for the "Women of Faith" conference just as I got into the house. I just had time to say good-bye to them and they were off.

I do not think that I will be doing much more of anything note worthy tonight, so I will just say good night now.

Well I just found out that Reggie had an accident in the utility room so I had to clean that up.

So now, I will close and send this out…good night again.

Columbus Day?

Growing up October 12th use to be Columbus Day, but now all the holidays are either on a Monday or Friday...too bad! I think that many people just look forward to a day off and not really caring what is behind it.

Anyway, I cannot say that I really accomplished a lot today. This morning after breakfast, I changed the furnace filter and then went outside and watered the berry patch. I had put some of the fir needles from the driveway around the blueberries and strawberries and I wanted to water them down. I also cleaned out the birdbath and refilled it.

Then I went in and read the paper and mail, the mail actually got here before 1000. The weather is still too nice, like almost 80 degrees today, that I could not stay inside, so I went out and weeded around the side gate next to the back door. There were several columbine growing there that I wanted to dig out anyway so I had not been mowing there. Needless to say, it was pretty much of a mess.

About half way through, about 1600, I got hungry so I went inside and made a couple cheese and chicken sausages and I wrapped them in a couple of whole wheat tortillas. Not too bad, if I do have to say myself. For desert I made, Alyssa do not read this, a peanut butter, marshmallow cream and nutella rolled them up in a couple whole wheat tortillas, again not bad.

Andrea came over today just before noon today and she helped Kathleen make some posters for the Harvest Festival at church later this month. She stayed until just about 2000, she was going to go grocery shopping, but I do not think that she thought that she would be here that long.

Kathleen fried up an onion and the leftover rice from last night and cooked some hamburgers for dinner. I asked Andrea if she wanted to stay for dinner, but she wanted to get home so that she could have dinner with John.

When one does not eat dinner until after 2000 it makes for a rather short night, so I am writing this now, before I get too tire to do it.

I think that is about all for tonight, so on that note, I will just say, good night.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

I am not sure if it is just the time of year or just the time of life, but I can hardly close my hands. Every once in a while I get these shooting pains from my thumbs and going up my arms. This is in addition to the pain that is there continually. Not fun whatever the cause.

Anyway, I made myself some whole-wheat blueberry waffles for breakfast this morning; I have not done that this week. They really tasted good. After breakfast, I folded and put away the towels that I washed yesterday and then gathered up the throw rugs from the upstairs bathroom. I shook them out and then washed and dried them.

While I had the rugs up, I swept the floor and then vacuumed the upstairs carpets. Once I had the upstairs rugs in the dryer, I gathered up the throw rugs from the downstairs bathroom and washed them. I swept the floor of the downstairs bathroom while I had the chance.

While the rugs were being washed and dried, I read the paper and the mail. Then I vacuumed the downstairs carpets, and by this time the rugs from the downstairs bathroom were dry and I put them back down.

I made myself a Boca Berger, put it on a couple whole tortillas, and spread some limburger and provolone cheese on it. Surprisingly enough it tasted pretty good.

After lunch I went outside and vacuumed up the fir needles from the parking area. Then I used the blower to blow off the rest of the driveway, so for about five seconds the driveway looks pretty much clear of fir needles.

As you can guess I looked like "pigpen" from Charlie Brown fame, so when I got inside I took a shower. I felt much cleaner afterwards. I wish that I could say that my hands felt better, but no such luck.

Kathleen made some rice and sausage tonight for dinner; we also had some peaches and avocado. Now I am writing this early as I meet with the accountability guys tonight and I need to leave in a few minutes. The way I feel now, I will probably go to bed shortly after I get home tonight. So I will say good night now.

MRI results and physical therapy

I slept in until 0830 this morning, which is a lot more sleep than I am am use to getting. Anyway, I had cereal for breakfast with some peach slices and of course coffee. After finishing breakfast, I loaded up the dishwasher and did some of the hand washing.

I then went and gathered all the towels that needed washing and loaded up the washing machine. While they were washing, I read the paper and by the time I finished the paper the towels were ready for the dryer, so I loaded it up and went outside with Reggie.

We got a lot of mail today, partly because of the Columbus Day holiday yesterday, and we have been getting a lot lately. By the time I finished going through the mail it was about noon, so I made myself lunch and got ready to take Kathleen to her physical therapy appointment at 1300.

Her physical therapy went well, they did not even have to stretch her out, so I guess that the brace thing that she got last week must be working somewhat. We had an hour to kill between when she finished up at physical therapy and her doctor’s appointment, so she wanted to stop at Office Max to get some colored paper.

When we got to the doctors office the waiting room was overflowing, luckily we were able to find a place to sit. After about a half hour she was called. The doctor said that her MRI looked good and that he could not find anything wrong. So that was both good news and bad. Good news as there was nothing wrong, and bad because of the pain that does not seem to have any answers as to why.

We got home about 1730 and Kathleen warmed up the potatoes, beans, broccoli and salmon from last night. The salmon was getting a little dried out, but it still tasted good as did the veggies.

Well, I am doing this a little early tonight, but I do not invasion anything else happening tonight so I will just say good night.

The weather is just too nice.

I slept in until 0800 this morning. I got up and made my self some cereal and raisin/walnut toast. After breakfast, I put away the dishes and read the newspaper. Next, I gathered up the trash from all the rooms, took it out to the garbage can, and took it up front for tomorrow’s pickup.

I also did a couple loads of laundry, folded it, and put it away. I thought that I had better mow the leaves in both the front and back yard. I did not have the energy to rake the leaves so using the mower is a quick option. Besides there were a couple patches where the grass actually needed to be mowed.

It was about 1400 by the time I finished so I went inside and made myself a salmon sandwich and had some of yesterday’s leftover rice dish. Because it was so nice outside I just could not bring myself to stay inside and do some of the inside jobs, so I went out to the big rose garden and started weeding. I was getting really sore, but I had so much to do that I just kept weeding. Kathleen came out and asked me if I wanted to work until it got dark and by that time I was sore enough that I decided to quit for the day and get cleaned up for dinner.

We had leftover meatloaf, some green beans, broccoli and new potatoes. I think that this is our forth meal out of the meatloaf and there is still some left for a sandwich or two tomorrow.

After dinner Kathleen went to Michael's to use her 50% off coupon and I think that she was going to Staples as well. I am just too sore to go, I took an Advil after dinner, but it is either not working or has not kicked in yet.

I do not think that I will have any trouble sleeping tonight. I doubt if there will be anything exciting happening tonight so I will just say good night now and call it a day.

Slow Sunday

Today was a pretty quiet Sunday. Kathleen and I went to church and Sunday School this morning. When we came home, Kathleen made some salmon and a rice and peanut dish that was really good. We used our new rice cooker; it is only half the size of or other one, which is nice since it makes only enough for Kathleen and me.

The other one was great when we had several children living here, but it is way too big for just the two of us. We will probably keep it down the basement in the pantry down there for when we need to cook more rice than for just the two of us.

After lunch, I read the paper and checked out my e-mail and then about 1645 we went to Aaron and Tami's where we joined Toni and Chucky for dinner. Before dinner, I helped Aaron pick us some of the rock out their front yard. The spent most of yesterday removing rhododendrons and the lawn and then tilled it. They are going to plant some other plants and replant the lawn.

Chucky barbequed some chicken and we had sticky rice and Tami made some rice in her new rice cooker. After dinner, I rinsed off the dishes and then sat around and talked with Aaron while the girls played. Kathleen and Tami were planning stuff for the harvest festival at the church at the end of the month.

We finally left about 2115 and by then I was getting pretty tired, not that I had done anything today, but I think I must be fighting off a bug of some kind.

Well, it is almost 2200 so I think I will say good night.

Sleepy Saturday

I had a Discipleship Team meeting this morning, so after I ate breakfast I loaded up the dishwasher and started it up. The meeting went until about 1100 and when I got home the Acura was gone, Kathleen had driven herself to Montivilla Sewing Center.

She called a little while later and said that Toni and Chucky where going out to eat with Charié and wanted to know if I wanted to go meet them there.

I was pretty tired so she went without me; I made myself some lunch and then read the mail and newspaper. After that I unloaded the dishwasher, I am not sure why, but my get up and go, got up and went somewhere.

I did manage to get my hair cut today; it had been about four months since my last haircut. It is just long enough to almost put a part in it. I think my next haircut will be a little longer, just because it will be my winter cut.

Kathleen is out again this time to Michael’s and maybe somewhere else. She asked me if I wanted to go, but I am tired enough and as long as she can drive, I do not feel like I have to go everywhere with her.

I do not invasion anything else exciting happening tonight so I will bid my ado's and say good night.

MRI Friday

Well it was almost 0800 before I pulled myself out of bed this morning. I made myself some cereal and then read the paper and just about the time I was finishing the paper the mail came. For some reason the last few day we have been getting a lot of mail, maybe it is just that it is the first part of the month.

I loaded up the dishwasher, did all the hand washing, and wiped off the stove and counters. I was noticing that the kitchen floor was starting to look a little shabby, so I picked up the rugs and shook them out and swept the floor and then mopped it. While waiting for it to dry I vacuumed the rest of the downstairs.


Before I realized it, it was time to take Kathleen to her MRI appointment. We got there about fifteen minutes early and had to sit around until about 1345 because the person who had the appointment was stuck in traffic. Once Kathleen was called in I had a couple hours to kill, so I read several magazines and before I knew it she was done. We left there about 1530 and headed home the back way to avoid the rush hour traffic.

We stopped by Fred Meyer to pick up a pain medication prescription for Kathleen and some items for taking over to Alyssa where we were having dinner. Aaron, Tami and the girls were there and we picked up Toni and Charié on our way to Alyssa's. Chucky came after work and Andrea was working so she and John were not there, but we had a good time.

Kathleen and I left early as I have a Discipleship Team meeting tomorrow morning. I think that just about covers the day. I am headed to bed, so I will say good night all.

New Brace

Woke up earlier this morning and did not go back to sleep so I finally got up about 0600. Kathleen had a physical therapy appointment today so I did not want to get started on any projects this morning.

I went outside with Reggie this morning, mostly to check out the chairs and the bench that I oiled, the bench was all beaded up as it had rained a little last night. I must not have rained very much as the cultivating that I did was not very wet.

Kathleen was downstairs before I finished reading my e-mail this morning and asked if I would like some pancakes this morning, so she cooked up some.

We have not had pancakes for a while and they really tasted good. I think it may have had something to do with the weather turning a little cooler. After I put the dishes in the dishwasher, I sat down, read the paper, and had a cup of coffee.

For some reason today I received lots of mail, much of it was the usual junk, but I also got three magazines and a couple catalogues that I had ordered. That took me up to lunchtime. I made myself a Boca burger and toasted a couple of bread heels and some provolone cheese.

Kathleen also put together a meatloaf and put it in the oven to bake while we were at physical therapy. After we were there for a while the person with the brace showed up and put it on Kathleen. It does not look like it has any metal that would give her a rash and it is not too heavy, so I hope it works for her.

After the appointment we stopped by the credit union and deposited some checks and to change some monthly transfers. Then we headed for Rossi Farms to pick up some fresh produce.

I scrubbed a couple potatoes and put them in the oven. Kathleen cooked some of the green beans and broccoli that we got at Rossi Farms, and by 1730 we were having dinner.

I got really tired after dinner and dozed of while reading a magazine, so now that I am somewhat awake I though that I better do this before I fall asleep again. I think that I covered our day and I think that I will just say good night.

Cleaning up

Well, I did get some sleep last night, I did not get up until 0815 and considering that I went to bed at 2100 that is a long time for me to stay in bed. So I must have been as tired as I felt.

I did not get much done this morning other than make myself breakfast and put away the dishes I washed last night. Oh, I guess that I did change the water in the beta's globe, but that only took about fifteen minutes.

This afternoon I put on another coat of oil on the planter bench that I had been working on earlier in the week. I also picked up some of the foliage from the irises that I dug up for Alyssa Monday.

After that I spent most of the rest of the afternoon cleaning up the collection of odds and ends that have been collecting by the garage door. I even weeded around the door and low and behold I found a tree rose. Well not really, but after I pulled out the mint and violets it could be seen a lot better.

I also opened up some old gallon paint cans and put the dried paint in the garbage and the empty cans in the recycling. They had been setting by the garage doors for about two years. I originally set them there so that the paint could dry up and I could take the chunks out and recycled the cans. Some how I never found the time to finish the project until now.

I even swept the cement around the door so that one can actually see the cement instead of the fir pollen pods and leaves. I did not know what time it was, but when I went into the house it was 1730, so I had been working outside since about 1330. I guess that is why I am just a little worn out.

Kathleen has another Fellowship Ministry team meeting tonight so she made some Au Gratin potatoes and a couple of the left over hamburgers from last night. I just finished putting the dishes in the dishwasher and am soaking the pots and pans so that I can get most of the baked on potatoes off before I put them in the dishwasher.

I think that is all I am going to attempt to do for today, so good night is in order.

Taxi!

I slept in until about 0730 this morning, I woke up about 0200 and it took me quite a while to get back to sleep. About 0915 Kathleen came down stairs and was dressed, when I mentioned something about it she told me that we had to pick up Toni and then go to the airport to pick up our niece Charié. Charié was coming into Portland to take a bus to Seaside where she is going to spent a few days getting some R & R.

We picked her up and got to spend a little time visiting with her. Andrea came over as well as the girls were all going out to eat. Kathleen had her physical therapy appointment today so we had to leave shortly after the girls took off.

While we were picking up a prescription for Kathleen at Fred Meyer, Toni called and asked if we could take her to the doctor's office for a 1615 appointment. Well it was about 1520 when she called.

We picked up Toni and Charié and headed to Clackamas Kaiser for Toni's appointment. It only took about a half an hour and then we headed to downtown to the train/bus depot. We made pretty good time considering what time of the day it was. We dropped Charié and Toni off at the station and then headed for home once again; I took back roads, as they are usually quicker during rush hours.

We made it back home about 1715 and we are both tired. Hence, I am writing this early, before I fall asleep. I did not get a thing done today except run from one place to another. So good night and I hope that I sleep better tonight.

A tiring Monday

I did not get up until about 0745 this morning, I guess that I was still on my Sabbath rest. I made up for it a little bit today. I did a load of towels, washed, dried, folded and put away. Then I vacuumed the downstairs and did a lot of the hand washing dishes. Kathleen got up this morning and when she came downstairs she was dressed, something that she had not done all weekend.

I put the solar house number sign that I bought several years ago in the ground and put the sign on it. I bought it and set it aside to do when I had time and it was buried and I ran across it the other day.

About noon we went to Home Depot to pick up some more of the teak oil so that I could finish the planting bench. I went outside just as soon as we got home and I changed my clothes and started to apply the oil to the bench.

It only took about forty-five minutes to finish the bench. When I got in the house Kathleen was talking to Alyssa, she was going to come over with the children. The other day when I talked with Alyssa she wanted to get some raspberries and irises. So I went back out and started to dig up some raspberries for her. I cleaned out an area that was becoming overgrown and in the same area where I cleaned out under the apple tree.

I also dug out a couple dozen irises in a part of the rose garden that I am trying to clean out and open up a little.

When I went inside and cleaned up Andrea was there having her lunch on her way to work. She had been there a while and just stayed for a while after Alyssa arrived.

Hayden played with one of the toy Wranglers that I have for the grandchildren to play with while Zander played with the battery operated train. He spent a while assembling the track, but he finally did and then Hayden wanted to play with the train as well.

Natalie went upstairs with Kathleen to see how her pillow was progressing. Kathleen is embroidering a little pillow for her for her new room.

Alyssa left with the children about 1730, and we heated up the leftover chicken and rice from last night for dinner tonight.

My eyes are really irritated, I think from all the digging in the soil. I feel tired, but I think it is mostly from me not being able to keep my eyes open as they are really watering.

Well, I think that is it for tonight, so I will just wish you all a good night.

A Sabbath Rest

Well, today is the day of Sabbath rest and I mostly rested. I got up and got ready for church this morning and a little after 0800 I went upstairs to see if Kathleen was planning to go this morning. She was just waking up and said that she wanted to go, but I could tell from what happened last week that she would not make it and I would not either. So I just said that she was about an hour from being ready to go and that I was going now and she should just stay in bed and rest.

Yesterday she never did get dressed and when I got back from church and Sunday School, she still was in her nightclothes. She came down stairs about noon and still was not dressed. She got herself some puffed rice and wheat and had a raspberry and cream cheese croissant. Since it looked like she was not going to have any lunch any time soon I made myself a limburger cheese and onion sandwich.

I gathered up the laundry and did two loads, one dark and one light. After I finished reading the paper I went outside and oiled the bottom and back of the planting bench. By this time, the first load was ready to come out of the dryer and fold. So I put the second load in the dryer and folded the first load.

Kathleen came back down stairs and was dressed, so I asked her what we were going to do for dinner and she suggested rice and chicken. It sounded good to me, so Kathleen got the chicken tenders out of the freezer and cooked some rice.

After dinner Kathleen wanted to go for a walk around the block, she did not need to ask me twice. She was really tired afterwards and her glucose level was only about 74, so she took a glucose tablet and that helped bring it back up to 130.

As you can tell, I did pretty well keeping the Sabbath rest. Oh, I almost forgot, last night after I sent off my post I cleaned out the bathtub downstairs. It had been stained for years and nothing I had tried before worked, but we recently tried Kaboom for the toilet and it worked really well, and so we bought another Kaboom product, “Ultra Scrub”, that was almost like a liquid cleanser.

I worked on it for about fifteen minutes and got most of it cleaned up. I was pretty tired from working outside most of the day so I did not do anymore. I think in the next day or so I will probably try it again. It will be nice to have a bathtub that does not look really dirty all the time.

Well, I think that is all for tonight, nothing else to do but say, good night!

Saturday and I am ready for a day of rest

After breakfast, I looked for and found my tin snips so that I could put a patch on the roof. I found them and then got the old wooden ladder out and set it up on the side of the house. Then I got the piece of aluminum and cut it up to fit on the roof. Now I just have to wait until it rains to see if the patch works. If it does, I will have to make it a permanent patch, right now it is just in there temporarily.

After that, I picked up the walnuts and then mowed the lawn. I was pretty worn out so I took a break and got a 32 ounce jug of ice water and went and sat out on the front porch for a while.

While sitting there I noticed that the hedge really needed to be trimmed. So I got out my hedge sheers and started whacking away at it. I had been using the electric hedge trimmers lately and this time I decided to use the manual ones as they really do a better job, although they are much more labor intensive.

Somewhere between mowing the lawn and trimming the hedge both my hip and shoulders were really bothering me. I am not sure about the hip, but the shoulder I am pretty sure is bursitis, (I think I need to take some more Advil.) So I finished picking up the clippings and put them in the recycling bin.

I sat on the front porch some more and drank more water. After a while, I noticed that I was getting a little hungry so I went inside, made myself a grill cheese sandwich, and had a few chips.

Knowing that I needed to clean up and sand down the planting bench I decided to do that. I hosed off most of the crud and than took a nylon 3M pad and got the finish to the point where I could oil it. I will have to wait until tomorrow or Monday so that it will completey dry out.

Not wanting to go inside yet I decided to straighten up the junk pile under the apple tree. I through out a bunch of old plastic flower pots and several plant trays. It does not look great yet, but it is much better than it was before. I also threw away some of the junk that had been collecting by the outside garage door.

I was pretty filthy so I got the hose out to dust myself off before going into the house. While doing that I decided to clean out the bird bath and refill it. I went inside and got another 32 ounces of water. I sat down for a while, drank the water, and then checked with Kathleen to see what she wanted to do for dinner. We had some black beans and I cut up a couple chicken and cheese sausages to go with it. It was not bad, and there is a little left over for a snack tomorrow.

Well, that is just about it for today, I am tired, but I fell that I got quite a lot done. Now it is time to say good night!