Addendum

My last post was about the busy weekend and its highlights.  What I didn't include were the other highlights that made the weekend so special...

• I had trouble walking around in the kitchen to prepare an after school snack for Cooper.  Why?  Because Lynnlee was following me and every time I stopped, she grabbed me around the knees from behind and wouldn't let me go.  Giggling all the time she was doing it.
• Landon singing with me when we drove around the countryside Saturday morning.  He giggles.  He laughs.  He snickers.   He is just so much fun.
• Cooper is so serious about baseball.  But sometimes he forgets that he is playing in a real game.  His attention strays when he picks up a ball and throws it back to the pitcher.  He looks around.  He waves at people he knows.  Then he has to be reminded to scurry back to his position behind the plate because the batter and the man at the pitching machine are waiting for him.
• Owen is so special and so cute.  He is so serious when he is conversing.  He knows what he wants to say, but he still isn't sure of all of the words he needs to use and how to get them out.  Sometimes his words are so clear that it is amazing.  Other times the words need to be deciphered.  But he is so serious, and he is so communicative nonetheless. I love his smile and his affection.  
• Then there is Tessa.  She means well. She really does.  But sometimes she is just like a train wreck.  She starts to derail and just can't stop.  She didn't have to sit in the recliner as much this weekend as she does sometimes, but there were a few time-out sessions for her.  The sweetest thing she did all weekend was to hold Owen's hand as we took a walk down the lane to put mail in the mailbox.  She was very careful that he was safe and didn't stray.  She does love him so much.

These five.  What would we do without them?  I wouldn't even want to think about it!

Love them all to pieces.  Forever and ever.  Always.

Highlights of a Weekend with Five Grandchildren

One of the reasons we moved was so we could see the grandchildren more often.

Another reason was to help out when their parents needed us to watch them or get them off the bus or have them spend the night.

Well all of that happened this weekend.  Maybe not the 'getting them off the bus' but we did bring Landon and Tessa home from school on Friday.

Highlights:

• Grandparents' Day with Landon and Tessa at Rossville Elementary on Friday afternoon.  We met Mrs. Knox in 4th grade and Mrs. Brown in 1st grade.  Landon interviewed us and gave us a picture he had created, which is now on our refrigerator.  Tessa drew a picture for Grandma Jan, not for us, which was ok.  Pictures.  Book Fair.  Ice cream in the cafeteria for all of us.
• We signed out Landon and Tessa and returned them to their house after school.  We chatted with Hilary for a bit until Megan called and said they were close to our house.
• Cooper and Lynnlee stayed at our house while Megan and Matt went to South Bend for an event.  Dinner came from Culver's.  At one point we (Gary, Lynnlee, and I) put clean sheets on the bed in our room.  Then Lynnlee and I decided to relax on the bed.
• Next event was her emptying her stomach of EVERYTHING she had eaten that evening ALL over me, herself, and Great-Grandma Cattell's quilt.  (see previous post about THAT).
• Landon, Cooper, and I  playing UNO at the dining room table
• Landon spending the night on Friday
• Landon and Gary picking up gates at the Carroll County Fairgrounds Saturday morning
• Tessa and Owen coming Saturday morning to stay until late Sunday afternoon
• early morning grocery shopping at Meijer (see previous post about that)
• A trip to Flour Mill for donuts and to the orchard for apples, slushies, and more donuts
• Auntie Ann's chicken noodle casserole for dinner
• Everyone so tired that all were in bed a little after 9 - Tessa in the futon room, Gary and Owen in the spare bedroom, Beth and Landon in the big bed
• Tessa getting sick three times (too many strawberries)
• Gary's spaghetti for lunch
• More UNO with Landon and Tessa
• Cooper's double header in Camden with Hilary (whose photo shoot was cancelled) and Landon

I was exhausted!  I couldn't even function in the evening.  I was so tired, my vision was blurry, I couldn't read, and I was just tired.

So I went to bed at 10.  But at 4:00 a.m, I was wide awake!  

It sounded like a good idea to just go to the recliner and work on the OBS since I was several days behind.  I made it through two days and the phone alarm went off, signaling that I needed to hop in the shower and get ready to go to Miracles Fitness for my group session.

As I went upstairs, Gary said something to me and I crawled into bed to talk to him.  The next thing I knew, I was in bed alone and it was nearly 9:00. 

I guess I was more tired than I thought I was!  I missed the fitness center today, but I felt refreshed and rejuvenated for another 2.5 hours of sleep!

Those kids wore me out!

Early Morning Shopping

Even though I didn't really want to set the alarm for 6:15 a.m., I did.  We were up and awake (two different things, really) and out the door by 7:30. 

Gary and Landon were in Blaine's truck, heading to the Carroll County Fairgrounds to pick up some gates and rods and panels from the swine barn.  Earlier this summer new panels and gates were donated.  Blaine and Landon helped with the removal of the old gates, then they helped with the installation of the new ones. At the end of the fair, because of his work with helping then and during the fair, Landon received an award for Swine Rookie of the Year.  This earned him one of the top spots for buying some of the old gates, rods, and panels for use in our barn.  They were #3 in line, had some help with loading, paid for what they were taking with money that Landon had earned from the livestock auction, and helped others with loading theirs.

I left for Meijer.  We needed some grocery items and since it was raining last night and a Friday night besides, I opted to wait until morning to hit the aisles.

It was a good decision because the parking lot was rather empty, there were many carts, and the aisles were not crowded.  The only obstacles were the people re-stocking the shelves and their carts with items to shelve.

Three lines were open, and I began unloading my cart immediately.  Actually it was one of the quickest exits I have made from Meijer in many months.

When I returned home, Gary and Landon were just finishing unloading the gates.  They helped with carrying the groceries into the house, then Landon and I took off for Rossville.

First stop was Flour Mill for donuts.  The Boy Scouts were selling popcorn, and I felt guilty for not buying something, so we came home with an 18-pack box of microwave kettle corn.

Second stop was Hillside Acres (I think) for apples and cider slushies.  I had forgotten that peach was an option for the slushy so that was my choice.  We came home with a bag of apples, two slushies, and a box of cinnamon apple donuts, also from Flour Mill.

After that the day went downhill.  It seems like when the three kids are here, there is chaos.  Tessa likes to stir up trouble and tries to be innocent when they are caught.  The family room was a total mess with all of the blankets pulled off furniture and on the floor, the table runner on the blanket chest was twisted up and thrown in a heap, most of what was in the closet was in the middle of the floor along with much of the toys in the corner.   Of course she said Owen was the one who pulled everything out and didn't want to put anything back.  It was not a pleasant time.

Otherwise it has been a good day.  Even hitting my head on the corner of the cabinet door which caused me to see stars didn't mar the feeling of being blessed with grandchildren that we can see often.

But the main point here is early morning shopping...Another perk of moving closer to Lafayette.  No crowd.  Plenty of carts and parking spaces.  No maneuvering through the aisles.

I liked it.  I will probably do that again!

Spewing Chunks?

Yes she was ! Chunks of bananas and french fries.

All over me.

All over her.

All over my great-grandmother's quilt that covered our bed.

What happened was that Lynnlee and Cooper were spending the evening with us while Megan and Matt went to South Bend for an event at a library or bookstore there.

Cooper had wanted an after school snack, so the kids both had an English muffing with peanut butter and strawberry preserves. Later Lynnlee wanted a nan-er.  Papaw cut up a banana for her to chew on.

After I went to Culvers to pick up dinner, she ate part of her mini corn dog, her French fries, and drank her apple juice as well as her lemonade.

That didn't mix together very well, I guess.

By the time she was finished with the spewing, both of us were covered as was the quilt.  (Fortunately none of it seeped through to the blankets or sheets.)

Cooper came to the rescue with towels, then retreated.  Gary finally came in and started to pull off Lynnlee's clothes, sop up the bed, and try to remove enough chunks so that I could take off my t-shirt, tank top, and skinny jeans along with underwear.

Lynnlee and I both took showers, then Gary took one also after shaking out the garments and the quilt.  I thought I could put her on the seat in the shower and wash her off.  Not happening.  The seat was too slick and she slid right off!

By the time we were finished, we both were wearing clean jammies and smelled really good.  Gary took care of washing the soiled bed linens and towels. 

Lesson learned - no more bananas for Little Miss and we definitely won't be mixing apple juice and lemonade!

Sold! Or is it BOUGHT!

You might remember that back on Sept 11, I mentioned how much I DESPISED buying a new vehicle.

Well, I do. 

I still do.

But today was a bit easier.

I had looked at a car search online in our area and received a few emails from Mike Raisor in Lafayette.  The timing was such that we didn't follow up on anything with Cindy who contacted us because we were going to be in Myrtle Beach.

Now I have to add that we had been working with Trevor from the Bob Rohrman dealership and he was great with finding possible vehicles for us.  He was very eager, and he was concerned that we would go elsewhere while Gary was recuperating and he would lose out on a sale.

So this was our plan...

We would go to Raisor and meet with the salesman there, test drive a few that we liked possibly, then go to Rohrmans and test drive a few there too.

This afternoon after lunch we met with Heath and he had a black Ford Escape ready for us to drive as soon as we arrived.  He copied our drivers' licenses, slapped a temporary plate on the back, and gave us some advice about where to drive, then sent us on our way.

Well, that was different!  When we test drove a Camry, Trevor hopped in the back seat, told us where to turn, and talked the entire time, asking us questions.  We didn't really have a chance to talk to each other and look at all of the features.   I really liked taking the car ourselves and checking it out, inside and out, without the salesperson along.  I do understand that they may not trust everyone who comes in to test drive, but we must have looked dependable and responsible.  Plus we had just been to Grandparents' Day so that may have helped?

While we did like the black Escape, it did not have 4 wheel drive, and it did not have the eco boost.  The mileage was low and the price was reasonable however.  But we looked at a couple more.

One of the red Escapes had a sun-roof, ecoboost, 4-wheel drive, and a few other features that go along with the Titanium name.  I loved it.  We were ready to take it on a test drive when Gary noticed that while the price was reasonable, the mileage was close to 50,000 which was more than we wanted.

BUT....the other red Escape was also a Titanium and boasted all of the features of the first Red except the sunroof.  We agreed that while a sunroof would be nice, our gray Escape does have a sunroof and we rarely used it.  Not a make-or-break item for us. Plus the mileage was much lower and the price more competitive.  Once again, the plate was slapped on the back and off we went.  This time I was driving and I took a longer route to Dayton (Indiana, not Ohio) and back and loved it.

Moment of truth---price.  When all was said and done with taxes added in, it was less than what we were expecting at the other dealership.  Sounds good, right?

But here I am, thinking about Trevor.  He put in a lot of work trying to find vehicles for us.  He was very patient while Gary was recuperating and while we were on vacation.  He did however send us two purchase agreements to sign on cars we had not even seen, let alone driven.  He was very eager to make a sale.  I suggested that we go to his dealership and see what he had to offer again, do some comparison shopping, and make a decision.

I sent him a text that we would be stopping by after we ran a couple of errands. 

No response.

We went to the dealership and looked at the RAV4's that he had mentioned to us.  All had more miles than the Escape and were higher in price than what we had been offered on the Escape.  Plus those vehicles looked smaller than the Escapes and not as snazzy as the red one that was our favorite. No Trevor appeared or responded.

Another text to Trevor saying "Sorry, but we just aren't interested in the RAV4's now but thank you for your help."

Before we arrived home again, I had sent a text to Heath telling him that we did want to buy the red Escape with 4-wheel drive, low mileage, and the eco boost.  Plus he had told me he would move the rubber mat in the back of the first red Escape with the sunroof (and I really liked that rubber mat!!) to the one we were purchasing!  Even better!

By Monday we will have a new-to-us vehicle.  Blaine is buying the silver Escape.  The white Escape we will use for just running around town, errands, and such.  Longer trips, like to Indianapolis or to Winamac or Medaryville or Rensselaer, will be made in the new one.

As I read back through the text here, I realize that anyone reading it might think we have a 'thing' for Ford Escapes.  Well, I guess we do.  This will be our fourth one.  We have had virtually no issues with any of them, they have been very reliable, and they seem to be perfect for our needs.  Why not stay with them if we like them?

To be fair, though, we did look at other options.  We liked the Camry (but it was too low to the ground for us), and an Explorer (too much money and we really didn't need that much room), and considered the RAV4 and a CRV.  But we returned always to an Escape. 

And the process with Heath was relatively painless.

Giving us the keys and letting us test drive by ourselves was definitely a plus!

Propping My Eyes Open with Toothpicks!

I am sitting in the living room, laptop in its proper place (on my lap) and waiting for midnight.

Why, you ask?

Because reservations need to be made at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando at Sea World for June.  For some reason I can't make reservations until 9 months before the vacation dates.  I know, I know.  They have rules to follow and this is one of them.

So I am staying awake (trying to at least) until midnight, which is in 5 minutes, so I can go onto the website and make the reservations so that we and Hilary, Matt, Cooper, and Lynnlee will have a place to stay when we go to Disney World at the end of June.

But I am tired!  I took my meds, including a Tylenol PM, and I am ready to fall asleep.  

Nothing I would rather do right now than walk up seven steps, down the hall, into the master bedroom, and fall into bed and then into a sound sleep.

Ok!  11:57 on the computer clock now!  Wish me luck!!

It's a Little Better

I save the calendars from past years.  On last year's calendar I noticed the word 'dumpster' written on three of the dates this week, meaning that Gary and I were cleaning out the house in Pulaski, sorting through the garage and attic and whatever was left in the house, pitching things we definitely didn't want, bagging donations for Goodwill, sorting through memorabilia that belonged to the girls, and then boxing up things to go through again later, just in case we needed something or really did want to pitch them.

All of those 'boxes to go through later' have been in the garage since that time.  Sure...Gary has gone through some of them.  He found things that we needed, sorted through some of the items that he could us and put those in the garage storage, and added Christmas items to the basement shelves for more permanent storage.  There is enough room in the garage for what is left AND the Escape to be parked inside.

My friend Debbie who is in my exercise group at the Fitness Center told me me that her church is having a rummage sale the first weekend in October.  They were looking for donations so if we had anything we wanted to get rid of---she would be happy to take it!  I saw that as a golden opportunity to hit the garage boxes again and get rid of more stuff!

This afternoon Gary and I worked out there for a few hours.  By the time we were finished, these were the results:

• two bags of trash for the trash can
• several boxes of donations for the rummage sale, filling the back of the Escape
• the sink area cleaned off  and the sinks themselves cleaned
• a medium sized box of things to  go through again and put away in the house
• a sewing box full of jewelry from Mom and Dad's house
• a few jackets in the washer to be cleaned up and decided upon (I vote for the rummage sale or Goodwill)

Other things in the garage that I am just not sure what to do with include a box of  Vera Bradley purses of old patterns and styles that are outdated. What to do with them? 

Boxes of pictures.  Same question...what to do with them?

Boxed and tubs of VHS tapes and cassette tapes of music.  Who uses those anymore?  And who has a device to play them?

After we finished, I swept out the garage with the broom and we moved the car in again.    Sigh of relief that there is a small dent at least.

Sometimes as we are driving down a road or street, I will see inside a garge when the door is open.  Often there is NOTHING stacked up and two (or sometimes three) vehicles parked inside.  How do they do that?  Where is all of their "stuff" that they have collected?  Does everyone except us get rid of their pictures?  Their VHS collection?  Old purses?

The rest of this week is full of Grandparents Day activities, car shopping, and more time at the Fitness Center plus a doctor's appointment for Gary.  Friday night Lynnlee and Cooper will be here, and on Saturday Landon, Tessa, and Owen are spending most of the day, the night, and all day Sunday with us.  No more time to go through other boxes and maybe find more donations for the rummage sale. 

But at least it is a little better.  One of these days there will be enough room for a second car to be parked in the garage.

I hope!

Well, Of course I would want one of those!

Today was a doctor's appointment, a wellness check.  No real problems, just checking up on my family history and running through the same usual questions about "Do you drink alcohol?''  "Do you smoke cigarettes?" and "Are you ever depressed?'

At one point Dr. Hart said "Let's see. You haven't had a colonoscopy.  Why is that?  Is it because we just haven't scheduled one or have you said you just didn't want one?'

Ok, Dr. Hart.  Think about what you just said.  "You just didn't want one?"  WHO would want a colonoscopy---willingly?

Let's see.  I think I want a colonoscopy.  That sounds like fun, doesn't it?  I'll call my doctor and schedule one tomorrow.  Why?  Because I need a good time and from everything I have heard, that is how to really loads of fun!

I looked at Dr. Hart and responded, "You have suggested that I have one, then you said well, maybe I didn't need one, and I NEVER would want one, just to have one.  Who does that?"

He laughed.

I laughed.

And someone will be calling me soon to schedule a colonscopy for me.

Bye, MB! Until the next time.....

Tomorrow at this time we will either be home or stopped at a hotel somewhere in Kentucky.

Like all good things, vacations must come to an end.  If they didn't, we would not have them to look forward to, would we?

Our last evening at MB was spent relaxing, reading (me), watching tv (Gary), going out for dinner at Carraba's (excellent food and fantastic waitress), and packing.

We took a load of shopping bags to the car on the way to dinner, then brought a cart up to the room when we returned (shhh....don't tell anyone that last thing).

Everything is packed except jammies, toiletries, and the refrigerated food that needs to be packed in the cooler in the morning.

Gary and I were talking about this trip at dinner.  I asked him what his favorite part of the week was and he said, like he always does, "I liked all of it."  

But this trip was different. 

This was the first trip since his surgery, since he was released by the doctor and since he was released from home health care.

Even though his doctor said he could get into the pool, he was very hesitant to do so.  When we went to Myrtle Beach State Park, the waves crashed in unexpectedly when we were walking and soaked his feet.  I thought we were going to leave immediately because the doctor had told him not to get into the ocean at all.  But we stayed. His feet dried.  His shoes were somewhat dry by the time we left. But still...no chances would be taken. Thus.....no pool time for us.  Our suits remained in the swim bag and never were wet.

Also most mornings were spent in the condo, sleeping late, watching some tv, taking our time with breakfast and showers.  We would go out for lunch and some fun things to do, then return after dinner...or bring dinner back with us and eat in the condo.  Tonight was the only night we returned after dark.

That usually doesn't happen.  Why did it this time?  Because Gary needed to unwrap his foot, get his feet out of his shoes, put them up, and rest them. 

When you think about it, he spent all summer, and I do mean ALL summer, 12+ weeks, at home.  Going nowhere except doctors' appointments.  Going nowhere except to the girls' houses for back to school moments and a couple of birthday parties.  Missing the fair.  Missing time in the barn with Landon.  Missing out on summer projects.  Missing out on summer activities.  Staying at home for every meal.  Never running errands with me.  Just staying at home.

And he doesn't want to be forced to do that again.

So he is taking care of himself.

This evening he said that this vacation was good because it was a change of scenery, different places to go, different restaurants to try, and no schedule.  No fussing by me to keep up with groceries and menus and running here and there.  No watering the plants and picking up the mail and paying the bills.  Much as we love them and enjoy the time they spend at our house....no kids to watch. 

It was just the two of us.  Resting. Relaxing.  Recuperating.  Refreshing.

Just what we needed.

So until the next time.....Bye Myrtle Beach.  It's been a good week for us. Different, but good.

Day #6 at MB - Saturday, Sept. 21

This is it.  The last day.  Why did the week go so fast?

In some ways it seems like we have been here a long time, and actually our stay is longer than our usual when we go places.

But as always...time speeds by quickly when you want it to go slowly.

What was on today's agenda?

Broadway at the Beach.

We went there for lunch at Margaritaville.   Our waiter was excellent---very personable, very friendly, laughed a lot, acted like he was enjoying his job.  This is contrary to the gal who seated us and the one who 'greeted' us when we walked in. Both of them acted like it was a chore to do what they were supposed to do.  Slow plodding to our table.  No smiles.  No conversation at all.

We enjoyed, or rather I did because Gary just tolerates this because I like it, an appetizer of fried pickles. Yum!  They were really good.  I ordered the fresh catch of the day which was mahi mahi, grilled,with broccoli, and rice.  All of it was excellent and I was so full I had to leave part of the rice and broccoli on my plate.  Gary ordered the fish and chips.  Of course we stopped at the little store after we ate and picked up a couple of t-shirts, buy 3 and get the 4th one free.

Across from the restaurant was a winery so we stopped in there to check out the wines.  Since the girls didn't want t-shirts as souvenirs, we thought we would bring them bottles of wine instead.  This place had a blueberry wine, but no peach so we bought just one bottle and headed out onto the boardwalk to look for a second winery.

The next place was much better than the first, and I wish we had waitied for the blueberry bottle purchase.  The samples were less expensive here - 7 for $4.  Since Gary didn't really want to taste much of anything, I did most of the sampling and he just  sipped a couple that he wanted to try.  We bought a bottle of peach and one of a summer something or other.  

Our next search was for a 6-pack of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade, which I had not seen at home and which I really liked.  We had stopped at Krogers close to Barefoot Beach the first night we were here, so we returned to get another one to take home.  I also wanted to try the Bud Light that was flavored with lemon peel and tea leaves.  Another ''I have never seen this at home" find.  Now..before you think that I am really into these drinks, I am not.  I drink very rarely.  But usually on vacation I will pick up something to sip on in the room at the end of the day.  We have several bottles of adult beverages in the fridges at home also for people who stop by.  

Well, guess what?  The shelf at Kroger was empty of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade.  But there was ONE 6-pack of the Bud Light so that was our only purchase.

Back in the car and pulled out the phone to check on another Krogers.  We drove north to one in North Myrtle Beach.  Nothing.  

We stopped at a liquor store close to Krogers.  Nothing.  They don't sell that type of thing there....just the hard stuff.

We continued on up the road to Walmart.  BINGO!  Not only did we find a 6-pack of Mike's Hard Peach Lemonade, we found two, plus a sale on 6-pack bottles of Sprite Zero, a sale on chocolate chip mini-muffins AND diet peach tea that we can't find anywhere else!  We didn't have a cart, so we had to carry all of this by hand, but it was worth it!  Rarely do we go through the self-checkout but this time it was warranted so we didn't have to stand in a long ling holding all of these items.

And I told Gary that I will probably start checking the shelves at Meijer and Target and Walmart at home and see the same things...but I know that Payless didn't carry the two items I was looking for.

Back at the condo and the process begins to pack up everything and be ready to load the car in the morning.

My task is to determine what I am wearing tomorrow and Monday, pack the overnight things in my hard suitcase, then put everything else in the Vera Bradley bag to stay in the car.  Easy task if it were just what I had brought, but I am trying to stash in some of the purchases also because our space is limited.  We may be filling up the back seat as well on the way home!

Some time this afternoon sitting on the balcony, reading, sipping on Diet root beer, reading my new book, and thinking about ....things.  

I think too much.  I really do.  But I like the reflection aspect of being by the ocean.  It soothes me.  It give me some peace of mind.  I am more relaxed (Gary doesn't think so, but I do).  

Gazing out the sliding glass door at the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean, waves slowly making their way to shore.... perfect.

The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green

I just finished this book.

I know.   Great accomplishment!

Well, for me, it was.

My reading trends have been stagnant lately.  I see books that I want to read, and I just can't sit and do it.  I can't focus long enough to read consistently for a long period of time.

And I mean for more than 10 minutes at a time.

It was that bad.

I was tired of checking out books on Overdrive and not finishing them.  

I thought maybe if I went to Barnes and Noble with Megan and bought some books at the 50% off sale, and if I could have the real book in my hands and turn the pages rather than reading on the Nook, that it would help.

But really what it took was coming to Myrtle Beach and losing all of the distractions from home.

I was reading a Karen Kingsbury book, Two Weeks, when we left, and I finished it the first night we were in MB.  I was disappointed in the book, mainly because I really enjoyed listening to Karen K at the Women of Joy weekend, and I really wanted to like her book.  

But I didn't.

It was too predictable, to pat, too pious, maybe?  I just didn't like it.  The characters, even though they had flaws, were too good.  Does that make sense?  
 The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green is one of the B & N books that caught my eye as I was browsing the 50% off tables.  Why?  The focus was on a farming family, a couple and their two children, and a young man who created crop circles, secretly, in fields while working as hired help on another farm.  

Farming.  Get it? 

As soon as I started the book, I was intrigued.  I liked the plot.  I enjoyed the character development.  I liked the style of the writer.  Each chapter was titled with the name of one of the main characters:  Nessa.  Daniel.  Molly.  Even though other characters drifted their lives, the focus was on these three.  Their individual chapters told the story through their eyes, from their perspectives, as the various facets of the plot affected them, and how they were reacting to the crises they encountered either individually or as a family.

This was the author's first book.  She is young.  Married.  A dog mom.  Has a Law Degree from Harvard.  But she is also an associate fiction editor at Pangyrus, which makes the connection to this work.

My first instinct when I finished the book on this Friday evening as I was stretched out on the couch in the condo at the resort was to toss it in the bag and pull out another book that I had brought along.  But I didn't.  I wanted to just sit and absorb what I had read.  Let it all sink in.  Enjoy the moments.

Maybe this book was just what I needed to put reading at the forefront of things i like to do for fun!  We shall see.

 

Myrtle Beach Day #5 - Friday, September 20

Today was Beach Day---but we did something different.

Since the beach is NOT right outside our building at the resort, we drove to Myrtle Beach State Park for part of the day.

We had driven past the state park, along with Huntington Beach State Park which is further south, on previous visits.  Each time we say we should bring our picnic stuff along, stop for some chicken or other lunch items, and spend part of a day at one of the state parks.  This trip seemed like a good time to do that.

We packed our cooler with some drinks and chips and a couple of granola bars.  The plan was to stop at KFC and pick up some chicken tenders dinners with coupons that we had from our coupon book at check in.

Well that didn't happen.  We passed one KFC on the drive to the park, but we didn't stop and Gary didn't want to turn around to return to it.  We had no food except what we had packed, which was ok.

The park was nice.  We wound through the trees, just like usual state parks, and the park ranger at the entrance had told us to hang to the right at the Y to go to the gift shop at the fishing pier. She also said that instead of parking there, we could continue driving along the beach parking if we wanted to, which is just what we did.

The parking area is close to many walkways to the beach itself.  On the non-beach side of the parking are various picnic shelters and a few restrooms.  According to the literature given to us, the park sits on a few hundred acres, there are 300 campsites, 5 rental cabins, and more picnic tables that are available.  There is also a Nature Center which features programs frequently.  The fishing pier is currently closed for renovation, but fishing is allowed from the beach itself.

We found a spot for our towels and bags, deposited them, then walked for a bit so we could search for shells for the kids.  Landon asked us for seashells the last time we were here, but the only one we brought home was from the gift shop and I could see the disappointment in his eyes that we really didn't find the shell on the beach ourselves.  Now he will have his pick of a dozen or so picked-up-from-the-beach-at-the-State-Park.

We sat on our towels (taken from our room at the resort) for a few hours, just watching the water, the people, and the incoming tide (Yikes!  We had to move back once too---or get wet!)  Gary fell asleep a couple of times.  Even though I took my book along, I didn't read at all  It was too fascinating to watch the choppy water and the height of the waves as they inched forward with each crash to shore.

After a stop at the gift shop (we had a coupon for a free gift if we purchased something for $10), we headed further south to Murrell's Inlet to enjoy a late lunch at River City Cafe---again.  We thought about Drunken Jack's since we hadn't been there this trip, but decided the draw of the excellent hush puppies just wasn't enough.  

Gary had resisted the idea of going to the State Park and he finally agreed to it last night.  I feel bad because the water came in further than we expected when we were walking and his feet got wet.  The podiatrist said he should avoid getting into the ocean water.  But when he sat on his towel, he took off the wet shoes and dried off his feet and I think they are ok.  He changed the dressings when we returned to the room.  

Other than the foot issue, I think he enjoyed sitting on the beach and going to the park.  He said that the next time we go, we will pick up a couple of folding beach chairs for $5 each (on sale at just about every beach type establishment along the route there) and plan the lunch a little better.  We also need to remember to bring the blanket from the Escape so we have something more substantial to sit on that just the condo beach towels.

After lunch we drove back to Barefoot Landing to check on lime basalmic vinegar at the Olive Shop.  The delivery didn't come.  So we are out of luck on that!  We can either order it (and pay shipping) or check at the oil store in Gatlinburg over NYEve or ask Greta to check at her oils store in Vermillon.  

We also stopped at one of the beach type places that sells t-shirts and chairs and other odds and ends of souvenirs.  Everything was on sale so the kiddos are getting extra t-shirts!  Yay for them!

Vacation is winding down.  Tomorrow is the last full day here.   Insert sad face.....

9.19.19 - Thursday - Day #4 at Myrtle Beach and Beyond

Today we did a Road Trip of sorts.  We took off from the resort and headed north.  I put in the Maps app on my phone a random place on North Carolina and off we went.

Well, it wasn't really random.  It was Calabash, NC, where my Dotti's friend Trish lives.  She met us two visits ago and she and I had lunch.  We didn't get together in May because her ailment with her back and legs was starting.  We didn't see her this time either due to surgery on her back to hopefully correct all of the problems she is having.

Anyway...we started out going to Calabash, switched to Sunset Beach, and ended up at Brantley Island.  I really didn't know where we were going; I just wanted to drive up the coast into NC and hopefully find a beach we could walk to and that is exactly what happened.

Brantley Island has numerous summer homes, most of them rentals.  I jotted down the name of the rental company so that we would have it for future reference.  Some of the houses were duplexes.  Some were occupied.  Many were not.  Some looked like permanent homes.  We drove a loop of houses that made up the bulk of the island.  We spotted a parking area at the beginning of the loop, so we found a parking space, hung the Handicapped sign, and walked the ramp to the beach.  

The beach itself was beautiful.  A rubber mat led from the ramp through the sand to the beach itself.  The sand was dotted with colorful umbrellas, folding chairs, and little carts with big wheels.  As we surveyed the people, we noticed that most of them were elderly, but there were a few in our age group (and we are NOT elderly----yet).  A few young families with small children, a few babies also, were taking advantage of the sunshine and the cool sand and rushing waves.

The little carts?  We watched as couples journeyed down the ramp, wearing swimwear and straw hats, pushing or pulling their carts behind them, loaded with folding chairs, towels, treats, and entertainment such as readable books as well as puzzle books.  We came to the conclusion that those little carts are similar to the wagons that Hilary and many of the other baseball moms load up with their chairs, treats,coolers, and sunscreen, and sometimes toddlers (like Owen).   

Hunger caused us to look for a restaurant.  I tried Trip Advisor for some ideas, and we ended up at a Mexican place called Las Palmeras.  The atmosphere was like many other Mexican restaurants we have visited and the menu was very similar as well.  We both ordered combination platters and the food was hot and delicious.  

We traced our route back to a t-shirt and souvenir type place and found t-shirts for the three older kids plus a couple of things for us.  I felt like we did well on our purchases, until we walked to the car and asked Gary why he bought a keychain that said "Travis" on it.  He said it was a souvenir for the car guy who has been working with us from Bob Rohrman in Lafayette.   That would have been so thoughtful....except his name is Trevor.  Not sure what we will do with a Travis key leather key chain, but I hope we run across someone someday and remember where the item is stashed!

The route back was a little different than the one we took to drive to Calabash, and we decided to stop at the Bass Pro Shop and check out my favorite thing there---the clothes.  I walked out with a long sweater and a few tops to go with it.  Sounds strange, I know, but I do like their clothes, and if I can find a sale?  Perfect.

Next was our 3rd movie of the week. We went to the Cinemark at Myrtle Beach which is actually at the Coastal Grand Mall.   Hustlers was the choice today - Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu.  I knew one of the actresses who appeared as the reporter and couldn't think of her name at first....Julia Stiles.  This was not a movie that I would recommend, but I did like it better than I thought I would.  

Back at the room once again, with take out from Olive Garden for dinner.  I am thinking now that we should have stopped at a winery that was close to the Olive Garden we visited the other night.  Each time we drive past there are people sitting at little outdoor tables, enjoying either appetizers or a light meal and glasses of wine.  This weekend is a big grape stomp and I know there will be lots of people there.  We also wanted to return to Lulu's again, this time a little later so we could enjoy the music.  Once again...the grape stomp will increase the crowds.  

We haven't been on the boardwalk this trip either.  We had talked about eating at Landshark where they have the BEST fish tacos.  Once again....the weekend will draw more people and restaurants will be crowded.

I am still holding out for a trip to a state park, so I am hoping we can get that in tomorrow.

Why is it that when a vacation week begins, I always think we have SO much time to do everything, and then suddenly, it is the end of the week and everything I wanted to do, we didn't get to do?

Sitting on the Balcony, Looking at the Sea....

Good morning!

The sun is shining on the water this morning and it is so bright that there are sparkles everywhere.

 
I wonder if people who live here are in awe of the water, go to sit on the beach and ponder life, or if it just becomes a routine for them and soon they can't remember the last time they sat by the ocean.

It was like that in Mt. Vernon for us.  

When we first moved there, we were drawn to the Ohio River.  The drive down to the river front at the end of Main Street was inviting. We could sit there and watch the barges, see the speed boats, and listen to the sounds of the horns and bells from the water crafts.  The first year we lived there, we drove to the river front often, several times a week, and always a couple of times on the weekend. It was fascinating.

I remember hearing the calliope from the Delta Queen when it docked at the end of Main Street.  The passengers were debark and walk up Main Street and stop at the shops, then marvel at the Posey County Courthouse made of pink stone.  Sometimes we could hear the calliope at our house a couple of miles from the river and hop in the car to drive to the river front to see the boat. 

But then...the magic drifted away.  By the time we left Mt. Vernon 10 years later, Dad would say that he couldn't remember the last time he drove to the end of Main Street and sat by the river front, just watching the boats go by.  He worked at B&W which was ON the river, so he did still see it, but the magic wasn't there.

I remember driving there one last time before we left Mt. V for the last time.  And each time I have been there since we left in 1973, I go to the river front and sit and think about how magical the water was, how there was a sense of peace and calm...and then excitement when I thought about the places one could go on a boat on that river.

Yes, I realize I drifted (pun intended) from the ocean to the river, but I was wondering if those who live here just ignore the ocean because they are so used to it.

Do they ever stop in their daily routines and drive to the beach, just sit, and think?  

Do they walk along the sand, lost in thought, relaxing along the way, marveling at God's handiwork?

Do they just take the ocean and the beach for granted, like they know it will always be there and they can go to visit it anytime, just not today?

And then there are people like us, who drive 13 hours to come to the beach, look forward to listening to the waves and the sounds of the seagulls flying around.  

Those of us who look forward to just sitting and relaxing and pondering life as the waters drift by (and that is what they are doing today).

There is a sense of peace as I look out at the calm water.  There is a sense of majesty and I look across the water to the east and know that there are miles and miles and miles of the same water out there , endless until land finally appears again on the other side of the world.

There is a sense of God's handiwork, that the water is always there, always present, never-ending, that the beach will still be here the next time we visit, whenever that may be.

Just sitting on the balcony....looking at the sea....

Wednesday, Sept. 18. Day #3 at MB

Not a very exciting day today.

Once again---up a little bit later.  I did shower and dress earlier than I had been, so that was a plus.  But we didn't leave the condo until around noon, after a late breakfast.

First stop was the Tanger Outlets on the west side of town. I like the Reebok store there much better, and I found several items to take home with me.  Gary wanted new socks and found those on sale at Vanity Fair  We also stopped at the Christopher and Banks store as well as Maurice's and I picked up a few items at both of those.  Our final stop was at Nike to look for a pair of high tops for Owen. We found a pair just like the ones he is wearing now, so the saleman checked for a pair a size bigger for him to grow into.

The plan for lunch was River City Cafe in Murrell's Inlet.  We have dined at the location across from Oceans 22, but I still like the atmosphere at the one south of town much better.  Since it was National Cheeseburger Day, I ordered a triple cheeseburger with fries and slaw and a Diet Coke.  Gary didn't play along with honoring the day and ordered a reuben platter which he enjoyed.  The interesting thing about our lunch was not the food, but the three ladies across from us.  One of them was telling the other two that she didn't appreciate being left out of invitations, ignored when plans were made for outings, and no one including her in events.  I was trying not to stare at them , but the other two women sitting across from the lady who was raising her voice in the process of explaining all of this never said a word and kept their eyes lowered.  At first I thought maybe she was re-telling a story that someone had told her, but no one else said anything at all, so I am leaning toward her feelings being hurt and chastising the ladies who were with her about it. Even when she left to go to the restroom they didn't talk about anything; rather they were texting on their phones.  But...our food was good, and I am glad we dined there!

After lunch we drove to the pier and walked along it, taking in the views of the restaurants along that section of the road, including Drunken Jack's.  We like to dine there also, mainly for the hushpuppies, but we had been there in May and skipped River City Cafe so we did the reverse this time.  I enjoyed the sunshine and breeze as we walked the pier.  Gary noticed the higher water marks on the pilings that may have indicated higher water from the storm surges after the hurricane a couple of weeks ago.

I had wanted to stop at Quilting at the Beach, a quilt shop that I have friended on Facebook. It always looked interesting and the name of the store was intriguing also.  Actually it was close to the Harbour Lights where we stayed in May, but we had never driven past it on our journeys in and out of the resort.  When I entered the store, the was no one else visible and I didn't hear anyone either. I wandered around for a good 10 minutes before a lady appeared, but only when someone else entered and the door chimes rang.  I had found a Moda layer cake of flannel in blues and tans that looked fun to work with.  I asked if they had the bolts of matching fabric so I could select some for a border, binding, and the backing.  The lady was shocked that I asked that, had no idea that they even carried the layer cake itself, and was very firm on the answer of No, they did not have bolts of fabric to match.  I did buy the layer cake anyway, and I hope that Rossville Quilts will carry the bolts, and that if they don't they would be willing to help me order what I need or find a substitute that would work.  I was very disappointed that the lady at the quilt shop was not very helpful. 

Finally we drove to North Myrtle Beach by a different route to a Panda Express for carryout for dinner.  Once we returned to the condo for the evening, we weren't going out again.  It was a nice drive to that end of the strip or whatever this might be called. I think we will go in that direction again tomorrow and explore more of northern South Carolina.

Tonight's plans are simple.  Gary will probably watch some tv, and I will complete Day 3 of Week 3 in the OBS.  Making more progress on the current book is on the schedule too.

And at some point I will heat the Orange Chicken and fried rice in the microwave for my dinner. 

For now though....sitting on the balcony, looking at the sparkling blue water of the ocean sounds like a good plan.  Don't you think?

September 17 - Tuesday - Day 2 at Myrtle Beach

What can I say?  When I don't have to get up and get going, I stay in jammies for most of the morning!,

That's what happened again today.  I was awake and up early though---7:30, which is early for vacation, right?

I took advantage of that time to see a great sunrise on the Atlantic and to spend some time with Psalm 23.  This is Week 3, Day 2, and I did it---all caught up---still.  I liked the part of the psalm that was the focus today.  Yesterday was 'he restores my soul' and today the focus was on 'he leads me in the paths of righteousness.'  Just what I needed to read and study.  Looking up scriptures is fun for me.  Jennifer's style of writing is a good one for me also.  I am enjoying this study.

We spent out day on the north end of town again.  The start was lunch at Johnny Rockets at Barefoot Landing.  We had eaten at a JR in Orlando after we had been to a movie.  The interior was small, crowded, and we had to wait for a table.  This location was much better - spacious, plenty of seating, and not a big crowd.  Our server was great, and the food was quite tasty.  Gary shared his fries, which were HOT, just out of the fryer.  My burger was good, but the salad was awesome.  I am not a fan of 'field greens' or whatever all those other types of greenery are called, so when I saw the lettuce, shredded cheese, and a bit of chopped tomato on the salad plate, I was convinced that my meal was going to be good.  And it was!

Next stop was the Tanger Premium Outlets on the north side of town.  We usually stop at both outlets, preferring some stores at one over the other.  Since Megan wanted us to look for a particular tote in a certain pattern at the Vera Bradley store and the north outlet had a VB store, that was our first stop.  Special sale on the piece she wanted, so that was lucky, plus I can't walk out of a VB outlet store where everything is 60% + 20% off and not buy a purse of some sort.  The regular handbags on the shelves didn't interest me, so I settled for a 3-zipped hipster, which is slightly larger than the one I usually carry.  I also picked up another pill case for under $10. 

Vanity Fair is a favorite stop also, but this time I walked out with nothing and Gary was the one who found a couple of pairs of shorts and a package of socks.  We also stopped at Skechers, of course, and I found a pair of black tennis shoes.  I usually don't like black tennis shoes, but these have a slight pattern to them and were really comfortable, so I bought them since I usually wear something black when I go to the Fitness Center.  The 'Buy one, get one 50% off' sale was on, so Gary found a pair he liked also.  It will be easier for him to pitch the old infected tennis shoes when he has new ones to wear!

Another stop was Bath and Body Works so I could pick up some travel sized shower gels.  I forgot to add a couple more to my toiletries bag for this trip, so I needed a couple to get through the week.  The final stop was at Reebok. I was disappointed because nothing caught my eye and the black and navy leggings were not in my size, so once again I walked out with nothing.  I recall finding more at the Reebok store at the other Tanger outlet so maybe I will be lucky at that one later in the week.

We returned to the movie theatre at the Myrtle Beach Mall and saw Overcomer.  Hilary and Landon had seen it on Saturday and she said they loved it.  It was SO good.  I  knew it had good reviews and was highly recommended, but I had no idea it would be SO good.  I was crying in some parts, and Gary said he even became teary during it.  The story was so touching, and the acting was VERY good.   I would recommend it to everyone to see.

Finally we stopped at Gary's favorite place, Olive Garden, for dinner.  This location was spacious and the decor was quite different from any other that we had visited.  Our food was really good, and we decided to add the 'take an entree for $5' since that would be a cheaper meal for us some evening.  Having a microwave in the condo would make heating up the extra entrees easy. 

Plans for the rest of the week?  Well, a trip to the other outlet mall for the Reebok store plus a stop at the Nike store to look for shoes for Owen.  The two state parks here always sound inviting, but we have never stopped at either.  The plans are to pack a picnic lunch and spend part of a day at one of the parks.  We also want to drive north along the short into North Carolina, which is really close.  Once again, another direction that we haven't explored. And of course a visit to Drunken Jack's is necessary, just for the hush puppies.

The week is going fast already.  It is good to be here, for Gary to be feeling so much better, and for us to enjoy some down time from other duties and responsibilities.   

I still wish the ocean were right outside our balcony though....

September 16-Monday First Full Day at Myrtle Beach

Today was an easy day.  We slept a little later than usual.  Breakfast was cereal and English muffins - once I figured out how to work the toaster.  OJ for me also (no Diet Dew so it was plain jane OJ this time).

I worked on several things on the laptop most of the morning while Gary lay on the bed and watched a couple of movies.  A post on Dotti's.  Catch-up on the daily devotions I am doing with Rhonda.  Big catch-up on the OBS from Proverbs 31 on Psalm 23.  

Lunch was at a place called Lulu's.  It is part of the Jimmy Buffet chain and located at Barefoot Landing.  It was our first time to go to BL, and we tried the restaurant on the recommendation of my cousin Dale and his wife Karen.

My first thought was to order a special cheeseburger with all the fixings, plus fries.  But Gary really wanted seafood and a special fish platter for 2 caught our eyes.  On it were shrimp, oysters, crab claws, and fish, which was the special today of red snapper.  When the entree arrived at our table, there was a basket of the fish, a plate of a butterfly shaped red-snapper, and three other baskets. One for each of us and one containing cups of cole slaw, fries, jalapeno hushpuppies, and a couple of cups of special dipping sauce for the fish.

That meal was fantastic!  The fish was so good, the slaw excellent, and the hushpuppies quite tasty (and not hot or spicy like I expected). We decided that we may try it again some evening when there is live music playing also.  The atmosphere was fun, and there was indoor and outdoor seating next to a marina.

After the meal we stopped at the gift shop for t-shirts for our smallest grandchildren.  Owen calls Lynnlee 'Lulu' so of course we needed to find shirts for them with the Lulu name on them.  I think they will look so cute!

We also strolled around the interior lake, stopping at a few shops.  The first stop was a popcorn place, and I purchased a small bag of a caramel corn with chocolate.  I also passed on the sugar cookie flavor of corn but yielded to just plain Kettle Corn.  I ate some of the first bag and there is no other way to describe it except messy.  The chocolate melts and it is everywhere.  The taste is good though, but I can't eat too much of it; otherwise, I feel a sugar rush of sorts.

Next stop was at a Hot Sauce type of place where, upon the recommendation of the guy working there, we bought a jar of very hot salsa for Matt.  He loves everything spicy and hot, so this will be a nice thank you for helping us out with mowing this summer.  He can keep it at his house and not share it with us.   Not for me ---at ---all.

Next to the spicy sauce place was one that featured oils and basalmic vinegars.  I wanted just a plain EVOO that I could spritz on meat when we put it in the air fryer or on the grill.  The lady working in the shop had tons of good suggestions and combinations to use.  Plus she gave some tips for using the oils with meats and fish and chicken in the air fryer as well as the crockpot.  There was a good raspberry basalmic vinegar that mixed well with a lime that she was out of on the shelf. We may need to stop back and pick up a bottle of that at the end of the week since she hopes the delivery comes by then.  Just what I need --- more oils and vinegars to add to my shelf in the upper turn-around!

Our final stop for the day was at the cinema at the Myrtle Beach Mall.  We have seen movies here before, but never at that particular theatre.  We chose Angel Has Fallen (I think that was the title!) with Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler.  Also in the movie were Nick Nolte, Jada Pinkett Smith and the gal who starred in Coyote Ugly years ago.  I wasn't sure I would like it, but I really did.   

After the movie we decided to return to the condo and eat things we had purchased at Kroger last night rather than stop somewhere to eat.  As we were eating on the balcony, darkness fell quickly!  The ocean vanished and everything was dark by 8:15.  And once it was dark, it was dark.  No dusk at all.  Just dark.

I am now sitting on the balcony, typing this blog post, enjoying the warm late summer/early fall breezes.  There are people here at the resort, but it is not full by any stretch of the imagination.  Nowhere that we have been has been crowded.  It is definitely a quiet time at Myrtle Beach. Much warmer than when we visited in early March over spring break, and I think I like it better than when we were here in May.

On to tomorrow....not sure what is on the agenda, but that is one thing that is fun about our trip this time.  No plans.  Whatever we feel like doing...that is what we will do!

Just Hit Me over the Head...

I know, I know.  Sometimes it takes me a while to just 'get it.' But when I do, it is epic for me.

I always have my defenses up, it seems.  It takes me hearing something several times, several different ways, from several people to have it FINALLY sink in. I know that.  Gary knows that.  Megan and Hilary know that.  And probably my few friends that really know me know it too.  Well, here we go again.

I am  deep in the midst of the OBS from Proverbs 31.  I always try to get into the studies, but that doesn't always work for whatever reason happens.  But this one?  I really like Jennifer Rothschild and I have always loved Psalm 23.  In fact, it is one of the few things from the Bible that I have memorized and I thank my Sunday School teachers at Westville Congregational Christian Church for that.  Nikki, our FB group leader for the OBS, knows that I am resistent to memorizing scripture because it just doesn't work for me.  This time, though!   I am rocking it!

Anyway, I am behind, but just a few days.  This morning while I am sitting in the living room of the condo we have this week at Myrtle Beach, SC, I am trying to catch up.  As I finished Week 2, Day 4 (which should have been last Thursday) something hit me hard.  I was feeling sorry for myself...again.  I was weepy.  I had been crying.  Why?  Who knows?  Just feeling down about things and scared about an appointment with Dr. Hart next week and trying NOT to be scared but to trust God to lead me through it all.  He is my shepherd and He is leading me, right?

But then I read the middle of page 70.  Here it is:

Have you had any situations in your life that were still waters in disguise?  If so, what did you learn about your Shepherd?  What did you learn about yourself?

For sheep to get what they need from their shepherd, they must be willing to obey when he makes them lie down in green pastures.  And they must be willing to follow when he leads them to the still waters.  They must put themselves under the shepherd's authority. If they stubbornly dig their little hooves into the pasture or ignore the shepherd's guidance, they won't be where tey need to be in order to get what they need.

Jennifer had just written about a time when she was ill and was forced to rest on the red couch and that turned into her 'green pastures' and 'still waters.'

So how does this relate to me?

At first I thought about the second knee replacement surgery that was needed at the beginning of the fall semester in 2014.  Talk about bad timing!  But I told my students that one of the 'silver linings' for that whole experience was that as new students at the college, they not only had the experience of meeting in a classroom setting, but they were also forced to work online because that is what was needed for us to complete the semester.  That was even more true when during that same semester shingles hit me hard by attacking the right side of my face, into my right ear, and crept into my hairline also.  But now looking at that semester, I needed rest from the busy summer and a full teaching load.

But then...here it is...it 'hit me over the head.'  This past summer.

Because of Gary's foot infection, the amputation of his little toe, the subsequent wound vac and weeks with Home Health Care, we were restricted to staying home from the middle of June until the beginning of September when he was finally released.  While I was concerned about him, of course, I was also very disappointed that our plans for the summer had to be changed.  And I do mean really changed.

No trip to Florida with  Megan, Matt, Cooper, and Lynnlee.

No trip to Louisville, KY to see Nick show his cattle.

No outside yard work.

No going to movies.

No work with Landon's pigs and goats.

No 4-H fair for Gary.

No outside projects completed.

No unpacking of more boxes.

Just staying at home and his recuperation.

But now I look at that time and realize that it was the period of 'still waters' that we really needed.

Why?

Because the summer of 2015 I was teaching a heavy summer load and spent most of the time in the sunroom, grading papers.

Because the summer of 2016 I taught my last summer class, and actually my very last class at Ivy Tech before retirement and spent the summer cleaning out my office and struggling emotionally with the fact that my teaching career was ending.

Because the summer of 2016 was the summer after Leo died and the summer that Agnes was sick and Mom was failing and my mind was also with the care of our parents.  Plus Gary was farming alone and I was concerned about our future with his life's dream.

Because the summer of 2017 was one where we spent most of the time on the road between Pulaski and Wooster, spent many days in Wooster at our 'second home' cleaning out 70 years of stuff that Mom had accumulated, preparing for the sale of the house and the auction of personal property.  It was emotionally and physically exhausting.

Because in the summer of 2018 we bought our current house, prepared it for our move, then moved into our new home, leaving behind the house where we had lived for 42 years, had made into the home where we raised Megan and Hilary, and where many memories were made.  Then THAT house had to be cleaned out along with preparing for the farm auction and  cleaning out Leo and Agnes' house as well for its sale.

That makes me exhausted all over again, just thinking about it all.

Which brings me back to the passage I read this morning.

The situations that were still waters in disguise?  This entire summer.  Gary being forced to stay at home.  My being forced to take on duties that either he did or that we shared.  Being on my own for shopping and planning and taking care of errands.

Why were these things still waters?  Because they forced us to spend more time just being instead of doing.  Because we rested.  Because our calendars were clear except for my fitness center mornings and doctors' appointments.  Because we just couldn't go anywhere.

Why did I learn about my Shepherd?  That He is there with me even when I don't realize it.  And that HE knows what I need better than I do.

What did I learn about myself?  That I can do things on my own if I need to.  I can do all of the grocery shopping.  I can go to Meijer with a list and be in and out in record time.  That I can enjoiy time at home and that I don't have to be on the go all the time.  That sitting on the deck in the evenings with my husband is just the best thing ever. That I can be myself without making any kind of excuses to anyone.  That we don't need to be 'on the go' all the time.

Now that the summer is over, that the 'house arrest' has been lifted, we are gradually getting back into the old routine.  We are going out to eat more often.  Gary is going along on shopping trips.  I have been itching to go places instead of just staying at home.  I noticed that last Tuesday nothing was on the schedule to do or to be so I sewed all afternoon and I caught up on my Bible Study in the morning and it was a great day.

And...I am cooking and baking more and I really like it!

So yes. Just hit me over the head.  Sometimes it takes a few times and a few light bulb moments for it really to sink it.

But it did.

And I feel good about it.

Finally.

The Rental

So....for the trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, we decided to rent a car rather than be comfortable in our own Ford Escape which has 170,000 miles on it.  See?  That is why we decided to rent a vehicle for this trip!

Anyway...a trip to Enterprise on Thursday afternoon and a quick visit with Tyler set us up with a mid-size car which we thought would be great.   After all we had rented a Toyota Camry for the trip to Niagara Falls, through Canada, and back home through Michigan two years ago and really enjoyed that vehicle.  We were hoping for the same.

You may have picked up those words 'two years ago' and you may have read a recent blog post about looking for a new-to-us vehicle to buy.  Some things have changed since that time (the two years ago part) and getting in and out of a close-to-the ground vehicle has become a little more difficult.

You guessed it!  Our rental is a Ford Fusion, which is a really nice car, but it does sit close to the ground.  At least it is closer than the Escape is, and it requires a little bit of maneuvering to get in and out gracefully.  After a few practices, I think we are going to be ok for the week, and by the time we return home on the 23rd, we should be pros.  Of course, wishful thinking is playing a big roll in this statement.  And 'big roll' is what Gary says he is doing each time he tries to enter the driver's seat. 

This vehicle is a 2019 so the bells and whistles are much different that what we have in our 2012 Escape.  We don't even have a back-up camera in the Escape, but we do have heated seats in the front (which I remind Hilary of frequently).  The Fusion has so many tricks that we have had to learn. 

First of all---starting the car and turning it off.  Who knew that no key was needed and that a push button was all it took!  Plus when the push button does what it is supposed to do, the start is SO quiet that neither of us can hear whether the car is running or not.  Finally we noticed that there is a note on the dash by the steering wheel that says 'car is ready to drive' so that is the sign that we are ready to go!

Next  the PRNDL is much different than what we are used to.  There is no lever.  There is just a circular dial that is turned to the correct notation and the car will move accordingly.  Yes, that takes a little getting used to also.

On the Escape our outside mirrors have little mirrors in the bottom corner that allow us to see vehicles that may be coming into our 'blind spot.'  The Fusion has a spot on each side mirror that has etched two vehicles with a yellow light that flashes when another vehicle enters that blind spot, I suppose to indicate that caution is needed (thus the yellow light). 

Wipers are sporadic.  We went through one rainy section in North Carolina and when Gary turned on the wipers, they adjusted for the amount of rain that was pelting or sprinkling on the windshield.   No manual adjustment was needed.  Cool.

Of course the center of the dash had a touch screen that housed various adjustments to the temps (for driver and passenger sides), fans, radio controls, other climate adjustments, GPS (not sure if we can use that or not since the manual did not include any instructions for that or for phone hook-up), setting the clock, and other things that we haven't tried yet.

All in all, the car is a cool car. We are enjoying it so far (now that we can get in and out of it a little more easily).  It should be fun week, driving it around the Myrtle Beach area.  Plus the gas mileage is wonderful---40+ mpg since it is a hybrid.

The only problem is....with no key needed to start the car, we need to be sure the key fob is always in Gary's pocket.  The car sales guy we talked to earlier in the week suggested that we just toss the key fob in the cup holder.  Now that just won't work.  How would it be if we forgot to pick it up and take it with us, locked the car, and had no way to re-enter?

Stuck in Myrtle Beach forever!

Well, that might not be THAT bad!

When It Works, It Works!

I was really looking forward to this OBS.   I was also apprehensive because sometimes I have good intentions, but the time, people, and circumstances prevent me from attacking the study like I would want to.

And I have to admit, a couple of the more recent studies by Proverbs 31 just haven't appealed to me.

Why?

Too depressing.  Too much of the remedies for pain and suffering.  Too much of having to sink to the depths and agonize, then be lifted up.

Honestly, I was having a hard relating to losing a job, being rejected by my spouse, struggling with my finances, and severing friendships.  Even when I tried to find a connection, and the thought did occur to me that maybe the study was necessary to prepare me for troubles appearing in my life----who wants to read and study about gloom and doom for six weeks?  Not me.

Jennifer Rothschild was a speaker at Women of Joy in August 2018.  I really enjoyed her presentation, especially when she seemed to rise above the little struggles during that weekend.  Lost luggage.  A Target run after the plane landed so she would have clothes to wear for the conference.  THEN she told us she was blind...and had been since her teens.  I know she struggles, but she was really upbeat and positive and didn't dwell on the 'woe is me' aspect of her life.

At her book table, I spotted the Bible study focused on Psalm 23.  Now this is a Psalm I like, I mean how could you not?  Green pastures?  Still waters?  Restoring the soul?  Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever?  Overrunning cups?  Anointed heads?    This might be something I could get into.

I was then overjoyed when Proverbs 31 announced that their September/October study would focus on this very book---and that I had already purchased it! Meant to be, for sure, right?

It is sometimes a struggle for me to find the time to sit and focus on a study.  I like to view the videos and really dig into the reading.  This book is just what I enjoy also!  Why?  Because there is narrative along with scripture to locate, interpretations to make, and notes to jot down.  And you know what?  It is easier to find time to do these things when the enjoyment is there!

This is the end of Week 2.   I haven't been totally 'caught up' much during the study, but I am not woefully behind either.  Currently I am in the midst of Day 4 of Week 2---and it really IS Day 4 of Week 2!  Voila!  Just about there!

But the big thing for me is...This Study Works!  For me I can relate very well to being a sheep who is being led, protected, fed, sheltered by my Shepherd.

I can relate to the green pastures. All I have to do is look outside and see them in reality!  The still waters?  The creek that we drive over every time we leave or return to the property.

Restoring my soul?  Just sit on the deck in the evening, listening to the goats bleating and watching them frolic in the pen, jumping from one spool to the other.

It works for me.  I enjoy searching for scriptures.  I like reading Bible passages.  I can nod along with Jennifer during her narratives.  I look forward to seeing what she will share next.

And this week?  The focus was on parts of speech in verse 2 - right up my alley!  In fact she wrote at one point that she hoped the 'grammar nerds' were enjoying this week's technique of tearing apart the verse. I did!

When it works, it works.  And for me, it is working big time!

Does Anyone Else Despise Car-Buying as Much as I Do?

Probably not.

We need a new vehicle.  Yes, we do.  One of our Ford Escapes has 200,000+ miles and some interior issues plus a little bit of outside rust.  The other Ford Escape is over 100,000 miles and getting that some outside rust around the wheel wells on the back tires (seems to be a trait of these years of Ford Escapes because we have seen several with similar issues).

The weekend of Quilt of Valor as we drove to Winamac for the presentation I was checking online for Toyota Camrys that might be available.  I checked a few that interested us, and soon a salesperson contacted me by email, introducing himself and offering to meet with us about the selected vehicles.

Well, you might remember what happened in the middle of June.  Gary had an infection in his right foot which necessitated the amputation of his little toe  After being hospitalized for 5 days, he was then under 'house arrest' as the wound vac worked hard to heal that area of his foot, home health care was visiting twice a week, and the only trips he made out of the house for over six weeks were to the Wound Clinic at St. E.

No time or energy for searching for a car.  No ability to test drive a vehicle.  No interest in purchasing anything new since the only focus was on healing and feeling better.

I must say that Trevor, the salesperson who contacted us, was persistent...and patient.  He sent emails approximately once a week.  He sent links to available Camrys, Civics, and SUVs that he thought might pique our interest.  He offered to drive to our house with possible cars and SUVs for us to view and test drive.  He finally admitted that he was concerned that we would search elsewhere and not give him a chance to show us what was available at his dealership.

So today we went to Bob Rohman close to Logan's SteakHouse on 26 and met Trevor, face to face.  He offered a golf cart so that Gary wouldn't have to walk everywhere while we looked at vehicles.  He was patient with showing us what was available on the lot.  When we found one that we liked, a Camry hybrid, he completed the necessary paperwork and slapped on a dealer's plate so we could test drive it.

All of that sounds relatively painless, but here is where the frustration on my part comes in.

The price on this vehicle?  With tax and any extra fees, over $24, 000.   This is for a used car.  A 2017  model with 22,000 miles.

When Gary asked about a lower price for cash, he said this was it.  No lower, no haggling.  No changes.

Gary also asked about a trade-in and he offered us $700 for the older Escape with more miles, sight unseen. 

He said that people tend to shy away from a vehicle with that many  miles and that would be the best he could do.

They pay us $700 for our car which runs well, but it getting older and has some mileage on it.  They want us to pay them over $24,000 for a new to us vehicle that is over 2 years old and does have low mileage.  $24,000.  That is a lot of money.

After discussing this, we decided three things.

One is that even though we like the car and the color and the hybrid aspect which means good gas mileage....we are not buying it.  The cost is more than we want to spend.

Second is that even though we enjoyed driving and riding in a Camry a couple of years ago as a rental on a trip to Niagara Falls and through Canada and home through Michigan, the vehicle sits low to the ground and that might cause an issue as our knees become weaker.

Third is that while we did give Trevor a chance and appreciate his willingness to work with us, we have had great luck and service with Dobson Ford in Winamac.  Steve has always found good vehicles to us and has been fair with the prices.  On Friday when we head north for the afternoon, Gary is going to call Spencer and see what he might have to offer us.  No Camry or something similar.  More along the lines of a Ford Explorer or a smaller SUV.

Even though the process was painless today...I still felt my stomach tie up in knots as we looked at vehicles and talked about money. 

I want to drive a nice vehicle.  I want it to look good.  Dependability is a must.  But I don't like looking for one that fits what we need and want, then haggling about the price.  No.  I don't.  And just saying 'don't like' is not strong enough.  I despise the process.  Just despise it!

I know...let's go on a vacation and think about it in a couple of weeks!  That sounds good to me!

Lovin' That Sewing Room

One of my dreams was to have a sewing room!  For years I had pulled out my sewing machine, placed it on a table, sewed for a few hours, then put everything away because the table was needed for other things, like eating, homework, grading papers, or paying bills.  The only time I remember the sewing machine staying on the dining room table for a long period of time was during the month of June when the girls were sewing their 4-H clothing projects.

The ironing board and iron were always in the kitchen area also during any type of sewing project.  I totally believe that pressing the fabric flat and pressing seams open or to one side or the other enhances the quality of the end product.  Thus the ironing board and iron are needed.  I recall many times when the ironing board had to be moved to prepare meals, to retrieve glasses or plates from the upper cabinets, or to warm something in the microwave.  There was also the danger of spilling something from the food items or splash part of a beverage on the ironing board itself or on the fabric.  That could be a disaster.

When we were looking for a new house, there were certain requirements:  large dining room for the family dinners and Siemens Thanksgiving, extra bedrooms for overnight guests, two bathrooms, a master bath, room for a Christmas tree and entertaining the family for gift openings...and a sewing room.

The first time we looked at this house the lower level included a large room which could be a famly room, a laundry room, and another room with multiple outlets, a window, and a table which was included with the sale.  While some might have viewed this extra room as an office area, especially with all of the outlets and no closet, I immediately saw it as a sewing room.

And that it is!  The table is my sewing table where the machine sits, plus sewing boxes and the small equipment that I use on a regular basis.  On one wall is the five-drawer heavy dresser that Greta and I shared when we were growing up. It was in the bedroom that Mom used at the house in Wooster.  There are heavy deep drawers, perfect for fabric.  Along the other wall is a small five drawer stand that Mom used for sewing supplies, and I use it for thread and extras , like snaps and buttons and lace.   There are many boxes in the room that still need to be unpacked.  One of these days that will happen.  Maybe a good snow day when we can't go anywhere and no one can get to us!

I have to admit that I haven't sewn as much as I would like to.  So many other things get in the way of any solid sewing time.  But when I do sew, I can leave a project on the table for several days and return to it without having to put everything away and pull it out again.

This afternoon and evening were spent in the sewing room. 

I had started a rag quilt using a layer cake of Christmas/holiday fabric from Moda  Moda is one of my favorite fabric companies.  The pattern I used was the same one as for the quilt I made for Sandy last Christmas.  Progress on the quilt was good at first, then more summer activities got in the way, like the 4-H Fair and other family events.  I was hoping that I could make a big dent in some Christmas projects since Gary was under his 'house arrest' as he recovered from foot surgery in June.  That didn't happen.

However, today I did have time to work in one of my favorite rooms.  The last seam on the rag quilt was sewn, and the stitching along the edges was completed. The quilt was tossed in the washer, then the dryer and is ready for the threads to be trimmed.   Mark that one off the to-sew list!

Next I worked on the fabric slings for the bunk bed for Tessa's American Girl dolls.  Blaine had constructed the frame for the three-level bunk bed, and Hilary purchased fabric for the slings for the dolls to rest on.  Lots of measuring, planning, and adjusting was done before the first one was finished.  That made making the other two quite easy.

What's up next?  Another Christmas quilt!  This time the squares will be put into a quilt top, with a border and another row of squares on the outside edge, then quilted, and binding added.  I am excited to start working on it.

Another project will be making Christmas table runners.   A few years ago we purchased Christmas fabric to make new family stockings, but that didn't happen.  When I found simple red stockings topped with white cuffs on sale at Hobby Lobby and the individual cost averaging around $1, I knew that it would be much more economical to just buy 7 packs of 4, add individual names, and use the fabric for something else.

Even though I haven't used it as often as I would have liked, I still enjoy that sewing room.  Space for everything I need.  Ironing board always ready.  And I can start and stop whenever I want and NOT put anything away.