Sunday, July 30, 2017

A bit of a review....



It has been a stressful week for us....if you don't feel like reading, just know that it was good news.  The new med for Roger did succeed in stopping the anxiety/panic attacks.  And the CT scan was done this past Monday.

We both had appointments with dermatologists on Wednesday.  They are at the same place but with different doctors.  I stressed about how that was going to work out, since Roger does not have much short term memory.  But they are so kind and so good, she staggered them till I could be in the room with him.  He really isn't having much breaking out now.  Every now and then a little patch will pop up....but nothing terrible.  So, she told me how to use his meds...when he originally got them, I was not with him. He could not remember how they were supposed to be used.

Then it was my turn.  I have had three spots of basal cell cancer on my face, so I get worried about things that don't heal.  I had a spot come, and it has been getting bigger...but keep in mind that it started as not much more than the head of straight pin, and grew to about a quarter of an inch.  And every time I washed my face, there would be a fresh bloody little scab come.

Well, she looked at it and gave it a name, said she didn't think she needed to do a biopsy because it wasn't cancer, and froze it off plus a couple or three other places.  I was so relieved, and thankful I could have cried.  I had not told Roger I was worried, but with putting sunscreen on my face, I have to look at my face every day...and I just wish I could avoid it. 

We then seen our nurse practitioner Friday and got the news about the scan--nothing had changed, no new bleeds nothing going on there.  So that was a relief.  So thankful for answered prayers.

I don't get the fearful feelings quite like I used to...this one friend of Roger's always told me the Good Lord was not done with Roger yet...he seemed to have no doubt that Roger would make it through.

Then I get to thinking about when I had him to the ER in February, the nurse that had him that day, had been there when he had the brain bleed.  And he told us that Somebody was on our side, because the helicopter had been in the area doing some training and they did not have to wait on it to get here.  So the Lord has been good to us...

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A year ago Roger had a TIA(mini-stroke)...on our anniversary.  Technically that was yesterday.  He had the stroke August 2nd.  I try not to dwell on it....but oh, what a time that was.  I am so thankful to still have time with him.  When he was in the hospital I stayed some nights with my brother and then in his room; in rehab I would come home at night...I would often cry most of the way home...I would cry because it was a beautiful sunset, or beautiful sky and he couldn't be there to see it with me.  I wondered would we ever get to go on another drive together.  I wondered would I ever feel his arms around me....would he ever come to himself. 

And he has....somethings are really slow coming, but little things keep improving.  At first he didn't have much interest in TV, then, he started watching it but couldn't quite use the remote....now he has it figured out and can turn the TV on and off, and find what he wants.  He still doesn't do much on the computer, but he does get on Youtube and find videos to watch while he rides the stationary bike.  So things keep improving...

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I heard these guys, Future Islands, on Austin City Limits tonight...they have a decidedly different sound.  And two or three of their songs really sound alike.  I almost changed channels but for some reason, I didn't.  I really like this song...the words to it are below the video.



"Ran"


Ingest, where it goes, nobody sees but me
So perfect and so sweet
But the rest, feels incomplete
Like the rabbit's foot I keep
In the locket, with no key

And I can't take it, I can't take this world without
This world without you
I can't take it, I can't take it on my own
On my own

On these roads
Out of love, so it goes
How it feels when we fall, when we fold
How we lose control, on these roads
How it sings as it goes
Flight of field, driving snow
Knows the cold

Ran round the wailing world

And what's a song without you?
When every song I write is about you
When I can't hold myself without you
And I can't change the day I found you

On these roads
Out of love, so it goes
How it feels when we fall, when we fold
How we lose control, on these roads
How it sings as it goes
Flight of field, driving snow
Knows the cold

Out of love, so it goes
How it feels when we fall, when we fold
How we lose control, on these roads
How it sings as it goes
Flight of field, driving snow
Knows the cold
Ran round the wailing world



Friday, July 21, 2017

This and that....


I did manage to finish a couple pot holders...go here and look at the 3rd block down.  I had it left over when I made my choices for the latest quilt I am working on.  Well, I should say or not working on....it just sits on the design wall.  Anyway, I cut that block in half in both directions.  I then bordered two of those quarter sections and made the two potholders.  I am not sure what I will do with the other two...probably two more potholders.
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We had to have our house and garage roofed...I signed the agreement in May.  I knew it would be a while, so was surprised when it was started last Friday and finished Monday!  I figured with all the damage from the storm on the 12th that that would put us farther down on the list.  No, here they came Friday and did the garage, and started on the house, then back on Monday and finished it.

In doing that they had to take down our Directv dish...and suggested we have them put it back up on a pole...so got that done on Tuesday.   It was really weird being without television Monday night. 
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Roger has been having some bad times the past few days...I took him to our nurse practitioner yesterday and she started him on a new med.  It has to build up in his system, but I think it has helped some already.  It has really been a hard few days for him.  He told her his head hurt all the time...I don't think it hurts all the time.  She is ordering another CT scan to check things out there...just to be on the safe side.

Lorelei will be starting to school in a couple weeks.  We had her last week, but have only had her one day this week.

Anyway, I am glad things are starting to settle down with Roger and glad the roof is done...now got to live through two or three appts next week...

Thursday, July 13, 2017

Bet you can't watch this and not smile....



We are still reading reservoir cats...there are always a few spells of laughter such as this....

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Storm damage....

We had more rain late this evening...it rained and the wind blew some here, but nothing awful.  Though the electric did flicker on and off several times, it did not stay off a single time.

Then I got a call from Jeremy asking how we were...did we have a storm.  So I told him it had rained hard, but no damage here.


This and the following photos are from their yard.


When he told me they had a limb out, I did not think it was this big, though in rethinking it, I don't know why I didn't.  The old oak tree is big...


What a mess it is!  His brother has come over and helped clean up some of the mess. 


Along with the fence, it also pulled off some guttering and the drip edge.


This one is taken from the front of their house looking back. 



Sunday, July 9, 2017

How about a sky show?


These are all shot within a few minutes...probably less than five.  I suggest that you click to expand the view! 


They are very close to the same but I just couldn't pic which one I liked best.


Notice the area between the two wires over the tree abut the middle of the photo.


I tried to film it but it just didn't turn out any good...but it was like a bloom opening and then it blended right back in with the rest of the clouds.

And then it started to rain and blow in on us so we had to go in...otherwise I would have set out there till it ended.  I love to watch a storm...it was such a glorious storm.


Thursday, July 6, 2017

Butterflies and Lorelei at the creek


The above is what the creek has been looking like...no sandbar, turbulent waters...


Lorelei loves to go wade in the creek and look for crawdads and baby turtles and whatever else she can find.  Imagine our surprise to find it at this calm, low level yesterday.


Believe it or not, right behind  her is a hole of water that would at least be up to her neck...the build up of sand where she is standing is new...it is in the middle of the channel and she has to wade water up to her knees at least to get back to the main gravel bar.


She and Papaw went for a bit of a walk...it was almost too much for Roger...but he made it back safely to the bank but he was sure tired.  It is hard for Lorelei to comprehend how much her Papaw has changed.  And even though I am with him every day, it sometimes catches me off guard, too.


Lorelei had some butterfly attraction going on!


The way she was giggling I think they tickled her when they crawled around on her.


 Notice in the above picture there is also a butterfly on the finger of her other hand that is at the upper edge of the photo. 

I hope you enjoy seeing what we were doing yesterday....it was a fun time...

I will be linking to Wednesday Around the World....





Monday, July 3, 2017

Trying to recapture yesterday...

Yesterday we went for a rambling drive...I think it is the first time we have gone anywhere without a destination in mind since Roger's stroke.  We have taken short detours on the way here and there, but I think yesterday was the first with no other point than going for a drive...


 I snapped the one above, while driving.  Not bad for  just holding and snapping.  It is one of my favorite little barns/cribs or whatever it was used for.


We headed down the hill pictured above....


to get to the first place we stopped...a sky to die for and dragonflies in abundance.  We probably spent half an hour or so there at the swamp. It is one of my favorite places, any time of year. Roger got tired and went and sat in the car, and I was hot, too...so we left.  I tried to take a video...not so much to show the place but I wanted you to hear the bullfrog but I must have covered up the microphone without thinking because there was no real identifiable sound.



This is another view of this old barn...I am too lazy to go looking for the other posts of it...


 
 And from there continued on north on this road...

Just thought I would share a little glimpse of our day yesterday.

Hope you all are having a Happy 4th!



Saturday, July 1, 2017

A bit of this and that....


Tootie went home around noon...Roger and I ran to Walmart for two or three things.  It rained.  Hard.  For just a couple or three minutes.  Then it stopped for a while.  Later in the afternoon, it poured down again.  There was thunder, but I seen no lightning.

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Do you ever see stuff on Youtube that is not meant to be funny, but tickles your funny bone?  I watch a lot of videos on sewing/sewing machines, etc.  Lately I have run across how to make UN-paper towels.  My thought is, why not buy dishrags/dishtowels.  Whatever you want to call them.
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Ashworth, Penel. Reservoir Cats: True Stories and Cat's Eye Views from Squirt  Penel Ashworth.
Another quote from the above book...to set the scene, Squirt has just been neutered a day or two before and decides he is feeling better and has begun to examine his body:

Outrageous discovery!  Felt well enough to explore myself for damage - I have been robbed, my back pockets have been picked.

One does wonder what they think after going through that.

Leaving you with a bit of wisdom from Red Green:
  





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