The creeping darkness

Well, on the second day of summer I commented on one of my BLOGs about the creeping darkness and that I was noticing that it was already getting darker. Well, tonight, I looked out at 9:00 p.m. and noticed that the swimming pool lights were not on. And why would I notice this? Because it was dark out. The lights at the pool are timed to come on around 9:00 p.m. I panicked and thought that someone had turned off the switch. As I'm pool chair person and in charge (in theory) of the pool workings, I thought I was going to have to go out and get someone to help me turn on the lights. That didn't happen because at precisely 9:01 the lights came on.

Now, normally I wouldn't have noticed because it's not been dark until after 9:00 p.m. and earlier in the summer it didn't get dark until 10:00 p.m. We're on the outer fringe of the eastern time zone and so we have light later in the day. Mornings are darker, but I'm used to that.

However, this morning I noticed that it didn't get light until almost 7:30. Now, for a person who rarely gets out of bed before noon, that's some observation. This morning, however, I was awake at 5:30 and couldn't get back to sleep, so I got up and toasted an English muffin and turned on Fox news, thinking that maybe the McCain campaign has leaked the name of the person who would be the vice presidential candidate for the GOP. Well, that wasn't on the news yet, so I switched over to a movie channel. Nothing there, so I finished knitting one of the scarves I'm making for the granddaughters for Christmas. By then, I was sleepy again and went back to bed. That was around 9:00 a.m. and it was light out. Yeah! I was awakened at 11:00 o'clock by a wrong number. But that was okay. I needed to get up.

Now, the creeping darkness depresses me -- not in a clinical sense, just in a way that I like the light of the sun. I can't really sit out in it any more, those liver spots are spreading like wildfire!

But the darkness that has slowly lengthened throughout the summer has become very noticeable. I suppose if I had grown up in Kenya like my husband, I wouldn't be annoyed by the fluctuating life cycle of sunshine in the area in which I live. In Kenya it is sunny for 12 hours a day. The sun rises at 6:00 a.m. and sets at 6:00 a.m. Kenya is on the equator and they have equal length days all year round. I found that when I was in Kenya that 6:00 pm. LIGHTS OUT time was confusing, but I imagine if I had grown up with that, I would get used to it. It was confusing because the weather said summer, but the LIGHTS OUT said winter.

So, folks, as the darkness creeps upon us and winter approaches, I want you all to know that I'm thankful for the sun we had this summer. I'm thankful that I live on a part of the earth that has seasons, and I'm looking forward to the fall colors, the winter snows, and then the spring, and then the summer sun, and on it goes.

ttfn

Creative Memories

You'll notice that I added a link to the links section. This is my personal website for Creative Memories. I've been not selling Creative Memories for two years plus now. I really got into it as a consultant because I wanted to get the products at cost.

Oh, I do sell some, and that's nice, but my motive -- sorry CM -- is not be a top sales person. If God blesses -- and he has so far -- then I will be a sales person. I just don't push it. I'm not a sale person. But I do love the products and I do love scrapbooking and I can tell people how nice the products are and how much better they are than others.

Take Saturday's tea for instance. I already have printed out about 50 pictures and am concepting a scrapbook just for that event. Since I get the albums at cost and I like the albums, I'm able to do this.

This weekend we are attending a wedding. My cameras will be with me all the time. One for me, one for Alan. We'll both take pictures, then I'll use the best ones and make an album for the bride and groom. I love doing that. And I love the push to get it done in a timely manner.

If I don't have any push behind me, I tend to procrastinate and the albums get set aside.

Another project I will have to be working on -- my sister-in-law, Libby, tells me that she sent me more Hahn family pictures -- so I'll be adding to Alan's album, or starting a new "Hahn" album, depending on how many pictures Libby sent.

So, for today, I'm caught up in scrapbooking and am enjoying the time. The weather out here on the porch is just wonderful. Nice breeze, and not too hot. Not humid. Really nice. So, back to work.

ttfn

Happy Anniversary -- to me

Well, we have 42 years behind us -- or is it 41 and now we're into 42. I can never figure that out. But I think it's 42 behind us because we have been married for 42 years.

Alan and I had a leisurely cup of coffee this morning. Then after showers and getting dressed -- we old people take a long time doing those things -- I made lunch.

Immediately after lunch -- I wasn't even finished with mine, but Alan has scarfed his down really fast -- he asked me if I was ready to leave for the Museum. We were going to see the human body exhibit that is in its last week of showing. I told him to get his shoes on and I'd be ready by the time he did that.

I also told him that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to push him around the museum because my knee was still not at 100 percent -- better than it was two days ago, but I really wanted to give it more rest before walking around the museum on those hard concrete floors that just kill the joints. And he said, he really wasn't up for going anyway, so we opted to go see a movie.

The new Star Wars Movie -- bummer. It's a cartoon! I didn't know that. Alan fell asleep half way through it. I didn't fall asleep, but I was steaming that we had paid to see the movie. On the other hand, I was determined that since we had paid to see it, I would sit through the whole thing. You see, I gave up a couple of chick flicks so I could go to a movie that Alan might like. He liked it so well, he fell asleep. Ha ha.

Then we went to dinner. I picked Carrabba's, which I love, and which Alan really isn't very fond of. My dinner was delish. And the fried zucchini was exceptional. I love their tomato sauce (gravy). Alan got the manicotti. He didn't really like it, he said. He said it wasn't what he was expecting.

Well, we talked about the day we were married and talked about the places we visited on our honeymoon and by then it was time to come home.

We got home around 6:30 p.m. Yes, it was an early dinner. We were home about an hour and I was just dozing in a chair, and Alan yelled for me to come help him. So I hopped right up and ran over to help him. No, that's not exactly what happened. You see, I couldn't hop right up if I tried. In my mind, I hopped right up. But the body was about 30 seconds behind my mental image. Then I didn't run right over to him. I grabbed my walked and pushed it rapidly over to him just as he was projectile vomiting his dinner.

Clean-up time. Now, his being sick like that is nothing new. I mean after 9 years of cancer rehab, I should be used to it. But I'm not. And when he gets sick, I follow suit. Fortunately, I kept my delicious dinner down where it was supposed to be. But I didn't eat my dessert.

Tiramisu -- it's still in the refrigerator and I'll get to it tomorrow.

I hope you all can see the humor in this day, as I did. I guess you had to be here. But I think it was a great anniversary. We didn't go where we intended to go, but we did go some place. And I got to go to my favorite restaurant, even if Alan did get sick. Now, I'm getting ready to hit the sack and finish that doze I started several hours ago.

ttfn

I loved today

Today was great! Now what made today great and yesterday such a bummer? Well, for one thing, I could walk. See? That makes a day great. I'm praying (as is Alan) that tomorrow I'll be walking because we really want to go to the Museum to see the exhibit of the human body which is in its last week.

I was able to get to the farmer's market and to the butcher's and the pharmacy all in one trip and still be able to walk after all that. And, I just don't know what causes the pain to be so bad at some times and others there is no pain at all. I just don't understand it.

I got up fairly early and started working on the background for Runnemede Remembered and I think I have it fixed. I hope so, anyway. I also added about six inches to the scarf I'm knitting for one of the grandchildren for Christmas. It's going fast. Good thing. I don't have the patience to do a project that takes forever. Maybe that's why my scrapbooking projects have stalled for the time being.

I had coffee with Alan instead of out on the porch alone. We talked for a while -- not something we do very much any more. It's more he talks, I grunt; or I talk, he grunts. We understand each other's grunts at least.

So, as Tuesday comes to a close, and I keep myself apart from what's going on in Denver, I say, happy Tuesday to all and to all, good night!

ttfn

It's Monday

Today is Monday. Sunday was nice. I made it to church -- a rarity, it seems, even though I do seem to average two to three Sundays a month. Now that might not seem like a lot, but when you can't walk, that's a lot. And, I've given up going with Alan to church -- he just doesn't move in the morning, and for him to walk to the car is a burden, let alone walking the long distance from the car to the church auditorium. See why I prefer small churches?

Anyway, I woke up, again, in the middle of the night with terrible knee pain. I tried to get comfortable, but couldn't. Finally, around 10 a.m. when I was heading for the bathroom for the 15th time since midnight (well it was really only the 7th -- so it seems the kidneys are functioning well again) I laid down, just wanting to relax before I worked the knee enough to get a cup of coffee -- never made the coffee pot. I fell asleep, and woke up around noon. So, I got in two good hours.

Then today has been one of mistake after mistake after mistake. On Runnemede Remembered I've been trying to change my background. I've spent over five hours trying to get it changed and it just isn't doing what it's supposed to do -- the program that is. So, I've given up. And I'm sorry it looks horrible.

Because I've been typing so much today my hands hurt, but that could be the fibro which has been really troublesome the last couple of days.

Being old and forgetful, I may have forgotten to take my pills this morning, but I'm pretty sure I did take them. Well, if tonights fibro meds don't work...oh, I don't know. I'm too tired to think at this point. So...ttfn.

Saturday, tea, no pain

Well, people were wondering -- "Where is Judi's walker?" I went to the Garden Tea Party and didn't take the walker or even my cane. My knees didn't hurt at all this morning, so I didn't feel like I would need either, and I didn't. I had absolutely no pain at all.

I just don't understand this old body of mine. One day I was to no longer stay on this earth. I want to be free of all pain, and enjoying my true Life in heaven with my Lord. Then the next day there is no pain to speak of -- oh, I can find it if I really think hard about it -- and I'm able to walk all over the place with no knee-popping, or pain, and the fibromyalgia is controlled, etc.

Well, today was such a day. And the tea party was exceptional. What can I saw that I didn't report in Runnemede Remembered. I enjoyed the conversation and I met a woman whom I had never seen before. She is my age and we were the only two ladies to wear hats and gloves. I guess you can tell we were from a different era than the other ladies -- most of which were in the late 20 to late 30 age range. But that was okay. We oldies, but goodies, knew what we were about, and we enjoyed the whole affair.

My thanks to all the ladies who made it a blessed event for me and many others.

ttfn

Knitting lessons

Today I had the privilege of teaching my oldest granddaughter to knit. And to say that she took to it like a duck takes to water would be no exaggeration. She got it right away. Oh, there were a few dropped stitches and a few giggles when she knew she had flipped the yarn frontwards instead of backwards -- or was it backwards instead of frontwards? I had her make a small project that she could finish in the time we had and then I set her up with a larger project she can work on at home. We'll see how she does when I'm not there.

Obviously, I wasn't watching her closely when I was taking these pictures. She was on her own and she did just fine.

We made a scarf for her cat. Narrow (6 stitches per row) and she made it as long as she thought she would need to have it so she could tie it around Pippin's neck.

I sent her home with the same yarn -- mostly because it is straight yarn and doesn't have any frills or sticking out threads from the main shank. It's boring, in other words. But it will give her lots to practice with before we start making a real scarf out of the beautiful bright purple with neon orange, green, and blues yarn. Hopefully somebody will wear it. I think Toria will probably keep it for herself if it turns out nice, because the colors are her faves.

I know that particular yarn (the purple yarn) is not easy to work with because I tried to crochet a scarf (actually my project was to make two scarves) last Christmas and was going nuts because of all the twists in the yarn that make up the main shank. I think it will be easier to work with knitting needles instead of the crochet hook. We shall see.

We had a great time. I was feeling so awful yesterday, but thankfully the flare up was diminished by afternoon today and I was ready for her to come over and for me to teach her how to knit.

Of course, one lesson isn't going to do it because I do plan to teach her to purl, cast on (touched on that minimally today), double stitch, etc. I'm looking forward to the time, once again to spend with Tori.

For those of you who don't know her personally, she does look like her mom, Cyndi, and when she laughs, which she does a lot, as did her mom, she sounds just like her mother did when she was 12.

TTFN

Sleep Deprivation

Well, that's what I'm enduring right now. I got into the habit of staying up late to watch those Olympics -- namely gymnastics -- and they were always on very late at night. And I was getting up fairly early (7:30 a.m.) each morning. Now, I can't sleep. Yikes!

Last night -- or early this morning -- I just went out into the library and turned on the TV and watched, of all things, women's walking. What a stupid event. The women have to walk a certain way -- and the movement looks very painful to me. Anyway, Russia won.

And then today I was hit, bam! Fibromyalgia flare up. So this will be very short. Lots of discomfort (another word for extreme burning pain in all my body, not wanting anything to touch my skin). So, TTFN.

No pain, no gain

Well, I gained -- weight. And I gained a day in the stores. I went out and actually went to six different places into which I had to walk. In fact, one of those places was the post office and I had to lug a huge box into the PO for shipping to NJ. And, I went to Hancock Fabrics and, of course, what I wanted was way in the back -- all the way in the back, hidden in a corner. And then the lady who was working the cash register couldn't get the price to come up on the screen and she had to leave me there, leaning, in pain because by that time my knee was definitely shot for the day and I still had another stop to make.

I had to get to Walgreen's because we needed a new blood pressure taker -- we're both supposed to do that every day. Well, the old one died and so I volunteered to go get a new one. I also needed to get some saccarhine tablets -- but alas, Walgreen's didn't have anything but those pink packets, of which I had a large supply. I don't like putting them out because Alan leaves the opened packets all over the place as well as the drippings -- he doesn't quite have good aim when it comes to putting the Sweet and Low into the cup. So, I got bread instead. See the connection? No? Well, I was out of bread also, and didn't remember it until I saw it on the shelf below where the sugar pills were supposed to be.

My knee is absolutely shot. It was in such good health yesterday and today (early). Oh, well.

My knitting project with Tori can go on because I got wool (or acrylic something) and needles. We're all set. I'm not too stupid. I also got a pattern book!

So, I'm waiting for tonight's non-show of the gymnastics -- I waited as long as I could last night, and the night before I was up until 2:30 waiting. Tonight, if they aren't on in prime time, I'm not watching any more Olympics (except synchronized swimming which I KNOW is on Oxygen tomorrow between 3 and 6 p.m.).

TTFN.

A fun day

Saturday, August 16, 2008. Well, it started out that I was going to go shopping with Tori -- my oldest grand-daughter -- this morning. And, sure enough, about 10:00 a.m. she called me and asked when we were going and I told her right away if she wanted. She wasn't quite ready, but I move slowly and by the time I got over to her home she was ready -- waiting on the porch for me to pick her up.

We went to Hobby Lobby first -- to get scrapbooking supplies. Yes, I am a Creative Memories consultant, but I still like to get other manufacturer's things as well. And I was specifically looking for mulberry paper. Hobby Lobby doesn't carry it. Bummer. Well, after about an hour my knee was giving me fits, so I suggested we check out. We had both gotten what we wanted, and were ready to move on.

The next stop was another scrapbooking store -- still looking for that mulberry paper -- but the Scraps, Etc. didn't carry it either. So we went to my next stop -- The Country Produce Market. We've been out of snacking cheese (Alan likes cheese) for a couple of weeks and I had been promising him that I would get over there "tomorrow." Well, after two weeks of "tomorrow" I finally went and stocked up on his favorite cheeses. I was also out of parmigiana reggiano (spaghetti cheese) so that was another reason I had to go to that store. Produce I've been getting at the farmer's markets and will continue purchasing it there until tomatoes and corn and apples are no longer available this season.

Next we went to TGIF's and I wrote about that earlier in the favorite recipe section. After TGIF's we went over to Amy's and Phil's. Toria hadn't seen her Aunt and Uncle (they only live like 10 miles apart) for over two years. When we got out of the car, Phil, my son, thought it was his sister, Cyndi. Toria and Cyndi really do resemble one another. Of course, the munchkins had to show Toria their new kittens -- all five of them.

Then we headed back to her house. Low and behold, her brother Shandon and her father (also a Shandon) had been constructing a water slide -- it must be 50 feet long -- next to their house and were just getting ready to test it. Jonah decided to give it a test run. Well, it isn't exactly on very smooth ground, and the poor little tyke felt every bump along the way, but was smiling when he finished the run. They have a very large tube to use for sliding down the run, but he decided to use his backside instead. Well, the next time Jonah tried that (the tube), he fell off the tube and really hurt his back. So, modifications had to be made, and by the time I left, the slide was working as it was supposed to, as was the tube, and the kids were having a blast.

And stupid me -- I forgot my camera!!!!

MTF

Continuing from Runnemede Remembered

Earlier today (August 16, 2008) I wrote on Runnemede Remembered concerning some questions a friend of mine sent that she wanted answer on my BLOG. So here's another one. What are my favorite recipes and why?

Always the why? Which is a question I can't answer because I love food, and I especially love food that I make. It's just that cooking is so painful (physically) for me any more. The preparation of the food, standing at the counter, chopping veggies, mixing, etc., is very hard on my very sore knees.

So, while I really love to cook, I hate to cook. But I do cook. And I love to eat what I cook, most of the time. In fact, I prefer my cooking to the food on cruise ships, much of the time. I just don't do the really fancy stuff you can get on a cruise, so I do enjoy those things live lavender ice cream or basil ice cream. Now who would spend time making those treats?


I used to religiously watching the cooking channel on Saturday and Sunday to get ideas and then I would actually cook several of those recipes during the week following. When I had the sciatic nerve problem a couple of years ago, and was on my back in terrible pain, and the doctor's prognosis was that this was something I would have to endure the rest of my life, my first regret was that I wasn't going to be able to cook again, and I had just gotten a new set of stainless steel cookware like the kind they use on HGTV (I love my pots).

To make this more relevant to today -- Tori (my oldest granddaughter) and I went out shopping again, and we stopped in TGIF's for lunch. They have a new dish on their menu -- at least new to me since I haven't been to TGIF's for a couple of years -- and it is beef stroganoff, and they promised it was low carbs. I'm thinking it will probably taste terrible, but the waitress said it was really good, so I ordered it, expecting it not to meet my standards. I was surprised. I loved the dish. In fact, I wish I could have had more. It was really good and tasted almost exactly like the way I make it.

Before you all go bonkers and say, well, how DO you make it, I'll tell you.

2 cans of CAMPBELL's golden mushroom soup -- it must be GOLDEN mushroom
1 can french onion soup (I prefer Campbell's)
1 pound or more, depending on how many people you're serving, of GOOD beef (not stew meat). I usually get a thick cut round stake, and then cut it into one-inch cubes.
1/2 cup of sour cream

I sear the meat -- I don't cook it all the way through, just enough to get it browned. And I sear it in butter, not oil. The meat should be salted and peppered to taste before searing.
Then I just dump in the two cans of mushroom soup and the can of onion soup and 1/2 cup of sour cream and stir it all together. I let it simmer for 15 minutes while the noodles cook, and then it's ready to go. Talk about 30 minute meal! It's that fast. I put on the water for the noodles before I sear the meat, so by the time the meat is seared and all the other ingredients are in the pot, I can dump my noodles in salted boiling water.

I don't mix it all together as they did at TGIF's, but I do top the noodles with the stroganoff like you would put spaghetti sauce over spaghetti. The more sauce you like the more you spoon over the noodles.

I always serve a mixed salad with this and make a balsamic vinaigrette dressing for the salad.

That's one of my favorite recipes anyway. I have a lot more, one of which, spaghetti with sausage, we are having tonight. But I'll save that recipe for another time.

TTFN

A little behind

Yes, I am a little behind. Becky came yesterday and we had a nice time watching the Olympics until 1:00 a.m. then watching an old Greer Garson/WalterPidgeon movie (Mrs. Parkington) until around 2:30, at which time Becky went to bed.

I, on the other hand, watched the next movie, also a Greer Garson/Walter Pidgeon movie called "Julia Misbehaves". I fell asleep before it ended. Bummer. But I do remember looking at the clock and it was 4:00 a.m. I was then up by 8:30 making breakfast for the grandchildren. Yikes! What a little bit of sleep.

I was just too keyed up after watching the women's gymnastics. Both Beck and I cried -- or I should say sniffled -- when our girls (USA's girls) won medals, and then at the medal ceremony when they played the national anthem.

Anyway, Becky and children and I finally got down to the pool around noon. The children enjoyed the freezing cold water and did their olympic swimmer immitations. Then it was time for Becky to leave. I finally got some sleep. But now, I'm fading again. So as soon as I finish this, I'll be off to sleep. And I'm so stupid. I didn't take one single picture of the children and they are growing so fast!

A further note: I have noticed that ALL our athletes place their hand over their heart when our Anthem is played. Should not our presidential candidates also do that? It's the least one can do to pay homage to their country, I think. And so effortless. Why, even I can do that -- stand and listen to our National Anthem with my hand over my heart. So, if an elderly person, who has standing issues, let alone hand-over-the-heart issues can do it, surely everyone, no matter what their presumptive occupation is can do that.

I also find it amazing that several "older" athletes are competing this year and are doing well in their various categories. I think that is just wonderful.


I was determined not to watch much of the olympics -- sort of a protest again China and their handling of Christians (they jail them or kill them) and then my husband was watching swimming -- I'm a succor for swimming, and then it was gymnastics -- well, there you go -- it was all over -- the protest, I mean. I don't watch much, though. I am selective -- swimming and gymnastics is about it. I would enjoy the equestrian events if they were televised at a time when normal people are awake. And I'm looking forward to synchronized swimming. Maybe some diving would be nice. We'll see. The games are almost over (along with summer).

My grandson Dan -- he's 10 -- commented on the lack of the word "God" or any of the atheletes looking skyward and thanking God -- as he is accustomed to see them do here in our country . His mom explained that God was not allowed in China, and Dan's response was that they should take a stand -- either God or sport. This from a 10 year old?


Until another time. TTFN.

Knee-popping day

Yes, it was. A knee-popping day. Every step I took you could hear the pop-pop-pop. I sounded like a bag of micro-wave popcorn almost ready to eat! And each pop was accompanied by a moan or some other expletive which isn't fit for print.

The weather, however, has been wonderful. When in doubt, talk about the weather. We have had a string of open-window, no air-conditioning days, and tomorrow promises to be more of the same. Oh, they're threatening maybe a shower, but so what, it's still going to be cool and fairly breezy. I'm loving it.

Alan took the Hyundai in for its first check-up and she passed with flying colors. How could she not. She's such a pampered little thing. I mean she only gets driven maybe 100 miles a month, if that. We have only had to feed her six times since we got her. We just don't go many places, and if we travel more than 100 miles we use the van. And, she knows she is loved by me, at least. She knows I prefer her to the hulking van.

Don't misunderstand me. The van has a place in our lives, but not an every other day place. More like a twice a year place. So, Alan will be taking the van in for its annual (I think of the van as a he rather than a she), and except for some wheel drag to the right, he should be okay. Alan takes good care of our vehicles, and I don't even think about it. Fortunately, he's still able to get them to the dealers for their maintenance checks.

Tomorrow, Becky is coming for a visit -- at least she thinks she is. I really won't know for sure until she gets here or near here, then she'll call me and tell me she's five minutes away. That's how it works most of the time and that's okay. I'm always glad to see her and the children, and appreciate whatever time she can spend with me.

Well, it's time for me to turn out the lights and get some shut eye. TTFN. MTF.

Addendum to "More in the life..."

Well, Alan came out of the shower and asked me to look at his back. He's had phantom shingle pain for over a year now. No blisters, just the pain. Well, when I looked, I got sick. He's got full-blown shingles again. The rash and blisters are back.

Fortunately, he has the meds he needs to combat some of the pain. However, this still means a trip to the doctor to get an anti-biotic, and maybe a trip to the OR to get an anti-biotic drip, depending on what the doctor says. I hope it's pills.

It seem shingles is a disease that afflicts older people more than younger people. They say it's stress related. Well, Alan is the most stress-free person I know -- unless he is stressed out about something about which I'm not aware.

So many of my neighbors have had shingles in recent months (the over 55-crowd) and I'm wondering what's in the air around here (spores?) that so many are getting the disease.

Oh, well. Pray for Alan if you think of it. Pray for relief from pain for him and that the shingles will clear up sooner rather than later.

mtf

More in the life of an over-the-hill person

All of you who got e-mails from me earlier today know that I didn't make church -- again.

I tried, I really did. I got up at 7:00 a.m., made the coffee, took a shower, got a cup of coffee, pushed my walker out to the porch, sat down to take my pills. That was at 7:30 a.m. I figured if I got the meds into me early enough I'd be able to walk by 9:30 and be able to get to church.

That didn't happen. It's now 10:45 a.m. and I'm still not able to walk more than a few steps before "pop goes the knee". Even with a walker, I was leery of going to church because I know how far I would have to walk to get to the auditorium, so I opted to stay home.

I miss church. I really want to be there. If only...

I recall what we used to call "shut-ins" and every week someone from the church would go visit these people who couldn't get to church, for just the same reason as I -- because they weren't able to propel themselves any more -- and that visitor would read some scripture and pray with the shut-in, and at least let them know that someone was praying for them and thinking about them.

Now, I do get to life group most weeks -- which is a spiritual uplift for me. We are now studying the book of Joshua. A warrior. A man thrust into leadership not thinking he was capable to do the job. A server. An administrator. I could go on.

Last week, though, it was tough for me to get from the car into the home where life group is held. Even with the walker, it was difficult.

How I look forward to those few days when walking is something I can do with minimal pain. I still have them once in a while.

Read today's Runnemede Remembered about how I practiced the presence of God while not in church.

ttfn

I know you're wondering

I know you all are wondering about how things went with the munchkins. I was hoping Cyndi's children would joint us, but they didn't. Therefore, we only had three, but that was plenty. I was going to take pictures, but forgot.

They did behave well. Rosie, being the oldest, was the best. I think they were all tired, though, when they got here.

We watched the movie (Shrek III) and during the moving we heard this noise, like a moose in heat, sort of. Alan had fallen asleep and was snoring, where upon we all erupted in laughter and I woke him up.

After they left, I cleaned up, sort of. As soon as I post this -- because I know you all wanted to know how things went -- I'll get to vacuuming. It's not all their dirt (popcorn pieces), my house was dirty when they came, so most of the dirt is mine and has been sitting around for days.

It's so bad, that I won't let any of the neighbors who seem to be dropping in more often, come up the stairs to the main living level. I keep them in the entry hall so they can't see how bad it is.

And, of course, add to that, another shipment of Creative Memories supplies to be sorted and divided, and bagged, and hopefully delivered before the stuff reaches the ceiling in my office (again).

So, now I'm off to vacuum.

BBL

The munchkins are coming

Tonight is the night. A first for me and Alan. We are having a movie night with several of our grandchildren.

We ordered Shrek III -- because I liked I and II, and three of the Hahn grandchildren are coming over tonight for movie night with Memom and pop-pop. I have individual size popcorn bags (microwave of course) for each child and each will get lemonade to drink. They will watch quietly so Memom can enjoy the movie -- well that's the dream anyway.

Rose and Rachel are getting their hair cut today -- getting ready for school, so part of tonight's show will be a hair show as well. David will just watch. Amy is keeping Matthew at home. We ALL decided that was best. Matthew isn't into sitting still to watch a movie. I'm not sure the others will be either, but the rules will be laid down at the beginning and if they can't watch quietly and politely well -- I don't know what to threaten them with because I don't really have any place to send them except to bed. Well, there's a thought!

I've got lots of shopping to do today -- food wise. My personal shopper is not available until next week and it's been two weeks, and supplies are getting pretty low. So, after lunch, I'll head out and see how far I get. I placed an order with the meat market so that just means going in and getting the stuff. Not many steps. Then I need to head over to the farmer's market. And I really need bread -- the kind you can use for steak sandwiches, which might mean a trip to Kroger's. I think I can' just go in, get the bread and the lemons (I'm out of lemons) and other salad fixings and then head home. Hopefully that will do it.

I'm a little dizzy right now, but that's because of it being shortly after taking my BP meds which always produce a drop in the pressure, thus making me dizzy for about a half hour (that's the report for those of you who want to know what it's like to be old and short).

So, I'm off do to the things I have to do. Alan is finally up and walking. He's not feeling really well today. He's had a busy week and I guess it finally caught up with him.

TTFN

This is the day that the Lord has made!

Let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I have to keep reminding myself of that. Hard to do when the knee keeps popping out and the kidneys are either working overtime or under time -- today it was overtime! Yesterday it was not at all. The life-group group prayed for me and today the floodgates opened.

Enough about my bodily functions.

I went over to Cyndi's (my youngest daughter's) to take some scrapbooking things to the youngest boys. They are having fun making pages for albums, etc., and I took them each an album, some background papers, and some stickers. They were pleased as punch. (How can punch be pleased? What a stupid expression.)

And Shandon was painting a picture when I got there and I grabbed it for my grandchildren's art work book. It's abstract. VERY abstract. But we discussed it -- what each part meant -- and by the time I was finished with my analogy, Adam was on the floor he was laughing so hard.

My next event with those children will be a trip to Hobby Lobby with Tori, I think. She was bemoaning the fact that school starts in just two weeks.

Megan is handling things fine, but she was glad I brought some stuff over for the boys because Adam was going bonkers with nothing to do. His best playmate, Strephen, is away this week, as are his parents, so he was stretched to the limit with boredom.

So, after an hour over there, I came home, played a couple of computer games (not big brain), and watched TV. Now, that's about it for this day. TTFN

My comb over -- didn't work

Well, I still have bald spots. I'm a woman, I shouldn't be going bald. I'm not on chemotherapy. However, for all you other "elderly" people out there who are taking medicines, beware!!!! It's not only chemotherapy that causes one to lose their hair.

I have read all the side effects of all the medicines I'm taking -- and there are enough side effects listed for each one that should remind me that I'm treading on dangerous ground each time I pop a pill.

Blood pressure medicine: side effects include dizziness, spots before the eyes, blurry vision, weight gain, HAIR LOSS.
Fibro medicine: sides effects include dizziness, spots before the eyes, blurry vision, weight gain, HAIR LOSS.
Arthritis medicine: No longer in play as it has started the shut down of my kidneys (side effect, loss of kidneys)
Sciatic nerve medicine: Taken only as needed, maybe twice a year: side effects include dizziness, spots before the eyes, blurry vision, weight gain, HAIR LOSS.

Is it any wonder, then, that I'm losing my hair? No. But why so much at this time. I mean, I've been taking these meds for well, a few weeks anyway. I guess they have just all piled up, and if I was only taking one or two of them I'd be fine, but since almost every medicine I take has a side effect of HAIR LOSS, there you have it.

I'm sure, however, my psychologically savvy daughter would just say it's stress that's causing the hair loss. Well, just living, I've discovered after 65 years has always been stressful. If stress caused baldness I'd have been bald at 30 -- three children birthed in four years? That's stress. Raising three children alone for two years while husband's job takes him to our Nation's capital -- that's stress, especially since the oldest was just three year's old when all that started. Working full-time and going to college full-time and determined to make straight A', while trying to juggle a family life -- that's stress. So, no, I don't think it's stress that's causing this new event in my elder life.

I think my hair is slowly dying as I am -- don't get worried, I don't have a fatal disease -- we're all slowing dying -- it's a fact of life (or death, depending on your point of view).

So back to my comb over -- as I was trying to rearrange my hair yesterday Alan was laughing hysterically because the more I pushed the hair around, the worse it got, and the more hair was being removed from my head. Point of story -- enjoy a comb over on the day you get it done at the hair dresser's and then live with the baldness for the next six weeks!

TTFN

My comb over

I thought I should explain about my "comb over" remark in the previous post.

Yes, I'm losing my hair, and yes the stylist had a hard time hiding the bald spots. But the thing is she did hide them.

I've never had the "knack" of fixing my hair. I wasn't good with my children's hair either. Nor am I good with my grandchildren's hair, even though all the girls like to have me comb it for them, or did when they were small and didn't know diddly about a nice hair style.

Well, it all started when I was working in Philadelphia in 1965 and my boss really wanted me to go to her hair dresser. That meant I would have to stay in Philly later than normal, get a bus way after dark, and not get home until after 10 p.m. because this man could only style my hair at night.

Now, I have naturally curly hair and back then it was so curly even ironing it didn't make it straight. Large rollers helped. Curl Free was used as often as recommended on the box, but still I had extremely curly hair -- which I mentioned to this bozo who insisted on using SMALL curlers on my hair. Then he wondered why when he was combing it out he could barely get a comb through it.

Remember this is my boss's hair dresser.

Well, I was glad I had a scarf and could hide my hair until I got home, where I walked straight into the bathroom and washed my hair -- three times. Each time I poured 1/3 of a bottle of conditioner on it, hoping to relax it some. Then I put my hair up in the biggest rollers I could find, and tried to sleep. Sleeping on rollers was never something I could do. Please note this was only six years before afros came into style. By that time (Afro hair style time) my hair had straighted a bit because when I had children a lot of the curl left my hair -- yeah!

Back to my story: I went to work the next day. He had at least cut my hair some, so it was shorter and my boss thought it looked "nice." Which meant she didn't like it, but couldn't admit it because it was, after all, her most wonderful hair stylist.

So, after that I determined NEVER to go to a hair dresser ever again. And I didn't. I cut my own hair, styled it, sort of, and didn't think another thing of it. Until...

One day at church one of the ladies who is a hair dresser/stylist (what do we call these people these days? Shear geniuses?) said she would do my hair for nothing. I told her frankly what had happened to me and she said it wouldn't happen with her in control of my hair, and she was right. She gave me a perfect cut/style and I've been going to her ever since. We are about the same age, so it's just a matter of time until she retires and then I will have to do my own comb overs.

Heck, by then I KNOW I'll be totally bald so it won't matter. I'll be wearing a wig.

For those of you who didn't know me when I was under 30, I had very thick hair, very dark, and very curly. It really was unmanageable, although in this day and age it would have been right in style -- wild, frizzy, curly -- today anything goes. I was just born too soon.

TTFN

I missed a day, so what?

Well, sis, I got the message. I need write something on one of the BLOGs every day. I'm not dead. I'm not sick. I'm just out of ideas. It's called writer's block. I've got it big time.

Today was so eventful that I had time to get my hair done -- what's left of it, that is.

You see, I'm on meds that make my hair fall out, so I'm slowly but surely going bald -- bald as an eagle. Are eagles really bald?

The hair dresser did a great job with the cut and making it look like I have some hair. She combed over all the bald spots, so it seems I have enough hair still to hide them. My hair is now completely white.

Why am I just noticing that? It's been white for years. But not COMPLETELY. Those with black hair have a few white hairs can relate. I used to have a few black hairs!

Today, though, I noticed as the shears were snipping away and the hair was falling it was ALL white, no black in the drippings, so to speak. I supposed that makes me officially OLD. Or Mrs. Santa Claus.

I also notice how fat I've become since taking Lyrica. Actually, I look like most people look when they are going through chemotherapy -- you know when the face gets real puffy? That's how I look. My eyes, I didn't realize are almost closed. Now, that's odd, because I can still see, and if my eyes were completely closed I wouldn't be able to see.

I have noticed that it is getting darker much earlier though and getting lighter in the a.m. much later. Is that normal for this time of year? Isn't it still summer? Aren't we still supposed to have light until after 9 o'clock at night?

Okay, have I written enough now? Do you have enough (questions) to think about? If not, oh, well!

TTFN