NewsfromChilli

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Oct. 23-Oct. 30

From a sunny, fall day in MO,

We have had a rather busy week. We had annual flu shots last Tuesday at the local county health center. On Wednesday I spent a long time with Dr. Metry. He was quite patient with all my questions and decided that the first course of action was to get my sleep habits corrected - so am now on Ambien at night. I have now slept through five nights in a row without having more than a half/hour of sleep interruption - and absolutely NO naps in the daytime although I struggled on Saturday. It is amazing how much better I feel. I have actually picked up a book to read - now just need to start walking again. I see him again in early December and will have bloodwork done the latter part of January - for a comparison.

We saw our local high school football team play on Friday evening. It was really a lovely evening and all three bands - 7th, 8th, and high school - performed at half-time.

Jim has been doing a lot of fishing this past week. He borrowed John's two-man boat and made a couple of outings with it. Today he is fishing at Dr. Eden's. He has created himself a cushioned seat from two or three cushions (he is not to let his left hip be level with or below his left knee) so I am sure he is in "hog" heaven.

Yesterday we made a quick trip to the Kansas City area. Jim needed something at Cabela's and then we worked our way back by way of the Barnes and Noble at Zona Rosa, O'Charley's for lunch, Target, and then Kohl's. At the latter we spotted Eva, Mary W., and Dana and daughter, Cholie. We were back in town by about 3:00 and I joined Helen, Pat, Peggy, and later Mary W. for dessert at Washington Street.

Our travel plans to Austin have changed as Doug called on Saturday a.m. to indicate he was off (the whole company closes down) the week of Thanksgiving and maybe we could come down then - we didn't need a second invititation. I made a few phone calls and changed kennel reservations as well as our motel reservations - so all seems well on this end - also needed to change a haircut appointment.

Our former neighbors to the north have moved out and the new neighbors are busy moving in. I think they have three pre-school age children (including a set of twins.) I saw Mary L. this a.m. at HyVee and she indicated the young couple moving into her home (two houses south of us) also have three young children.

We have purchased Halloween goodies - pretzels, raisins, etc (probably won't thrill the tricksters).

One thing I forgot to mention was an outing I took with Pat this past Friday. She is interested in decorating some gourds and had found on the internet a place near Arrow Rock that raises gourds. She had run off a Yahoo map and we set off for what turned out to be a very circuitious (spelling) trip. The map put us on lots of gravel roads - lots of left turns - then lots of right turns - and probably ended up taking us a good 20 miles out of way, but eventually when we thought we were probably lost - we called and were within about a mile of the place.

I have never seen so many gourds in my life! If you can imagine the typical size of a trailer behind an 18 wheeler - then imagine wood flats being on the ground, wire mesh around the wood flats to a height of maybe 3 feet, and then gourds piled on top of the wood flats - not necessarily in all areas to a height of 3 feet, but close. When you first pull in to the farm - what I have described is multiplied by three - then upon looking around and being shown around - more gourds are in the shed and there are still three smaller piles in an another area. There are gourds of all descriptions from large to egg size. One kind is called a snake gourd and he had lots of these as well. I was intrigued by what is called apple gourds as well as the egg gourds. The gourds are allowed to "age" out of doors and this is a year or two year process. The prices were also very low - maybe $1 per large gourd and multiples of small gourds for $1.

Be safe.
B.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Oct. 15-22

From a rainy, cooler MO,

I noticed as I signed on today that Austin is also having cooler weather. We have had temps in the upper 70s and low 80s - so the 50s is quite a difference for us.

We have not done a great deal this past week. Jim has been out fishing several days. He has walked the banks and also borrowed John's small two-man boat for an outing. He planned on using it again on Sunday, but we have had high, gusty winds the past couple of days and he couldn't think where he could go that would be protected - and that he could easily get the boat in. He overdid it a few years ago when he was carrying a dead battery and has been in some pain.

We went to Liberty this past Wednesday, located a motel, and Jim took off to see three movies while I dozed at the motel. On Thursday, he had a check up with his surgeon and all is going well - also had an x-ray since he was in discomfort, but again all was well.

He wanted to go to Odessa on Friday evening to see our football team play. It is about an hour and a half there and I wasn't too sure about him driving home alone, so I tagged along. I dozed until almost three and made the trip okay. We lost the game so in all likelihood won't be going beyond district. Odessa really looked strong and well balanced.

I went to one of my cousin's on Saturday afternoon to go over family reunion plans for next spring. It was a good outing.

Then I collapsed on Sunday. I just couldn't get moving. We joined long time friends for a carry-in that evening - 6:00 - and by 8:30, I was so tired and had a bad headache that we came home. The headache continued through the night and I didn't get a great deal of sleep. I had Mobile Meals this morning and thank goodness there were no glitches and I was back in bed by a little after 9:00 - and slept soundly until noon. The bad headache is gone and I feel somewhat caught up on sleep.

I have a haircut this week and on Tuesday we get our flu shots at the County Health Center - free. On Wednesday I have an appointment to see our family doctor as I need him to go over my March and August bloodwork and explain some items to me - and inform me on others. There has to be a reason that I am so exhausted and have been having these headaches almost daily.

We will make a decision after my doctor's appointment as to whether we will be leaving on the 31st for Austin.

The football game is here this coming Friday.

Tammy - it was good to see you this past Friday at Odessa. You probably missed Amanda F. climbing the bleachers to give Jim a big hug (much to his delight) and I even received a hug.

Be safe.
B.

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Oct. 8-Oct. 14

From an almost warmish fall day in MO,

The past week has been primarily quiet for us. Jim fished three times - caught enough fish once to clean and bring home for future meals. He has been to Crowder, Jamesport, Linneus, Brookfield, Joe Shelby, as well as Dr. Eden's lake. He assures me that he keeps the cell phone with him.

I have continued to need a lot of rest - sometimes as a result of a stretch of time at night not being able to sleep and at other times just worn out - with doing nothing. I am to see the doctor on the 24th to go over March and August bloodwork and see what he thinks. We had a doctor close his office this past winter and the other doctors have been absorbing his caseload so getting in to see the doctor is not easy. In fact, I was so tired on Friday that I was asleep at home during the homecoming parade and by 4:00 had decided I didn't have the energy to sit through a home football game - so Jim went by himself. Tammy - by the way - he claims that he didn't see you in the stands???- are you okay?

Jim sees the orthopedic doctor on Thursday of this week at Liberty. He has several movies that he wants to see so we are putting the girls in the kennel on Wednesday morning and taking off to KC. One of our first things will be to find a motel at Liberty and I plan on spending most of the time there - either trying to stay awake to read - or dozing. Jim has several places he also wants to see (on top of movies) so he will be in "hog" heaven not having to wait on me. We will be home on Thursday afternoon - hopefully early enough to pick up the girls.

We had off and on rain here for almost 24 hours this weekend. Once or twice it was relatively heavy, but for the most part it was light. I feel sorry for farmers who are trying to get crops out, but the rain is really needed. I never had the energy this summer to put a soaker hose around our foundation so I know we need moisture to prevent problems.

I did go to breakfast on Thursday morning and I know we had a full crowd, but the old mind was not processing too well.

Be safe.
B.

Sunday, October 07, 2007

Sept. 30- Oct. 7

From another warmish fall day in MO,

The past week has been relatively quiet for us. Jim joined the old fogies for breakfast on Wednesday and again on Friday. I slept through joining the ladies on Thursday as I hadn't slept well and I was finally getting some good sleep when the alarm went off to join them.

Jim went fishing on Thursday to Joe Shelby - caught a few fish, but none of them the legal size to keep. He had a good outing otherwise and is looking forward to probably going to Crowder this week.

We went to the football game at Smithville on Friday and saw a rather frustrating play - I'm sure for players as well as fans. We have Homecoming this Friday.

I finally called the doctor's office on Friday and asked for an appointment with Dr. Metry to go over my March and August blood tests. I don't seem to be getting energy back very quickly and am also curious about some of the individual results.

We will be going to Austin either the last week of October - lv. the 31st - or the following week. Doug has a trip coming up to Toronto with the company he works for and that will decide on when we are going.

Be safe.
B.