4-29-2018

So here is what I have been doing and seeing since my last post:

Games

This #15 is our oldest grandson.

Checking out the wildflower crop:

Still some bluebonnets and now the cactus are blooming.

I do not think I will try to pick any of these to bring home.

Or these.

bluebonnet seed pod 

gillardia

Last Sunday was confirmation for one grandson.  That means a group picture of the Adcock progeny.   Those three young men are the only males from their great grandfather Adcock to carry on the name another generation.

Ages, 17 in June, 77, 14 in July, 44, 12 in a week.  No more babies.

Time for a bird photo at the pond by our apartment.  Needed my shutter speed to be slower to get more definition.  This heron frequents this pond so I'll have another chance.

Decided we needed a Jeep ride one day.  Not far as Hubby's leg is still on the mend.  He is released from the doctor now and improving daily.  We stayed close and just ran a couple of errands.  Stopped at a coffee shop for a bite of lunch and then a look at the stagecoach inn that is being moved.  The claim is this is the oldest inn for the stagecoaches along the Chisholm Trail.  Trains later came along the same general area.  Nowadays the need is for a wider intersection.  Local historians rallied to save the inn.  It is being moved today.  The move is just a couple of blocks to a small park near another historical building on Chisholm Trail.

Look real close and you will see a pair of feet under the building as it was already a couple of feet off the ground.

On Saturday game times were changed to the point I could not attend them.  I had to do something very important.  Take photos of our Bonus Granddaughter as she prepared for her junior prom.

How is this looking?

DJ was happily supervising

 Makeup complete.

Dress on and some spray.

OH, He is here!!!!  Look how handsome he is!!!

Was I ever that young?  Yes, I actually thought about a photo that is buried somewhere of me and my beau ready for our Jr. Sr. banquet.  We lived in a Baptist controlled town so no proms as that would include dancing.  Yes, really.

After the prom photos I took this photo of the park outside our apartment complex.  The sweet jasmine aroma was filling the air.

Today Hubby is firing up the grill to smoke a chicken.  I walked to Sam's and bought hamburger.  I did not think photos were required.  Hope you all have a great week!  I plan to go take a photo of the inn now that it is moved.

Janice

4-20-2018

I did not just vote for Hillary Clinton in 2016, I actively campaigned for Mrs. Clinton.  At best it was a long shot.  With Comey touring with his book now, I want to make one thing clear.  In my opinion, Mrs. Clinton would not have won no matter what Comey did or said.  She was and is too hated across the US to ever be elected.  And those that do not hate her many do not trust her.  Just too much baggage.  She should never have been nominated.  Nor should have Bernie.  Martin O'Malley would have been the best choice in my opinion.  But this is all not only water under the bridge, the water has long since gone into the ocean.  Evaporated and been rained down again.

Donald Trump is the President.  He will probably never be impeached.  And Russia continues to be an enemy of the US.  The US had Radio Free Europe trying to influence against communism.  If a person thinks Russia, China and other countries are not working every way possible to influence against democracy, you are living in political reality.  I will probably never change my opinion so long a Putin and his cronies are at the helm.  I do not have proof.  I just do not like Putin. 

I do not like Donald Trump.  Not because he won the presidency.  I just have never liked his attitude, ever.  Even when he proclaimed to be a Democrat.  I am prejudiced against persons of wealth.  Always have been.  Never fully trust wealthy people.  I do not trust corporations to do 'the right thing'.  I trust corporations to do everything possible to make the biggest profit.  And for the officers of the corporations to receive the bulk of the profit.  I'll probably go to hell for not trusting wealthy people.

Now that that is off my chest, skies were blue again today.  Hubby reclined most of the day working to get the swelling to reduce.  He went to two of the grandsons' games and the swelling had increased.  And with swelling comes discomfort.  So not quite so much walking, keep the leg elevated, do the minimal exercises prescribed and ice after activity. 

While Hubby recuperates my job is to:

• keep ice available for the machine.  
• go to as many of the grandkids activities as possible
• soccer x 2 grands
• lacrosse x 3 grands
• prom dress selection x 1 bonus granddaughter which was sooooo fun!
• keep healthy food around (except when the #3 grand wants Bush's chicken and I get us some for dinner)
• keep clean clothing which is easier now that hubby can make it to the potty easier.  smile wink
• auto maintenance including inspection, registration and servicing.
• attempt to keep my sanity or what is left of it

Walking helps with the last thing on the list.  I am being able to get 4-5 thousand steps a day with some days over 6,000.  Watching the news does not help with the last item on my list of jobs.  I try not to watch the news.  But Hubby loves the news.  Sometimes that is when I go for my walks.  I see butterflies and birds.  Today the rose bushes were covered in blooms.  Yep, walking is better than watching the news.


Y'all all have a great weekend!

April 16, 2018

My, my.  It has been over two weeks since I have written anything.  Busy, busy.  Between Hubby needing additional help with life's daily activities and 5 grandkids in sports, life has been busy.  Throw in providing a meal for the grands once a week and there you have it.  Just plain busy.  Like the Saturday I took Hubby to Son's house to watch over the Grands while DIL and I watched Oldest Grandson play in not one but two lacrosse games.  That would not have been any big deal except it was about 3 C and a 25 mph (39 km) north wind with gusts up to 40 mph. (65 km).  I only watched one quarter but DIL was in that for the entire first game.

A Window With A View

It did not take much to convince her to go home and get warm.  I had figured out I could watch the game from the comfort of my little Icie if I parked her at just the right place.  Worked like a charm.  And if I needed to cheer I simply honked the horn. I was still in all the clothes for sitting outside so I did not even have to run the car to stay warm.  At the end of the game I simply drove over to #1 Grandson's vehicle and waited for him there.  Returned to Son's and we spent the remainder of the evening visiting with them, ordered in dinner and watched a movie together.
Hubby was pretty tired by the end of the day so we stayed quite on Sunday.

Monday was time for a visit with the surgeon.  Looking good was the assessment.  Still some swelling.  Just walk short distances every hour or two and keep the leg elevated the rest of the time.  Do not forget to ice.  And let's get those staples out of that leg.  Yes, definitely get the 13 staples out of the leg.  See you in two weeks to make sure there is no additional bleeding.   With that we were out of the doctor's office.  In time to visit a favorite local restaurant for a late lunch, early dinner.  Especially since the appetizers are half price.  Yummy soup, catfish and slaw was perfect for the still chilly day.  Then I had a surprise for Hubby.

Bluebonnets.  On Saturday I had found several large fields of them near the lacrosse game.  It is a large city sports complex with walking and biking trails.  Here are some of the photos we captured.  Bluebonnets are not the only wildflower in bloom at this time of year.  I have included a few of those, too.

prairie verbena and the small yellow bloom is a low bladderpod, maybe .

Indian paintbrush with bluebonnets in background

coreopsis

We had often seen longhorns in a pasture near an intersection along Ranch to Market road 620.  This pasture is located just a few blocks west of the Chisholm Trail.  That trail was used to drive cattle from Texas north to the Kansas railheads.  Our grandsons live in the school district for the Chisholm Trail Middle School.  With all this backstory and bluebonnets being the state flower and all I wanted a photo of the longhorns.  Here are some of the photos.

This is the intersection for the longhorn sighting 

We were in luck!  The two young longhorns were grazing.

Are you looking at me?  Glad the barbed wire fence is there!

Not wanting a Janicewich, just a tasty bluebonnet!

Well, you just do not get much more quintessential Texas hill country than this photo.  Cactus, bluebonnets, scrubby vegetation and a longhorn. Never mind it is in the middle of town within spitting distance of shopping centers and schools.

Soon the cactus will be in bloom.

Pretty much the rest of time has been at either track meets, lacrosse fields (5 different ones in two days) and soccer fields.  Filling the ice machine to keep the healing leg cold and the usual cooking and cleanup.  Life is good cause Hubby is healing, grandkids are still giving hugs and today the skies are blue.

Bonus grandson #15 on Sunday.  They won!

Middle Grandson in white jersey and their team won on Sunday, too!

April 1, 2018

Well, I did not get back to tell the rest of the story of Monday, March 26 th's excitement.  Hubby and Cuz took the Jeep to the bike trail.  I know that may seem somewhat counter productive.  But there are not many good bicycle lanes in our area.  More than one bicyclist has been struck by autos with less than observant drivers.  So Hubby drives to the bike trails.  Oops, off on a tangent there.  Back to the story.

The week before Cuz came to visit the Jeep would not start.  I mean the starter would not turn over.  Hubby, whose career was all about repairing things, had me sitting in the Jeep engaging the starter in all sorts of conditions.  Engaged brake, in neutral, in park, etc.  He was listening for relay clicking.  He wants to figure out the problem before taking it for repairs.  It is what he does.  Anyway, it ended us that good old AAA was called and the Jeep was transported to the repair shop.  Diagnosis, a new starter.  That will be $425, thank you.

Jeep was retrieved with the help of Cuz on the day she arrived.  Hubby was happy cause his Jeep was working again.  Cousin was safely here so there would be bike riding and Jeep trips.  Over the course of the next few days the Jeep was started and stop many times.  The Jeep was used to travel to urgent care on Monday after the fall.  Hubby could not bend the leg enough to get back in the Jeep to be transported to the hospital ER.  I took our Icie, picked him up and left Cuz to take the Jeep and bicycles back to the apartment.

Hubby and I made it to the ER and Cuz calls Hubby.  "I cannot get the engine to stop".  What?  Just a week ago he could not get it to start.  Now it keeps running even with the key removed.  And she cannot get it out of park.  What to do?  Well, I cannot leave Hubby.  Besides, I would be useless as mammary glands on a boar hog.  Cuz decides to call good old AAA for help.  When she describes the problem the AAA guy suggests putting the key in the "start" position and see if the gearshift will engage.  That worked.  Good thing as AAA cannot transport running cars.  : /

Cuz who is totally unfamiliar with our area sets the GPS to take her to the repair shop.  Of course, it takes her up on the tollway and has her moving across 3 lanes in less than a block.  Already unnerved over the now referred to Stupid Jeep, the excessive traffic is piling up the proverbial straws.  And of course her cousin/my husband is in the ER with a swelling leg.  Cuz gets out of the Jeep, walks in the shop and gives the short version of the last repair, "You just repaired something on this car last week for my cousin.  It won't shut off and is in the parking lot still running.  Do something." 

Would you think the first thing the repair shop would do was say, "Who was the technician that worked on it."  How the heck would Cuz know.  Look it up and get it fixed.  The technician is found and told to look into the situation.  These are some of the texts Cuz and I exchanged while I was in the ER with Hubby and she was dealing with the !*&$ Jeep. 

• 2:45 PM  they think they can repair it quickly.  i'll just wait.
• 3:15  No, they have to order a part.  They have a car to take me back to the apt. in a few minutes.  How's Gene?
• They have taken him to xray his leg
• 3:30  No car to transport.  Part on its way. 
• 3:40  Will have a (transport) car in 10 minutes
• 4:00  No broken bones!  Leg still really hard and still swelling
• Great on no break.  Car never showed.
• 4:30 Part here, any news?
• Waiting on ortho
• 5:15  Part replaced heading to apt. keep me updated
• 5:50  Has to have leg lanced asap to relieve pressure
• 6:00 (this was Cuz part of  phone conversation)  I have the bikes both put away.  Jeep is parked.  I'll grab a shower, a snack (remember they had been biking since early morning) and head to the hospital. Me:  Could you take a photo of Hubby's medicine list so I can answer questions?  It is tucked behind the bathroom mirror.

In between 3:30 and 6:00 Son is coming and going transporting Youngest to soccer practice, fielding business calls  and the stuff of a young executive's life.  I am just fielding phone calls, texts and questions.  I did leave about 4:45 while Son could stay to get the car gassed up (something Hubby was going to do after the bike ride) and grab loose shorts and medical info for Hubby from our apartment.  We are only about 10 min from the hospital.

Hubby goes into surgery at 7:10 PM.  Cuz gets to hospital a few minutes later.  She retold the Jeep adventure and hands me the broken part.  No additional charge as they had missed the defect.  She adds some details about when she finally got the Jeep back and unloaded it.  She had put Hubby's bike in the storage room.  Her bike went back on her car.  She decided the GPS needed to be put away.   She tried to put the GPS into the center console.  It would not open.  Tried to unlock to open it.  I t    s t i l l    w i l l    n o t    open.   Curse words were breathed.  Okay put it in the glove box.  She opens the glove box and the whole thing falls to the floor of the Jeep. glove box junk spills all over the the Jeep.  Curse words said loudly.  Just lay there.  I am done with this Jeep!!!!  She hid the GPS under the seat and said goodbye to the Jeep as she blest it one last time.  

Cuz decided to go home a day early.  She did not mention that she would be back next year.  I cannot imagine why she would not want to come back for more StupidJeep fun.

2017 Jeep fun with Icie parked to the right.