March 21, 2019

After being worthless on Saturday, I worked at not doing much more on Sunday.  Hubby rose early.  He left me a note he was gone to Son's to work on the project a bit more.  I wanted to see my family so I followed him about an hour later.  Remember how I said be safe in the last post?   #3 grandson now has a broken arm.  He was playing basket ball and received a 'nightstick' break in his right arm.  Yes, 3 of the four grandsons are now in recuperation phases. 

Humming bird left before I had my camera ready.

Monday was the first day of spring break.  It was time for us to do grandkid duty on Monday and Tuesday.  With 4 boys ranging from 17, 15, 14 and 12 things should be safe.  We took the morning to just sort of drink coffee and enjoy being together.  About 2 PM we showed up with food for the 4 boys.  They all ate and I worked some more on the laundry room project.  Some how before we arrived DJ the dog had knocked a watermelon off the counter and it split open.  The remains were on the fence.  That sounded suspicious to Son and DIL.  Boys....  We had our doubts that is what happened.  Cause you know the saying, "One boy is one boy, two boys are half a boy and 3 boys are no boy at all."  No telling what 4 boys are. 

Tuesday was another beautiful day.  We arrived at Son's home with donuts for the 4 boys.  Hubby took #3 year old grandson to an orthopedic clinic.  I visited with the grandson's on and off.  Sanded and second coated the bottoms of the two floating shelves.  Managed to dump the can of polyurethane on the garage floor.  Said a bad word in front of #1 Grandson.  He laughed and retrieved paper towels for me to clean up the mess.  Guess I like to keep busy by making messes to clean up.

A text message notified me that Oldest sister has to continue on IV antibiotics for 2 more weeks due to the severity of her infection.  She is now in a skilled nursing facility as none of us were prepared to deal with IV's at her home.  Nope, not any of us have nursing skills.  That development means no return trip to Dallas next week.

Ahhhhh, Spring.  Wednesday I spent time scrubbing the hallway in front of my apartment.  At some point a couple of months back a bag I was taking to the trash container was leaky.  I did not notice until a few days later that a disgusting drip trail lead to my own front door.  Grumpy body and cold weather resulted in leaving the yucky drips alone.  After getting some walking done, the broom and bucket came out of the closet.  Elbow grease and hot, soapy water made the hall look better.  I did not do the entire hall with multiple scrubs and rinses as the hall is the length of the building.  I did get my spots cleaned up and that made it look better.

The spring decorations were put by the front door.  Some of the others were brought to the living room to be put out over the next few days.  Next week will be spent getting ready for our guest that will arrive on April 1.  Tomorrow is a pick up Nephew day.  Friday will be hang the two floating shelves day.  And the laundry room project will be complete.

Birds were hanging around the Son's place.  I had remembered my camera!  Here are a few shots. 

Great White Egret 

Shaky hands and about 100 yards away as well as the egret was landing.

Northern cardinal, male, and what I thought was a female

Egyptian Geese, first pair 

Second pair, Egyptian Geese

Not a two headed goose but a third pair of Egyptian Geese

I cannot resist flower photos

# 3 Grandson, note brace on arm

Not a female cardinal but a cedar waxwing.  There was a flock of them

Oldest #1 Grandson and DJ.  See the wild bluebonnet in the lower left?

Oldest of them all, Grandpa and DJ putting the stand back together after knocking it down.  Making work....

Back or Son's house and one geese couple

Not gonna tell you to be safe, just gonna say thanks for stopping in for a visit.

March 16, 2019

Maggie the Dog/Ratdog

Been missing me?  I have been in the Dallas area since Sunday evening helping my oldest sister following her knee replacement on 3-6.  She lives with Nephew/Her Son.  He has a son (Great Nephew) and a Dog named Maggie.  I did not do anything for the son.  I played catch the pig with Maggie the dog a lot during the six day stay.  Maggie is, also, called Ratdog because she caught a rat.

This is Oldest's second knee replacement since the first of the year.  That first replacement was a tremendous success.  The second has developed an infection.  The infection was diagnosed on Monday.  Sis was on pain meds so a bit, well more than a bit, out of reality.  Add on the infection and you can have a challenge on you hands. 

Sister is 82 and is fighting admitting she is an elderly person with every fiber.  The battle means she is certain she is completely capable to be in charge of her medications and doctor schedules.  That is fine except when one is on multiple pain medications, recovering from a second surgery and sleeping about 18 - 20 hours a day.  Things will become easily confused for anyone.  An example is when a new medication was introduced Monday night.   Within the next 10 minutes after the first dose of antibiotics she insists she needs to take that new antibiotic .. three more times.  No, sister, you have already had it.  Nephew answers after second request, "Mom you have taken it."  Meds removed from her reach.  She insists one more time.  Nope, you took it and choked on the water.  She never remembered taking it.

Monday afternoon the home health person had sent photos of the operated knee to the physician's office.  The decision was made to begin the antibiotics.  Oldest was told to call for an appointment.  The call was made and the office appoint was announced by Oldest/Mom to be Thursday at 5 PM.  That seemed strange but then she was being worked into the schedule.  Bottom line was that when the home health returned on Thursday morning the knee was not much better, if at all.  Ranzi left instructions for us to call after going to the 5 PM appointment.

Younger sister came to help get Oldest sister to the doctor appointment and just to visit for a bit.  Oldest said she could guide us to the doctors office.  Youngest, who had dealt with both of our parents in their final years, called to get the address to make certain.  She called at 3:45.  The appointment time had been 3:00.  Can you manage a work in?  Yes, if you can leave right now.  Sis uses Siri for guidance to the hospital.  Oldest sister says "This door is where we go."  Oldest gets out with my assistance while Youngest gets the walker for her.  Oldest starts to try to step up on the sidewalk.  She grudgingly steps back at our insistence so we can close the car door and she has a nice ramp to use.  Youngest parks the car.  She meets Oldest and I as we are coming back out of the building.  The attendant inside says this is not the entrance with the elevators we will need to get to the office.  So it is back into the car and around to the other end of the block long building to the office entrance. 

The office had no one in the waiting room.  We were barely seated before we head to the exam room.  Questions, vitals taken and recorded, and the PA arrives.  Questions, more questions about how does this feel?, etc.  The PA thinks she may send us straight back to the hospital for antibiotic IV's.  One more consult and nope, we want you to see the infectious disease doctor tomorrow.  It is too late to see any one or make the appointment for you cause it is now pushing 6 PM.

Once home, we ate the dinner provided by the church.  My nephew is the senior pastor of the church.  meals were provided earlier in the week, also.  Oldest sister is exhausted and falls asleep quickly in her recliner.  She was too tired to eat.  Once it was a bit calmer I suggested that in view of today's mess up Nephew take care of scheduling appoints until Oldest/His Mom was off pain killers.  He agreed and on Friday began what turned into an all day task to get an appointment.  An appointment that was considered urgent the night before.  An appoint was given for Wednesday of the next week.  Urgency did not seem to be in the mix.

Calls back to the surgeon's office resulted in a trip to the hospital.  Oldest had managed to pack a bag.  Refused to put her purse in the main bag.  R E F U S E D.  I had already packed all my stuff except my computer bag into my car as I was returning home with Niece took the weekend duty.  Nephew was working to get Oldest/His Mom into the taller vehicle.  She could not get either leg to lift her up because still recovering.  Guess we should have let her try the 8 inch step on Thursday.

Anywho, I go get my car and bring it to the garage area, Sister gets in without a problem.  We have the bag with the clothing.  BTW the first thing she had put in the bag was her charger and phone.  She is addicted.  We are off to the hospital with Nephew to follow.  He catches up to us and signals me where to turn.  All is going okay.  I pull into the loading/ unloading area.  Oldest has by now noted the black purse is not with her.  You know the one she refused to put in the bag.  I see a man with a wheelchair and ask her to yell for him.  Nope, not her plan so off he goes.  Now Nephew arrives and goes in to get the wheelchair.  Oldest refuses to stay in the car so I can move out of other driver's way.  Once she and Nephew head into the hospital I move so others can now leave the area, too.  Did I mention as we were pulling in Oldest was yelling at the parked cars as they were loading their patients to hurry up?  That she cursed that they were not moving?  Have I mentioned we four sisters are an impatient bunch?  Yep, we are all of that an more.

Once parked I go to the back of my car to get the computer.  F bomb leaves my mouth as I realize the computer is on the cabinet at Nephew's.  In the excitement of having to switch autos to transport Sister I failed to get that one last thing, the computer bag.  Cursing myself all the way into the hospital I arrive to find Nephew leaving to retrieve the black purse.  Yep That Black Purse.  The one with all the medical info needed to be admitted to the hospital.  He said he would be glad to pick up my computer bag at the same time.

Oldest is admitted to the same hospital she has been in twice before in two months.  On the same floor so the folks are remembering her.  The staff has not received orders from the doctor.  He is still in surgery.  It seems as we sit and wait the only ones feeling the emergency are we three.   Niece arrives.  Now 4 are waiting.  The staff comes to do paperwork, bed cloths and still no orders.  Nephew leaves to get an MRI for a shoulder problem he is having.  Tick Toc Tick Toc.  More paperwork.  Orders only answer question about liquid and food intake.  Food ordered and eaten.  Blood drawn.  No orders.  I tell Niece I will leave at 6:45 orders or no.  I have a 200 mile drive ahead of me.  It was closer to 7:00 PM when I left.

Called back to Niece to see if she would like a burger or something.  No, she would prefer a snack out of the vending machine.  Ok.  I stopped at a McDonalds drive thru.  25 minutes later the food was handed to me.  25 minutes at a fast food chain.  It was 7:30 by that time.  I made one pit stop and one Starbuck's drive thru on the road home.  Sent a text letting sisters and son know I was home at 11:30 PM.  Took a deep breath, gathered the bags, walked down the hall, opened the door.  Home surely felt good.  And that Hubby hug was wonderful.

Here in photos is what Hubby did while I was gone:

Took DJ squirrel hunting

Main shelf given top coat and one of two floating shelves built and stained.

Main shelf just curing the top coat before installation

Pieces parts waiting assembly of second floating shelf

I sit here wondering what this next week will hold for our families.  Who will be next to have excitement happen?  Grandson #1 and Bonus Grandson are doing much better after the broken jaw and ruptured appendix.  According to Youngest sister, Oldest seemed much more lucid today but very emotional.  Please, all you folks stay safe out there.

March 8, 2019

On March 18, 1982 I began working the night shift for a company named Litton Advanced Circuitry in Springfield, MO.  June 29, 2002 was my last day of work there.  During the course of those 20 + years almost the entire time I was in the area known as Preproduction.  That group had the responsibility of quoting, planning, inspecting, tool making and releasing documents to the floor to manufacture circuit boards.  Precision was important with tolerances 0.0005 inch (0.0127 mm).  That is a wide margin in today's electronics.  But try trimming .0005 inch off the edge of a photo of a circuit.  Precise and steady hands.  No wonder several workers had carpal tunnel issues.

Last evening I received a pm on facebook from Sharon C.  Simple words, " Jan, Judy H. and I are her visiting and wondered if you would be available for lunch tomorrow, Friday.  We are going to the Bob Seger concert tonight.  I am thinking you are in the Cedar Park area.  You can text me at ...".  Absolutely was my response.  These two women and I had worked together from those early days in 1982.  Sharon was my lead.  Judy H. was one of the design inspectors.  Our ages ranged from 29 to 37 at the time.  Today we are all three retirees.  Judy H. and I being long time retirees while Sharon only recently. 

More texts were exchanged and a location was decided.  Little did I know there would be one other person show up, Linda C.  What a marvelous surprise.  Linda C. was just a kid working at Litton when I started.  She moved up through the ranks over the years eventually moving into the outside sales department.  Linda was enough of a kid that she is actually still in the workforce, too young to retire.  Sharon C. moved through the ranks, too, eventually moving into the engineering department.

My Hubby started working for Litton in November of 1983.  He retired in October 2002.  He started in electrical test doing fixture setup on third shift.  His later years he moved into the drill maintenance.  His final years he was supervisor of the department.

The design and camera department combined when the manual artwork provided by customers became digitized.  Originally the artwork came as just clear photos.  Some came in at 2:1 and some 4:1 taped artwork.  Those oversized artworks were actually red tape on clear plastic or vellum.  That artwork would be hung on a light box and a picture made using a reduction camera.  Thus resulted in the name Camera Department.  Here is more about what went on in pcb board manufacturing.

That work was what brought us together.  Getting to know each other, partying together, and all the other stuff is why we became friends.  After all we spent more time with these folks than about anyone at the time.  We knew family member names, likes and dislikes.  We rejoiced in kids successes together.  We cried together in times of distress.  We sat in shocked silence watching the TV set in the cafeteria on 9/11/01. 

Hubby and I had left in 2002.  Four or five years later the company closed its doors for good.  Linda had long since lived in a different state, Texas, owning her own sales company.  Sharon C. relocated to Kansas then Colorado as she continued her engineering career.  Judy took retirement.

Today we giggled about all the silly things we did.  How all the hours we worked were just what we did to keep body and soul together.  We caught up on where we are today.  Then it was time to part.  A quick photo.  Lots of hugs.  Really good hugs.  And there might have been a tear in my eye.  I know there is still a bit of a teardrop in my heart tonight.  A tear of joy and a bit of nostalgia for the time of building lives.

March 7, 2019

As I typed the date in I realized how I had to reeeeaaallllyyy had to concentrate to not type 1920.  Cause my brain has not gotten into this century some days.  This is how disjointed this post will be.   What brought me here to put finger tips to key board was a thought I have had rolling around in the little grey cells.  Life in this day and time.  A few weeks back I posted to facebook some old photos of my Granny Chandler.  The photo was from around 1950.  This is the one.

A friend in Missouri noted it was the most wonderful time.  I noted it was if you did not mind chiggers and out houses.  The following was her response:   "I prefer that to the crap we deal with today Jan, thieves, drugs, locks ,no trust, basic honesty is gone. Today’s time is not my time I have seen it better."
My response was something along the line that I was sorry her life was surrounded by those things.  Mine is staying busy with grandchildren and family.  I mentioned we have been known to not lock our doors even though we live in a very busy area.

Al this made me start thinking about what was the major difference between then and now.  What came to mind finally was simple.  Stuff.  And more stuff.  Stuff meaning possessions.  Toys, trinkets, and all the things we are convinced we need in this day and time.  In that house pictured above were a minimal number of possessions.  Clothing, a wringer washer, a cook stove and Hoover cabinet.  Three or four bedsteads as they were called.  A black sofa that opened like a futon to make a bed.  A radio, AM only.  Probably a clock or two.  A couple of guns cause farmers needed guns to protect livestock.  Possibly kill some rabbits or squirrels for dinner.  Or the occasional rabid animal.  There may have been one boxy black and white television.  Oh, and the player piano.  A sewing machine, a Kodak Brownie camera.  In the yard were farm implements, tractors, trailers, and livestock.
This is a picture of the back yard of that same place.  Yes, that is me and a "thunder jug".  Momma did not even have a wedding ring.

My dad acting silly.

One of the families in the community had several children.  One was my age.  Jo Ann Carroll's home was even more spare than ours.  The living room furniture was car seats.  Yes, the old bench seats out of automobiles.  The memories of those times are made great not because of the stuff we had but the people we had.  Not the wealth or lack of wealth but more the sharing and caring for one another.  Daddy was known for his mechanical ability.  A farmer would drive to get Daddy to help him get his stalled combine going.  We borrowed a cat that was known to be a good mouser to rid the house of pests.  Doors left unlocked while a family went to town for supplies would welcome pranks.  Like sheets being shorted.  Or all the canned goods on the kitchen table.  Whatever was done was the trademark of who came calling.  Once a plow was on the front porch.  I think that was the Craighead's trademark.

There were thieves, murders, cheats, drugs, and all we have now.  My BIL had some deer rifles stolen out of his house.  There were not cell phones to take a photo of the empty cabinet and immediately post for the world to know.  There was, also, not so much spare time nor money.  And not so much stuff.  No cell phones that everyone MUST to have one.  Just yesterday a retired person bragged to my husband that he had a great phone plan, four phones for $100 apiece.  We have two phones for $57 total cause that is all we need our phones to provide.  Other folks use their phones differently than we do.  Like taking photos to post to facebook.  Like photos of their burgers and fries.

Now if we talk about that old Kodak Brownie camera?  That is another story all together.  We have 8 or more forms of cameras, movie cameras, and all the accessories for the devices.  Hubby has multiple shortwave radio receivers and transmitters.  We have suitcases for overnight travel, week, and months on the road.  Cause we have the expendable income to buy them.  We would be very sad to have lost them.  We have to rent additional storage to hold all the stuff we 'need'.  But I still choose to live now and not live in the past.  To have indoor plumbing especially in cold weather.  To have stuff to put on lawns and parks to kill the chiggers.

Today's weather was a pleasant change.  We took some of my camera toys and enjoyed the sun and pleasant temperatures.  Several folks were enjoying the day, also.  May you each have a good time living in the moment!  Here are a few pictures to help you enjoy the end of the day.

March 4, 2019

Oh, my goodness it is so very dreary yet again today.  Actually it is better than it was the past 3 days as it is not raining.  It is below freezing still at noon.  That temperature is very much out of the ordinary for our itty bitty part of the planet.  More gloomy is the death count across the southern states that were hit by tornadoes over the weekend.  One tornado was officially about 1/2 mile, .8 km, wide.  Entire families were killed.  The homes were mainly manufactured housing.  Also know as trailer in some areas. 

For many people manufactured housing is the only affordable option to having homes.  An opinion article in The New York Times email I receive daily was about the Dream Home built by The National Association of Homebuilders for 2018.  That link has a list of the sizes of the homes presented since 1980.  The 1980 home was about 1800 sq. ft.   That was about the size of two of the homes we had owned over the course of our marriage.   The third home was about 1500 sq. ft.  Our homes were considered starter homes by the upwardly mobile crowd.

Over the course of the years of home ownership we huddled in basements, bathrooms and utility rooms as tornadoes danced around our homes.  Neighbors joined us in our basement a couple of times.  None of our homes sustained a direct hit by a storm.  We did have hail damage bad enough to two different homes to require roof replacements.  We had debris from a friends home that lived 20 miles away land in our yard.   I kept that in a scrapbook.  We had insulation and corrugated panels land in our yards.  The latter barely missing our house as it slammed into the backyard. 

Manufactured homes cannot withstand tornado winds.  People are told to leave their homes and seek shelter else where.  And yet I never see a developer of the manufactured home parks build a storm shelter.  Or maybe the homeowners could work to build their own shelters.  Storm cellars as they were called when I was a kid were near almost every home.  Some folks used their root cellars.  I stood with my Granny Chandler at the top steps of the concrete cellar watching the 1958 'McKinney' tornado move along the rail road tracks about 1/4 mile from us.  You learn early that if you see the funnel moving chances are you are ok.  No movement, seek shelter cause it may be coming straight toward you.

Is there a point to all this writing I am doing today?  I just found it ironic that I read an article questioning TNAH building bigger and bigger homes.  Asking if maybe focusing on a condo version for smaller footprints.  The condo will certainly work for folks like me.  I live in an apartment of 880 sq. ft.  But not all are suited to condo's.  Not all areas of the country have public transportation.  Some folks just need their own space.  Guess the point of my writing is trying to process what is it within each of us that drives the need for 10,000 sq ft of living space.  For the record, I always thought that 2200 sq. ft. would have been just right for me.  See I am one that wanted more, too.

Take care.  And if you live in tornado prone areas. get yourself a hidie hole, storm celler or something.

Janice, aka petra domina

March 1, 2019

Oldest showing swollen chin area.

Old saying of if March comes in like a lamb it will go out like a lion.  Today was chilly, damp and only a slight breeze.  Will March end with dry, hot winds?  Who knows so long as it is not like the end of last March with Hubby in the hospital.  The end of February this year had enough hospital time for our family with the two grandsons.

Speaking of which, Oldest Grandson is "feeling much better than I expected" according to an earlier text today.  An update tonight when DIL came to get DJ was he was still hurting and sore.  And very bored!

This afternoon Bonus Grandson had his drain tube removed and a ct scan.  The scan showed good improvement with the abscess much reduced in size.  The tube was in a day longer than anticipated.  Antibiotics had to be changed yesterday to be correct for the type of bacteria present in the abdomen.  Both boys will return to school on Monday.  Follow up doctor appointments later in the week.

Bonus waiting for ct scan

After dinner and shuttle duty on Monday we have had dog sitting duty.  A boisterous dog and a person with a tube hanging out of their body did not seem to be the best mix.  DJ the grand dog has been with us since Wednesday morning.

DJ is accustomed to having a yard for play and nature's callings.  When she is with us nature's calls require leashes and walking with slow grandparents.  Grandpa is strong enough to be able to handle DJ.  She can be too much for Grandma to handle without a muzzle.  Even with a muzzle it can still be iffy.  Grandpa takes the walks to the nearby park where DJ pulls him following squirrel trails.  Almost climbed a tree following one yesterday.

DJ will begin barking when she is bored.  She has a very loud bark.  There are lots of dogs in our apartment building.  We hear dogs bark frequently.  DJ will not stop until we do some activity.  Grandpa played monster chase with her.  At its widest our apartment is on 29' (8.8 meters) across.  There is a lot of running in a circle around the partial wall between the living and bedroom areas.  Grandpa was growling like a monster. DJ was playing the game, too.
After a short period of time Grandpa was be ready to stop.  Hubby/Grandpa heads for his recliner.  DJ would follows and becomes a lap dog.  Of course this lap dog thing continued today.  Enticed by Grandpa's breakfast, also.

Yesterday to further entertain DJ, we ran errands.  My Pentax camera was back from repair.  DJ positioned herself in the back seat of the Jeep and enjoyed watching for squirrels.  Once the camera was retrieved we grabbed some burgers to be consumed at home.  A text sent to see if anything was needed while we were running errands yielded a request, Krispy Kream donuts for Bonus.  Glazed, chocolate glazed and some cute ones were his exact request.  It was only 9 miles over to get the requested donuts.  Nothing for grandparents wanting to treat a healing grandchild.  And his eyes twinkled when he saw the cute ones.

Today was a bit of a rerun of yesterday with Monster Grandpa.  More walks.  The neighbor came over to meet DJ.  Then later her sister came to meet DJ. I did walk DJ but only in the fenced in courtyard.  After about 15 minutes of walking we came back to the apartment.  DJ assumed the other position she likes after play and walks.  BTW the circle shows DJ had 'helped' with the painting last week.

Tonight life has settled down as DJ has gone home with her human mom.  Our son's 3 boys will be spending the weekend there.  DIL's two are there along with their sweethearts.  Our extrovert son has invited friends over for some reason.  DIL was sitting in our quiet apartment and asked if you could just stay here and be quiet for a while.  Maybe spend the night.  But then Son texted to see if she would be coming back or if she was at a bar!  Ha.  Heck of a week for that family.

Who knows what this next week may bring.  Bonus may yet have to have an operation so only time will tell.  Ya'll take care out there.