We, here is the easternmost part of the panhandle of Florida, are suffering from the the pangs of guilt from feeling relief that the wrath of hurricane Katrina missed us. We prepared, we bought plywood, water and masking tape. As it turns out none of that would have done us any good had she come ashore even 200 miles east of where she hit. The horror of the aftermath of the storm is not imaginable to anyone not actually living through it. I heard that it will actually be decades before New Orleans and the surrounding areas can possibly recover. Can you image the fear and helplessness those people must be feeling?
We were slightly impacted here...I spent about an hour and a half after work yesterday lugging pecan limbs to the curb and we couldn't call long distance. Wow!
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Recent Happenings
Thursday I let the nursing home, Mike's family and, unfortunately, finally Mike know that I couldn't bring Mike here. Then I found out from the nursing home that Mikes condition wasn't nearly as horrible as Mike had led me to believe. I'm not sure why he did that.
Thursday night my son came over from Apalachicola, spent the night, took me to breakfast on Friday morning, got all of the tag transfer and car ins. handled for my old car and was back in Apalach before noon! Talk about a whirlwind trip! He's coming back this coming weekend. I really did enjoy him!
Friday was my 60th birthday. That seems like a milestone of some sort!
Yesterday I went back to the Publix I went to a couple of weeks ago. It's 18 miles from the courthouse and such a pretty and nostalgic drive for me! When I was a little girl that was basically the only route to Tallahassee from here and we must have traveled it at least twice a week for 13 years! So much of it is the same, but "progress" has crept in in the form of sub-divisions and filling stations and convenience stores and finally, as you near Tallahassee, strip malls. Now, these are done rather tastefully, with an eye toward preserving the feel of the Desota Trail (which is what Rt. 90 is). I just don't think Desota had much in common with a convenience store!
After lunch I met three of the other members of the Humane Society at our new office. The four of us spent four and a half house sorting through bags and boxes of old HS records. These papers covered 1998-now and they were also covered with rat poop and pee! They had been chewed and nested in and there were some that just screamed of previous birthings! And, the remarkable thing is, the four and a half hours flew! We did a lot of talking and it was a first "girl thing" I'd done in a while. We're getting together Wednesday after work to attack the last box. It really will feel so much better to had this done!
I've made great progress with the boxes and bags of stuff I've been living with. I've gotten all of the boxes out of the living room but one and it goes in the work room and it's stacked to death with boxes and stuff! That's my project for the afternoon, for now I'm going to get another cup of coffee and read the Sunday paper.
Thursday night my son came over from Apalachicola, spent the night, took me to breakfast on Friday morning, got all of the tag transfer and car ins. handled for my old car and was back in Apalach before noon! Talk about a whirlwind trip! He's coming back this coming weekend. I really did enjoy him!
Friday was my 60th birthday. That seems like a milestone of some sort!
Yesterday I went back to the Publix I went to a couple of weeks ago. It's 18 miles from the courthouse and such a pretty and nostalgic drive for me! When I was a little girl that was basically the only route to Tallahassee from here and we must have traveled it at least twice a week for 13 years! So much of it is the same, but "progress" has crept in in the form of sub-divisions and filling stations and convenience stores and finally, as you near Tallahassee, strip malls. Now, these are done rather tastefully, with an eye toward preserving the feel of the Desota Trail (which is what Rt. 90 is). I just don't think Desota had much in common with a convenience store!
After lunch I met three of the other members of the Humane Society at our new office. The four of us spent four and a half house sorting through bags and boxes of old HS records. These papers covered 1998-now and they were also covered with rat poop and pee! They had been chewed and nested in and there were some that just screamed of previous birthings! And, the remarkable thing is, the four and a half hours flew! We did a lot of talking and it was a first "girl thing" I'd done in a while. We're getting together Wednesday after work to attack the last box. It really will feel so much better to had this done!
I've made great progress with the boxes and bags of stuff I've been living with. I've gotten all of the boxes out of the living room but one and it goes in the work room and it's stacked to death with boxes and stuff! That's my project for the afternoon, for now I'm going to get another cup of coffee and read the Sunday paper.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Wow!
A younge woman who works in the hospital in Orl. called tonight (she calls fairly frequently...went by to see Mike quite a few times...and was a very good friend to me) and is in S. GA visiting family there. She wants to get together between now and Wed. night. Well, I work till 4:30, don't drive at night and plan to leave before the sun's up Saturday to get Mike (what does that have to do with anthing?). Also, the bosses wifes uncle died over the weekend and they are leaving tomorrow and won't be back till Friday, so it'll be just me at the shop. Also, the furniture from Mother's condo in the mts. is due here this week and I seem to stay pooped. Don't exactly know what to do, maybe have them here for supper? I'll pull up a map and see what the roads look like and how far it is.
No real news, just venting.
No real news, just venting.
Monday morning
Sometimes it seems there are more Mondays in the week than Fridays! It's Monday again!
Where did the weekend go? I read an entire book Saturday and did laundry. Can't think of anything particular I did yesterday except for taking out the trash! We reached 100 degrees here yesterday and the animals and I stayed in most of the time.
Gotta go to work!
Where did the weekend go? I read an entire book Saturday and did laundry. Can't think of anything particular I did yesterday except for taking out the trash! We reached 100 degrees here yesterday and the animals and I stayed in most of the time.
Gotta go to work!
Saturday, August 20, 2005
Mike Update
I got a call from Mike a little while ago. He's being discharged from the nursing home next Saturday, a week from today. He asked if I'd come get him. I said of course. I don't really understand this, I know he isn't well and probably should still be in care. I don't know what it will entail having him here. There are steps/stairs to every door, don' know how he'll handle those. I guess we'll see. I know the animals will be absolutely thrilled to have him around!
Friday, August 19, 2005
The end of a very tiring week
Tonight is the first time I've taken the time to really sit down at the computer other than to check e-mail and play a game or two. I've been going to bed around 8:30.
The first week of work was good. A lot of it felt like when Mike and I worked together. I worked some in the shop and some in the office. Of course, the shop was almost unbarable with the heat...our heat index was over 100 every day and with the drier cranked up to 400+ degrees it really was just awful at times!
I talked with Mike Sat., Sun., Mon. and Tues. He's been running a terrible fever. It seems he developed a topical infection under his abdomible dressing and the dumb nursing home didn't catch it. Not only was he running a fever, but had a horrible odor coming from the dressing. He's better now.
Helen called tonight. We talked for over an hour. She is such a good friend and I really do miss our over the fence talks in the evenings! We did that for over 12 years. Hard to belive that she is 82 now.
Mother found out earlier this week that she has cataracts in both eyes. She's scheduled for surgery for the first eye in a little over a week and the second eye two weeks later. She's quite nervous about it!
I had just gotten insurance on the old car last week and Mother and Bert gave me the new car last Friday. Well, I found out today that the $195.00 that I paid for ins. on the old one is sorta just a down payment for this new one (I had the ins. transfered) I now owe an additional $308.00 for the new car ins.! Ouch! Not sure how I'll handle this, but I'll have to do it somehow.
The first week of work was good. A lot of it felt like when Mike and I worked together. I worked some in the shop and some in the office. Of course, the shop was almost unbarable with the heat...our heat index was over 100 every day and with the drier cranked up to 400+ degrees it really was just awful at times!
I talked with Mike Sat., Sun., Mon. and Tues. He's been running a terrible fever. It seems he developed a topical infection under his abdomible dressing and the dumb nursing home didn't catch it. Not only was he running a fever, but had a horrible odor coming from the dressing. He's better now.
Helen called tonight. We talked for over an hour. She is such a good friend and I really do miss our over the fence talks in the evenings! We did that for over 12 years. Hard to belive that she is 82 now.
Mother found out earlier this week that she has cataracts in both eyes. She's scheduled for surgery for the first eye in a little over a week and the second eye two weeks later. She's quite nervous about it!
I had just gotten insurance on the old car last week and Mother and Bert gave me the new car last Friday. Well, I found out today that the $195.00 that I paid for ins. on the old one is sorta just a down payment for this new one (I had the ins. transfered) I now owe an additional $308.00 for the new car ins.! Ouch! Not sure how I'll handle this, but I'll have to do it somehow.
Friday, August 12, 2005
See! I knew something was up!
I met Mother and Bert at their house at 3:00 today as directed. They immediately hustled me into their car and off we went, down roads I'd never seen and they talked the entire time about how pleased they were that the chef at the restaurant (that they never named) could accommodate us at 3:30! The turkeys! While we were driving all over the place Mother handed me a gift that weighed a ton and said to go ahead and open it, so I did. It was a box with a brick in it and a little package. She wouldn't let me open the small package, but let me fondle it and try to guess what it was...it was wrapped in tissue paper and really sorta lumpy. Then it began to storm, the rain was coming down in sheets. It was really a wild ride! Then all of a sudden Mother said "quick, open the package", so I did. It was a key chain and a key and then Bert turned into a Honda dealership. Well, to make 2 hours much shorter, they gave me a 2005 Honda Civic (with 183 miles on it) for my birthday. It's pale gold, misty gold I think, and smells wonderful! See, I knew something was up!
When we left the dealership we went to a lovely French restaurant where they actually did have reservations. I had brook trout stuffed with crab, saffroned potatoes, asparagus, Caesar salad and an absolutely wonderful coconut cream pie. Oh yes, my sister met us there and while we were waiting to be seated we went for a walk to window shop and I found a hundred dollar bill on the sidewalk...YES I DID!!!!!! Talk about a strangely wonderful day! This was certainly it!
Tomorrow I've got to get my car insurance upgraded and then from noon to 4:00 I'm taking a class in animal CPR.
When we left the dealership we went to a lovely French restaurant where they actually did have reservations. I had brook trout stuffed with crab, saffroned potatoes, asparagus, Caesar salad and an absolutely wonderful coconut cream pie. Oh yes, my sister met us there and while we were waiting to be seated we went for a walk to window shop and I found a hundred dollar bill on the sidewalk...YES I DID!!!!!! Talk about a strangely wonderful day! This was certainly it!
Tomorrow I've got to get my car insurance upgraded and then from noon to 4:00 I'm taking a class in animal CPR.
So Far it's Mercy's Day!
Today had been all Mercy! She's the only cat I know who LOVES electronic/noisy things. So far I've used the blender and the vacuum and she totally supervised each operation and is sitting at my feet asking "What's next"? I'll turn the radio on later and that will just have to do her for now!
I made an interesting facial mask in the blender...strawberry yogurt and oatmeal. I'm wearing it as I do this and Shirley is beside herself with wanting to lick my face, of course, she always wants to lick my face, but this is something special. Goodness, bless his heart thinks I'm scary looking and runs if I approach him. Animals!
Don't know if I've mentioned that the newspaper and I parted ways last week...well we did. Cold call selling isn't my bag (and I knew it when I took the job) and I was very bad at selling ads. Did it for 3 months and finally last Wednesday the boss said to me "You're really not enjoying this are you?" and I said "No, not really"... so his suggestion was that we mutually part ways. Thank goodness! I was so afraid I was going to have to quit and I hate doing that.
Anyway, on Tuesday before the parting on Wednesday I stopped by a screen printing place on the way home and introduced myself and told them that I'm a screen printer, spent about an hour there talking with the owner and left my name and number and said if he ever needed help after 3 in the afternoon or on the weekends to give me a call. Well, Joe called this Wednesday and asked me to come in on Thursday and talk with him (I told him then that I wasn't at the paper anymore). Yesterday he offered me a job running the office and I start Monday! Yeah! This is something I CAN do! 9:30-4:30 with an hour for lunch and almost a walkable distance from home!
Today's the day I'm going to Tallahassee for dinner with Mother and Bert at 3:00! This should be interesting!
I made an interesting facial mask in the blender...strawberry yogurt and oatmeal. I'm wearing it as I do this and Shirley is beside herself with wanting to lick my face, of course, she always wants to lick my face, but this is something special. Goodness, bless his heart thinks I'm scary looking and runs if I approach him. Animals!
Don't know if I've mentioned that the newspaper and I parted ways last week...well we did. Cold call selling isn't my bag (and I knew it when I took the job) and I was very bad at selling ads. Did it for 3 months and finally last Wednesday the boss said to me "You're really not enjoying this are you?" and I said "No, not really"... so his suggestion was that we mutually part ways. Thank goodness! I was so afraid I was going to have to quit and I hate doing that.
Anyway, on Tuesday before the parting on Wednesday I stopped by a screen printing place on the way home and introduced myself and told them that I'm a screen printer, spent about an hour there talking with the owner and left my name and number and said if he ever needed help after 3 in the afternoon or on the weekends to give me a call. Well, Joe called this Wednesday and asked me to come in on Thursday and talk with him (I told him then that I wasn't at the paper anymore). Yesterday he offered me a job running the office and I start Monday! Yeah! This is something I CAN do! 9:30-4:30 with an hour for lunch and almost a walkable distance from home!
Today's the day I'm going to Tallahassee for dinner with Mother and Bert at 3:00! This should be interesting!
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
Something's going on!
Last night Mother called and asked me to join her and Bert for dinner Friday night. I thanked her and said "that would be lovely" and then asked what time I should get there. When she said 3:30 I thought that was quite early, but they know I don't like to drive at night so I didn't think much about it. Well, she just called a minute ago and said that they need me to get there at 3:00 instead of 3:30. I said "Mother, that's certainly not dinner time, what's up?" and her reply was that Bert said 3:00 was a better time than 3:30 and to be there! Then she added that she had just finished wrapping a little something up and of course I asked what and she said a birthday present and of course I said "it's not my birthday" and she said "it will be"! So, I think something's up! Well, enough "she said/I said"!
A while ago we had really dark skys and lots of thunder so I ran out and got the rug I had drapped over chairs to dry and drapped it over the roof of the car. How dumb can I get? The car's so dirty! I think it'll all vacuum out. Now the sky's bright blue and no thunder!
Just washed, blew-dry and curling ironed my hair. It's not so bad, but there's hardly enough to go around the curling iron! Oh well, it'll grow.
A while ago we had really dark skys and lots of thunder so I ran out and got the rug I had drapped over chairs to dry and drapped it over the roof of the car. How dumb can I get? The car's so dirty! I think it'll all vacuum out. Now the sky's bright blue and no thunder!
Just washed, blew-dry and curling ironed my hair. It's not so bad, but there's hardly enough to go around the curling iron! Oh well, it'll grow.
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Hair cut
Tonight I cut all of my hair off. It actually amazes me that I've waited this long..5 or 6 months. Usually my very first reaction to stress is to cut my hair, and usually I wait until I've got a snoot full! I do believe that my mother is driving me absolutely nuts! The month of July was quite bearable...she was in the mountains, but now she's home and I really don't think she has enough to do and has decided to take me on as a hobby! I lived apart from her for 42 years and now I remember why!
I made the mistake of telling her that someone she knows came by to see me and she called her and thanked her for coming by! Good Lord! I'll be sixty in a couple of weeks and you'd think I was 12! I just hate this and when I fuss at her she really gets bent out of shape and actually called me a bitch several months ago!
I'm slowly, but surely getting unpacked. My "work room" is the depository of so many boxes that it'll take an act of congress to get it straightened out! I'm going to have to move everything out and start from scratch...need many shelves and I'm not sure how I'll work that out. sure would like to build them in, but having never done that I don't know how to go about it.
A friends 30 year old son was killed in a truck the other night. He was alone and the news said he'd been drinking. The funeral is tomorrow, I won't be going, it's not here. Such a sad thing!
The week I moved here I put an old rug that had seen better days out on the patio. Then the rains came. Today is the first day in a couple of weeks that it didn't really pour and the rug's looking good! I think the worse thing about it was the smell and it looked so ratty. Well, it not only doesn't smell bad, it smells "summer rain fresh" and it looks quite clean. I'm thinking of putting it in the dining room. I've got it draped over some chairs to finish drying and I put another ratty rung on the patio in its place. Can't wait to see how that one will turn out!
I made the mistake of telling her that someone she knows came by to see me and she called her and thanked her for coming by! Good Lord! I'll be sixty in a couple of weeks and you'd think I was 12! I just hate this and when I fuss at her she really gets bent out of shape and actually called me a bitch several months ago!
I'm slowly, but surely getting unpacked. My "work room" is the depository of so many boxes that it'll take an act of congress to get it straightened out! I'm going to have to move everything out and start from scratch...need many shelves and I'm not sure how I'll work that out. sure would like to build them in, but having never done that I don't know how to go about it.
A friends 30 year old son was killed in a truck the other night. He was alone and the news said he'd been drinking. The funeral is tomorrow, I won't be going, it's not here. Such a sad thing!
The week I moved here I put an old rug that had seen better days out on the patio. Then the rains came. Today is the first day in a couple of weeks that it didn't really pour and the rug's looking good! I think the worse thing about it was the smell and it looked so ratty. Well, it not only doesn't smell bad, it smells "summer rain fresh" and it looks quite clean. I'm thinking of putting it in the dining room. I've got it draped over some chairs to finish drying and I put another ratty rung on the patio in its place. Can't wait to see how that one will turn out!
Friday, August 05, 2005
Something very dumb
A few weeks ago I got a new (used) computer tower. I unplugged the old one, stuck it in a corner and installed this one. All was right with the world. Then I told a friend at work about having a tower that I was no longer using and she offered me $60.00 for it...sold it! Shortly after I began having problems staying on line and the computer seemed to get slower and slower. Welllll, I didn't uninstall anything on the old comp. and the folks that have it were going on line with my aol account and each time they did it kicked me off. Somehow, a bug got in and in the end totally fried my computer! Got it back late yesterday and have spent forever getting everything reinstalled! But, now I'm back in business!
Fellow came yesterday and mowed and edged the yard. It's amazing that something so simple as edging/weed-eating makes such a difference...looks good!
Mother told me that in 2-6 weeks some of her furniture from the mountains will be arriving. A bedroom set for the guest room and a dining table, 6 chairs and a corner hutch for the dining room, which at this very moment is stacked window sill high with boxes.
The second small bedroom is a total jumble of boxes, bags, books and totally unidentifiable things. In order to get it usuable as my work room I'm going to have to empty it and then refill it. Oh joy!
Most of the rest of the house is in fairly good shape. There are still several boxes of kitchen stuff to unpack, it's just that I hate ladders so much and the only space left for kitchen storage requires a ladder to access. I know I'll figure it out eventually but it sure would be nice if it were alrealy done.
Talked with Mike on Sunday and on Wednesday. He's so improved, yet still needs his wheel chair and some assistance. He was excited about an outting to Walmart that he went on with a group from the nursing home. Thank goodness he's getting out some, it seems to make such a big differance in his outlook.
Fellow came yesterday and mowed and edged the yard. It's amazing that something so simple as edging/weed-eating makes such a difference...looks good!
Mother told me that in 2-6 weeks some of her furniture from the mountains will be arriving. A bedroom set for the guest room and a dining table, 6 chairs and a corner hutch for the dining room, which at this very moment is stacked window sill high with boxes.
The second small bedroom is a total jumble of boxes, bags, books and totally unidentifiable things. In order to get it usuable as my work room I'm going to have to empty it and then refill it. Oh joy!
Most of the rest of the house is in fairly good shape. There are still several boxes of kitchen stuff to unpack, it's just that I hate ladders so much and the only space left for kitchen storage requires a ladder to access. I know I'll figure it out eventually but it sure would be nice if it were alrealy done.
Talked with Mike on Sunday and on Wednesday. He's so improved, yet still needs his wheel chair and some assistance. He was excited about an outting to Walmart that he went on with a group from the nursing home. Thank goodness he's getting out some, it seems to make such a big differance in his outlook.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
