Each day gets worse. How long before I'm forced to use a wheelchair?

I apologize for not keeping up better with this blog. What has happened to me has been a very humbling experience. I am so used to being self-sufficient, going and doing what I wanted, etc. and now since this arthritis and whatever else has hit, I can't drive, I use a walker full-time, and if my sister didn't live with me, I wouldn't be able to manage at all. It is a very sobering thing.

New Cell Phones ordered

We went to church this morning for the hanging of the greens - decorating the church for Christmas. I wasn't able to help much except to show support and encouragement to the workers, but they decorated it very nicely.

I went online today and ordered new cell phones for both of us. Both of our 2-year contracts had expired some time ago. They should be delivered in a couple of days. We both will have the same kind of phone this time.

I went to the imaging center and had the ultrasound test on my feet and legs this afternoon. The technician told me that I do not have a blood clot, but doesn't know what is causing the swelling.

The city picked up the brush on our street today.

I have an appointment to go to the hospital tomorrow evening and have an ultrasound Doppler test done on my foot. I sure hope they can get this straightened out soon.

It is pretty cold this morning - 48 right now, but it was colder than that when I got up.

The ladies who play bunco met this afternoon. There was a pretty good group of them.

Sis usually plays with them.

A shopper who brandished a handgun during a Black Friday scuffle at South Park Mall was within his rights, according to San Antonio police.

Officers were dispatched to the mall's Sears store about 9 p.m. Thursday in response to a call about a shooting, according to an incident report. When they arrived, they detained Jose Alonzo Salame, 33, who was holding a black 9 mm semi-automatic handgun with a black holster.

"We don't see this very often," Officer Matthew Porter said, adding that Salame did not break the law by displaying the weapon. "He was within his rights."

Police confiscated the gun, which was loaded and had one round in a chamber, the report says.

Salame reportedly showed proof that he had a concealed handgun license, and he told officers that he pulled the gun out to defend himself because he was punched in the face by Alejandro Alex, 35. Salame, who did not fire the weapon, said he feared further injury by Alex.

The store had opened its doors to Black Friday shoppers about an hour before the incident, which occurred as crowds packed into the store.

Witnesses reportedly told police that Salme had behaved rudely that morning and had provoked the situation before pulling the handgun and pointing it at Alex, though San Antonio Police Sgt. Rob Carey said at the scene of the incident that he had actually pointed it at the ground.

Roger Rivera, who was shopping in the Sears, said Salame was punched then pulled a gun. Everyone scattered, "tumbling over things, dropping boxes," Rivera said. The man who was trying to cut in line ran and hid behind a refrigerator before he fled the store.
"It kind of went a little crazy in there," Carey said.

Rivera told his kids to get down. While everyone was panicking, the man with the gun stood there, he said, and looked around, lowering the weapon.

For about 10 minutes, the shopping stopped, said Rivera, and his wife Teresa, who was also in Sears but in another part of the store. She raised concerns about whether Sears had enough security, noting that she only saw men at the store wearing "Security" vests.

Salame was released from police custody and asked to leave the store with the rest of his family. A manager gave him a store voucher, the report says.

"We're glad the incident was resolved peacefully," said Sears spokeswoman Kim Freely. "The safety of our customers and associates are our No. 1 priority."

aley@express-news.net


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Black-Friday-not-entirely-peace-4060598.php#ixzz2D5QT5xh2

Every day I seem to get a little weaker. I switched from using a cane a couple of days ago to using a walker and even with that it is easy to lose my balance.

We had a good Thanksgiving meal. Sis fixed turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn, asparagus, cranberry salad, homemade yeast rolls and homemade mincemeat pie. It was all so good, and of course there are lots of leftovers.

I took off work a couple hours early yesterday and went to the hospital to have the x-rays. It's a good thing I did, because they were very crowded and I had to wait for over an hour. They gave me a chest x-ray and then x-rayed my right foot.

This morning I fell in the copy room at work. I think I just turned a little too fast and lost my balance, but I couldn't stop myself from falling. I will probably have some bruises, but I didn't break anything. I'm not writing all these things to complain, but instead to document them. I think very few people read this blog anyway. So it is more of a personal journal than anything else, although anyone is welcome to read it.

Sis has been driving me to work, as I can't do it lately, and she spends a lot of time here at the office with me. She didn't happen to be here when I fell, but as soon as she found out about it, she came right over.
LATER
Sis just made a batch of homemade yeast rolls and that sure makes the house smell wonderful. We plan to have turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, corn, asparagus, and homemade mincemeat pie, as well as the homemade yeast rolls.

The weather was warm today but the forecast is for a change over the next couple of days.

I had to switch from using a cane to a walker today. Too many falls. I sure hope this isn't permanent.

I went to the doctor this morning. He is sending me for chest and foot x-rays among other things, and he gave me another prescription. They gave me my flu shot too.

Sis went and picked up my prescriptions after work. I was too tired and in too much pain to go take the x-rays this afternoon, but I plan to do that after I get off work tomorrow.

Sis weighed the kittens this evening. Callie is the smallest and she weighs 6.8 pounds. The other three are in the 8 to 9-lb range. Buffy is the largest and he is not quite 10 pounds.

They are about 7 months old now. I wonder when they will be considered full grown - and how big they will end up being.

Today was a beautiful fall day. We had a meeting at church to discuss the possible unification of two churches. I didn’t stay for the whole meeting because my right foot and leg are swelling so much. Sis took me and stayed in the office while I was in the meeting. I don’t know how long it lasted, but after an hour and a half, I went back to the office and we went on home.

I will have to call the doctor Monday and see if he can check it and see if anything can be done, because the pain and swelling doesn’t go away. The x-rays a few months ago just showed arthritis.

The man from Sis’s church who does our lawn came and trimmed a lot of brushy undergrowth away for us today. We’ve gotten notice that our semiannual brush pickup will be soon, so this was a good time to have him do it and pile it at the curb for the city trucks to take away.

I've been having a lot of bad days lately and today is another of them. The x-rays show arthritis in my right leg, ankle and foot. Nothing seems to help and my foot and part of my leg are swollen. I can hardly walk, even with a cane. I'll have to call the doctor again Monday and see if he can do anything.

I've been going back and forth from bed to chair to walking the floor and back again. The prescription pain pills only help a little bit. I've rubbed Aspercreme up and down with only mild results.

All my life I have been pretty healthy, so this has really hit me hard.

I got my hair done at the beauty shop this afternoon. Don't think I could have done it myself.

There is a meeting at church tomorrow morning that I am supposed to attend, but I'll have to feel a lot better than I do tonight or I won't be able to sit through it.

This week has been much colder. We've had the heat on most of the time.

The area around where I work is pretty good in the daytime, but evidently it is a bit rough at night. Early yesterday morning, someone flagged down a police officer and pointed out a man slumped against a building - which happened to be the back of our building. The man was dead. The police were out there for hours gathering evidence. The last I heard, they hadn't identified him or figured out the exact cause of death.
It was quite shocking as we hadn't had that kind of thing happen here before. All is quiet again today.

Sis got called to work for the temp agency this morning. She hasn't worked for them for close to two years. The job is on the other side of town. I hope she doesn't have too much trouble finding it.

I got very little sleep last night and really felt bad this morning as a result. So I lay down about 7 and slept a couple hours. I feel a good bit better now. I will probably take a couple more naps today.

It has been a warm day here in San Antonio - 82 degrees the last I heard. But it is expected to be much cooler for the next two or three days.

I don't have to go to work tomorrow. Today the two churches who are closest together (about 7 or 8 blocks apart), met after church for a potluck meal and to discuss the possible joining together at that church, perhaps with a new name. They feel that that building is less expensive to maintain. There are strong feelings about it. Some of the people at the church where I go don't want to go over there and say they will go to another church closer to their homes if this happens.

I don't have any strong feelings about it - especially as they want me to go over there and still be secretary. I do want to continue working as long as possible.

We are to meet again next Saturday at our church (both congregations) to continue the discussion.

My arthritis is still bothering me. I wish that would let up. I have to be so careful as it causes my right foot to swell and tends to throw me off balance. I took a tumble in the office this morning, but fortunately didn't hurt myself. Another lady started to fall in the sanctuary when people were "passing the peace", walking around shaking hands. Someone happened to be close and caught her in time to keep her from falling, as she surely would have. She has a balance problem and poor vision too. I didn't get out in the aisle but just stayed in my pew and shook hands with anyone who came past.

I got my hair done this afternoon.

Sis made a banana cake. It turned out good.

My foot and ankle have been so swelled today. I took a nap with it elevated, but I just got up and it is still swelled.

I am really sleepy, but it is almost time to take my medicine, so I will stay up a little longer.

It was fairly quiet at work today. We are having our book sale again and several people stopped by for that.

The ladies from the art group were there all morning too.

I hadn't slept last night, so I was barely able to stay awake. I took a little nap when I got home.

Meals on Wheels

Jack Elder loads insulated carriers into the small trailer he pulls with his bicycle to deliver lunches for Meals on Wheels.
Photo: Helen L. Montoya, San Antonio Express-News / ©SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS

Every Monday morning, Esther Carranza waits patiently in her East Side home, listening for the voice of a friend bearing lunch and a kind word.

Shortly before noon, Jack Elder arrives by bike at her house, which is near Poe Middle School where he once taught math. From a trailer hitched to his bike he removes an insulated bag containing a diabetic meal of Salisbury steak, with low-sodium gravy, mashed potatoes, seasoned spinach, a dinner roll, a fresh pear and a container of 1-percent milk. He carries the meal to the porch, where Carranza, who has an eye condition and can only see shadows, awaits.

“Good to see you,” he says. “You doing OK?”

“Not so good,” she says, edging her walker to a sidewalk ramp. “My knees, it's the cartilage; I've been putting on ointments.”

Elder takes her lunch to the kitchen, passing a wall of sepia-toned photos of soldiers bearing decades-old smiles.

Elder is one of 3,000 Meals on Wheels volunteers who deliver meals across the city to those in need. The meals program, sponsored by Christian Senior Services, delivered 890,000 meals last year to homebound seniors.

Unlike his counterparts, Elder doesn't use a car or truck to make his deliveries. Instead, he rides a 14-gear, hybrid bicycle, pulling a plywood trailer painted with his statement about what he's doing to help the environment: “1 - car” it reads, a nod to one less car on the road.

Elder, 69, says helping out in the neighborhood where he used to work is a great fit.

“It's a good feeling,” he says. “I get to contribute a little bit now that I'm retired.”

Biking has been his lifestyle since 1976. Later it became a necessity when his Volkswagen van was in the repair shop for a year.

“It just seemed like a natural extension to keep on riding,” Elder says.

He's logged many miles on his bikes over the years, cycling to and from St. Gerard High School and along Commerce Street to Our Lady of the Lake University where he studied for his teaching certificate.

“Given the world we live in, it's just an elegant way to get around,” he says. “When I see people riding a bike, it's totally a good day.”

His delivery day starts at 10:30 a.m. when he locks his bike to a rail outside of the Highland Terrace United Methodist Church off Steves Avenue and picks up the prepared lunches packed in insulated bags. After loading his trailer, he delivers the meals to seven seniors living in surrounding neighborhoods.

Volunteers like Elder not only deliver meals, they also build relationships, says Christian Senior Services spokesman Jerry Arellano.

“It really helps, from a social interaction standpoint, combat loneliness among these seniors, so they don't feel depressed or as isolated,” Arellano says. “It's a very rewarding experience with tangible results.”

The meals program Elder delivers for is called Corredor de Esperanze. It is supported by five United Methodist churches in the New Braunfels Avenue area. Arellano says the Southeast and East Sides where a lot of seniors live is underserved, and could use more volunteers to deliver meals between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. each week day.

After making several stops near the church, Elder heads North on Gevers Street, and crosses under Interstate 10 to Carranza's shaded street. A dog jumps and barks behind metal gates as he takes meals to two of her neighbors. Carranza waits and listens for his knock on the door.

For information on volunteering with Meals on Wheels call 210-735-5115 or go to Christianseniorservices.org to fill out an online application.



vtdavis@express-news.net


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/article/Meals-come-on-two-wheels-4010304.php#ixzz2BWC90U7s

I stopped and voted on the way home from work this afternoon. Fortunately the lines weren't long as I am using my cane again and didn't look forward to leaning on it for a long period of time.

I took a nap after I got home and feel a good bit better right now. Sis fixed pancakes for supper.

Barak Obama was re-elected to the presidency for four more years.

We had our annual church charge conference at one of the Corredor churches yesterday afternoon. Eight churches sent representatives and after a worship service conducted by the district superintendent, they separated into different rooms in the church to conduct their individual business meetings. I made it through the worship service which was quite long - almost an hour and a half - but my foot and ankle were really aching and I left at the end of it and went home. One of the members who stayed updated me this morning and brought me copies of the reports.

Today was a beautiful day and it got up in the 80's. Tomorrow is expected to only get into the 70's, but I surely am not complaining. So much of the country is experiencing such terrible weather right now.

Whoops - Sis just informed me that we have buttered pecan ice cream - my very favorite.

More pix of the cats and of a church festival

The kittens all like to eat together out of a piepan on the floor. Calvin eats out of another one on the bar stool.

For some reason, Calvin's tongue looks bright red in these pictures and the other coloring doesn't seem natural either.

The rest of these pictures were taken at a church festival that my sister helped at this morning. Looks like they were having a lot of fun.

I did get a couple naps today to help make up for getting almost no sleep last night.

After I got off work at noon, I came home and took a nap, then went to the beauty shop and got my hair done.

I got the car filled with gas this afternoon. It has gone down somewhat and was $3.26.9 per gallon today.

Then Sis and I went to Wal-Mart and I picked up my prescription which I had called in yesterday.

We stopped at IHOP for supper. I had grilled chicken strips on a big salad. It was delicious.

Lots of pain tonight. I can't sit or lie still. Walking the floor. I spent part of the time knitting, which kind of took my mind off the severe pain. Toward morning I did get about an hour's sleep in the recliner.

For the past several years, the church I attend has had what they call "Trick or Trunk" on Halloween night. Members bring their cars, park them in the parking lot, and provide candy to trick-or-treaters out of the open trunks of their cars.

This link is to a u-tube video of the fall festival and pumpkin patch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c91JgZUKcw&feature=youtu.be

I felt pretty good all day. The pain is back tonight though.

Sis took my car and got the annual safety inspection this morning. One of the headlights was out, which I hadn't realized because I don't drive at night very often. So after that was replaced, the car passed the safety inspection.

Sis made a loaf of bread in the bread machine this afternoon. I love warm freshly baked bread.

I didn't sleep more than 2 hours total last night. Then at church I was in a lot of pain and could hardly sit still. When the service was over and I was heading back out of the sanctuary, I nearly fell. My right ankle was aching so badly that I could hardly drive home.

We didn't go out to eat, but reheated the leftovers from the turkey dinners we bought at the Lutheran church fundraiser and finished that.

I tried to get some sleep this afternoon and did sleep a little bit, but then a former neighbor called and chatted for awhile. Later, our two brothers called from VA and talked for awhile too. By that time I was wide awake again and haven't slept since.

I hope tonight doesn't turn out the same as last night.

It cooled off quite a lot overnight and is expected to get even colder tonight and tomorrow.



It was really raining hard when I got off work at noon today. Naturally I didn’t have an umbrella with me, so I made an emergency rain cap out of a trash bag liner. I believe we got about two inches of rain.



Sis had an appointment to have an MRI/brain scan at the hospital this afternoon so I went along with her. She said that was quite an experience – one she hopes not to have to repeat. She's had a couple of mini strokes in recent months and the doctor sent her to have this test.



We stopped at a fundraiser supper on the way home and had spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, and bread sticks. She had been fasting for the MRI, so was quite ready for a good meal by that time.



Then we came home, put on a pot of coffee and had peach pie with it.

I've tried lying down two or three times since we got home, but my arthritis is bothering me so much that I can't lie still. Icy Hot or Aspercreme helps a little bit, but pain pills sure don't.

Pumpkin Patch Pix

child in a bumble bee outfit. So cute.

A nearby church had their annual Thanksgiving fundraiser dinner today so Sis went over and picked up two take out meals for us. My arthritis has been bothering me more today and I got only two hours sleep last night so when I got home from work this afternoon I went right to bed and slept for a few hours. Of course that may cause a vicious circle of little sleep again tonight. But I've got to get sleep when I can.

It is 84 degrees here right now. What is really amazing is that I just saw a picture posted on Facebook of a friend's home in Washington state - with snow covering the ground around the home.

I didn't get much sleep last night so when I got home from this work this afternoon I was really tired. I went right to bed and slept for nearly 3 hours - skipping the early news, Jeopardy, and the 5 o'clock news. I must have been really sleep-deprived.

Sis is helping out at the pumpkin patch at a nearby church but should be home in about an hour.

Today was a beautiful but extremely warm day.

We had 36 people at church this morning. Unfortunately that is pretty much the norm lately. Our attendance has been rather low for awhile.

Sis was out of town all weekend on a mission trip, but she got home this evening.

I did a little shopping yesterday - got a new pair of shoes, some sunglasses and a few groceries, but my foot has been bothering me a lot, so I spent most of the day resting.

I got my hair done Friday and decided to try a weekly appointment again for awhile.

An update on the lady who fell at church last Sunday: She had a broken collarbone, had to have 8 stitches to close the wound in her head, and is wearing a sling because of pain from the collarbone. She didn't have to stay in the hospital though, and expects to be able to get out and about again in a couple of weeks.

We had a nice day today although a light rain is predicted for tonight.

Everyone having fun at the pumpkin patch this afternoon. Cindy and Dawn wearing owl caps that Sis crocheted.

More Pix

We ate lunch at Bill Miller BBQ this afternoon. I had a delicious BBQ brisket plate with beans, home fries, cole slaw, and iced tea.

Another prayer shawl made by Sis

Unloading pumpkins yesterday afternoon and setting up for the pumpkin sales at Epworth UMC.

One of the women at church fell this morning and we had to call an ambulance to take her to the hospital to be checked. She is an elderly lady with Parkinson's disease and she just lost her balance, but fell hard and hit her head, which was bleeding although not profusely.

We ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel restaurant, then went to Wal-Mart and did our weekly shopping.

When we left there, we went to a Lutheran church on that side of town that was having a fund-raiser dinner. We bought two dinners and brought home to have for supper. Each dinner had sausage, potatoes and green beans, sauerkraut, applesauce, and bread. It was quite good and generous portions of everything.

They were also having a rummage sale, so we looked through that and Sis found a few things to buy.

This afternoon we went to Epworth UMC to help unload pumpkins for their annual pumpkin sale.

Then we came home and I did my laundry.

The property tax bill came in today's mail, so I made out a check to pay that.

So far we haven't gotten the rain that was forecast for today.

I got 4 packages of Advantage II flea treatment for the kittens and put it on each of them.

Callie - sitting in my laptop computer case. The picture looks kind of dark because I don't have the ceiling light on and it is 6:30 p.m.

I worked until noon today, then went to the beauty shop and got my hair cut and set. That sure makes me feel better.

We went to Best Buy after work and I got a new ethernet cord for my computer. The kittens had chewed through the one I had and I was unable to get onto the internet.

Then we stopped at IHOP for supper.

My arthritis hasn't been bothering me much for a few days, but now my right foot is really giving me a lot of pain, day and night. I think the horrible bunions have caused problems with the nerves in that foot. I haven't been able to sleep tonight yet.

The office was closed today because of Columbus Day. Sis and I went to Bud Jones for breakfast, then to Wal-Mart and stopped at Goodwill on the way home. On the way back to the car, I tripped over a speed bump in front of the Goodwill store and fell. Sis and several people near immediately came to my aid and helped me get back up. It made me feel really bad to have fallen, but I am not as mobile lately and I would have had a very difficult time getting up without their assistance. I was very grateful. I went back and sat in the car while Sis stopped at another store in the same strip. I scraped my knee, but when we got home I swabbed it with peroxide and put some antibiotic ointment on it and an ice pack. It isn't sore now.

Sis holding Buffy.

More of the owl hats

We had a definite cool front come through last night. Today's high was only 58. It is normally 85. Another cool night is forecast, then it is expected to warm back up to more normal temperatures for this area.

We ate at Snoga's after church. I like their turkey dinner which is one of their regular Sunday specials.

That shelf tipped again this morning and another glass broke. I took everything off the shelf and examined it. One of the little "doo-hickeys" that holds the shelf up is broken. I'll have to see if I can get a friend to replace it. In the meantime, I'm leaving that shelf empty.

The Lions Club was having their annual breakfast at the Presbyterian church near us this morning, so we went and had a nice breakfast of pancakes, sausage, coffee and orange juice.

Then we stopped at the grocery and picked up a couple things we didn’t get at Wal-Mart yesterday.

I did my weekly laundry and some house cleaning and that was about all I could manage this morning so I took a little nap.

Sis fixed fried chicken livers and fried potatoes for lunch. We had mixed berries in vanilla pudding with it.

This afternoon we had a near catastrophe. I was standing on a 2-step stool, putting dishes on an upper shelf in the cupboard. I laid my hand on the middle shelf which was full of drinking glasses. It tipped and a bunch of glasses fell down onto the tile floor and shattered. I had no shoes on – just socks, so I yelled for Sis to bring me some shoes – and a broom. She had to sweep all around before I could even get down off the stool. Broken glass was everywhere – in the sink, all over the counter, stove, the steps of the stool, and down on the floor. It took a lot of cleaning and I’m not sure we didn’t miss some here and there. I don’t know how many glasses broke, but quite a few. I think we need to go back to using aluminum tumblers like the colored ones that were popular in the 1950’s.

The pickup was acting funny so Sis took it to the repair shop, but they couldn't find anything wrong with it. Every now and then it would quit on her at a stop sign and she would have to re-start it.

In the meantime, I picked her up there when I got off work at noon and we went to Bud Jones for lunch, then did our weekly shopping.

This evening we had our lawn mowed. After all the rain a few days ago, it had really grown (mostly weeds instead of grass though).

I've got an extra day off this weekend as the office will be closed Monday for Columbus Day.

Sis and I went to the Spirit Sisters meeting last night, but there was a mix-up and no one else showed up. We waited awhile, then came home. The leader of the group called later and apologized. She had to take her mother to the hospital for a checkup and got held up there much longer than expected.

Sis had an order for this owl hat, so she made it tonight.

We got a new copier at the office today. It is really nice and has a printer/scanner with it.

This is another hard-to-sleep night. Actually, I sleep, but wake up every little bit with the arthritis pains keeping me from laying still, so I get up until it wears off.

The kittens all come out to the computer room with me and lay around and keep me company. One is usually beside me on the desk as i'm typing. This time it is Louisa.

It was another long day. There was a funeral reception at church late this afternoon. We had expected the family to get there by 4 p.m. at the latest, but it was closer to 5. We had begun to wonder if anyone would show up at all and we had lots of food prepared and ready. They finally got there. The funeral had been held at a funeral home a few miles away at 2 p.m., then a graveside service at the cemetery.

I was the only one there who had the key and codes to lock up after it was all over, so by the time I got home it was about 6 p.m. I had been there since 7:30 this morning so needless to say I was pretty tired. I lay down for about an hour.

Callie and Louisa

Pictures of "owl caps" Sis has been making

We got an unexpected rainstorm this evening. I was at church for a late meeting. Several of us went ahead and left and came home before the meeting ended. Some of these meetings just go on and on and on.

I had been at church since 7:30 this morning and by the time I got home this evening, I was really wiped out. The rain was giving me a sinus headache. It has gone away now though.

Sis had supper ready. We had salads and later ice cream and cake. Sis had made a chocolate cake and it really turned out good.

I wonder if I'll get any sleep tonight. I didn't get much last night and I've been up and down several times already tonight. Now I'm getting a little idea of what Mother went through with her arthritis. But mine isn't as bad as hers was and I hope it never gets that bad.

Buffy was fine today so we didn't take him to the vet.

After church this morning we went to Luby's buffet for lunch. Then we went to the funeral home for the viewing of one of our church congregation. In the meantime I got a call that the mother of another of our congregation died this morning.

The weather was great today.

I napped this afternoon. I suppose that means I won't sleep again tonight.

We ended up getting 2 to 4 inches of rain throughout the city. It wasn't as much as predicted, but still was a lot for us.

One of the kittens - Buffy - is sick tonight. He has thrown up several times and now his throat is raw and irritated so that the phlegm he throws up is pink. I think our vet has started staying open for a few hours on Sunday so we will probably take him in tomorrow to be checked. The other kittens are okay and they all eat the same thing - just dry catfood.

We had a light rain yesterday evening, a good hard rain this evening, and 100% chance of a very heavy rain tomorrow. We could get 7 to 9 inches of rain according to the forecast.

After I got off work at noon, we went and did our weekly shopping a day early, then stopped at Bud Jones for a late lunch. That left us too full to want any supper.

We have enough food on hand now that we can go another week without shopping if necessary. But the rain is expected to move on out of the area after tomorrow.

Several baptisms are planned at church Sunday; a meeting on Monday evening; and a funeral and funeral reception on Tuesday.

It was pretty busy at work today. A monthly group met there this afternoon and were still there when I left.

I just had a cheese sandwich for supper tonight. It's about time to skip supper and maybe lose a few ounces.

My arthritis is bothering me a lot tonight and this may be another sleepless night. I've not had one of those for a few days.

Maybe I'll go read a little more in my book.

I just finished doing up the supper dishes. Sis made omelets and home fries for supper tonight. It was so good.

The bierocks she made yesterday were delicious too. We had some for supper last night and again for lunch today.

This is what Sis is making for supper tonight. I don't think she is making that large a recipe of it though, especially since there are just two of us to eat it.

This recipe is from the Taste of Home files.
This is an old German recipe handed down from generation to generation, using foods grown or raised on the family farm. I remember helping my grandmother make these when I could barely see over the kitchen table!—Ellen Batt, Hoisington, Kansas


Bierocks RecipePrep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 30 min.
Yield: 24 Servings

Ingredients
•DOUGH:
•10 to 11 cups all-purpose flour, divided
•1 package (1/4-ounce) active dry yeast
•1/2 cup sugar
•2 teaspoons salt
•2-1/2 cups water
•1 cup milk
•1/2 cup butter, cubed
•2 eggs
•FILLING:
•2 pounds ground beef
•1 large onion, chopped
•2 teaspoons salt
•1 teaspoon ground white pepper
•2 pounds shredded cabbage, cooked and drained

Directions
•For dough, in a large bowl, combine 4 cups of flour, yeast, sugar and salt; mix well and set aside.
• In a saucepan, heat water, milk and butter just until butter melts. Remove from heat and cool to 120°-130°. Combine with flour mixture; add eggs. Using an electric mixer, blend at low speed until moistened then beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. By hand, gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a firm dough.
• Knead on a floured surface about 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch dough down; let rise again until almost doubled.
• Meanwhile, for the filling, brown beef with onion, salt and pepper; drain. Mix together with cabbage; set aside. Divide the dough into fourths. Roll each piece into a 15-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Cut into 5-inch squares. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup filling onto each square. Bring the four corners up over the filling; pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Place on greased baking sheets.
• Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until brown. Yield: 24 servings.

We had a few extra faces at church this morning. That was nice.

We ate lunch at home today: Gorton's fish filets, asparagus stir-fry, and garlic bread. Really tasted good.

I didn't sleep last night, so I took a nap after lunch.

After a couple of naps this afternoon I feel much better and less achy. I had the rest of the fish in a sandwich for supper with some sliced fresh fruit (strawberries, peaches, plums).

I've started on Book 2 of The Cat Who Series: The Cat Who Ate Danish Modern.

I talked to my friend, Edna this afternoon. She just had her 90th birthday last Friday.

Sis took this picture of Calvin and Callie sitting in a rocking chair the other day.

It is warm here and very humid, but no rain. It's hard to imagine fall is officially here. We will still have plenty of hot summer-like weather, but I think the 100-degree days are probably over.

We went to Burger King for breakfast this morning and used a coupon that had come in a booklet in the mail. For $5.99 plus tax, we got two sausage croissanwiches, two small hash browns and two small coffees. It was really good and at that hour (about 8:00 a.m.), the restaurant wasn't busy at all. We sat there and enjoyed our breakfast, then went to Walgreens and Wal-Mart and finished our shopping.

Then back home. I cleaned the cats litter box - with that many, we usually clean it two or three times a day. They are full of energy this morning - racing back and forth, chasing each other. I wish I had that much energy. LOL

For lunch we went down the street to Snoga's and I had beef tips with rice, carrots, fruit salad, whole wheat bread, and water to drink. Sis had smoked sausage, and a couple different side dishes. It was only $11.72 for both of us. Let's face it, for two people, it's just about as inexpensive to eat many of our meals out. We go to the smaller, family-friendly restaurants most of the time. We can get what suits each of us, not worry about using up leftovers before they spoil, and best of all, not have to shop for all of the ingredients, cook, do all the dishes and clean up. So especially on weekends, we eat out often.

Friday morning - 5:30 a.m.: I did get several hours sleep last night. Hurray!
Friday evening - I worked until noon. Sis delivered lunches today for Meals on Wheels. Then we came home and had sandwiches for lunch. This evening she fixed pancakes and eggs for supper.

I have been walking the floor and just being able to sit and write for a few minutes here and there. My leg muscles (right leg) feel like they are contracting and I can't lie or sit still for very long. I didn't get any sleep at all last night, but have slept a little bit here and there tonight.

The above was written during the night last night. Today wasn't quite as bad.

After I got off work this afternoon we went and got the pickup filled with gas, did some shopping at Office Depot, ate supper at Luby's, and went to Wal-Mart. Our prayer shawl knitting group was cancelled tonight, as we all had conflicts. One lady nearly had a fire at her home last night. She woke to see the lights in the house flashing on and off and a strange smell. Her son ran out and turned off the breaker box. They called the fire department and found that the breaker box was old and hadn't been installed right in the first place. It will need to be replaced. So she has been contacting an electrician. Another lady's vehicle broke down. Next week we won't have the group meeting either, as two of the four ladies will be out of town. So we'll take a break and maybe get back to it in two weeks.


Now I'm ready to try for some more sleep, but I guess I'll probably be up and down again tonight.

Sure enough - I lay down for a few minutes, but the pains started and I couldn't lie still, so I got up again, watched the late news, read some in the Bible, and got back on the computer. The pains have eased off now, but as sure as I lie back down, they'll soon start up again. I'll wait a little while, then give it another try. I'm not sleepy right now anyway.

I ordered the 2012 update to my Quicken software a couple of days ago and it arrived today - much quicker than I had expected. So I installed it and registered it and it is ready to use.

The night before last I didn't sleep all night - due to arthritis pain (and perhaps all that napping I did on Sunday afternoon), but last night was much better and I woke up feeling much better.

The rain has moved out of the area, but it is still much cooler than last week.

It has rained all day today. We really needed that. We didn't go out to lunch after church, but heated up leftovers instead and napped most of the afternoon.

I've started re-reading the Cat Who books and am starting over from the beginning with The Cat Who Could Read Backwards. Just as interesting as the last time I read it.

We are getting rain right now. That is so welcome. It is expected to rain quite a bit over the rest of the weekend. The kittens all got up in the window in the computer room and looked out to watch it rain.

I had been in bed but couldn't sleep and with the arthritis, couldn't lie still either. So here I am on the computer.

We went to our prayer shawl knitting/crocheting group meeting earlier this evening.

After I got off work this afternoon we had some errands to run. Afterward we stopped at a Mexican restaurant for supper. I ordered green chicken enchiladas with avocado salad. The "green" was tomatillo sauce over the three chicken enchiladas. I had never tried that kind of sauce before. It was kind of pickly tasting - not bad, but a little goes a long way. I probably won't order it again. The chicken enchiladas were very good though.

This has been “one of those days”. A man and woman came in to the church a little while ago, wanting money for gas. The pastor wasn’t here and I explained that we don’t keep money on hand, but gave him a number to call the pastor. The man did all the talking and got quite confrontational. He kept arguing, challenging everything I said, and making comments that I was treating him badly because of his race.

I asked him to leave, but he wouldn’t. So I called the nurse who was in her office at the other end of the hall. Her husband was there with her. She came down to talk to him and he treated her the same way. So she started to dial the police on her cell phone and I called back down to her office and asked her husband to come to the office. The man finally decided to leave and we locked the door behind him.

Things like that don’t happen very often, but it is a little unnerving when they do.

Today is another hot day. It started out about 60 degrees, but is expected to get up to 93.

Some of the prayer shawls made by our Spirit Sisters group

And life goes merrily on. . .just when I thought everything was falling into place again, I have plumbing problems in my bathroom and will need to call the plumber.
Later: The plumber came out this morning and fixed the problem fairly quickly.

We ate lunch at a seafood restaurant today. This evening I made a loaf of wheat bread in the bread machine. It just got done a few minutes ago and we each had a slice while it was still warm. Delicious!

I wish I could have taken a video picture of Callie just now. I was playing spider solitaire on the computer and she was watching the cursor move, fascinated. She followed it with her paw, trying to catch it. After I switched to Yahtzee, she kept watching and touching anything that moved. Buffy likes to watch TV.

The uverse technician got our TV working again in about 5 minutes. So things have been looking great this weekend.

We went to a spaghetti supper at one of the churches last night. The sauce was a little different than usual. It had fresh tomatoes, peppers, and vegetables in it, but no canned tomato sauce. It was good. Salad and french bread were served with it and trays and trays of homemade cupcakes. It was very good. We knew most of the people who came to it and enjoyed it all.

We had a cool front come through last night. Right now, 7:22 a.m., it has dropped to 68 degrees.

The pictures of the kittens, below, were taken yesterday evening.

Sis's computer had a couple of viruses that were causing it to not work, so we called Computer Nerdz and a technician came out and worked for about an hour and got it all cleaned out and working fine. He also installed an anti-malware program to try and keep this from happening again. He was so professional, courteous and explained everything as he went. I would recommend this company highly.

This afternoon we are expecting the AT&T uverse technician to come check the TV. They tried to troubleshoot it over the phone yesterday, but eventually decided they would have to send someone out to do it.

We ate breakfast at Cracker Barrel Restaurant this morning, then did our weekly shopping at Wal-Mart.

Our next-door neighbors are having a garage sale today. We walked over, but they just have children's clothing, toys, etc. - nothing that we need.

New Pix of the Kittens

Louisa, sleeping in a basket

Calvin is on the left under the recliner. Buffy is getting to look more and more like him. Calvin gets along well with the kittens now.

Callie, trying to get up in the basket with Louisa. She ended up pulling the whole basket off on the floor.

Blackie and Calvin checking out Sis's bags of yarn and craft items - and making a pretty good mess of everything in the process.

Buffy

Yesterday was a LONG day. I got to work around 7:30 a.m. and didn't leave until 12 hours later. My normal work day ends at 3 p.m., but we had a meeting starting at 4 p.m., so I stayed for that. Then another meeting started at 6:00 p.m. So by the time I finally got home, I was totally wiped out. I soon went to bed, but shouldn't have bothered. My arthritis started kicking in and I was up and down for several hours before I finally took a couple pain pills. They finally worked and I got maybe three or four hours sleep. Well, I only work until noon today, thank goodness!

We took the kittens downtown to the spay center this morning and went back and picked them up at 3 p.m. They act like they are still under the effects of the anesthesia or something. They are supposed to be kept kind of quiet for a few days but they are all hyped up like they are on joy juice or something. We had to separate them to keep them from wrestling each other and racing all over the house.

The tree service finished pouring the cement to repair the cracks in the driveway. We aren't supposed to drive over it for a week to give it time to set good.

It seems like everything happens in bunches. The TV is acting up. We have u-verse. I called the service number and all I get is recorded messages telling me what to do to reboot it. Well, I did and it didn’t help. I would like to talk to a live person so I could explain just what it is doing and ask questions, but all I get is these robotic-sounding recordings.

Sis's computer is acting up. It acts like it has one of those viruses that has taken over and tries to force you to buy their product to cure it. I think I will call a computer company to come out and look at it here at the house.


Then my arthritis is bothering me so bad again this evening and nothing seems to help. All in all, it is a totally frustrating day. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.

I got a little behind in posting here. The tree service company came out yesterday and inspected the damage they had done to the driveway while cutting down the tree a few weeks ago. They decided they need to replace two blocks of the concrete, so today they brought 10 bags of cement and stacked them there and started cutting the damaged concrete out. Well - it got up to 100 degrees this afternoon and they nearly did themselves in with all that hard work. They finally quit around 5 p.m. and decided they would come earlier tomorrow morning and work before it gets quite that hot. There were only two men doing all that and it sure was hard work. They aren't young men either.

We have an appointment to take the kittens to the spay facility tomorrow morning to be neutered and/or spayed. There are two males and two females. Then we will go back and pick them up a few hours later. So right now they aren't supposed to have any food or water for twelve hours. They evidently aren't hungry or thirsty yet, because they are racing all over the house playing and having a great time. They won't be that active tomorrow night. We'll have to keep them separated and quiet for a few days. That probably won't be so easy.

We had fish filets for supper tonight with corn, harvard beets, and salad. Then for dessert we had sliced fresh peaches and a scoop of butter pecan ice cream.

The kittens are scheduled to go in for neutering/spaying next Wednesday.

After church today we came home and had spaghetti and salad. For dessert, Sis made a cinnamon roll crust apple pie and we had some with ice cream. It was delicious.

It is 93 degrees outside and feels like an oven out there. I brought the kittens inside to play until it cools off. They are having great fun. Blackie showed them his basket of toys and they are having a good time.

We ate breakfast at the usual little restaurant this morning, then went to Wal-Mart and did some shopping. We were able to get through before it got too crowded.

This afternoon I caught up on my laundry and did some cleaning.

Sis fixed macaroni and cheese for supper and we had Harvard beets, green beans and corn with it.

Now with the dishes done and the kitchen cleaned up, I feel like it has been a pretty productive day.

I took these pictures of the three kittens who stay outside on the screened porch with my cell phone camera. The other little black one stays inside with Calvin. I haven't taken a picture of him yet.

Callie

Buffy

Buffy looks like a smaller version of Calvin. They have the same coloring.

Louisa

We used to call Louisa "Runty", but she got over that so we renamed her. She is long-haired and fluffy.

The wood was picked up out of the yard this morning. Yaay!

After I got off work at noon, Sis and I went to Pizza Hut for their lunch buffet.

A friend came over this afternoon to measure our screened porch. The kittens have climbed up and down the screen and torn parts of it, so we need to get much heavier screen put on it. He will check prices at a couple of building supply stores for us.

I just cleaned the ceiling fan blades in my bedroom...a job that should have been done long before now. What a mess of dust I got down! Then I had to run the vacuum cleaner to get it all cleaned up. Then I had to lie down and rest a few minutes. I'm all in, but it looks much better.

One of our brothers called this morning and said they got home about 1:30 a.m. I'm sure they were very tired.

We are still using up leftovers from when they were here. Haven't had to cook a meal yet as trying to get the leftovers used up before they get too old.

I called the tree service company again today and they said they will come first thing in the morning and take away those chunks of wood they left in the yard. We will see.

Our brothers left Tuesday morning to go back home. They should have gotten home late tonight and will probably call in the morning to let us know they are there.

It hasn't been quite as hot this week. I didn't stay up until the news was over, so I didn't hear the weather forecast. But now my arthritis is bothering me and I am up again. When it gets like that, I just can't lie still. It seems to bother me most at night, so I spend a lot of time up and down, reading or on the computer.

Pictures taken during our brothers' visit

Pictures of us and our brothers taken in our front yard and in the parlor of the church where I work.