Lazy Day...At Least for Me

Now this blog title doesn't refer to Woody at all. He got up and walked eight miles. A bit later he did his weekly WalMart shopping. Then after he came home and put the groceries away, he went to the library, visited at the hospital, and stopped at the fruit and veggie market for tomatoes. He has been in and out weeding and mulching. And, he is in the process of making homemade vegetable broth. The smell of the simmering broth is quite enticing! On top of all these things that he has done he continues to wait on me...he does a good job of feeding and watering me! I have tried to be real good today and keep my foot up as much as possible and not do much. I actually have one ankle again on the affected leg...and the other is coming closer to being an ankle again. It is definitely getting much better, but still not completely well...but by staying off of it I think that I have helped it a lot...so today I have dozed, read, dozed, watched a little TV on my iPad, dozed, read...I think you get the picture!

End of the Day...

It has been a long day for me...I woke up early...did doze a bit off and on till it was really time to be awake. I had an eye appointment at 9:30 that lasted 2 1/2 hours...a long time. Woody went with me as I still can't drive...plus I was getting my eyes dilated and probably shouldn't have driven anyway. My eyes are fine...but they have changed some so I am planning to get new glasses. I haven't had new ones in a long time. I did take the walker and did use it, but was feeling that my foot was much better when I got home. But as the day wore on, it start e hurting again...so am sticking to my recliner this evening...reason for no photo...am using my iPad and can't add pictures using this Google blog. Woody managed to get in some weeding and mulching and then walked four miles this evening. He just got back. Graham is back from Space Camp. Sounds like he had a wonderful time!

Rollin' Along

Woody went out for a walk early this morning...before I woke up...well, not before I woke up at 2am...but he headed out sometime after I fell back to sleep...before 6am when I awakened next. I figure that he walked more than four miles...so I will call it six. He's next door grandkid sitting so I can't ask him...and even if he was home it would be hard to get a message to him...pretty much have to wait till he comes upstairs. I am still a bit crippled up...the swelling in my foot was much better this morning and I would say for half the day, but as the day wore on the swelling came back...not quite as bad as it was yesterday, but still swollen. The pain has definitely lessened. And, today I am rollin' along using a walker with wheels. Donna brought over a walker that her husband was no longer using and it has definitely helped me get around. I am still confining myself to the upstairs...haven't been downstairs since Tuesday morning. I did manage to do a "little" sewing today...moved two buttons on Joseph's overall straps. So can say that I accomplished something today other than napping! I did sort my laundry and Woody took it downstairs to get them going in the washer. When he comes back I need to remind him to put them in the drier or I won't have anything to wear tomorrow when I hobble out the door to go for an eye appointment. I'm not sure what Woody has or hasn't done yard-wise today...but I have heard him go out and then in the door several times today...so I figure that he has done some weeding/mulching. Hard to keep up with what is going on when I am ensconsed in my recliner most of my waking hours! Elijah came over and he "carried" several messages down to Goosey (Woody) from me and then he brought back Goosey's answers! Thanks, Elijah! He was over because he wanted to start making a list of things that he wants for his birthday! So the list has been started and he can keep adding to it for another month plus a few days "if" he thinks of something else. He has added to it twice today. Oh, the fun of being a rising six-year-old!

Another Slow Moving Day

Well, it was another slow moving day for me...my foot is still bothering me LOTS. I have come to the conclusion that it is gout...and it is no fun. I had had a bout earlier in the year in my other foot. This flareup is a bit different...but still hits into some of the classic symptoms. I have stayed in my recliner with my foot up except when I had to get up to go to the bathroom. We have rigged up a way for me to navigate to the bathroom (and into the sewing room where I am now to blog). I did do some church library work from my chair...made another order of books. Donna held down the fort at the library all by herself today. Woody made a trail in between chairs that I could hold onto to get from place to place. Then later he had the good idea to use the rolling office/sewing chair and that has been a big help. I "wheeled" myself in here and will "wheel" myself back when I finish blogging. I have mainly read and watched a couple of TV shows on my iPad and napped. Woody did his Krogering after checking on my needs. He has phoned in our prescriptions. He has made breakfast, lunch and dinner and brought my meals up to me. He did walk four miles this morning besides his nursing duties!

Slow Movin' Tuesday

At least it is slow movin' for me...as I a bum foot and I am just limpin' along (if I am not in my chair). I have no idea what I have done or if I have done anything. This seems to happen periodically and it usually quits hurting in a few days...guess...time will tell! This morning I did venture out to go to breakfast with friends...Woody drove me and one of my friends brought me home. The rest of the day I have pretty much stayed in my chair. I got up a few minutes ago and decided that while I was up I would come in and blog (and change the black ink in the printer...a task that Woody gave me for when came in to blog...that task is completed so he will be able to print out his crossword puzzles tomorrow. Woody helped me out and finished the vacuuming that I had started over the weekend by vacuuming the family room. He baked a loaf of banana bread while I was away this morning. And, he has worked in the yard some...good day for weeding since we got quite a bit of rain yesterday and have gotten a little more this afternoon...at least I think I heard it when I was taking a nap this afternoon...good napping weather...I even "think" that I heard Woody actually admit that he thought that he was napping when it rained this afternoon...normally he claims to not to sleep during the day...though at times I hear a bit of snoring coming from his chair. Woody left a while ago to walk to the prayer room at church and hasn't yet returned. He brought me up some supper and refilled my water glass before he left...so I am being well attended to...nice that we have leftovers from our Memorial Day feast yesterday...easy on both of us. Now I will hobble back into the bedroom and head to my recliner and get my foot propped back up. I'm glad that I have two good books to keep me occupied. I keep thinking that this would be a good time to bring out a needlework project...but so far that is just in my thoughts...and, if I do decide to do a bit, there is a project right within my reach.

Memorial Day 2015

Today has seemed like Saturday to me...the rest of the week will probably feel "off" to me! Woody walked...I think four niles...haven't asked him today...but I do know that he walked six miles yesterday. He has done a lot of weeding and mulching today also. This evening we took the food...they provided the table and dishes and condiments...oh, yes, and a surprise cherry cobbler made from the cherries from one of their trees. Yummy...good cook, Abigail! Nathan cooked the hamburgers on their grill. We had several salads, chips, baked beans, corn on the cob, a guacamoli dip, watermelon,etc. We all ate more than our fill! Here's our Memorial Day picture minus me, of course, and Graham. Graham is at Space Camp in Huntsville this week. We're hoping that he is having a grand time learning all about robotics and the space program.

My last words for the blog tonight will be to wish Wade and Melany a happy 24th wedding anniversary.

Look Who Came to Visit Her Grandma!

Little Red Riding Hood and her family have been on a vacation in the Smokey Mountains this week. They came home late this afternoon. So this is the first time that Little Red had seen her new red hooded cape. She seemed pretty happy. Her brother aka The Big Bad Wolf told her that her Grandma needed to see her. The Big Bad Wolf told me that Little Red was off in the woods picking flowers and wondered why I wasn't sick in bed!!!!! I'd better watch out for that Big Bad Wolf! Woody did his Saturday Walmart shopping early this morning...he left before seven...once again a pretty chilly morning...in the 40's...but it did warm up to 80 this afternoon. Later in the morning Woody went to the library and stopped at the fruit and vegetable market for tomatoes. He has also worked out in the yard...mowing, weeding and mulching. He went on a four-mile walk late this afternoon. I got a start on some of the preparations for a couple of salads that I am making for Monday. I pretty much took it easy today...am "into" another long book so have done some reading...also spent way too much time on a couple of sudoku puzzles. Woody has taken reading breaks throughout the day and is reading now. Another rather typical...not too exciting...Saturday in the life of this Dorrell household. We rather like dull and boring!

Friday

Woody has really had a busy day. The surprise job that he did today was mop the kitchen floor...nice surprise for me! He has also spent a good portion of the day outside mulching. He accomplished finishing mulching the garden that wraps around from porch to the garage. I think that this completes the mulching for the gardens that touch the house. He waited till this evening to go for his four mile walk. He just came back from his walk a few minutes ago. I spent most of the day inside...except for walking outside to "see how our gardens are growing." I finished the Red Riding Hood Cape for Esther. I also machine embroidered a sample design for a project that Nathan is doing. Then I started putting thigs away and/or organizing things that have accumulated due to LOTS of sewing projects...with so many sewing around here...lots of things get strewn in several rooms...my projects, Nathan's project, and the children's sewing projects. I also looked through patterns to find just the right pattern to make Esther a top to go with a pair of shorts. Pretty much a gardening day for Woody and a sewing day for me. It got a bit warmer today than yesterday...actually got to 70...tomorrow it is supposed to get to 80...so temperatures are on the rise once again.

Stump Winter?!?

Stump is a new "winter" for me...at least I don't recall hearing of it before. This is supposed to be the last of our Middle TN winters...as the wood is all gone from the winter and all that is left is/are the stump/s! Anyway...whatever winter it is...it has been a chilly day as you can see by our thermometer. I just checked and the high for today was 56 degrees and it was breezy so it felt cooler than 56. It is supposed to get into the 80's for Memorial Day weekend...once again the warmer temperatures will be welcome! You can see our barrels and the new planter where some of our herbs are planted...the closest barrel has flat leafed parsley in it, the other barrel has oregano and the cedar planter has chives, English thyme, and pimento peppers in it. Woody did brave the cool temperatures and walked four miles this morning. But he has spent most of the rest of the day inside reading, watching TV and also made another recipe of cole slaw. I spent part of the morning doing some vacuuming and cleaning. I told myself that I would have the living room all clean to welcome the picture that I was having made from one of my photos. So after I vacuumed, dusted and picked up a few things...a couple of toys and a few books that were hanging around from school lessons, I headed to town to pick up our new picture. I am very pleased with it. I have spent some time today trying to get the arrangement on top of the bookcase to be just the way I want it. I will say that the following picture is probably about the fifth or sixth way that I have arranged and rearranged things. Let's just say that the bric-a-brac surrounding the Williamsburg Carolers are still auditioning and will probably be rearranged a number of more times before I am totally satisfied. But I will say that I am very pleased with the wrapped canvas that was made from one of the photos that I took in Williamsburg the last time we were there. My plan when in Williamsburg was to take some pictures that I could have made into wrapped canvases to use in the living room and this is one that I took specifically with printing it on a canvas in mind...I was after some of the interesting rooflines for which Williamsburg architecture is known. I happened to spot this interesting "grouping" of rooflines...from the viewpoint of the backs of the houses and thought that it might end up as a wrapped canvas picture in our living room...and today it turned into just that. I keep finding myself back in the living room...to check it out...and when looking at it again I do a little more rearranging. I do plan to get Woody's laser level as it is hard to tell if it is hanging straight since the fence line isn't straight...it will probably always have the illusion that it is hanging crooked...so I will use that fence as my excuse if it isn't quite straight! And, here is a picture of my picture and the most recent way that I have arranged the carolers and bric-a-brac:

Oh, and, I did get the Little Red Riding Hood cape cut out and have it put together...just finishing stitching to do...so shortly we will have a Little Red Riding Hood running around in our neighborhood...do you suppose the Big Bad Wolf will be close behind her? Oh, dear...I just realized that I am Little Red's grandmother...gulp!

Wednesday

Woody has had a busy day. He walked four miles, went to the grocery store, weeded, planted and mulched, mowed part of the back yard, made quinoa veggie burgers...and probably more things that I am leaving out! I traced a hooded cape pattern to make a "Little Red Riding Hood cape" and have it part way cut out...maybe it will get cut out the rest of the way before I go to bed tonight. I did a little bit of gardening...just enough to get my hands dirty again and did a little bit of dusting...just enough to get me sneezing! After lunch I headed off to get my hair cut and on the way home stopped at the church library and worked for a while with Donna and Fran. On the way home I realized that I hadn't phoned in a prescription so came home and did that and then later went to pick it up. My energy has only come in little spurts today...sort of typical after a day at Vandy...Woody never seems phased by the trips...and he is the "sick one"...the "one getting the infusions."

2,222nd Post = Good Vandy Report

We got underway around 6am...Woody's first appointment wasn't until 9am, but we never know what kind of traffic snarl we might get into due to rush hour traffic. As you can see we did have a bit of fog for a while, but it lifted quickly. Today, not long after we got on the interstate we heard on the radio about a couple of accidents up ahead of us and Woody decided to go a different way...so left the interstate and wended out way over to I-65...a longer way and pretty congested to boot. But we made it in plenty of time...though what can only take 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours took us 2 hours and 20 minutes. After getting his name into the system everything went like clock-work. All apointments started either a bit early or right on time. He continues to do well in the eyes of his doctors. He was scheduled to see Dr. Sosman's nurse practitioner today and I guess it was a good thing as Dr. Sosman was out sick. And, amazingly enough the Keytruda came from the pharmacy in record time. He was seated in his infusion chair at 11:OO (the exact time of his appointment) and we left at noon...if only all his appointment days could run so smoothly! Since it had cleared up and was a very pretty day, we did a bit of exploring in downtown Nashville.

While he was having his infusion we looked up directions on the iPad as to how to get to Bicentenial Park

and Nashville's Farmers' Market (these two places are adjacent to one another...once you find a parking place you can go to both).

We were successful in finding a couple of items that we had been searching for...one was ground fennel (Kathy and Nathan, you can stop helping us in our search!). We found that in the international market/food court area...so I once again have ground fennel to cook with. We ate in the food court...chose to eat cajun and had chicken and sausage gumbo...so I could compare it to my recipe...I still choose mine over theirs...but theirs was very good.

After eating we went in search for English thyme for my cedar planter that Woody had Nathan and Graham build for me. We were successful in finding some very nice plants. We also got several pimiento pepper plants...a new plant for us to try to grow. We headed on down the road after exploring around the area a bit...we got home around 3:30pm. We even felt like doing a little gardening. I helped weed the place where we were going to plant the thyme and pimento. That's the dirtiest I've gotten my hands in a while...I don't fall into the gardener category...but the herb bed really looks good with the thyme, chives we planted last week and the pepper plants. Woody has walked to the prayer room at church. And, now I will end this 2,222nd post (can you imagine!)with a BIG happy birthday to our younger child, Nathan. I won't say how old he is as that would give away too much about his parents' ages! Let's just say that there is no way that we could possibly have a child his age and another two years older! Time does fly...when we are having fun and even when we're not! Nathan, hope that your day has been filled with LOTS of celebrating...I'm sure that Kathy and your seven little and big ones have seen to it that you celebrated royally!

It's Official!

It's official...Alex, our oldest grandson, is now a high school graduate. We were there and saw him graduate...so it must be true! Still seems just like yesterday that he was graduating from preschool. It was a very nice graduation ceremony...very well organized. After the ceremony we went out to eat and then went to Wade and Melany's for dessert. We had a very nice visit and enjoyed celebrating with the graduate. Alex will be going to Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, TN. His dad and mom and also Nathan went to Tech so he will be carrying on a family tradition. He will be rooming with a classmate from Central Magnet School. Wishing him all the best on his next step in his life. The blue cord around his neck represents that he had an emphasis in engineering while a student at Central Magnet...which is what he plans to major in at Tech. We have had several days of rain off and on. We drove home in the rain last night...but never a heavy rain. I'm not sure what I have accomplished today...think that I was recovering from being extra busy yesterday...at least I guess I will claim that as my excuse. Woody has worked some in the yard...when it wasn't raining. We managed to coordinate with a couple of workmen...outside faucets now fixed at our house and at Nathan's and the upstairs ac unit has been repaired. Woody made one of his cole slaw recipes today. He waited to later in the day for his walk...he came in just a few minutes ago. I think that he walked four miles...at least he was away about the time that it takes for him to walk four miles. I did run an errand this afternoon. I finally decided which of my photos to have put on a canvas. I'm looking forward to seeing the final product. Tomorrow we will be on the road again to Vanderbilt for Woody's next Keytruda infusion.

Celebrate!

Woody got up and walked six miles this morning. Later in the morning he did Saturday errands: Credit Union, WalMart, and the library. I did get Abigail's top finished so she has a top to go with the shorts that she made. Woody did more weeding and mulching as well as planting several of the plants that we bought yesterday. After lunch we headed next door to celebrate Nathan's birthday. This is a weekend of celebrating as tomorrow we will head to Murfreesboro to attend our oldest grandson's high school graduation...how can it be possible that he is graduating?!? It seems just like yesterday when we were attending his graduation from his preschool:

I will compare the photos that I take tomorrow with these...and perhaps will then realize that he really is ready to graduate from high school and shortly head off to college! The years just pass too quickly...both with our children and with our grandchildren!

Birds Abound

These are only a few of the birds (flicker,nuthatch,blue jay, tufted titmouse, cardinal) that flew in to visit our yard today. Woody and I sat on the porch for just a little while and we saw at least ten different kinds of birds. At that time I didn't have my camera (of course), but I enjoyed watching them come to the feeders more than when I sit and take pictures. Taking pictures I have to focus on a certain area, but when I just sat there today without my camera, I was able to enjoy their approach and also watching them wait in the branches for their turn at the feeders. Woody walked six miles early this morning. Then he spent a good portion of the day weeding and mulching. This afternoon we headed off to buy some plants to fill in some of our empty places. We rescued several plants from Walmart that had been put in a markdown area. They were still very healthy plants...just weren't blooming at the moment so I guess they had lost their customer appeal. I hope that we benefit from them being put aside. I sewed while Woody was puttering around in the gardens. Abigail's top is finished except for the neck finish. I had Abigail try the top on a little while ago and she is pleased with it and said that the neckline was just right so I will now put a binding around it and it will be finished...and then I will be on to another sewing project...something for Esther.

Thursday

Pretty much a "same ol', same ol'-kind-of-day" around here today...nothing very exciting to report! Woody has spent quite a bit of time outside once again...weeding and mulching. He also got the front porch all cleaned off this morning. I have managed to get the top for Abigail cut out and have been trying to motivate myself to start sewing on it...but so far that motivational talk hasn't worked. I did sit on the front porch for a while today...did more bird watching than picture taking...though I did take a few. I walked around outside earlier today and looked at our gardens and took this picture of a pretty rose...and got mosquito bit. Woody took his four-mile walk after supper today. He has just returned and I guess is planning to settle in for a quiet evening in front of the TV...either watching TV and/or reading. I "might" get the serger ready to sew Abigail's top...but then again I "might" just settle into my comfy chair and read...

Possible Dwelling Interest?

I walked outside a little while ago and there were two bluebirds fighting...perhaps fighting over the new bird houses?...and in the end this one flew from one to another as if checking each one out. So far no bird has decided to take up residence in any of our new bird houses. I would be very glad to have the first ones to show interest be blue birds! Woody got up early, early and went on a twelve-mile walk. When he got up I was still struggling to get to sleep...not a good night for me. I think that the change back to cooler temperatures didn't agree with what ails me. I finally got to sleep and slept for several hours. But the lack of sleep has made for a rather slugish day for me. Woody did his weekly Krogering in the morning. We had salads for lunch made with lettuce, arugula, and spinach from our garden...so tender and good. After lunch I went to the church library. Donna and I worked for a couple of hours and managed to get some more new book processing done...Donna mainly did the processing...I worked on returned books...checking in and shelving and did a little processing. I headed home and went straight to my recliner and took a nap as lack of sleep had caught up with me. Woody spent quite a bit of time outside weeding and mulching various gardens. The ones that he has done look so pretty. We got a call from Vanderbilt a little while ago reminding us about Woody's appointments next week...three week periods of time seem to go by so quickly.

Cool Tuesday

Woody worked in the yard quite a bit again...mainly weeding and mulching. I mainly sewed today. I finished up a pair of sleep shorts for Abigail and the top that matches the shorts that Joy made. I am getting ready to make the top to go with the pair of shorts that Abigail made. I did spend some time with Elijah on the front porch bird watching and having a camera lesson. Woody walked to the prayer room a little after supper and has yet to return. We were given another rocker for the front porch...so more room to "set a spell!" Today's cooler temperatures made for good "porch settin'!" I put in a new suet cake last evening and it was discovered and enjoyed by several birds while Elijah and I did our bird watching. We saw a mocking bird, a robin, this downy woodpecker, and a tufted titmouse all come and partake while we sat there watching.

Word of the Day = "Rock"

Here's Joy teaching Joseph all kinds of things about rocks...red rocks, black rocks, rough rocks, smooth rocks, etc. And, after that lesson Joseph was saying "rock"...at least his version of the word "rock." Woody got up and walked early this morning to one...beat the heat and two...because we were going to grandkid sit this morning. The parents of the grandkids were heading off to pick up their RV which was fixed and ready to come home. The kids were left with a list of things to accomplish...one of which was to weed around the fruit trees...quite a job! But they managed to accomplish it with Goosey's (Woody's) help. Graham stayed with the same task for most of the morning, but the others traded off jobs of taking care of Joseph and doing a bit of exploring around the yard on this pretty spring morning. Esther was the official waterer (holding hose and getting the area being weeded very wet), Elijah was the "truck driver"...the weeders filled up the large Tonka dump truck with weeds and then he would drive it over to the compost pile in our yard. Isaac, Joy, and Abigail took their turns at weeding. Abigail filled the yard bucket/wheelbarrow a couple of times with mulch. Abigail, Joy, Esther and Elijah all got in on taking turns at watching Joseph play in the back yard. Quite a busy crew! I don't know about them, but all that activity about wore me out and I pretty much only supervised! Well, I did have school time with Isaac. I helped Abigail fix lunch. After lunch, Graham came over to our house and worked on his Social Studies...his only subject left for this school year. I worked on some sewing that I was doing for Abigail. Then Joy came over and finished making her shorts. Kathy was back home a little after lunch time and they said that Joseph was very glad to see his mommy...that he just lighted up when he saw her. I ended up taking a nap this afternoon...morning wore me out! Woody skinned chicken and got the broccoli ready to be cooked for tonight's supper. When I was awake enough, I went downstairs and got the chicken ready for the oven and steamed the broccoli. We have eaten. Woody has done some more outside this evening. Now we are in for the evening...I think. I am going to go down and scrub the kitchen sink and then watch Dancing With the Stars...I feel ready to collapse into an easy chair...again.

Fun Fish Fry "Fair"

SCENIC VIEWS IN ALL DIRECTIONS FROM ATOP THE HILL WHERE THE FISH FRY TOOK PLACE. Woody walked six miles early this morning. I got up and started in on finalizing the Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. Woody headed off to do our Saturday errands...fruit market, WalMart, and library. Kathy and Nathan decided that it would be good to get to the fish fry a bit early as there would be less of a line for the children's activities. For some of the activity our children were the first to get to do them and because of being early they got to do some things quite a few times. I think that there is a tired Dorrell household next door...I think that we are ready for a restful evening at this Dorrell residence. The food was delicious too...though, I didn't take a picture of my plate...perhaps because it would have shown how much I was planning to consume! Let's just say I'm not sure when I will be hungry again! The children had a wonderful time as the following pictures show. FUN AND GAMES FOR THE CHILDREN: ROBO SURFING, BOUNCE BARN, TRAMPOLINE, CLIMBING WALL, ZIP LINE, PONY RIDES,& FACE PAINTING