SQUIRRELS!!!!!!!!!

Squirrels are in my doghouse! Last week this bird feeder was almost totally full.  I noticed one day this week that the seed had gone down quite a bit...more than it usually does with just little birds coming to feed at it so I wondered what was going on.  Then I thought that some how the squirrels had managed to swing it and make some of the seed come out of  the top.  It wasn't until the yesterday that I noticed that the bird feeder that only had teeny tiny holes for teeny tiny birds to get teeny tiny seed had two much LARGER holes than it was supposed to have!  Those rascally squirrels...hope they got a tummy ache from eating the plastic!  I guess now that I have taken a picture of it, I can put it in the trash!  Not sure what I should hang on my shepherd's hook...but I guess not a bird feeder...at least not one like this!  Bad squirrels!!!!! I want to attract birds not squirrels.  Lately it has been just about impossible to keep the food long enough for the birds to even know that we have any out.  The squirrels are quite the little piggies!

Woody got his walk in by walking to and from the library today.  It was another hot day.  Even at this hour when I walked out to take these two pictures it was rather close and uncomfortable.  I stayed in most of the day except for taking those two pictures.  The neighbors continue to wash our house.  We even got the back patio slab washed...mainly because Isaac started so his daddy figured that he had better finish it...it is a different color than it was yesterday.  The house is looking better too.  I have worked on doing more files for my sewing club.  Got another one finished and posted.  And have started on another one.  This afternoon I finished all the machine work on my shirt.  Now I just need to cut open the buttonholes and sew on the buttons and give it a good press.  Woody has done crossword puzzles, read, watched a library DVD and read this afternoon.  He is watching a Cardinal baseball game on TV at the moment. The heat just takes something out of me...makes me not want to do much at all.  I guess that is when it is good to have a good book or two on hand!

Boys and Their Toys!

Nathan and family found a little pressure washer at a yard sale this morning...for the great sum of $3.  It is the perfect strength for siding...not too hard of a spray.  The little guys and their dad have enjoyed trying it out.  Elijah tried it too and I think that Kathy may have.  Don't think that they got any of the others talked into this "Tom Sawyer-like" job!  It really is helping.  It really does sound funny inside when they are doing it.  They started up working on it again a little while ago and I couldn't figure out what I was hearing!

Woody got up and walked four miles early this morning.  It wasn't too far into the morning before he headed to the grocery store.  He made two trips for groceries today as he had to take his friend, who has no transportation, to the store, too. He dropped our groceries off for me to put away and he headed off again. He has spent a lot of time out in the yard weeding and at the end of his time spent outside today, he was able to report that the blueberry bush gardens have been weeded and are ready for mulch.  The blueberries reside in what we call the "Back 40," the lot that Nathan and Kathy own that is behind our house.  The bushes are loaded at the moment with berries and Woody attempted to order netting to put over them to keep the birds away, but the netting is on back order.  Looks like the birds may get a feast once again this year!

I have been doing a lot on the iPad today.  I got the first PDF file ready for my sewing club and got it uploaded to the club page.  I have also worked on the Sunday School lesson that I will be teaching to my ladies' class on Sunday.  I also finished another book...this time a "real book" and not an e-book.

I don't think that it rained today...amazing!  It was good to see the sun today.  When I went out to check on the house washing, it was quite warm...definitely a summer day after lots of rainy days.

Think It Will Rain?!?

This robin looks dry...and he was at this moment...but the way weather is going these days...give him a bit of time and his feathers will be dripping!

Woody got up and walked four miles early this morning.  He said that it looked threatening off in the distance and that he heard a few rumbles, but made it without getting wet.  I really didn't pay a lot of attention to the weather...but when I started off for breakfast with my Sunday School class I thought that it was going to be a dry humid morning.  I even cracked the moon roof on the car so the heat wouldn't build up in the car...big mistake on my part!  It was very pleasant out on the deck of the home where we had our breakfast.  There was even a bit of a breeze blowing so it didn't seem all that hot.  We all gathered and ate outside and then were sitting around on the deck...moving our chairs to keep out of the sun...when we started hearing rumbles.  The rumbles kept getting closer...close enough that we decided that we would gather food up, etc. and go inside to continue our visiting.  BUT I didn't think about the moon roof being cracked on my car...didn't think about it till it was pouring and the lightning was flashing!  This is a time that I was glad for leather seats...a couple of borrowed towels and the seats were dried off.  It was a very heavy thunderstorm...it got about as dark as late evening and the rain just poured down and the lightning and thunder were both quite intense.  Radar on phones let us know when there was going to be a bit of a break in the storm...didn't completely stop raining but it lightened up enough and the lightning moved on and we were able to get in our cars and head back into town.  We had more storms come through after I got home.

Woody went outside after the storms were over and checked the rain gauge...THREE INCHES for this storm.  Summer has certainly been rainy so far.  We must remember these wet days when the days get dry as we move farther into the summer.  At the moment, though, drought is pretty far from our minds!

Despite the rain and storminess of the day, the ladies in our Sunday School class who gathered together this morning had a wonderful time...as we always do.  At the height of the storm, we just continued enjoying each other's company sharing stories from our lives with each other.  Such good friends!

Wednesday Doings

One of my favorite hummingbird pictures! One of my friends had this one enlarged and has it hanging in her house. I'm sure that I have used this picture before, but was looking for something in my photos and saw this one and decided to use it tonight.

Woody walked early this morning.  And, he has worked out in the yard quite a bit...busy with the gardens trying to weed and mulch the vegetables that he and the neighbors have growing in the gardens in our yard and in the lot behind our lot (which belongs to the neighbors aka Nathan and Kathy and family).  I decided that I felt like sewing this morning.  The results is that my shirt has two sleeves, two sides seamed up and some of the top stitching done.  I still have the hem, some more top stitching and the buttonholes and buttons and I "think" it will be done!  I haven't been in a great hurry on this as it is the last of the special fabric that I bought at a couture fabric shop in Arizona...so am enjoying sewing on this high quality fabric...not rushing it!

After lunch I headed off to the library.  Donna and I worked about an hour just doing maintenance and checking on some books that we want to order.  I would say that the library work is in the midst of the summer doldrums...not a lot happening...sort of sliding through "as if on vacation!"  I will be making an order some time soon so then we will have a bit more to do to get them processed.

When I got home I decided that it was time to do some baking.  Our Sunday School is meeting in the morning for breakfast at a class member's home so I needed to make something to take.  I got that all done so just have to pull them out of the fridge in the morning and head off.  I'm looking forward to good fellowship and good food with good friends! We always have a great time together.

Woody headed off to church after supper.  They are showing a movie tonight that is an introduction to a study that they will be starting on Wednesdays in a few weeks.

We had a message from Vanderbilt about an appointment change.  Woody was scheduled to go for his six-month scan, labs, and to see the doctor at the end of July.  Woody called them back and found out that it had been changed to the first of August because his doctor was to be away on his original appointment day. It was an easy change...they had already changed all three appointments and just needed to confirm the change with him.  We were very glad that they changed all three appointments and not just the doctor appointment...that way we just have to travel one day for all three.  It used to be that had had scans one day and then went back the next...not fun to make that Nashville trip two days in a row!

We have had a couple of thunderstorms roll through this afternoon...didn't bring a lot of rain...just enough to help keep our humidity way up there!

Sad Commentary on the Times...

Yesterday I asked Elijah where they were going to do a juggling program and he couldn't remember the name of the town.  He just knew that they had been in that area recently and that it was where the policeman had been killed.  Neither of those clues helped me to zero in...they travel around quite a bit so there are quite a few towns to pick from that hint...and, sad to think that there have been so many policemen killed that that piece of information didn't help me pinpoint where they were going.  When Kathy told me, then I knew and remembered the incident.  Recently there was an escaped prisoner who killed a policeman before he was recaptured.  I think that the reason that Elijah even knew anything about it was that we had gotten alerts on our phones here in Tullahoma even though this happened hours away and the way the alerts read it sounded like it was happening here.  Nathan had "herded" the children into the house when it was thought that the gunman was in our area...so that stood out in Elijah's mind.

I posted a bluebird of happiness to get us past the sad thought of so many bad/sad things happening in our society these days.

Woody didn't walk this morning because he walks to the prayer room at church on Tuesdays so waits till later in the day to go for his walk.  He just returned from the prayer room a few minutes ago.  He has spent a lot of time outside working in the gardens...don't know how he does it in this heat and humidity!  I have just done a little of this and a little of that today.  I have my shirt ready for putting the sleeves in...just haven't felt like going to the sewing machine...guess it is a lazy, hazy day of summer!  I did manage to put away a load of wash and I've read and worked some more on my sewing club notebook.  I am working on an index so I can access things easier in the notebook.  One of the other members made an index of techniques and I am adding more information to make it work better for me.  I am also trying to finish a church library book before I go there to work tomorrow. I didn't sleep the best last night and today I have sort of felt like I am in a fog!  Hoping that I can sleep better tonight!

Can You Believe...Six Months From Today Is...

CHRISTMAS is six months from today!  My mouth about dropped open when that fact was brought to my attention earlier today!  We are having enough trouble coming up with birthday presents (another birthday is very close) much less thinking about Christmas!  I guess we will put it on the back burner for a bit longer! But it will be here before we know it...probably in a blink of an eye...the way days are flying by these days.

Woody didn't get up to walk as he knew that it would just be so humid that it wouldn't be a pleasant walk no matter how early he walked!  He went to the Life Care and had Bible study with Jeff and then visited with several others.  He made Apple Zucchini bread today...a kidney friendly recipe!  This evening he is at the Furnace Room Prayer meeting.

Three children came over a little while ago...Esther, Elijah and Joseph.  They have decided to use the Osmo iPad system.  They were doing car races not sure which one they are doing at the moment...all is quiet. They are playing in the school room.

I did do a little hand sewing on my shirt this afternoon.  I still have some basting to do before I attach the sleeves.  Instead of actual sewing today, I have been working on something for the Facebook Sewing Club that I belong to.  The head of the club asked me if I would be interested in helping her create PDF files for the techniques that she will share in the coming year's club.  It doesn't seem possible that there is only July left in my year's membership for the club.  She has decided that she will continue the club for another year.  She tries to have written sheets that go with each of the videos and that is where she finds herself getting bogged down so she asked me today if I would be interested.  So I have been trying to figure out if I can create them the way she wants them.  I did a trial one and it seems to work.  She is away till tomorrow so maybe I will find out then if it will work for me to do them.  It will be quite a bit of work, but it sounds like fun to be on that side of the club helping in the background,  Plus she will wave my membership fee for the year, if I do this for her and, I'll be one of her administrators for the club...sounds like a plan to me!!  I hope that my iPad app comes through for me when I need to go more into detail than I did  in my trial one today.

I made another kidney friendly recipe for our supper: Pasta Primavera...not bad, but not as good as a tried-and-true recipe that I have made in the past...one thing that it has going for it is that it is a fairly quick to make recipe whereas my other recipe is not!  Easy is nice at times!

Unlikely Visitors!

Look who popped in for a visit this afternoon!  A very tattered little lion in flip flops and a little clown in some new duds...new wig, nose, tie and shoes...if I understood correctly.  It took the little clown a bit of time getting up the stairs!  The lion beat him by quite a bit!  I understand he had to crawl up the stairs.  When little clown saw his picture on my camera, he was quite pleased with how he looked!  He said that he knew how the suit, tie and shoes looked but didn't know how the wig and nose looked!  I see a new program featuring a clown or two or...in future programs.  Nathan is probably creating new stories around clowns as I type!  Little clown realized before he left that he was wearing all the primary colors.

Woody got up and walked a "long four miles," according to what he told me when he got back this morning. He went to the library and ran an errand or two later in the morning.  He continued to work in the yard...when it wasn't raining.  We didn't have as much rain today as the last two days but still had one fairly heavy rain.  Graham is on a "survival" camp out with his Civil Air Patrol group...hoping that they didn't get too wet with the passing storm.  We didn't have too much lightning or thunder with this one, though I did shut off machines and unplug them at a point when I heard a rumble or two.  I sewed most of the morning and have quite a bit done...it actually looks like a shirt, but without sleeves, side seams, a hem, or buttons or buttonholes.  I still have to hand stitch down the facings before I move on to the rest of it.  The hand sewing will take place in my recliner.  Woody did some cooking this afternoon.  He cut up and cooked two large cauliflower heads.  After they were cooked I made a recipe that he had found for "Almost Mashed Potatoes."  Well...not exactly mashed potatoes, but not too bad either.  My main complaint for them is that they have raw garlic in them and I just can't take raw garlic in things...next time I will either saute or roast the garlic or substitute garlic powder!  There is potential for them to be a passable side...but for me to really like them I will have to make a few adjustments!  I should have known as I don't like the hummus recipe that Woody makes and the reason is the raw garlic that is in that recipe.  So I will tweak it...if I am going to eat them!

After lunch, Joy came over to invite us next door to enjoy one of Abigail's famous cheese cakes.  She was experimenting.  Our new pastor loves cheesecake and he challenged Abigailr to make a peanut butter cheese cake.  He said that Cheese Cake Factory used to have one on their menu but no longer did.  So Abigail accepted the challenge.  I wish that I had gotten a picture of this one.  She used crushed Oreos for the crust and then had a peanut butter cheese cake and a topping of chocolate and Reeces peanut butter cups.  Quite a concoction...a very rich concoction!  Abigail is a good cook and she loves to make cheese cakes so it was easy for her to accept the challenge!  They cut a nice piece and put it in a "to-go box" to take to the pastor at church tomorrow.

For my breaks from sewing today I have been reading.  I have been doing a lot of reading lately...finishing books rapidly one after another.  Woody, too, has been doing a lot of reading. I think that he finished three books this week.  Rainy days are good for reading (storming or not)...and sewing (if it isn't storming!).  I am closing in on my yearly goal of reading 52 books in a year for my goal of a book a week.  Lately I have been reading a book often in a day or at most two...I'm getting really close to reading 52 before the year is even half over!

"Squish! Squish!"

Tonight's blog title is the sound that my shoes made when I walked out to the garden where Woody was weeding.  Woody had checked and we got two plus inches today!  So we have gotten over four inches of rain in the first two days of Summer!  It really came down in torrents for a while today.  There has been some pretty rough weather all around us.

I did get started on my sewing today.  I actually got to spend quite a bit of time at my sewing machine and server...that is until the storms started blowing through one after another.  When the lightning and thunder started my machines got turned off and unplugged.  We would think that the storms were over and soon we would hear thunder rumbling again...and then the rains would arrive...again.  I'm not sure how many storms blew through this afternoon.  Kathy, Esther, and Elijah needed a ride home when they got back into town from camp, as Nathan and the five children that were here at home with him had a juggling program.  Woody waited out the storm a bit before he headed to pick up Kathy and the two children she had with her.  It was barely raining when he headed off to get them.  He misunderstood the directions as to where to pick them up so had to come back home and have me redirect him...by that time another storm was blowing in.

Woody did our weekly grocery shopping and picked up a couple of prescriptions for us at our pharmacy.  We experienced something new this time...online prescription refill request.  It worked as the prescriptions were there waiting for him to pick up.  Woody turned around as soon as he got the groceries in for me to put away.  He had to pick up a friend who has no transportation and take him here and there to grocery shop and run errands.  Woody did lots of running around town today!  He was able to spend some time outside weeding in between storms...taking advantage of wet ground for easier weed pulling.

I guess at this point that our summer can be classified as "a wet one!"

Very Rainy Welcome to Summer!

My new birdhouse in the rain 

Chicken Sculpture Pecking in the Rain

A very rainy welcome to Summer, as in, 2 inches of rain!  It started raining in the early hours of morning and continued to rain all morning and even into some of the afternoon.  Woody didn't realize that it had started to rain till he opened the door to go out for his early morning walk.  He went out and came back in right away and decided that it was too rainy to head out on a walk...umbrella or not!  He did work in the yard later in the afternoon after the rains passed us by.  I'll bet it was easy weed pulling after getting all that rain!

I got up early and was probably back at my sewing before 5am.  I thought that I would be at my sewing machine most of the day.  Instead I wrestled with trying to chevron herringbone stripes so they would match. It has not been an easy task...rather hair pulling at times!  I think that I have the important places matching now.  I had to cut one of the pieces again as when I sewed the back yoke seam they just didn't match correctly.  I did finally get the back yoke sewn together correctly and I am satisfied with the way the stripes chevron.  Then I had to work on the front yoke matching...not for sure that is right and won't be till more into the sewing...perhaps when I know it will be beyond the undoing/redoing stage.  The problem with that is matching when the fronts overlap.  I finally decided that I had it good enough since those edges fold back when worn so how well the edge and overlap match will probably never be under scrutiny!  I just ironed on the interfacing for the front yoke...still have to trim those.  Then it will only be the front pieces lining/facing and the interfacing for the front edges that need to be cut out.  I don't think that they cutting job for this shirt will ever be done...except it will have to be as the fabric left is dwindling!  I still have enough to recut front yoke pieces if I have to.  Now I know why I kept procrastinating making this shirt!  It has been a pain due to the kind of stripes and the changes that I decided to make in the pattern.  I hope that I like what the end results are!!!!!

Report from the campers = they are having a great time.  It does look like they did get some rain this afternoon. They are in Kentucky.  I hope that they didn't get as much as we did!  The teen hikers are glad that they went hiking yesterday rather than today...though I guess the falls would have been running fuller today than yesterday.  Graham said that the falls didn't have a lot of water.  Graham and I put Velcro on the back one of his name strips for a Civil Air Patrol vest.  He has a survival-type hike planned for Saturday.  Again, I hope that it isn't too rainy for him and his fellow CAP members.

Wednesday Efforts

Woody didn't venture out farther than our yard today.  He worked in the yard for his exercise today.  He continues to work on gardens--both ornamental and vegetable--weeding and mulching.  He has done crossword puzzles and has read and watched TV.  It has been another hot and humid day.  We got a few sprinkles a couple of times today...really not enough to even wet the sidewalk.

I continue to work on my sewing project.  I sewed the collar together this morning...got tired of just cutting out so decided to do a little machine sewing.  I am having to match so each piece has to be cut out individually...so if I need two of a pattern piece I am having to cut that piece twice instead of once if I had the fabric layered.  I just have the sleeves to cut out of the main fabric.  Then I need to cut out the yokes on the bias.  I still have several pieces of interfacing to cut out.  Both the sewing machine and the serger have been threaded with the color thread that I need to make this blouse/shirt.  So once I get it all cut out...I will be able to "just" sew...and "should" be able to move right along!  We'll see!  I am still reading a lot so I intersperse reading with cutting.  I can't cut too long or my neck and back get to bothering me.

This afternoon Donna and I worked in the library.  Donna got another book entered and we both did maintenance...books checked in, books checked out, books shelved, cards filed, and books on shelves straightened.  Once again we didn't work as long as we sometimes do...but...consider it summer vacation!

Graham, Abigail, and Joy went with the youth today to hike at Fall Creek Falls State Park.  I checked in on them a little while ago to see if they had survived and had a good time.  All three looked pretty tired.  Sounds like Esther and Elijah and Kathy continue to have a good time at Kid's Church Camp.  Sounds like they are kept busy from morning to night.  Nathan continues to work on projects next door.  He's got their vegetable garden looking really good.  He was hampered in what he could do today as he needs Graham's help to be able to do several of the things that he wants to do.  Isaac and Joseph kept pretty close tabs on their daddy today.  We only saw them briefly this morning while Nathan took the teens to church for their outing and then one other time to get something that they left.  Nathan says that they are becoming pretty good little weeders.  I wonder if that is because they know how to "grow like weeds!"

Better Late Than Never!

I attempted to get all the fathers in the pictures: Woody, Wade, and Nathan.  The older folk ate at the table in the kitchen and the younger kids ate in the living room/school room.  The mat on the floor that three of them are eating on came from Ethiopia. Instead of tables woven mats spread on the floor are what many African families eat on. Nathan, Kathy and children experienced this type of dining in Uganda and after they got home they wished that they had gotten a mat for their family. I think that Nathan and Graham brought it back for the family when just the two of them went to Ethiopia a year or so after the whole family went to Uganda.

We have had another busy day.  I took Abigail to Montessori this morning. I walked through the school and turned on the lights for old times sake then headed home after saying hi to Pat.  I think that Abigail enjoyed her first experience at Montessori as a "teacher" very much.  Pat called me this afternoon and said that Abigail is just a natural!  Nice to hear!  Abigail dearly loves to work with children.  This should be a super experience for her.

I have spent quite a bit of time getting pattern pieces ready to be cut out.  I have changed some things about the pattern so had to make the appropriate adjustments.  At this point part of the pattern pieces are pinned on.  Some of the interfacing is cut out.  So I guess I am underway.  Cutting out a pattern is not exactly my favorite part of a sewing project...it is about my least favorite part of sewing!

Woody has stayed around the house most of the day.  He made a cake and I made the frosting and frosted the cake.  As soon as I blog I am going to go get a piece of cake.  Late afternoon, he walked to the prayer room at church.  While he was away I iced the cake and then went next door and sat on their back porch for a while in their porch swing and talked with Nathan and the children that are home at this time.  It sounds like Kathy and the kids are having fun at Kid's church camp.  I saw a few pictures and those showed happy faced children...a good sign of having a good time!  Tomorrow the children who are classified "youth" at the church = Graham, Abigail, and Joy are going on a summer hike.  Nathan may get roped into driving as, I guess, there have been quite a few sign up at the last moment.  If Nathan goes, then I would guess that Isaac and Joseph will stay with us.

Well, I'm glad that I finally got to share some of our Father's Day doings.  The computer was cooperative about opening up the camera software tonight.  I didn't have to restart it...maybe it just needed a little rest last night when it wouldn't open it up for me!

Busy Day After Father's Day

I was going to post a couple of pictures from our Father's Day celebration yesterday, but the computer doesn't want to open up my camera software without being shut down...and I just didn't want to wait for it to shut down, open back up and then download the photos...maybe tomorrow!

We did have a very nice day celebrating Father's Day yesterday.  Melany, Wade, and Erin joined us over at Nathan and Kathy's for a nice lunch.  The two younger generation families hosted Woody and me!  The food was yummy and the company was great as well! The only one missing was Alex and he had to work.

I made an eggplant casserole to go along with some of yesterday's leftovers.  They attempted to cook items that are on Woody's "ok" list.  Let's just say we ate well and continued to eat well today!

Woody got up this morning and walked six miles.  He knew that he needed to get an early start since it was predicted (correctly) that it would be another hot one today. Once again it got into the 90's.  Nathan took in one of their vehicles to have the AC worked on and Woody followed him so he could take him home.  Abigail came over and asked if I would take her to get her hair cut which we did.  She just got it trimmed.  The young fellow who cut her hair told her that he had never cut anyone's hair that was so thick before!  Kathy and Esther and Elijah left early this morning for Kid's Church Camp.  So the children were in and out at various times of the day.  Nathan always gets busy on various "projects" when Kathy is away...at least this time they aren't pulling up flooring!!!  He gave Abigail a sewing job to do.  So I helped her to do what he wanted this afternoon.  That sewing made Joy think about something that she wanted to sew so she got busy choosing fabric and getting it sewn/cut into the shape that she needs.  Isaac came over and played with my grandfather's blocks while they sewed.  After supper Nathan had to take Graham to his Civil Air Patrol meeting and the two little boys came over and played for a while.  So it has been a lot of "in-and-out" today!

I got a bit later start on the eggplant casserole so Woody said that he would eat after he went to the Furnace Room prayer meeting.  He is home and we have both eaten now.

I did attempt to get started on the blouse/shirt that I am making for myself...fabric is pressed, fabric is laying out flat on the cutting table, pattern pieces have been ironed smooth...but that is as far as I have gotten.

We do have the first upgrade for our kitchen.  Nathan and family gave Woody a motion detecting light switch for the kitchen.  Now when we enter from the dining room we don't have to walk very far till the light comes on!  I like it...except...that it doesn't detect my motion when I am chopping things on the counter top...or stirring things on the stove...or sitting at the table eating.  It will go off after so many minutes and then I have to walk toward the center of the room again.  I finally overrode the automatic and turned it on...and this time I remembered to put it back on automatic when I left the room.  The motion sensor light switch was suggested by a faithful blog reader/best friend and we appreciate the suggestion very much.  It has always bugged me that we couldn't turn on the light at that end of the kitchen when entering from the dining room...and now we take two or three steps into the kitchen and on comes the light!  Nice!  I am glad that Nathan and/or Graham listened to me when I told one of them about the suggestion.  Graham did the installation.  He's quite handy with things like this.

Oops!  I just realized that I walked away from the blog.  I heard Abigail outside hitting the volleyball against their house and I needed to arrange a time for her to come over here in the morning.  I'm going to take her to my place of work for 27 years--Ray's Montessori School.  She is going to be volunteering there when school goes back into session after the summer break.  Abigail is going to get her first taste of Montessori in the morning as they are having a summer session with some of the children heading off to public kindergarten.  I think that the car can still find the way there!!  This is part of Abigail's high school freshman curriculum--a unit on early childhood education as one of her freshman electives.  Abigail loves to work with young children.  This should be right up her alley!  She is excited about goin for the first time in the morning.  She will be working with "my boss" of 27 years aka Nathan and Melany's preschool and kindergarten teacher. So Abigail will be working with her daddy's first teacher!  

A Hot Saturday

It has been quite a hot and humid day.  Woody, again, got up early and walked...today he walked four miles. Later in the morning he ran an errand and also made his weekly trip to the library.  I have had a "do a little of this and a little of that" kind of day.  I ran the vacuum downstairs in the living room and dining room...still have to hit the high spots in the family room.  Woody finished washing off the porch chairs and got them back on the front porch.  I ran the pillows around in the dryer and then wiped them off with a damp cloth and got them back on the rockers and glider.  I also came up with a pretty dirty rag after wiping off the two table tops and the things that were on the little tables.  The porch is once again welcoming to sit...that is if the temperatures aren't too high.  I just checked and it is 84 degrees right now but the feels-like temperature is 90...an indication of our high humidity.  I imagine that it felt close to 100 after it got into the 90's this afternoon.

The girls had some more tournament games today, but we didn't go...just too hot for me to sit out in the sun for any length of time.  The girls are playing against surrounding area softball teams...these teams are teams that play together all the time plus most of the girls on the other teams seem to be older than our girls.  Our girls are made up of all stars their age (6th-8th grades) from all the different softball teams in Tullahoma.  They have never even practiced together before they played last night.  Plus there are different rules in different areas which made for some confusing plays/calls last night.  And, the pitchers on the other teams really pitch fast compared to our teams.  The team we played last night pretty much ran away with the game and they were supposed to be the weakest team that our girls would play.  So they went into all the games pretty much expecting to be beaten and they were at all three games that they played.  But it was a good experience for all of them.  Nathan said that they did better in the last game this evening...so perhaps they were starting to get the feel of being a team?

Both cars finished getting washed this afternoon.  Esther enjoyed getting wet and thought that she would go to her game in her wet uniform so she could keep cool.  Woody and I watched Joy practice pitching to Nathan for a little while this afternoon.  Their team's coach told them to keep acclimated to the hot temperatures so it wouldn't seem so hot to them at their 5pm game.

Only Thought Ball Was Over!

Esther batting

Joy batting

We just "thought" that ball season was over!  The girls are playing in a softball tournament tonight and tomorrow.  I don't think that I ever posted any of the girls pictures this season (I didn't take very many pics this year at the ball games.).  So here are pictures from a game earlier in the season.  I'm posting early tonight since we have a game later in the evening.

Woody had a busy day.  He woke up early and once again walked six miles in a cooler part of the day.  He came in saying that it was really humid out there this morning.  He also did our weekly grocery shopping.  I put groceries away.  He did several chores that took him outside.  He started the job of washing the front porch chairs off and he also decided to change our air conditioner filters...one of which is a wash and use over and over.  He took out the one disposable one that is in the upstairs air exchange.  Graham came over just at the right time and after I vacuumed off the vent cover, Graham put the upstairs one back in...that one is harder to do as it is overhead...so we were glad for his help.  I also vacuumed off the downstairs vent cover and Woody just a few minutes ago brought the dry filter back inside and put it back in.  Nice clean air filters once again.

Graham was over because he was wanting my help in doing our side of the family tree.  So we spent over an hour pouring over the records of Woody's side of the family and mine.  I think that when he left we had traced six or seven generations back from Graham's generation. He's going to generate a family tree with his laptop.  After he gets the names plugged in we will go back and add dates, birthplaces, etc. Graham had come to me a few weeks ago and said that he wanted to do this.  We looked at it a little that night and said that we would delve deeper when we had more time...which turned out to be today!  We worked down in the guest bedroom...so now instead of fabric for sewing projects we have papers for genealogy stuff!  I have pattern pieces out of the pattern envelope and wound a bobbin with the thread I will use for my blouse.  The sewing machine cabinet is now all cleaned off of things from the last sewing projects...just notions, etc. that I use while sewing are there now...and those items are back in the place they belong.  I continue to look at both sides of the fabrics trying to decide just how I want to use them.  I was going to use the line drawing of the blouse and sketch in different ways to place the fabric...but I had already sketched on the line drawing for a blouse that I have already made from this pattern...so need to trace the outline off and got interrupted when I started doing that.

Melany called making plans for Father's Day.  It looks like they will be coming here on Sunday.  So she and Nathan were putting their heads together to plan the meal.  I got in on part of the planning too...talking to both Melany and Nathan.  They will be doing the meal this time...but I have some meat in the freezer that they are welcome to grill over at Nathan and Kathy's!  I will lay low on this meal and let the children treat their daddy!

Well, I had better go get my cameras together as it is almost time for us to head off to the girls' game.

Small Things!

When I decided what I would title tonight's blog, I thought about this picture of how small the colt looks when taken through the fence like this.

For me today has been about "small things."  I have been doing various small tasks throughout the day.  Its small things like this that get me ready to head on into my next sewing project.  I put away small things that I had used during my last sewing projects...sewing machine feet, spools of thread, scissors, rulers, cords, laces, pin cushions and pins and needles. I even did a small amount of dusting!

.  I reclaimed pins from the girls' pin cushions as for some reason "my" pins end up being used when they are using my cutting table and then get taken out of their project when they are sewing and put into their pin cushions.  I hardly had any of my flower head pins...which are my longest pins.  The pictured pin cushion usually just has my white glass head pins in it and sewing machine needles that still have some use in them.  So all the flower head and button head pins are now in the pin cushion on my cutting table, the glass head pins are in this pin cushion on the sewing machine and in the one that is on the ironing board.  I even divided the machine needles up on this one according to certain sizes and types.  Like I said...small things...things that aren't all that important, but things that I like to do once in a while...just to bring order back into my sewing life!  I also pulled out the storage bins that are under the bed in the guest room that contain leftovers of solid colored fabrics in one and stripes and plaids in the other one.  They had gotten quite messed up with the girls' and my last projects so I got them all refolded and sorted (sort of) according to color family.  Last but not least...I got out the fabric, pattern, thread, and buttons that I had hanging in the guest room closet to make myself a blouse.  I have now put that on the cutting table...am just looking at it from my recliner for a bit to make up my mind just how I am going to use it in the blouse.  It is an imported Italian striped shirting and it is pretty on both sides (dark on one side and light on the other)...trying to figure out where I will use one side as a contrast...whether I want the blouse to be mainly the dark side or the light side!  This is the last piece that I bought at a couture fabric store in AZ some years ago...VERY nice fabric.  The store is no longer in business...so I am a bit sad to use this last piece!  It was always fun to go to that store when visiting in AZ and splurge on some REALLY nice pieces of fabric.  Anyway...today has been a day of doing the "small things" that help me get ready to begin a new garment.  The ironing board is cleared off, the sewing cutting table is sort of cleared off (now it has the new fabric on it), and the sewing machine cabinet is "almost" cleared off (there are still a couple of spools of thread to put away and some pieces of stabilizer to relocate or throw away).  I also have a small machine embroidery project that I may do before getting underway with my blouse. The fabrics for that are on the cutting table also.  So...two sewing projects in my near future.

I paced myself on my small jobs...I would work for a while at rearranging things and then I would read a chapter and then back to a small job or two and then read another chapter.  I've been reading two different books off and on today...one e-book and one "real" book.

Woody got up earlier than I did this morning (and I was awake by 5am and read awhile before getting up to do small things!).  He was already gone on his walk when I woke up.  He said that he left around 4:30am.  He walked six miles in the cool of the day.  He has also worked quite a bit outside getting another flower bed ready for some new mulch.  I couldn't find him one time today when I needed to ask him something and finally found him in the garden that is next to the driveway...reason I couldn't find him = he was on the other side of the car hidden from my view from any of the windows in the house.  When it got a bit too hot to work outside he came in and read, worked crossword puzzles, watched TV, worked at the computer, etc...the "small things" that he does around here daily to fill in down time.

Zooming In

As I was choosing a photo for tonight's blog, I went back to the day of our last barn photo trip.  I came across these and decided that they were an example of how far away some of these barns are...but the zoom lens can make it look like they are much closer to the road.  These are both taken from the same spot.  I just let my lens do the "walking in closer" to the barn for me.

I woke up way too early this morning and ended up reading several hours before I felt like getting going.  I have been in "reading mode" the last few days.  I think I have read three books in four days.  Some times that is about all I feel like doing...especially if I find some good books.  I mentioned the other day that I had two e-books that I needed to read before they got taken back into cyberspace.  Well, I read those two and finished another e-book and am in the midst of a "real" book, too...and started another e-book.  I did manage to leave my reading long enough to finish up the upstairs bathrooms that I had started yesterday.  And, after lunch I went to the church library.  Donna and I didn't work as long as sometimes because there just wasn't a lot that had to be done today.  Donna entered several DVDs and I did the maintenance of checking books in and out and shelving the books that had been returned.  Because I had awakened so early this morning, I was ready to take a little nap after I returned from church.  So I rested by doing some more reading and then decided to watch a TV show on my iPad...unfortunately my nap occurred during the show and I don't know how it ended!  Oh, well...

Woody walked four miles this morning.  He worked out in the yard again today.  This afternoon while I was at the library some of the neighbor grandchildren came over looking for a "paying job."  Goosey (Woody) decided that getting our two cars washed would fall into that category.  They have told him that one of the cars is done...but the one who inspected their work (Goosey) says that they will have to do a bit more to have it pass the muster!  We'll see if they still want to work on the one some more and also work on the other one tomorrow!  I guess we will see how badly they want to earn some money!  Both cars were (are still) in need of a good washing. We will see if they and Goosey are in agreement as to what a good washing is!

Tuesday Travels

Woody was up early this morning, but didn't go for a walk because he had to leave early to take a friend to the doctor in McMinnville.  He was gone for a good portion of the morning.

This morning I spent time doing things around the house and reading.  I got some doll sewing patterns put away...patterns that Esther and I had used over the last few weeks.  My sewing cutting table is getting emptier and emptier!  I also started cleaning bathrooms, but didn't get them finished before leaving after lunch to get my hair cut.  I guess that means that the rest of that job will be awaiting me tomorrow...if I don't get up enough energy to finish at least one of the upstairs bathrooms this evening...so far I haven't been so inclined.  I took tonight's blog photo this afternoon when I was getting my hair cut.  The clouds were so pretty over Lake Tullahoma.  When I was heading to get my haircut, I thought that we might get some more rain, but the rain never happened...at least not where I was.  I made a new recipe for a side to go with our supper...another kidney friendly recipe.  It was for Mexican rice.  It was pretty good.  We each had a piece of lemon meringue pie for our dessert.

Woody walked to the prayer room late this afternoon.  He had a little of the rice concoction before he left, but waited to eat supper when he returned.  After he got back home, Joy and Esther came in with their awards from softball.  Their team tied for 2nd place.  Joy got an "All-Star award" and Esther got a "Sportsmanship award."  Good going, girls!

One of Esther's kitties is missing--Georgia.  They have been all over the neighborhood calling her and looking for her, but she hasn't been seen now for several days.  I'm hoping that she is one of those cats who disappears for a while and then shows back up.  Georgia is Esther's favorite of the kittens.  She is the one that Esther chose first and then asked that the sisters not be separated so also got Peaches.  Guess she is very glad that she got two since she still has one.  But she really misses Georgia!

A Rainy Pie Day!

We have both stayed pretty busy today.  Woody got up and walked four miles early this morning.  Later in the morning he went to the Life Care Center to have Bible study with Jeff and visit with several of the other residents.  While he was gone, I decided that it was a good day to complete the latest church library memorials.  I wrote letters to donors and families of the memorialized.  When Woody got home he stamped the letters and put them in our mailbox so our mailman would pick them up today. That's always a good job to have done...it means that the library memorials are once again caught up.

 After lunch, I decided that I would bake a pie that Woody had been waiting for me to make...a lemon meringue pie.  It was a good ending for our supper this evening.  Isaac came over while I was baking the pie.  He enjoyed scraping the pie filling pan.  I made the pie with some of the juice of the lemons that Woody had bought a while back.  I squeezed all the lemons and then portioned the juice to be stored in the refrigerator and freezer.  The same day that I squeezed all the lemons, I also zested their rind and froze it in ice cubes...so today all I had to do was thaw an ice cube of rind in a sieve let the water drain off.  I even added the water that drained off the zest into the lemon juice.  The filling reminds me of the lemon meringue pies that Mother used to make.  The main change that I made was to put it in a graham cracker crust because that is the kind of crust that Woody prefers for this type of pie.

Not long after Isaac went back home, I noticed that it was getting darker and darker.  Woody had gone to the pharmacy to pick up a couple of his prescriptions and got back before the bottom fell out.  He even got to do a little more mulching of the garden at the back of the house before the rain began.  He got back up on the front porch just as it began to rain. And, it rained quite hard for a while.  After supper, Woody went to the Furnace Room Prayer meeting at church.  I had come in here to blog and Nathan and Joseph came over to ask me something...that got me pulled away from the blog and then when Woody got home I sat down to watch something on TV for a few minutes...then I realized that I hadn't ever gotten started on the blog...so now I have completed that task for today!

Baseball, Awards, Juggling & Pizza +

Elijah pitching in the last inning

Congrats, A's, You're #2!

Spinning the ball down the line!

Abigail, Graham, Nathan, & Joy juggle LOTS of rings!

A VERY tall Elijah walks over his friends!

Everybody loved the pizza, chips, sundaes, and cake!

Friday

Here's another farm that we saw along the way to McEwen yesterday.  We live in such a pretty area!

Woody has been a lot busier than I have today.  He got up and walked four miles.  Later he did our grocery shopping at two stores.  I put away the groceries after he got home...that way I know what we have to possibly make meals from this week.  I'm still not totally functioning as far as meal planning...still drawing a blank when it comes to thinking what sounds to cook...that Woody should eat!  After Woody had been home, he headed out again to pick up a couple of people (without transportation) to take them grocery shopping.  I have picked up and put away things that I was using for my doll dress project.  After lunch I ran the vacuum in our bedroom and the sewing room and part of the hall (as far as the vacuum cord would reach!).  I've also started a new e-book.  I had requested it a while ago and it had finally become available for me a week or more ago...so now I have to hurry up and read it or it will disappear into cyberspace before I get it done.  The reason that I remembered that I had this book on my iPad was that I got notified that another book that I had requested was ready for me to check out.  So now I have two e-books available to read and have one book that I have started that I checked out of the church library.  So I have plenty of reading material to keep me occupied when I feel like sitting!  I also got the bird feeders refilled.  I had put off refilling the feeders when it was raining a bunch and then sort of forgot about them till our friends and Woody and I sat on the front porch yesterday. So I put that task on my mental "to-do list!"  Task done! Check! Woody made his cole slaw recipe today...something that he can still eat...one of our tried and true recipes that he can still eat.  He bought the ingredients for Mother's Boston baked beans, but he isn't supposed to eat those.  He will miss eating beans with his slaw!  I guess if I make the beans they are mine to eat!   I have felt pretty lazy today...I guess the heat and our little trip yesterday sort of took today's energy away.  While I sat today I was trying to think about what I might like to sew next and so far I haven't had many ideas pop into my head. But as I sit here at the laptop I do see some fabric that I had pulled aside to make a quick project a while back...perhaps that will be my next thing to make...but...still thinking!

Home Again, Home Again Jiggedy Jog

 Woody chose to work in the yard rather than go on a walk this morning.  I got up and decided that today was the day that I would finish the doll dress that I have been working on.  And, I actually finished it.

Friends (blog reading friends) stopped by and visited on the front porch for a little while just before noon. They brought a news clipping of Graham when he took part in a Memorial Day service over in Shelbyville. Kathy had asked them to get a couple for them. When they were here it felt very pleasant to sit on the porch, but as you can see by the car thermometer it got quite hot this afternoon.

A little before 2pm we headed off to McEwen, TN to go to Wade's father's visitation.  We took mostly back roads because Bonnaroo was getting underway in Manchester today and that usually has I-24 backed up when they are coming in.  Thinking about Bonnaroo made me realize that we need to be more aware of locking out house doors over the next few days...it was over Bonnaroo weekend last year that an uninvited guest barged into our house and took quite a few years off my life!  Of course, I probably scared him more than he scared me!  It took us a couple of hours to get to McEwen.  We stayed for about an hour and a half for the visitation.  I ended up sitting with Mary, Wade's mother, for most of the time that we were there.  Woody visited with Melany, Erin, and Alex and part of the time with Wade.  I snapped a few pictures out the car window as we were traveling.  I couldn't resist taking a few barn photos! Here is one of them.

It's good to be home and settling in after our drive today.  We were gone about six hours.  It was an easy drive.  The way we went kept us out of much traffic for a good part of the trip. And, we managed to get home before dark.

Woody just made us some air popped pop corn...something that he CAN eat!

Out of Routine Wednesday

At least I have been out of routine today.  We didn't work in the library today as there was a funeral at the church during the time that we usually work so the three of us had the day off from the library. Not going to the library has made it seem like it isn't Wednesday!

Woody got up and walked six miles early this morning.  He also spent some time out in the vegetable garden weeding...lots of weeds thanks to all the rain that we have gotten.  I ended up spending time in the kitchen.  I made one of the recipes that we have found that is kidney friendly...low in phosphorus and potassium.  It was an eggplant casserole recipe...not many ingredients in it but it seemed to take quite a while to make it.  Then after I got that made I made a recipe that we have loved for years--Cantonese Spare Ribs...mainly because Woody had bought the ribs before his doctor appointment.  He did eat a small portion of the ribs.  I guess you can say that we have gotten through the first day of his new eating routine.  He has been studying the "dos and don'ts" of his diet.  And, is adding things to the grocery list that he can eat.

While the ribs were still in the oven, Kathy asked me to go next door for a short time.  She had forgotten Joy's orthodontist appointment and they had a guest over for Esther to play with.  So I left Woody to turn off the oven when the timer rang and grabbed a book and went next door till Kathy and Joy got home from the orthodontist...not very long.  The ribs were cooked perfectly by the time I got home. We had my cooking efforts for supper.  And, now we are settling in for a quiet evening.  I'm trying to figure out if I have enough energy to do a little sewing.  I'm feeling rather lazy at the moment and I am almost through with the book I am reading so I will probably go finish the book and then see if I feel like doing anything more this evening!

A's Move on to the Championship Game!

Woo! Hoo! Big game tonight!  The winner of tonight's game moved on to the championship game on Saturday.  And, the A's won by one point...one of those games where your heart is in your throat for a good part of the game especially once the game got tied up.  Final score = 12-11 and the last hit which scored the winning run was hit by the last batter in the A's batting order!  He became their hero! Good job A's!  Saturday afternoon will see us at the ball field for one last time.  Kathy went to Joy and Esther's softball game.  They had one like ours too...they one by one run!  Way to go girls! I don't like it when Elijah's and the girls' games are at the same time.  I would normally go to the girls' game if they are at the same time since Woody attends Elijah's as one of the coaches.  But tonight I decided that I wanted to attend Elijah's . And, at one point I thought that I should have probably gone to the girls game as that one might have been better for my blood pressure...but then found out that the girls' game was also blood pressure raising!  Good games for both teams!

Woody walked early this morning.And, then later he walked to get his hair cut.  I got up early and sewed for for a while this morning.  The doll dress is looking more complete...sleeves are in and side seams of the bodice have been sewn up.  Now to attach the skirt and add some velcro or snaps to the back and it will be complete.Woody went to the nephrologist this afternoon and he got what I was afraid that he would get...sheets of food do's and don'ts for keeping his potassium level down.  And...let's just say that there are many more don'ts than do's!  At the moment it has me stymied as to what to cook.  So many of the things that you think of as "good for you" are no longer good for him...a whole new way of thinking and at the moment I can't get beyond all the don'ts...it has given me a cooking block...that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! His potassium level had dropped back to the normal level in his labs from yesterday.

Monday=Busy Day

Well, this must have been quite a day...I almost forgot to blog.  We got home from the girls ball game and I just headed to "my" recliner.  Woody came up and checked on some things on the laptop and when he finished he asked if I wasn't going to blog.  Oops!

Woody walked early.  I woke up early and then was afraid to go back to sleep because I was picking up a friend this morning to take her to her physical therapy appointment.  So I decided to sweep and mop the kitchen floor while Woody was on his walk.  I picked up my friend on time.  I read while she was having her therapy session.  Then we stopped at WalMart for her to pick up a few things.  After dropping her off at her house, I stopped at the church to choose a book for a memorial and did a little maintenance.  We won't be working in the library on Wednesday because there is going to be a funeral at the church that afternoon.

Speaking of funerals...there have been too many lately!  Yesterday afternoon Wade's father passed away. So Melany, Wade, Erin and Alex are in the midst planning his funeral. For the time being Wade's mother is staying with them.  Today they went to McEwen, TN to make plans for the funeral at the end of the week.

When I got home from the library, Woody was gone.  He went to the doctor to have more lab work to see if his potassium level has come down.  He will go to the doctor tomorrow and will find out.  He also went to the Life Care Center.  As a matter of fact he went to Life Care twice today.  After lunch, he and Joy went back to visit with one of the ladies he visits with each week.  He had told her that he would share a grandchild with her now and then!  On his first trip out this morning, he also made a stop at Aldis to get some fruit.

I rested some this afternoon.  Woody didn't go to Elijah's baseball practice this evening.  He went to the Furnace Room prayer meeting.  Then he came home and picked me up and we went to Joy and Esther's ball game.  Their team won handily.

Time Marches On

When I was scrolling through my photos to choose a picture for tonight's blog, my eye landed on this photo of the class of Cottey College 1968 and I realized that I hadn't ever posted this.  It is the "official"  group photo of our class taken by Cottey's photographer. I guess you can play "Where's Lois!"

Woody got up and walked early this morning to beat the heat that was predicted for today.  Later in the morning he made his weekly trip to the public library.  I woke up to my cell phone beeping that I had a text message.  It was from Melany.  She was telling me that Wade's father had gotten worse in the night and had been taken to a hospital close to his rehab facility.  The word was not good.  They had been told what you dread to hear at the hospital...that they were going to keep him comfortable.  Wade's family is gathering at his bedside.  One of Wade's brothers lives in the Atlanta area so it was a bit of a trip for him.  He is there now.  Also Wade's dad's siblings are there too.  They have been told that he has from just hours to a day to live...and as we all know...only time will tell if the doctors are right!  But it is a sad time for their family at the moment.

I have spent quite a bit of time at the sewing machine today.  The little dress is starting to take shape and my modifications worked.  The bodice is together.  Next will be the sleeves.  All these pieces are little and the fabric I'm using isn't very friendly for small seams.  It is vintage fabric from my Aunt Lois' fabric stash.  She was a doll collector and enjoyed sewing from her dolls.  The doll I am making this dress for is one of her dolls. After the sleeves the rest should be easy.  I did the collar using a method taught in the internet sewing club that I belong to...so I did try a technique that was just a bit different than the way I usually make collars.  I like her method.

After lunch, Woody headed off to the ball park for Elijah's last regular game of this Little League season.  I didn't go today because it was going to be so hot and also I wanted to be at home in case Melany needed to get in touch with me.  I can't see/read text messages on my cell phone if I am out in the sunshine and I wasn't sure that I would even hear the phone with all the noise at the ball park!

Elijah's team won the game.  When I talked to Nathan earlier he said that their team ended in 2nd place.  This coming week they play in a tournament.

So did you find me in tonight's photo?

Friday Night Ball

Woody and I have just returned from the ball park.  Elijah's (and Nathan's & Woody's) team played the 7pm game.  As one of their coaches said at the end of the game...they got into the game from the start and were still in it at the finish.  They did a great job and won the game handily.  They only have one more game in the regular season (I think) and that is tomorrow afternoon (in the hot sun).  It is a make-up game.  The girls' game got rained out...less grass on a softball field than on the little league field.

Woody got up and thought that he was going to walk early this morning.  He got to the end of our street and the bottom fell out.  He was glad that he had taken an umbrella or he would have been drenched.  Since his walk was foiled, he ended up doing the grocery shopping a bit earlier than usual.  It rained off and on most of the morning.  We would think that the rain was over and would turn around and it would be back.  We have really gotten a lot of rain over the last several days.  The plants seem to be happy.  Once the storms decided to pass, I was able to get a little time at the sewing machine.  Woody ran errands for a friend later in the morning.  After lunch, it was a shoe shopping spree for part of the grandchildren and me and their mom.  Joy and Isaac went to our local family run shoe store and got what they were needing.  Abigail had found what she wanted (shoes like her volleyball teammates) at Penney's so we went there next. So three of the seven next door have new tennis shoes.

Not long before we needed to leave to go to the ball game, Woody got a call from his nephrologist's office.  His potassium level showed up quite high on his latest lab work so the doctor's office was phoning in a prescription that is supposed to lower it.  Our pharmacy didn't have that particular medicine and it was time for them to close so it was then phoned in to WalMart.  We headed out the door hoping to get the medicine prior to the game and get it quickly enough that Woody wouldn't be late with the line-up papers for the game!  We made it.  He drank the medicine on the way to the ball park!  He has to go back to get his potassium level retested on Monday.  Seems to always be something!  He did get to the ball park in plenty of time!  We found out that the young fellow who was waiting on Woody was one of my former Montessori students.