Low-Key Day

I started to title the blog "All's Quiet on the Western Front," but considering that a front is blowing through this evening that title might not be accurate as the evening goes on! We under a wind advisory and as I type this I can hear the wind picking up. As long as power stays on I am okay with the wind! Woody just started today's dialysis treatment. We will be moving it up a couple of hours at a time over the next week until we are back to his 1pm time for starting his treatment. He said that he slept last night, but was interrupted by an awful lot of alarms...I'm sure that is because he was lying down. We learned early on that his treatments work better if he is in his recliner...reclining, but not lying down flat. Neither of us have done much today. Woody is having some pain in his arm, but seems to be tolerating it fairly well by just taking some Tylenol. My major accomplishment of the day was making lasagna. Other than that I haven't done much. I have read some as has Woody. He did his daily crossword puzzles. I printed them off for him so he wouldn't have to go upstairs. My new ipad makes it so easy to print them, I was downstairs sitting at the dining room table and had them printed by the time I got upstairs to get them off the printer tray. I plan to do some more cross stitching this evening after I finish cleaning up the kitchen. I started a sampler yesterday...one of my favorite things to stitch. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

They’re Mooovin' On Down The Highway...Finally!

Nathan just texted me and said that they were on the way home. Woody wasn't taken back for surgery till 4:30. The surgeon told Nathan that he did what he expected to do. We are to go back to see him in a week and a half and find out about the pathology results. Woody was given a local and something that made him not care what they were doing...so he wasn't put totally to sleep. Woody picked up Nathan around 11:15 and he drove to Nashville. Nathan, of course, is driving back. I have spent the day doing a little of this and a little of that...lots of loads of wash, some vacuuming, some picking up, some cooking (made chicken noodle soup), and now I am cross stitching. I still have a load of towels that I have to get out of the dryer...but other than that I am finished for the day of doing anything! I have Woody's dialysis machine all ready for him when he gets home. They should be home around 8:30 since it is about a 1-1/2 hour drive. It has been a long day for them. I hope that Nathan is none the worse for wear! He still isn't totally over his surgery of a week ago. We did have the correct place figured out for where they were to go for the surgery...and, it was in the building...not in the parking garage! And, for now, that is all I know...surgery done and now they are back on the interstate heading this way. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Parking Garage Third Floor for Surgery?!?

This morning Woody got a call right on time from a very pleasant young man representing anesthesia. Woody answered all his questions and then got information about tomorrow. One of the last things that Woody was asked was do you know where check in. Woody said "at the hospital." He was told, "No, the third floor of the parking garage!" ??????? That raised a lot of questions in my mind and I kept imagining the operating room set up in the garage! I knew that garages had been used for Covid testing at Vanderbilt...but surgery?!? Woody was told to take the elevator to the third floor of the garage. The last thing that he was told was that someone would call later to confirm and tell him the time to be there and also the place...as both of those things were subject to change. And, that ended the call and we then waited the rest of the afternoon for a call from this lady. Luckily, I guess, the young man did give Woody a phone number and a name to contact if we didn't get the call. Well, it got to be 4pm and we still hadn't heard. I asked Woody when he thought that he should call and he wondered if he should wait till the morning. But in the end he decided to go on and call then. Well, the lady on the other end of the line was not pleasant at all. She insisted that the surgery was already confirmed and wouldn't give him any information. Woody told her that we had received no other call except the one from anestheology. She insisted that we had confirmed it. He said that we had not and we needed to know "where" and "when!" She must have had a bad day. Anyway, she put him on hold and when she finally came back on the line she still was insisting that we had already gotten the call. I could not hear what was said...but she finally told him that we were told when we got the call giving the Covid test result. He said that I had taken that call! So since she could pass the buck and blame it on me, she finally gave him the time...which had been moved up 30 minutes from what we were originally told AND she again told him Medical Center East parking garage elevator...third floor. Before I go on...I am taking myself out of the blame...I never received a call about the Covid test. I received a message from the Vanderbilt app that the test was negative...no other information...no call...never confirmed anything. I'm still pretty irritated with the way she handled the call...not the best for my blood pressure. Woody just rolled with the punches and said that he had to be very careful what he said to her since she was getting madder by the minute! Oh, and, by the way, the young man from anesthesiology told us that he wasn't allowed to give us time or place...or he would be in trouble...and the lady confirmed that he was not allowed to tell! Perhaps she was upset because he had given us her number? He may still be in trouble! The one piece of information, besides time to be there, that she gave that has helped us is that she said "Medical Center East." That is the building where Woody sees his Vandy orthopedist on the 4th floor (and it is connected to the garage)...we use valet parking in that building and get out of the car right by the elevator. I checked and valet parking is happening once again in this parking garage...so Woody and Nathan can go there and get out right by the elevators...and we're guessing that his out patient surgery will take place somewhere on the third floor of Medical Center East...and not in the parking garage! Considering how many surgeries and appointments Woody has had at Vanderbilt...we have never had such confusing instructions...nor dealt with rude personnel! Nathan does plan to go with Woody. He says that he is feeling well enough. Woody will drive to Nathan's house and then who knows who will drive from there...guess not my concern since I am staying at home and keeping the home fires burning (well, really getting the dialysis machine ready for Woody's return)! Anyway, I guess the surgery is confirmed (by whom we do not know) and will take place sometime tomorrow afternoon. He is allowed to drink water and clear juice up to two hours prior to surgery...a bit different instructions than usual...at least he doesn't have to be dying of thirst just prior to surgery. In the instructions that came via the Vanderbilt app they want him to drink so IV will be easier to place. The surgery is supposed to take about 1-1/2 hours and the surgeon will be using an ultrasound to guide them in some aspect of the surgery...I don't know if it will be for the reexcision or looking at the place near his elbow. I found out that last information on the Vanderbilt app...along with the estimate of how much the surgery will cost (jaw dropping)...thank goodness for Medicare and supplemental insurance! Well, after saying all the above all that is left to say is: "Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!" Hopefully I will have a report on how things went when it is time to blog tomorrow night.

Attempting Normalcy?

This morning Woody headed out fairly early to get his hair cut. Then the moment that he got back I headed out to the church library...the first time in over 40 weeks since Donna and I had darkened the doors of the library to put in some work. And, in a couple of hours we did over 40 weeks of work! I will say that the library has been used during the pandemic...lots of books to check out and lots of books to check back in and lots of books to shelve! We could definitely tell that we had accomplished something when we got ready to head back home. Woody's Covid test came back negative...we would have been very surprised if it had been anything but negative! But that is one step closer to being ready for his surgery. Today was also the day that I had to order dialysis supplies. I got that finished before heading off to the library. After I got Woody's dialysis treatment going for today, I put in a call to our Fresenius Kidney Care Center and talked to one of our nurses. I needed to let them know about Woody's surgery and I needed to see if there were any special instructions that we needed to give the surgeon's team prior to surgery. There were none. He, of course, won't be here to start his dialysis treatment at his usual time. I will have the treatment ready to go when he gets back home from his surgery. I figure that won't be all that early since he isn't checking in till 1:30pm. And, I have memories of sitting for very long times in the waiting area after checking in! Nathan is feeling much better today...finally! Either he or Kathy will take Woody for his surgery. I will stay home and, like I said, have his dialysis treatment ready to go when he gets home. I have several "projets" planned to occupy my time while he is away! Only one person can accompany Woody into the hospital due to Covid and since I don't drive in Nashville that one person needs to be his driver! Tomorrow morning he will have a phone appointment with anesthesia. Things are gettng ticked off my to-do list that have to happen prior to him leaving here to head to Vanderbilt on Friday. I'm sure that a few things will be added to that list after we talk to Vanderbilt tomorrow. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Coming or Going?

Woody headed off this morning to get his Covid test at a Vanderbilt Clinic/Walgreens in Murfreesboro. He said that it took about 10 seconds...what took the longest was making his way to the back of the pharmacy...he said that it was the biggest drugstore that he had ever seen! I knew that he had gotten there and had the test as I got a message before he got home from the Vanderbilt app saying how long it would take to get results (as long as 48 hours) and that even he hasn't heard from the test to go on and check in at Vanderbilt when they told him to. Once he got the Covid test and was back home, then we started in on making "for-sure" plans to get to Vanderbilt on Friday. From the get go, we had planned on Nathan taking him when the time came...never dreaming that Nathan would have had surgery just a week before Woody's surgery. Nathan is stll feeling puny so at the moment can't imaging making that trip. So Kathy volunteered as long as Nathan is okay for her to leave him on Friday. We decided that perhaps a plan B was needed. I just called Melany and she said that she can do it if Kathy can't. So I think that we have it in place to get him to and from the surgery. So a couple of hurdles have been cleared. I managed to do some wash today and just some other odds and ends around the house. I got Woody connected a little early today as I had a hair appointment at the time we usually get his dialysis started. I got my hair cut and stopped at our pharmacy on the way home. They still didn't have his prescription filled. I think that they contacted the wrong doctor. So I will check back tomorrow. Tomorrow I have to make our next dialysis supply order...seems like I'm doing that every time I turn around. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Heads Spinning

Finding out about Woody's scans seemed slow...but when things started happening everything happened really fast! I emailed the surgeon last night and we got a call from his office first thing this morning and they said that he hadn't gotten the scan report yet and that it would probably be another day or two till we heard from him. BUT...the doctor called a few hours after that and talked with Woody. The summary of the talk is that he does recommend that Woody have surgery to reexcise a wider margin around where the mole was taken out and he also wanted to check out a spot that showed up near his elbow. He hung up saying that he had to get with his surgery scheduler. I figured that we wouldn't hear from her till tomorrow at earliers...but wrong again. She called and said that Dr. Kelley told her to put Woody on his surgery schedule on Friday. Ok...then she started giving me instructions. The anesthesiologist will have an appointment with Woody on the phone Thursday morning. Then she told me that Woody has to have a Covid test 48-72 hours prior to the surgery and that there were only certain designated places where he can get it...none in Tullahoma. It was finally determined that Murfreesboro is the closest plae that is approved. We are having trouble understanding why he couldn't get it at the hospital here in town...it is now a Vanderbilt hospital. Have not a clue...but it is NOT on the approved list. I called and left a message at the Walgreen's Vanderbilt Clinic in Murfreesboro and they just called back and told him that he could come any time...that he doesn't need an appointment. So he plans to go early tomorrow morning hoping to get in and out quickly. And, then we will be able to check one thing off the list of to-dos before Friday. This is all so new that most don't know about what is going on...so those who read this will be one of the first to be on on the latest in Woody's melanoma saga! I'm sure that this won't be the end of the story! I figure we will be heading back to his melanoma doctor after he heals from the surgery. This is just the beginning of being back in the Vanderbilt loop. I've had a busy baking day. I made cinnamon-apple English muffins and also made a yummy dessert that we hadn't had in a very long time--Apple Rolls--think cinnamon rolls except with pie crust for the roll and it cooks in a sugary syrup...a variation on apple pie...but a bit more decadent, I think. Tasted pretty good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on it. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Seeing Red

Tonight's blog title refers to tonight's photos...this is a red farm...red house, red barn, red out buildings. We have had a pretty uneventful day. The good news is that Nathan did get to go home. I checked a few minutes ago and Kathy said that he was a totally different person than he was yesterday...laughing and eating...neither of which he had done a lot of the last several days. Good to hear that he is feeling better. Now on to healing and to feeling all the way better. Today we attended our first virtual funeral. It was held at our church, but for those who couldn't be there and for those who are still sheltering at home as much as possible they livestreamed it. We were so glad to be able to "be there" even when we weren't. I think that was probably the first time that our church had livestreamed a funeral service. It was sad to have to say good bye to a friend of more than 50 years due to Covid. The service was filled with many memories of his life. We will miss seeing his smiling face around the church. Today's cooking for me consisted of deciding that it was time to make something again with my sourdough starter...it was time. So I chose something that didn't take rising time. I made Cheese and Chive Sourdough Biscuits. They are very good along side a bowl of soup...and we had the soup! I just got finishd making up breakfast sausage for Woody...all the patties are cooked and now I will pop them in the freezer and freeze them and then put them in a ziplock bag all ready to pull out a couple when he wants them for breakfast...something to add to make his breakfast high protein. I'm taking a break before I finish cleaning up the kitchen...then it is recliner time for me! Woody's dialysis is going along per usual. The end of this treatment is almost in sight...still probably close to three hours more...but he has been connected for twice as long as he has left! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

What a Combo: A Birthday + A Surgery

Since I can't be sure about the order of the photos, I have written on each of them to let you know what is going on in them! What a day! I will start by wishing Jospeh a great BIG happy 7th birthday! Our plans changed a bit, but we still celebrated! Now to back up to last night...I left you last night knowing that Nathan was in the ER probably with a gall bladder attack. Well...after all the tests...he didn't have strep...he didn't have flu...he didn't have Covid...he wasn't having a gall bladder attack! The CT scan showed that he had an appendix problem...that needed to be taken care of soon. Luckily it hadn't ruptured. At first they said that surgery would happen that night, but later changed their tune and said that surgery would be this morning...well, it really started at noon...so to be technical...Anyway, the surgery went fine. They said that he could probably go home this evening if he could tolerate food. At this point he is still in the hospital and we are figuring that he will be spending the night. His temperature has gone back up and he has been having rigors, really bad shakes. When Woody got them we called them "quakes" because the whole bed shook when these shakes took over his body...and that is what has been happening with Nathan, too. Last I heard they had subsided. Kathy just texted me and he is going to be spending the night. I think that is wise. I would hate for him to go home and then have to go back to ER if more problems arise. He is getting pain meds and IV antibiotics for the night and they will do labs in the morning. Hopefully he will get some healing sleep tonight...never know in the hospital! Now on to our "wait and see." We are still waiting to hear from the surgeon. Woody said that the PET techs said to contact someone if we hadn't heard by Friday. I will write an email through Vanderbilt's MyHealth app. I can choose which of Woody's doctors to email so will email the surgeon and hope to hear the first of the week. I'd just as soon slide through the weekend not having to know/think about whatever the next step is! We can continue to live in oblivion for a few more days!!! I will now end by wishing Joseph another BIG happy birthday! He has been a trouper adapting to changes in plans for his big day! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! I know several friends who got get their Covid vaccines today...three more, that I know of, who have had their first shot. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wait and See!

Some in our family may feel like a deer caught in the headlights! At the moment Nathan is in the local ER. He has been having pain, etc. due to his gall bladder for the last few days. Today he decided to cry uncle and go to the doctor. His doctor asked if he had decided that it was time for surgery! He also told him that the next attack could be mild or worse than the one that he was having now! The latter probably got his attention. He went home to wait on a call from the surgeon's office. But as the evening advanced the pain, etc. got worse so he chose to head to the ER. Nathan's doctor told them that he expects the hospital to keep him at least for the night. They are going to run tests for flu, strep, Covid and do a CT scan. So the wait and see game is on for Nathan and the rest of us. Woody is still in the wait and see game as we still haven't heard from the surgeon. The tech where he got the PET scan told him to call if we hadn't heard anything by tomorrow...not sure who we are to call...surgeon or radiology...and if radiology have no idea what number we would call! Details! I just keep hoping that we will hear from the surgeon and that we won't have to call whoever we are supposed to! Now to update the earlier part of our day. Woody got a very good report from Dr. O. He said that things were going along well with the dialysis. So we are to just keep on doing what we have been doing. The one change may be with one of his blood pressure meds. He has started to have tremors in his hands and the doctor decided to try a new blood pressure med to see if that would solve the problem. I guess we are supposed to check on that at the pharmacy tomorrow...too many things to have to check on! The appointment at Fresenius Kidney Center was very short. After the appointment, I had Woody take me to Kroger to pick up the one item, that I know of, that I forgot to get on Tuesday. Then we came back home and have just gone on in our normal routine...Woody is well underway with today's dialysis...still about an hour or so in the third cycle and then one more to go for tonight. He should be finished 10ish per usual. I have taken on a sewing project that some probably would roll their eyes at, like my sister, Cheryl! I have turned the collars on two of Woody's very old, but favorite corduroy shirts. Not many do such things these days...but in the "good ol' days" wives used to do this to the collars and cuffs on their husbands shirts. This adds some more wear time to well worn shirts! I have made several shirts for Woody from scratch so I know how the collar is attached and this is not a hard task. I had done it i the past on another of Woody's favorite shirts. He likes to wear these under a sweatshirt and they are the perfect weight ad are soft and and not too thick...new would just not be as comfortable as these old ones...so...I decided that I would "fix" these and give them a bit more wear. I know that Woody doesn't care that they show the wear on the collars, but he can't see what they look like and I can...so it makes me feel better to fix them. Two are fixed and there is one more to fix...but he is wearing it so...I will capture it from the dryer the next time I wash and fix that one too. I guess it is time to unload the dishwasher so I can load up the dirty that are sittig on the counter waiting to be put in! Hope that you aren't having to play the waiting game! I'm afraid that the waiting game is going to change plans for Joseph's birthday celebration tomorrow. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Inauguration Day 2021

For a patriotic day...a patriotic barn! I mentioned last night that I was a social studies major...besides geography I have a definite interest in history and I view inaugurations as being a part of history and if I am able, I want to watch the inauguration ceremonies whether my candidate won or lost...it is a way that I am part of a moment in history. Woody and I both watched it...for a while he watched it on a national network on our TV and I watched it on my iPad being livestreamed by the Joint Congressional Committee of Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC)...the actual folk who made all the plans for the inauguration...definitely a different point of view...lots of views from the background...got to see the dignitaries as they were lined up inside the Capitol before being introduced. And, no matter whether I voted for them or not...I get chills seeing the former Presidents in attendance. Again...it makes me feel a part of history! I joined Woody downstairs for the actual swearing in of the Vice President and President. So a good part of my day was drawn into watching history take place. I do know that it is Wednesday as Donna and I had our weekly "library talk.". We chased lots of rabbits...never know in what direction our conversations may go! Later in the afternoon I made one of Woody's requests, Spicy Vegetable Beef Soup. We had that for supper tonight. I, once again, am very thankful for a dishwasher...the clean up was pretty easy and virtually painless! We have had several ask if we have heard from the PET scan and so far no word from the surgeon. It really isn't something that we are stressing over or even thinking about...probably why we don't think to update folk about whether we have heard or not. I am picking up the phone when I am downstairs even though I don't know who is calling (no caller ID on the downstairs' phone) just in case it is the doctor...so it is at the back of my mind! Tomorrow Woody has an appointment at the Fresenius Kidney Center with Dr. O. Be safe! Be well! Be cautioius!

Busy Tuesday

My favorite barn photos include a local geographic feature called the Highland Rim which is to the east of us a little...guess we are a part of it but when you travel just a bit farther to the east of Tullahoma all of a sudden this long flat blue rim shows up. I love to get it in my photos as I did in tonight's. I had a social studies major so land forms intrigue me! The rim isn't all the high...according to what I just read it isn't much over 1000 ft. but it is a part of the Cumberland Plateau which is a bit higher...known for some of its waterfalls. I have used my Apple pencil and outlined our county, Coffee, in red and added a black dot that represents approximately where we live...very close to Moore County, smallest county of TN's 95 counties and also Franklin County. The car wheels don't have to turn very many times to put us in Franklin County and not many more times to get us to Moore County. Our barn travels tend to cover Coffee and the surrounding counties. I am including a map that shows the counties that I know that we have ventured into on varioius barn trips over the years. I'll have to ask Marie if we have gone into the others that touch our county. So here is your geography lesson for today!

Today needed to be grocery shopping day since I was due to get groceries yesterday and I just wasn't up to it after our Nashville trip! So off I went this morning. I got back and it was time to set up Woody's dialysis treatment for today. First I brought the groceries in and then put away the cold and frozen items, got the machine set up and the solution warming, got Woody's lunch and put away the rest of the groceries. I got him connected and then I finally got to sit down and eat lunch and do a little more reading in a good e-book that I happened across that I am enjoying. Speaking of books, I got a call from the public library that they had books that I had requested ready for me to pick up...they are back to doing curb-side pickup once again...Woody had been missing getting books that way. I stopped on my way to Kroger and picked the books up. So Woody happily has some books that he was wanting to read. While I was eating lunch, I happened to see one of our former neighbor's vehicles. It was Abigail. She had been out running errands and stopped in to see us. We had a nice visit...we got caught up a bit! It was good to see her. We'll get to see her and the rest of the gang on Friday when we head their way to celebrate Joseph's birthday...he requested our presence at his celebration! After Abigail headed off, I got all the boxes that we had emptied this week in a pile...all knocked down and gathered the rest of what needed to be taken out to be picked up tomorrow...both recycle items and stuff to throw away in the trash can. Got the trash can rolled out to the curb and placed the stack of boxes out next to the trash can for the recycle folk. By the time all that was done, I was ready to head upstairs...my recliner was calling me big time! I meant to sit there and read...but my eyes closed and I slept till the alarm went off reminding me to take the medicine that I'm supposed to take a while before supper. Then I got the rice cooking to go with the Sweet 'n Sour Chicken that I made last night. I was so glad that I had made it last night and only had to reheat it tonight. We have had supper and that brings us to now...just have to put a couple of dishes in the dishwasher and make sure that all the food has been put away. Then I am through for the night. One of these days I will have time to put the boxes back in the Christmas closet...but so far neither the time nor inclination have happened! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! For I got more Covid news today...the son of a good friend in my Sunday School Class found out today that he has Covid-19...the pandemic news continues...the question is: "When will it end!?!"

He Marinated!

We got up "dark and early" this morning to head to Nashville for Woody's PET scan at Vanderbilt. The car pulled out of the driveway a little before 5am. We pulled up to the Vanderbilt valet parking in front of the hospital a little before 6:30. Radiology is right behind the waiting room in the hospital so that parking was very convenient for us. Woody chose to take his rolling walker today and it really helped his mobility, plus he had a seat if he needed to stop and rest. He got registered and we were sitting in the PET scan waiting room by 6:40. Things continued to go like clockwork. We hadn't been in the waiting room long before they called us back so they could inject him with the dye (which is okay for someone to have who is on dialysis). As the tech left us, she said that she was going to leave him to marinate for a while! I would say that he only marinated for half-hour to maybe 45 minutes before they took him to the room for the scan. She explained that their machine that they had been without for a while was back in commission and that this machine was much quicker than another. The scan probably only took 15 to 20 minutes. We were back on the road by 8:30 and home by 10! Probably thanks to it being Martin Luther King Day the early morning rush hour traffic wasn't bogged down like it so often is on our way to Vanderbilt. But it was still a five hour "ordeal"...most of which was driving. We were both very ready to get in the house and have breakfast and something to drink...in our rush I forgot to pick up the water I meant to take. Woody couldn't eat or drink anything after midnight. We had "brunch" after we got home...so our meals have been off the rest of the day! I was so tired and my back was hurting so much that after I got Woody connected for his dialysis for the day, I headed upstairs and landed in my chair and didn't stir for several hours...most of those I spent sleeping! I got up and headed down to make supper, but Woody said that he wanted one of his high protein shakes for supper...it wasn't hard to talk me into that! I did go on and make Sweet 'n Sour Chicken I had planned to make so it's all made for tomorrow and I did sample it for my supper tonight. Now I have the kitchen to face...hopefully my afternoon nap will see me through the task! Now...about tonight's photo...the other day I was playing with the photo editing on the new iPad and happened to slide one of the sliders a bit too much...but I decided that I liked the effect as it was a cold and snowy day and the trees looked so icy! The other new thing that I have discovered how to do with my Apple pencil is to add a signature to my photos...I don't want it to be too obvious, but I thought that I would like to sign the pictures that I post. I liked being able for it to be my actual signature. Now for some sad news...our dear friend, who was so sick with Covid 19 and was air flighted to Jackson, TN because there was no room at the hospital here in town, died yesterday afternoon. Three of his children were able to be with him while his daughter and wife remained here as they are both recovering from Covid. Sharing that remember...Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

I Am So Excited!

First my keyboard came today even though the email said Monday! Good surprise! Nathan was here so he got it set up for me...nothing to it. It is up and running. My one wish now that I have the new iPad and keyboard and pencil was: "If only I could actually blog from it rather than on our old laptop! Something came up on the screen today when I was "playing" with my new toys and it made me realize that perhaps I just might be able to blog if I downloaded an app that was a different server than Apple's Safari. We had to download firefox/mozilla on the laptop for me to be able to blog on that computer. Mozilla and Foxfire happened to come up as a suggestion for something that I was looking at so it made me think..."maybe!" So I got started on the blog a little later tonight because I downloaded the foxfire app and then it took me a while to get it to accept my email address and password (a problem that I have with Google because I once put in wrong address and it will not forget nor delete that address). Anyway, I jumped through a few hoops and held my mouth just right and...low and behold...I am composing tonight's blog from my new iPad using my new keyboard. What you have is a happy camper here! I am having trouble with my photography software on the laptop, but here on iPad I can mess around and make them look like I want...tricks of a photographer's trade...making the photos look better than they really are! Shhhhhhh! Don't tell anyone that I told you that little secret! Nathan came over this morning to work on putting a TV up in my sewing room. This TV will only play DVDs and the Roku channels as we don't have any other connections to our antenna except for the famiy room/Woody's room. I do like to have some noise going on when I am sewing. I had a teeny tiny tv that had been Woody's mother's when she lived in assissted living. I used it only with a dvd player which was fine with me...the main problem was its height...I had to look thrugh and around the sewing equipment that was between me and the tv. So I am glad to have this one up on the wall beyond all that mess. I haven't done anything with it since he left because I have been playing with my other toys! I am so happy to be getting used to this keyboard...still lots of symbols on the keys that I have no idea what they do, but the main part works great...so good to be touch typing once again! I also really like the Apple pencil...you may be seeing some of its creativity one of these days on some of my photos...still learning with it too. Woody has had a quiet day...mainly in his chair. He got a thick envelope from Vanderbilt today...some kind of survey. He also checked out some of the Roku channels on the TV after Nathan showed him a couple of things about it. He watched a couple of game shows on one of the channels and then looked around to see what else there was and then went back to regular antenna channels to watch football and maybe some basketball. His dialysis is well under way...I haven't looked at his machine in a while, but I am figuring by the time that he is well into the fourth/final cycle for today. Back to surprises...I guess I found out that FedEx does deliver on Saturday...Nathan said they had to in order to compete with other mail delivery companies and the U.S. Post Office. Anyway, I knew last night that the cord was going to come today and was a bit disappointed that they still had the keyboard for delivery on Monday. But when the doorbell rang...both packages were there. So all my Christmas from Woody has arrived...and two of the packages were only a day later than I was originally told. Later this afternoon when I went out to check the mail, I found another box on the front porch, also delivered by FedEx. Neither of us had any idea what it might be and the return address wasn't any help either. Woody opened it and discovered some protein bars that Fresenius had sent. He qualifies to get a certain amount of protein supplements each month. The nutritionist had mentioned protein bars, but we had both forgotten about them...after all it has been a month since we saw her. But that was another surprise. So good day all around...I guess when you look at surprises. On that note I will close...Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday...Once Again!

I made high protein pancakes for Woody after I got up this morning. Then I cleaned up the mess in the kitchen...slowly! My energy level has been low today...I guess getting the Christmas upstairs and in the hall did me in? I just didn't feel like doing much today and thus didn't! I have read a little. I did do a little redecorating in the dining room...the china cabinet buffet top. The redecorating indludes a good dusting/furniture polishing, etc. so it is a slow process too. Plus it means many trips up and down the stairs to retrieve things. Only part of the my iPad accessories arrived today...two of the four items were delayed. But I did get the iPad pencil so I played around with it some this afternoon. I also got the lightning USB camera SD Card reader. I tried that out to make sure that I can now transfew photos from the camera that aren't wi-fi compatible. And, that worked...so...so far so good on the items working that I ordered. I am really most interested in the keyboard case...but according to an email that I received today, I will have to wait till Monday. Not much of a delay, but enough to make me have to wait till after the weekend since they use FedEx to deliver and FedEx doesn't deliver on the weekend days. This just draws Christmas our a little longer! These are my gifts from Woody. Woody is connected to his dialysis cycler machine, as usual, and is on the last cycle of today's dialysis treatment.We have really had a windy day...this wind may be blowing in some possible snow in the morning...wondering if we will see white ground or trees when we look out the windows in the morning. Nathan shared more Covid sad news one of his good friend's father isn't expected to live as his organs are starting to shut down. Such news is so sad, especially when one has known the person for so many years as we have known this friend. Nathan's comment was that it was just so sad as his friend couldn't even give his dad one last hug. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Discoveries

Tonight's photos are my favorites of the livestock that we saw on our first barn trip of the year. I like the horse photo enough that at the moment it is the picture I used for the wallpaper on my iPad screen. Now on to my discoveries of the day...first I have learned that I have enough gift bags to open a store! I decided that it was time to go through the gift bags and other Christmas wrapping materials and dispose of some and consolidate the rest. It was quite a job...I grabbed the little wooden stool that I have in the kitchen and set up shop in the hallway upstairs where all the wrapping mess was. I went through everything...tissue, boxes, bows, and bags. I sorted the bags by size and put them into several other bags and then put those bags into one large bag. Lots of tissue paper and torn and otherwise messed up bags found their way to file thirteen! I rarely use boxes these days and was tempted to get rid of the boxes...but didn't at least not at this point...still might when it comes to putting them back into the closet. The major discovery of the day happened when I was going through one of the large bags that other bags were stored in...I found the two 2020 calendars that I received for Chritmas 2019. We opened gifts at Nathan and Kathy's and then loaded up things to bring them home. I didn't miss the calendars till it was time to put them up and had no idea where they might be...after looking in logical places I decided that they probably got thrown out with the wrapping...that they had probably landed in a box since they were flat and that wrapping got tossed in on top of them and out they went with the trash. But...no...they came home in a gift bag that some of the empty gift bags came home in also...got put away with other gift bags and weren't unearthed until...today! I also found a candy cane ornament that Esther made for me and a mechanical pencil that Esther also gave me. I had Kathy reorder me the photo calendar that they gave me...so I had that one to use. But...the traditional kitchen calendar gift from Cheryl didn't get used...it was birdhouses. I will look at all the pictures in a while! I found a barn calendar that I used last year in the kitchen. I missed the nice quality of the calendars that she always gives me...but was "sort of" happy since I had found one with barns. This year Cheryl and I decided not to exchange gifts due to Covid. So I was responsible for the kitchen calendar. I found one of the good quality ones at our local pharmacy...it is a barn calendar...I like this one much better than the one that I bought because I "lost" the one Cheryl had given me! It's funny how things turn up sometimes! I definitely wasn't expecting to find anything but wrapping material when I decided to do that sorting job. My goal of the day was just met...I have all the decorations upstairs in the hall waiting to be packed back into the Christmas closet. The last thing I did just a few minutes before I came in here to blog was to close the flaps on the Christmas tree box...with the Christmas tree safely back in it. It is already in the closet...and I put the first box back on top of it to keep the flaps closed. Now to get the living room and dining room back to preChristmas decor! Another day! I decided that today was going to be the day to order the accessories that I want for my iPad...well, when I went to the online Apple Store, the keyboard case that I wanted was no longer in stock and it wouldn't be shipped for ten to twelve weeks! That didn't sound so good to me...so I went looking elsewhere and found exactly what I wanted at Best Buy. The best thing about this order is that it is supposed to be delivered TOMORROW! We'll see if that happens, but even if it isn't delivered till next week, it will beat 10 to 12 weeks by a lot! Woody has had a quiet day...he spent part of the morning upstairs working on the laptop and then he has spent the afternoon and evening connected to his dialysis cycler machine...a pretty typical day for him these days. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Magical Moment?

Last week on our first barn trip of the year, we found lots of pastures filled with horse and cows. The particular pasture pictured above had a lot of horses. I took the top picture and when the horse started moving away from the hay moving towards the other horses, swung my camera around to take the group of horses. I just happened to look back and was surprised by the white horse that hadn't been visible when I took the first picture. It was like the dark horse turning into a white horse. It was a bit of a magical moment...almost like a unicorn or Pegasis walking into the scene...whimsical! Woody and I both slept in a bit later this morning since his treatment wasn't over till 1am. We were both really glad when the machine finally cycled off! Today we got everything started at the usual time...so hopefully it will end at a normal/more reasonable time! We got our second reminder of Woody's Vanderbilt appointment on Monday...guess they don't want us to forget. The recorded voice called it multible appointments with the first starting at...That confused me so I looked up his appointment on Vanderbilt My Health site. What they are calling multiple appointments are part of the same one...one is for the IV and one is for the scan. He can have the IV for this one as the dye isn't something that bothers kidneys...the surgeon made sure that we knew that it was okay for someone on dialysis. I once again spent quite a bit of time on putting Christmas decorations away. Everything is boxed up except for the Christmas tree. I have two Christmas mugs to put in the carton that I store them in, but before I put them in I have to look at the mugs in the box as I let the box slip to the floor when I was decorating and I need to check to see if any of them are broken. But I am very close to having everything boxed up...good place to be! I still have to pull out a couple more boxes before I will be at the Christmas tree box. Once the tree is back in the box then ALL I will have left to do is to pack the boxes back into the Christmas closet! That is quite a job in and of itself! That job used to be Woody's only part of the Christmas decorating and undecorating. I think he probably isn't too sad to have had to give that job up! I know that it is Wednesday because Donna and I had our "library" chat this afternoon. We are planning to meet at the library in a couple of weeks...we haven't worked in the library since the middle of March last year...in some ways it seems like years since we have been there! But we have enjoyed our weekly "library" talks! And, these talks keep me grounded on what day of the week it is! Watching our church service on FaceBook Live gets my week started so I know that it is Sunday and then Donna's and my Wednesday library chat on the phone marks the middle of the week...most of the other days are just "a day!" Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Just Because...

Just because I have made a big dent in packing away my Christmas decorations, I decided that we needed two last Christmas barns for this year. We came across these barns on our unplanned barn trip on Friday after waking up to snow. We came across these two Christmas barns. My favorite is the gray barn with the wreath...but I like them both! All my carolers are boxed up and upstairs in the hall. The decorations on the tree are off and boxed up and in the hall. I have also put away a lot of trees and snowmen. The dining room table has a lot less on it. I am through for the day...I'm tired. I worked most of the morning. Then after lunch we headed to Fresenius Kidney Center to meet with a nurse for labs and to turn in his drain fluid to be examined...I guess to see how well the dialysis is working. He also got an infusion of iron. On the way home we stopped at the Credit Union. I hustled to get everything ready for his dialysis treatment for today. We will be up a bit later tonight as the treatment got started an hour and a half later than usual. We usually have mornig appointments at Fresenius, but this was a make-up appointment for the one that got preempted last week for the surgeon's appointment. Next week's appointments are lining up...one for PET scans at Vanderbilt and his monthly appointment with his kidney doctor, Dr. O., at the Fresenius kidney center. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Almost forgot...the Fresenius delivery arrived late this afternoon. I am always glad to have him arrive the day before the actual delivery because if he didn't then he would be at our door bright and early tomorrow morning. 4pm is a lot better than 7 or 8 am...especially on these cold days! But we are well stocked...I guess I could say stacked with dialysis solution and supplies once again...back to having boxes on the far side of the living room as well as at the front of the living room. Boxes, boxes, boxes!

More Snow

We woke up to another snowy morning and it snowed a good part of the morning...not much of it left when I went out to take a trashbag full of Woody's used up dialysis equipment and get the mail late this afternoon. Tonight's dialysis is a bit different. We have to capture all the drain fluid in bags to take to an appointment with Woody's dialysis nurse tomorrow afternoon. I think they check the drain fluid every three months. This is the second time that we have taken in the drain bags when we go for an appointment. Today I have spent most of the time cooking. I made "liquid gold" aka chicken stock. We were out of it and I like to have it in the freezer to use in soups, sauces, etc. I also made Cantonese Spareribs (aka Sweet Meat). We had some of those and rice for lunch. Then for supper I heated up some spaghetti and meatballs that I had frozen last month. I am still working on Christmas decorations. At the moment the dining room table is completely covered with Christmas things. The coffee table has all the carolers gathered for their last sing...that will last till I find their storage boxes! I took all the tiny cross stitch ornaments off the carolers tree, but haven't found the box to put the tree and ornaments away. The Precious Moments nativity is half-way put away because I haven't come across the box that has the rest of their boxes in it. Eventually I will get everything all boxed up and back in the Christmas closet. There isn't really any time limit on anything these days...so I will just take my time and do it little by little. After I publish this I will put a few more things away and also fold a load of towels that I got out of the drier a little while ago. I'm not going to do a lot more tonight, I'm tired and ready for my recliner! I got sad news today. My moved-away-from-Tullahoma friend who now lives in Alabama called earlier today to tell me that her mother had passed away. She was in her 90's and had not been doing well after she got Covid pneumonia. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! P.S. I should update about my camera that was acting crazy the other day! I think that I have figured out the problem...it was the lens that was on the camera...a power zoom lens. I will put it back on another time to see if it still makes the camera act goofy! I hope not as I really like this lens...it can be controlled by the camera and I don't have to turn the lens to make it zoom out. I hate to put it back on since all my settings are back and the camera is working as it should! But I will put it back on when I use it next and see what happens!

Who's That Masked Birthday Boy?

Oh, it's Isaac! He stopped by after church to pick up his birthday gift from us. He is nine today...doesn't seem possible...even though I did guess that he was 99 when I saw him! Happy Birthday, Isaac! We missed not having a "next door" birthday celebration!

Merry Christmas from the Dorrells and Proctors (Can you find the Dorrells?)

My sister said that Woody and I weren't in the picture...can you find us? She said it was like "Where's Waldo?". When she did finally see us waaaaaaaaaaaaaay up in the left-hand corner. She said, "Oh, I thought that was a light or a lampshade. (I was leaning in taking a screen shot.) Now back to our "last Christmas" for 2020! This afternoon Melany and family and Woody and I FaceTimed while we opened our gifts from each other. We had a nice visit for about an hour. We got many nice gifts...Woody is enjoying puzzle books and candy that were given to him. Shortly after we got through with this part of our Christmas a friend called and said that she had made some Vegetable Beef Soup that she wanted to share with us. She and her daughter dropped it off along with some yummy chocolate chip cookies. Good supper! We have had a good day...mostly...I am fighting with one of my cameras...it is acting like it is possessed...settings no longer work the way they did. I even went so far as to reset to factory settings. Before I did that I took pictures with my ipad of each of the setting screens so I could get things back the way I like them. BUT...I choose the settings and when I go back they didn't get saved. The problem that I was having was fixed for a short time...but then it went back to doing the same thing that it was doing. I have reset again...we will see if I can get it "to mind" when I set things up this time. This is the newer of my interchangable lens cameras...why couldn't it have been the older one?!? I am also having trouble with the newer of my point-and-shoot cameras. I think that maybe they are getting tired!?! They have taken many thousands of photos. I will keep trying to get this problem figured out. It may take reading the manual, again...but I have read the manual many times and none of these problems are addressed...but maybe I can spot something that I have done that is making the strange things happen to the setting buttons? Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Two-Trip Day: One Planned, One Not

The planned trip was the trip to Franklin, TN to see a surgeon about reexicision of the area around Woody's mole. What we learned: 1) It is an aggressive form of melanoma (not a surprise to us since it had grown so quickly). 2) It may have nothing to do with Woody's original melanoma (Woody feels that it isn't). It may have been just a dormant melanoma on the skin that was awakened by something...perhaps a trauma...like the fall that Woody had. 3) Dr. Kelley wants Woody to have a complete body PET scan before he does anything. 4) If this is the only place then he will reexcise the area. 5) If other places show up on the PET scan then he will have Dr. Wyman, Woody's melanoma doctor at Vanderbilt, make the decision as to what to do next. 6)Due to Woody's history, Dr. Kelley didn't think that needs to remove a lymph node (one reason it would be hard for Woody and the doctor due to Woody's frozen shoulder...it can be done but not easily and in this situation since Woody has a history of melanoma already that he doesn't think that it is necessary). 7) Dr. Kelley wants all procedures to be done at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville as all of Woody's melanoma history is in that facility. We felt very comfortable with Dr. Kelley. He worked under Dr. Sossman when Dr. Sossman was Woody's melanoma doctor. He was very familiar with all the procedures that Woody has had. Dr. Kelley mentioned today that back 13 years ago when all this began for Woody that only 5-10% of metestatic melanoma patients survived even a year (usually 8 months or less). That percentage has risen considerably in the years since...much more success with melanoma patients due to latest research and discoveries. Woody has ridden right along with those new discoveries...we'll now see what is next for him! Our dirve to Franklin was beautiful...but mainly at the beginning of the trip. The snow that fell over night had covered the trees and it was just beautiful...once we got a ways out of Tullahoma the snow got less and less. The roads were clear the whole way. The top two pictures are from the drive to Franklin this morning. The bottom photo was from the unplanned trip. We stopped at Marie's house on our way home as I had left my cell phone in her car. When I got it from her, she mentioned that she would like to go out and see if she could get some barns in any snow that might be left. I showed an interest in such a trip. I told her I would go home and get Woody's dialysis started and to let me know. Carolyn could do it if we went at 3pm so I headed back to Marie's to be there at 3pm and we went across the street and picked up Carolyn. I got back home a little before dark (a little before 5). We just went in a circle close to Marie and Carolyn's homes. The snow was mostly gone, but we still got some pretty barns on a very wintry day. The bottom photo is from the unplanned barn trip. I forgot to add last night that it was the start of my 13th year of blogging...so...what we are getting "back into" at Vanderbilt was just starting for Woody 12 years ago. As I said the other night...been there, done that! I guess I have shared quite a bit in 12 years of blogging. I never dreamed that I would still be blogging 12 years later...especially never dreamed that I would be writing a blog that was taking us back to the beginning of our journey at Vanderbilt. That journey started December 26, 2008: our first appointment with Dr. Sossman...and the rest is history!!! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! Good Covid 19 news: Cheryl, my favorite (and only) sister, tested negative for Covid.

First BarnTrip of 2021

We had a very nice day to head out to find some new, to us, barns...and MANY barns we found! This will be the start of "barns on parade" for the blog photos for a while! This barn gave us a beautiful reflection in a pond and right next to the barn the cows had their own pond complete with their reflections. Of course, there has to be that one fence post that "got in the way!" Woody and I decided to go on and connect and start his dialysis treatment for today before I left so it wouldn't make our barn trip end at a certain moment. So he had his dialysis earlier in the day today and is already disconnected for the evening. The weather for the barn trip was good...overcast most of the day, but the rain held off. Just as we got back into Tullahoma, we started getting hit with little pellets of ice, graupel. It is now raining. I'm hoping that it stays rain and doesn't turn to snow, since we are to head to a doctor appointment in Franklin, TN in the morning. We got another appointment reminder a little while ago. I guess they don't want us to forget! I at least know the name of the place we are going now and have a phone number...we only had an address before. Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday...Again

Today I know that it is Wednesday because I had my "library" chat with Donna. We enjoyed our talk and had several laughs over a couple of situations. My sister was tested for Covid today at an urgent care. She said that she had to stay so long in this facility that she feels that if she didn't have Covid when she went in she probably has it now! She will find out the results of the test in a couple of days. We got an email from Vanderbilt today that said that they would shortly be starting to vaccinate their patients who are 75 and older. Woody just misses that mark by a year so not quite eligible for the first group of patients that they will admminister the vaccine to. But it sort of sounds like they are putting their patients on a waiting list. Again, time will tell! I have just done a little of this and a little of that today. I have started to put some of Christmas back in their boxes...not a lot yet. I got the hallway ready to stack up the boxes when I get them filled. I don't plan to do anything to the living room till after we have virtual Christmas with the Proctors on Saturday. Figure we need to be in a Christmasy mood to open our gifts! Definiely need the tree! We have a couple more loads of clean clothes. And, I did a little vacuuming. I did make another double recipe of Woody's breakfast sausage and have the patties in the freezing now. I was going to make his pancakes tonight, but he said that he would have oatmeal in the morning. I think that I am going to slip away for a few hours in the morning...perhaps for a barn trip. That means that when I get through here I need to get camera gear ready for a morning getaway. Woody came upstairs and stayed quite a while this morning. He was in here checking out things on this laptop and then went into the "office/new sewing area" and challenged the computer to several games of Scrabble. He is also busily going through a 2021 calendar of puzzles that the Proctors gave him. He doesn't do them daily...just starts working them and continues despite what the date is! He was well into February when I noted the date on a puzzle he was doing! I told him that "my this year is flying right along!" Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! (Maybe there will be some new barn photos tomorrow night!)

Just Another Day...

Days are once again just rolling into one another with hardly anything to differentiate them from any other day! I will give you a hint that there may be some new barn photos in a couple of days...if weather cooperates and everything else falls into place! I look back on the day and am not sure of what my accomplishments are...I did do one load of wash and it is put away. I continue to work on my iPad to get it back to being "mine." It is mostly back to where it was when I got it locked down, but there are still things to do to get it the way I want it. Woody had one outside of house errand: he went to get gas so we will be set to head off to the doctor in Franklin on Friday. I am working on getting ready to make a top for myself...working on making some alterations to accomodate my aging body shape! Not much fun...getting old or having to do these pattern adjustments! And, I should know not to try to get back to sewing...some other sewing project seems to always come on the scene when I do. My sister always says that she is glad that she doesn't sew so no one will ask her to help them with a sewing problem! I'm wishing that myself, as I have been asked to alter something...and I would much rather start from scratch than to have to alter what has already been sewn! But I will make an attempt to do this for our grandson's bride-to-be! Grammy to the rescue for the wedding dress. I always love how someone who doesn't sew much (Melany in this instance) can tell someone who does (me in this instance) that it won't be very hard! It is "only" to shorten the straps on the dress and shorten the dress...but the skirt has a train which the bride doesn't want because she thinks that our grandson just might step on it!!!!! Too funny! Anyyway...the question is could I bustle it? My answer: I will try. I don't want to wait too long to do this...the wedding is at the end of June...so I have a bit of time, but I want to wait a bit longer to try to see Covid being less a threat before I go to Melany's to start marking and pinning the dress! Then I will bring it here to do the altering. Time will tell how well this latest sewing challenge will go! Speaking of Melany and family we are planning to open our gifts from each other this Saturday via FaceTime...so our Christmas still isn't over. We sent their gifts from us with Nathan and family last weekend and Melany and family sent our gifts from them back with Nathan and family. I guess I can still say 'tis the season! We received our robotic Vanderbilt doctor appointment reminder this afternoon...hearing that voice made me know that we are back in the Vanderbilt loop! Our latest Covid report: Cheryl, my favorite and only sister, had a virtual doctor visit today. He has told her that she needs to quarantine for ten days because she had been at her daughter's house a certain number of days ago prior to any of their household having any symptoms. If she gets tested and tests negative then she can come out of quarantine. She plans to get tested tomorrow, I think. Arizona is at the top of the world's statistics for Covid at the moment! So...on that note...Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

108 Years Ago...

108 years ago my father was born...the person who probably most infuenced my enjoyment of photograpy! He would have so enjoyed digital photography...I think...and, Mother would have enjoyed it too, as she wouldn't have had to tote around film in her purse for him! He loved taking photos with dead trees in it...so tonight's photo I post thinking of him...though, this tree is probably not dead...just dormant for the winter...same effect in a photo as a dead one, though! Today has been a busy day. I put off going to the grocery store till today as I just didn't want to over the weekend. Before I got out the door, we received a phone call from Vanderbilt...the appointment with the surgeon. I'm glad that he is associated with Vandy as that way all that he does will automatically be in the Vanderbilt system. Woody has an appointment to see the surgeon, Dr. Kelley, on Friday in Franklin, TN. As I predicted, this appointment conflicted with the Fresenis Kidney nurse appointment here in Tullahoma. After lunch I called Fresenius to reschedule. That appointment was changed to next week as long as it doesn't conflict with a surgery date. I see lots of possibilities of appointment shuffling in our future! I headed off to the Credit Union and the grocery store after hearing from the surgeon's office.I got into a traffic "jam" at the Credit Union. In all the years we have gone there I have never seen it when there were no parking spaces (and, I don't like the drive-thru and it was covered up, too). I drove around the parking lot loop a couple of times and finally someone pulled out and I got a space. The wait inside went fairly quickly, though the line was to the front door when I got there (6 feet apart). Finally I got to the grocery store and did my shopping fairly quickly...then went to check out and there was only one line open (haven't seen that in forever either). The line went quickly and I was able to get the groceries in the car and head home. I got the groceries in the house and the cold things put away and then set up Woody's dialysis treatment for the day. While the solution was warming, I got Woody's lunch and worked some more on the groceries. I got Woody connected right on the dot of 1pm...or close enough for government work! He is well into his treatment now and all is well as far as we know! I haven't accomplished much more than grocery shopping, putting away groceries and setting up appointments...but the day is about behind us. Oh, and, I did make a second trip to the grocery store as they didn't charge me the sale price for two packages of meat that I bought and several onions in the bag I bought were already bad..so back I went...it was worth it since I got several dollars back. I would have skipped it if it had just been the onions. I would have just gone on and cut off the bad and refrigerated or frozen the rest...but in the end got a bag with all good onions in it. I did start undecorating yesterday. I took all of Christmas out of the kitchen and put it on the dining room table...and there it sits! I got to the point that I just wanted the Christmas "clutter" off the kitchen counters! It must have been time to take it down as I didn't see it as clutter when it was first placed! Oh, and, an update on my new iPad. Nathan and I have successfully gotten it back to being "mine" again. What Nathan did on Melany's Apple computer worked and I was able to get the rest of the way back after he brougt it back to me. I got the one "bad" message just before blogging last night...but it did say to "try again later." And, trying again later did work and I am back in business...adding in apps and getting things set up again. Now I have the problem of picking up the old ipad to work with appointments and it isn't up to date with the new one. I will have to get it up to date as it is the one that I will probably carry with me to appointments, etc. until I get the case ordered for my new one...something else that I "need" to do! Today...I've learned of more Covid cases including a best friend's mother who is now in the hospital with Covid pneumonia and it has reached into my niece in Arizona's family. Covid is relentless! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sourdough Day

Last night before I left the kitchen I put together the ingredients for Sourdough English Muffins. These ingredients are to sit out on the counter overnight or for at least eight hours. This morning I added the rest of the ingredients called for and got them rolled and cut out so they could rise. Since they use no yeast, I let them rise for quite a while. After I got Woody connected to his dialysis machine at 1pm, I got the griddle ready to cook them. I also made a batch of sourdough waffles. So I am fixed for breakfast items for a while. I put them in the freezer and then thaw and toast them when I want them for breakfast. I am thinking about going downstairs when I am finished with the blog and making a recipe of French Toast for Woody's breakfast. That way it will be ready for Woody whether I am up or not! Nathan and family went to Melany's today to celebrate Christmas. Nathan also used Melany's up-to-date Apple Mac to "fix" my iPad. The procedure went quickly on Melany's computer. I have now what you can call a "new iPad." One that needs to be set up from ground zero. I have started to set it up, but have come to a screen that says that if "this problem presists," I need to connect it to a Apple product in order to proceed...well...maybe back to square one...again?!? It does to wait a while and try again...so I will do that...but am really not too hopeful at this point! A warning...be sure to write down the pass code!!!!! And, if you forget don't keep trying with codes that you think it might be! Sounds like Nathan and Kathy and family had fun with the Proctors. I know that they had good eats as Melany sent us some of their bountiful Mexican repast! Yummy! Woody has had a quiet day watching basketball and football. I spent most of my day in the kitchen either cooking or cleaning! I'm ready for my recliner, but I do think that I will go down and make the French toast so I don't have to get up and make it in the morning. And, maybe I will try one more time to get my iPad back to functioning without having to connect to a device that I can't connect to here! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!