Simply Saturday

Oops! Guess I should blog. I came upstairs and decided to study our Sunday School lesson (I'm not teaching) and then both Nathan and Melany have been texting with me...almost forgot to blog! Both Nathan and Melany are out galavanting so were filling me in on the happenings where they are. Today has been a pretty normal Saturday. We got up early and headed out early to take Woody for his dialysis treatment...the last for this week...always a treatment looked forward to as he has two days off from dialysis after this one. I left a little early to pick him up as I needed to stop and pick up a couple of his prescriptions at our pharmacy. He came out from dialysis after I was there a few minutes...I had enough time to read a couple of pages in my book, which later in the day I finished. Woody likes Saturdays at this time of the year as he has football to watch most of the afternoon. I made a recipe of the sweet red pepper sauce that Woody uses as a substitute for catsup. I made him a philly steak type sandwich for lunch. He likes those and it has been a while since he had had them. I used green peppers from my patio garden. I have done a little of this and a little of that around the house and also read and have stitched a little. It was a lazy afternoon for both of us. We are battening down the hatches for today...I have dressed wounds and Woody is all tucked in for the night watching TV...or may already be asleep! Sunday School in the morning...then probably another lazy afternoon...more football for Woody and more reading and stitching for me! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Free Friday

We were free...again...today. We'd better not get too used to this! There wasn't anything pressing around the house so I did a little of this and a little of that. I did work on catching up on the wash...a load is in the drier...so still have that to put away. I got sucked in by Shark Tank so sat down to watch it. During a commercial break, I went upstairs to get my iPad so I could bring it downstairs to blog while I finish watching it. Earlier today, when I came downstairs, I found Woody at his desk in the family working on his coin collection...good to see him doing that! I went upstairs and planned to come down and get a picture of him doing that, but missed the opportunity as he had gone back to the couch. He was a bit worn out by his effort of walking the length of the family room and then sitting at the desk for a while. But at least he added this into his day! I hope since he has started working on his collection that he will continue over more days. I have done a lot of reading and stitching while I waited on the washer and drier to do their work! I have worked on reading two books and have plans to have worked on two cross stitch projects by the time I turn the light off tonight. I have enjoyed working on my newest small Fall stitching project, but need to go back to my Christmas stitch...as I mentioned the other day Christmas is fast approaching. Best get busy thinking in that direction. I haven't done my usual stitching of ornaments this year. Now 20/20 is on...I should not watch TV while I write the blog...hard to concentrate. I rarely watch TV these days...so guess it is hard for me to multitask while it is on! Guess it is time to say good night and check on my wash! Woody is settling in for the night...guessing he will watch 20/20 till his eyes close! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Day

We got up a little earlier than usual, as we struggled on Tuesday to get out the door on time. Of course, today, when we added in extra time, we didn't need it! But at least we weren't rushed. After dropping Woody off, I came home and decided to sit and stitch for a while before I got busy around the house. I texted a bit with Melany and Erin. I think that I even dozed a little. Then I got up and got busy in the kitchen. I had a new recipe for chicken gumbo that I wanted to try...well, that recipe ended up being very, very spicy. It called for salt-free cajun spice, which I make out a conglomeration of spices...much like the rub that I make. Well, I hadn't used it in a while and didn't remember how much of it I usually use...so just followed the recipe. Obviously it was a lot more than I usually use. I used this recipe because it didn't call for tomatoes and I was trying to make a soup that didn't have tomatoes in it since we are trying to watch Woody's potassium. In the end I HAD to add a can of tomatoes trying to tone it down! When I put it away I took off most of the liquid and mainlly kept the solid part of the soup and plan to add water when I heat it up next...if we are brave enough! I also cooked the pork roast...well, it wasn't the pork loin that I usually buy, but two pork tenderloins. Now, they turned out really good...at least one success in my cooking of the day. I will say that I made a huge mess in the kitchen, but it is finally cleaned up and the dishwasher is running as I type and all the other dishes that don't go in the dishwasher or that didn't fit in have been washed by hand. The kitchen is closed for the night!!!! Woody has already settled in for the night. I'm pretty tired after my "battle" in the kitchen. Tomorrow is another "free day." We will take advantage of it and do as little as possible! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Wednesday

Another day under our belts...the days go by so quickly lately. I will say that I feel better today than I did yesterday. We had no where we had to go...well, I ended up needing to go to WalMart this evening. I had planned to go in the morning after dropping Woody off at dialysis, but an item on the list was needed before morning. We have battened down the hatches and are ready to call it a night once again. I got the dressing changed on Woody's leg wound and have him all tucked in for the night. He has a TV show on...we'll see if he stays awake through it! Since I felt so rough late yesterday afternoon and on into the evening last night, I pretty much decided not to do much today. I did water the gardens this morning...everything is pretty dry around here. It is closing in on the end of the growing season, but a lot of our plants are perennials so I want to keep them alive so they will be able to winter over and adorn out gardens again next year...so I will continue watering them for the time being...if it doesn't rain. We did get a little rain this afternoon...hopefully a drop or two went to the plants! I can tell it we didn't get all that much, as the road didn't get totally wet. I have done some more stitching on two cross stitch projects today. I got notified a few minutes ago that there was a book that I had on hold available for me to check out as an e-book. I borrowed it and it is sitting waiting on me on the "shelf" in my library app. Now the rough decision...read or stitch! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious! This is the photo that I meant to put in tonight so you could see why my old iPad resides on the kitchen counter:

Tuesday Came and Is About to Go

Tuesday about left before I got a chance to blog. I came home from working in the library and realized before getting out of the car that I had the beginnings of a migraine...rarely get them these days. I have no idea what brought this on. I had no idea that I had a problem when I left the library. It never got bad as I came inside, checked on Woody, and told him that I was going upstairs to take some tylenol and close my eyes for a while. I dozed and when I woke up I felt better...got on top of the headache since I took Tylenol as soon as I realized what was happening. My migraines start with a weird phenomena with my eyes...I get these places in my vision that give me blind spots. For example by the time I got inside, I told Woody that when I looked at him, I couldn't see his eyes. The spots are a bit whirly and gradually grow bigger...then go away and I get a headache...but if I can intervene with Tylenol I can keep the headache from getting really bad. I rested/slept for a while and then went downstairs and gathered up the wastebaskets around the house and emptied them into the kitchen wastebasket and then emptied that bag into the outside trash can and pulled our outside trash can to the road. I came back in and went back upstairs and sat down in my chair to continue to rest till supper time. Well, supper time came and went, as I went back to sleep and just woke up a little while ago. I got Woody his supper...thank goodness for just having to warm up his choicee in the microwave! I dished up a little supper for myself and came back upstairs to blog...and here I am! Dialysis went well for Woody, as far as I know today. They were rolling him out in the wheelchair as I came into the waiting room. We headed home. He rested a bit and then had lunch. After lunch, I headed to the library. We got most of the new books ready for circulation...just have to put book jackets on two of them. Good job done and Donna and I enjoyed visiting with each other while we worked. I already told the happenings after getting home from the library...so now it is rolling on to time to go to bed after another day in our lives has about passed us by! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Do You Realize What Three Months From Today Is!

Sorry for the reminder...in more ways than one! I will go back to Fall photos after tonight!!! We have had a stay-at-home day until this evening when we went to church for Monday night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. We are home. Woody is settled back in his recliner and I'm sure that it won't be long till he heads to his couch/bed. I still have a few dishes in the sink. I came upstairs to blog and to get the glass and the mug next to my recliner. I will put them in the dish washer when I go back down and get that started and finish washing the dishes in the sink, check on Woody and head back upstairs for the rest of the evening. I took advantage of a quiet day and worked on my stitching. I got the stitching on the gift that I am making finished,,,next...totally finish it so it will be ready to send off in the mail. I also picked up the project that I have been working on for a while and did a little on it. I have a goal to fill in a little more on it before I head off to sleep...so guess that is part of my plans for the rest of the evening. I did start another cross stitch project over the weekend...a new Fall stitch in honor of the arrival of Fall. I would also like to stitch at one thread length on it tonight. I am hopping to work a ittle on it each day during the months of Fall. I have put in one length of thread so far...would like to do that again tonight. We'll see how long the other goal takes me! I usually stick to one project at a time...but decided to try to stitch on multiple projects to see how I like it. I have a feeling that I will drift back to mainly stitchig on one piece till it is finished...that is usually what happens when I attempt to stitch on more than one. I did accomplish a library task today. I wrote notes to people who had had a memorial gift given in memory of a loved one and thank yous to the donors. Woody has had an okay day. I don't think he feels the greatest...doesn't feel really bad...just not as good as he has been feeling...but he did feel well enough to go to prayer meeting tonight. He taught the Sunday School lesson for his 6th, 7th, and 8th grade boys yesterday. We enjoyed our visit with Melany and Wade yesterday afternoon. They did some more in the back yard...got my new weedeater going. They showed me how to start it and I did a little weed eating...just to give it a try...I didn't act overly excited about using it...didn't want them to get the wrong impression that I might be running out to use "my new toy" all the time. I like inside "new toys" better! Ha! Ha! I like "new toys" for my sewing or stitching or for reading or for cooking a bit better than toys for yard work! We are getting too used to these "days off" from doctors! This week the only "have tos" for health are dialysis treatments and those are just a way of life rather than an appointment...if you know what I mean. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday: Thinking Fall

Welcome, Fall!

We woke up this morning, and, just like that, it was Fall. Fall arrived while we slept. Easy transition! We were up dark and early and left dark and early to take Woody to dialysis. At this point in the year, the dawn is just breaking as we leave the driveway. If there are clouds in the sky we just start to be promised a pretty sunrise...one of those pretty sunrises you saw in yesterday's photo. Today wasn't as pretty as there was hardly a cloud in the sky...at least not the right kind to give a pretty sunrise. After dropping Woody off, I came home and finalized my grocery list. Then I ran the vacuum in Woody's room aka the family room and straightened up in there a little. Then around 8am I headed off for Kroger. I managed to get the groceries, come home, and put most of the groceries away before it was time to pick Woody up. He was waiting when I got there. He said that they took him off the machine a little early as they were concerned that clots were going to form. He said that he was taken off about thirty minutes early. I hate for him to be taken off early as this is the treatment day that he goes two days before having another treatment. We have both had a low-key afternoon. Football games have run back to back all afternoon and still on going this evening...something different from weekday TV programming to keep Woody entertained! I did some stitching and more napping than I meant to! Before supper I watered. Melany called a little while ago and asked if they could stop by tomorrow afternoon for a little while to visit and maybe work on some weeds at the back of the house. They plan to go to Alex and Brooke's in Bell Buckle tomorrow and will close out their loop before going back home by coming by to see us. They are more than half-way to our house when they are in Bell Buckle. I hope to get a little reading in and more stitching in this evening. I still have a little to do in the kitchen before it's shut down for the night! Then we will be up and out of here for Sunday School in the morning. Woody will be teaching, as he says, "the good Lord willin'!" To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Busy Last Day of Summer

I'm running a bit behind tonight...just got supper in front of Woody...about an hour later than usual. I guess I sort of lost track of time as I was determined to finish up with getting my Fall decorations out...mission accomplished. I still have some putting away to do...but my large collections of various and sundry pumpkins and other Fall items are now in place. I took tonight's photo yesterday morning on my way home after dropping off Woody at dialysis. I stopped across the railroad tracks from our church and snapped this pretty sunrise behind the church. Today was a day to do whatever we wanted...once again no appointments. Nathan stopped by this morning with Woody's laptop. Abigail's boyfriend fixed it for Woody...again. Woody said that without it he had felt cut off from the world! He has worked more on the Sunday School lesson for his boys for Sunday. I ran a few errands before lunch...the pharmacy, the Credit Union, and Hobby Lobby. I needed some DMC embroidery floss at Hobby Lobby and also wanted to look through their selections of decorative pumpkins as I wanted one to go on the front porch that wasn't too lightweight (so it won't be blown away) and also one that isn't breakable (in case it gets knocked off the table). I found a tin one that fit the bill. I'll show pictures over the next week or so of some of our decorations to keep in the theme of "Fall's Arrival." This afternoon I got an anticipated package...cross stitch fabric and some speciality floss for a couple of future projects. The floss I bought at Hobby Lobby is also for a future cross stitch project...all three are small Fall themed stitches. Doubt that I will get them all done this year, but I am very much looking forward to stitching each of them. Plenty of stitching lined up...now to find the time to do the stitching. I'm still working away on a fall piece that I plan to give as a gift...I learned today that this person is celebrating her birthday a week late...so perhaps I will have time to get it stitched and get it in the mail to make it in time for her celebration. I plan to stitch on it after I get the kitchen cleaned up and get the leftover fall decoration mess brought upstairs and put in a bin. I think that I am going to have to find time to do a little Krogering in the morning while Woody is at dialysis. I had planned to go today, but with all that I fit in to the day...grocery shopping just wasn't one of the errands run! I did make more plans for menus so it was probably was good that I waited to go to the store. Woody added some things to the list...well, made suggestions of things that sound good to him...which helps me! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

In the Pink!

The hydrangea pictured in tonight's photos have been white since they bloomed. At some point they are supposed to turn pink and then almost a red. I had about given up on them...even Melany wondered if they were in need of some sort of nutrition that they weren't getting. This was a new variety of hydrangea for both Melany and Wade and us. But the last few days they started changing and I could see just a tinge of pink and today several of the blooms are actually pink. So guess that what was lacking was patience on our part!! I started decorating for Fall this morning. I got the front porch more or less ready...still have a pumpkin or two or...to add. I started bringing the fall decorations downstairs and have them all on the table in the living room awaiting me finding them a place here and there in the house. Tomorrow is another "day off" for us so maybe I can get some more done. Fall begins on Saturday so my goal is to finish getting everything placed around the house either tomorrow or Saturday and then can enjoy the decorations until it is time for Christmas decorations...did I just say "Christmas?!?" They had problems with Woody's lines forming clots in them. He said that about 2-1/2 hours into his treatment alarms alerted them to a problem. They disconnected all his lines and got him all set up with new lines and "things" went along okay after that. The nurse said that it is because he doesn't get heparin. My question is why doesn't he get heparin...I gave him heparin in the lines every treatment when getting him set up. Woody thinks it is because he has a catheter and not a graft...but I did the dialysis when he had a catheter and I'm just about positive that we did heparin then, too. A lot of what I did to do his dialysis has gone out of my head! All I could think today when I found out about the problems..."I'm so glad that I didn't have to deal with the problem and that it was the nurses who had to deal with it!" He has felt fine today...again, he did what he usually does...cross word puzzles, TV, eat, rest, and today he also studied the Sunday School for Sunday, as it is his turn to teach. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Down Day = A Good Day

A down day for us means one that we don't HAVE to go anywhere...and stay at home we did today. Woody did his puzzles and has watched some TV. He kept his brace off most of the day and just lounged on the couch. I did a little of this and a little of that including some napping...several times...not always meaning to. My main activity of the day was to make flour tortillas for Woody's soft tacos. I'm getting more used to making them, but it is still takes me a while and I end up making quite a mess. The kitchen is almost cleaned up. I came up to blog and check to see if there are any dishes up here that need to go in the dishwasher and also to get my insulated mug to get fresh ice water for the night. When I went out to get the mail and take the garbage can back to the house, I saw the front door mat which I had planned to wash off and get it ready to put away so I can get out the fall doormat. I washed it off and hung it on the railing of the ramp to dry. I also washed off the front porch floor...sort of...mainly the front of it...I didn't have the oomph to move the chairs and little tables out to wash under them. But the place where the fall mat goes is nice and clean. I left it to dry over night and I will put out fall mat tomorrow. Sinc I had the hose turned on, I decided to water the gardens. By that time it was time for supper. Woody made use of the new tortillas to make himself a couple of soft tacos for supper. I cut up all the ingredients to put on his tacos. That meal takes a lot of little dishes! The dishwasher is really full tonight. Before I came up, I got Woody settled for the night. I will go back down and finish in the kitchen and then come upstairs and hopefully stitch for a while...I should be good to go for a while considering the several naps that I took today! Tomorrow is another day to get up with the birds...and, another day will be underway. Do you feel that days are just flying by, the way I do?!? It seems like I turn around and another day/month is behind me! I feel like I am just sitting here watching time fly by! We'll see what tomorrow brings...since I plan to get the fall door mat out...perhaps that means I will get out more fall decorations...I keep telling myself that I will do just that and the days seem to just rush by without me doing it...maybe tomorrow?!? To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday Doings

Today has been a better day for Woody...so far...all meals have stayed down!!! i have been in communication with Woody's infectious disease doctor. I wanted her input on what to do if Woody continued to be sick when he took the antibiotic that she had prescribed along with zofran, that he should stop taking it and go back to taking his maintenance antibiotic. Since he has been okay today we will continue taking it unless he reverts to another day of being sick...even one time. We were up dark and early and headed off to dialysis a little after 6am. Woody said that today at dialysis went okay except that they had trouble with his blood pressure reads...it was decided that it may have been caused by him wearing a sweatshirt...it was cool enough for him to want one when we headed off...me too! It was in the lower 50s. I figured that he would be glad to have a sweatshirt on during dialysis as he gets so cold. The last two days he has mentioned that he was exxtra cold during his treatments. I had a couple of things that I needed to tend to after I got home...one was to do some preliminary library work before going to work in the library this afternoon. I got that done and then I needed to make another pot of soup for Woody...that was all done before I needed to leave to pick him up from dialysis. I came home, fed him, ate lunch myself, and then headed off to the library with a box of new books for Donna and me to process. We got the initial tasks done. So we have work to do on them next week. Donna and I enjoyed chatting and catching up with each other while we worked. I was ready for a short rest after I got home, before tackling supper. Supper is now behind us...I just have clean up to do...what else is new! Today was a day for doctor's offices to get call us. We heard from Dr. Allos, the infectious disease doctor, as I mentioned above. But TN Oncology also called. They were concerned that Woody's Potassium level had risen. We already knew that by the lab results that he brought home from Fresenius Kidney Center today. But his dialysis nurse hadn't seemed concerned as she said that things looked good. The reading from their tests were just a little above the range they like them to be in. We are going to be a little more careful with foods with tomatoes and potatoes...we'll see if that lowers his reading next time. TN Oncology had sent a report to his personal care physician and to his kidney doctor...wonder if we will have any more calls from doctors in the next day or so! We will just keep on keeping on! Well, the kitchen is calling and I need to see if Woody needs anything else. I'm planning on stitching this evening after I come back upstairs. I haven't had a lot of time to stitch today. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Monday, Monday!

We didn't leave the house till this evening, when we went to Monday Night Furnace Room Prayer Meeting. We continue to witness the days growing shorter. We got to prayer meeting a little after 6pm and an hour after that it was close to dark. I know it will be dark when we head off in the morning for dialysis. But this does mean Fall is getting nearer AND that hot temperatures will soon be behind is. It was a really pretty day today...one of those picture-perfect days! But I think I heard a weather person say that the hot temps are going to be back with is in a few days. We'll take the nice temps when we can get them! Soon we will be wishing for warmer temps! ever satisfied!! We think that Woody's antibiotic is messing with him...he was sick last night and again this morning. He seems to feel fine this evening. (Oops! Spoke too soon!) I have done some cross stitching today and also some planning for my next stitching project...I ordered a digital needlework magazine this mprning and instantly I had it on my iPad. I chose one design and ordered fabric and floss for it. And, another one I printed off the chart and started stitching it...it is a Fall piece that I hope I can stitch quickly so I can gift it soon. Since I need this gift I am setting aside my Christmas stitching for a bit. I stand in amazement at how instantanious our world has become. To think that I just got the idea of what I wanted to do this morning...found the magazine...decided to order a copy...typed in a little informaton and a few numbers and by the time I opened my email, it was there ready to be downloaded onto my iPad, and, I'm already stitching something from it...while I wait for my order...so not all is instant gratification. I've got to head down to put clean bedding on Woody's couch/bed. We're waiting on the drier to do its job so he can go to bed. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Saturday Zoom

Not a lot to say for or about today. Woody's dialysis took a lot out of him today so he has had sort of a blah day. I have had an okay day. I dropped Woody off this morning and then headed on to Walmart! They open at 6am so it works well for me to head in there after I drop him off...beat the crowds that's for sure! I got the few things that I needed...mainly copy paper as we go through quite a bit of paper printing off Woody's daily crossword puzzles. It started raining after I got home. We have had several times of rain today, but the good thing was that I managed to get Woody in and out of the car at a time that it wasn't raining. I have lazed around doing as little as possible today...almost forgot to go to my Cottey Alum book club zoom meeting...but got in on the last half.,,the first half I was still getting Woody settled after dialysis. I got to see my Cottey roommate at the zoom meeting so that was nice! Doing as little as possible, I guess, was my mindset for a rainy day...a good day to stitch, read, and nap! Woody has had football to watch so that has helped him pass the day...and, saying that...once again the day is drawing to a close. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Comings and Goings

Today was really a day of goings and comings...but that just doesn't sound right for a title. We started off in the late morning going to wound care. The wound care doctor is pleased with how wounds are progressing...the wound on his leg continues to measure smaller so that is a good thing. She seemed pleased with how all places are looking. She has moved his next appointment to three weeks away...moving in the direction of once a month...the goal. Sounds good to us. We didn't get away from that appointment till close to 12:30...but that gave us enough time to come home so he could have lunch before going back to his oncology appointment at 1:30. I get him checked in at that appointment and then I come back home till they call that he is finished. They must have called him in very quickly, as he was finished in less than two hours today. I do know that he saw the physician's assistant today instead of the doctor and that may have gotten him in for his Keytruda infusion a bit sooner than when he sees the doctor. Reports were all good for his labs today. The office called just a little after three that Woody was finished and ready to be picked up. So I headed off to get him up...kanother going. Picked him up and we came home to stay till 6am tomorrow! I rested during his time at oncology...read, napped and stitched. We have had supper and everything is ready for Woody to head to the couch for the night. But he is still in his recliner...reading and watching Friday night news programs. He's about to finish a book. I have the kitchen all cleaned up and the dishwasher is going and I'm ready to settle into my comfy recliner for the night...hoping to do some reading and stitching before I go to sleep for the night. We will be up dark and early in the morning to start all over again with our comings and goings! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Thursday…Any Direction You Look At It

We headed out before the sun rose this morning...reason we know that Fall is just around the corner...days keep getting shorter at both ends! I decided that I didn't have to accomplish a lot today...so decided to spend time stitching, which I did some in the morning and some in the afternoon...and probably will do some more later this evening. On my way to pick up Woody, I did stop to get gas...a job marked off my to-do list. Woody came home and finished uo his crossword puzzles that he hadn't finished at dialysis this morning...he needed help from my ipad and Alexa on a few of the clues that had him stuck. I still have to load the dishes when I finish blogging and also change the dressing on his leg...then our day can come to a close! Tomorrow will be busy with late morning wound care appointment and early afternoon Oncology/Keytruda appointment. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

A Last Bloom of Summer!

Our hybiscus decided to out on one last show! This huge bloom greeted us this morning and has been with us all day. The plant had started looking a bit sad...Melany said that it was just that time of year...but desoite leaf loss, it was able to put forth one more giant bloom to enjoy before the summer's end. Well, today took on a different direction than we expected...Woody got a day off from Oncology...they called this morning saying that his Keytruda hadn't arrived so they needed to reschedule his appointment till Friday. So he will have wound care and then a couple of hours later have his oncology/keytruda appointment. He has taken it easy today...just lounged around...mainly spent the day on the couch. He did get sick after lunch...but he thinks that he was lying down too much when he ate. He feels fine now and ate his supper with no problems...so far. We had a new experience today trying out a no-rinse shampoo cap. Seems to have worked well...much easier than trying to wash his hair over a large bowl and pouring water over his head! I managed to finish my book before it was whisked away from me. Then I started a new one...A James Patterson and I have had trouble putting it down! I am already half-way finished with it and only started it this morning. I did do some cooking along with reading. Now I am in the throws of getting the kitchen cleaned up. I'm waiting on the dishwasher to finish as I need to unload it and reload...lots of big items that didn't fit in the first load and I am just not in the mood to handwash what is left on the counter! I would rather read! Tomorrow is another early morning. Woody has already settled in for the night. I will continue in the kitchen and then head upstairs. I will decide if I will read or stitch. I did do some stitching this morning...coming along on my stitching project. I have been thinking Christmas, too! It's that time of year. I also plan to get out my Fall decorations in the next couple of days...or at least this weekend. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Up and Running!

Today was the Open House, after renovations, at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry's building on the Motlow Community College Moore County Campus. Nathan is the director of the BCM. This past winter during the super cold spell we had...right at Christmas time...the pipes froze and burst...and MUCH water damage occured. They had to close the building for the rest of the 22-23 school year for renovations and the renovations JUST got finished in time for the strt of the 23-24 school year. Linda H. and I met at the BCM this morning to take the grand tour! Linda is a former professor at Motlow. She and Doyle have had a major interest in the BCM, formerly BSU, for years and years. Everything looks great...all ready for a new start to a new collegiate year! Besides recovering from "the flood," the BCM is still recovering from Covid lockdown and then so many remote classes once things did open back up. They are already seeing more activity on campus amd in their center. We wish them God's grace in their ministry efforts! When I left Motlow this morning, I headed to pick up Woody from dialysis. I thought that I was going to be late, but Woody said that he had only been out for a few minutes. He said that he expected me to be late this morning and was surprised that I was there as soon as I was. We had a quiet afternoon. Woody has already settled in for the night...wound newly dressed. I started the dishwasher and came upstairs to blog and then I plan to read. I have a few chapters to go and the book will be whisked back into cyberspace sometime after 9am tomorrow. I hope I can keep my eyes open ro finish it! It is a cozy mystery...so this close to the end will liven up as the mystery finally gets solved...that should keep me awake! Tomorrow Woody has TN Oncology for labs, see the doctor, and have his Keytruda treatment. So it is another one of "those" weeks: Sunday-Sunday School, Monday-Prayer Meeting, Tuesday-dialysis, Wednesday-Oncology/Keytruda, Thursday-dialysis, Friday-wound care, Saturday-dialysis...some place to go every day. Could be worse!!! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Never Forget!

This date 22 years ago...a day we regret that events happened, but definitely one we will never forget. It is etched into our hearts and minds. It has been a pretty quiet day here. Woody got sick for the first time im a very long time...probably due to the antibiotic. But he has felt okay after he lost his breakfast. He is taking something for nausea so hopefully we can keep this from happening. I didn't sleep the best last night...I sort of felt like I never woke up today...hope that I don't suddenly feel awake when it is time for bed! We did go to prayer meeting tonight. Woody chose to eat supper after he got home. While he ate, I got the kitchen cleaned up so just have to push the start button on the dishwasher. I came upstairs to blog and check to see if there are any stray dishes up here. I will go downstairs in a little while...start the dishwasher and see Woody get settled for the night. I then plan to either stitch or read. I am moving right along on the cross stitch picture that I am working on...which means less time spent reading. But, I probablly need to read tonight if I want to finish the e-book that I am reading as it is about to be taken back into cyberspace. So I probably should read. I have spent time both reading and stitching along with snoozing off an on this afternoon. Wonder which will win tonight...read, stitch...or will sleep be the victor!?! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

It’s Raining! It’s Pouring!

Yay for rain! No watering for me this evening. I was just about to give up on the rain that was "promised" for today and it began thundering...and a little while later it started pouring. I think that it is letting up now, but it rained hard and long enough to make big puddles in the yards. I had a busy and productive morning. I dropped Woody off around 6:15am and by 9am, I had roasted a chicken and made a pot of soup and then had time to rest and stitch till it was time to pick Woody up. Abigail planned to stop by and get some Montessori equipment to use with her preschool class. I told her when I would be leaving to pick Woody up and when we are usually home by...11am. Well, I got there to pick him up and he wasn't out of the treatment room yet...and he didn't come out for quite a while. I had to text Abigail that we would be late. This is the latest that he has ever gotten off. He said that his treatment was finished in the usual length of time, but the tech who does the bandaging of his catheter site didn't come right away so he was stuck. He said that the bad part was that he was reading, but when the nurse came to end his treatment, he put away his book. Then he wished that he had it back, when he had to wait for so long! He said that he is always really ready to head home on Saturdays...I think that has to do with the fact that he has a lot of TV entertainment on Saturday afternoons now that football is back. He has watched one game after another all afternoon and football is still going on this evening. Abigail did come over after we got home and got the things that she needed. It was nice to see her! Woody enjoyed the soup that I made while he was gone this morning...J. Hatheway's Italian Sausage Soup...one of our favorites. Sounds like the rain is starting up again...very happy gardens...and gardener! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Friday…Again…Already?!?

i slept in a little bit longer than I meant to. But once up went into breakfast fixing mode. Then worked on my grocery list. I ran two separate errands on two sides of town. First I headed to our pharmacy to pick up Woody's latest meds prescribed by the infectious disease doctor. Once again, our pharmacist was alert and waited till I got there to fill the penicillin derivative since they have an alert that he is allergic to penicillin. I told her that since he had tried it a couple of months ago with only nausea reaction, that the doctor wanted him to try it again and take zofran with it to keep the nausea at bay. The reason for attempting this again is that only other antibiotic that works on what ails his leg wound is an IV med...so he would have to get a PIC line if he takes it at home. The amount that Dr. Allos prescribed has him only taking the pills once a day for both of them. He is to take the antibiotic at noon so we decided to give him the other one at the same time...so his lunch meds just got upped! Lunch is his lowest number of pills to take...now he takes four at each meal. He did get to drop his maintenance antibiotic for the month that he is taking these two new pills. While I was out getting his meds...on this side of town, I also went to the grocery store down the road a bit and bought the ground pork that I use to make his breakfasat sausage. I came back home and waited till it was noon to give Woody his lunch and take his two new pills. I also ate lunch and then headed out for errands on the "other side" of town...Credit Union and Kroger. After perusing the grocery aisles, I loaded up the trunk with my choices for this trip and headed home to put things away. I still have things that go in the pantry to put away...my get-up-and-go got up and left! I rested for a while after that and stitched a little and will admit to snoozing some. Woody as spent a lot of time doing crossword puzzles today...his usual 4 and then the ones he has on a daily calendar, I believe his crossword year is going to end before the actual year ends at the rate he is working them...definitely many more than one a day! He's been a "couch potato" for most of the day...sitting on the couch rather than in his recliner...different perspective on the room in the daylight! We had supper...well, I am still munching on mine as I type this. The day is winding down and I think we are ready for it to wind down. I'm tired from all my errand running. Tomorrow is another early dialysis day...didn't I just say that...oh, that's right last dialysis was just yesterday...so night before last I probably mentioned it! Dialysis days come around pretty often. He does have two days off after tomorrow's treatment. I know he looks forward to the little longer time between treatments. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Eighth Dorrell to Get Braces…One to Go!

Isaac was the 8th Dorrell to get braces at the same orthodontist office. The line of Dorrell's started with Melany and Nathan and since them...Graham, Abigail, Joy, Esther, Elijah and now Isaac...give it a few more years and Joseph will be the caboose! All these Dorrell's going through the same office over the years have worn out several orthodontists! Isaac was planning on ramen noodles (something soft) before going to play ball. Nathan reported in at the start pf the game and Joseph was the starting pitcher and Isaac was catching. Do you suppose they are hoping that being brothers that Joseph will have an easier time aiming for his brother?!? We've had quite a full day. Of course, dialysis started off Woody's day. While he was at dialysis, an exterminator came for a "Fall spray" inside the house. By the time he left it was time to pick ip Woody. After lunch, I was ready for a nap. I ended up setting an alarm so I would wake up in plenty of time prior to the telemed appointment with Woody's Vanderbilt infectious disease doctor. Woody realied that I hadn't come downstairs when it was getting close to time for the appointment. Thank goodness he realized and "paged" me through Alexis. I had doed back off after the alarm went off. The doctor didn't come on till almost a half hour late so we had plenty of time to get ipad set up and his dressing off his leg. She is going to change up his antibiotic and add in another med for a month and then he will go back om his usual antibotic. We will meet infectious disease doctor via iPad again in a couple of months. Till then the wound care here in town and I will keep an eye on how he is doing. After that appointment ended, we are free from appointments till his dialysis on Saturday...in other words a "free Friday!" I'm afraid to get too used to these free days! I'm hoping that these new meds don't make Woody feel bad. He has been doing so well and feeling so much better for about a week now...hate to change what we are doing! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautous!

A Freed-up Wednesday

We hardly knew what to do without any appointments or waiting on a nurse to arrive! So I did a little of a lot of things...I have cleaned, cooked, read, cross stitched, watered gardens, etc. It's been a fairly busy day for me. Woody's activities don't change a lot, but at least he wasn't poked or prodded by medical folk! He does have to tolerate me changing his dressing after I get finished here, but that's it for medical stuff today. We did get a delivery of supplies today...that was quick...nurse placed the order Friday and even with the holiday they are here today...and we only got the notice yesterday that they had been sent. Tomorrow back to dialysis early and then in the afternoon, he has a telemed appointment with his infectious disease doctor at Vanderbilt. We're glad that it is telemed...a good put outcome from the Pandemic! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Tuesday After a Holiday

I think that the holiday laziness continued on into today! I haven't felt like doing much...so just didn't. I have continued to do some cross stitching...but again...did a lot of napping. I did contact my hairdresser to see if I could get an earlier appointment. Somehow when we made the last appointments we made the next one six weeks apart instead of four weeks. She happened to have an opening this afternoon so I happily took it! Woody had dialysis this morning and came home with a good "report card!" They were pleased with the results of his monthly labs. I have gotten several notifications from our new supplier of medical needs...bandages, etc. I guess they accepted the nurse's order...I had been told that I would receive a call to tell them supplies needed...but just got a text that supplies had been shipped. That was an easy first order. We are now getting supplies through wound care rather than home health. I've managed to get garbage and recycle to the road for tomorrow's pickup...think that I am finished with little jobs around the house for today! Just need to check Woody's bandage to see if it needs to be changed and push the start button on the dishwasher. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Labor Day 2023

Kathy, Joy, and Esther stopped by today so Joy could do a labor of love for Goosey (Woody) today. We had a nice visit while she woked on this Labor Day! After they left, I watered the gardens. And, that was about the only labor I did today...Woody and I both had a pretty lazy day. Io was decided that today was going to be a cross stitching day. I was successful to a point...did cross stitch quite a vit, but also managed to get in a few naps. Woody also napped several times today along with getting his crossword puzzles completed for the day and watching some TV. The washer and drier have labored some for me today. But mostly a very quiet day at our house! Hopefully rested enough to be all bright eyed and bushy tailed whennit is time to head out early in the morning for dialysis! The challenge for the rest of this week will be to know what day of the week it is...thanks to our holiday Monday! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Sunday Favorite

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend!

Aren't these flowers beautiful! Melany and Wade brought them to us this morning when they came to work in our yard. They made a stop at the Farmer's Market in Murfreesboro before they made the trek here. They definitely labored...lots of weed eating, cliping, cutting, pulling, etc. went on all over our yard and gardens today. After they got here and before their labors began, the three of us headed to Lowe's to get a weedeater...maybe I will be able to use it and maybe I won't! I never got a chance to try it out...or even learn how to turn it on (convenient!?) as the battery had never fully charged and ran down quickly. Wade did put it to good use. The battery is now plugged in and getting fully charged before its next use. I went out and watered everything this evening. Woody had another dialysis day. He felt pretty depleted by the time he got home, but a snack seemed to revive him and then Wade and Melany treated us to Arbys...so that revived him some more! It wasn't "too" hot of a day...but for those out pulling and cutting and chopping it was plenty "warm." There was a nice breeze when we sat on the porch. I did a little weeding, but not much when compared to what they did. I mainly supervised from the front porch!!!! Joy came over to do some sewing this morning. Before she left, she went in to see Goosey, since he was back from dialysis. We asked her to try to fit a haircut for Goosey into her busy schedule. She is planning to come back on Monday. He is in need of her hair cutting skills. She did a great job on his first hair cut so looking forward to seeing how more time has made her even more confident! She told Goosey that she had had more practice...that she had been practicing on her brothers! To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!

Welcome, September!

It doesn't seem possible that September is here...where has the year gone!?!?!? It is obvious that the days are getting shorter...dark around 7pm and still dark around 6am. It has been a fairly busy day...just having an appointment makes it a busy day. Today's appointment was mid day...good and bad...cuts the day right in half! But then we don't have to be up and out so early as dialysis days. Today's appointment was fairly fast...didn't have to wait in the waiting room long and then the doctor came in fairly quickly. She got the adjustable knee brace adjusted and on Woody's leg pretty quickly...hoping that we can get it on and off as easily. She is cutting us back to every other week for going to see her...a good thing...means that Woody is doing fairly well. She was comfortable with me doing the wound care and just coming to see them every so often. Hope that I can live up to their expectations! So we are gradually, at the moment, moving away from so many weekly appointments...no home health nurse, going for wound care every other week, and three times a week for dialysis...perhaps some breathing room! Woody does feel that his leg is more secure in the brace. So far we haven't taken it off and put it back on. I spent some of the down time prior to today's appointment working on this Sunday's Sunday School lesson. It's on paper...probably needs some paring down...but something is on paper. Woody completed his crossword puzzles and read and had the TV on in the background. We came home from the appointment and had lunch...then I was ready for a rest! I've talked to Cheryl and Melany on the phone...I watered the gardens while I talked to Melany. We have had supper and I think both of us are winding down from our day. To be continued! Be safe! Be well! Be cautious!