NOT KEEPING YOU IN SUSPENSE . . .

The surgery went well, but I thought that it was totally different from last time. The clarity of light and colors during surgery was different; and I felt things I didn't feel the first time. However, when I asked my doctor about these differences today she said the procedure was the same and that about 40% of their patients report the same difference in perceptions, so apparently many of us have eyes that are different. Who knew? We thought we had a matched pair---like shoes or socks. But some of us don't.

One small drawback: a tiny blood vessel in my eye got in the way during surgery. Consequently, I have a large circle of blood around my eye which makes me look as if I have been in a car wreck or fist fight. It will dissolve eventually, but I just look at people and tell them, "Believe it or not, I won." It doesn't hurt, just looks really pitiful. There are still a few weeks of medicinal follow-up with drops, drops, drops---some as many as four times per day.

HOWEVER, last night and today I was/am watching TV with no glasses and was able to drive to my doctor's office without them as well, just the big shades. Still need the glasses for reading. Actually, this evening I discovered that if I do the arm extension I can read without glasses as well. So, I'm really excited. I will probably need to get "readers" though. I could read the 20/20 line with the more recent operative eye today and could read 2 of 5 letters on the 20/25 line with the previously operated eye---the one which regressed and became very blurred due to the loose epithelium. My doctor said I do not have a loose epithelium on this second eye. YEA!

So, that's the news for now, and let's all hope that everything continues on course this time. No pictures this time; I don't think you want a picture of me just now.

Have a terrific Thanksgiving; be thankful; I know what I'll be thankful for. (I know; ended that with a preposition; bad me.)

THIS IS THE WEEK THAT WAS

Our orchid society is hosting a national show in late April, 2011. Note that I voted against doing this, but being the stalwart democratic person that I am I have done what I could to support the society's decision. Consequently, I am on the show committee and in charge of clerks for ribbon judging and AOS judging for the show. I know that means nothing to most of you, but it's a big enough chunk of work for one person. Also I have done what I, in conscience, could do to raise money to cover our costs. Let me explain that. We were asked to take orders for candles at outrageous prices for what the buyer would get and to do the same for cookie dough---the same thing elementary school kids are sent out to do. Nope, couldn't bring myself to do that.

However, we finagled a booth at Les Boutiques de Noel, a high end shopping extravaganza, this year held at the Bossier City Civic Center where people have to pay to get into shop, to sell live plant arrangements. I launched into that whole heartedly, and by the time we were ready to do it I had collected 36 containers/baskets and lots of decorative items to decorate them including ribbons and bows---probably $150 worth, all from estate and garage sales. Of course, others had collected as well; some people spent $10 each on their containers; I had a $3 limit on what I purchased. But my point is that everybody contributed a lot. We bought the plants as none of us would have had enough plants in bloom to do this.

On this past Tues. we began putting them together. Approximately four of us had experience in doing this and were good and fast; the remainder of us (that includes me) were novices. But we had a lot of fun putting them together and learning. My pictures are not very good as I really didn't have time to set them up. But here's a sample.

(Remember you click on the pictures to enlarge.)

Oh, yeah, this container was one I got for $1 at an estate sale; originally a holder for a votive candle. I didn't do the arrangement.

Sorry the red bow is behind this because it doesn't show as well.

This container is another I purchased for $1 and is actually a cup; isn't it a great arrangement? I didn't do that one either.

On that Tues. we put together 49 arrangements. We should have stopped there; however we had high hopes and met again the next day to put together more (?). The preview party was on Wed. night, and the actual sale was Thurs., Fri., and Sat. I worked 1 - 6 on Thurs., on Fri. I had to take the cash box to the person opening on Fri., then came back later with material to pack around sold items to stabilize the containers in boxes. Sat. was orchid judging day and the other volunteer who usually works with me for that agreed to do the sales, and I would handle judging responsibilities alone. We were worlds apart, but really in distance it was probably only about 2-3 miles.

Our table on the first day of the sale.

Don't know the outcome of our efforts yet, but I know we were getting only about half the sales we expected. Definite downer! But if anybody is really curious I will let you know. I will say that some of us acquired new skills, even the two men in our society who showed up to help. (We have more men, but only two ventured into this activity. They had a great time and learned how to "glam" up an arrangement.)

So, what's next? Operation on the left eye will be this Monday morning. I am to report at the surgery center at seven a.m. (ouch), but Jaz has graciously accepted the responsibility of getting me there and back once again. The doctor says she will do something a little different this time and, God willing, the sight improvement will be much more immediate without change. The first time it was great 24 hrs. post surgery then went downhill. Who knew about my loose epithelial? BTW the left eye bag is different from the right eye bag. I know you are tracking that information. Here's the left eye bag:

Don't ask me about the cheesy shades in this one; I'm taking my big boxy shades from the first go round. Keep your fingers crossed and say your prayers for me, please. The right eye is still improving, but I don't think it's as good as it will be yet. I just really want everything to be done before the Tea Partyers/ Republicans rip Medicare into oblivion.

So this week is done, and it's on to a new one. Surgery, big holiday, family coming, ---Wow! So much to look forward to! Best wishes to all of you!

MIRACLES

Many years ago Goo declared "The Miracle of the Wood," credited to me. Here's what happened. The whole family was gathering for Christmas dinner, and my small dining table would not accommodate everybody. So I purchased a sheet of plywood (4 ft. x 8 ft.) and had it cut in half. We placed it on the small table, and voilA everybody could be seated. She made a great tablecloth. It worked out just fine.

A couple of years went by before we were all gathered again, and the plywood which had been in storage had warped somewhat. Being the miserly person that I am I was not about to buy another sheet of plywood. So . . . a few weeks before the gathering I put a plastic sheet on my nice but small table, placed the old plywood on it, sprinkled it liberally with water and placed cinder blocks (I love them) on top for weight. By the time we were ready to set the table everything had leveled out, and we were good to dine again. That was "The Miracle of the Wood."

There was another miracle Goo credited me with, but I can't remember what it was. I hope she can and will refresh my memory. I just take miracles for granted I guess.

But here's the latest. About a month ago I noted a wasps' nest in the corner of my carport. It was a little scary as I really didn't want to be stung by a wasp or wasps. A couple of days later I discovered that the wasps not only had the corner nest, but had a colony on the outside two sides of the corner with a multitude of wasps. There might have been 75 - 100 wasps in all. That was very scary. You can check with Jaz and Oyster who both witnessed this conglomeration.

I have a can of EcoSmart wasp and hornet killer spray which has a really long spray length. I had to use it on the front porch a couple of months ago, but that was fairly simple as I could spray and immediately duck back inside the house. In the carport I would have to spray and move 20-30 ft. to get back inside. Wasps do not take kindly to this kind of attack and keep flying around angrily for a day or two (literally) if they aren't among the casualties. Factor into this procedure my recent eye surgery, and I wasn't eager to attack and run for cover.

However, when I took Mack out for a few minutes this evening before the storm came I looked up at the wasp havens. They come home to roost at night. Guess what!!! They were all gone!!! I think this may qualify as "The Miracle of the Wasps."

Now if Goo can come up with the missing second miracle maybe I'm on my way to canonization. Does one absolutely have to be a Catholic to become an official saint?

RIGHT EYE UPDATE

Today was the day I thought we would be scheduling surgery on the left eye to remove that cataract; it was also the day we anticipated rain in our area. Neither goal accomplished. I can't answer for the weather patterns and their flow; we just didn't get any rain, and the drought continues.

As for the eye progress: my doctor told me on the day she completed surgery that the epithelial was loose. Today, one week post-op my vision is still very blurry in that eye. Others have told me that their vision was restored, better than it ever had been following this surgery, so I was very discouraged when I went in for the check-up today. My doctor dilated my eye again and did two tests after which she assured me that the underlying structures were in good shape, but the epithelial coating of the cornea was loose, and she sent me home with an armload of eyewashes to use for two more weeks. That's when I go in for another check. (Guess what: there are limits to how much individualism I wish to express. This ain't one of 'em.) I asked if the second eye would take as long to heal as this one, and she said not necessarily, but maybe.

However, this is the eye with glaucoma, the one with little vascular "explosions" (sorry, I can't remember the term) on the retina, and the eye which had one tiny bit of plaque in one of it's retinal pictures. All of these have been contained through very careful following of directions. My doctor noted today, "You've never had a problem with the cornea before." How much is left to go wrong(?) I wondered. Anyway, we are mustering through.

My hope is that the left eye when it comes due won't have as many problems since it has been relatively free of the other problems. We'll see---hopefully-literally!

So that's where I am, and here is a picture to bleed your tears, sympathy, and condolences:

I only have to wear this shield at night and usually I don't have this much tape on it. It started to come loose during the night, and I added tape, so save a few tears, o.k.? The good news is that I got to wash my hair tonight, and I am feeling so good. YEA!!!

THE BIG DAY!---RIGHT EYE

Well, as friends can tell you, I faced this day with trepidation. However, I actually settled down (without sedation) last night and slept pretty well. The orders were nothing to drink or eat after midnight, and I followed that. I put little signs up for myself that said "Don't drink" on my thermal cup with ice and water in the bathroom, on the bathroom mirror, and in the kitchen. That was just in case I in my sleepy state I tended to take a swig of water in the middle of the night or early morning. Instead I just rinsed out my mouth and spat it away. At least I could hydrate my dry mouth.

Jaz and I arrived on time at the out patient surgery center well on time. After copying my ID, Medicare card, and insurance card the first question was, "Are you considering a Living Will today." I wasn't prepared for that, and it shook me a little. I finally said, "Not today." I then had to sign about six different forms and felt they should have given me the keys to the place right then. After joining Jaz in the waiting room I was prepared to wait a while. However, in five minutes or less I was called.

The nurse, Susan, took my vital signs and began the eye drops which are antibiotic and dilating drops. Then I had to take off my shirt and put on a gown over my jeans, etc. Then electrodes were placed on my chest and back. A needle was inserted in my left arm, and a B/P cuff placed on the right arm. Then there was another round of drops. A young man came in and introduced himself as the anesthesiologist. That was the last I saw of him, but he may have come in later in the OR. All of this was done before and during the time I sat in a recliner. Between these interruptions I read my book. (I always take a book with me wherever.) Then there was another dose of eye drops to the operative eye. (I don't think I mentioned that I had been on a regimen of eye drops to that eye for the two previous days.)

My surgery was scheduled at 11:00 a.m., and just before that time a gurney was brought in and exchanged for my recliner. When I was wheeled to the OR I finally was able to glimpse a clock; it was 11:05. I'm not sure when the anesthetic IV was started; I will just say that I was never knocked out completely, but by the time I was in the OR my mouth felt a little dry, and found that though I knew what I wanted to say, it was a little slow and difficult to get the words out.

I won't relate a play by play of the whole operation because I don't really know exactly what was taking place when. Even when there is no pain, it is difficult to alleviate tension, and I frequently found myself tensing up---usually in my left shoulder which when I became aware of it, I would try to relax that part of my body. The drape also blocks the vision of the non-operative eye. Because of the "drape" over the rest of my face (it's a little heavy and blocks light and some sound + my aging hearing loss) though I could hear the doctor and others assisting talking, I couldn't always understand what they were saying. For instance I could hear her direct me to look down, or directly at the light, and to increase the anesthetic. Furthermore, I could see her fingers at times though I couldn't see the instruments or what she was doing. It's a very strange experience. I heard them record the concluding time as 11:42.

Soon I was rolled back to my alcove, and given a choice of drinks. I chose Diet Coke because I could share that with Jaz. (She's a Diet Coke-aholic.) They allowed her to come back very soon afterward, and after checking my vital signs a couple more times, we were good to go. We had to stop at a drug store for Tylenol to use as a pain killer. The pain I have experienced is in my eyelids, i.e. blinking hurt. If I could keep my eyes open all the time---fine; if shut all the time---fine. However, it's getting better rapidly. I've taken two doses of Tylenol, and the pain is almost gone.

Vision in my right eye is blurry due to the surgery and the lubricant put in after surgery and the eye drops I have to use for the next week. That will gradually clear I've been assured. Currently there is a contest between my eyes because the left eye still needs my current glasses, and the right does not, but it is blurry. But it's getting better, and the doctor expects me to drive to her office tomorrow on my own for a check-up. Everybody stay out of my way!!!

DISCLAIMER: If I have more typos or mistakes than usual, chalk it up to "faulty vision."

Anyway, I know you've been wanting to see the eye kit. Here you go:

Preoperatively it came with about four sheets of instructions/directions to the surgery center, Rx for another eye drop, and a bottle of eye drops, and some little vials of a third eye drop, a hard plastic eye guard, and duct tape, and the dark protective sunglasses to wear over my glasses. Coming home there was only one set of directions plus the other "stuff." Here it is:

I guess for the other eye they'll simply rip off the "right eye" sticker and put on one that says "left eye." Hope you're not disappointed in this disclosure. Yes, this was photographed on the top of the washing machine.

The only reason I've posted about all this is to save myself many e-mails and I needed to stay up late enough to do my second application of eye drops, because to be honest, I've been exhausted since the surgery, probably due to nerves rather than actual physical stress. Thanks to all of you for your words of encouragement and especially to Jaz who took the day off to drive me and brought me a lunch when she picked me up so I wouldn't have to prepare anything when I came home. How good can life get?

HOW IS LIT CELEBRATING HER BIRTHDAY?

(Forgive me for using third person in the title; it just always sounds so exciting when Dagromm does that. Like someone is really interested, you know? Now I'll get back to myself.)

Well, it's a long story, much like my life; but not quite that long. Let's start with the fact that I have already purchased Amtrak tickets to visit Goo over Christmas and New Year's. About a month ago I suddenly thought, " Why should I put off cataract surgery until after the trip if I could see much better when I am in Washington, D.C.?" So, I began to do the now standard internet search on information about such surgery, expectations, etc.

Then last week I was scheduled for a six months check up with my general health care provider; I mentioned to her that I was tentatively scheduled for said cataract surgery, and she said that the doctor would want an EKG, and we could go ahead and do that at the moment. Sounded good to me, and we did. After looking at the EKG she turned very solemn and said there had been changes and that she felt that an echo cardiogram and stress test were in order. (It had been a little over six yrs. since the last tests.) Well, that certainly put a damper on things, and driving home I thought that I should go ahead and contact LSUS Med. School about the donation of my body, update my will, make provision for my pets, etc., etc.

The echo cardiogram was on Tuesday, and there were small signs posted everywhere admonishing us not to ask the technician about "how it looked." I take these seriously and didn't. Thurs. I went to the ophthalmologist to have my eye measurements taken for the upcoming surgery and received my "Right Eye Kit." Some eye drops, a Rx for more eye drops, and lots of instructions, plus a hard plastic eye patch, a roll of "duck tape", and those big black glasses were the contents. The encouraging part of this is that the patient is expected to drive him/herself back for a check-up the next day. On the day of surgery someone else is expected to drive due to the mild anesthesia one will have experienced.

So, that brings us to today when I checked in at 7:27 a.m. at the hospital for the stress test. I won't go through all the details of that because some of you will have been there already and don't really want to "re-live" it, though it isn't that terrible. It does take a fairly long time, which seems longer because there is a needle stuck in your arm which you have to protect, but it could be worse. The doctor and the Nurse Practitioner that I see were both in attendance. They were very complimentary on my "performance."

At one p.m. I was back to see the Nurse Practitioner to get the results of the tests. Are you ready? Everything was fine!!! The prolapsed mitral valve was still the same, but everything else was top notch. (This includes both tests.) She didn't say "for a woman your age", and I appreciate that. Both she and the doctor were impressed that I kept up with the treadmill increases, didn't break a sweat (how could you in that ice house?), and wasn't even near ready to give up when they said I had reached what was expected of me. Seriously, I could have gone on for a few more minutes. Ali, the technician who did all the prep. work, and hook ups, etc., and I had some really terrific conversation time, and I think we are now great buddies. We seem to have similar outlooks on life in general.

With this new optimistic outlook I drove to Sam's for a gas tank fill up. I do this at the first of each month and try to keep my driving within that filled tank range for the remainder of the month. Part of the strategy I developed when gas prices skyrocketed a couple of yrs. ago. However, it may be blown this time because I'm to go to Alexandria on Sun. to help take down the display the orchid society put up today for Alexandria's show. We'll see.

Still feeling euphoric after filling the gas tank I decided to go to Wonder Cuts for a much needed hair cut. Can you believe it? I walked right in and was immediately called for the shearing. Looks like a great haircut so far, and it feels so good. That went so fast I still had excess time before my four o'clock appt. for a mini-pedicure (a month overdue).

I decided to drop in on Chill at his store and hoped to catch Jaz there, but missed her. When I walked in he gave me a stern look (as if I'd intruded) and started giving me this double armed swishing movement over to the center aisle of the store. I didn't understand, but I followed his direction. Then I saw the man in the straw cowboy hat, jeans, T-shirt, and tattoos. And I remembered what he had said about a month ago, "He looked as if he'd just come off the farm." Then Chill said, "This is my mother; this is Nicholas Cage."

Well, I can only say that Mr. Cage has absorbed all the gentility of the south if it wasn't already in his nature, though I suspect it was. He said, and I quote: "How do you do, Ma'm. My son and I enjoy your son's store very much." I replied that I enjoy it too, but that it usually makes me sleepy. (I usually start yawning in there; today I didn't.) He went on with his shopping, and I waited until I could have Chill's attention. That came when Mr. Cage had a cell phone call and went outside to talk; Chill thought that Jaz had called me to say NC was there, but I explained that I had come to talk about my health revelations, and discuss the upcoming surgery, and to show off my Right Eye Kit. That gave him the willies.

Anyway just before I left Nicholas Cage decided to ask a question or two of me regarding when Chill started reading comics, and we exchanged one or two other family stories. Let me just say that he was a very nice person, maybe an inch or two taller than Chill, very clean cut (except for the tattoos which to me are a distraction), and skinny as a rail. In fact, just shortly after we were introduced I was thinking: "We look about the same in our jeans---weight wise."

Then I headed over to Chill and Jaz's house to have a planning strategy meeting with Jazz, and , fortunately, we worked that out insofar as we know when the surgery will be. Sometime on the 13th of Oct. between 8:30 and 1:30. More to come on that.

Finally at 4:00 I was able to have my mini-pedicure from Sokum, one month overdue. My toenails are now very pink and are nice and short. The main reason for pedicures is that with aging my great toe nails are so tough that I can't cut them, and sometimes Sokum has a problem with them too. But they feel good and look garish, but that's o.k.

So that's how my birthday has been celebrated so far. I know it's not until tomorrow, but it feels like a celebration today. Thanks to all who have wished me well already; I appreciate it so much.

A KEEPER!

Perhaps the biggest news is that the heat has finally broken. It was a little cooler yesterday, Sunday, but today was definitely different. The high temp stayed just under 80 degrees, and believe me one notices the difference from mid-nineties. It was a wonderful day---so much so that I actually did the initial clean out of the greenhouse so that as the temperature drops I can move plants back in there for the alleged winter we are anticipating. Being a little pessimistic I am thinking that we will have a really bitter winter. Oh, well, we take it as it plays.

I forgot to mention that Dagromm and the person formerly known as Q were here the last weekend in Aug. to have a sleep spot in order to go to the races and to the Fantasy Football draft. This is mentionable because they gave me so many compliments on the cleanliness of my fridge and freezer. How often does that happen? It was very uncluttered and bright, and it still is. I had cleaned it out about a week before they came, and I'm still maintaining it. Don't ask what led me to cleaning the fridge. Truly! If only the rest of the house looked as good.

Just finished a wonderful book. It's one I bought a year ago at the Centenary Book sale (see previous post), but have just gotten to it. It is from the early '90's and has won many awards, but I am,obviously, out of the literary loop.

The author, Justein Gaarder, was a Norwegian secondary school teacher, who taught philosophy. (Is philosophy even included in the curriculum of high schools in this country?) He is still Norwegian but no longer teaches according to what I've read online. Such a pity. How I would have loved to have him as a teacher or have him teach my children. The novel is very inventive and imaginative, and I couldn't put it down voluntarily. And it crams in the history of philosophy in such a way that one doesn't want to miss one phrase. Probably the best 50 cents I've ever spent. The book is a little sci-fi, a little whimsical, a lot historical, and absolutely fantastic. It's a book I can't let go of, so I say it's "a keeper."

P.S. That rabbit on the cover of the book reminds me of PhannyCat.

TODAY'S ADVENTURES

Well, it really all started a few weeks ago when I received a notice in the mail that my car registration was due in Oct. In order to do that online I needed to get the annual car inspection. That was due in May, so I coasted into the local garage to get that done---only four months late. Pretty good, and no policeman had stopped me for a warning on that. So the registration was taken care of. (O.K. Sentences shouldn't end with a preposition; however, we are friends here and just chatting. Don't be so critical!)

My driver's license was also due to expire in Oct. It's tied to one's birthday in this state (Hint.) However, no notice had come in the mail as it did last time, four years ago. I called the DMV in Baton Rouge and asked about it because I couldn't renew online as I had done before without their special invitation. Rita said those are sent out randomly (I doubt that), and I would have to go to the local DMV to renew. That makes sense in that eye sight and appearance both change over a period of eight years, but "random" ?---I think not.

After careful wardrobe choice, applying makeup, and doing whatever else it took to make me look like a rational human being I sallied forth to the dreaded DMV in Shreveport. I say "dreaded" because it is (1) way far away from where I live, (2) it's tucked into so many street curves with so many obstructive signs/trees that to get there or away from there without an accident is a test of one's driving skills that far supersedes whatever test they might administer. The other scary thing is that the parking lot which probably holds about 250 parking slots has so many cars on it with crunched fenders, major dents, and taped in windows that it frightens one even to park there. You know what I mean?

But arrive I did. After telling the receptionist why I was there I received my ticket.




Note that it says "Express". That apparently means that it only takes one hour because that is how long it took me. Fortunately, I remembered to take a book (and it's great, but that's another blog). There were at least 100 people waiting to be served, and probably 175 chairs. All the vacant ones were well into the middle of the rows. I finally decided where I wanted to climb over and sit elbow to elbow with my neighbors. Actually it all went pretty well, and here's the grand prize part of the story. Baton Rouge had told me the fee would be $24.50 for the license. Apparently there is a senior discount because I was only charged $12.50. Of course, I did not question that---just took the money and ran. Also the new picture on the DL is a little better than the last one, so that was a plus as well.

Since I was suddenly a little wealthier than I expected to be with my $12 saving I decided to treat myself to lunch (I rarely eat out) and started looking for the Chinese restaurant where Goo and I have eaten a few times in the past and always enjoyed it immensely. I knew if I could find the SAS store the restaurant would be across the street. It took one wrong turn and then a correct turn to get there. I had a wonderful lunch of hot & spicy chicken & shrimp which didn't seem that hot & spicy until my nose started to run. Decided not to complain. Also I brought home 1/2 to 2/3 of it to have tomorrow. YEA! (I love twofers.)

While at the restaurant I mapped out the route I would follow to hit the three estate sales I wanted to see. The first one turned out to be a real boon. I have been buying items to help the orchid society with its fund raiser at the Boutique de Noel in November. We will be selling arrangements which contain live blooming plants (not cut flowers) at big $ prices. At least, that's our goal. Our last direction from the chairman was that our table had to be "Christmasy." At the first sale I attended I found this terrific deer (I just need to give him new eyes). He takes up much less space than an Xmas tree and doesn't obstruct views of arrangements. What do you think?





Well, there's more to this story of the sale, but I can't go on forever---or can I?

Stopped at one of the other sales on the way home and spent a dollar for some trims for the arrangements we are planning, and blew off the third sale.

Put my feet up and called Goo. We only chatted a few minutes when she had to get back to work. I sometimes forget about how that work ethic works. However, there was one more sale to go to that comes each year.

MY CITY LOVES TO READ

The Centenary Book Sale comes the weekend after Labor Day each year and benefits Centenary College student projects. (Centenary's campus is a mile or less from my house.) The books are donated by the community, and this year over 70,000 books were donated. People line up before the opening of the sale on late Friday afternoon. It continues on Saturday, and throughout the sale more books are brought in; so you never have the feeling you missed the best stuff because more stuff arrives every few minutes. There is so much that they can't divide the wheat from the chaff, so one has a fairly good shot whenever you go. And Saturday afternoon everything goes to half price.

The sale is held in the Gold Dome.



I didn't meander over there until about an hour after it had opened, but people were parked for blocks in all directions. I began to think that I should have just walked there.





After making my purchases (10 books for $9.25) I managed to find a way to show you some of the crowd that shows up for this event, and many of them may show up again on Sat. to buy more. I might too, in the afternoon.



Sorry, that's blurry.










Even at the dirt low prices Centenary alums raise a lot of money. It's a win-win situation. And that's a good way to end this post---a day full of adventures.

HELEN'S AT THE PODIUM AGAIN!

You know how I love this blog. Go there again for another of Helen's scathing entries. She's got a full head of steam!

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

And remember to vote!!!!

MY FAVORITE BLOGGER

Though I love seeing what my family of bloggers writes there is no one who give me more pleasure than Helen. She is so spot on with all the things I'd like to say but am too timid to do so (Can you believe that?). Her latest is a masterpiece.

http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com/

If this doesn't link, then copy and paste the web address in your browser, and settle in for a good read. Oh yeah, those under 14 should not do this activity. Helen's language is a little rough, and I'm sure she doesn't write anything you haven't heard, but as a grandmother I don't want to lead you there. On your honor now---and mine.

WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE?

1. It's hot beyond belief. Sixteen days of 100 degree heat or more so far this summer; the guy who mows my lawn called this afternoon to say he wasn't coming this week unless I wanted him to do so because due to the lack of rain he didn't think I'd need him. I don't.

2. Jaz and I are planning a yard sale this coming weekend beginning at 7:00 a.m. until the heat drives us inside. We have so much to unload, and I'm dreading just getting ready much less being outside for five or six hrs. each day for two days for the sale. Keep your fingers crossed for us; we have a really good location at their house so maybe it will really go well.

3. For ten days I have been dosing Delilah, my 17 yr. old cat, with an antibiotic and a vitamin-mineral tonic. I took her to the vet on Aug. 7, and he found her dehydrated and with severe weight loss. I won't burden you with the other symptoms I knew about. At this point I'm not optimistic as her appetite has diminished even more than what it was a few days ago. I'm very afraid her days are numbered, and it's very hard to live with that thought right now. Others have not found her to be a friendly cat, but she has been my dear companion for a very long time.

4. Did my display for Rally Day at St. Mark's this past Sunday. Mine was for Trinity Institute which comes up in Jan., 2011. Didn't have a lot of "stuff", but I thought it was pretty classy and looked like the adult enterprise it is. Here's a picture.





Keep cool, everybody, but keep on keeping' on.

TODAY . . .

Remember my last post? Well, today was ditto only more lightening, louder thunder, and more rain.









All those streaks that look like Spanish Moss are the sheets of rain that were coming down. Couldn't step outside the front door because the rain was coming at me.

When I first saw this man coming down toward my house he was in the street, but I guess it got to be too much, and he was obviously going to be knocked over by the wake of cars, vans, trucks. When he finally reached my photographing point he had adapted his route to his advantage. I keep wondering what was so important that he took on this travel in the midst of the storm---maybe his job. Makes one wonder. . . .






The pluses were I didn't have to water the outside orchids and the temp dropped to 80. So, I guess it was a good day.

OUR LUCKY #---30%

Our area is in a draught, and we are about 12" below the average rainfall, so we really look forward to "bad weather."
For years I've said when the weather channel predicts anywhere from 70% to 90% chance of rain for us, or my neighborhood in particular, I might as well drag the hose out and go ahead and water. Call me pessimistic! Or at least, a disbeliever!

However, when I got up this morning the sky was overcast, and I became somewhat hopeful. Turned on the weather channel just in time for the local forecast, and in spite of the clouds the word was "a slight chance of thunder storms." YES! I did the things I needed to do in the greenhouse so I wouldn't get wet going out to do them later. Sure enough---a little after noon it turned really dark, and thunder came rolling toward us. Time to gather Mack in!



Mind you, I didn't start taking pictures until about 45 minutes later. The lightening and thunder were still present but less frequent and farther away, and the rain had lightened up considerably but was still steady. As you can see the street was still fairly full of water.

Then I became interested in the styles of driving people display when streets are not only wet but partially flooded. There are those who whiz on as if these were optimum conditions. Keep in mind the posted speed limit along this stretch is 15 mph because there is a significant curve just beyond the area seen from my kitchen window.








Then there were those who drove sedately, straddling the island down the middle when nothing was coming to force them over to their side of the street.








So much for my societal observations. The rain continued for almost three hours, and during that time I made a quick run to the grocery store for peanut butter and a green vegetable. Now it's 5:45 p.m., and I just checked the weather channel again. The temperature is only 79, about 15 degrees cooler than this time of day for the past couple of weeks. And, oh yes, 40% chance of rain tonight. Hmmm! Maybe . . . .

DISCLAIMER; When I previewed this post the text and positions of the pictures was not the way I arranged them. If it's all screwed up, I apologize. But I trust you to sort it all out and understand what goes where. Take care, ya'll.

HOW I SPENT THE 4TH OF JULY!

The day started with the church service at St. Mark's. I really love being there on a national holiday because the music is great, and we have some of the patriotic hymns. It's a very emotional experience that isn't there every Sunday though the music is always terrific. This 4th of July we sang "God of our fathers whose almighty hand," "The National Anthem," and "America the Beautiful." There were other hymns, of course, but these were special.

Back home I changed clothes, ate a bowl of cereal, and began making these little critters for the Shreveport Regional Orchid Judging Center.



These are attached with wire to any plants that are awarded something. This is really a labor intensive job because the stickers have to be stuck inside a laminating pouch, laminated, cut into squares, then the corners have to be rounded, and finally, a hole punched in the square. Ever seen one of these?



It's a little instrument for "cutting corners." Of course, you have to do each corner separately. Once that was done I punched in the holes for the wires. I made sixty of them. HOWEVER, THERE IS AN UPSIDE to this story of tedium. While doing this daunting task I was able to watch 1776, one of my favorite musicals on TV. It kept me in the spirit of the day.

Then I moved on to cleaning some of the plant labels we use during judging. At this point I learned the deeper meaning of tedium. It involves eliminating the pencil scribbling on a plastic label so that it can be reused. Simple erasing leaves smudges, but I've found making a paste of Bartenders Friend (from the grocery store or Walmart) and water and scrubbing like crazy with a pot scrubber does a really good job. So it goes from what you see on the left to what you see on the right.





I only got about 16 of these done when it was time to feed the dog and get dressed to go to the evening's festivities. Only have 40-50 more to go.

Chillax, Jaz, and Oyster picked me up just after 6:30 to go downtown to the Barnwell Garden & Art Center on the bank of the Red River for the 4th of July party which included our city's big fireworks display. We really lucked out on getting tickets---free. It included hot dogs, hamburgers, BBQ sandwiches, beans, potato salad, chips, tea, and lemonade, brownies and soft whip faux ice cream. I didn't eat all of that, but 'pert near. Oh, yes! There was live entertainment until dark billed as jazz, but I would call it "lounge" music, such as "Girl From Ipinema" and "My Satin Doll." Too loud, but they were good. (Maybe they were just trying to overcome the music from the next venue down the river.)

We had a table about 30 feet from the fence over the river. Excellent place to be for viewing the fireworks, and we had chairs, and, I forgot to mention that the temperature, though warm of course, was not unpleasant. I don't think any of us were sweating. Can you believe it? Didn't have to bring anything except ourselves---and camera, of course.

Chill and Oyster wanted to check out the barge with all the fireworks all set to go.






The fireworks began a little after nine . . .





and it was really fun to be so close and to be able to see everything. Plus I'd invested in earplugs for all of us to reduce the booms. It made me think of falling meteors or being in a Star Wars movie.



The show was about 25 min. long, and then came the finale.





It probably took about the same length of time to get out of the parking building at Sam's Town Casino and away from downtown. But I think it was worth it and lots of fun. Hope your holiday was great too.

THE DOG THAT CHOSE ME

Fifteen years ago this past March I went to the vet's office for something, I don't remember what but I didn't have a pet with me. While waiting for whatever it was I read the notices on the bulletin board and spotted a 3x5 card which said "Free Puppies" and a phone number. My current dog at the time was Genevieve who was about ten years old and slowing down, and I thought that a puppy might just pep her up a bit. So, I called the number, got the address and went by to take a look. There were eight puppies: some were a delightful brindle, a solid black one, some brown, some were spotted. I sat down on the ground to get a closer look as they trotted over to check me out as well. The family giving the puppies away had given all of them Biblical names such as Malachi, Obadiah, etc. I had my eyes on one of the brindles as they were really pretty. They took turns getting petted and then trotting away. Then the black one came over, took a few pats, and proceeded to climb up in my lap, licked my chin, then turned around to face the others as if to say, "This one's mine." And so I was. They told me her name was Grace, but it didn't seem to fit her clumsy puppy meanderings. Genevieve was not much impressed with my gift, and the two of them never became friends which made life more difficult for all of us, and I had to keep them in separate areas of the yard. That's why you see Polly with her head stuck through the old rickety wooden fence which I eventually had to replace.

About a year later I signed us up for obedience training, but we had to drive seventeen miles to another town to attend the classes. I wasn't sure we would graduate that sixth week, but sure enough we did and received our certificate. It was the only way we could prove that she had been through obedience training. On the way home that evening my car broke down on the country road we were traveling. I attached her leash, grabbed my purse and the certificate, and we started walking. This was before the days of cell phones, you see. We hadn't gone too far when a pick-up passed us; then it stopped and started backing up. In the truck were one of the teachers from one of the schools where I worked and her husband, and they offered us a ride. Of course, I accepted. But do you think that dog would get in that truck. Not on your tintype. I kept saying "Come" until I was embarrassed to say it again. I finally had to get out and haul her up as she struggled to get free. I probably should have mailed the certificate back.

My former in-laws wanted me to bring her up to see them. They lived 75 miles away, and I knew they wouldn't be driving down to where I lived due to their ages. So, I agreed to bring her for an overnight visit. Did I mention Polly was subject to motion sickness? She threw up in the car one way or the other each week of obedience training, and on the occasion of the 75 mile trip she threw up five times each way. In spite of that she was always eager to get in the car and go.

When I moved us from Texas to Louisiana and faced a 150 mile drive I asked the vet to keep her the day we loaded the truck and picked her up on the way out of town. I also requested that he give her a sedative to keep her from vomiting in the U-HAUL I had rented, and did he ever, We sort of poured her into the front seat; she went to sleep and didn't know the thrill of the journey, nor hear the howling of the cat in her carrier. She managed to stagger to the dog run when we got here, but didn't really wake up until the next morning in a strange yard.

In 2003, having not learned my lesson previously, I brought home an eight-month old puppy from the Humane Society's Adoption Day at Petco to be a companion to Polly. Same song, second verse. However, this one has a happier ending. For ten months they barely tolerated one another, but when I went to Spain for three weeks and left them with Chill . . . well, let's just say they re-evaluated their situation. He said they slept on the kitchen floor and made a sort of circle, and during the night Delilah, my cat, a year older than Polly, who was also boarding there decided that she was going to stay with her family, and she lay down inside the circle they'd made. She had never associated with either of them before, and ever since they have recognized we were all in this together. What a relief.

We've had long walks together, hunkered down through a few storms, welcomed "the cousins"(Chill's dogs) when he had to be away. For the last year and a half we've even shared my Glucosamine Chondroitin when her arthritis made it painful for her to get up, and it helped. She developed cataracts and went deaf. She couldn't hear me call her, ran into things---including me---and sometimes her hind legs would just collapse or slide from under her. Great patches of hair have come out, but, thankfully, that doesn't show in this picture, and she didn't want me to groom her anymore, and she looked awful.





So today was the day. I prayed last night she wouldn't wake up this morning so I wouldn't have to do what I had to do, but the good old girl did. We drove to the vet's, and they asked if I wanted to drop her off or stay with her. I had to do what she would have done and stayed with her. We had to wait about 40 minutes, and then the doctor called us back. As he concluded the injection her eyes closed and her front legs slipped, and the doctor and his assistant gently rolled her on her side. He put on his stethoscope and began to check her, and in much less than a minute she was gone. And I drove home alone.

How do I explain this to Mack? He's such a worrier.

GARDENING NEWS!

That may not be exciting to you, but it is to Jaz and me. So bear with me. (BTW I'm putting in small pictures, but you can click on each one to enlarge it. O.K.?)

On April 5, I planted squash seeds in the "old garden", last year's effort. The instructions said to plant five seeds in each mound which should be 12" tall and 2' across. I don't think this is what Ferry-Morse had in mind, but . . . .






Do you have any idea how much dirt it takes to build up 12" height? Pretty soon I was digging out around the bottom to make it taller. Also I think they meant a 2' diameter at the top, but their little picture on the package didn't show that, and their directions didn't say that. My squash mounds look like little premature baby graves. They also tend to disintegrate when one tries to water them. Oh, well.

Remember the big garden planter? Well, here's how it looked yesterday.





Are you as impressed as we are?

And look what Better Boy is doing.




Actually the other two tomato plants are showing fruit coming along as well as the bell peppers and cucumber. We've been eating the lettuce for a few weeks now, and it is really good. So are the spinach and the onions. The radishes have been a disappointment, but we're learning.

For a change of pace---take a look at Peggy Foo. Well, that's one of the names in this vanda's cross, so that's what I call it. Yea, I'll have something to take to the orchid society meeting this Sunday.





Oh, and take a look at those baby graves now.



They're about to bloom, I think; then we'll start to see squash developing. We will have the white scalloped edge kind of squash. I can't wait. Yumola!

WHAT A WEEKEND!

This was the weekend when our orchid society had two events going on, and though there are maybe forty or so members (down from seventy a couple of yrs. ago) there are only about ten to twelve who actually do the work, and one who wants to run everything.

On Friday we had to set up our vendor site at the Master Gardeners Garden Sale. Five of us did that, and this is how it looked.




The sale was open for two hours that evening for Master Gardener members, but we knew that storms were predicted for that night, so all plants had to be carried to a building for the night and pulled out again the next morning. In addition, we had orchid culture sheets for the various genera we had for sale, membership in the society sign up sheets, and registration sheets for an orchid workshop in June. I did think ahead on the last part and took out a big plastic tote so that the paper goods could be stored under the table until Sun. when the sale ended. I helped with the set-up but didn't stay through the sale that evening. And sure enough the storms came that night. In fact, there was another about 7:30 a.m. the next morning.

And the next morning I was loading my car with the five plants I entered in the table top show downtown, my electric casserole which had the corn pudding ready to be baked, and my running shoes for the monthly judging for which I work as a volunteer clerk. This was going to be a day alone for me; usually there are two of us to handle the job.

Only twelve people entered plants for the show this year; two of them were from Tyler where we entered their show last month. Naturally we had far fewer plants on the tables this year. Maybe that's why I wound up with another First and Best Flower awards. (Remember you can click on the picture to enlarge it.) Sorry that those windows make it difficult to see the plant.


This is Paph. Lebaudyanum.



Here are a couple of shots of the show:



I call this shot, "Not a Crowd." However, those who showed up bought plants, and that was good.



And this picture is labeled," Plants the visitor blocked in the previous picture".

My job as clerk requires me to register all the plants to be judged (not all the plants in the show); there were sixteen. Then I had to take them into the room where the judging teams (2 this month) look at them, and then return them to the appropriate show table. I arrived at the downtown show at 8:20 a.m. and back home about 5:00 p.m. My feet were throbbing; I was walking into door frames; was totally wiped out. Fortunately, I was able to make a salad and heat up some pizza I'd spiced up earlier in the week. The wine was already chilled. Slept like there was no tomorrow.


But there was a tomorrow as I had signed up to help at the last two hours of the sale, and take down of the Master Gardeners sale. Fortunately, there had been no more threatening weather, but there were places in the lawn with serious mud issues. Here's a happy shopper:



As you can see the area where they hold the sale is quite nice, and I love being outdoors there. It's absolutely wonderful, and I much prefer it to being indoors, and very much superior to the Mother's Day sale in a mall next month.

Anyway, I survived the hectic pace and am now trying to do a few of the many neglected things at home. Will I ever catch up? Probably not!

Happy Spring, Ya'll!

THAT'S SHOW BIZ! & THE FARMER IN THE DELL. . .

The Central East Texas Orchid Society hosted their first show to celebrate their 50th anniversary as a society. Two of their members are also members of our society and come very faithfully to our meetings. They made poignant pleas at our meetings for people to set up displays. So in the spirit of charity I finally entered a reservation to do a table top display in the category of five plants or fewer. I knew I would have two blooming plants that I could take, and if a third one didn't emerge I could buy one from a vendor at the show and have three.

The theme of the show was The Golden Age of Orchids. My goal was to have something elegant, tasteful, and celebratory. Then at one of the estate sales I found a slightly damaged pedestal for $2.00, and I knew I was on my way. I found another pedestal of a different height---perfect---at GoodWill; $4.00. Yeah! But then I needed a taller one and finally had to go to Hobby Lobby where I purchased one for $13.00. Oooops! (Production costs are always more than one anticipates.) I also had to make a backdrop for the table top; I already had the table cover and the clip on lights (another estate sale find which I'd been saving for just such an occasion).

You have to understand that I purchased my car almost eight yrs. ago just as a vehicle for me and before I became involved with orchids. Most of the orchid growers I know buy SUV's or vans for their orchids. Many have a second car just for themselves, but I'm not in that financial strata; besides I wouldn't have anywhere to park a second vehicle. My point is that I couldn't do a big display even if I had numerous plants blooming because I couldn't transport the plants, all the paraphernalia for a display, plus my clothes for a weekend in my car. Work with what you've got!

WELL! Two of my three plants won 3rd place ribbons, and get this, one of them won Best Grown Plant in the Cypripedium Alliance. WooHoo!!! That is the center plant in the picture, Paphiopedilum Natasha von Fox (I'm so jealous of that name), and there is a ribbon running down to the "trophy" which is actually a crystal salad plate with etched orchid pattern around the edge. Here's how the display looked.



I was really going for Best Display with 5 or Fewer plants, but, obviously, that didn't happen. Here's the one that beat me out, and there was only one other display out of 14 table tops in that category.



She had five plants, and I didn't even realize it until after judging because they are all so big and lush. She is an excellent grower and one of our society members. She got a sugar bowl and creamer. Maybe if all the trophy winners got together we might come up with service for two and some serving pieces.

All in all it turned out to be a terrific show---much better than I anticipated, and everyone had a delightful weekend including the vendors who had really great sale results. I'm so glad I did that though it may be my vacation for this year.

While intermittently trying to get my display together I was also trying to get our garden started for this year along with Jaz, my daughter-in-law, and one day with Oyster, the granddaughter who was on spring break. Remember that humongus planter we had built last summer to enlarge our garden? Well, we finally put in topsoil and an almost equal amount of compost donated by Travis (of the driving to & from the airport adventure last summer). That compost more than paid me back for the taxi service. You can't imagine how much soil that thing holds. It has about 29- 40 lb. bags of topsoil and about an equal amount of compost which we hauled over from Travis & Jane's house which is about three miles away. (Actually this was really an exercise to get Jaz in shape to begin moving from one house to another which she is currently doing, of course, along with Chillax, Oyster, and the menagerie.)

Ever the bold one, I started with seeds this year putting in radishes and spinach on March 5. A few days later Jaz buried onion bulbs. On March 15, Oyster and I transplanted 4 Buttercrunch lettuce plants, 4 Romaine lettuce, an Early Girl and Better Boy tomatoes, and planted some herbs in the cinder blocks around last year's garden patch. We were so proud.


Emerging radishes



Emerging spinach


Emerging onions


Newly transplanted Romaine (3/17/2010)


Some of the newly planted herbs

Things were looking really good. AND THEN a weather bulletin forecasting another winter storm. We had done all this work on Wednesday, and the following Saturday Jaz and I were battening down the hatches. Here's the result:





We just got them all covered before the temperature dropped significantly and the rain started. Later in the day I discovered the rain water was pooling in the tarp over the walk-in area of the big planter and pulling it off the edges. So with tall stick in one hand and hammer in the other I ooched my way under the tarp to drive the stick into the ground and heaved the water off the tarp. There are moments, folks, when one is really torn: you don't want your neighbor looking out the window and seeing you do such strange things or you hope they're watching in case you don't come out in a reasonable time. Fortunately, the temperature stayed just above freezing, and I do mean just above, one degree. And though a few of the leaves of the basil went a funny color, everything survived, including me. But it was scary.

I was going to tell you about what I did today, but I'm tired---you probably are too. Here's the way the planter looked three days ago, and everything is a lot bigger now. We're into the great growing season. More another day.