Friday Frustration

Today has been one technology problem after another and I am beyond frustrated.

First there was my fax machine. This machine is actually a multi-tasking monolith -- it scans! it copies! it sends faxes! it receives faxes! 

Yeah, those last two functions? They've been inexplicably MIA for a few days and this was the first opportunity for me to tackle the problem.

To do so, I was forced to enter the maze of functions of the multi-function machine that has only the tiniest LED read-out area on the front to guide you. Argh! 

Menu -- General setup --- down arrow through the choices -- nope not there! 

Menu --  down arrow -- Fax -- down arrow through the choices -- nope not there either! 

Menu -- down arrow -- Initial setup -- down arrow through the choices -- ah ha! 

Change one setting. 

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat.

After doing a factory re-set and starting all over again, I finally called the phone company to see if there was trouble on the phone line. I had to be sure -- because the fax machine was telling me it was a "Comm. Error" in the telephone line. But since I spoke to the phone company on said telephone line, I was pretty sure it was okay. And it was. 

Dead end.

Next I consulted the multi-tasking monlith's website in hopes of support.

Right?  Not.

Finally mentioned to my hubby what was going on and he recalled that he has this deely-bobber thingy that you attach to the fax machine to make it once again become fond of the designated telephone line with which it must work.

I liked the sound of the "fond of" part and became hopeful again.

And after setting it up tonight with the deely-bobber thingy, all is well. Just like that. Who knew?

One problem down.

Other problem is my email software made by someone very evil at Microsoft. I hate you, whomever you are. In concert with some other evil person at Microsoft who invented the Virtual Private Network, which moves at the speed of, oh, molasses uphill in Maine in January. 

My local file folders were stuffed to the gills and even after eliminating a lot of old stuff, they still wouldn't take anything new transferred from my inbox.

Result?

Have. To. Transfer. My. Thousands. Of. Archived. email. Messages. To. My. Employer's. Servers. Utilizing. The. Virtual. Private. Network.

Yeah, that fast. I've been at it all day, trying to force a 10-pound bag of potatoes through a cocktail straw. Even working in small, small, teeny-tiny batches, half the time the software gets so hung up that it can't continue doing anything and shuts itself down.

Curses on you Microsoft!!

There is a bottle of wine in the kitchen with my name on it. And I am very glad it's a 3-day weekend! Because maybe by Tuesday my email will have been successfully archived through the cocktail straw.

- Catherine

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Ah the glorious randomness of the Wednesday Hodgepodge!  

And away we go .....

1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012-

amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, trickeration, ginormous, and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why? Go here to read more about how the words are chosen.

I hate the phrase "baby bump" with a passion. It takes pregnancy, which is a sacred thing for a woman and her body, down to the level of a fashion accessory. Maybe if the press didn't glamorize it as a fashion accessory, we'd have fewer unwed, teen mothers who are in no way ready to make a lifetime commitment to raising a child? Just a thought ....

2. Are you easily embarrassed?   I used to be, but as I get older and more confident with who God is and the kind of person He would have me to be, I am less easily embarrassed.

3. What is your go-to snack? A piece of chocolate, sad to say. And my hips reflect that. Also sad to say.

4. Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? If not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most want to see in that city? If you have been, what's your favorite site/attraction?  I love Washington DC -- it's my favorite city on the East Coast. I have a lot of favorites in that city, but I'll mention one that is not seen by too many folks -- the National Building Museum. The space is awe-inspiring and the history of the building is fascinating! Love it!

5. sit ups-planks-lunges-squats...which do you hate the least? I hate all of them, but I think I hate sit-ups the least.

6. What's a small act of kindness you were shown that you've never forgotten? There are many. But I think the one I'll mention here took place the day after my mother died. Her dear friend called me and asked -- persuaded -- me to drive out to her place so I wouldn't be alone on the night between Mom's passing and the funeral. She fed me homemade chicken soup and rolls, and let me talk through some grief and anger. She was just lovely and I was very, very comforted.

7. Have you ever been a blood donor? Yes. My employer regularly participates in the local blood drives and we were always allowed time to go over and donate. Only once did I have break-through bleeding after the donation -- fortunately I was still in the donation room and they clamped it down well right away (I felt fine -- my arm was just bleeding like crazy for a moment or so).

8. Insert your own random thought here. Randomly speaking, I bless the day I decided to hire someone to help me clean the house each week. I just can't keep up with the house and a full-time job and my aunt and my sick hubby. Thank you, God, for bringing me Erin!!!

Many thanks to Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond.  If you want to play along, use the link on the badge at the top of this post!

- Catherine

Santa Claus, Tim Tebow and God

"When you stop believing in Santa Claus, then you find Grace."

That was the last sentence featured in the very last dream that I had last night as I was sleeping.

I went to bed after watching the stunning upset victory of the Denver Broncos over the Pittsburgh Steelers in overtime. Some game! And you can't mention a Broncos game without mentioning their controversial quarterback, Tim Tebow.

The man American society and sports commentators love to hate.

It is astonishing how much vitriol comes Tebow's way these days.

It's true that Tebow is not a great technical quarterback, as NFL quarterbacks go. But he really does inspire his team with his upbeat, can-do attitude and he does pull out enough wins to get the job done, if not elegantly then at least satisfactorily. He's also constantly striving to improve. Non-expert that I am, even I can see that he played better yesterday as a passing quarterback than I've seen him play before.

The controversy, of course, is that he's vocal and demonstrative about his faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. From all I've read and seen, he walks closely with his God all day long every day. The press makes much of it, thus it is seen by millions of folks all over the country.

And this leads me to the concern that people who do not know God will come to believe that either God is shining favor on the Broncos because of the prayers of Tim Tebow, or that Tebow is a fraud because he's not a perfect person, or that he is a hypocrite because his prayers must be meaningless if the Broncos lose.


For the record, I've read some about Tebow and watched him closely on the field. I may be wrong, but I don't think for one moment that his prayers are for the Divine Intervention of God in a football game. I think he thanks God at each moment for the pleasure and privilege given him on this earth -- to be doing something that he truly loves in a venue that allows him to minister to others in a variety of ways.

No, I'm sure he's not a saint. But he is an excellent role model for young people and, comes to that, for our entire American culture in some very important ways. For example, you never see Tebow dancing and gloating with glee on the field as you see so many, many, MANY other NFL players doing (it's one of my pet peeves, can you tell?).  Tebow's conduct on the field is very sportsmanlike. Enthusiasm for the game and his team, yes. Taunting and gloating over your opponent, no.

And now, back to that opening sentence.

"Santa Claus" as a concept means that gifts are given to deserving (read: good) people.

But God gives gifts that are not based on whether we are good or bad. God brings to each of us Grace: the absolute gift of all time that allows every last one of us to be reconciled fully with Him. And along the way, God also blesses those who accept that Grace. Generally not with football victories, although if there is a deeper purpose, He could do just that. (And that's a whole 'nother blog post, dear reader.)

He blesses us with meaningful gifts and pleasures and joys. The kind you can't get from Santa Claus. Not always what we request. Not always evident at first as a gift. The kind of gifts that, in a myriad of ways, shine a spotlight on just how much we have been given by the God who created us, who redeemed us, and who longs for our minute-by-minute relationship with Him (football minutes or conventional minutes -- you choose).

Tim Tebow knows Grace. He knows football careers are fleeting and that God has brought him to this moment for His divine purposes. Tebow passed up the "Santa Claus" concept a long time ago. And when he's "Tebowing" he's not just thanking God for another completed pass, another touchdown, or another victory.

He's thanking God for another opportunity to show the world who God really is.


- Catherine

Friday Brain Dump

Tim is home and we are all breathing easier.

I'm happy to be eating breakfast at home and not at the hospital.

I cleaned my office yesterday and today it is still clean. If you know me, then you know this is an accomplishment.

Charley is a 97-pound snuggle puppy who needs to be on someone's lap each evening. This is funny and painful at the same time, depending on how he flops down on you.

I put away the Christmas tree on Wednesday and then immediately rearranged the living room furniture. This will lead to new curtains in the living room bay window and a new coffee table (Charley having substantially chewed off the corner of the table last year while he was still teething).

My eldest granddaughter turns 12 today. Wow! She and her baby sister (age one month) are the bookends of our 13 grandchildren.

Although Tim came home deathly ill, we enjoyed our days in San Antonio with the family last week. I think all of us who were there had a grand time staying together as a family and seeing a beautiful part of the country! Those who drove through Roswell on the way down from Idaho assure me that they didn't see any aliens (Tim and I had flown to Texas rather than drive).

Hank Williams Jr. is being forced by Charley to run around outside a bit more. Since Hank is overweight, I think this is a Good Thing. Hank does not agree.

I love my Acer Iconia Tablet so much that I bought one for Tim for Christmas. He is still learning how to use it and grumbling the while. Sometimes it's good to be dragged into the next century, honey.

I believe that's all for today.

Have a great weekend, one and all!

- Catherine

Wednesday Hodgepodge

And away we go!

1. What are three words you would use to describe your 2011?  Lotsa health problems. (Lotsa can be one word if I want it to.) Tim had surgery, began treatment for Hepatitis C, and ended the year in the hospital in order to clear up complications from both the Hep C treatment and another virus that came on at the same time. I had a bowel obstruction and emergency surgery to take care of it. I also got my first dental crown. That's more than enough for one year, I think.

2. Do you like shrimp? What's your favorite way to have it prepared?  I have always loved shrimp. My dad worked in a boat yard when we were little, and he knew the guys down at the docks, so periodically he would bring home some shrimp -- we learned to love it early on. My current favorite is to prepare it with a light sauce and serve it with leeks and polenta.

3. Is your house de-Christmased? If so when did you tackle that job? If not, when will the decorations come down?  As of the day I am writing this (Tuesday), the house is not yet de-Christmased. A little thing called "my husband's hospitalization on New Year's Eve" got in the way. But he's on the mend and so the Christmas decorations will be going downstairs. I'm pretty sure we'll have them all down before the next National Holiday anyway -- you know, the Super Bowl!

4. Do you like to watch scary movies? No. I have a visceral reaction to images that evoke anxiety and fear, and I hate it. I also have nightmares. So I don't watch scary movies. Ever.

5. Ice skating~sledding~skiing~snowboarding~of the four listed which wintertime activity do you most enjoy? Hmmm ... I used to love ice skating, but I'm pretty sure my legs and ankles would protest were I to try it now. Plus my balance has deteriorated over the years. Snowboarding? Never tried it and never will. Last week my youngest got thrown 25 feet and dented his helmet (I wasn't there and am taking his word for the 25 feet).  Skiing? Love cross country -- great exercise -- and hate downhill. Sledding? Yep -- I still love that! Especially with small children!

6. Did you have a childhood hideout? Describe it. Oh my gosh, what memories just came flooding back to me. I'd forgotten about it, but we did indeed have something that we called The Hideout. It was behind our garage, which had a high fence extending off the back in order to keep the 'back of the garage' stuff out of sight from anyone in the yard. Right behind that fence was The Hideout, and if I recall correctly, there was an abandoned dog house set back there that we always climbed onto (not in). By standing on top of the doghouse, we could see up over the fence into the yard. Heady stuff for a 4-year old!

7. What's a place or space that motivates you?  Craft stores and office supply stores are big motivators. They shouldn't be, because that means money is being motivated out of my wallet. But there it is.

8. Insert your own random thought here.Randomly speaking, I hope it will be many, many moons before I have to see the inside of a hospital again. And next time I'll drive the extra half hour to go to the non-profit facility in the next town. Our newly made-over "for profit" local hospital leaves a lot to be desired. $300.00 for one stinkin' IV bag of fluids!!!

Thanks again to Joyce for this week's questions! If you want to play, answer the questions on your own blog and then go on over to Joyce's to link up with everyone else. Don't forget to read a few while there too!

- Catherine

Progress

This morning the ulcers on Tim's throat were finally gone (or all but gone ...  and that's close enough for our purposes). Around noon time the nurse took the feeding tube out.

He's eating red jello.

And I'm breathing easier.

- Catherine

Wait and See

There is not a lot of people watching from a hospital room, but there IS a lot of unintentional eavesdropping.

The phrase I hear and overhear most frequently is "We'll have to wait and see what the doctor says."

"Wait" is the operative word in that sentence.  For all of us here, it seems.

We have been waiting for two days for a whole host of things, including some reassurance that someone on this hospital staff really understands what is going on with Tim.

I am frustrated and Tim is just about at his wit's end with the nonstop pain and discomfort.

And we are still waiting.

-Catherine

A Year

We are celebrating the New Year in a hospital room. Tim's Hep C treatment hit a big bump in the road when he contracted Coxsackie virus on top of all the other side effects of the treatment. Ulcers on his throat and uvula have made it impossible for him to eat or drink or take his meds. So here we are, educating the local hospital staff on the specific and detailed requirements of treatment for Hepatitis C, which they must follow along with the treatment for the Coxsackie virus.

It's been fun.

Not.

Stay tuned for more as we go along.

And to all - I wish you a HEALTHY New Year!

- Catherine

Monday, Monday ....

This weekend's update was going to be great, believe me.Tim felt relatively well and even made it to church Sunday morning for the first time in weeks. The IV fluids they gave him at the doctor's office on Friday really set him up well for his weekend Interferon injection and customary oral meds.

After church he was fatigued, but not much else. He slept on and off the rest of the day.

I breathed easier, feeling like we'd turned a corner dealing with the side effects of the Hepatitis C treatment that is supposed to go on until May of 2012. Staying hydrated is key and Tim seems to dehydrate at a more rapid rate than the usual patient. The two IV fluid treatments he had last week really made a difference in how his body reacted to all the meds this week.

Then came this morning.

Oh, Monday, Monday ...can't trust that day.

Charley came to wake me up around 6:40 and he wouldn't leave me alone even after repeated commands.

At the moment I turned my head to check the clock, my phone rang. I missed getting to it, but immediately checked the 'missing calls' feature -- to find that Tim had called me. That was alarming, to put it mildly. I checked our enormous king size bed -- no Tim. Got up, put on my robe and slippers and checked the kitchen -- where he should have been eating breakfast and having his morning meds. No Tim.

Then I heard groaning coming from the TV room and darted in there to see Tim lying on his side on the couch, white as a sheet and groaning continuously. He could barely talk, he was in so much pain.

I didn't even know where to start.

Breathlessly, he told me that he couldn't eat so he hadn't taken the one medication that requires food with it. He'd been up since 5:30 with the pain -- his joints, his muscles, his skin, and, most alarmingly, his kidneys. He was also horribly nauseated again.

After a dose of pain and nausea meds  plus some water, he eventually felt well enough to eat two scrambled eggs and to take the missing medication -- he was late with the dose, but it couldn't be helped.

Then I assisted him back to bed, where he is still as I write this. I've been checking on him about every hour, and, except for the ache in his kidneys, he is feeling much, much better. So much so that he felt compelled to inform me that he would be better off sleeping and not being awakened by me to see how he's feeling -- but he said it with a little smile on his face and a loving tweak of my hand.

We have no idea why the change came and why the side effects were so fierce today after such a good weekend. Last week's labs showed no sign of kidney distress, although we do know that he is becoming anemic from the treatment. The doctor will see him tomorrow morning and we will discuss the situation.  

For now, though, he is stable and relatively comfortable.

Monday, Monday .....

- Catherine
PS -- the best thing about Facebook is putting out a prayer request and having 30 people respond! What a blessing for both Tim and me!! Thank you, all!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for a little more information about me than you might ever want to know. You're welcome.

With thanks to Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond, away we go!

 

1. Do you put Christmas decorations in every room of your house? If not every room, what rooms do you decorate? I decorate the living room, mainly. My mother did it that way and I've just never thought about doing anything beyond that one room. Plus, if I did, then I'd just have more stuff to dust! I will say that Number 7 decided he'd like a few things in the family room where he spends most of his free time, so he set up the Christmas village down there this year.

2. If you could visit one of the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) which one would you choose and why? Now that is something I've never considered. I've seen some views of Iceland while watching HGTV's Househunters International, and it looks intriguing. But I think I'd probably prefer to visit Norway and the fjords.

3. What does the word faith mean to you? Faith with a small "f" means believing even when you cannot see tangible proof.  Faith with a capital "F"  is my relationship with my Creator and it is the ONLY thing that truly and deeply sustains me through life on this earth.

4. You can go back to your childhood for one day...what day and age would you choose? I would be five years old on Christmas Day. I don't remember who gave them to me, but I received white fur earmuffs and a white fur (hand) muff that year. I just loved them and I can still remember them very clearly. Also, Christmas Day was always a gathering for everyone on my mother's side of the family and it was a day that we kids could count on some peace and harmony in our household.

5. When did you last have 'punch'? If it's not too much trouble share your favorite punch recipe. I made punch for my son's wedding in October. It contained mango-peach juice, orange juice, lemon juice and ginger ale. Optional is some champagne or white wine -- which I didn't do this time since it was for kids as well as for adults. I floated sliced lemon and lime in the top.

6. Do you fill stockings at your house? Are stockings opened before or after the bigger gifts?  We never did stockings at home as a kid because my parents couldn't afford that extra bit for Christmas -- and because neither of them had had stockings as kids, they didn't think we really needed them. My grandparents had stockings for us when we were very small, but I think that ended by the time I was 6 or 7 because my recollection of them is very hazy. As an adult, we did stockings while my daughter was growing up, but we don't do them any longer. It's kind of sad, but my husband just isn't into the Christmas scene enough (he grew up not celebrating Christmas at all, so there were no traditions for him).

7. What takes your breath away? Those precious moments when you see major growth in your kids. This is what my God-given job as a parent and step-parent has been about, and when I see one or more of them suddenly make a breakthrough in maturity or excel at something or surmount a challenge, I just want to jump for joy!

8. Insert your own random thought here. Randomly speaking, I finally made it into the Christmas spirit after taking my Aunt to the local civic symphony and my granddaughters to the local production of Nutcracker this past weekend. I'm ready!!

If you want to join in the online fun, answer the questions on your own blog and then go to Joyce's blog to link yours with everyone else!

- Catherine

Bullying revisited

[Warning: Rant]

In March of 2010 I wrote this:

I'm a little tired of the bullying Facebook status updates that end with "Post this on your status if you support (fill in the blank)" or worse, "I'm proud to support (fill in the blank). 97% of people are too afraid to post this on their status update. I dare you to be among the 3% who will." or words to that effect.

Stop bullying me.

There are many ways to support something -- not just through a Facebook status.

For a while, it seemed that the bullying had stopped. But it has started again in spades.  And I am sick of it it. THINK about what you are saying, please!!

For the record: Jesus is my Savior. And I'm not ashamed to say that. (Note that I started this paragraph with that statement.)

But the use of Matthew 10:33 -- but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven -- as a way to guilt people into posting about Jesus on Facebook or anywhere else is just plain Wrong.

Wrong.

It isn't Jesus asking me to affirm Him -- it's you. A human being. And also for the record, my refusal to yield to your bullying and repost your status about Jesus does NOT in any way translate into my denying Christ. God is NOT a bully. Ever.

No one knows if Jesus would have had a Facebook page. In fact, if God had wanted his own Facebook page, he'd have sent Jesus now -- in the age of Facebook -- and not then, in the age of, well, rude mangers in dirty stables.

So, can we stop the bullying? At the start of this school year there was a much copied status on Facebook that challenged children to think about what they were saying to and how they were treating their fellow students at school.

The adults need to read that one again.

Bullying someone is no way to evangelize the world for Christ.

[Rant off]

- Catherine

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Today is Wednesday and Joyce over at "From This Side of the Pond" has provided us with seven thought-provoking questions to answer, plus one opportunity to express anything random.

And away we go ....

1. Will you be hosting any house guests between now and the end of December? Does that thought make you happy or crazy? Do you do anything special for your guests to make them feel at home? How long should a house guest stay? I am not hosting anyone this year. The kids in Canada aren't able to come visit. And with Tim in treatment for Hepatitis C, our Christmas season will be much quieter than usual. 

2. Walter Elias Disney was born this week (December 5) back in 1905 ...what's your all time favorite Disney movie? Here's a list in case you're struggling...and yes, you have to pick one. All time favorite remains "The Little Mermaid."  Buddy Hackett as the seagull is hilarious, and the music is some of the best ever produced for a Disney movie. ("Now I stuff you with bread. It won't hurt 'cause you're dead!")

3. What was the last thing you purchased that you realized was a mistake after the fact? A 7" refurbished tablet/e-reader. I purchased it for my hubby because he doesn't like the Nook that I bought him last summer, however the refurb tablet needs a firmware update and, at the moment, refuses to connect to any wi-fi. Word to the wise -- don't by refurbished tablets.

4. What percentage of your Christmas shopping is done online?  It depends on the year. This year is squarely in the 1/3 range. Some years it has been as high as 2/3, actually!

5. Amaryllis-snowdrop-poinsettia...your favorite winter blossom? I don't have any favorite winter flowers, I guess. Do holly berries count? I like them a lot.

6. What is one thing on your personal Christmas wish list? I think we all want peace on earth so let's make this answer an actual item. A Caribbean cruise. Fortunately, I am in charge of all Christmas lists, including my own, so this wish will be fulfilled in the spring!

7. If you could only use one word today what would it be? Exhausted. (I had absolutely not a wink of sleep last night.)

8. Insert your own random thought here. Randomly speaking, my aunt, on a good day, is a total hoot. I went to visit her after dinner yesterday and I started out in the usual way. "What's new?" I asked. Without batting an eye, she answered "New York, New Jersey, New Hampshire ...."  Then she gave me a sly, mischievous look. She cracks me up!

 

If you wish to play along, Dear Reader, you should answer these questions on your own blog and then link up with everyone else over at Joyce's blog post.

- Catherine

When life becomes messy

I don't think I've been this disorganized in my entire life.

I clean my office and two days later it's utter chaos. Papers everywhere.

I clean my house (or hire someone to clean my house -- thank you Erin!) and within four days it looks like a rubbish heap. Clothes, shoes, stuff everywhere.

I'm afraid to get the mail because there is so much more paperwork to do with Aunt Muriel's affairs (both health and financial) now added to the mix of paperwork that haunts the average person.

Word to the wise -- if you are approaching the age for Medicare, get your filing system organized now. Scan and keep copies of everything health related. And be prepared for any and all phone calls about and to Medicare (Part A, Part B, Part D, Part XYZ, etc.) to be a minimum of 30 minutes long while you go over and over and over everything again and again and again. (Get the picture?)

It's getting to me, this disorganization.


I'm purchasing organizing thing-a-ma-bobs like crazy in an attempt to keep up.

It ain't workin' honey.

Seems you have to actually take the time to organize as you go -- time that I just don't seem to have if I'm also to have something that resembles a healthy life (you know -- exercise, racquetball, time spent with friends, etc.).

I'm not whining, really. I love my life. Love my hubby, love my aunt, love my job. I just need an extra four hours in each and every day for the rest of my days on this earth.

Is that too much to ask?

- Catherine

Thanksgiving

There are blessings that just take your breath away -- I'm sure you know the kind that I mean. On Sunday, what started with small group prayer ended up as a mass effort to get our property ready for winter. "Many hands make light work" is the old saying -- so very true.

Here's the back story: Tim began his Hepatitis C treatments last Friday, including his first injection of Interferon. He was, as expected, very, very sick after the injection. He tried to work outside for a while on Saturday morning, but by afternoon his headache was so bad that he could barely function. Add to that chills, severe joint aches and muscle aches, and you get the idea.

On Sunday morning he could barely get his head off the pillow and I went to church an emotional basket case.I couldn't imagine how Tim could manage to get through the next 24 weeks of treatment if every weekend was going to be this horrific.

At church our pastor called for small group prayer in between the worship time and the sermon. He invited anyone who wished to have prayer to raise their hands and then encouraged everyone around those folks to gather around to pray.

Without thinking, I immediately raised my hand.

Dear friends gathered around me, beautiful prayers for comfort and healing were offered up and hugs were exchanged.

And then the blessing snowball began!

Emily, Cassy and Dan suddenly offered to come over that afternoon and do the outdoor work that was falling sadly behind with Tim's ill health. As much as it makes Tim uncomfortable to accept help, I thanked them with all my heart and said we'd love to have them come over, and I offered a big pot of Black Bean Chili in exchange. The agreed upon time was 2:00. As I left church, I ran into my "adopted NJ brother," John. He gave me a hug and I half-jokingly asked him if he wanted to come over and rake a few leaves that afternoon.

After I'd told him that Emily, Cassy and Dan were coming over, John then set to organizing a real work party for the afternoon -- unbeknownst to me. Our Pastor even announced it in church after I'd made an early exit to go home and check on Tim!

When I got home Tim was up and around, though wobbly and weak. I informed him that Emily, Cassy and Dan were coming over in the afternoon to help rake up the leaves and get things done. Tim's reaction was uncertainty at first, but I insisted that we needed the help. Eventually he began to think about how to organize things effectively so that we'd get as much done as possible.

It was then that I shot a text message to all Tim's kids and told them of the working party. Shortly after that John called to tell me he'd been organizing and that a few more folks from church would be coming over.

By 2:00 there were some 15 people in our yard!

They raked leaves.

They got on lawn mowers to cut and suck up the leaves.

They threw Charley's toy more times than I can count.

They dug fence posts for the pasture.

 They roofed a storage shed.










In addition, they chipped branches, helped rake leaves that had fallen from our tree into the next door neighbor's yard, and shook and collected the last of the apples from the trees.

By dark, two months of work had been finished in just four hours, and our property was ready for winter.

With the work done, we all converged in the warm house (where my Aunt Muriel had been waiting for us) for a hearty dinner of Black Bean Chili with all the delicious trimmings -- sour cream, shredded jack cheese, and fresh cilantro.

Our deepest thanks go to Emily, Sam, Cassy, Dan, Balin, Don, Dustin, Corbin, Casey, Doug, Alex, Chrissy, Scott, David, John, Rhonda, Kali and Kari.

Tim's stress level is much, much lower, which will help his treatment be more effective.

We love you all so much! Thank you for this blessing -- it took our breath away!

- Catherine

Today I'm going to refer you all to the "Pioneer Woman Cooks" blog post for the day.

Oh. My. Goodness. I can't wait to try it!!

And in other news, since Thanksgiving is around the corner, that means Christmas approaches. Apparently Black Friday sales are starting at midnight this year so that those who are not in a food coma after their Thanksgiving dinner can go shopping. The greed of this country never ceases to amaze me. It's bad enough that there would be fistfights in WalMart at 5:00 a.m.. Now you could take a bottle of your Thanksgiving dinner beer with you and watch the local brawls all night long.

Argh.

Greed and avarice aside, a friend of mine shared this Christmas song video with me this week, so I thought I'd pass it on to you. Tim Hawkins is hilarious!




Enjoy! And have a great weekend!


- Catherine

No excuses? No way ...

I'm not going to excuse myself for being a slacker blogger of late.

Well, okay, yes I am. Of course I am.

Writer's block seems to have been a part of this situation. I have made more than a few attempts to write something. I still think in "blog bytes" (you bloggers know what that means), but I couldn't come up with an actual blog post to save my life.

Okay, excuses over.

I'm intending that this is the first of resuming regular blog posts.

Yes, I know the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

But I don't believe that intentions vis a vis blogging apply to that situation.

The update:

• I was on the East Coast for meetings a week or so ago and got to see two of my cousins while I was there. That is ALWAYS a favorite part of my visits because I really do love spending time with these cousins. Although we live 2000 miles apart, they are friends as well as family, and that, for sure, is a special gift from God.

• I came home from this trip with a truly lousy cold. 

• My hubby will start treatment for Hepatitis C tomorrow. There is a new medication now that improves his chance of a cure to over 80% (compared to about 40% with the previous treatment medications). Our insurance companies have agreed to the expense, and we'll revisit the situation in eight weeks to see if the treatment is actually working. If it is, then another 10 months of treatment will follow.  If the treatment isn't showing signs of being effective, then it will be discontinued. We are praying!

•  I've spent this month updating my Facebook status each day with one thing for which I am thankful. It's been an excellent exercise. Added benefit is that many of my FB friends are joining in, which has made it even more fun. 

•  Charley doesn't like it when I am away and he has been incredibly clingy after my last (9-day) trip. It's hard to have a puppy mentality in an 85-pound body.  Especially when that 85-pound body insists on crawling up to sit on my lap!

Talk soon, Dear Reader!

- Catherine

The thief

One thing that is most difficult about living near my Aunt Muriel is that her memory takes her, most of the time, back to long past events and situations.

She's talking about people I have known and deeply loved who are now gone. Like my mother. And my grandfather.

She's talking about people I wish I could have met. Like my great-grandmother. And my Aunt Florrie.

Sadly, this sets up my grief cycle to some small extent all over again. A small flap of the tough skin that has developed over my losses keeps getting probed every time I visit with Aunt Muriel.

Yet I cannot, of course, ask her not to mention these people. Her memories of the long past are pretty much all the memory that is left to her. Recent events are forgotten before the day is over. Even the memories of the last two to three decades of her marriage and of the homes she shared with Uncle Bob are all but gone. When she talks of New Jersey she nearly always places herself in her childhood home in Newark or at the Long Valley farm where she and her siblings spent all of their childhood summers. To Muriel, the years of the 1920s-1950s are only yesterday.

I have seen a lot of Aunt Muriel in the last month and some of my very unwelcome depression is returning to me -- partly because these people, no longer part of my life, are ever before me in conversations with Aunt Muriel, and partly because I see Aunt Muriel's sense of the present and her short-term memory growing worse with each passing week.

Dementia is the terrible thief that is taking my Aunt. It robs her of enjoyment in the present, simply because she cannot remember the next day how much fun she had or that she even did anything out of the ordinary.

Dementia is what causes her to tell me she is bored, even though I know she was just in an animated conversation with another resident out in the day lounge of her assisted living facility.

Dementia is beginning to nibble at her assurance that I am acting in her best interests because she cannot always remember how I came to be her niece (that one fact -- that I AM her niece -- is still with her, thankfully).

Prayer and a conscious striving to revel in the present are my only defenses. Dementia is cruel.

- Catherine

Raising Charley, Part V (?)

We were on our last camping weekend of the year, enjoying each others company and the peace of a weekend away. Friends drove the half hour to meet us for a nice dinner and a great evening out together in the little town where we were camping.

We walked the three blocks back from the restaurant to the campsite, all of us stuffed to the gills. Lots of chatter. Lots of laughter.

As we neared the RV, I saw movement at the lighted window over the kitchen sink. Puzzled at first, I finally realized it was Charley standing up on the kitchen counter!  "Lovely," I thought to myself as I hurried toward the RV, "another scolding for Charley." At the door, we found water steadily dripping out from underneath. And I could hear more water streaming from somewhere underneath the RV itself.

Upon opening the door, a cascade of water poured out, with more still coming. I stood motionless, trying to wrap my head around what I was seeing. How could there be a flood in the camper? We hadn't left anything on. Had a hose or fitting broken open somewhere? What on earth happened here?

Number 7, bless his teenage soul, leapt into action, grabbing the rubber broom and using it to push water out the door. Tim went one way and another, trying desperately to find the source of the flood. And all the while the water continued flowing out of every sink, out of the shower, and out of the toilet (don't worry -- the black water tank was still sealed off).

Finally Tim grabbed the cap on the gray water tank (shower and sink drainage) and opened it. Gallons more water flowed out of that hose than could possibly have gone into the tank in the 24 hours we'd been there.

But we remained puzzled. And frazzled. Still we could not find any breaks in the water lines. But what else could have caused the flooding?

Then I remembered that Charley had been up on the kitchen counter when we came home.

And it dawned on me that Charley had to be the source of our problem. Sometime during the evening the dog got up on the counter and managed to flip the kitchen faucet handle from the off to the on position. Water poured down the kitchen sink drain into the gray water tank. And the rest is history.

He weighs 80 pounds. He stands at least three feet tall while still on all fours. He's nosy and slobbery. He's thick as a plank. His tail is lethal. He can ruin your slacks in one second flat with his humongous wet nose. He means absolutely no harm at all and he's a teddy bear inside and out.

Charley is a force of nature.

We're still cleaning up.

- Catherine

Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. Have you ever been 'asked' to report for jury duty? Were you chosen to serve? If not, were you happy or disappointed? Twice in my life I have been notified of jury duty. The first time I was a young mother and they were still allowing that as an exemption from duty, so I didn't have to serve. The second time, my employer wrote a letter asking them to postpone the duty because it would fall during the annual summer conference that I run -- the county exempted me and never asked again.  The first time, I really didn't want to serve. The second time, I'd have been happy to come back and serve in the Fall if they had asked me.

2. On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being very), how mechanically inclined are you? Give an example to back up your answer. I believe I've never come to my full mechanical potential because my husband takes care of all of that for me. Thus, in my underdeveloped state of unrecognized potential, I'd say I'm a 2 on a scale of 1-10. I can use a screwdriver effectively.

3. Beets-cabbage-cauliflower-butternut squash....of the four, which is your favorite fall vegetable? BUTTERNUT SQUASH!  Ahem. Pardon my shouting. I really (really) like butternut squash, followed by cauliflower and then cabbage. Beets not so much.

4. What do you recommend to overcome self-pity? First, prayer. Follow that with service to someone else along with a healthy dose of uplifting/fun music.

5. Do you enjoy classical music? Yes. I took my Aunt to the symphony a couple of weeks ago and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We do have a classical station on the local radio scene, however I don't listen to classical on a regular basis -- I prefer popular music most of the time.

6. October is National Book Month...what's on your reading list this month? Mrs. Dunwoody's Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping (I've just started that one). I also have The 19th Wife by David Ebershoff lined up, as well as Patchwork: A Story of 'The Plain People.' I just finished an excellent book entitled Annie's Ghost: A Journey into a Family Secret, by Steve Luxenberg.  This is a fascinating true story that is part family history research, part coming to grips with family secrets, and part redemption of a young woman put aside and forgotten in the early years of the 20th century.

7. What is your idea of 'cute'? Something that is pleasing to the eye at the same time that it evokes a cozy feeling in your heart. How's that? No one has ever asked me to define "cute" before!

8. Insert your own random thought here. Randomly speaking, Charley-o is a year old now and remains as much a puppy as ever. Unfortunately all that puppy-ness is bound up in an 80 pound body that stands three feet tall when he's on all fours.  Life with Charley is never dull, that's for sure.

 


- Catherine

Well, here we are again!

I have a blog! Good heavens, yes I do!

Greetings from our annual last-camping-trip-of-the-season. It's partly cloudy, as usual. It's cold, as usual. And we are happily squirelled away in our cozy camper on this October weekend. As usual.

Okay, we had some electrical malfunctions when we first set up last night, resulting in a VERY cold camper this morning because the heat had gone off. But we finally found the problem and got it fixed. So life is good again. A big thank you to the guys who work at the service garage next door to the campground -- they provided us with replacements for the fuses that were blown.

The "gladiator games" have been going on all day. That's what I call the play between Hank Williams Jr. and Charley -- gladiator games. Teeth are bared but tails are wagging. They clash chests together, then one grabs the other with his teeth, there is snarling, and then they break apart and it starts all over again with another chest clashing. Tails still wagging. They've wandered all over the campground today, taking their gladiator games with them. I hope they sleep like logs tonight!

I've happily spent most of the day indoors, working on some of the finer details of my family history research (it takes time to search through the 1910 census schedule for the entire city of Newark, NJ!).

The guys have been to the mineral hot pools in town. I like the pools, but my hot flashes don't, so I've avoided soaking this year. Sigh. Soaking IS really relaxing, but the horrible hot flashes aren't worth it to me at this point in my life. Terrible to get old!

Instead, I kept the dogs company and allowed them a few more bouts of gladiator games outside.

Life has been crazy lately, and having this weekend completely off is lovely. What with trying to take care of my family, trying to spend time with my aunt and take care of her financial affairs, trying to get back into racquetball, and trying to work 40 hours a week at my job, I am completely tapped out. I might sit down at 8:00 at night and watch something I've recorded on the DVR, but more likely I'm heading to the bedroom and a good book before turning out the light.

Crazy.

But God has brought me to this moment. And here I am, somehow surviving.

In all the hulaballu, I have managed to put up some 25 pints of peach jam and 24 quarts of frozen corn off the cob. We still have apples on our trees out back and, although most are wormy because we didn't spray properly, there are enough for me to put up some apple sauce or apple butter. Just hope I have the time to get to it.

Last weekend I sold one of the horses and purchased another -- one that will be more suitable for me to ride. Since then, the weather has been awful, so I haven't had the opportunity to try her out yet. I have played a bit with her in the pasture though, and her temperament seems quite lovely. Looking forward to this new baby in our herd!

Think that's the brief catch-up.

Hope you too are enjoying your weekend!

- Catherine