November 23, 2010

• Scattered Thoughts

  This will be a random post of my scattered and various thoughts. 

  Things in my head that are on my mind.  

  Nothing huge. Just the kind of stuff that’s best written down on a list. 

  AND . . . these things *ARE* written down on a list; but still, I continue to mull them over and over in my brain.

  I like the victory of things crossed off on lists!

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  My friend, Lori K, commented that I was responsible for her inspiration to MAYBE make a table centerpiece for fall/Thanksgiving.  Reading her comment made me realize:  I HAVEN’T MADE THE USUAL CONSTRUCTION PAPER LEAVES for the table!!!   

  I usually supply each guest with 5 leaves and on the back they are instructed to write things for which they are grateful/thankful.  Cutting out the leaves might be a good project for the girls.  Annamarie, accidentally, threw out all of last year’s leaves.  I like to save them in a “dated” baggie in my “memory box” – a hat box decorated by Stephanie – a gift she gave me, one year.

  I trace the leaves that I find outside, then use black marker to draw the veins on the top side.  They’re  big enough for someone to leave a large thankful thought! 

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  Another thing on my mind is the pressure of continuing to straighten up the, still cluttered, corners of my house. 

  For the most part, things are put back, but there are some hot spots,

  *  like the box of business papers to be filed (or thrown away) that sits in my foyer  
  *  like the boxes of fabric and box of old cassette tapes that sits in my bathroom
  *  like the stray things that sit on the bookshelves in Rissy’s room
  *  like the stuff on the kitchen table
  *  like my sketch pads and x-rays (before & after pictures from my back healing in 1999) on my desk
  *  like the things on the washer/dryer that need to go to the garage

          

  Everything would look great if I could find a place for my strays and actually take the time to do it!!! 

  With Stephanie’s help, I got the china cabinet and foyer’s marble chest refilled with the china and crystal.  We still have the extra (second) leaf in the kitchen table, making that table EXTREMELY LOOOOOOONNNNNG!  Our dining room table also has a second leaf and I recall, in the past, how Jesse has joked about our “Last Supper Table” and how large it looks in all it’s glorious expanse!  I need to get him to remove one leaf from the kitchen table, so it fits in the room better! 

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  I’m desperately trying to catch up with laundry, today.  We still haven’t had anyone over to climb up on the roof and unplug the dryer’s vent pipe.  So, large loads in the dryer are verboten and regular size loads usually take two passes through to dry them.

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  Regarding the comments about my energy and ability to walk: 

  Yes, it *IS* amazing!  I have worked very, VERY hard to get to this point.  I can do the long walks only when I have a grocery cart to hang onto.  I don’t know why that cart is so important, maybe *mostly* because it holds my huge and heavy purse! 

  My doctors have encouraged me to do all I can and I’m happy to say I haven’t had to take extra pain pills.  I’m on the regular time released stuff, but yesterday afternoon I missed my dose and was still okay.

             

  I have a lot of born-with-it “try hard” in me, and I have a Lord and Savior who loves me. 

  I’ve prayed Psalms 104:3 over myself almost daily since the cancer diagnosis, last year.   “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases:”  (KJV) 

  and also Jeremiah 30:17 -  “For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of they wounds, saith the Lord;”  (KJV)

  I know that I’ve been labeled “permanently disabled,” and some days are harder than others, but I’ve tried to stretch myself carefully, and do more than advised, and it looks like it’s paid off.  The weight loss (a little more than 30 pounds) came as a bonus.  I have never gone on a diet.  It just happened.  I’ve continued to do exercises that strengthen my arm and upper back muscles and I do things to stretch and loosen my lower back and hips.     And, I have always had good posture (standing & sitting straight). 

  The procedure on my neck (to “help” me) put me so far back, as far as pain and limitations.     I won’t have that done again. 

  I used the motorized cart at Wal-Mart, last week, and that sometimes happens to me, on a bad day (or week). 

  The only things I don’t do are: carry anything heavy, I don’t bend to dig in cupboards, and I don’t reach to pull things that are heavy from upper cupboards.  Those things have proven to be harmful to me.  Almost every time, when I reach over my head or stretch my arms, it’s dangerous and can cause back spasms between my shoulder blades, despite the exercises I do.

  AND,

  I lay down when I begin to hurt.  That seems to be the trick – catching the pain in the beginning and taking all weight off of my backbone.

                                

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  Another thing on my mind is WHERE DOES ONE GO TO BUY A CAN OF FLOCKING SNOW?   

  Hobby Lobby didn’t carry anything except the frosty flakes canned snow that sprays on windows or small crafts.  I’m talking about the big, lumpy, stuff that looks more like real snow. 

  I have 4 or 5 large wreaths in the attic  that we used to put on the front porch posts at our old house.  Rather than throw them away or give them away, I’d like to reinvent them into flocked decorated wreaths to use indoors. 

  Any ideas where to find heavy flocking? 

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  The last thing rattling around in my brain, today, is cooking, for the next two days, foods that aren’t poultry!  I have a half of a pork roast that was last Sunday’s dinner, and I plan to make hot pork sandwiches tomorrow night.  But, what to do tonight???? 

  We are low on ground beef, however, spaghetti sounds good (even though Jesse doesn’t care for it.)  I don’t want leftovers crowding the refrigerator, even though we have two more refrigerators in the garage.  I’ll need room for my pies and the 3 fruit salads (Jello-ish recipes) I’m making.  Taking out the 20lb turkey will leave some space, until the cut up turkey has to go back in the frig!  

  We ate the last of the fresh vegetables last night — broccoli.  That’s a small piece of available space!

             
                                                         View from the front door – foyer.

  I think it best I get off of here and take my bath. 

  I’m not sure if the lady who cleans for me is coming today or not.  She hasn’t for two weeks.  First week she had sick children (throwing up – yuck!) and last week we canceled, thinking we were leaving town again.

  For as busy as I claim to be, I sure have a lot of time to sit here typing and posting pictures! 

  Say “good bye,” Cherylyn! 

  Good bye! 

  and

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 11:49 am
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