COLTON'S

We really lived it up last night. Friends of ours from church called and wanted to go out for an evening meal. They are Lytle and Myra, and the exact age that we are.

Any of you heard of Colton's ? Well, that's where we went. We got there about 4:30 and they were still running there early bird special, plus all the peanuts you wanted and you could throw the shells on the floor and not get bitched at.

Lytle and Myra each got the 6 oz. steak. Sj got the chicken fried steak and I got catfish. Each meal came with FRESH--HOT buns--salad- and one side dish. Lytle and Myra each got a baked potato( With everything )--SJ got french fries that were 1/2 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick and enough to feed an army. I got a baked sweet potato that must have been the largest one you could find.

The salads came and they were a meal in themselves. Except for Lytle, we other three did not finish ours. Then the food came, and I couldn't belief the portions. Lytle finished everything, but actually it was sinful all the food we wasted. SJ doesn't eat as much lately, so I believe he only ate about 3 french fries and about 1/4 of his big platter of meat covered with brown mushroom gray. But oh-was it all good.

You know--they had black cloth napkins with the silver wear rolled up in them. I never saw black napkins before-but it makes sense--You can't see the lipstick--gravy-ketchup and coffee stains in them.

We had a good time. They visited with us for a short time , but left about 7 . This is both there second marriage. He always brags about that she was the first girl he ever slept with. Very early in life they both went to the same church. While they were in the church nursery- both babes slept in the same crib. Funny!

Cards, anyone?

Thanks everyone for your responds. I'd love to share the goings on around here, but don't wish to have you folks feel I need pity or that things are really rough.

Today Georgean from El Direct came down for her bi monthly check up on our needs.


We had a great discussion this time and different things are developing. Cindy has found a very cute pugs for us which is very healthy and compatible. She was very pleased to hear that--for pets are suppose to have great value for people in his condition. Cindy brought him into town today just to make a visit with us. Dad was very pleased with him and seemed to be ok with it. Then she took him home and he is now wondering where our pugs is. She is making sure it is well house broken and healthy, before we take him.

He can not get his toenails taken care of free, so I will keep on trimming them for him. (Not too big a deal). He fell again today while Vicky was in charge of him. This time in the den. He said his legs just buckled on him, but was not hurt. He just about fell again going to the supper table, but I was right there and helped him stable himself again. He also had more trouble with his stools, which isn't nice for either of us. She thinks too, I should try to get him into elastic pull up pants--no zippers-belts etc. Soon, I will try that. I do have two pants like that for him already. Must wait for the time, and I believe it can be done.

Geeorgean is going to check on me wearing the life line, since he would not know what to do even if he had a need. She is also going to check more on his diagnosis of Spinal canal Stenos . I have checked it out on google, but would like more info if possible.

Also I had to get my pills refilled today. While at the pharmacy I got a booklet on Alzheimer's. It is very interesting-but looks like he is very near the end of stage 3. the late stage. After that he'll need more care--we will wait to cross that when the time comes.

Now for the good news. Georgeann suggested having a person come in once a week, as a friend. to have coffee with us and play some games or cards. She thinks that will help a lot for both of us. This would be for an hour or two in the middle of the afternoon, after our naps. So that would mean I could carrying on a conversation with a person who is also understanding in regards to this matter.

Like I said last time--God is so good. There is a beautiful poem in the booklet I picked up today. Will share that with you all the next time.

Serious but true

I'm not sure how to approach this matters, but I'd like to share it with you folks.

A little while ago, SJ. said. " We should get married". I said, "Why"? He said, "Because you do everything for me". I said, "We are married and have been for 60 years". He said, "We have? That's a long time." Then he drops the subject.

I am used to hearing various things all the time. It won't be long tho and we can not conceal things any longer. I'd like to share them with you , but if you don't want that, please let me know.

I am honored tho that he still wants to marry me. He is so sweet--happy and gentle.
He is getting very bad about people's name and that include our immediate family. Please don't sorry tho. God is so good to us.

MOUNT RUSHMORE

High on a Mountain in western South Dakota, stands a colossal feat of art, engineering and dynamite. An undertaking that took 14 years , moved over 400,000 tons of granite, and cost nearly a million dollars. MT. RUSHMORE.

Talked to Leona Saturday. The big motor cycle rally is over for another year. This takes place at Sturgus, 30 miles away. If I remember right, this was the biggest year yet. Next year is there 70th, and the plans are even bigger. This year they had a bad hail storm on one night and cars- and bikes had a lot of damage.

Oh Me -Oh My--Misery and Pain

Finally!!!!!!!. Our water leak has been solved and corrected. Three weeks ago I saw water on the kitchen floor. Just a wee bit--about 4 feet from the livimng room rug and about 3 tiles from the kitchen wall. I called the land lord. He came that night after work and thought it was coming from the dish water and the leak ran under the tile--found a pin hole in the grout to seep up... He said he would be back Sat. to fix it. This was Tues. Sat. turned out to be very busy for him-so it ran into the next week. Had company that week end so was glad the land lord had to go away for that week end and couldn't make it.

The leak on the floor quit-but the leak in front of the dish water became worse. I called the land lord about that on Tues again. He pulled the dishwasher out-disconnected the electricity to it--shut off the hot water too it and said he'd be back. Now I could put towels on the floor where the dishwasher had been. I did!!!! I actually changed them so many times a day that my thumb joints where getting carpal tunnel?

I called the land lord again on Sat. morning. He came in and cut holes in the sheet rock under the sink and also in the kitchen where pipes are running to the water heater. THERE WAS THE CULPRIT. One of those old gray pipes (now condemned) was leaking . He called the plumber. He would come latter that afternoon and fix it. I got a call about 6:30 that he couldn't make it until Tues. between 8:30 and 9:00. OK. That meant keeping on changing towels. Since the new hole was cut I could now place towels under the water heater space for about 3 feet.

WOULD YOU BELIEVE IT??? I had so many towels that all I had were four I keep behind for the bathroom. That meant even 4 nice new heavy ones I had gotten as a Christmas gift. I changed them all about ever four hours. BUT I GOT SMART. I now threw them wet into the washer-- ran them through the spin cycle TWICE and then dried them for about 20 mins, or until dry enough to fold or hung them over the patio rail and let the sun dry them.

The leak started to become heavier-- I had to change towels more often --and on Mon. night water was started to run past the towels on to the kitchen floor. I changed all the towels at 9 pm. Had no more dry ones at the time and by 10pm the stack of 3 where damped to the feet and I had the whole night ahead on me to worry about the flood!!!!!!!!!!. Brave Ladene-put on her house coat-rang the neighbors door bell and asked Birch to turn off my water to house at the road. So Tues. we couldn't flush the stool-get water any where --except go to Birch and steal some 5 gal. pails full from him. SO I DID JUST THAT.

Not so bad. The plumber was coming at 8:30. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!He hadn't showed yet by 10 and I was getting crabber. Finally at 10:15 he came-work --cut out some more sheet rock and left the mess for us to clean up--I went away at 2:30 and asked him to write a note if I needed to know anything. Laid out a tablet and pen for him, Got home about 5--the plumber was gone--had water in the bathroom but not in the kitchen. Cindy turned on the valve in the kitchen and water flew everywhere. I called the land lord--he called the plumber and said he'd be back first thing in the morning.

In the morning he called Rich and told him it was because the dishwasher wasn't hooked up. Rich said he wouldn't pay until he came back and had every thing fixed and Rich would run over and inspect it. FINALLY 12:45 the plumber came -worked about 30 mins (free) Rich inspected it--paid him and all is well. Not bad for $65.00 an hour and parts picked up at Louies which he charged #100 for and 5 hours labor.

Sounds like I'm in a bad mood. Really, I am, not--but Sentner NEVER would have treated a customer that way, and you wonder why they have to be different now. But I must admit--I won't miss changing the towels. I soaked the really dirty ones this morning and then had two large batches of only towels-fresh-folded and all put back in place.

Friendship

We have been blessed with visitors lately. That made me think of a friendship poem which I want to share with you folks at this time.

"EVERYBODY EVERYWHERE NEEDS SOMEBODY SOMETIME"

Everybody, everywhere, no matter what his station, Has moments of deep loneliness and quiet desperation, For this lost and lonely feeling is inherent in mankind--

It is just the SPIRIT SPEAKING as God tries again to find--An opening in the "wordily wall" man builds against God's touch, For he feels so self-sufficient that he does not need God much,

So he vainly goes on struggling to find some explanation for these disturbing, lonely moods of inner isolation...

But the answer keeps eluding him for in his selfish, finite mind -- he does not even recognize that he cannot ever find the reason for life's emptiness unless he learn to share the problems and the burdens that surround him everywhere--

But when his eyes are opened and he looks with love at others--he begins to see not STRANGERS but understanding brothers. . .

So open up your hardened hearts and let God enter in- He only wants to help you a NEW LIFE TO BEGIN. . .

And EVERY DAY'S A GOOD DAY to lose yourself in others and ANYTIME A GOOD TIME TO SEE MANKIND AS BROTHERS--

This can only happen when you realize it's true- that EVERYONE NEEDS SOMEONE and that SOMEONE IS YOU!!!!


Within the past month we have had Mike and Debby--Elaine and Dave--Elroy and Chalice and today Henreitta and Wally are coming in. How nice.

People Watching

Today I had a fun day. I was a People Watcher.

It was my day to go to the Wellness Center or anything I wanted to do. I did the tread mill--bicycle machine--stair climbing do-dad--then decided to have a cup of coffee and just watch the people. What a variety!!

All over 55 (must be to get in)--skinny ones--Old as dirt ones-- Fat ones--Extra fat ones--slow ones and ones that didn't stop for anything. Walking as fast as they could with a mile marker in their hand---Actually some even slow running (forwards and backwards ) on the trail, never even looking tired or hot---Really overweight over the hill couples walking with their walkers or oxygen tanks strapped to them---Macho-muscular-healthy guys working out on the weights and muscle building machines---Frail Little ladies in shorts and tight blouses, going as fast as the can on the stair climbing machines---others bent all out of shape and just glad to get the session over with.

Had made previous plans to meet Francis at the Krispy Kreme's about 10-for a doughnut-coffee and talk. She had a Dr.s appointment earlier--I was running a little early--the red light showed they were making hot glazed doughnuts--So I went in, got a free doughnut and cup of coffee and watched the people. It was busy.

Fat mothers with a bunch of kid (mostly overweight) go in, get a free doughnut and leave.---Sharp looking (probable business ladies) picking up bags full of boxed doughnuts and leave with them ,back to the office.---Grandpa's and Grandma's carrying out their drink and coffee they couldn't finish all at one sitting. They took 15 minutes just to leave the store--set everything down-unlock the car-get in and settled before thy could leave (very slowly). I laughed--there goes SJ and LA. ---Grandma's with grand kids, enjoying every minute of it.---A construction worker coming in with his KK cup and leaving with a fresh doughnut and a full cup of coffee.---happy ones--grouchy ones-those in a hurry--those who had all day---stressed ones---irritated ones---but 95% with to much luggage around their waist.

In comes Francis-soooooo--- another free fresh, glazed doughnut and a raspberry Bismark--a cup of coffee and a great talk for about 3/4 of an hour with my good friend. LIFE IS GOOD. PEOPLE ARE INTERESTING.