Catching Up

Well, it's been several months, winter has past, spring has almost left us, and summer is a short 3 weeks away. Though it feels more like fall today. It's raining and cold, but the robins are loving the worms that are showing up in the garden. We have a nest that was home to two baby robins; they seem to be all grown up now, or at least they're out of the nest, but follow mama around the yard, anxiously awaiting the next bite.

Did you notice I said "garden"? I did! Ken and I actually have a garden started this year, first time in about 5 years. So far we have onions, lettuce, spinach and four kinds of tomatoes. We still have a couple varieties of peppers, eggplant, zucchini and butternut squash to plant. The "lasagna" garden experiment was only marginally successful. The cardboard didn't break down the way we thought it would. The stuff that did seems to have made good compost.

The driver's evaluation scheduled for the end of January went well, in my opinion. I didn't cause any accidents at least, or bang up the instructor's van. The simulated part of the eval was a bit tough; he kept saying, "Step on that brake as fast as you can. As fast as you can." But the actual drive was OK, and he said I did about as well as could be expected given my Parkinson's. Ken was disappointed. He wanted my license revoked.

He, in the meantime, has been working to get his license reinstated, which I will admit would make my life easier. He has taken the remedial course, now just has to take the driver's exam.

In March, I had my stimulator batteries replaced. This is set #3 I've had now. This set was put in about a year before I thought they would. Ken also had surgery to remove his cataracts. He says it's amazing, now he can see again.

I'm sure there's more to be written to catch up four months of inactivity, but I'm getting tired. So I'll say, "till next time..."

Beautiful Autumn Weather

The weather today and this past weekend has been glorious. Lots of mild temperatures and tons of sunshine. I am really going to hate it when the first flakes of sn** start to fall.

So far, the experiment with bringing the garden indoors has been a success. I haven't looked at the peppers, but the tomatoes have two red ones on the vines. That's twice as many as we had all season! We are going to try something new with the outside garden this fall and winter; it's called a lasagna garden, not because of what's planted, but for the layers you put down. It's all about going organic. The first layer is cardboard to kill off the grass and weeds that grew there all summer. It's been rather amusing watching Ken scrounge the basement for enough cardboard to cover the garden. It looks like a patchwork quilt. Next is a layer of fall leaves, so I've been out with the rake, doing my best to keep up with Mother Nature. The next layer will be compost, in part to weigh down the leaves, then kitchen scraps and more compost. Hopefully, by next spring, after the autumn rains and winter snows,
 we'll have a nice plot of land, no weeds, and wonderfully rich soil to start planting.

I started a new knitting project last week. I know, with four afghans in various stages of completion, as well as numerous cross-stitch projects, why start another? Because this one has to be done before Christmas. I'm making Christmas Tree hats for the two youngest of Ken's granddaughters. It remains to be seen whether the two older grandkids want a hat of their own.

Enjoy your autumn. Till next time...

Small Successes

I had to read back to May to find my post about being Ken's advocate for disability claims. It took a while, but he got his Social Security retirement benefits, at last. He will be getting over $1000 a month, which he is under orders to use for paying off bills.

We have not been as successful with the VA. They are being stubborn on the issue of Ken's PTSD. We are really going to have to dig through his past, uncomfortable to say the least, to find stressors and treatments. The process has already begun to take its toll on his mental state. He's started talking in his sleep, much more than he ever has. He's also spent many an evening here lately just talking to me rather than watching TV. It can be a broad range of subjects, from his childhood to being a father, but it nearly always ends up being about his time in Viet Nam. I wish I had a working tape recorder so we could document everything.

Winter is coming. I can feel the bite in the air. Ken isn't ready to let go of the garden yet; he has dug up the two pepper plants and two tomato plants, repotted them and brought them inside, hoping to get something off of them.

Due to one reason or another, we still have not had our final Section 8 inspection. It will be on Tuesday, and believe it or not, we still are not done! Hope and pray it will be dry tomorrow so we can finish painting.

Till next time...

Reading the Past

So today I've been busy reading old blog entries with the intention of putting tags (labels) on them. It's been an interesting experience. It's also a bit depressing how many posts are tagged with Parkinson's.

One of the posts that jumped out at me had to do with Ken's 66th birthday, and how I was going to make this year's better. I think I accomplished my goal. We went to Debonne Vineyards (about an hour's drive east of Cleveland) to enjoy some good food, music and a hot air balloon ride.

I think he was pleasantly surprised.

The rest of this post is dedicated to the memory of my dad. He died June 30, 2010. I think it only fair that the 4-year-old blog should come to an end. The current blog will keep going (I hope!), but there won't be any more reminiscences. Till next time...

Ah, Summer, 7/26/10

What a summer it’s been. The garden is growing (and GROWING!), we’ve had Ken’s daughter here to visit, my brother Steve and I took a road trip to New Jersey to see my dad, and my dad passed away June 30.

The garden is going great guns, or at least part of it is. The peas and the onions? I’ve given up hope for them. The sweet peppers are really struggling along, but the hot peppers are doing OK. The cherry tomatoes are the biggest surprise. The 2 plants are enormous! They have completely taken over their corner. The zucchini and the squash are trying to make a break for it, expanding past the confines of the garden and stretching into the back yard.

Ken’s daughter Stephanie and her boyfriend (fiancé?) Nick were here to visit 10 days ago. Sat was a relaxing evening getting caught up on family news. On Sun, we took advantage of free admission and went to the Museum of Natural History. It was good to spend time with them, though they left too soon.

Steve and I drove to NJ at the end of June. Actually, Steve drove and I tagged along. Daddy had emergency surgery June 13, and was really having trouble recovering from it. Steve and I felt the need to see him, and he was doing better when we were there. As we got ready to drive home Mon, he took a turn for the worse. My sister Nancy made it down from NH on Tues, but he died Wed morning.

I miss him so much. I keep thinking the phone will ring and I’ll hear his “Good evening” on the other end. Memorial services will be held next weekend. It’s gonna be rough.

Philadelphia (Philly)

Last week Ken and I took a vacation of sorts and went to Philadelphia to volunteer at the 34th National Veterans Wheelchair Games. All in all, it was a good trip, and I learned a few things along the way.

1. It's Philly, not Philadelphia.
2. Whoever decided that the trip would take 7 hours, plus stops, was crazy. It took us nearly 10 hours, and I know we didn't stop 3 hours. Plenty of construction zones and a fairly steady rain helped to slow us down.
3. Walkers aren't made to go on escalators. Ken figured he could carry my walker up the escalator at the train station, rather than walking to the elevator. He fell, my walker kept on going, and then he was on his back, sliding down all the steps that were still going up. Fortunately, the fall didn't hurt much more than his pride.
4. When volunteering, don't expect to do the job you signed up for. I really didn't get to do much, mainly because they already had enough people to cover the events. On Ken's first day, he was to pass out water and towels to the athletes who requested them. Trouble was, there were so many others doing the same thing, that if three athletes approached, ten volunteers jumped up.

So after three days of doing little or nothing, we decided to call it quits and head back to Ohio, even though we hadn't seen any of the tourist things like the Art Museum (a la "Rocky") or the Liberty Bell. I did have a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich at the Philly Diner next door to our hotel. I've had better ones in Ohio.

We had been promising my former in-laws a visit for the past two years, but never made it. This time we did. We got off the PA turnpike at the PA/WV state line and drove down OH-7 to Belpre. It was so good to see Ron and Donna. She's had Parkinson's for 28 years and, in my opinion, is not doing well. That's why I was so anxious to see her. Ron is doing an amazing job of taking care of Donna, and he has some help for a couple of hours every day. They are still so in love with each other; next July, they will celebrate 60 years of marriage.

The main purpose of the trip, volunteering for the Games, was disappointing. Leaving Philly without seeing any of its famous landmarks was disappointing. Going to Belpre and seeing Donna in her current condition was heart-wrenching. Spending hours in the car with each other without wanting to kill the other person was a blessing. And the final thing I learned from this trip:

5. No matter how hard the VA begs and pleads with us, we're NOT going to the 35th Games next year in Dallas!

To catch up on my old blog, till next time...

And so on … 6/13/10

I wondered how long it would take till I forgot about this blog. Only two months this time. That’s an improvement.
So what’s been happening in my life since mid-April? The biggest thing would have to be The House. I signed the closing documents on April 30; the house is mine! Now, of course, all the headaches start. I think I traded one set of nightmares for another.
The worst is our homeowner’s insurance being canceled, purportedly due to some structural issues on the house. Personally, I think it’s because the insurance company is scared of the boarded-up houses on either side of us and across the street. Nothing I can do about that.
The gutters have been fixed, we bought mortar to fix the foundation, and Ken smashed our crumbling side steps. Nightmare #2: trying to get the contractor to return phone calls with a price to finish the steps. Time to call another contractor.
The garden has been planted, and some of the plants are really taking off! I’m looking forward to that first ripe tomato off our plants.
My dad is in the hospital in NJ following emergency surgery to repair a hole in his stomach. He’s got peritonitis, is anemic, and has a ventilator tube. I wish I could be there, but as Nancy pointed out, it’s hard to travel that far to sit for only 20 minutes at a time in ICU, especially if he’s not awake or able to talk. So I sit at home and pray a lot.
And that, in a nutshell, summarizes the past two months. And so on and so on … Till next time…

Give it a Couple of Weeks

...and things could change. Ken's emotional crisis seems to have passed, or at least lessened to some degree. He managed to get a square foot of garden space weeded so he could plant the tomato and pepper plants he bought a month ago. If it wasn't too late in the season I'd ask him to weed another square foot so I could plant some green beans. But I'm afraid that we'll have frost before they mature.

We went to see the fireworks on July 4. Most years we don't go because of Ken's PTSD issues (loud noises, crowds, smell of powder, etc.), but he agreed to go with me this year. After the challenges of getting there and back, however, I doubt we'll be going next year. We drove around and around in circles looking for a place to park. Finally ended up in the Nautica parking lot - cost: $10. Found what appeared to be the last space in the lot, but in time for the show, which was great! Trying to get out of the lot was a nightmare. We sat in traffic that didn't move more than a foot or two; what should have taken us 15 minutes to get home, took 1 1/2 hours instead. As I said, we won't be going next year.

Last Monday (July 7), I had surgery on my left thumb to treat my "trigger finger." I've had the dressing on all week, and am very glad I am going to see the surgeon today to get it off! I know Ken will be glad if I get rid of it too - I won't be able to use it as an excuse not to do the dishes anymore!

Halfway through the summer is not the time to remember the list of summer concerts I wanted to see. I've already missed Chicago, Kenny Rogers, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Judy Collins, Loretta Lynn, Jimmy Buffet, and Journey w/ the Steve Miller Band. Of course, I can't afford to go to all these shows, but knowing I missed them because I wasn't paying attention stinks. Then again, I did find one today that I would love to see, and I think Ken would like it too. Crosby, Stills and Nash. I could get tickets for Ken's birthday, but I really can't afford $200. Which leaves James Taylor (already saw him), Arlo Guthrie (possibility), and Boston (doubt if I can afford them either).

 Now I'm caught up with my life. Till next time...

Nice Day! 4/11/10

What a pretty day! It’s a bit chilly, but an improvement over the cold days and freezing rain that we had a couple of days ago. Ken & I finally (!) got the compost tumbler finished. Now he just needs to learn how to use it. The daffodils have faded, but the tulips are blooming, and so is the forsythia. Even the lilacs are trying to bloom. The dogwoods and redbuds are putting on a show. I love spring!
I went to my doctor on Friday to see what could be done about the pain caused by my arthritis and sciatica. The appt was 4:30, and the nurse called me back at 4:45. Then I sat for an hour in an exam room, nothing to read, no window to look out. She finally came in at 5:45, spent 10 minutes with me, left, and came back with an attending doctor. The office closed at 5:00, and by the time I was through at 6:15, most of the staff was gone and Ken was getting concerned. An apology would have been nice!
On a brighter note, I finished my section for the Parkinson’s Quilt Project! For a first effort, I thought it turned out well. Glad to have it done and mailed off.
Till next time…

 

Trying to Stay Busy

Today’s episode of “My Life…in a Nutshell” is being brought to you via a remote feed, rather than live. In other words, I’m writing this in Microsoft Word instead of online.  Last weekend my modem/router decided to quit while I was in the middle of taking a survey. I’ve only had it since May! After talking to AT&T about it, they are sending me a new modem, but it won’t get here until Friday afternoon. Yes, I’ve been going through internet withdrawal. I’m trying to occupy myself with other activities.

Tuesday: I went to the doctor about the tendonitis in my thumb, for which he gave me a painful cortisone shot. I stopped at the library to check my email. (Didn’t think I could last all week, did you?)  Then I spent nearly $100 at the grocery and don’t even know what I bought!

Wednesday: I spent the afternoon coring and peeling and slicing apples to make apple butter. After supper I listened to the Indians game on the radio. The Tribe was in the play-offs for the first time in six years. Wild card spot – loser goes home. Guess who lost. Maybe the Browns will win Thursday night.

Thursday: So today I’m slow-cooking the apples. Mmmm, the house smells so good! Six pounds of apples really cooked down. I hope to have enough to can a few jars. Also today, I’ve been looking at my vote early by mail ballot. The library wants money – yes. The parks and the zoo want money – yes. The convenience store down the street wants to sell more liquor and on Sundays – not sure.

My past blog post reads like I was trying to stay busy then too. Happy fall.

Rainy Saturday 3/13/10

After several warm(er) sunny days, we woke up this morning to a chilly rain. The temperature is hovering in the upper 30′s; isn’t it amazing how quickly we can get used to the 50′s and 60′s? We had the kitchen window open last night, and Ken said something about the sounds of summer, as we listened to the shrieks of laughter coming from the neighborhood kids playing outside. And I finally saw that first robin!

Today’s a good day to stay inside with a good book or a sewing project. Isn’t it lucky that I’m currently mid-way through both of those? I’m halfway through John Irving’s Last Night in Twisted River. I like Irving’s books, and this one is a good one. His character development is excellent; you can truly see the characters in your mind.

I’m also about halfway done with a panel I’m sewing for the Parkinson’s Quilt Project. Each participant is making a 2 foot x 2 foot panel. All the panels will be sewn together to make a HUGE quilt which will be displayed at the World Parkinson’s Congress in Glasgow, Scotland in Sept. As of now, they are just short of having enough panels to fill a MLB ball diamond! That is one big quilt! I’m glad to be a part of such a global project.

Maybe I’ll dream about a garden today instead. Till next time …