39 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 5-25-20”

  2. This is the yuckiest day I have seen in a long time:
    It ain’t hot.
    It ain’t cold. Them is 63 degrees.
    It ain'[t raining.
    It ain’t dry. It rained last night. Still cloudy.
    The road out to the main highway is closed. Tree down.
    But we still have poser. That is the one good thing for a yucky day.

    I could sit here and worry about Elvera.
    She doesn’t eat anything.
    She ate half a bowl of Cheerios this morning.
    She ate half a bowl of cheerios yesterday morning.
    That’s all. She doesn’t even all of the candy bar I give her.

    This could belong on the prayer thread. I don’t know what to do about her.t

    Liked by 4 people

  3. Chas- It is sad what Elvera is going through. My grandmother did the same thing when she had dementia. After a while she stopped eating and eventually gave up on life. She was 93 when she died. Just keep loving her and doing what you can.

    Liked by 4 people

  5. It sucks Chas. I can’t think of a better word than that. You know all of us pray for you and for Elvera. She is a lucky woman to have you. You and by extension she is a blessing to all of us. When you feel useless, know that you aren’t. We know you pray for each of us and that makes us feel loved.
    I remember a long time ago making one of my foot in the mouth comments that dementia/Alzheimers was an ok way to go because the person didn’t know what was happening. New Jersey Lawyer called me out on it. I have a friend C (recently she and her husband had Covid). She took care of her grandmother “Golden Girl” for several years. She likened it to having a toddler in the house. She kept her at home until she couldn’t. Recently she posted that “5 years ago I kissed Golden Girl on the cheek, told her I loved her, and left her in a memory care facility. She died this past weekend at 93”. C made a lot of people mad during her illness because she made the statement she lost her brother at 24 to a freak accident then she watched her grandmother slide into dementia. All of that to say again, it sucks.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Good morning ya’ll. The snow is on the ground and I may try to make a snowman before it melts. It is cloudy and cold on the Memorial Day. I do believe my neighbor’s planned outdoor gathering of family will be held indoors much to her frustration 😞
    Chas you are lifted before our Lord every morning in our household. That He would bring to you strength for the day and direction in how He would care for TSWITW. What a picture of devotion and the life long bond of “marriage made in heaven” this speaks to us all.
    I witnessed this relationship between my in laws when Mom S cared for Dad S during his having Alzheimer’s. It was a difficult journey and our understanding of the “why’s” was never to come. We trust our Lord through it all and He is faithful. ❤️

    Liked by 4 people

  8. They say you can’t control your first thought, but you can control your second. As you know I have the knee jerk reaction of doom and gloom, then I realize what I am doing and in extreme cases give myself a good old fashioned pity party with a 24 hour time limit. My friend M says I bounce back faster than anyone she knows.
    Given enough time, I can find the silver lining in almost anything. Given almost 11 weeks at home, Mr P and I were talking last night and out it came. He is a little freaked out about his “Stepford Wife” and “Holly Homemaker”. At first it hurt my feelings. Does he not see what I am doing for him? I’ve told you all before my (giving) love language is acts of service and because I come from the family I do, I will feed you. I walked away.
    When I walked back in the living room I told him, since I was 14 years old I have been stressed in one way or another. I only took 8 weeks maternity leave with BG and felt the stress of needinag to go back to work. When she was a year old I quit work to stay home with her, but not before hiding $1,000 in the freezer that no one knew I had “just in case”. I also went back to graduate school. When she was two, G was sued in a non-compete lawsuit and had to leave on Monday, work in Huntsvile, Birmingham, and Montgomery and return home on Friday. She gave up naps at 18 months and awoke every morning at 1:18 screaming.
    After my initial emotional breakdown of this is going to be 2008 all over again. I don’t have enough money saved. My life is going to fall apart. Mr P can’t support us if I lose my job, the sky is falling and everything else, somewhere along the line I have settled. This is the first time since I was a child I haven’t felt stressed. I am calm and have a sense of peace that I can’t remember having. I go to bed when I am tired (9pm) I awake without an alarm (by 6:30). I do what needs to be done work wise and have added some certifications to my resume. These weeks have been a gift I never would have had nor taken under normal circumstances and I need to be thankful for them.

    I will return to the office next week and begin teaching Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights, but I will not allow myself to become as exhausted as I have in the past and I will take the time to exercise, meditate, pray, and do the things I have started doing for me and my health.

    This morning Mr. P did ask me to stop baking and cooking so much. I am overwhelming him. He wants some salads. OK, but I already have plans for chicken taco soup and chicken salad. I’ve got to do it, I’ve already thawed the chicken.

    Liked by 8 people

  11. My sister fights the same battle with my mom about eating. One problem that probably adds to not wanting to eat is that she tends to sit much more than ever. The metabolism slows down with aging and then not moving makes it even slower. Tastes change as well. So difficult for caregivers. In spite of my differences with my sister, I am grateful for her care of my mom. I am sure those around you, Chas, are so grateful for your care of Elvera. Every little bite and drink helps.

    Liked by 4 people

  12. Prayers, Chas.

    It’s warming up here today, should hit 75. I believe there will be some local flyovers today in lieu of all the big Memorial Day services that are canceled this year — both the cemetery on the west end of town and the Battleship Iowa on the east side in the harbor (usually) host large-scale events on this day. It’s odd not to have any of that happening.

    When I drove by yesterday, the cemetery had all the little flags out. But the Boy Scouts weren’t able to do that this year; the staff must have handled it all. The cemetery has been closed to visitors and the public all this time, pretty much.

    I watered all the potted and hanging flowers on the front porch this morning, but realize with this knee that watering other areas along the side of the house are a little more challenging. I don’t want to use the front porch stairs, but I suppose I can come around through the south side back gate to avoid the steps. I need strategies. I’m not used to being unable to just “do” things, you know?

    I think I need to get back to using the ice pack + heating pad today. I should hear back from the doctor tomorrow with that Xray report, then we’ll go from there. I really was hoping it would all be cleared up by now. 😦

    Liked by 2 people

  13. Thanks for the prayers everyone.
    I can’t “like” a comment. It takes me back to the top of the page, that’s all.
    I do pray for some of you daily, and whoever calls for a special need.

    She had some pork chop and sweet potato and half a muffin for lunch.
    Not much, but it was something.
    And that is something.

    It wasn’t what, or how much she ate, it was that she sat at the table with her arms crossed. I can’t handle that. But she seems to be back now.

    Liked by 5 people

  14. Thankful for that Chas.
    I did make a snowman…or he could be a snowman bird face…he is melting along with the rest of the snow. It certainly is wet around here and for that we give thanks! (I posted a pic on my FB page 😊)

    Liked by 1 person

  15. I just walked two trails back to back and then walked home; it was 80 degrees when I got home. About five miles. Not much is in bloom, which I figured based on what is blooming close to home, but I hoped it would be different since last year the last week of May was the week multiple new species started blooming. Oh well. The pretty wildflowers are worth waiting another week or two.

    Liked by 1 person

  16. From yesterday for Peter: I have seen Flyboys – several times, as we have the DVD. A fairly low key and tasteful film about WWI pilots, a much less filmed topic than WWII pilots. Another good WWI pilot film is Dawn Patrol, with Errol Flynn and David Niven. As much nerve as it took to fly a Spitfire or Lancaster bomber during WWII, the canvas, wood and wire planes of WWI were even more risky, and survival less likely.

    Liked by 2 people

  17. Chas, if you are getting overwhelmed, you may need to ask family for help. The crossed arms tells me that she has an attitude!! Pretty funny for the sweetest woman.

    Liked by 2 people

  18. We took a little break from our studies to pursue gardening. Last year was a non garden year as we were busy taking daughter to her appts and getting adjusted to having a twenty two year old around. And I delegated some of the work to her to see what she would be able to follow up on. So we had lots of recovery work. But five more garden beds have been uncovered and prepped. Thirteen year old almost fourteen in two days discovered his bed of carrots he did plant last year but he had just tossed all of the seeds in one corner and forgotten about them. So he had a big batch that he will clean and eat after school.
    But they both planted beds of carrots. They love carrots.

    Liked by 4 people

  19. Chas, I know that body-language experts often say that people cross their arms for all sorts of non-social reasons. But I’ve looked around a room full of people quite a few times and noticed how many people have their arms crossed, and many of them are comfortably engaged in conversation. Sometimes it’s simply the most comfortable way to hold one’s arms.

    Like

  20. The summer I was pregnant with #2, I had 5 raised beds planted and flourishing.

    But the scent of the tomatoes made me throw up, so I abandoned the garden.

    The next spring, I went out to double dig and discovered the carrots had wintered over. We had a bushel of carrots.

    We ate them in everything for a long time!

    Liked by 1 person

  21. AJ doesn’t like spiders, so I won’t be sending photos of this, but will describe it in words instead. During my walk this morning, especially early on before the sun dried things, one element I was photographing was plants and spiderwebs with raindrops. In one web, a fat little spider sat in the center of a rain-bejeweled web. But a long thin spider was on the edge of the web, reaching out toward it gingerly. In the past I have seen two spiders in a single web and I knew one was a male and one a female, even if they looked a bit different. (Spider females are often a lot bigger than their mates, since they need a body big enough to develop an egg sac.)

    In this instance, I didn’t know what I was watching, but it looked like a good chance to get some macro photos of the moving spider and the wet web. Only when I pulled it up on my screen and saw the series of photos did I see what was happening. A small insect was caught in the web–in the first shots, only its wings show, and they were clear, so I wouldn’t have seen them with then naked eye. The spider was very carefully taking the small insect–from another spider’s web–without getting caught in the web itself! It was much larger than the resident spider and probably felt safe plundering. I guess it’s the spider version of taking packages off someone else’s porch!

    Liked by 2 people

  25. Trying to get my MIL to eat was one of my greatest struggles with her. We gave her an Ensure or Boost with her meals. She liked the chocolate flavor.

    One time in particular sticks out in my memory, because I purposely paid attention to the time. It took her five hours to finish half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. By that time, although I don’t remember specifically, I would say that she then did not want her dinner.

    Liked by 3 people

  26. the canvas, wood and wire planes of WWI were even more risky, and survival less likely.

    Especially since there were no parachutes.

    Liked by 2 people

  27. Feeding people stories.
    1. Art’s dad in the hospital when in his eighties and did not like me to keep trying to get him to take a spoonful of food. Out of exasperation, he finally knocked my glasses off my face and I gave up at that point.
    2. My mother was in an auto accident and her mouth was wired shut. I would make custard for her and try to get it in through the wired shut mouth. We kept wire cutters close by in case she got choked. She did lose weight during that time.
    3. My brother was in the hospital for an insulin reaction which makes him have hours of vomiting. The mean nurse insisted I feed him. Have you ever tried to feed a nauseous person? It was not working.

    I tried to do my best in each instant. Sometimes a person’s best is sufficient and sometimes it doesn’t work no matter what you try.

    Liked by 2 people

  28. The house is warm this evening. I am hopeful for rain to cool us down. Every evening lately it has rained.

    I baked cookies this morning to take to the church for the BBQ meal they were serving. I did not decide to get any of the BBQ. I had an offer by text that someone would bring it by if I wanted some. They are being very kind to those of us who are over 65. I just wanted to be sure they had enough for giving to all who were driving in to pick up some.

    Liked by 1 person

  30. I went out to feed the dogs. Since it was raining, decided to plant some beets in one of the beds we prepped this morning. It is so nice to be back in the gardens!

    Liked by 2 people

  31. I took a pain pill for my knee at around 10 this morning and by 2 or 3 p.m. or so could barely keep my eyes open. So I took a 90-minute nap. Used the ceiling fan, it works great again although needs some putting back together, which Real Estate Guy says he’ll do maybe tomorrow. I just don’t trust my knee right now.

    But I still want to bring the potted flowers I bought into the backyard (they’re on the side of the driveway) so I can at least keep them watered until I’m ready to plant them — also think I’ll do some watering of the side yard; the gardener came today, which was his regular Monday, but I was surprised as he usually bumps the visit to Tuesday on weeks when Monday is a holiday. But good to have that done.

    Sounds like some visits going on in the neighborhood today, maybe barbecuing.

    Good news: LA County’s death toll from the virus dropped way down today (and also was much lower yesterday). Hoping it doesn’t rebound with too much summer celebration. Guess we won’t know for a couple weeks (but then no one will believe the numbers anyway, there is now widespread suspicion surrounding all of this).

    Liked by 1 person

  32. Sixty three percent of workers nationwide now make more than if they go back to work. Think there will be a problem?

    Like

  33. Interesting, as well — a former church contact who comments on some of my FB story link posts is convinced this is all a ruse and today indicated he’s also an anti-vaccer. Not entirely surprising 🙂

    Like

  34. Well, those relief incomes are temporary, I presume. Unless the Democrats sweep to victory in November, which is not outside the realm of possibility I’d say.

    Liked by 1 person

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