I am proud to have been associated with West Orange Stark High School in Orange , Texas. Many years were spent there and they were the best of my teaching career. Although I don't live there anymore, I keep up with many of my former students on Facebook. Found out tonight that the young man who died on the sidelines a month ago was elected posthumously as the homecoming king. His father wore the crown and escorted the queen. What an awesome thing to do! This makes my heart smile!
Busy, busy day! I'm not complaining though. It was OK. Still trying to de-mildew Mom's walls in her living room. I'm almost done and almost have the clean curtains re-hung.
I thought today might be a good day to mow the yard since we had a little rain a couple of days ago, but,alas, it was not. I was covered in dirt because every thing is still so very, very, dry.
Tonight I had a business dinner with our contact out of Nashville, TN in regards to the cookbook we are doing as a fundraiser for our krewe. I was so tired, but it was a nice meeting with the two of us from the krewe who are heading up
this operation. Right now I am going to BED!
I am involved in a project at Mom's that just keeps getting bigger. Due to their having a big house with central heat that they chose NOT to use in the winter, there is now mildew or mold on curtains and walls in the never used or heated living room. Dad was very frugal and couldn't understand why the whole house needed to be heated when he had space heaters in the rooms in which they lived. We have checked the heating system and it works fine. He had it completely
disconnected, but we have had it reconnected and will be using it this winter. Now there is mold/mildew which would not be there if they had kept the heat on. My project is to take down the curtains, move all the furniture and clean the mildew/mold off the white walls. It comes off fairly easily, but the windows are wood and the paint chips off when I try to clean them. The hardwood floors even have mold/mildew on them around the walls and under the furniture....so I have my work cut out for me. I am doing it in small sections and one window at a time, so it is OK. Mom will be so glad to have it all clean again.
Oh, and thank you, sweet baby Jesus, for the ever so gentle rain today. We are appreciative of every drop. Now we need about 14 more inches!
The entire state of Louisiana is under a burn ban. My brother is a volunteer fire fighter and captain of his local fire department. I have not seen him in two weeks because he has been on duty at Lake Bistineau where the dried up lake bed is burning and will continue to burn until the lake fills back up. There is no way to put it out, but depending on the wind, some houses could be in jeopardy. Today I finally saw him as we were preparing for a
reunion tomorrow and he got a fire call while we were doing it. Found out that someone blamed their dog for turning over a can. First of all, it is against the law to have any fire outside and second, there was no can to be found. Straight up liar! The perp was ticketed, but he should have spent a night in jail for endangering everything and everyone! I guess common sense just isn't very common!
Preparation has begun for the Mardi Gras season. Royalty has been crowned, fundraisers have begun and the transformation of the floats is on track. We will be working every Monday and Wednesday nights on the floats. Last night we were painting the inside of the children's float. As is usual, the same 4 of us showed up to work. This is really the only time I get involved because I enjoy working on the float and riding in a couple of parades. Last year I only rode in our local parade and it was so cold that I vowed to never do it again if it is supposed to be cold. The Gemini parade is just too long. It kills me to throw beads and dance on the float for at least 4 hours, so I won't be doing it again. Also, it is very expensive. Beads must be purchased from the Gemini krewe and the minimum is over $300 per person. Ummm, NO! I might as well throw cash! I will ride in the Highland parade if it is not too cold. Last year, I didn't because it was too cold. Our krewe is 10 years old this year, so our theme is Reflections of a Decade. There will be lots of mirrors on the big float sporting pictures of the last 10 years.
Productive day!
Before I left the Dallas area this morning, I made a run by Whole Foods. This, my friends, is the reason I love Whole Foods.
Yet another weekend with a heavy heart. Last weekend I didn't mention it in my blog, but the young man who died on the football field last Friday night was from the school where I taught. In fact, his dad was there when I was. Such a tragic loss.
This weekend I woke up to all kinds of messages about yet another of my friends from that school...a young man named Matt Didyk, 38, died last night. He had a congenital defective heart valve replaced about a month ago and was doing fine until a staph infection showed up. He was a beautiful, kind soul. I used to take some of my high school kiddos on ski trips during our Christmas break. He was already in college, but he went on the last one I took along with one of his brothers. My heart is hurting for his family. I always complimented him on his beautiful smile...and he was always smiling!
Look what I learned today! Screenshot from my iphone! Hey, at least I'm not too old to learn something new, YET!
I spent a restless night after staying up late reading Facebook statuses about the quarterback of West Orange Stark High School. He died from a seizure completely unrelated to football. This was the high school where I taught in Texas. His father was class of 88, which is when I was there, and the coaches are all still the same ones. Football tradition just comes with the territory at West Orange Stark. The whole area is in shock and the news has been carried nationally. So, so sorry for this family and the entire school, teachers, students and friends of Reggie Garrett. May his soul have eternal rest.
It apparently takes a freakin' act of Congress to cancel the Shreveport Times. I have been trying for about two weeks now. Finally contacted customer service since they don't have any way to cancel online. They do, however, have lots of OTHER things I could have done...like pay my bill or have my paper stopped while I go on vacation. I went round and round with customer service who insists on charging me $8.15 for the first 10 days of September. I told them I wasn't going to pay it because it wasn't my fault that no one would cancel my subscription. I was told I had to snail mail a copy of my last bill and write a cancellation notice. Well, I sucked it up and did that this morning and included the $8.15. Now I'm wishing I would have sent it in pennies!!!! I just want this ordeal OVER! I also told them in my letter of cancellation that because it was so difficult to cancel that I would never re-subscribe even if it ever became a paper worth reading.
My brother called me tonight and told me he found Mom passed out again. When she didn't show up for church tonight, he went to see about her. He found her in a dark house lying on her bed out of it. He woke her up and her blood sugar was 36! She had fallen asleep at some point without eating any food since lunch. I was there at lunch and watched her eat, so I know she ate at lunch. I don't know what we are going to do. I guess we are going to have to monitor everything she eats to make sure she does eat. I went on to her house to check on her and they had gotten her blood sugar back up and she was in bed. I'm just so afraid that at some point she is going to do that and NOT wake up. Thank you, God, for always alerting us in some way to go see about her!
My brother and I teamed up on two mowers and mowed the home place.
Wow! Such a beautiful day and my lazy ass has done very little. Here's a recap:
Looks like the lawyer finally has Dad's succession completed and correct. Now all we have to do is go to his office...my mom, my brother, and me...and sign the final papers and pay the bill, which, I am sure, will be substantial even though he is a family friend and promised us a reduced rate. Now that he has seen how much the estate is worth, that promise probably went out the window...of course, most of it is land, mineral rights and timber..not cash!
As I was minding my own business....ok, napping yesterday, I got a call from my sister-in-law that my mother had been passed out for 2 hours on her kitchen floor from a low blood sugar. She finally woke up (God must have done it) and was able to move around on the floor to get to the phone and pull it down to call my brother. He was not home, but my sister-in-law went to her and called 911 to get someone to come pick her up. A friend with the sheriff department was in the area and heard the call, so he was there in a moment. Mom has one of those emergency call thingys around her neck, but a low blood sugar makes her lose her mind and not be able to think like that. Anyway, I went right on to see about her and she was sitting at the table having already completed the crossword puzzle in the paper, so her mind was back.
Today has been completely wasted due to my lack of sleep last night. After trying Tylenol PM, aspirin, and melatonin, I still was unable to sleep, so this morning I got up, made the bed and lay right back down on it and went back to sleep until 11:00. That probably set me up for another no sleep night tonight!!! I hope not!
I reached my limit with the Shreveport Times today. Many months I have been thinking about not renewing my subscription. All I do is the crossword puzzle anyway and I can do crosswords anywhere. I am a Glenn Beck fan and a conservative....not necessarily a Republican, but a Reagan Conservative. This was the cartoon in the paper today and the final straw for me. It's not funny and I find it offensive! I'm sure this "cartoonist" wouldn't dare make fun of a muslim, but it's ok to skewer an American Patriot!
Went and bought one of those expensive pump containers of extended death to weeds Round UP....got it home and couldn't figure out how to work the damn thing, so I took it back. No wonder it wouldn't work! I got my money back and went to the garden center again. Turns out the one I bought was missing the whole part that contained the tube and wand. I now have one that works with all its parts.
Spent all morning watching the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial where my friends are today. Wow! What an experience that must have been. I cried the whole time. If the press can find anything to criticize about that, I want to see what it is. There was not one word of controversy and not one sign for them to focus on. Oh, my, what will they find to say!!!!
Also did my patriotic duty and responsibility and went to vote for David Vitter. I preach to not vote for any incumbents, but in this case, I did!
Dad has been gone 9 months and we are STILL trying to get the estate settled. My poor brother has worked and worked on property descriptions...faxed them all to the lawyer and the lawyer still has them all screwed up. He doesn't even have the dwelling on the proper parcel of land! We are trying to avoid having to have all of it surveyed. Mom cannot find any of the deeds, so it is a real chore. I thought we were paying a lawyer to do that kind of stuff, but my brother has done more than the lawyer! On a lighter note, the monument company brought renditions of what the monument will look like and all of the foot stones, which we are getting done in advance for all the rest of us. Should have it done soon!
Months ago when Glenn Beck started planning the Restoring Honor Rally at the Lincoln Memorial, two friends started making plans to attend. I turned it down because I have been to D.C. in August and it is miserable. Looks like the
weather is going to be very pleasant. God is with them! Well, 3 friends are on Amtrak at this moment on the way to D.C. I hope they have a great time. I just do not like to be in huge crowds, plus I know my back would not have been happy with all the walking and carrying a chair at the same time. I'm too old for that kind of misery! They drove to Meridian, MS to board Amtrak for an 11 A.M. departure yesterday. After about 22 hours, they will arrive in D.C.
Someone told me about a business that recently opened here in town that is in an old unused building. A young man wanted to attend Glenbrook High School here in Minden, a private school. The tuition is not cheap, so his dad opened a car wash in the old building for his sons to wash cars and earn money to go this school. They washed my friend's SUV this morning for $15 and she threw in another $5 because they did an excellent job. I went to pick her up and left my car. He washed it for $10 and I threw in some extra because I like to support people who want to do for themselves!! He will wax it for $20, so next time I will let him do that.....and to top it all off....NOW..it's raining! We need it badly and I knew it would rain if I got my car washed! BRING IT. I have a garage!!!!
My doctor's office called today to tell me my blood results from Friday. Turns out I have a vitamin D and B12 deficiency. I had to go in for a B12 shot and got a prescription for vitamin D....50,000 strength which is only taken once in a while. All other things looked good:
I bought those silly looking squiggly light bulbs because the tree huggers gave all this song and dance about how they use less electricity and last 8 years. Well, I have lived in this house four years, paid a lot of money for those stupid bulbs to go in a fixture over the kitchen table. One of them already burned out!!! WTH! Another beef I have with them is that it is nearly impossible to find bulbs that all look the same...some put out a yellowish light, while others are white. Mine have to match because that's how I roll. I even put the stupid things in the bathroom over the mirror. Finally, took them all out and put incandescent bulbs back in so I could SEE! I'm through with trying to save the Earth! I have to SEE! Also, they fail to mention that there is no safe way to dispose of burned out squiggly bulbs. They have mercury in them and should not go to the landfills. Mine went in the trash! I was mad because it burned out!
Finally went in to see about the dermatitis that I have had for 8 months. Doc was not happy that I waited so long to see about it. Because I have already had a bout with staph infection, he told me to NEVER do that again. He is setting me up with a dermatologist. He suspects my blood pressure medicine which I have been taking for years, but an allergy can occur after so long a time. Have been twice to CVS to get the prescription he sent in and they are so backed up, I thought I was in Wal Mart!!! Maybe at some point tonight I will get the script! I need a margarita!
I decided against having my cataracts removed right now after a multitude of tests. Doc said if there are no real problems except having to put on reading glasses, I could wait until it does become a problem....and it will! Somehow cutting on my eyeball just makes me cringe although I know millions of people have had this procedure.
My iphone has been shipped or at least scheduled for pickup by their carrier. I only bought it Saturday! It is going to the At&T store for me to pick up there. They will transfer my contacts for me and set the phone up. Who is going to show me how to use it? I'm also going to need suggestions for the good apps!
Well, I didn't win the St. Jude Dream House once again, but that's OK...maybe next year! My money went to a great organization. Obama will probably take it away from the winner anyway!!!
