What a blah day

Of course, one of the things that is making this day even more blah is the fact that for some reason, I cannot sleep at night.  If I fall asleep ok, then I wake about 3, and I am not able to go back to sleep.  Last night I wasn't able to fall asleep until after 2:30.

I resorted to sitting with the little bitty laptop that is devoted to my embroidery designs to do the mind-numbing changing of file formats on a lot of the files so that they are usable on my machine.  This usually has me fall asleep in a short time.  Not last night - I sat for hours.

The highlight was the pedicure, and then lunch at a little Italian place where we usually just order pizza to be delivered.  They had a noon buffet that looked absolutely wonderful, but with what may be some health problems, I am being very cautious about my foods these days.  Of course, it goes without saying that I have to get this weight off, but there are some other things that are coming up.  I don't know if the skew in the blood work was just transitory, or a real problem, but I am making some changes.  A long way to say that I had a spinach salad instead of pasta, pasta, pasta, and pizza!!

The Toyota had a recall on it, so G, in his infinite wisdom, decided we would take it in today.  Then he decided it was grocery store day.  Not. My. Idea. Of. A. Fun. Monday.  This is especially true since I have to go to my workroom to move almost everything because they are coming to do the Spring service on the ACs.  I don't know why I decided to make THAT room my workroom.  In our re-done attic that is now two bedrooms (workrooms now) and a bath, the one I chose had all the access doors to the units.  Bleh.

So now - we go back to get the Toyota -  and I am still not in the workroom to move "stuff."

Peace.

More about R

I guess I am too quick to judge, but I really am seldom wrong about character.  My daughter will attest to that.  Several of her "friends" turned out to  be just what I thought they would be.  She has been wounded by these "friends" several times.  I just had bad feelings about them - and this goes to this day.

So, on to R.  Apart from simply not liking people like her, I really think there is something far more sinister about her, and being pushy goes along with the sinister feeling I get about her.

One Friday evening at Community Club, in walked this couple I had never set eyes on before.  Seems like they just breezed into town --- from the upper west coast.  Now folks - I really doubt that any of you would just breeze into the Hilda Community.  It is simply a wide spot in the road.  The closest towns are Mason, Art, Loyal Valley and Doss. Now you know exactly where it is - right?  NO ONE lands here by chance.  That's why I think there is something really wrong with this picture.  They neither one had jobs.  He landed some part time work with one of the contractors there, and she handed information.  In fact, I scanned it:

I believe you can click on it to make it bigger.  It may be blurry, or that's just my  eyes!  Obviously I left off the phone and email - although I really don't know why. I guess "out of courtesy."

Anyway, she has attached herself to my neighbor on the other hill.  She is out there at least once a week (for $110).  I think my neighbor is basically buying a friend and companion since there is not one available.  One is with her husband as he fights cancer with his treatments,  the other re-married and they are always gone, and my younger SIL is an absolute hermit.  Her family is here - five hours away.  I can imagine it gets lonely.  I am only there for a week and never have the chance.  There's always too much for me to do, and I become a hermit like SIL.

I don't know - they are doing these odd jobs all around.  Everyone seems to know them, but they just seem fishy.

Peace

What I did in Mason

Sounds like the beginning of elementary school assignment that kept us all busy, doesn't it??  Anyway - it was a busy time!

Of course on Thursday, we went to Fredericksburg for food.  We also took a chair I salvaged from the ravaged lake house before we got rid of the house to be redone.  We went to the hardware store for a socket, the grocery for the rations for the week, and then ate at a divine little Italian restaurant.  It was almost closing time for them, but they were so gracious.  The food and the prices were great, but since Fredericksburg is a tourist haven - we walked about two blocks - up hill to get there.  I thought going back would be better - hah!  Of course - I wore the wrong shoes.

On Saturday we had one of the many family reunions (and we don't make all of the different branches!).  It was nice to see folks we haven't seen for a while.  My SIL and I were going to meet a friend (and neighbor) for the Home Tour.  We set 1 pm because the reunion usually breaks up right after lunch.  Not this year!  So we were running late, which is nothing for SIL.  In fact - it's how she rolls.

Anyway we met up with J and she had R with  her.  Now R is a different bird. I don't know how to take her, but that's another story.  The homes were really something, and they ranged from those that were at least 150 years old to being completely off all utility grids. Quite a range.

My problem came with R.  And I will be honest - I don't really like her at all.  Again another story completely.  She began talking about our other friend, neighbor, and, not surprising in that country, relative.  He has been diagnosed with brain cancer - terminal but is adding some time by doing chemo and radiation.  Now in the meantime, he has suffered a ruptured colon.  What a wonderful life, right?

Anyway, R has pushed herself into knowing everything there is to know at the Methodist Church there.  She was telling us that he is so weak, he doesn't want any visitors, including his children.  She was talking about how everyone wants to help, but they don't want any.

I sat as long as I could, and finally couldn't keep my tongue  in my head.  I told her I can completely understand why some people withdraw.  To which she replied that she knew.  She did that to the detriment of her health and those around her.  She just withdrew deeper and deeper.  That was it!  I told her I completely understand this person because I TOO HAD CANCER!  She shut up - a  little.

Anyway, last night we went to the "social event."  Our community is named Hilda - otherwise known here as the Wide Spot in The Road.  We go to community club there once a month, but don't go to the church - Methodist.  We are Lutheran, so we go down the road a piece.  Anyway the social event was Hilda Happy Hour.  We have been before, but it is the last Wednesday of the month, and if we go for Community Club, that is the third Friday.

Guess who was co-host.  This man and his wife.  And you know what, although it did look like someone who has been terribly ill, which he certainly has, he was not weak.  He was outgoing.  His children have been around helping in the fields and with the cattle.  This weekend, they plan to have everyone there to celebrate birthdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  What a complete liar R is.  But then it goes along with what I fear of her.  I don't think down deep they are nice people - and again, I will touch on that later.

It made me feel so good to see H and his wife.  She and I went through bad times together, and she looks good too.  He certainly is not currently at death's door as R made it sound.  And she wants the four of us to get together again?  I don't think so.

Peace.

We're off again

I am off tomorrow to once again roam about the wilderness.  We were going to leave today, but there's a social event we want to attend next Thursday.  Yes - they do have social events in the wilderness.  Some of those folks actually have internet!

We also have a family reunion on Saturday, and then there is a home tour I want to attend.  I think SIL and our friend from the next mountain will go together after the reunion.

So that said - I will catch up with you next Friday!

Par for the course

Once again, I find myself sewing my little fat fingers to the bone because I am behind schedule.


I want to make labels to go in the tied fleece blankets our women's group is making for a charity that helps young women facing unplanned pregnancies.  We have made several of these blankets - they are so cute - and I don't want our efforts to go unknown.  I asked the group about having labels to go in the things we have made, and they agree fully.


I ordered some labels that would go in clothing.  They are like small clothing labels, but these blankets are much larger.  I know quilters add a larger label to their things, so I designed a heart with "Tied with love by Celebration Lutheran Women."  I think we had 9 made the day we did them, and I am making 12 more.  I don't think I will get the 12 completed before Saturday, but I really need to get the labels done - so once again behind schedule.


Then I am counting on the four weeks of Easter celebrated in our (and a lot of other) church.  My Easter Bunny is going to stay on the wreath on the front door a while longer!  Especially since we will be in the wilderness next week (Tuesday to Tuesday).


On that note - I have always felt a little more secure about not finding rattlesnakes around the house.  When they put the house in, the foundation and retaining wall used a very coarse granite gravel around the house.  The guy who put it in said there could be nothing that would grow in that gravel.  Boy was he ever wrong!! Over the years, more and more plants have sprouted in that stuff.  


These current plants are growing like, well, weeds.  They are thick.  G cut all around the house, but they were so thick it would stop up the mower!  To get to my point, one of our hunters was there last week.  I imagine he was cutting around the house (we do that - G cut around his hunter's cabin last time).  He killed a rattler by the house.  It was CLOSE to the house.  So, I no longer relish the fact we have never killed one. Where there's one - there is more. 


I am sure it was attracted by the mice that I would imagine are trying to gain access to the house again.  So I will have to begin my battle with those things again.  I have been resting on my laurels that I have them under control, but spring has sprung, and I am sure that their "sap" is rising too.  They are feeling the demand to keep the population growing, and what better place than a nice house to raise their offspring.  Ugh!


One final thought.  All of you OLTL fans - you got some justification recently.  I saw today that "The Revolution" has been cancelled.  It wasn't too bad - but I only liked Tim Gunn really.  I'm sorry that Ty gave up his other show to be on this one.  


Anyway - they will be replacing it with Katie Courie's new talk show.  We are really slipping into the depths now.  I watched her on GMA last week while she was filling in for Robin.  If that's as good as she will be on this talk show - she won't be long for the air.  I think the reason she was on GMA was to get more coverage and interest for that show.  She better work on her interviewing skills.  They stink right now!


So I am off to medicate my sick dog, and then to sew labels!


Peace

Computer whiz!

Sure!  Not!


So to give you my tale of woe, and how I spent most of yesterday, let's just say that I become more and more sure of the fact that I should leave computers alone!


I did manage to set up the Home Group aspect of the two computers.  That's something I never quite could accomplish on the Gateway.  My disappointment however was that I was hoping I could access the internet using that set-up.  Nice try!  


That brings up another problem.  Years ago Comcast came out to fix my internet.  The tech got into the programming part of the internet on the desktop and this laptop.  When he did the desktop, I asked if I could also use the laptop connected to the modem.  He did something to both computers, and only the laptop would connect to the internet.  I didn't know this until he left.  Being the way Comcast is, I didn't call them back about the problem.  I didn't like it because that meant no modem and I was tethered with a laptop.  Not the way you want to be.


Well, now I figured out that there is something that will preclude ALL computers from accessing the internet using that modem, and I really believe that is the problem with trying to set up a modem even through this computer that works on the modem from Comcast.


To get around the password problem, while I had it opened, I set up another account.  Somehow I was able to get the same wrong password in so I could act as administrator.  That enabled the new used account.  I figured I could just put all my files there.


Well - back to my story.  I was worried about not having a CD RW on that little computer.  But I DO have a CD reader upstairs that goes with the big machine.  It works just fine with the computer up there.  If I want to write to something, I bought I huge external drive for back-ups.  So problem solved there.  The little computer has three USB ports. And I found the cable that moved the files from the old computer to the new one. Problem solved on that front.


I am able to get all my embroidery stuff on the little one either through thumb drives, the read CD, or the internet.  It has good internet capabilities.  Even though my phone will not work at the SSB, it certainly will act as a pretty good hotspot here in town.  Slow - but better than nothing.  


Also, I was able to solve the password problem.  Solving that problem caused another problem, but that was solved too.  I Googled password retrieval.   There are a lot of programs out there.  And that's where I felt "snake bit" again.


I tried to buy one of the programs.  It was touted as being $10 with an absolute guarantee that there was money back, and they would "never charge anything more" to the credit card.  


I bit.  I tried to buy their program.  It wouldn't take my credit card.  I have shopped on line for years.  I have never had a problem - at all.  Well, I tried a couple of times to get the company to take my card, but I kept getting an error message.  Then I looked further and there was a free site for these programs.  There was freeware out there!! I downloaded that baby immediately.  Put it on a thumb drive, and was ready the next time I booted.  It worked like a charm.  There is  no password on that computer now!  I was successful.


Later on Saturday afternoon, I was working on those bags when the phone rang.  To cut to the chase, unusual activity was noted on my card.  They asked if I had purchased any computer programs for $30.  I didn't own up to the fact I had tried, but I did say no.  I was scammed by that company.  Fortunately, the charge was removed and the card suspended.  Thank heavens!  Some things never end.  I hope that one has.  So much for their empty promises!


To sum it all up - I have a computer that fits better where I need it.  It has everything I need - including a 125 gig hard drive.  I know they make them even larger now, but for the money, I have a machine that will meet my needs for a long while.


Now I need to turn my attention to Comcast and this modem.  Then I don't have to take my cell upstairs to have internet access on that computer, and this laptop can once again be used away from the tethered line!


Peace.

The bane of my existance last week

T

These are the blasted little bags for the grand kids Easter.  They measure about 5x6.  There were five original designs, so I did the mouse twice. One brown and one blue.  They were for the babies of the family even if the "baby" of one family is 5!

Tomorrow I will give you the tale of the "new"
computer.  It is working, but you know there had to have been drama.  And there was!!!

Peace.

I AM SUCH A DWEEB!

After taking the Gateway on the trip to Alpine, I realized that in my fervor to  make room on the 60 g hard drive that was almost full, I had deleted the internet abilities.   Plus I had bought this laptop several years ago because that one crashed.

I managed to get the Gateway back up, and it was functioning upstairs as a place to put my embroidery   designs, but I was getting really nervous about it.  The internet wasn't a bit deal, because when Comcast came out many years ago not (time absolutely flies these days! It seems like last week), the tech somehow changed something in the internet protocol and the desktop won't recognize the internet.  That means we have no router.  No router - no  internet upstairs!

So, in my infinite wisdom, I began my search for a reconditioned laptop for upstairs.  I looked, Googled, and was directed to the Toshiba site on Ebay.  There I found a really cute little computer for $215.  I looked at the hard drive and it was really big. The computer is SMALL - a 10 inch screen, but it seemed like things were good with it.  So, naturally I ordered it.

It came yesterday.  Cute as a button!  It has one problem.  It has no CD drive.  Did I pay attention when I found it?? Of course not.  I made the rash assumption (you know what they say about assumptions don't you) that ALL computers had CD drives.  Guess what.  It is not true.

Not only that, but the keyboard is tiny.  I like small keyboards - that's why I really prefer laptops to desktops.  But this one is tiny.  So it demanded I put in a password.  I used one I like.  I put it in twice, and it took it twice.  I gave it  my name for it.  No problem.  I won't forget it.  And if I did the prompt would remind me.

Problem - but you expected that didn't you.  Somehow, I was able to put the password in the same WRONG way twice in a row.  When I tried to go back in, I couldn't.  I kept at it, and somehow managed to hit the wrong keys - again - and got back in.  When I tried to change the password, I couldn't.  I could not hit the wrong combination of keys again.

At least I was able to open another account - that is not password protected.  I should be able to use the machine for the designation purpose anyway.  But I can't really make changes without that password.  I have tried and tried, but to no avail to hit those wrong keys again.

The issue of no CD drive - really not a problem.  It does have two USB ports.  I have an external read CD - just can't write to it, I have another external drive for back-ups, and I have a plethora of thumb drives.  And I can get more of those.

 I am just such a dweeb.  I was completely price driven, and too excited about a new toy.  I really was careless on both accounts.  I think I can work around the mistakes, and I really think if I take it to a repair place, I can get that password removed.  But ...  

Have a great Easter or Passover - whatever you do or believe.

Peace.

This is the way the bunny from yesterday was supposed to look.  Brown, pink, black white, and red

THIS is what went to the machine, but still gaudier than this one.  It was bright, psychedelic.  It had aqua, yellow, and more bizarre colors.  Now I now why some people are VERY particular about their digitizers!  I had to have the program that changes the format of the design to print the copy, then scan it (several times) before I could get it on here!  But, now you understand more of what I said yesterday!

Off to sew

This is the dog bone pillow I made G for the train trip.  Each of the other family members got one also.  Most were monogrammed

I was distracted from working on them yesterday.  I thought I had some women's shirts around here, and I wanted to make one for Lady Bug.  I had found a design that I thought was so cute - just the features of a bunny.  I couldn't remember where I put the women's shirts when I "cleaned" my space.  That means they simply got stashed some place other than where they were that seemed to make sense at the time!  I couldn't find them, so I started on the bags.

Well yesterday I had a light bulb moment!  I remembered.  So I got one for her; then started looking for the design I had downloaded recently.  I couldn't find it!  In fact, there were several that I couldn't find.  I decided to go back to the site where I had downloaded the design - they are free (and now I know why).  I found it, downloaded it, and re-formatted it.  It was supposed to have 5 colors - brown, pink, black, white, and red.  When I loaded the design into the machine - it had 14 colors!!  It was a psychedelic rabbit!


I knew it really wasn't a problem - all I had to do was substitute colors as I went.  So I did.  Things went along well until I had to change bobbins.  These are pre-wound bobbins, and they are way too full.  Anyway, it created a little problem, but it turned out ok.

I went back to check on the downloaded design.  I thought perhaps it was that change that screwed with the colors.  Nope - others did the same thing.  Now I know why the designs are free.  They may or may not stitch out correctly.  Anyway - I loaded a picture for you to see.  As you probably know, if you click on the picture, it will enlarge it.  I forget that I am probably the only one who doesn't know things like that!

There is no outline to the face.  It is just the cheeks, eyes, and ears.  I thought it was really cute!

So - now off to continue on the bags.  They get easier as I go.  I had major problems with the first one, and the problems were my fault!  So, I am learning.

Peace.

Why, why, why

Why is it that when I have the most energy and least pain, I have fifty million things to do.  I am referring to having the energy to clean house.  Every time I feel like this we are either leaving town or I am so far behind on projects that have a definite deadline.

So what am I doing right now - I am on the computer, of course.  Makes so much sense.

Last night was another insomnia nights.  My back was hurting.  You see - Simone tripped me in the bedroom.  My side of the bed is rather narrow, and G has put my "library" beside the chest there.  These are the books he reads when he spends the entire afternoon reading.  That's the time I am doing other things.  He has no hobby.  Anyway, Simone likes to be on that side of the bed for a while before going to her crate.  I tripped on her, landed on my knee and elbow.  I thought that was the only problem - uh, no.  The back is back to pre-injection days.

Well, that's just another thing around here.  I will wear my brace and wonderful TENS unit a lot - with hopes.  I really don't want another steroid injection right now - my glucose us really under control!

And Simone - all her lab work came back just great.  I guess it was worth the money.  Perhaps we can keep her going for a while longer.  I just don't want to be like my MIL and FIL who kept their little poodle going way too long.  In fact, I think the dog really was replaced by a robot at the end until the robot's batteries failed.

Off to lunch, and then tie myself to the sewing machine.  Those bags are hard!!!  Picts to follow.

Peace

Quick hello

Just wanted to drop by to say "hi".  Since I stupidly left the Easter baskets for three of the grandkidlets at the SSB, I decided I was going to make Easter bags for all six. Am I behind, yeah, you might say so since I haven't even loaded the design on the USB stick to load into the sewing machine.

We had family dinner here last night.  At 12:30 while G and I were at our neighborhood Mexican restaurant still eating lunch post church, Daughter calls.  She asked if we could go to the airport to pick up Chef Andy - who wasn't supposed to be in until 7.

Being the Queen of Procrastination (yep - still not downloading or sewing), my house needed to be picked up (actually, burned to the ground to start over would be more like it) and vacuumed.  Even though 5/6th of the grandkiddlets are walkers, they still play on the floor.  So...

Anyway - so we went to pick up Chef Andy.  He is really a chef!  He and SIL were scheduled to go to A&M today to check out problems they are having with one of the ovens that their company sold A&M.  As usual - even though the plane wasn't late, they weren't in any hurry with the luggage.  Since Andy was coming here from his Utah ski trip - he had his ski bag.  Surely glad we have that Highlander now.

Of course, since I was having Sunday dinner - that meant Chef was coming to dinner.  I had already planned the menu with one exception.  I was fixing Mexican Shepard's Pie.  Good enough.  So I threw a salad together, then got the hair-brained idea to make corn bread.

I use a mix.  It was old.  I also may have mixed it too early.  Anyway, the two batches were more like flat bread.  It was terrible. Not a good showing for the chef.

But the evening was successful.  We got the house "clean" - at least part of it.  I vacuumed, cooked, and burned the wowie out of my thumb on the handle of the 475 degree cast iron skillet with the doomed corn bread in it.  All was right with the world.

So now I HAVE to get up to sewing.  I only have about four projects to sew to go into those bags that haven't been uploaded yet.  Neither have the projects.  Ah, well!!

Oh - and I got a quick trip in to the vet.  Simone isn't acting normal.  Or perhaps she is acting normally for a 8+ year old Boxer.  I just wanted to be proactive.  We get the lab results back tomorrow, but everything from the visit in normal.  Just $250.  What's money, right??

Peace.

"Home movies"

Since I finally got off my dead rear to download some pictures, I thought I would go ahead and bore you.  

 This is Lady Bug.  We are at the Amtrak station in Houston.  The train, supposedly due at 9:15 pm is late.  It is about 11:00.

 Her little sister.  The kids had not gotten antsy yet.  They were still looking for an adventure.

 "Our" train as it departs Alpine, Texas on its way to L.A.  It doesn't show, but there are cars with windows on the bottom.  That is where we sat.  It was sweet!

                                    Kids and mom.  What a crew!

Ft, Texas.  Rugged beauty.  G and I went there on our honeymoon back in the dark ages

 The newest Junior rangers. They took the tour, and used the little scavenger hunt provided to them.  I think they got a little un-nerved by the fact there might be spirits still around the old hospital.

 Blurry - taken from the truck at 70mph.  This is around Brenham, Tx - the self proclaimed bluebonnet capital of Texas.

 This is Lange's  Mill on Threadgill Creek in Gillespie County.  It belongs to my family.  My Great, great grandfather settled here after coming to the US in 1835 with the Krisch family.  They were all first in San Antonio, but he and his brother in law bought this mill, and moved.  His eldest daughter stayed, and married my Great grandfather from the other family!  Distant cousins still live on this land.  Poor quality picture - I snapped it as we were getting ready to cross the  bridge.

You really can't see just how high the weeds are here.  This is the hunter's cabin.  It looks really bad in this picture!  Really it's not!  If you look carefully, the porch should be about a foot above the surrounding soil.

Well - I have bored you silly.  Hope you read this post before retiring for the night.  It should work like a sleeping pill!!

Peace

What a (wonderful) change from last year.

It's amazing what a year can do in Texas!  Last year, the land was so parched.  Our usual flamboyance of wild flowers was non-existent.  The season was really mean.  The heat was on, and the rain was off.


This year, while the temperatures have  been warmer than usual, we have been getting rain.  Often, quite a lot of rain.  It's rather strange because I don't hear anyone complaining.  Even around the SSB, no one is saying the roads are so muddy that they are difficult to maneuver, or that the fields are too wet to plant.  None of that this year.


On our trip last week, the wild flowers were magnificent.  In many places, the bluebonnets formed a rolling blanket covering the hill sides.  I was thinking they had reached their peak.  But that certainly wasn't the truth. 


When we went into Fredericksburg for groceries, there were even more flowers poking up.  When, at the end of the week's time, we headed back home, there were even more flowers than the week before.  It was really breathtaking.


I was more than amazed when I got out of the truck when we arrived at the SSB.  We actually have bluebonnets close to the house.  I really thought we would never get them.  We had several, and like the rest of the country-side, we had more when we left.  I was absolutely thrilled.


Now, there was a downside - especially for G.  Our place was so overgrown with weeds that the road virtually disappeared.  So that meant he had to get out the good old 22 inch lawn mower. If it's spring, it is snake season, and they are very hungry - and have powerful venom.  Walking the dog in that overgrowth is a scary proposition.  So he spent the first three and a half days trying to get rid of some of the vegetation.


I have pictures - in the camera.  And my time is running out for computer stuff today.  I will get them downloaded, and get them posted for tomorrow.


 But it is really amazing what a difference a little rain makes to our land around here. Last year, very few flowers - this year a bumper crop!


Peace.

Undecided

I really don't know how I feel about my visit to Dr Death today (the oncologist).

No, nothing bad - no recurrence or anything like that - in fact just the opposite.  My lab results were stellar.  My marker number was great.  All the other results were normal.

So what's the problem.  Simple - I have been put on a year's recall.  Now that is really great news, but I have really liked to have these six month checks to check on that little marker number.  It tells me that the breast cancer hasn't appeared elsewhere in my body wrecking havoc.  With each appointment with Dr D, I remember what a dear friend (and relative) told me about her colon cancer.  When she was moved to yearly checks, that was a long year, and so it shall be with me.

Along with the five year clean thingy, it is also the end of five years of Femara (the anti-cancer drug).  I looked at him very skeptically, and he said that the research shows no reason to continue taking the drug past five years.  Well, can't I keep coming back every six months and taking the drug??  It is working for me!

I know this is the milestone I have really been waiting for.   I have been looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time.  Son's friend's mother died from her breast cancer after she stopped the other drug for the five years.  But that was she, all cases are different.

So it has been a day of good news and rather scary news.  I'm just glad I continue to be in remission!

Peace.

Farewell Larry

First, we are still home.  G caught a cold, or did it catch him?  Mute issue - he is a terrible patient!  But we elected to stay home another day with the hopes he will be better tomorrow.


I wanted to tell you about Larry's memorial service.  It was really something.  I don't know if he would have liked it a little or a lot, but it was good for those of us who are left here.


It was held in another Lutheran church - not the one where he Pastored for 20 years.  I think the family still has some problems with that one.  It is a nice church, and with the financial problems at our present church, now we have an option if our church fails - which is a definite possibility.  But that's a topic for another day.


When we got there, parking was at a premium.  There was absolutely no street parking, and no lots around.  It was the church parking or none.  The guys parking cars did a masterful job. They had it well in control!


When we walked in, there was a jazz band playing.  Their music was wonderful.  Larry would have liked that.  When he was young, before seminary, he played in a traveling circus (!!!!)band, and he was in the band in Viet Nam.  He was quite the musician.


When it was time for the service to begin, we had 40 clergy process in.  What a tribute.   I was thrilled to see them.  They respected Larry as one who wasn't shy about expressing his feelings.  At the synod meeting, he was outspoken - even if he and "Match-maker Don" skipped most of the sessions.  They were there at the meetings, but Larry spoke his mind.


His son gave the "eulogy" which was a blog post of his dad's from 2002 when things were really bad.  Larry was honest about things.  He faced depression.  He fought it with a vengeance.   It was at this time there was turmoil in our church, he suffered yet another heart attack, and decided that he would retire on disability.  There were mean things going on in the church.  There were terrible things said about him at this time.  He was very low, and he admitted he was really mad at God.   He soon did get over that.  



I was amazed that his son could read that blog post.  I don't think I could have done it.  He chocked up often, but he got through it.


Others spoke, and in true Lutheran tradition, we then shared communion.  That was moving to me because I was communed by one of my favorite pastors in the area along with our Assistant in Ministry from the other church.  It was rather like home.  Marc - the minister - was one of Larry's close friends.


Hymns were sung - to the jazz beat.  It was beautiful.  And at the end of the service we left to the strains of "Proud Mary."


Yes - we sent Larry off in style.  It was really a liberal Lutheran ceremony.  Just the kind he would have liked.


Peace.

I'll catch up

Short - we were here today.  Weather was bad,  We will go to the SSB tomorrow - no internet.

I want to tell you about the Memorial Service.  Will do it next week.

Take care - I'll miss you.  See you then.

Rested up

Things are getting back to normal - whatever the heck that is.  We are supposed to head to the SSB tomorrow, but there appears to be some pretty severe weather headed to us tomorrow.  While Mr Mouth was in here giving me the weather report that I had seen already, I accidently erased the part where I said I hoped we wouldn't go until Wednesday.  That is truth now.


Tonight is Pastor Larry's memorial service.  I know the church will be packed to the rafters.  I am a little (minuscule amount) surprised it isn't going to be at our old church.  But I am afraid he would come back to earth and blast a lot of those parishioners!  


He would be surprised at the crowd I think will be there.  He thought he wasn't that loved.  Well - Larry - you were wrong.


I'll get back with the report on this service tomorrow!


Peace 

Home again, home again ...

We are in one piece, and I think everyone is still speaking.


On Wednesday evening, we were supposed to be on the Amtrak #1 - Sunset Limited heading to Los Angeles.  It got to the station after 11.  The shooting at the court house in Beaumont held it up.  The FBI, we were told, shut down the tracks.


We got on - found our seats.  G had the foresight to reserve lower coach. It was a new experience, and we did love it.  There are only 14 seats in this lower area.  The restrooms are right there, and there is a door that isolates us from the rest of the train.


While we were a loose large group, Amtrak treated us as a group here in Houston.  The train club was all on one car.  We being down below.  It was good with one exception.  Since there were seven - that left one man odd.  G was to sit with this other gentleman (a term used loosely here).  The other man was a little odd to say the least, and G, trying to be friendly, irritated the fire out of him.  But that worked itself out.


The next afternoon we arrived in Alpine.  We were all exhausted - there really is no sleeping for adults in coach.  My seat must have been resurrected from the 1900's.  Sleeping was good that night - even when  I went to bed not speaking to G.


The next day we went to Fort Davis.  I had not been there since we married.  It was our honeymoon destination then.  The kids loved it, and became Junior Rangers.


We dined like Continental folks.  American, Italian, Mexican, Chinese.  We hit the gamut.  The Italian was to die for.  Who knew??


Getting on the train yesterday was fairly uneventful - if you call an overbooked train uneventful.  But we had the only reserved seats in out large group. All the others had to split up completely.  There were only scattered single seats on that train that came from LA.  We did have reserved seats, but I worried they weren't together.  For some reason there were only two cars with lower coach though.  


The first car was the one splitting off  in San Antonio to go to Chicago.  They put us on the second.  It was great for the kids.  There was another family with three kids of similar ages on that one.  Great fun was had until we reached San Antonio.


When they de-trained, a wheel chair person was put on.  The lower coach is really for the handicapped - so I qualify!  Three gentlemen got on, but at midnight, I didn't care for them spending the trip talking.  And they say women talk.  Ladies, we couldn't hold a candle!


All went well.  From midnight in San Antonio until just on the outskirts of Houston (Sugarland to be exact), the engineer poured on the coal, and we sped through the night.  We would have been on time for out 4:45 arrival except ...  We stopped.   We stayed stopped. And we stayed stopped.


Finally at 6:30 the conductor told us we would be stopped even longer.  The freight ahead of us hit a pedestrian.  It was an ugly hit.  I won't go into details.  The police were doing a thorough investigation.  We got underway at about 8.   


The trip to the station was uneventful, but then how do you follow that. I just hate that four hour delay may have ruined the trip, but it could have happened if we were driving.  When we got in Alpine, there were tv reports about IH 20 being completely shut down between Odessa and Midland because of a three truck accident with four deaths.  It was closed for hours.  So it wasn't just the train!!


Peace.




  

This and that

Wonderful tributes have been posted on FaceBook pages about Larry.  One stated he touched so many lives.  It's true.  I really believe he didn't really know just how many lives he touched, and how loved he was.  Life isn't always fair for a Pastor.  


Our church gave him actual hell on earth.  There were in that church - as there are in many churches - factions.  While we were still members there, several things happened that caused a lot of members to change churches.  Many said very ugly things about Larry and to Larry.  It was finally enough, and after countless heart by-pass surgeries, he decided he would retire on disability.  Can't say as I blame him.  His life was more important than that church.


On a friend's page, one of the past parishioners posted on a page that she always liked him as a pastor.  I so wanted to call her out to tell her she was a bald faced liar.  She told me she didn't like him, and I was too much a coward to stand up to her right there.  I just kept mum.  But I really think she knew.


Anyway - this evening we are boarding the Sunset Limited - all seven of us - to head to the giant metropolis of Alpine, the gateway to Big Bend.  We won't go to Big Bend, but there are things that the kids haven't seen in Alpine.  Daughter told me this morning she had never been to Alpine.  No, just TWICE!


I am apprehensive about such a large number of people getting on a train with many already on it.  We are sort of traveling with our train club, so at least 40 of us are getting on here.  I just hope our little seven can stay together.


I am worried about the kids getting bored - if not tomorrow then the way back on Saturday.  I have some games made up for them that I will get out for that return trip.  Something new (that are really old - dot game, hangman, word find, etc.).  So we will see.


All dogs will be going to a new kennel.  It looks really beautiful, but they can't have their beds.  All three of them sleep on plush beds.  Simone sleeps on a plush bed in her crate, so she will have neither.  At least it's only three nights and three days. 


I think I am more worried about her.  She was off her feed at the end of last week and the beginning of this week.  She is going well now, but at her age (8+) I hate to leave her.  For a small dog, her years aren't all that many, but for a Boxer she is getting really old.


Shadow will have the house to himself.  He tries to act independent - a true black cat, but he really wants me around.  If he isn't with me, he wants to know where I am.  I do worry about him, but he will survive.  Perhaps he will appreciate me more and not attack me at every opportunity when we get back.


Yesterday I got my TENS unit.  It is the thing that I considered my reward for PT back in the day.  It stimulates the nerves with an electrical signal.  It is heaven!   I had no idea Medicare would buy the thing - like I have found they will send me my glucose monitor and strips.  Oh, yeah - that is going well.  Even though I watched the glucose level blow the ceiling out when I got the steroid injections last Friday.


So - all seems good.  I will have a computer on the trip and Daughter is bringing her air-card.  We MIGHT have a signal.  If so, I will try to update along the way.


Peace.