Papa's Day Trip...

My father gets really tired of his apartment. Spring has definitely sprung and that only exacerbates the needs to be out and about. Much easier for it not to be an issue when it is cold outside.

His current most important place to visit has been Mammoth Cave. He had never been there before and it is about 3 hours from our home.

I reviewed with him our two trips there and the tour we took each time. I explained the number of steps, stairs and inclines he would have to walk, the time he would need to walk bent over, and some of the features of this particular cave. He determined he really didn't need or care to actually go down in a cave. He has been in Carlsbad Caverns and many other caves. He wanted to see the land and experience the area more than go down in a cave. He picked today as his day to travel.

Last week he told me he really wanted to go on this day and wondered if I could go with him. I checked calendars with Claude and told Papa I could come and Claude would watch Tiny, Papa's dog. Papa was on Cloud 9.

Sunday we determined Claude would go with us and we would leave Tiny at home and hope she made it through her day without an accident.

This morning I was up at 6:30 to get my exercises and icing down my shoulder in before we left to pick up Papa. Claude even splurged for my favorite McDonald's breakfast of 2 plain biscuits and a Dr. Pepper.

Papa was ready and at the door when we pulled up his drive. He even came out sporting his Kentucky Atlas just in case we needed some directions. Claude didn't really need any Atlas as he knows those roads very well. But it was cute that Papa brought it and I would use it later in the trip for our second tourist stop. I also told him that I had four little pillows if he needed any for his back. He set the seat back farther and said he didn't feel like he needed them.

Claude took back roads through the horses country so Papa would have a really enjoyable ride.

After a while we came to a rest stop and we paused for a bit. When Papa got out of the car he was definitely stiff and sore. When he came back he was ready for one of those pillows for his hip which was hurting a good bit.

While my guys were gone the landscaper guys came up on a 4-wheeler to mulch the plants. I found the blinking light on the front of the 4-wheeler amusing. I'm sure it a safety feature but it seemed a mite pitiful to me and I did chuckle.

When Claude came back to the car someone called his name. Hmmm...Who in the middle of no where knew my hubby?  It was one of the men from HMB. They are the company working our sewer project in Sadieville. The world is tiny!!!

Down the road we headed toward Mammoth Cave.

When we got there we stopped to read the signs in front about the different tours and which ones were available today and what time they departed. Then, armed with that knowledge, we headed into the Visitor's Center.

The nice park ranger saw us looking bewildered and provided necessary direction. Any of the tours we would have taken were not available for two more hours. They had a surface tour that would have been the best to do with Papa. Thankfully the park ranger pointed out the Heritage Trail path we could walk. No change of elevation issues on this path. A nice lookout point or two on the trail. This would be our self-guided tour from a walking path. Yup, this one was right for us.

We walked over the bridge to the Mammoth Cave Park Hotel and found the trail.

The trail leads to an overlook of the Historic Entrance to Mammoth Cave.  This was the original entrance and has been left as close to untouched as possible. From our vantage point on the overlook you could see the entrance. We watched a few tour groups come up out of the cave after their tours. This is Papa looking at the entrance from the overlook.

Along the path we noticed a few interesting things in the trees. The first was this tree with a lump on its side. Claude stated, "A tree with tree!!" (as in pregnant).

We also found what Papa called a rattan vine grownng around and adhered to this little tree. At first I thought it was part of the tree but it was really a vine.

Our next stop was the Guide's Cemetery.  Papa didn't walk up here, he found a bench and made friends with the nice people visiting from India.

Claude and I hiked up the little bit of hill to the cemetery. It has the grave of Stephen Bishop, the first tour guide to Mammoth Cave. He was a slave and he was considered the best tour guide. It turns out a lot of the tour guides were slaves. One family had an unbroken line of tour guides in their family for over 100 years. We also learned they had a tuberculosis sanitarium in the area and actually set up a place for the patients to be in the cave to help with their breathing. Absolutely amazing.

The first picture is a panorama of the cemetery. The second is a grave marker for Charles Marshall. The third is the grave stone of Stephen Bishop, the first tour guide. That grave stone is to the left of the stone box.

We walked back to retrieve Papa so the nice people from India could continue their journey.

We headed over to Sunset Point Overlook. This gives a beautiful view of a valley between the mountain we are on and the one across from us. We were fascinated by the tiers of limestone. It would sure be pretty to see it with all the leaves on the trees. But we might not have been able to see the tiers then.

We found another bench and had a brief rest after walking to the edge in another location. Papa was so happy enjoying the outdoors. He kept commenting about not missing being underground when he could enjoy the beautiful of a perfect sunny day outside. While sitting on this bench we found a tree branch riddled with woodpecker holes.

The path led back to where we saw the cemetery and then followed the same path back to where we started. The dogwood trees are in their blossoming phase and were totally enjoyable.

Claude always walks ahead of me. I pause frequently to look a picture opportunities and wander off to take a picture or two or three or...you get the picture. I love it when I look up and see him walking between trees or on a path. It just looks very soulful to me. Hence, I'm getting quite a collection of this kind of shot of Claude in many locations.

As we got to the huge lawn beside the hotel, there was a picnic table under some trees. Under the trees and by that table was a wheelchair...with no passenger...and no passenger in sight. Hmmm...Me thinks someone may have escaped!!!

As we headed back to the Visitor's Center I talked with Papa about where to go next on his play date. We determined we should head to Fort Knox. They have the Patton Museum there and we thought he might like that. First we would pause in Cave City long enough for lunch at Wendy's and to feed the red Buick. Papa took a second pillow this leg of the journey for his head and he dozed just a bit on this leg of the journey.

The Patton Museum was nice but they have moved lots of the military artifacts to Ft. Benning due to changes in the function of things military. They are also remodeling the Patton Museum for its usage after the move is all settled. It will still house the Patton memorabilia as well as new displays about the history of the military and Fort Knox. Should be really cool when it is finished. Papa still totally enjoyed reading plaques and viewing objects that are still there. I was watching a video they have about all the renovations and Papa shuffled over to where I was and sat down. I asked him if we had worn him out. He assured me we had and he was ready to head home.

We also checked out the Armor Memorial Gardens as we headed back to the car.

Claude pointed the Buick toward home. We had Papa back to Tiny and his comfortable sofa at 4:30pm.

Papa had a wonderful outing.

It confirmed in my head how much he has declined recently. Our little walk at Mammoth Cave was flat ground and no more than 1/2 mile and we took lots of breaks. He was huffing and puffing on occasion and he moved with a more decided shuffle of his feet. For a man who walked a mile every day and sometimes two times a day at breakneck speed, this is a big decline. However, it was good to see him do what he could and we didn't push him to move quickly or to do more than he felt like doing. I was so happy for him that we had a beautiful sunny day with warm enough weather to enjoy being outside. Claude and I also really enjoyed being outside and being a bit touristy ourselves. Good day for all!!

Kentucky Red Bud Trees...

Spring has sprung,
The grass has riz,
I wonder where
The flowers is!!

Such was the poetry learned as a child in Louisiana from my father. Not likely to win any literary honors. Nonetheless, it was something said every spring as flowers began to slowly rotate through their blossoming order.

As a child in Louisiana, I remember the arrival of dogwood blossoms. There was a place called Dogwood Trail that we would all load into the car and head out for on a Sunday afternoon drive. I loved seeing all those dogwood blossoms like lace in the trees that had not leafed out yet. After moving to the Washington, DC area, I loved them in the forests that line I-270. Slowly those forests were cut down and filled with businesses and homes. I found myself missing that right of spring passage man had uprooted for the sake of being man. We did however have a gorgeous pink dogwood in our front yard that I totally enjoyed.

We lived in Denver, Colorado and purchased our first home there. It had a forsythia bush at the corner of the front lawn by the driveway. It would fill to overflowing with yellow blossoms. Claude cut it way back one year as it had started to grow way to large for its spot. It dutifully came back fuller than ever with more yellow overflowing than ever. We've put a forsythia on our hill and it is truly a delight to watch it bloom in the spring.

Our move to Kentucky brought the joy of the red bud tree. Papa and I sing a song for the residents of the nursing home titled "Kentucky" and it has a line about the laurel and the red bud trees. The red bud tree really isn't bright red. It is more of a pink/lavendar kind of color. As we drive to our home along Hwy 32, there is a place where the red bud trees are thick against dark green fir trees. We have a bit of a place where the road is cut through the limestone that is Kentucky. At the top of that limestone hill are a few more red bud trees. I just love driving through and watching them change from buds to blossoms. You must enjoy it quickly because they leaf out, just like other flowering trees, and those blossoms will be gone.

I've wanted to catch a few pictures of these particular red bud trees at their peak. We've lived here 7 1/2 years and I've failed to do that each year. Part of the reason is that you need to find a parking spot and then walk to a place to take pictures. Part is because I forget to take my camera with me.

I mentioned the desire to get pictures of those trees at my Homemaker's Club meeting this month and the ladies simply said, "Why don't you get Claude to drive you and drop you off and then pick you up?"  Now why in the world did I not think of that? 

I'll blame my mom. She was an extremely independent women and raised her three daughters in that mold. So...I'll just blame Mimi and not take responsibility for it myself.

I mentioned this desire to Claude and before I could even ask he said, "I could drive you there and get you after you finish."  Such a guy!!

Saturday, after our date in Lexington, as we neared Sadieville I mentioned to Claude the taking of red bud pictures. He said sure. We were in the Jeep and it can go anywhere. He simply backed it up a little hill into an old home place where a frame home from years ago has fallen down. I hopped out and walked up and down Hwy 32 taking my pictures.

Here are a couple for your enjoyment and my future memory:

 

There is a peace in the lay of the land in Kentucky that is totally enjoyable. As I said my prayers this morning, I found myself again thanking a loving Heavenly Father for creating such a beautiful place for us to live.

Pause to Enjoy Life...

Sometimes you just have to stop and take time for yourself or selves.

Today was one of those days. Claude and I put all to-do's aside and determined to go somewhere we have never been before. We had two places in mind and chose the Arboretum in Lexington as the place for our date. It is amazing we have lived here for 7 1/2 years and have not been there yet. But today was a great day to do that for the first time.

The Arboretum has a 2 mile walking path in it with an additional quarter mile walk through the woods. We walked the 2 mile path but didn't do the woods.

We walked half the 2 miles and then paused to determined what to do next. I asked Claude what he thought. His comment, "I haven't lost any weight yet." So we headed for the second half of that 2 mile walk.

It was a cloudy day and that made for a cooler walk. Here are a few pictures.  Enjoy!

We finished our date with dinner at Schlotzky's and forced ourselves to have a Cinnabon for dessert. It was a lovely date with my Big Guy Clauda.

Yep, we sometimes just need to stop and enjoy life a bit.

Tools of My Trade...

I've been going to Physical Therapy (hereinafter referred to as PT) for about a month now. I felt I wanted to do an update of my progress. Hence, the 'Tools of my Trade'.

We started out with the most basic of exercises. PT sends me home with pictures of the exercises as they are given or changed so I would remember how to do them. The pictures have the amount of times you need to do each exercise and this is to be done two times each day (morning and afternoon).

I used items at PT that I tried to replicate at home. The first ones were the pillow and the dowel above. They used a foam ball with which I pressed my arm against the wall. I don't own such a ball. But I do have the pillow that I made for Gramma Chris (Claude's Gramma). It is about the same thickness and I stuffed this little pillow very tight so the texture is about right. PT also used a dowel. Fortunately I had one exactly like the dowel used in PT. I used my dowel when I taught Old Testament in Seminary in Maryland. I made an 'Ark of the Covenant' out of a copy paper box that I spray painted gold. I painted two dowels and ran them the box for the handles.  This dowel is gold because it was one of the handles for my very simple Ark. I place the dowel on the palm of my left hand (my left shoulder has the torn rotator cuff). With my right hand I push the dowel against the left palm and try to stretch my arm as far as it can go with out causing pain. I've done that with a bent elbow placed on the pillow and now with a straight left arm raised straight over my head.

The blue tablecloth I wrap around my right hand and hold it over my right shoulder draped down my back. I reach my left arm behind me and grab the other end of the blue tablecloth. The object is to raise my right arm straight up thereby lifting my injured left arm as far as I can behind my back without causing pain. At PT they have lovely rubber strips that mount on a bracket on the wall and have handles at the ends. This tablecloth produces the same effect without me having to purchase those nifty things at PT.

The white cloth napkin is used to make arm stretches go more smoothly. They use a white washcloth at PT on an inclined weight bench. I find this white cloth napkin does just the trick at home. At first I did these stretches with my left arm on the dining room table. First you do them seated in a chair at the table and leaning my body forward so that my left arm go completely straight in front of me. Then I do the same thing except my arm stretches straight out at a 45 degree angle. Now these exercises are done at a door facing and the wall beside it. I step into the doorway as my arm raises straight up or at the 45 degree angle. The step into the doorway allows my body to help my arm do what it is supposed to. The goal is for me to be able to do all that without the help of the door and wall.

Then we come to that grapefruit. About a week ago they started to have me use a one pound weight to do some of the exercises. I hold that weight with my left arm hand as I do the exercises. Hmmm...what to do for that. I was told that when I was to use the weights at home I could use a can of soup or something like that. Then PT gave me a ball to start a new exercise. I took this little ball expecting it to be full of air. Not so. It was weighted a bit. I was surprised and we all had a laugh at my reaction. Immediately I started to process how to replicate that at home when the time came. When it came time to do this exercise at home I pondered what to do that would simulate this ball. Claude had two grapefruit in the crisper. This was perfect. So now I use a grapefruit in place of the ball and the weight. I sent a nice eMail to Claude to thank him for his grapefruit. He assured me anything he could do to help he would do. Such a guy!!

That red rubber strip has to be one of my favorites. You just fold that puppy in half and make a knot in the fold. Then I hold the knot inside the door frame and close the door at the height I need the band to be. The knot catches and holds on the other side of the door and I can use the two ends to pull to do my exercises. It is truly the cheap version of the lovely piece of equipment at PT.

I took my 'Tools of My Trade' to the Marx home last weekend and showed the Mini's what I was doing. At one point I found Miss Bailey laying on the floor working the dowel with her little arms. She said, "See Ma, I'm doing it!!"

I'm being very diligent in doing my exercises morning and night. The exercises have progressed from very basic just to get a little movement in my arm to stretching and weight bearing (albeit little weights) to strengthen and help with greater movement. They measure my range of movement and track every little thing I do in PT. They have a goal for the range of movement they want me to achieve before I cease PT. I'm coming close to that goal but not there yet.

I've had some days where my arm ached and I was afraid I wasn't doing the exercises right or they weren't going to work. Then I've had one Saturday where my arm felt so much better. Not right but truly like it was healing.

I met with the orthopedist last Monday. We agreed I will not go back to him and will probably not have surgery but I will have to understand it will be many months before the tear in the rotator cuff heals. I'm set for a couple more weeks of therapy at this point. The goal is to have me to a point where I can take the final exercises home and continue to do them on my own while the tear continues to heal.

In reality, studies have shown that about 50% of torn rotator cuffs can heal without surgery if PT is done faithfully and carefully and time is given for the tear to heal. I'm going to be in that 50%.

Mini Fun...

After our family left, I felt the need to play with my grandmonsters. Andie's birthday was on Saturday and I wanted to take her gift to her. I called her and asked her if they would be around and it be okay if I came and spent Friday night at their home. Andie and Michael could have dinner together and I volunteered to watch the Mini's. Andie checked with Michael and he agreed that would be a good idea. So I headed into Georgetown in the afternoon for my physical therapy and then on to the Marx home when I was finished there.

Bailey didn't know I was coming and she was delighted to see me. Lots of hugs and kisses.

Hayden was across the street playing with friends. He must have seen my car because he came running in after a bit and again I enjoyed that adoration that grandmonsters share so freely with grandparents.

The Mini's have a new dancing game for their Wii. They put on quite a show for me that evening.


I finished reading the last Harry Potter book so it was time for Hayden and me to watch the first of the final two Harry Potter movies that cover that book. Bailey is not a big fan of the Harry Potter movies. We assured her we would set her up another movie to watch if she wanted to leave the room. Amazingly our little darlin' stayed through the entire movie. She played around me and only watched bits. I complimented her after the movie on being so agreeable. Hayden did as well.

I told the kids it was time for them to head to bed. Bailey started to cry. I think she understood she would get to watch something after Hayden's movie. Broke my poor Gramma heart. I asked Hayden if he could find a really short show that Bailey might want to watch. He set up the TV and Bailey was watching her quick show when Michael and Andie returned. Michael mentioned to Andie as they drove up the street that he thought he saw us running up the stairs to turn off the lights. They were having a good chuckle at my inability to get the kids to bed on time when I watch them.

We got the kids to bed quickly after Bailey's show was over. Then I headed to bed close to 10pm. I had very poor sleep the previous two nights and I was ready to go to bed.

The next morning I heard that familiar tap on the wall. This is my cue that Hayden is awake and wants me to come in and snuggle. This is a particularly lovely tradition we have created with Hayden. I got up and quietly went into this room.

We were laying on his bed having a good chat when I noticed he had something green on his cheek. I knew he didn't go to bed with anything on his face. Then I noticed a little green on his other cheek. Pretty quickly Bailey heard us and was at Hayden's door to join in the fun. Hayden and I noticed she had green on her cheeks as well. It took a moment for it to register in my brain that it was St. Patrick's Day. Hmmmm...  Bailey said something about that naughty 'yep'rechan. In a bit Andie heard us and came down to check on the morning antics. Amazingly she had green lip prints on her cheek. Double Hmmmm.... The discussion was of whether daddy knew that naughty 'yep'rechan was kissing his honey. It was great fun. Andie had quietly gone into the kids rooms while they were asleep the night before and painted lips on their cheeks. What St. Patrick's Day fun.

Hayden LOVES cinnamon rolls. Andie set to making them for the kids. We would ice them with green icing. Yummy. Andie is a good cook.

Michael and I had a great conversation about setting up brackets for tournaments. I needed some training so we could have some games at a Sadieville event we are planning for this summer. Then our conversation continued as he explained the SEC in basketball and the NCAA tournament and then how the bowl games work in football. He did a great job of explaining and I understand it a bit more.

Andie was able to go to a consignment sale while we were doing this.

Soon the morning was gone. Andie was going to take Bailey to her art class. I was going to head back to Sadieville. It was a quick visit but full of fun. Again, I love my grandmonsters, all 5 of them, and love having any opportunity to be with them. Thanks Marx family for giving me that opportunity again.

Takin' A Spring Break From Texas...

I received an eMail from Chiara, my niece, earlier this year. She is a teacher and their spring break was coming in March. She wanted to take that time to come and see Mimi and Papa. I assured her that would be fine. Chiara mentioned to Neffie, her mom and my sister, that she was planning on coming. Neffie agreed to come and make the drive with her. No small feat since Neffie now lives in Beijing, China. They arrived on Monday, March 12th and left for their return trip on Friday, March 16th.

Chiara has three little boys. I made my grid for their visit and plotted a craft or activity for each day. It was fun to notice that Kenny, the oldest, quickly found that grid on the fridge and followed it to be sure we were accomplishing the project listed for that day.

We actually had 3 full days to play.

Tuesday Papa came out in the morning and we visited and played.  We filled this time with chalk drawing on the driveway, kite flying on the hill and hikes in the tall grass.

We also picked out music and practiced for the musical program for Wednesday at the nursing home.

While I was gone for my physical therapy that afternoon, I left sugar cookie making things so the boys could cut out cookies and decorate them. This was strategically planned so they would have cookies to munch on while they were here. When I got home from therapy there were lots of fun cookies to be enjoyed. Sugar cookies are one of Claude's favorites and the boys shared freely with him. One night Claude told Kenny he was going to eat all the remaining cookies after the boys went to bed. Kenny asked him to please leave three for the boys to have the next day but he was welcome to eat the rest. The boys went to bed way before the adults. Just before the adults finally headed to bed Claude said, "I didn't eat the cookies. I wonder if they will notice? Maybe I should eat some of them." He didn't. Sure enough the next morning Kenny came to the kitchen and found more than three cookies remaining. He immediately mentioned that Claude didn't get those cookies eaten. Cute.

Wednesday was the day to sing at the nursing home in the afternoon. We determined to fill the boys morning and wear them out, then have a quiet time to settle them down before heading in to the nursing home. We went to the caboose and Claude unlocked it and opened the doors at either end for them to play. They totally enjoyed the caboose. Claude went to the Depot (a.k.a. City Hall) and picked up three train caps for the boys and a recipe book for Neffie and Chiara.

We spent time at the playground after the caboose.

We had a nice visit at the nursing home in the afternoon. The boys even sang two songs. Papa sang some songs alone. Neffie, Chiara and I harmonized on some other songs. It was a good visit and the residents totally enjoyed the added people to entertain them.

Wednesday we also played a game with the boys. It was the ice cube race game. I used it several years ago with the kids during a Camp Christensen. I have four little dust pans and dust brooms. We had Kenny and Nathan draw lines to start on and to finish on. I put an ice cube on the ground for each of the boys at the start line and they left their dust pans at the finish line. They were to sweep their ice cube with the dust broom from the start line into the dust pan at the finish line. The first one to complete this won. After doing that a time or two I drew a line that curved around and they had to follow that line as they swept their ice cube. It was fun and ended with just playing with the ice cubes.

Thursday was the last full day. Chiara wanted to go to the Kentucky Horse Park but the forecast for rain nixed that idea. We filled the day with painting ceramic cars and then pictures on cardstock.

I also had some styrofoam airplanes and the boys had a great time sailing them off the deck when the sky cleared up. There was a gentle breeze and some of those planes would sail on the breeze for quite a while before landing. Since my deck has no stairs to the back yard, we opened the front door and the boys would fly their plane, then run out the front door, around the side of the house and down the back yard to retrieve their plane. Then they ran back up the hill, around the side of the house and back through the front door to the deck to fly it again. Great exercise and a great way to use lots of youthful energy.

Papa came out for the day again. At one point James was corrected for something. I honestly can't remember what Chiara corrected him for, it is just part of being a three year old to need parental direction. James was crying and came running out to the deck looking for a refuge from his current self-made storm. Papa, who is nearly deaf, was clearly not aware of the correction. He scooped up this little guy and hugged him until he calmed down. Then he proceeded to pay 'piggies' with James toes. That game never seems to get old with the little ones. It was a most precious moment. I ran for my camera and missed the hugging part. But I managed to get some of the piggy part.

Friday morning the car was loaded and after breakfast they hit the road for the two day to drive home. It was a great visit. Papa totally enjoyed having family here. Thank you Chiara and Neffie for making that long journey!!