Maturing on Life's Route 66...

Well, today is my birthday. I am the tender age of 66. I like a really low-key birthday. I like to have things off my plate so I can do what I want that day, if possible. That is how today has gone.

Today we should have had another MusicFest in Sadieville. The forecast was for rain so we canceled it yesterday afternoon. Can't have karaoke machines playing in the thunder and lightening under a pavilion. That is just tempting fate. We'll try again in August. This really freed up my day.

I awoke this morning and suggested to Claude that he take me to Hardee's for biscuits and gravy. He agreed that was a capital idea. We had a lovely breakfast to begin our day. 

Next I wanted to work on my Blog. I headed downstairs and started to gather notes and potential pictures of things since I last Blogged. Then I started to work on that. At 12:30 I realized we were supposed to leave for a funeral of a friend at 1pm. I hadn't even started to get ready for that. Yike!!  I ran upstairs and found Claude not getting ready. Then I asked him if we weren't supposed to leave at 1pm. He suddenly remembered. I don't know what happened to us but we both were an hour behind what we should have been doing. I must have really settled into a relaxed kind of day. Or, it could be I'm getting older....

We hurried and got ready and made it to Mt. Sterling and the funeral home just in time. It was a lovely funeral. Inside the front of the program was this poem. I really liked it and want to keep it in my poem files.

When Tomorrow Starts Without Me

When tomorrow starts without me,

And I'm not there to see,

If the sun should rise and find your eyes

All filled with tears for me.

I wish so much you wouldn't cry

The way you did today,

While thinking of the many things

We didn't get to say.

I know how much you love me,

As much as I love you,

And each time that you think of me, 

I know you'll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me,

Please try to understand, 

That an angel came and called my name,

And took me by the hand.

So when tomorrow starts without me,

Don't think we're far apart,

For every time you think of me,

I'm right here, in your heart.

No author was given for this poem to whom I may give credit. But I find it a very nice poem for that difficult time of parting for a bit.

Claude took me to dinner after. My choice was Applebee's. I love their wedge salad and wanton tacos. Yum!

We are now home, I am finishing this Blog and then we will enjoy a movie. I'm torn between "Out of Africa" or "On Golden Pond". I'll  get some crocheting done. We'll have some ice cream. It will be a good day for this 66th birthday. 

Caring for Papa...

Wednesday, July 20th was 'doctor visit' day again for Papa. 

First, he went to see Dr. Thomas, his cardiologist. Dr. Thomas was pleased with how he is doing since prescribing a new medication last time we visited him. Papa's Atrial Fibrillation has really not bothered him hardly at all since starting this new medication. So, we don't go back for several months unless Papa has some kind of heart event.

Second, we went to Dr. Weckman's office for another INR to check the thickness of his blood. It was at 2.5. Since the count is to be between 2 and 3, 2.5 is the best it can be. We keep his Warfarin at 7mg each day and come back in a month. 

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I told Papa he was such a great patient that he deserved a chocolate shake. Never one to turn down anything chocolate, we turned right and went to Burger King for a chocolate shake. Then we went to Papa's apartment and rested for a bit till time to go to the nursing home.

This is how we rested...Papa had a floor lamp that had 3 lights literally hanging and tied in place on the pole. I have offered over the years to replace it but my depression era father has refused that offer. Then, the day before this visit, the lamp fell over and Papa caught it as it came at him. Fortunately!! I told Papa that was it. I would buy him another floor lamp. I picked one up at Walmart. While we waited to go to the nursing home I put it together and we got it in position for him to simply reach up and turn it on. He was happy. I was happy another worn out object was out of his apartment. 

His watch finally bit the dust also and I purchased him another at Walmart. Just a little one to keep him going. When I visited yesterday, he assured me we had a problem. He whacked his wrist a bit as he came through a door and the glass top of the watch broke off. I have purchased him another watch from Walmart and will take it too him on my next visit. 

I finally spoke with someone about his fridge. It quit working when Jake visited several months ago. It was a Saturday night. I called maintenance for the apartment. He said he had a loaner he could bring over and Papa could use until he brought a proper fridge. He brought it and the door opened the wrong direction. But we knew it was going to be replaced so we didn't say anything. Just happy he had a fridge. After several months, I talked with the realty company and they didn't know he was using a loaner. They purchased a new fridge and brought it out Tuesday afternoon. I was at Papa's and, when they took it off the truck, I simply said, "This one opens on the wrong side as well." So the Lowe's guys brought the fridge in and changed the handles to the other side. Fascinating to watch. I knew that could be done but have never watched it done before. Lots of work but it is just fine. Papa has a huge black refrigerator in his kitchen that opens on the correct side.

Took Papa on a nice drive and even managed to finds some new roads we haven't been on. He so much loves these drives. This was only about 3 hours out and we made it home before the rain storms came. 

Yesterday was my little sister's birthday. She is 5 years younger than me. She lives in Oklahoma and doesn't call Papa. I had this impression that I should have him call her. So I got to Papa's apartment and explained to Papa it was Neffie's birthday. I told him I would call her and get her on the phone. Then I would quickly give him the phone and he should start singing "Happy Birthday" to her. I called Neffie. Unfortunately she did not answer, so I left a message asking her to call me. She called back in a bit and I gave Papa the phone. He had the biggest smile while he sang to his little girl. They had a good little talk. He got confused a lot and thought he was talking to Junie, who does call about once a week. But it was such a good thing to let them have this moment in time. I believe Neffie was very happy to have her Papa sing to her one more time. Neffie was the last one of us home and would go with Papa and sing with his band when they performed. 

We are into the third weed that Papa is in love with this summer. We started with those beautiful yellow flowers named dandelions and learned about them turning into the big white light balls of seeds that blow away. That lasted until they sprayed for them and cut them down. Second he fell in love with clover blossoms and those just don't go away. Now, we are in love with a big white flower that is in his back yard close to the woods. Fortunately, they are prolific. We learned they are Queen Anne's lace. They look only white but when you pick one (as Papa is doing and putting them in a cup of water on his counter) you find a deep red center tiny blossom. They get their name (as the story goes) because Queen Anne in England actually pricked her finger and a drop of blood fell on her white lace dress, hence, Queen Anne's Lace. I believe these will continue into the fall and bring Papa much joy.

Papa is also very taken with trees this year. He loves their shapes. His street is lined with trees that were planted just because of their shape and color. He enjoys the drive in and out of his community and always comments about those trees. They do bring him joy. This only heightens my appreciation of the beauty around me. I seem to be noticing it more and wonder if, as I continue this aging process myself, I will come to find that noticing the beauty of some things is one of my greatest pleasures. Pause for thought...

A Little Velcro Kindness...

Received a call from a friend early last week. It seems her oldest son was getting married and he wanted his brother to be his best man. That is a good thing. However, the younger brother was in a very bad wreck a year ago. He has had to have multiple surgeries to try and get his leg mended properly. This last surgery required one of those awful looking cages around his leg with the wires going from the outside of the cage into your leg at various points. This meant he has been wear shorts all summer as that is the only thing he could get that cage into. He may have worn sweat pants a time or two since they are real stretchy. While this was a very nice, casual type wedding, he really needed to wear and wanted to wear long pants. But there was that pesky 'cage' problem. 

Valorie knows I sew a bit and she wanted to know if I could think of something to help with this problem. We came up with that great invention 'Velcro'. Valorie came to my home Thursday, July 21st,  with her Coke and supplies in hand and we headed to my craft/sewing/office in the basement. It was a total delight to visit with her while I worked away on these pants.

I introduced Valorie to the 'ripper', another lifesaving tool for any seamstress at any level. I carefully ripped out the seam in the right leg of the pants. Now that was a trip. I asked Valorie before I started which leg of the pants we needed to work on. Suddenly she wasn't sure. How to be sure. She sent her hubby a text. Bryce was asleep at home and not hearing the phone. Then I remembered he posted a picture of his leg in the cage on Facebook. We found the picture and verified it was the right leg. Whew!! It would have been really bad to go to all that work on the wrong leg of the pants.


Continuing, I ripped out the right leg side seam from the pocket to the bottom of the leg. Then I carefully stitched one side of the Velcro inside the back side of the leg seam so that part of it extended over into the open. Next I carefully stitched the other side of the Velcro to the underside of the seam on top part of the pants leg so it didn't show. Then I made another stitch down the other side of that top stitch to secure it so it wouldn't pull open when Bryce sat down. We put the Velcro together on that leg and it really didn't show up too much at all. Valorie was happy and took the pants home to see how they worked for Bryce.

Bryce got them on and he was ecstatic. He sent me a thank you note in a Facebook message. He had been wanting to wear real pants to some things and couldn't get that cage in them. Now he had some to wear to the wedding on Saturday.

Valorie was happy. The bride was happy the best man was not in shorts or sweats. It was just a happy time for this family. Such a little thing. Velcro, Such a great invention. It's like duct tape for the seamstress. Nice to have a happy moment for everyone.

The best part. When the cage comes off, we can take that ripper and take the Velcro out and restitch the seam so his pants are like they were originally intended to be worn.

Cars...Ours...Not the Movie...

A week ago I took my car in for an oil change and to have the tires rotated. Pretty standard stuff. However, last Friday as I was getting ready to go take Papa for a drive, I started my car and this warning light came on. It is a drawing of a tire. The words on the display said to check tire pressure. I pressed the buttons to display tire pressure. They said my left rear tire was only 22 pounds per square inch. Should be a little over 30. Not good.

I went back in the house and asked Claude if he could put his air pump thing for tires on and make sure I was okay. He came to the garage and we plugged it into my cigarette lighter in the car and he made sure each tire was fine. The strange thing is the pressure gauge he put on the left rear tire said there was over 30 psi of pressure not 22 psi. Hmmmm...

While Claude worked on the four tires, I pulled out my owners manual and checked to see what it said. It did have information stating this warning light could come on after having the tires rotated or new ones installed if they are not reconnected to the sensors in the right order. Hmmmm...maybe that was the problem, not really an air pressure problem.

After Claude worked on the air pressure in each tire, the warning light went off. I took Papa for his drive and no more warning lights. I thought we were okay. Until...Sunday evening. There was the warning light again. 

I was not well Monday so I didn't drive the car. This morning I went out to get in it to go get my hair cut. There was the warning light still. After I get home from my hair cut, I took out the air pressure gauge I keep in my car and, sure enough, it said there was 30+ psi in the left rear even though the warning light said 22 psi. I checked twice to be sure. Then I came inside and called Frank Shoop and told them the situation. Mark said to bring it in anytime except during their lunch time and he would fit me in to reset everything. I was headed to Georgetown so I added that to my to do list for my Georgetown run.

Flash back to Sunday. Claude went to the Church meetings in Frankfort to speak. Howard, our friend, came in and told Claude they had a report that a yellow Jeep in the parking lot had their lights on. No one knew who it belonged to. Howard was pretty sure it was Claude's. Sure enough, Claude's lights were on. Claude told me he found his lights on once before but thought maybe he left them on by accident. This was a little weird. Now he thought he had a wiring problems of some kind with the Jeep.

Now, back to me...I went to Georgetown, bought Papa's groceries and took them to his apartment. Then I left and went to Frank Shoop's and they took me right in. They fixed my warning light issue and it was what the owner's manual said it was. I left there, went to the drug store and got my prescription, then back to Papa's to clean and then visit till Claude came to Georgetown. 

Claude and I met at Chick-fil-A for dinner before he left for a meeting. 

After dinner I bought our groceries and headed home. I put them away and came downstairs to start catching up on these Blog posts. My cell phone rang and it scared me to death. Well, not really to death, but I was not expecting any calls and I did jump when it rang. I was ready to be home and have a quiet evening doing a few little things that I wanted to get done. That phone call changed my evening plans.

On the other end was my hubby. He simply said, "I need rescued!" What? It turns out Claude came out of his meeting at 8pm and the Jeep would not start. He needed me to come so he could jump start the Jeep with my car. I told him I would be there a quick as I could get back in to town. 

When I got to the parking lot there he was, he was sitting in the Jeep and it was running. He was parked in the lot behind City Hall and by the Police Station. A jailer came out and he helped Claude get the Jeep jump started. Claude was waiting for me so I could follow him back home in case something went wrong. I followed him home and everything went fine.

Clearly he has some kind of electrical thing going on that the lights come on after he leaves the Jeep and then the battery runs down. Oh the joy of having cars. Such a blessing but just like houses, they seem to need attention. Tomorrow is a full day for me and for Claude. He may end up renting a car if the Jeep doesn't stay charged. He will put it on the trickle charger tonight and we'll see what tomorrow brings. 

Our Really Great Date...

Saturday night was our date. We actually had a Saturday night with nothing scheduled. We ran down our list of things we wanted to do. One was to see if the Lexington Legends were in town. They were. A friend gave me tickets to any Lexington Legends game. No rain in the forecast. So we determined to use those tickets for our date night. 

We got to the ball park and they applied to tickets to seats that would have shade the quickest. We are aging and the temperature at 7pm was 84 degrees. The humidity was definitely there. The quicker we could be in the shade the better. We were given seats on the 3rd base side of the ball park. That was fine with us. Turns out the seats were right by the stairs to the best food in the house. We had an usher in our section that was absolutely great. Full of energy. No nonsense about people being safe on the stairs and respecting others view of the game and he was like a cheerleader keeping our energy up for the game. This was going to be a good evening.

I truly believe Claude and I love going to eat ball park food. Maybe it is just being in the open air. Not really sure why, but it is great fun to have something to eat. We each came hungry because we knew we wanted to enjoy our dinner at the ball park. I found a place that sold loaded nachos. Claude found a place that sold Italian sausage sandwiches. We got our food and a soda and found our seats. 

The game was good. Our team lost but it was still a good game. At one point the Legends had the bases loaded with 2 strikes. The batter managed to hit a line drive right to the pitcher who caught it, more to protect his body than a part of trying to win. That was the 3rd out. There were several moments like that during the game. 

At the end of the 1st inning, our usher came over to us and asked us if we would like to move to the best seats in the ball park. What? We didn't already have them. Claude looked at me and I looked at Claude and we were not quite sure what to say. Nobody ever offers that kind of thing to us. We really don't stand out in the crowd. Then we noticed one of the young girls that works at the ball park standing there waiting. We told him we would love that. He told us to follow her.

We walked around the inside hallway of the ball park that is under the stands. Then up some steps and there they were. Toyota's way of advertising is to put two of the seats for the Toyota Avalon in the stands. These seats are hooked up to electricity and you can put them into a full reclining position. These two seats were the best seats in the house. We each took one and fell in love immediately. The young lady took our picture for me. You see, we know Will James, the President of the Georgetown Toyota plant. We wanted him to see us helping with his advertisement. 

After our picture was taken by this nice young girl, she got our first names and told us in the middle of the 2nd inning our pictures would be on the big screen in left field. We would be the advertisement. Goodness. This was turning out to be some great date.

We were told we could stay there for the rest of the game or go back to our other seats, whatever worked for us. We stayed there for a bit but the sun was directly on us and my dear hubby was beginning to sizzle. His fair skin just burns really easy and he has a bad time with skin cancers. We left after an inning or two and went back to the shade and our other great seats with the outstanding usher.

It was now time for round two of our ball park dining. I opted for funnel cake with powdered sugar on top. Claude had to have a burger. Fortunately, all this stuff was down the stairs from our seats. Claude and I made a note for future visits to Whitaker Bank Stadium...Right Field, Section 110, Row 2, Seats 1 & 2. Yup, that is what we will ask for from now on.

After the game was over, there were fireworks. Since our wonderful Japanese fireworks experience, we haven't felt the need to see many fireworks. But these promised to be interesting, not nearly as long as Japanese fireworks, but interesting in their own right. Everyone was given 3D glasses when they entered the stadium. These were to be worn when viewing the fireworks. When you put them on, they made 4 little rainbow colored spots around each bit of light. Imagine that as each burst of light explodes from the fireworks. Yup, these were great in their own right. We totally enjoyed the fireworks. The picture is not taken through the 3D glasses. I could not figure out how to do  that. 

We had a wonderful evening. Just a great date for us. One our way home I eMailed my friend and thanked her again for the tickets and sent her a picture of us having fun. Truly think a few nights at the ball park each summer is a very, very good thing.

Our Little Diva...

Well, Bailey did it again. She does love to perform. No inhibitions. Just total enjoyment of the opportunity to act and sing. This time she was 'Bailey Baker' in St. John's Methodist Church's Music Camp play titled "Race to Win". Claude and I attended the Friday evening performance. It was a delight. I really loved sitting next to Claude and hearing him laugh and feeling him shake with laughter at his youngest grandmonster's antics. 

Here are a few pictures of our little dear shining again on stage. Well, the first one is her in the outfit she picked out for the play. The rest are during the play.

Bailey's comment at the end of the performance when she joined the family, "Where are my flowers?" Yep, she is a diva. There would be another performance Sunday during the worship service for St. John's. She will receive her flowers after that performance. The Friday night performance is actually a dress rehearsal for family and friends to attend. 

She is already planning her next audition at the Arts Center in Crestwood. Pray for us!!

Race to Win

St. John's Methodist Church in Prospect, Kentucky has a Music Camp every summer. It is one week long from 9am - 1pm Monday through Friday. On Friday evening they do a 'dress rehearsal' for family and friends. The actual performance is in their worship service on Sunday. Claude and I were invited and chose to go to the performance this evening. 

Bailey loves participating in this camp. This year she had a lead role and this was particularly exciting to her. She was very happy we came to watch her perform. The title of the play was "Race to Win". 

To say Bailey was animated in just an understatement. She was dancing and moving with the best of them. Her facial expressions were priceless. She was having fun. As much fun as it was to watch her enjoy her performance, sitting next to Claude and watching him laugh at his uninhibited, spit-fire of a youngest grandmonster was an absolute delight. 

Here are a few pictures of our girl being a star.

Helping the Marx's...

Andie had medical procedure done Wednesday and would have to take medication prior that would prevent her from driving herself home. She called and asked if I could help. Well...of course!

Tuesday afternoon I found myself driving to LaGrange. The Mini's were happy to have me at their home again. Makes you feel so good when you get hugs that make you feel the love.

Andie and Michael would go out to dinner and a movie. The Mini's and I would go to Dairy Queen for dinner and ice cream. This has become a fun tradition with us and the Mini's. 

Our timing was a little short. We should have figured a little more time at Dairy Queen. Hayden had to be at Boy Scouts before we had time to have ice cream. As we ate our dinner we tried to come up with a plan to make the ice cream fit into our visit. Hayden came up with a plan we all agreed was perfect.

We finished our dinner and then drove Hayden to his Boy Scout meeting. While he was there, Bailey and I went back to Dairy Queen and got her ice cream. Then Bailey and I went home and she played in the back yard with some friends while I observed that joy. So fun to watch little girls enjoying time together. Hayden was brought home by a friend. We had an early morning Wednesday so the Mini's went right to bed. Andie and Michael were home from their date not long after and the adults then headed to bed.

Wednesday morning I was up at 6:30am to get ready before the Mini's needed their bathroom. After they had breakfast and all was in order, we started 'Ma's Shuttle Service'.

First, we dropped Hayden off at the Middle School for his Cross Country training.

Next, we dropped Andie off at the Medical Building for her procedure.

Then Bailey and I made our way to St. John's Methodist Church for her Music Camp. 

I had enough time after dropping Bailey off to take the country roads back to the Middle School to pick up Hayden. When he was finished, we went into the school and he took me on a tour of his new school. He was so very happy to be able to show me where he will go to school in August. He is very happy to be going to Middle School. I can't believe he is already old enough for this next step in his life.

Hayden's plan was for he and I to get his ice cream. But after we talked, we decided we should pick up Andie first if she was finished and see if she also wanted a treat. We got to the medical facility and Andie was sitting in the lobby. We could see her but she wasn't seeing us. Hayden hopped out of the car and I waited so I could move the car if needed while Hayden got Andie. We asked her if she wanted ice cream and she assured us she had been a good girl and deserved an ice cream treat. Off to Dairy Queen we went.

We took our ice cream home to eat. Andie showed me a new pressure cooker Michael got her and she started making some yogurt in it using low fat milk. Then she went upstairs for a nap and I also curled up on the love seat and took a little nap. 

I left at 1pm to get home to take Papa to the nursing home and then to teach the Institute Class. It was a full trip but good to visit. I loved how the kids made the ice cream part of their trip work and did it cheerfully. They are growing up on me.

The Windows!!

A contract was made and the windows were installed in the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church. 

If you have followed this Blog, you know that I am chair for the Friends of Sadieville. One of our goals was to raise funds to help with the restoration of the Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church to be used as the Sadieville Community Center. We were able to make a donation of $2,000 to the City of Sadieville at the MusicFest held June 25th toward the restoration of the windows of the Church. 

Judy Sinclair, the City Commissioner over buildings, found a contractor that could do this work and maintain the same shape as the previous windows. He finished the work and notified Judy on Sunday, July 3rd. 

Judy sent me a text and asked me to take pictures and post to the Facebook pages. I drove by on my way home from Church. It was a rainy day so I took these picture with my cell phone from the driver's seat of my car. 

So very happy for this to be done. Now they are scraping and painting the outside of the building. Judy has even found someone who will donate a sign for the front of the building. Still lots to do but one has to truly appreciate each little step in this journey.

Our Grandson...

In the middle of all the household upheaval, we received a message from our grandson. He and his girlfriend were visiting her friends in Louisiana. I shared with Paul that I was from Louisiana and told him where I was born and where I grew up. Somehow, he had never made that connection. 

Then he said they wanted to stop in Kentucky on their way back to Michigan and were wondering if they could visit. They would arrive the afternoon of July 5th and leave the morning of July 6th. We arranged for Andie and the Mini's to meet them in Frankfort at the Salato Center so they could visit with Paul and Leels. 

When Paul and Leels arrived she was exhausted. Paul doesn't drive so Leels did all the driving. They had attended a 4th of July party and left there after midnight to drive to Kentucky. The drive is over 12 hours and they were worn out.

As good fortune would have it, we were between painters and carpet people. We had access to both bedrooms upstairs and the air mattress was already set up in the basement. We pointed Leels to the guest room and she went right to sleep after getting a big glass of ice water. 

We had the afternoon to visit with Paul. Leels woke up once and then went back to bed. 

The plan had been to go to dinner in Georgetown. At 6pm we decided to pull out things for dinner with Paul so that Leels could continue to sleep. She woke up and joined us for dinner. Then back to bed she went. Paul continued to visit with us but at one point his head started to nod and we suggested he might have a better day if he got a long night's sleep. He quickly agreed and he was off to the basement for a good night's sleep. 

In the morning they were both ready for the rest of their road trip. We had breakfast and took a great selfie before they left to join Andie and the Mini's on their way home.

Short visit but very happy when family wants to visit.

Vagabonds Find a Place in Their Home...

It took two weeks but it was worth it. My last post was the beginning of the upheaval. It took 4 days to move everything we were required to move to the garage and downstairs. 

THE PAINT:

The painting started Monday, June 27th and was completed Friday, July 1st. The painters were very nice and quietly worked away upstairs while Claude and I worked away downstairs. We timed our meetings and away from the house times so there was someone here all the time. It was a treat to come upstairs for lunch or at the end of the day and see what had been done. 

The biggest concern for us was how our quickly chosen color would work. The plan was to use the color the first floor was originally painted, Desert Sand. Loved this color. However, the painter brought a swatch to the house and put it against our walls and it was many, many shades darker that the original. We quickly flipped through his book of color samples and picked Bavarian Cream. He held it up to our old paint on the walls and it was close but a little different. We both liked and made the very quick decision to use Bavarian Cream as our paint color instead of Desert Sand. Now, we didn't have a carpet sample to confirm all of this, we just went with what Claude and I both felt best. So, the first test was to see it on the walls and hope we liked it because that is what we bought. 

This picture is of one corner of the living room with Bavarian Cream painted around the moulding and down the corner. The centers of the walls is Desert Sand. We were feeling good when we found this sample of the difference in the colors. A little but not too much. 

I also found this when I went to get a soda out of the little fridge. That tall can in the center of the top shelf is not ours. I think our painters were enjoying keeping their beverage cold. 

Painting was finished Friday mid-day. Claude and I were now free to move things back into the rooms that would not have carpet. And, we were able to put back the wall decorations. We also put the drapes back up in the dining room. It felt great to have some of our things back where they belonged. It was also a good time to make sure everything was cleaned off well before putting it back in its place and to toss more things as we went through our belongings.

THE CARPET:

Claude called to set up the carpet installation and found they could not start on it until the Thursday, July 7th. They figured it would take two days and they would be finished on Friday the 8th. The problem, we were invited to Owensboro to attend an event there and had reservations for Friday night in Elizabethtown so we could get me back to a meeting Saturday morning at 10am. After talking and thinking, we determined I would stay Friday for the carpet guys to finish instead of leaving that until the next week partly done. Claude would cover our bases in Owensboro. As it turned out, the carpet guys (there were two of them) finished by about 1pm. Claude was able to help move the end tables and some other little pieces back into the house from the garage before he left for Owensboro. I would work until 10pm before my body gave out putting back things in the upstairs.

The first day the carpet guys cut a large piece of carpet out of the center of the living room and turned it upside down in the breakfast area. They moved the big living room pieces in to that room. Claude and I took up residence in two of the big living room chairs and watched the process. I have never seen this work done before and found it absolutely fascinating. The man working the living room had been doing this for 19 years. He had not one ounce of extra fat on his body. He was perfectly made to do this job and he was very good at it. He was kind about me taking all my picture and video of the process and explaining when I had a question. 

First, both of they guys sat in this position for a lot of the work they did. I just ached watching them.

Second, was the process of getting the carpet into the crack between the floor and the wall. The long stick is to stretch the carpet. The other long weighted stick is then whacked with the carpet guys knee while shoving the carpet into that crack. If my knees weren't aching enough watching them sit, doing this work with their knees just did me under.

These two guys had been friends for 30+ years. They had worked together for most of that time. It was like a ballet watching them do their work. It is hard work. The air conditioner had to be turned off for them to keep the carpet flexible. But they worked hard and precise and finished early each day. I learned a lot observing their work.

When they finished, they moved all the big furniture back to its appropriate location. Claude put some of the pieces from the garage in the house and then headed to Owensboro. I was able to finish all the things in the garage with the exception of the things for Claude's office and the old radio that Claude wanted to clean and work on before we returned it to its position. I moved all my clothes from the basement back into our closet and hung all curtains and drapes with the exception of the guest room. I was struggling with it, even with the aid of a step ladder, and I didn't want to mess up the paint trying to get it right. 

When Claude got home Saturday, he was able to move his clothes upstairs and took care of his office and the old radio. Together we got the  drapes up in the guest bedroom. 

We loved the new carpet and paint. It is just perfect. The carpet is so very soft it is a pleasure to walk on. This was well worth the two weeks to get it all done and back in place. Claude said the house has never looked better.