My car was filthy. It had rain and snow mess from Kentucky and Michigan all over it. It was just very, very sad. When I went to Walmart to get groceries, I drove down to Soapy Joe's where we have always washed our cars. But, something was not right. There was this bright yellow tape telling you to keep out all around the place. Mind you, Soapy Joe's has a drive through car wash with attendants, another building with three bays to wash your car by yourself with one of those wands, and a section where you can pull your car in an use a vacuum cleaner and wipe your car now. It covers a nice little corner of the parking lot. It was closed, tape around it and large pieces of yellow construction equipment parked in it. What in the world!!
I went back a few days later and it was still cordoned off and the building with the three bays was leveled. It appears that Soapy Joe's is being replaced or rebuilt. Will just have to watch and see what happens. Now what to do to clean my car. Weather is too cold to do it by hand.
It so happens there is another car wash on Broadway only a few blocks south of the nursing home. I have never used it. It was purchased by Soapy Joe's some years ago but appeared to be the kind you use the wand to clean your car yourself.
I drove by this car wash and noted there was a place to drive your car in and get it clean but no attendants and I just wasn't sure of it. I drove on down Broadway and turned around and came back determined to 'give it a go' as they say in Australia. I pulled in and figured out how everything worked and purchased a car wash. This worked a little differently as the car doesn't go through the wash. Instead, you park in the building and there are metal arms that move around the outside and top of the car to clean it. When finished I actually liked the quality of this wash better that the one I have used all these years.
Now I had a new wrinkle in my brain as my Mom used to say when we learned something new.
The other silly thing that happened this day was a text message for Eloise Ferrell who plays the organ for our Sacrament Meeting each Sunday. She had to work the next Sunday and needed someone to sub for her. She has created an eMail list of those who play the organ and piano. She also play the piano for Primary. So she needed someone to play the organ and then the piano for the last two hours of Church. I volunteered to play the organ for Sacrament Meeting. I could not play for Primary as I use that time to go and visit with Papa each Sunday. In a bit Katie Werner volunteered to play the organ for Sacrament Meeting and to play the piano the last hour of Primary. Someone else volunteered to play the piano for Primary.
Now, as life would have it, I woke up with a disconcerting dream the night before. I dreamed I was asked to play the organ for General Conference in Salt Lake City. I went in to set up and someone was already playing prelude at the organ. So I decided they must be playing for the meeting and felt I needed to use that time to take some pictures. When I returned from my picture taking outing, it was time for the meeting to start and there was no one playing the organ. I hurried to get to the organ and realized I didn't know what stops to use and had not practiced it. I awoke in a state of anxiety about the meeting not going well because I hadn't covered the bases for playing.
When I saw Katie also said she could play the organ for Sacrament Meeting, I felt the same feeling I had in my dream when I woke up. Not good, really, not good. I responded on the text to Katie and told her she could play the organ for Sacrament Meeting and I would play another time. Katie said it was okay with her if I played. Oh dear. Anxiety again. I sent Katie a private eMail and explained my silly dream. I told her I really didn't want to experience that anxiety so we would just set that she was playing. She said that would be fine.
Such silliness that a dream can cause you such concern.
Saturday, March 24, 2018
KMEA Competition...
Tuesday morning, March 13th, found me up dull and early. Dull because a big fog came in overnight. I was off to see Hayden at the actual KMEA competition. I believe KMEA stands for Kentucky Music Educators Association. This was held at North Oldham County High School. Driven past it but never been there before. Google Maps to the rescue. I-75 to the Snyder to Hwy 42 to North Oldham County High School.
Once there I had to navigate the parking lot while kids were being dropped off for school. I made a loop and then as I circled back through a part closer to the school there was a teacher out making sure buses went where they were supposed to and kids got into the school as they were supposed to and, as good fortune would have it, he made sure lost Gramma's found where they were supposed to go. I stopped right by him and said, "Can you tell I don't know where I'm going?" He chuckled and asked if I was there for the KMEA Competition. I told him yes. He said, "If you will back up, I will move this cone and there is one parking spot left in the visitor's parking area." Yippee!!
Then it was inside to check in at the office. In today's atmosphere of school shootings, there are security things that must be done to be sure you should be in the school. They assigned a student to walk me down to the auditorium where the competition would be held. Such a nice young man. We had a little chat on this long walk. I tried to remember where we turned so I could get myself out the same way I came in.
Once in the auditorium, I had to figure out where to sit. Based on the Thursday night concert, I picked a seat that I thought might allow me to get a picture of that Grandmonster of mine. Then I waited for them to come in. I was able to see two other middle school bands perform before Hayden's band came in. This was nice because it let me compare how well Hayden's band was playing.
Then his band came in and they walked to their seats in an orderly fashion. Hayden is so much shorter than the others and he sits in the second chair from the end. A very tall boy sits on the end. In the pictures below, they are on the next to last row. Hayden is second from the end.
Once again, they kids were over the top good. I may sound prejudiced but I am not. They were much better than the other two schools I listened to first. And those schools were good. Andie sent us an eMail and said they were given 'Exceptional' for their ratings by the judges. We are so happy Hayden is participating in band and enjoying it so very much.
Once there I had to navigate the parking lot while kids were being dropped off for school. I made a loop and then as I circled back through a part closer to the school there was a teacher out making sure buses went where they were supposed to and kids got into the school as they were supposed to and, as good fortune would have it, he made sure lost Gramma's found where they were supposed to go. I stopped right by him and said, "Can you tell I don't know where I'm going?" He chuckled and asked if I was there for the KMEA Competition. I told him yes. He said, "If you will back up, I will move this cone and there is one parking spot left in the visitor's parking area." Yippee!!
Then it was inside to check in at the office. In today's atmosphere of school shootings, there are security things that must be done to be sure you should be in the school. They assigned a student to walk me down to the auditorium where the competition would be held. Such a nice young man. We had a little chat on this long walk. I tried to remember where we turned so I could get myself out the same way I came in.
Once in the auditorium, I had to figure out where to sit. Based on the Thursday night concert, I picked a seat that I thought might allow me to get a picture of that Grandmonster of mine. Then I waited for them to come in. I was able to see two other middle school bands perform before Hayden's band came in. This was nice because it let me compare how well Hayden's band was playing.
Then his band came in and they walked to their seats in an orderly fashion. Hayden is so much shorter than the others and he sits in the second chair from the end. A very tall boy sits on the end. In the pictures below, they are on the next to last row. Hayden is second from the end.
The Fender Bender Saga Ends...
On Saturday, February 17th, I had a fender bender with a sweet young lady named Bailey. Here is the end of the story.
She was to have had the repair work done on Monday, March 12th. She took her car in and they took the bumper off only to find she needed more work than in the original estimate. We had agreed to pay out-of-pocket what the original estimate was for the repairs. Since this substantially increased that amount, Bailey's father called me and informed me of the new estimate. He said he would eMail me a copy. I told him I wanted to go over it with Claude and would get back with him. I was on the way home from visiting Papa when he called.
I got home and opened the eMail to see the estimate. It turns out there was a light that had to be removed to get the bumper off and then it had to be replaced. This is how cars are made nowadays. Everything connects to something else so you never just replace something simple. You have to replace an entire assembly.
Claude and I reviewed it and determined we would still pay out-of-pocket instead of dinging the insurance. I called Bailey's dad and left him a message to continue with the repairs.
Monday, May 16th I met Bailey at Kentucky Collision and paid for the work done. She is just a sweet, sweet young girl. She was grateful she was in an accident with someone that was nice and I was grateful this accident was with someone who is honest and nice.
Now, just don't have any more accidents, ever, ever, ever!!
This was an expensive day for us. I paid for this accident and Claude paid for his new crown to go on is tooth implant. Yike!!
She was to have had the repair work done on Monday, March 12th. She took her car in and they took the bumper off only to find she needed more work than in the original estimate. We had agreed to pay out-of-pocket what the original estimate was for the repairs. Since this substantially increased that amount, Bailey's father called me and informed me of the new estimate. He said he would eMail me a copy. I told him I wanted to go over it with Claude and would get back with him. I was on the way home from visiting Papa when he called.
I got home and opened the eMail to see the estimate. It turns out there was a light that had to be removed to get the bumper off and then it had to be replaced. This is how cars are made nowadays. Everything connects to something else so you never just replace something simple. You have to replace an entire assembly.
Claude and I reviewed it and determined we would still pay out-of-pocket instead of dinging the insurance. I called Bailey's dad and left him a message to continue with the repairs.
Monday, May 16th I met Bailey at Kentucky Collision and paid for the work done. She is just a sweet, sweet young girl. She was grateful she was in an accident with someone that was nice and I was grateful this accident was with someone who is honest and nice.
Now, just don't have any more accidents, ever, ever, ever!!
This was an expensive day for us. I paid for this accident and Claude paid for his new crown to go on is tooth implant. Yike!!
Why, Just Why???
This will be short.
I do not understand the need for Daylight Savings Time. The older I get, the harder it is for me to make that shift. Is there anyone that can explain to me the need to do this to ourselves twice a year?
Springing forward makes one think if they go to bed early they will still get as much sleep and things will adjust just fine. Falling back makes one think they will get an extra hours sleep. Does anyone really get that extra hour?
My preference would be to just leave the time alone and let us deal with the rising and setting of the sun as it comes naturally. I mean R E A L L Y...
I do not understand the need for Daylight Savings Time. The older I get, the harder it is for me to make that shift. Is there anyone that can explain to me the need to do this to ourselves twice a year?
Springing forward makes one think if they go to bed early they will still get as much sleep and things will adjust just fine. Falling back makes one think they will get an extra hours sleep. Does anyone really get that extra hour?
My preference would be to just leave the time alone and let us deal with the rising and setting of the sun as it comes naturally. I mean R E A L L Y...
Freaky Friday...
Got myself an appointment for a haircut Friday, March 9th. It was at 11am so that gave a few hours to get some things done prior to going. Claude was home. Fortunately...
It came time to go get my hair cut. Tyra does this for me. Her shop is Main Street Retreat and it is on Main Street in Sadieville. It only takes a couple of minutes to get there so I hadn't left a ton of time for this drive.
I went to the garage and pressed the button to open the car door. It came up about 2 feet and then stopped. I pressed the button again and the door went back down. I pressed the button again and this time the garage door only went up 1 foot. Goodness. I pressed the button and it came down. I pressed the button and it wouldn't come up at all. Now, what I to do. Fortunately...Claude was home.
I went and told him my dilemma. I knew he could open it manually. He fidgeted around with the button and checking out things. I had packages to mail before seeing Tyra so I had a few minutes. Eventually he got the door to open with the button and he looked at me and said, "You better get out while you can!" So I did.
While Claude was work trying to open the door, I popped Tyra a text and told her I was trapped in my house and the garage door would not open. She sent me back a text that she was laughing her head off at that. Then she assured me to come whenever I could get out and it would be okay. Bless her heart!
I was able to mail the packages as the post office is only two buildings down from Tyra's shop. Then I got a great hair cut.
When I returned home, the garage door was down and I called Claude while parked in the driveway. He said he left the front door unlocked and for me to come in that way. Now, I caught 3 of my fingers in Papa's garage door in October while cleaning out his apartment. I have a healthy fear of that happening now as these fingers are just now almost through healing and it is March. So every time I saw Claude lift or close that door I would tense up not wanting his fingers to get caught. So I didn't even try to open that door without calling him first.
Claude tried some more to get it to work. I left to go to visit Papa. Claude popped me a text to call and see if I could find someone to work on the door for us. I had tried Lowe's 3 times before I left the house and they dropped the call each time. So, from the nursing home I was able to get Lowe's. They had someone they could recommend as they don't do that kind of work. I called the person they suggested who then suggested someone else they highly recommended. Okay. I spoke with a person there who said he would come out and work on it on Monday. He didn't need part numbers or anything. The company that made our garage door opener had gone out of business. He assured me he carried lots of things in his truck and probably had what he needed. From my description he felt it was the spring.
Monday he came out and, as luck would have it, he didn't have the right pole to go on the opener. He would have to come back Tuesday. I thought I was free and that would work great. Claude had meetings in Frankfort and Louisville. There was one other thing on my calendar that started with a K and that is usually an acronym for something that begins with Kentucky and those are usually Claude's meetings. So we assured him I could be there Tuesday and he left. It wasn't until later I realized that K meeting I saw for the KMEA Competition and I promised Hayden I would go to that. Oh dear.
Claude opted to miss his meetings and be there for the garage door guy on Tuesday. He really wanted to be the one that handled it. And, he really wanted me to be there for Hayden.
So I was off to Goshen, Kentucky leaving my home in the wee small hours of the morning in dense fog to see Hayden. Claude was there to go through things with the garage door opener guy. When I got home there was a new garage door opener which I couldn't open because I would need to program the new one in my car. One last time to enter the house through the front door.
While we are not really happy with the way he had to mount and wire the new opener, I am amazed at how well this one works. I can press the button in my car from two houses down the street from us and it will open the door. We are grateful to have the door work again. First world problems, I know, I know. But it is nice to have a garage. Never had one till we lived in Kentucky and we are extremely grateful for it.
It came time to go get my hair cut. Tyra does this for me. Her shop is Main Street Retreat and it is on Main Street in Sadieville. It only takes a couple of minutes to get there so I hadn't left a ton of time for this drive.
I went to the garage and pressed the button to open the car door. It came up about 2 feet and then stopped. I pressed the button again and the door went back down. I pressed the button again and this time the garage door only went up 1 foot. Goodness. I pressed the button and it came down. I pressed the button and it wouldn't come up at all. Now, what I to do. Fortunately...Claude was home.
I went and told him my dilemma. I knew he could open it manually. He fidgeted around with the button and checking out things. I had packages to mail before seeing Tyra so I had a few minutes. Eventually he got the door to open with the button and he looked at me and said, "You better get out while you can!" So I did.
While Claude was work trying to open the door, I popped Tyra a text and told her I was trapped in my house and the garage door would not open. She sent me back a text that she was laughing her head off at that. Then she assured me to come whenever I could get out and it would be okay. Bless her heart!
I was able to mail the packages as the post office is only two buildings down from Tyra's shop. Then I got a great hair cut.
When I returned home, the garage door was down and I called Claude while parked in the driveway. He said he left the front door unlocked and for me to come in that way. Now, I caught 3 of my fingers in Papa's garage door in October while cleaning out his apartment. I have a healthy fear of that happening now as these fingers are just now almost through healing and it is March. So every time I saw Claude lift or close that door I would tense up not wanting his fingers to get caught. So I didn't even try to open that door without calling him first.
Claude tried some more to get it to work. I left to go to visit Papa. Claude popped me a text to call and see if I could find someone to work on the door for us. I had tried Lowe's 3 times before I left the house and they dropped the call each time. So, from the nursing home I was able to get Lowe's. They had someone they could recommend as they don't do that kind of work. I called the person they suggested who then suggested someone else they highly recommended. Okay. I spoke with a person there who said he would come out and work on it on Monday. He didn't need part numbers or anything. The company that made our garage door opener had gone out of business. He assured me he carried lots of things in his truck and probably had what he needed. From my description he felt it was the spring.
Monday he came out and, as luck would have it, he didn't have the right pole to go on the opener. He would have to come back Tuesday. I thought I was free and that would work great. Claude had meetings in Frankfort and Louisville. There was one other thing on my calendar that started with a K and that is usually an acronym for something that begins with Kentucky and those are usually Claude's meetings. So we assured him I could be there Tuesday and he left. It wasn't until later I realized that K meeting I saw for the KMEA Competition and I promised Hayden I would go to that. Oh dear.
Claude opted to miss his meetings and be there for the garage door guy on Tuesday. He really wanted to be the one that handled it. And, he really wanted me to be there for Hayden.
So I was off to Goshen, Kentucky leaving my home in the wee small hours of the morning in dense fog to see Hayden. Claude was there to go through things with the garage door opener guy. When I got home there was a new garage door opener which I couldn't open because I would need to program the new one in my car. One last time to enter the house through the front door.
While we are not really happy with the way he had to mount and wire the new opener, I am amazed at how well this one works. I can press the button in my car from two houses down the street from us and it will open the door. We are grateful to have the door work again. First world problems, I know, I know. But it is nice to have a garage. Never had one till we lived in Kentucky and we are extremely grateful for it.
A Thoroughly Full Thursday...
I have taken to making a note on my cell phone calendar if something happens I want to put in my Blog. For Thursday, March 8th, I have entered "Gremlins in the house". Now...for the life of me...I can't remember why I put that in there. Geez!!
This was a day to remember a friend. Lois Brunty had a stroke and then passed away. We got to know the Brunty's when they lived in the Sadieville area. We were they Home and Visiting Teacher and spent some time in their home. Lois had brain surgery after a car wreck when they lived here. She healed from that and they moved to Tennessee for several years. They moved back to Kentucky and were living in Lexington. She had a stroke and another man for Church also had a stroke the same week. They each passed away. Lois's funeral was March 8th at the Kentucky Veteran's Cemetery North in Williamstown, Kentucky. Claude had meetings in Lexington and could not attend. I went.
That Thursday was bitter cold and little flakes of snow were flying. Nothing that would accumulate but enough to emphasize how cold the air actually was. This would be a graveside service. I asked Claude what he thought about me wearing pants to this one given the weather conditions. He assured me he felt that was a good idea. I always wear a dress to a funeral but I made an exception this day and was ever so happy I did.
This was a day to remember a friend. Lois Brunty had a stroke and then passed away. We got to know the Brunty's when they lived in the Sadieville area. We were they Home and Visiting Teacher and spent some time in their home. Lois had brain surgery after a car wreck when they lived here. She healed from that and they moved to Tennessee for several years. They moved back to Kentucky and were living in Lexington. She had a stroke and another man for Church also had a stroke the same week. They each passed away. Lois's funeral was March 8th at the Kentucky Veteran's Cemetery North in Williamstown, Kentucky. Claude had meetings in Lexington and could not attend. I went.
That Thursday was bitter cold and little flakes of snow were flying. Nothing that would accumulate but enough to emphasize how cold the air actually was. This would be a graveside service. I asked Claude what he thought about me wearing pants to this one given the weather conditions. He assured me he felt that was a good idea. I always wear a dress to a funeral but I made an exception this day and was ever so happy I did.
The service was held in a little pavilion. The sides were all open except for a stretch long enough for the casket to be placed in front of that wall. The wind was blowing and the papers the Bishop and a Minister were using to speak from kept wanting to blow away. When we walked up to this pavilion, I noticed a man on the front row three chairs down from Neal (Lois's husband) in a shirt with no sweater or jacket. I went up to him and offered to get my father's coat out of the back of my car for him to wear during the service. He declined. It only left me feeling more cold as we sat there. It was a nice service, kept short by the weather conditions. I spoke to Neal and I am not even sure how to describe how he was. He will be lost without Lois. They were truly a pair.
After the funeral, I went to visit Papa for several hours.
In the evening Claude and I had a Self-Reliance Committee Meeting. Claude covered that for us and I went to LaGrange. Hayden was participating in a band concert as a prequel to the KMEA Competition to be held the next week. It is required that all the bands have this prequel concert. The 7th and 8th grade Oldham County Middle School bands and the Oldham County High School Band would perform. Hayden is in the 7th grade band at OCMS.
This was an excellent concert. Hayden's band performed first. They played two numbers exactly as they would for the competition. The other thing that happens at the competition after they perform their practiced pieces is the band director and band members are given a brand new piece of music they have never seen. The director is given a few minutes to look at the piece of music. He can't play any instrument, just look over the music. Time is called and he then stands before his band and they look at their music and he talks them thru all he can in a few minutes of time. They can't play their instruments, just look at the music and listen to their director. Then they play while he conducts. They get the one shot at it and that is it. They are judged on their practiced pieces and also their sight reading piece. They are judged on how they sit and respond to their director. They practiced this night with a new piece of music. This is very important to these 7th graders who have never done this before. The 8th grade has students who have done it and know the drill.
The performance was remarkable. I was very impressed with watching the sight reading portions. Mr. Wise didn't take all his time to review to piece. These 7th graders sat at perfect attention and absorbed all he said they should do as he verbally led them through the music and what they needed to watch for with timing, dynamics, etc. Then they played it perfectly. Absolutely amazing.
Hayden was very happy to have me come over to observe this evening.
Hayden is the short young man between the two taller kids at the right end of the band.
A Michigan Run...
We had one more piece of furniture to get to Michigan. The little desk Claude refinished for Katelyn. We blocked out three days for a quick trip to accomplish this task.
We left Friday morning, March 2nd. Claude drove us to Dry Ridge, Kentucky where we usually stop at the McDonald's for my biscuit and soda breakfast. It seems they have enlarged the parking lot and added a second drive thru lane. Claude drove into the parking lot the way we usually do and we found ourselves going the wrong way in a one-way traffic pattern. Fortunately it was only a parking lot and we were able to right ourselves without doing serious damage to anyone or anything. Claude placed our order only to find they do not carry Mello Yello anymore or Mountain Dew. I ended up with an orange soda which was okay.
Away we drove and made good time. Stopped once for gas and then in Ann Arbor, Michigan for a quick lunch at a Jimmy John's. Lots of snow on the ground there. Then we sped on across Michigan to the Roper home. We did stop in Grand Rapids for Krispy Kreme donuts.
It took us a couple of U-turns to actually get to the Roper apartment. We stopped at Meijer's first to get something. Can't even remember what it was but we needed it. Picked that up and then Claude drove out of the parking lot using a different exit from where we entered the parking lot. I was reading on my Kindle and he said, "Is this the right way to turn?" I looked up and assumed it was the same one we entered and he was turning right and that was right so I said, "Yes". We drove for a bit and realized things were not right. Claude made his U-turn and we went back and found the right road to be on. By this time I had Google maps open on my phone and we were using it to be sure we took the correct entrance into the kids apartment. We followed the directions but there was no entrance into the apartments from this street. Hmmmm... We drove back to the entrance we knew from the first apartment they had in the apartment community. We followed the roads to the back where their new apartment was only the number on the outside of the building was not their address. Okay... Claude did a U-turn and we went back to the building with the right address but it truly did not feel like the apartment we had been to before. I went to the door to be sure we were right. Yep. We were right this time. It seems Google maps had the apartment in a wrong spot for that apartment community.
I could hear Raelyn inside. Katelyn was at work. Raelyn knew someone was at the door and she was sure it was her mother. She was telling Drew, "Mama, Mama!" When he opened the door and it was not Mama she was not happy at all. Then Claude came in with this desk and she was really not happy. We tried to let Drew calm the little nugget down. She eventually started to play with us watching. Then Katelyn got home and such a hug every mother would love.
Raelyn got her rocking horse and showed us what she does with it. She rocked on it a bit. Then she turned it upside down and proceeded to try and take these two big green plastic screws out of the bottom. You can do that and then the blue base comes off and you flip it over and the rocking horse now works with wheels. It seems Miss Raelyn watched her mother change it the other day and has been really working at flipping it many times by herself.
Saturday the kids came to visit. Nissa made a big spaghetti lunch that was delicious. We met Tony, Aubrey's significant other.
The kids all headed to their various homes. Nissa and Todd and Claude and me enjoyed a quiet evening at home. How nice that was. We ordered pizza and enjoyed that for dinner. Wish we all lived closer so we could do that more often. But very grateful for that time together.
Sunday morning we got ready and went to breakfast with Nissa and Todd before hitting the road. Lunch was had in Chelsea with Jake. We finally were home in the evening. Good trip.
Back Again...
Sometimes I get really frustrated with myself when I don't keep on top of my Blog. Sometimes I think I should just not do it anymore. I mean really, who reads it. But it is the closest I have come to keeping a journal of my life and so I continue. Frustration and all.
Which brings us to a snowy Saturday afternoon. I am home all day. I told Papa yesterday they expected the roads to be bad and I was just going to stay home for the day and would see him on Sunday. He appreciates the daily visits for several hours but he totally understands the concerns of driving on bad roads. So, since I knew I would be home all day today, I have tried to make the most of precious time at home. An entire day of it!
So far I have done my treadmill walk and arm exercises. Prepared two Institute lessons. And will now get my Blog caught up. That requires getting pictures in order and making a list of what has happened since I last posted a Blog entry. Feels good to get this done.
Lest one think I am constantly a negative individual, I post this picture of my 2015 Christmas poinsettia in our bathroom. We have had enough cloudy and darker days until it decided to turn red again. This little plant amazes me. I delight it that pop of red color every time I see it. It is a bright spot no matter what.
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