Life in This Fast Lane...

Jake, our son, made a trip to Texas. He has a friend, Heather Dunford, who is a member of the Bat Conservancy. As a member she had the opportunity to invite a plus 1 to go to Bracken Cave in Texas to watch the bats form a bat tornado as they leave the cave at night to eat bugs. Thousands of bats leaving Bracken Cave at once. Thousands I tell you. Heather asked Jake if he would like to join her. While this was not an item on Jake's bucket list, it became one. You can only go to this cave if you have a special invite. So Jake flew from Michigan and Heather flew from Florida and they met in Texas. As poor fortune would have it there was a change in the weather and the bats really don't swarm with the weather conditions they were experiencing. Not to be daunted by this, these two intrepid souls did find bats under bridges. One cannot deny the human spirit. Jake did send us two pictures of places they visited during the day time. The first is San Antonio Missions National Historic Park (not the Alamo) and the second is at Umlauf Sculpture Gardens in Austin, Texas. The sculpture is titled the Muse. Jake's sister, Nissa, correctly identified that Jake had found his Muse. Yeah Nissa. This just seemed like a wonderful trip opportunity for Jake. So happy Heather invited him and he was able to go and experience some new things.

Saturday, September 15th, Claude and I wandered back to Louisville to Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center. This time were were treated to the Music of John Williams played by the Louisville Orchestra. This was a most excellent evening for us. The orchestra started with a rousing rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and we were all standing with hands over our hearts singing right along with them. It was exhilarating. The evening just went up from that high. 

Please note the name on the first picture. I had a good chuckle out of that one. Our beloved Kentucky Center had a fire this year. Messed up their programming schedule. They are  using it again but the scaffolding is up so that, during the daytime, they can continue the repair work. 

As the program progressed, the conductor, Ben Bernhardt, shared wonderful stories about John Williams. Here are a few:

• Before playing the Theme from Jaws: About four months after the movie came out, he had friends who went to Hawaii and were learning to scuba dive. As they prepared to make their first real venture out into the waters, one of the people in their group asked how they would know if a shark was near. Their instructor simply said, "You'll know because you'll hear the music first!" 
• First joke told before "The Flight to Neverland" from Hook: Two pirates were talking. One looked at the other and said, "That is a nice pair of earrings. What did they cost?" The other pirate said, "$2." The first pirate said, "Not bad for a buccaneer!"
• Second joke told before "The Flight to Neverland" from Hook: Q-What happens when a red and a blue pirate ship collide? A-You get marooned!

I asked Kathy Alexander to play the organ for me when I was out-of-town during Bonnie's visit. Kathy said she would be happy to and asked if I would help her by playing for the Primary kids program. The Primary pianist was going to be out-of-town that Sunday. My habit on Sunday is to play for Sacrament Meeting and the go visit Papa until the meeting block is complete. Then I go back and pick up Claude. This would necessitate me staying for the 3-hour block on Sunday the 16th to practice with the kids. I arranged my life so we could do that. They were singing two songs that required a bit of practice. It was great fun to work on those two songs. I don't play the piano very much and it was good to get back in there and learn. The kids did the Primary program on Sunday, the 23rd and they were fabulous. They always are. I was really grateful for this opportunity to play the piano.

As I left the Church on Sunday the 16th, I heard a crow that sounded really close. I walked out a bit and there it was on the top of the steeple cawing away. I truly was not sure what to make of that.

Monday, September 17th through Thursday, September 20th Claude attended the Kentucky League of Cities Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. 

He was presented with a copy of the Athenian Oath for he service to Kentucky League of Cities (KLC) over the years.

One of Claude's favorite moments was helping with the Kentucky Hunger Initiative. KLC did this last year at their conference for the first time. It was a huge success and was something Claude had encouraged to happen. Because of that success, it was determined they would sponsor it again this year. It is a big ticket item as products must be purchased to prepare boxes to be distributed. I first received this picture from Claude. He simply titled it, "Finally, a job I am qualified for!" This is one of the chores Claude takes care of in our home, stocking every one of the four bathrooms with extra toilet paper. I did chuckle when I received his text.

Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles was there to help. I just admire this young man something fierce. He is good and honest and Claude and I believe he will go far. He worked right beside Claude to help get these boxes filled for the Hunger Initiative. It is something Ryan is passionate about.

Claude enjoyed this conference. Since he will not run for Mayor again, this was his last hurrah with KLC. They will probably invite him to the big dinner at conferences as a past president. Claude has enjoyed working with these people very much. This is one area of his life I will hate to see end. 

Before Claude left, I was having some severe pain in my stomach. I believed something might be wrong enough to go see a doctor but I wasn't sure which doctor to see or why. Claude left Monday morning and I just stayed home, didn't even go to see Papa. I knew I needed to see a doctor. I read the instructions that came with the three meds the surgeon, Dr. Pruden, gave me when I had the cancer removed from my nose. The ointment had possible symptoms just like I was having. So I called Dr. Pruden and scheduled a visit for Tuesday, September 18th. The scab that had formed over the surgery spot was falling off and it couldn't come all the way off because there was a stitch in it so I wanted him to check that anyway.

Tuesday I received a call from Dr. Pruden's office. They had two people cancel their surgery and were wanting to know if I could come in earlier. Of course. I reminded them I was driving in from Sadieville but would be on my way right then. Dr. Pruden removed my stitches from the graft on my nose and released the scab. He assured me there was no infection, talked to me about cleaning it with vinegar water, assured me I wasn't having my other symptoms because of the ointment and sent me on my way. Okay. One possibility down. 

I called Dr. Donaldson. In 2009 I had sacrocolcoplexy surgery and wondered if it might be failing. I at least wanted to be sure I could eliminate it from a possibility. Dr. Donaldson has retired and they don't even do this kind of surgery any more. We went over what I was experiencing and I was assured by their office that this was not the symptoms of a failed sacrocolcoplexy surgery. Possibility two was now eliminated.

I called Dr. Lyon and asked to be seen by him. He had a space at 10:30 on Wednesday morning. Great. I was there and explained what I was experiencing, what I had eliminated  as possibilities and gave him the list of the three meds Dr. Pruden had prescribed at the time of surgery. Dr. Lyon looked at that list and immediately said, "I know what your problem is." Hallelujah. By now I had lost 5 pounds from not eating so I wouldn't hurt. While I would really like to loose 5 more pounds, I really didn't want to do it this way. It turns out the ointment wasn't the culprit. The antibiotic capsules were. They were a drug called clindamycin. Dr. Lyon will not even prescribe it anymore. In some people it kills the bacteria that you want to kill but it also allows another bacteria to grow and that bacteria causes C Diff (clostridium difficile colitis). I am one of those people. Yep. That's me. UGH!! Dr. Lyon took blood and sent me home to get another inconvenient, not-to-be-mentioned sample. He wanted to be sure he was accurate in this diagnosis before prescribing another antibiotic to kill this bacteria. Yes, he chuckled at the irony of that as he told me what he had to do to help me heal. I love this Doctor. 

Thursday morning I took my new sample to the lab at the hospital. Then I went to see my father. I would take Papa out of the nursing home, we would get a root beer for him and a mango pineapple smoothie for me and we found a spot in Stamping Ground by Elkhorn Creek to sit and enjoy a nice moment in the fresh air. This felt good. Proof I was not well was in my going to bed at 9:15 Wednesday evening and not getting up until 7:15am Thursday morning. So I really appreciated this quiet time in a nice breeze by the creek.

I received a call from Dr. Lyon's office. Yep, I had C Diff. He had called in a prescription for me and I could pick it up that day and begin the regimen. Ten days of the most awful, bitter, disgusting tablet to be taken three times a day. I am now half way through and truly hope this does the trick. I am not a medicine taker. If I can just naturally wade through whatever ailment I have without taking medication, that is what I prefer. My poor body is just worn out with meds over the past couple of months. But I will get well and I do have good doctors. 

Friday, September 21st our second great grandmonster turned one year old. That was one really fast year. Our tradition is your favorite box of Girl Scout cookies on your birthday. Nelson requested Thin Mints (I am sure his mother, Aubrey, was sure that is what Nelson would like....wink wink.) To my delight, Aubrey posted a picture of Nelson eating his Girl Scout cookies. He really loved them. There is just nothing like a baby covered in a food they are enjoying. I love these pictures.

That day as I was returning from visiting Papa, we had a rainstorm but the sun broke through just as I was turning onto Hwy 32 at I-75 Exit 136. In front of me was a full rainbow. You could see from one end to the other. It was beautiful. 

Saturday the 22nd was Hayden's Boy Scout Spaghetti Dinner. This is their annual fundraiser. We took the Lego candy Uncle Jake bought them when were went to the Amish store in Michigan. They totally enjoyed this fun candy. It actually popped together just like Legos. Each color was a different flavor. Great fun. Thanks Uncle Jake.

After cutting Andie's hair, we were off to the Spaghetti Dinner. There is a silent auction and Claude won four different items. All for a good cause. It was a nice evening. We drove home in lots of rain.

Sunday the 23rd, I played the piano for the Primary program. When I started to leave to visit Papa, it was pouring again. During church we had two times that alarms went off with flood warnings. As I looked out that door to my car, I had a strong impression Claude should come with me. He drove and we went to the nursing home. I purchased a couple of brownies for Papa at the Spaghetti Dinner and wanted to show him the picture of Hayden in his uniform. I ran in while Claude waited in the car. I showed Papa the picture, gave him his brownies and explained about the flood warning and my impression that we needed to go home now. He understood.

Claude then drove us to our home. When we crossed the bridge the water was already over the banks. About an hour after we got home, this is what we found when we drove back down to the bridge. As this is the only entrance into and out of Eagle Bend, we were stranded. So very grateful we didn't wait to come home. Grateful for strong impressions when they are needed. 

One of our neighbors was supposed to have a bridal shower at her home at 3pm. Needless to say her husband, daughter and other guests were on the other side of the bridge and the shower did not happen Sunday. Another neighbor was coming down to drive her daughter to Frankfort to fill out paperwork for a new job she was starting. That didn't happen either. Our home is up a hill so we were never in danger of flooding. We had fuel for our generator if power went out. We had food and everything we needed to stay home for a good while. By Sunday evening late, the water receded and people could now pick which side of the bridge they wanted to stay on. There was definitely damage to the bridge. The City Commission came over Monday evening after their commission meeting to check out the damage. But the bridge held and we are very grateful for that. The flood warnings remained until this afternoon. But we experienced no more of this kind of flooding. 

This cutie is Raelyn. She our first great grandmonster. Her Daddy was at work and she really missed him. So, her Mom let her wear one of daddy's shirts to snuggle in and, of course, she had to wear one of his caps. That is just cute!

I have finished two crafts this month. I crocheted this baby afghan while we drove to and from Michigan and finished it up after we got home. And...the baby girl is here and this will be going away and now I need to make another one.

This is a Christmas present for our oldest daughter, Nissa. It is a table cloth. Done!

That's all folks!!