Life Keeps Chugging Along...

I last posted to this Blog on Thursday, November 14th. More happened that day so I will begin this post with the afternoon and evening of Thursday, November 14th.

I took Papa out for a bit that afternoon. I had him back to the nursing home by 3pm. Then I hurried home expecting to see our new hot water heater installed and heating water for us. Alas, the plumber had called Claude and told him he would be late. I went downstairs to do something and didn't take my cell phone with me. When I came back upstairs, Claude told me it rang and when he looked at it the call was coming from the nursing home. This always sends me in waves of concern coupled with reassurances to myself that all will be as it should be. I picked up my phone and returned the call to the nursing home. 

It turns out it was the Director of Nursing, Pat Murphy. She wanted me to know they had to move Papa to another room and that was already done. He would now room with Mr. Tuttle in room 107. Papa's roommate in room 105 is Matt. Matt was taken to the hospital in an ambulance that Monday. He was going so they could prepare him for some type of surgery on Wednesday. It seems they returned Matt to the nursing home Thursday afternoon right about the time or shortly (very shortly) after I got Papa back to the nursing. Matt came back with some kind of infection. They didn't want Matt around other people except in a controlled environment and they didn't want Papa exposed to any infection. So they moved Papa to the room next door, 107. Papa will stay there until Matt is better. Then Papa will return to his bed. The nursing staffed moved everything Papa has at the nursing home into this new location except for the pictures on his wall. Those they left since Papa will be returning to room 105. Papa is doing okay with the change of location, however, he does get confused about it until you remind him that he is allowing Matt to heal by being in this location for a while. 

When I got home I found my hubby trying a new recipe. He has taken to watching Alton Brown who has a show called Good Eats. Alton Brown has a scientific bent to his cooking. He also has clever ways of doing things. This was an Alton Brown recipe where you pound out and stretch a steak. Then you roll it up and tie it with string and bake it. He made a special sauce to go on the steak. It was an absolutely yummy meal. So happy he enjoys cooking like this. We get some really good meals.

Andie, our daughter also shared some pictures with me of Hayden. It seems he had his first Oldham County High School Symphonic Band Concert Thursday evening. We were not aware of this concert and missed it. But the pictures of our young man dressed in his tuxedo are really fun. Hayden looks quite handsome. He is pictured with his father, Michael, and his mother, Andie, in the last two pictures.

Friday, November 15th, I had a little list of things to do in the morning. We had a closing that afternoon for the property we sold. I was going to visit Papa after the closing. So, the morning was my time to get a few things accomplished. The only thing I did accomplish was getting my shower!!

While curling my hair, I received a phone call from a friend who lives further in the country than us. One of her kids was hurling at school and needed to be picked up. Her car was broken and she couldn't drive. She was hoping I would lend her my car. I suggested I might pick him up and bring her to him if the school would release him to me. She called the school while I finished curling my hair really quickly. The school said I could pick him up if I showed my photo ID. With my Driver's License in hand, I picked up poor Eli and took him home. Such a sad face. It just melted my heart. I assured him I brought two old beach towels and gave him one of the Mini's gallon Ziploc bags we keep since they get car sick really easily. He nestled in the back seat of my car. I tried to talk to him and he soon became comfortable enough to chat a bit. Turns out he is working at making a robot with the kids at school. This is something Hayden has done. We got Eli home and he was happy to see his mother. I said a very quick hello/goodbye and then hurried home to grab my things so we could make tracks to Nicholasville.

We had a very smooth closing on what we have fondly called "Area 11" for the last 15 years. Our new neighbors (once they get their home built) are a young couple. He works at Toyota and they want to live closer to his work. The closing was held in an old home owned by the lawyer that was the closing attorney. I said to him that the house looked like it might have a neat history. Turns out it does. It was used during the Civil War as a hospital during the battle of Perryville. Claude and I have been to this battlefield. This grand old home also has connections to the University of Alabama football stadium. It is named the Bryant-Denny Stadium. The Denny in that name actually owned this old home. So the home has a neat history. It sure is a lot easier to close on a piece of ground than property with a home or other building on it. We celebrated this event with a meal at Schlotzky's including a Cinnabon for each of us. Yum!!

I spent the rest of the afternoon with Papa. We just stayed in his room. His back was very bad and I tried to get some pain medication started for him. Papa has deteriorating disks in his back and they have arthritis around that. Every now and then it just get very irritated and he is in excruciating pain. While trying to help him get out of bed and to the bathroom, I received two phone calls. I am a lady whose phone seldom rings. So two calls during a short period are rare and to have that happen while helping Papa who is calling out in pain as he moves is just icing on that cake! One of the calls was to ask me to play the organ for two sessions of our Stake Conference on Saturday. The person who was going to do it had work issues come up. I agreed to do that. 

Also on the 15th we got these pictures of our Roper babies. First were a series of pictures of Katelyn letting Raelyn help her make a purple cake. Raelyn LOVES purple. I am happy the kids gets to lick the beaters. Oh my, is this a right of passage in life or what? Katelyn surprised Raelyn with purple icing. Then she wrote Raelyn's name on the top and had Raelyn fill in the lines of the letters with marshmallows. What a great idea to help her learn to write her name!! 

That evening the family must have gone to watch Drew play hockey. Katelyn said that Raelyn eventually pushed Emelia's stroller over so she could see Daddy on the ice. There was a very cute video of Raelyn cheering her dad on as he skated and played hockey on the ice. So sweet.

Saturday and Sunday, November 16th and 17th, we had our semi-annual Stake Conference. This is where all the congregations (Wards) in our area gather for a special church service. Saturday we had a Leadership Training Session in the afternoon which focused on the Welfare/Self-Reliance Toolbox. Saturday evening was the Adult Session and it also focused on the Welfare/Self-Reliance Toolbox. Sunday morning was the General Session and it was filled with uplifting talks. I sent three of the quotes I enjoyed to our missionaries. They were:

1. If your outgo exceeds your income your upkeep will be your downfall.
2. The grass is always greener in other places. It isn't. It is just a different shade of brown.
3. When you serve at your convenience, you serve yourself. When you serve at your inconvenience, you serve the Lord.

Someone posted pictures of a Super Saturday event in Utah. In those pictures was one of my sweet mum-in-law working on her project. According to the tag in front of her she is making a star for Christmas decorations and painting it white.

I spent the afternoon with Papa today. We managed to get him in my car and sat my Elkhorn Creek for the afternoon. He was happy to be outside again. It was a cloudy afternoon and a little cool. But we were able to have a good visit and get him out. The weather is going to take a downturn for the next couple of days and we won't be able to do this.