This Sunday as I did all of the above I realized I had one picture for Monday and Tuesday. I know I went to bed each night grateful that I filled each day nicely. I have a chat with Heavenly Father and run through all the things I am grateful were accomplished or that happened that day. Today...I only have one item. It was for Monday, September 14th. I have one picture that I sent to our daughter, Andie, to thank her for purchasing purple potatoes for me. I LOVE purple. She saw this little bag in the grocery store and bought it for me. Purple Potatoes!! Monday, Claude roasted them with some veggies to go with our meal. I sent this picture to Andie with a thank you for thinking of her purple lovin' mother!! I will tell you they were yummy and, if you get a chance, try purple potatoes.
My father is on Medicaid for his nursing home health. There are very strict rules to qualify and to keep you qualified for this coverage. Each year in August I get a letter from Community Based Services requested proof of his financial status. This is simply a copy of his most current back statement indicating he doesn't have over $2000.00 to his name. I take it to the Medicaid office in Georgetown and they scan it into his record and send that to wherever to prove that he can continue for another year to be covered by Medicaid. Then I get a letter back from them that says all is well and he is covered until September 30th of the next year. This year, no letter in August. Things are really topsy-turvy with the virus in control so I wasn't worried. Then September came and no letter. I decided, when it was half way through September, I better find out what was going on. I researched for several hours on line to see what I could do to find out. You see, we were given no phone number to call regarding Papa. With Mimi, she had a case worker and a phone number and I could call with questions. Papa has no such specific case worker and they don't give out a phone number anymore. I finally found a number and called it and lo and behold, a nice lady answered the phone. After giving her the information that verifies Papa is a Medicaid patient and I do have authority to act in his behalf, I explained not receiving the letter and the concern about not losing Papa's Medicaid. She put me on hold for a few minutes and came back to tell me that his Medicaid was extended through December 30, 2020. If I didn't receive a letter by December 1st, I should call her back. This extension was due to the virus. I told her that this virus has made so many variances in our norm. She and I laughed as she said, "Don't get me started on that virus." I imagine they are swimming in exceptions and extensions where she works. She was very nice and I was very grateful for positive help.
I read a book several years ago that I really enjoyed. I have felt the impression to read it again. It is an easy read as there is one page to read each day of the year. The title of the book is Simple Abundance and the author is Sarah Ban Breathnach. I am enjoying this book. One of the things she encourages is to get a pretty notebook (I have a small spiral notebook that is PURPLE!) and call it your Gratitude Journal. Each night I am to write 5 things I am thankful for that day. I am enjoying doing this. It is nice to reflect over my day and find 5 things for which I am grateful. It can be big things or the tiny little things that give me a smile. I am enjoying reading this again at a very leisurely pace and I am enjoying my Gratitude Journal. This is a good idea.
I have spent a good deal of time cutting out squares. I am clearing out all my scrap fabric. To do this I am making rag baby quilts. I have completed two this week. I have squares cut and ready to make two for baby dolls. I determined this would be a fun gift for Raelyn and Emelia for Christmas. Claude waited yesterday while I purchased two baby dolls for our little dears. They have blond (Raelyn) and brown (Emelia) hair. I will make a little baby doll blanket next for each of their dolls for Christmas. It is fun to make good use of all those scraps and to empty out those drawers of fabric.
I love Mello Yello. This is a citrus flavored soda. I usually keep it and Dr. Pepper in my fridge. For the last few months, Claude has not been able to find Mello Yello in cans in Walmart. We tried several other grocery stores and never found any in cans. He can get it in 2-liter bottles. But no cans. This quandry perplexed this Old Girl and she did the only way to find an answer to these types of delimmas nowadays. I Googled Mello Yello can shortage or something close to that. Turns out that the virus has caused a shortage in aluminum cans and a shortage of the sugars that go into soda. So, the soda manufacturers are only making in cans the ones that sell the most. Who can blame them, right? I was just very happy to understand that at some future date Mello Yello will again be available in cans. Until then, I am learning to use 2-liter bottles over many days and fast food drive-thrus that offer Mello Yello are my new best friends!!
Claude and I have made this comment several times over the past few months as we hunker down together, just the two of us most of the time. We really like being together!! Many couples retire and find themselves together 24/7 and find they have a hard time getting along. Claude and I have found it great fun to be just the two of us. In fact, we have had to admit that we need to watch this as we are moving away from people in general. But it sure feels good to know that we can be together, just the two of us, for many days with no physical contact with other people, and we are happy at the end of each day. Important lesson learned from the corona virus.
Wednesday, September 16, 2020 This day would require many trips to Georgtown. We try to minimize this by doing our errands together and one or the other waiting in the car while the other goes in to the store. This day would not lend itself to that at all. Claude determined he would go in to Georgetown in the morning to accomplish errands. I needed to get more socks for Papa. So we went to Georgetown in the morning and did our walk, had a biscuit, did Claude's errands and came home.
This was a good plan because I was able to sit at the breakfast table and, with black sharpie in hand, write V. Lawrence on the bottom of each of the 24 socks! My life is so riveting sometimes! Then I quickly brought up fall front porch decorations.
In the afternoon I had an appointment with Dr. Richardson, our opthalmalogist. I have some kind of shadow on both my eyes that are a precursor to glaucoma. This can be caught by controlling your eye pressure (which is different from your blood pressure). Dr. Richardson gave me a new eye drop a month before to put in my eyes in the morning. He wanted to test the pressure and see if the new drops helped. They did and now I would get a formal prescription for these drops.
Next I went to the nursing home and left off the socks and a treat bag for Papa. Then I went around and filled that bird feeder. These birds are really enjoying that food!
Our plan for the evening was for Claude to come in for his audiology appointment and us to meet after and go to Lexington to eat from Firehouse Subs. This we did and it was delicious. Love their Italian sandwich.
Claude drove me back to Georgetown where my car was waiting at the nursing home. I went to CVS to see about that prescription. The sample Dr. Richardson gave me the month previous was empty and I would need that filled for the next morning. I went into the pharmacy with a paper copy of the prescription in case there was a problem. I was told they had it and were filling that prescription. It would be ready in about 30 minutes. I told the nice lady I would wait in my car and would they call me when it was ready. She made sure she had the correct phone number and I went to my car. That was at 5:30pm. At 6:30pm I still had not heard from CVS so I went into the pharmacy to check if it was filled. It was and no one called. Ugh. I went to pay for it and the asked if I would like a flu shot. I asked her if there was a cost. No cost. I asked if they had to one for old people that has extra mojo in it. She assured me they did. She asked me if I was over 65. I chuckled and tugged at my gray hair and assured her I was 70. I told her I would be happy to have a flu shot. So I waited for the young man to come out and give me my flu shot. Yeah!!
That evening while sitting in my car waiting for the pharmacy to call, my left arm started to itch. I thought maybe there were mosquitos but I never saw any. By the time I got home I had a rash all down my arm. Ugh!
Thursday, September 17, 2020 I was in a miserable place. My itching was now behind my left ear as well as my left arm. I did not sleep hardly at all the night before simply because my body thought it was wide awake, not because of the itching. When morning came I was just miserable. Claude had a day of errands starting in Lexington. I was grateful this was one day we had not planned for me to go with him. I planned to stay home. I did stay home. And I stayed in my sewing room all day.
I purchased the online session of Time Out for Women. I would watch the first one of those. Totally enjoyed this. Time Out for Women is put on each year is larger cities by Deseret Book. The speakers are excellent. If it is held in Cincinnati, I usually go to that. This year, because of the virus, it is being offered on-line. The theme this year is Take Courage My Heart and the scripture reference is Psalm 27:14. I cut out some squares after watching this first session. Claude got home and I quit for the day. I curled up on the love seat (really this is my nest upstairs) and spent the evening with my good hubby.
While Claude was gone he went to the shooting range in Lexington. Then he went to Bed, Bath and Beyond. He has been searching for a really good egg slicer. In case you are not aware, my hubby loves to cook. He has taken over the kitchen and does all the cooking. I am very happy with this arrangement. After years of planning menus, buying groceries and cooking, I am very happy to have Claude take up this gauntlet for our little family. If the man wants a great egg slicer, I say, "Let the man have a good egg slicer!" I received this text message from my hubby as he left the gun range and went to Bed, Bath and Beyond, "Do you find it the least bit ironic that I went to the gun range to shoot and now I'm off to the store to shop for kitchenware?" I chuckled upon receipt of this message. My reply, "Nope. You a confident well-round guy. Now, off to a clothing store and buy yourself a pink shirt!!" We are a happy couple.
This night we started the Hobbit series as our movie of the evening.
Friday, September 18, 2020 The big news on the news this day is that RBG, Ruth Bader Gisburg died. She was a Supreme Court Justice. Our Andie hero worships this lady. And there is a lot to think very highly of her for. She has accomplished and fought for many things in her life time. She has had an amazing life. With this being an election year, this immediately brings on contention. I do not like contention. It doesn't get us anywhere except divided. Claude even read a piece that someones stated this will bring protests and riots from them if a new judge is selected by President Trump before the election. As if we are not already divided enough by the election and the difference of opinion between the two parties added to by the racial tension. It is just very end of days feeling to me out there.
This day Claude read in the Georgetown NewsGraphic that Toyota would have their annual Hazardous Waste type drop off on Saturday. The next day! Claude went into gear to gather the items we had collected. This is such a good thing that Toyota does for us each year. They take things that should not be disposed of in your local landfill and dispose of them in the proper way at no cost to the community. We had my old laptop, a Kindle, a printer, and...we took down our microwave!!
I was able to purchase another Groupon so that Claude could have another flying lesson. And, while working with Groupon, I found a date for Claude and I to walk the American Legacy Gangster tour in Newport, Kentucky. I purchased that Groupon for Claude for Christmas last year. I really thought we might just not get to do that with the virus. But they are doing tours and we are set to experience this one this month. More on that after the tour.
We watched the second Hobbit movie this night. It is titled the Desolation of Smaug. We both remembered the dragon, Smaug, was killed in this one. Not so. He doesn't die until the third one. Good thing no one gives us a test on our movie memory.
Saturday, September 19, 2020 This was a beautiful day. The temperature was forecast to maybe make it to 70 degrees. The skies were clear and it was simply beautiful. We filled out day with errands. First we took all the things we had saved to the Toyota drive through.
We followed this with a walk in the park, dropping off a treat for Papa and a biscuit and soda from Bojangles. We realized when I put the dolls in the back of the Jeep that the people at Toyota had not taken the Kindle. Back to Toyota we went to dispose of this properly.
Our next stop was at Sunset Memorial Gardens outside of Frankfort, Kentucky. I wanted to put new silk flowers on my Mother's grave. I just love this cemetery. It is in the middle of farms and has a lake. So pleasant. I asked Claude to take a picture of me with my Mother. He did. Love these quiet moments in time.
While Claude and I stood there, I heard him say, "Here's the new grave." I looked over and saw what he was referring to and we both had an old people chuckle. There was indeed a "New" grave by my parents.
Sunday, September 20, 2020 we enjoyed Sacrament meeting via Zoom. Then Claude passed the sacrament to us. We read in our Book of Mormon and watched the Darin show about that block of scripture.
I have written our missionaries and Papa letters. I have just about completed this blog post.
In about a hour a friend is coming and she and I will watch the next Time Out for Women session together. It will be fun to have another Lady to watch this with. Her hubby is being kind enough to watch their seven children so we can do this together. Thank you Josh for that.
I has been another good week. We are at 3.8 positivity rate with the virus. This is good. Things are loosening up a bit. Walmart even took their directional stickers off their floor and opened all their doors again. People are wearing masks most of time when inside a business that we have had to enter. I keep wipes in my purse. We have eaten in a few places over the last month. I always wipe down their table before we sit down to eat. Don't care if they have just cleaned it. I will wipe it down one more time for good measure. We have been blessed with good health through this. Papa's nursing home has been blessed with no cases with residents or staff so far. Another nursing home in Georgetown has had 9 death and the bulk of their residents tested positive. So Papa's situation, while not fun, has been a huge blessing. We will get through this. And we will continue to fill our days with productive things.
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