Monday, August 19th, a friend posted a recipe for Dr. Pepper Brownies on Facebook for me to see. I worked with Becky Day at CAPREIT in Rockville, Maryland. She remembered my love of Dr. Pepper and made sure I saw this recipe. I was very grateful. I haven't done any cooking since surgery. My right arm doesn't stir very well yet. However, I determined this was something I would try and we could take a few brownies on our visit to Jake this week.
I pulled out all the ingredients and set them on the counter. I got my carefully saved recipe and looked at it. That is when I realized I had a real problem. The recipe had the ingredients: flour, sugar, eggs, chocolate chips, etc. but it had NO amounts by the ingredient. I saved the ladies website with the recipe. I went back to my laptop and looked up the website. Sure enough, there were no amounts by her list of ingredients to make these brownies from scratch. However, at the bottom, she had suggestions for using a packaged milk browning mix. I had one of those, so I used it and followed those directions.
I was so pleased that I could stir this mixture by hand. It shows the great improvement in my right arm. I cooked these brownies and found them lackluster. I did not save the recipe and deleted it from my laptop. They were very edible but I really expected a better flavor with that Dr. Pepper added for moisture. I did take Jake four of them.
I bought a blue elastic band to help with my home PT. I really felt that I should increase the difficulty of what I was doing at home. Tina suggested I drop the ones I was doing that were really easy and pick some of the ones I was doing at office PT that I could do at home. Therefore, I purchased a blue elastic band and set to work updating my home PT. I am still using the pulley I purchased before surgery and doing two exercises with it. I have five exercises I can do with the blue band. Three of these are ones I do with the weights at office PT. I have three exercises I do with a two-pound weight. I kept the four exercises I do with my dowel. I added three exercises using a washcloth to stretch my arm on the door facing and wall. I feel much better about this workout and feel it supports what they are doing at office PT.
This day I felt prompted to send Evelyn Redfield a thank you message on Facebook. Evelyn is a dear friend from our time in Maryland. Her husband, Brian, was a counselor to Claude when he was bishop. I helped with the Young Women when Evelyn was Young Women president. At one activity, she had made and gave to each of the young women and to each of the sisters that served with her in the Young Women program, a little throw pillow with the word "Believe" embroidered on it. I have saved this pillow for all these years. As I heal from surgery, I have needed a little support under my arm when I sit so the full weight on my arm is not pulling on the shoulder. This little pillow has been perfect. I often think of Evelyn and her sweet mom, Audra. I simply felt Evelyn needed to know how much she is helping me even after all these years. I sent her a picture of the pillow and and explanation of its help to me,
I learned this day was National Potato Day. I posted this on our family Facebook page with these two pictures: "Can we hear a "Shout Out" for Joel Roper! Today is National Potato Day. We have our very own Potato in our family!"
Someone asked Joel what his name was. His quick reply, "Potato".
Claude and I would end our day with our big meal at McCalister's where I enjoyed Potato Soup!!
Tuesday, August 20th, Claude and I drove to Chelsea, Michigan. The plan was to have lunch with Jake on Wednesday. We opted to drive up Tuesday after Cincinnati/Dayton rush hours and spend the night. Then see Jake Wednesday.
I sent Jake a message when we were taking our break in Beaver Dam, Ohio, so he would know we were on the way. I sent him a message when we checked into the Comfort Inn telling him we arrived and gave him our room number. Then Claude and I decided we would go out for dinner. I sent Jake a message and asked if he was working or was he home and might want to have dinner with us. As it turns out, he was just returning from a 20-mile hike. He showered and then came to the hotel. We went to Coney Island and has a wonderful dinner together. He came back to the hotel and we visited until we were all starting to yawn. Then we agreed to pick him up at 11am the next day for lunch. What a nice treat to see him Tuesday evening.
Wednesday, August 21st, we sleot in a bit. Then we picked Jake up at 11am and decided to eat at the Mexican restaurant we all three really enjoy. We had a great visit there and then for a bit in the car outside his apartment. It was really good to see our son and catch up. He made a trip to Utah and shared all his stories and caught us up on the family he was able to visit. He hiked to the top of Ben Lomand in Ogden, Utah. We were so happy he was able to make this trip and have so many fun experiences. Getting his rental car and have to exchange it after it had problems were not the fun parts of his trip but he waded through those experiences well. His presentation on poetry went well at the Sunstone Conference.
As we drove back to Kentucky after lunch, I realized how grateful I was for cloud cover when it happens. Makes working on my Kindle a lot more pleasant!
We received a text from Bailey when driving home. She needed our help on August 31st. It seems she will play with the University of Kentucky marching band that day and needed transportation. Happy to help!
We had an interesting rest stop. We stopped at Taco Bell on the north side of Dayton. This was really to gain a bit more time so we hopefully missed traffic jams in Dayton and Cincinnati. When one pauses, one notices interesting things. Across the street was a home with a big garage. I was very amused at the car parked in their driveway!
In the parking lot was my Buick Envision. It just happened to be parked next to a Buick LeSabre like I had previously owned. A little bit of irony there.
When we got home, we unpacked and settled in for the night. Jake brought us a gift from the Sunstone Conference with a specific request for it to go on the refrigerator. I actually had a plastic frame with a magnet on the back that was the correct size. I put the postcard he brought us in the frame and put it on the fridge, took a picture and sent it to Jake with a thank you.
We had a really lovely two-day trip.
Thursday, August 22nd, I hunkered down for a really productive day. I cleaned our bathroom. This included the tub. Our tub is oversized and I have not been able to reach out or felt safe using my right arm to support me as I reached to scrub. This day, I was able to do all of that in a very careful manner. Yeah me!!
I also got the nearly final draft on a talk I would give on Sunday.
Friday, August 23rd, I went to office PT and had a great session. I came home to ice up my arm. I usually watch a program I have DVR'd. This day, I chose an Expedition Unknown where Josh Gates searches for and understanding of the Yeti. He did one of these several years ago and found a huge foot print they made a plaster cast of. I did not realize this was a four-part story. I wanted all four parts. Claude had his nap and then joined me. Goodness.
This afternoon, Claude and I had a nice date. We drove to Lexington to scope out where things were when we take Bailey there on the 31st. University of Kentucky on football game day is a zoo to say the least. We found where we drop Bailey off and where we pick Bailey up. She must be signed in and out by a parent of guardian. I guess grandparents can be temporary guardians!
After getting a good picture of where everything was, we drove across town to Storming Crab to have our big meal of the day. This place has been on our radar since it opened and we have never made it there. Probably because right next door is Schlotzsky's and we LOVE to go there. We had a delicious meal. They have gator on their menu. I don't believe I have ever eaten gator. I wanted to try the crab cakes this first visit but I asked our server if there was any way I could have a little taste of gator in preparation for our next visit. She graciously brought me one little bite. I had part and Claude had part. In case you are wondering, it tastes like chicken!! Really!! Claude had an individual steamer pot and he was soooo happy. I took a few pictures and sent them to Andie and Michael and assured them they needed to try this place with us sometimes. They love steamer pots.
Saturday, August 24th, I woke up not feeling well at all. It felt like I was coming down with the flu. I did manage to get the finishing touches on my talk for Sunday. I also did one round of home PT and got out my ice pack. When I checked the television for something to watch while I sat still for a while, I realized Indiana Jones movies were running on that day. I started the one that was currently running at the very end. Claude was working in the kitchen. He finished and suggested we get our DVD's and watch them. The reality was I didn't feel like doing anything but curling up under my blanket. We watched four Indiana Jones movies to finish out day. And, I rested and drank lots of liquid.
Sunday, August 25th, I awoke feeling better. I believe I know what my problem is. The end of August and all of September are my worst times with allergies. I believe the pollen is getting to me. Nothing to do but weather the pollen season that is worst for me.
I would speak in Sacrament Meeting this Sunday. Claude is over music in the ward. He likes to have a meeting that focuses on music each year. The Church is in the process of gathering and compiling hymns for a new hymnbook to come out in 2026. We have some of the new hymns released already that will be in the new book. We would use four of them for our congregational hymns. I sent an eMail with instructions as to how to get this music on your device and included copies of each of the hymns with the eMail and a Facebook post to the Elkhorn Creek Ward Facebook page.
I had so much fun preparing for this talk. I thought of all the times I could remember the hymns touching my life. I read through almost all of the hymns in our current hymnbook and found phrases that taught gospel principles and had special meaning for me. I read a talk by then Elder Dallin H. Oaks from 1994 entitled "Worship Through Music". It was excellent. I pondered over these things and typed all my notes and thoughts into a word document. By Sunday, I was ready to speak. I will post that talk separately. The meeting was very good.
Monday, August 26th, we started our day with a biscuit run. I love these times. We pull to a parking spot and eat our biscuits while talking about things that are important to us. I am just sure we solve all the world's problems during these talks!! But I love this time with my hubby.
I would hunker down again to accomplish things. I did get the September Relief Society birthday cards ready and updated the September Relief Society newsletter so it can be sent out easily. I was also able to have a really good talk with my friend, Velvett Bossio. She has skin cancer and will have surgery on it Wednesday. This is a big deal because it is right and on her eye. Velvett is a breast cancer survivor. It was good to share our nose cancer experiences, get updates on all our health concerns and, hopefully, help strengthen her as she prepares for this surgery. My other talk was catching up with our eldest, Nissa. I don't talk with her enough. It is always good when I do.
Today is Tuesday, August 27th, and I will have my Blog up-to-date. That will feels good.
School Time is upon us. Today was Raelyn's 1st Day of 3rd Grade and Emelia's 1st Day of Kindergarten.
One more really cute family picture. This is Joel and Drew working on the car.
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