First there is Papa. Bless his heart and his computer. The man hours and dollars spent keeping him going are disheartening. I got a call from him Sunday evening asking what his eMail address was. He did know it but it wouldn't work for him. He was just trying to reaffirm what it was. I told him and he tried it and it wouldn't work. I asked him if he could just shut it down and wait until I came in town Monday to grocery shop and I would go to his apartment first and see what I could do. Mind you, I am no computer repair person. I always say that I know just enough to be dangerous. But with the help of Papa and his ever-failing computer, I'm really learning a lot more.
Monday afternoon I made it to Papa's apartment about 1:30pm. I left about 4:30pm. After running a computer scan with his virus software, I noted a very, very, very LONG list of viruses now residing there. Then I tried opening Outlook Express. Everytime I tried to opened any software, I got a pop-up message stating the name of the file that was corrupted with some kind of virus. I wrote all these down as I tried to open each software shortcut on his screen. Everyone had a virus on the .exe file. This was not good.
I then called his telephone company. I finally got a human and asked them if they had any virus detecting software that scanned the eMail's they were sending to my father's home. Nope, they had none. Claude and I have that service through AT&T.
I then asked if Papa was obligated to any contracts with them for service for his long distance, landline phone and Internet/DSL. Nope, he was not obligated.
I then verified the cost of his service each month.
Then I called AT&T and asked what the very best deal they could give Papa if he changed telephone companies and used them for land line, long distance and Internet/DSL. They assured me they would be scanning his eMail's for viruses before they sent them to his computer. I got a deal for about half what Papa is paying now. We set up a date for installing his new modem and getting him with AT&T.
I called the previous company and set up a date for them to stop service with them and assured them the main reason was the lack of help with this virus software.
Papa will now take his computer and see if they can clean the viruses off it and we'll install Norton. Between Norton and the AT&T help, hopefully he will be okay.
Today I tended the 'sign gardens' and Claude has been tending them for weeks. What are sign gardens? These are the little beds of political signs with candidates names and what they are running for in this election written on them. They seem to appear in clumps a lot. The entryway to our subdivision has a bed of them. Claude has diligently tended this bed over the last few months without regard to who is running or what political party they are from. Everyone deserves a fair chance. He has straightened them after the storms came through last week, repaired the one that broke, etc.
This morning as Claude and I headed to Waffle House for our Election Morning Breakfast Tradition, we noticed that the garden of signs at the intersection of Hwy 25 & 32 was not in place. Someone came along and pulled all those signs out and layed them in the ditch or along the bend in the road. So on my way home from Georgetown, I pulled my car over and parked and replaced everyone's signs again. What a silly thing for someone to do. It makes no sense to me. I'm not voting for some of those guys but, gee whiz, what purpose does it serve to drop everyone's signs so no one can see these names.
I also had to 'tend' my tooth today. We had a bowl of trick or treat candy ready for Saturday evening. We left our porch and garage lights on. We had 3 door bell rings for a total of 5 kids. Sunday evening we lift our porch and garage lights on just in case someone else happened to use Sunday evening as their trick or treat outing. Not a soul rang the bell. I decided to have a box of Milk Duds. I love Milk Duds. They are one of my two favorite movie theater treats. I had not had Milk Duds in a long time and thought that sounded like a good snack and clearly Claude and I would need to consume this candy or give it away. I bit into the 3rd Milk Dud and I felt like I was chewing on something that was NOT right. Sure enough, my crown came off. Today I was in Georgetown tending that crown and getting it glued back in place. I will never eat Milk Duds again.
Tomorrow morning the Countryside Homemakers Club is coming to my home. I get to be the hostess this time. Our lesson is on crockpot cooking. The lunch I'll provide is Chicken Ole made in my crockpot. It's like chicken enchiladas made in layers instead of being rolled in the tortilla. I'm supplimenting it with a pan of beef enchiladas. Hopefully there will be leftovers for the Big Guy to enjoy.
So this past week I have been 'tending' my home in preparation for my guests to arrive. I figure it is a good time to do it. The Marx family will come and stay this weekend. Michael has soccer games to referee in Lexington and Georgetown. Then Bonnie will be here for a visit the 9th of November. Then it'll be time for Thanksgiving. Then it'll be time to put up the Christmas tree and decorations. So getting the house in order so I can just pick up and spruce up between these event seems like a good idea. It's been fun to do these things I have put off for a while because of other things that needed to be done.
Claude helped me over 3 days to get the windows in the house cleaned. That is not my favorite chore. I was trying to figure out why and decided it is because I have to have someone around to complete it. I can't hold the weight of the big windows that need extra support and I can't move the big furniture alone anymore. My mom was self-sufficient when it came to doing things she wanted done in her home. I did inherit that gene. My hubby is perfectly willing to help and happy to do so. I just really like to do it when I'm ready and not impose on him or wait for his schedule. But now they are cleaned again and it was fun to do it together.
I also 'tended' the ending of my calling as stake Relief Society president this last week. The final piece was completeing the costs for our Circle of Sisters event on October 23rd. I now have all the receipts in and that is sent off to the new president. It is done. I'll miss that calling terribly. But I'm finding myself realizing I don't need to think about that anymore from the president's perspective and it is actually kind of freeing.
I spent some time 'tending my mother' also. She is really failing. She is losing weight. I notice that most when I visit her and she is in bed. Her leg is getting bony. I can still get a smile or two out of her each visit. Papa calls when he has had success in feeding her. I know he is concerned. Sometimes she is almost agitated at trying to do something. She wanted to reach and do something with the wheel of her wheel chair and she was just adament she was going to do it. She had herself leaned way over in her wheelchair. Mia helped me get her up straight again and I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her and hugged until she settled down and I could feel her body relax. Alzheimer's is a hard way to go. My heart goes out to others who tread this path. I thank my Heavenly Father each day for the fact my mother had not become combative and/or foul mouthed. It happens a lot with Alzheimer's patients.
This morning Claude and I 'tended' our voting responsibilities.
Claude has waged an honest campaign and done his best to get his message out. He did one mailer and last week he went door to door and left little trash bags on each door with his message inside. I do truly hope he wins and has the opportunity to finish the things he has started and to accomplish some of what he wants to do in the future. He sure has put in the hours and the work so far. He would continue to be a great Mayor for Sadieville.
Well, these are a few of the things I have 'tended to' over the last week. There are a lot of things on my 'to do' lists that haven't gotten done but I feel very good about having direction and accomplishing what I have done.
Now...I must get back to 'tending' for my hostessing duties tomorrow.
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