Another very full day. Friends of Sadieville meeting in the morning. Man was supposed to call and come talk to us about painting the main level of our home. It is 9:43pm and he hasn't called or come yet. Not a good sign. Claude stayed home all day to talk with painter who never showed. I completed some things after the Friends meeting and then went to Georgetown to buy Papa's groceries and do some cleaning. Then to buy a few groceries for us and the Marx's who will visit for 3 days.
Before I left, Claude started on an outside project he has planned and purchased materials for and not had time to get it done. Today he did it. And it looks GREAT!!
We purchased a dogwood tree that will have pink blossoms. We are both very happy with this tree and it looks great in the backyard. Seems to have taken root and is growing well. Claude's plan was to build a half retaining wall on the downhill side and put a flat top on it. The intent is that, as the tree continues to grow, this will be a great place for the grandmonsters to sit. It will also help retain any water coming down the hill for the tree and keep the ground and grass from washing down the hill (the gophers started this journey).
This is grueling work on the hill. Fortunately the morning started out very nice and it wasn't too hot. But by the time Claude finished it was hot and he was spent, completely spent.
Here is the process and the finished project.
While Claude worked on this, I purchased Papa's groceries and got them put away. Then I started to clean his apartment. Things moved really well. I got everything done on my list and just needed to wash his feet and clip his toenails.
Papa said, "I need to go to the bathroom." I told him that was great and I would get the tub of water and towels ready while he took care of business.
I got all my stuff ready and then I waited. He didn't come out and I couldn't hear any action in the bathroom. I busied myself with some odd things in the apartment and started to look at my clock. Fifteen minutes at least passed by and still no noise. I'm concerned but trying to remain calm. Papa is 88 and not in great shape. One never knows.
After a good bit more, he finally came out of the bathroom and he was a mess. Clearly he had hurled and his clothes were wet. He was pale as could be and obviously very drained. I told him we needed to clean him up but he just didn't have the strength. He went to his chair and sat down.
After some questions from me and some answers by him, it seems he was fine when he went into the bathroom and then he was just sick, very, very sick. Fortunately there is a plastic trash can by his 'throne'. He was really a mess and very drained. I went to finish re-cleaning the bathroom. When I came back out, he was fast asleep in his chair.
I sent Claude a text and told him Papa was very sick and I just needed to sit with him for a bit. That I would text him when things were better and then I would get our groceries and head home.
Such is my life, I watched Papa's breathing and his heart beat while he breathed. At one point his breathing was so very shallow. It reminded me of sitting holding Mom's hand as she breathed her last breath. It would not have surprised me to see this be Papa's last breath. In my heart, it was okay. That is not weird when death is the thing you are living until it happens. My prayer is that it will be peaceful for Papa. This would have been peaceful. And I would have been happy with that answer to my prayer.
Papa slept for a good 30 minutes before he woke up. He turned his head and saw me there and was a bit disoriented for a minute. He thought I had come in while he was sleeping. Then he began to remember. I asked if he wanted anything. He said he didn't. I told him we really needed to get him in clean clothing. He waited until he was sure he was okay, then I took clean clothes out of his closet and dresser and left him to change. He made a trip to the bathroom and everything was fine. Color was coming back in his cheeks and he was sounding more like he usually does.
I gathered up his dirty things and added them to the laundry basket of his linens I had changed when cleaning that was already in the trunk of my car. Papa was okay for now. Nothing like a little excitement to end my visit with him. He gave me a big hug and a happy thank you and I left.
I got our groceries and returned to Sadieville to do his laundry and boil his eggs. Life is just a grand adventure of many, many ups and downs in a day!!
Claude and I enjoy going to a baseball game from the minor leagues. Last night we made it to the Florence Freedom game. They played the Iowa Otters. I think it was Iowa. I know it was Otters. But I think it was Iowa. See, we enjoy the game and the food and being outdoors but we are not 'died in the wool' fans that know all about the team, etc.
Claude purchased tickets for last night's game so we would be in the part of the park that gets shade fastest. It was a scorcher for Kentucky last night. We slathered ourselves in sunscreen before leaving the Jeep to go in the park. Claude wore his bucket hat. We truly didn't want any burns to deal with. We were pleasantly surprised as the shade finally came over us that there was even a cool breeze and we were quite comfortable when the temperature went down to the low 80's and high 70's.
I love to people watch. For instance, we both noticed a man sitting right behind the catcher wearing very nice headphones. What was that all about. I posed to Claude that he was actually listening to another game streaming on his cell phone. I thought this was a great guess. He was dressed casually but very nice. Had on a baseball cap but I couldn't read the logo on the front at the angle we were sitting. I felt very comfortable with my guess. Then...Claude posed that he was a scout for a big league team and he was watching a specific player(s). Now that seemed like a more interesting idea. These kinds of things make great fun for me and Claude.
The funniest things I watched was a mom sitting down front. She is actually standing at the dugout with her two little children in the picture above that Claude took. They were sitting on the front row. The little boy turned to his mom after eating and had a bit of a dirty face. Clearly the mom wanted it clean. However, she seemed opposed to the old 'mom's spit bath' idea. But, just as clearly, she and her little guy had a routine they were very familiar with for this situation. He stuck out his little tongue, she held up her finger, he wagged his tongue back and forth across her finger and then she wiped off his face with her finger. They both continued on with their evening as though nothing happened. Very cute.
It reminded me of our Nissa when her Paul was a tiny guy. He was learning to dress himself and invariable put the t-shirt on backwards. Nissa would call Paul over, he would hold his arms out straight in the air, Nissa would quickly grab the sleeves and pull them out, Paul would pull his arms inside and twirl around to face the opposite direction, then he would quickly pop his arms back out the armholes and off he would go to play. Clearly they both knew the routine and had done it dozens of times. Mom's are very clever people.
It was a good night at the park. I had a burger and Claude had an Italian sausage sandwich, we shared a funnel cake and had a soda then bottles of water. The game was over and we were home by 9:30pm. Just right for these aging bodies.
Wednesday evenings I teach an Institute Class at Church. The age group is called Young Single Adults and ranges from 18 (or high school graduate) to 30. Married can attend if they are in the age bracket. This semester our course of study is the New Testament focusing on the Gospels.
This week I had two students and two missionaries attend. One of my students, Cody Byrd, joined the Church about a year ago. This last month, after our Stake Conference, he was ordained and received the Melchizedek Priesthood. One of the missionaries attending was actually only in Georgetown for the day. His area of service is really Frankfort, Kentucky. It turns out Elder Langston was very sick. My heart ached for him. He and his companion, Elder McIntyre, frequently had to get up and get him to the bathroom. I would have offered Pepto-Bismol had I had any in my purse. Sometimes I do because I carry it when we travel and it just stays in my purse after a trip. This night I had none.
When class was over, Cody helped fold up the chairs. This missionaries left. Then the missionaries returned and quietly asked Cody if he was a Melchizedek Priesthood holder. Cody had that 'deer in the headlights' look. He is fairly new to the Church and definitely new to holding the Melchizedek Priesthood. There is a lot of responsibility involved in that and he is just a couple of weeks into learning all that responsibility. I told the Elders that Cody is a very new Melchizedek Priesthood holder and that he could definitely help them but he would need a little training from them first. They were very happy to oblige.
Elder McIntyre took a little white covered pocket-sized book out and opened to the page with instruction for blessing the sick. It is a two part ordinance. One elder anoints the head of the person receiving the blessing. Then the other elder puts his hands on the persons head with the elder who did the anointing and he seals the blessing. During this portion the actual blessings is given to the person. Cody needed to do the anointing. There are specific words to be said and they must be given verbatim, no deviation. I was allowed to hold that little white book up so Cody could see these words. Elder Langston gave Cody his full name as shown on the records of the Church. We were ready.
Cody put the drop of oil on Elder Langston's head, then placed his hands on Elder Langston's head and said the words necessary for the anointing. Then Elder McIntyre placed his hands on Elder Langston's head and Cody placed his hand on top of Elder McIntyre's hands and a blessing was given and sealed by Elder McIntyre. It was just a most tender moment.
As they left, I told Elder Langston, "I was very sorry for his illness. But I was grateful for the opportunity it gave this new elder, Cody Byrd, to use his priesthood." What a lovely teaching moment.
Footnote: My very dear friend, Laura Carter and her family reside in the Frankfort Ward. I told Elder Langston, who knows the Carter family, that Laura makes a wonderful chicken soup. He should contact her and I was sure she would take care of him. He had a chuckle.
That time of year again. Kentucky League of Cities purchased a table at the Annual KET (Kentucky Entertainment Television) Fundraiser. Claude and I were invited to take two of the seats. Claude graciously accepted.
We filled our day time. Claude had been in Williamsburg, Kentucky for some KLC Board Meetings. He drove home Friday afternoon. I did some home chores accomplished and then went to Georgetown to take more bananas to Papa and pick up a couple of Father's Day gifts. We met back at our home and had a couple of hours to accomplish a few more things before getting ready and heading out for the evening.
The start time was 7pm. We left in time to be there just as the event began. That was the plan. Traffic had other ideas. It seems there was a vehicle towing a boat that had a tangle up with a person on a motorcycle. That can't be good at all. The traffic backup started for us at the Georgetown exits. Claude had chosen to drive I-75 to Ironworks Pike by the Kentucky Horse Park since Ironworks Pike would take us to the horse farm area we needed to be at. That meant for 5 miles we were in a back up in all three lanes of I-75. We moved very, very slowly and finally made it to the exit off I-75. We were then in a line for the valet parking at the event. Fortunately, 7pm is the start time but you don't have to be there right at the beginning.
We enjoyed the company of the people at our table as well as other friends we know from the area that attended. It was a nice evening.
The event is held at Donamire Farms. This horse farm has its own racing track around a huge pond/lake. I didn't get a count of the number of horse barns (aka palaces) we could see on the property. Jon Steiner said he was looking for a gas station to fill up as it takes so long to ride the winding lanes from the front entrance to the tent for the event. It is a beautiful property.
There are silent auction items to raise funds. Many of them are for things we are just not interested in. But it was fun to browse. The meal was okay. The dessert was delicious. The porta-potty out back was the most amazing one I have ever been in. It was a long trailer pulled up behind the tent. Half was for men and half was for women. There was an entrance and exit door for each half. Inside the ladies half were four wood paneled stalls with marble floors. There was a double sink for washing hands. Lots of open area to walk around inside. It was just amazing.
Here are a few pictures of our evening.
At the end of the evening, we were given the centerpiece for our table. My living room smells soooooo good right now.
Lovely evening.
Wednesday morning (June 8th) found me out in the yard early. When I visited the Marx family last weekend, I noticed that Andie's irises blossoms were also done blossoming. I checked the Internet and learned that you are to cut the blossom stem down at that time. Did not know that. I also learned you should not put mulch around the base of irises. Did not know that either but I didn't do that anyway.
So, Tuesday evening after preparing three Institute lessons and before beginning preparation of the fourth, I took a break and went the front flower bed and cut all the dead blossoms off my peonies. I mean, surely they need the same care as irises, right?
Then, Wednesday morning, I spent my morning cutting the blossom stems off the irises, cleaning the dead leafs from around them, weeding the beds and taking the dead branches off the blueberry bushes. A good morning's work if I do say so myself.
When I finished the iris / blueberry beds, I went to the bed just below them where Claude planted two blackberry bushes. I was going to weed it before calling it quits with that days yard work. To my delight, there were blossoms and berries on these fairly new plants.
After a nice shower, I went out to our back yard to just look. Then I went to the front yard to just look. I liked what I saw.
Then Claude came home and one of his afternoon chores was planting a new butterfly bush. We have two and only one came up this year. We love these bushes and Claude purchased another to plant.
The yard is really looking good. We are happy with how it is turning out as the years go by.
