Farewell Sis Fry

Sister Rebecca Fry served here as a missionary for some months and just left on Thursday. She has been especially sweet to Kirsten, and we shall miss her. She and her companion, Sis. Snow were here on Wednesday to say good-bye. It was so fun to have them here. They went out on the deck and did the Hokey Pokey with Kirsten, and danced with her a little. Then we took some more pictures.

Kirsten is such a sweet, jolly person. Sometimes I refer to her as our little puddle of sunshine. She is really tickled to see friends, and especially loved sitting with the Sister Missionaries in Relief Society on Sundays. Sis Fry is on the left in the above picture and Sis. Snow on the right.


Besides being joyful and spreading sunshine, Kirsten is very talented about color. She's careful about what colors go with what. Just as a side note, she also has certain days she wears certain colors. Monday is always yellow, Wednesday is orange, and Friday is always red. Tuesday and Thursday are flexible. ^•^ It's just fun. (Can you tell what day of the week Sis. Fry and Sis. Snow came over?)

In Which I Walk Out Into The Day

I actually wrote a "poem!" I've done this sort of thing before, but it's been at least 15 years and perhaps more, so this is really unusual for me. I've been working on the poem and the pictures since Wednesday. Today is Saturday. I didn't realize how hard it would be or how much time it would take, but I'm so glad I did it! I've learned a lot and it has fed my heart.

The poem expresses my feelings about being out in a wonderful spring day, but it doesn't really express what a victory it was for me. Because of the respiratory difficulties I have I don't get around much. In fact, away from the house I usually use a wheel chair. I love to garden, but last year I was able to make it out to the garden only three times all season, and then it was just to look. It was sad to miss out on such an important, creative, and joyful, part of my life.

This year promises to be different. In spite of lung specialists saying that the only way I could ever get any better would be to have a lung transplant, I am getting better! Some of the details are posted in my "Sarcoid Adventure" postings down below, and more will be forthcoming at a later time. For now, even though sometimes it feels like I am taking baby steps, I am acknowledging that significant things are happening.

What made my "Walk Out Into The Day" a little scary was that I didn't tell anyone I was going and didn't even have my cell phone with me. Yes, it's just in the back yard, but we have a rather large yard, and going back to the house is up hill. Last year I couldn't do that without stopping to rest so when I felt impressed to "just go for it," I was really going on faith. It worked, and I loved it, and I know I can do it again.

In Which I Walk Out Into The Day

I stepped out onto the deck
Grateful that the frost two nights ago
Had left the star magnolias alone.
They were still gorgeous in their brilliance.
Their dazzling whiteness reflected the sun
Right back to the sky.

Later in the day
That strange-looking green plant
Way out by the fence, caught my eye
And I went towards it.
Something whispered to me
To go ahead and seize the opportunity
To soak up the sun, and
Enjoy the brilliance of the afternoon
And the spectacular scene around me

The swing house was in the shade
And I craved sun,
So I sat behind the swing seat
Where a patch of bright warmth
Bathed the floorboards.
I sat and soaked in the sun
And enjoyed
The fragrance, the lighting,
The breeze, the birds.

A cardinal fluttered down
To perch on a rung of the old ladder
That’s been planted out there
As a reminder of the fun times
The children used to have in
A long-ago playhouse
And the joy I had in watching them.
Those memories seem
Long ago and far away
Yet close at hand and very real.
They are a part of me,
A part of this place.

If/when we move from here
I shall miss this place.
This expanse of green
With dappled shade has become
A haven of peace and beauty,
Of nurturing to my soul,
Of joy to my heart

The redbud trees are
Swelling with anticipation.
I am a little sad that they don’t open at
The same time as those brilliant white stars.
How lovely that would be!
But at the same time
I am glad they don’t.
Nature has her perfect way.

The white stars will gradually fade
Only to be replaced by the almost
Lacy purple of the redbuds.
With any luck the redbuds will still
Be in bloom when the dogwoods
Begin to share their delicate story.

Later in the summer
That mysterious bright green plant
That drew me out into the day
And said “Come, come see who I am”
Will die down and disappear.
Suddenly one day,
When the time is just exactly right,
She will announce herself proudly
For her name is Amaryllis.
I’m glad I found out who she is
And I will be looking forward
To beholding her beauty.

Thank you Amaryllis for inviting
Me into your world today,
And for reminding me that everything
Has its own beauty in its own time.
I’m glad I came.

Love, Kathey

I didn't know what I would find when I went out onto the deck this morning. We had a bad frost two nights ago. Last year around this time we had several days of freezing weather which killed our spring flowers. Literally all the flowers that were blooming died. The magnolia flowers, daffodils, and any crocus that were still around, all were frozen. I was afraid something similar had happened this year, and I was so glad to see that it hadn't.

I did have reason to be concerned. It got very cold again last night. If you look closely at the next two pictures you will see that there is still frost on the ground.

Fortunately our plants came through unscathed. Later in the day when I went out again I could tell that the Royal Star Magnolia flowers were not only healthy, but I decided they were the best I've seen in years.

They were literally so white that it hurt my eyes to look at them up close. I tried to capture that dazzling brilliance, but the camera just couldn't do it justice.

When I first went out on the deck I noticed a very green, rather large plant in the landscaping over by the fence. I didn't remember anything being there, so I wondered if it were some colossal weed.

In the above picture the mystery plant is a dark green spikey thing to the left of center, next to a huge, unruly-looking bush. Can't tell what it is? Well, neither could I. Perhaps you can't even tell what I'm referring to so here's a close-up.

I hadn't planned to go out there just then, but what can I say, it called to me to go investigate. It was the first nice day we've had, and I was craving some sunshine. It was sunny, and warm yet still cool. It was gorgeous! (I went back later with the camera.)

I wandered around the yard, soaking in the loveliness and the fragrance of the star magnolias. It was wonderful just being out there. I almost didn't include the next picture because it's too "busy" but it shows the wonderful old spruce (I think) tree in our neighbor's yard. Perhaps you can grasp the cozy, protected feeling it lends to our back corner.

This next picture isn't from the back yard, but I had to add it here because it includes Mollie. She likes being where the action is, and didn't want to be left out.

I have fond memories of vacations I went on with my parents when my brother, Arthur, and I were small. Motels were not common in those days, and besides, they were more expensive. My dad always looked for homes that advertised "tourist rooms." One place, probably in Wisconsin, had a lovely, shaded yard with a white lawn swing. My brother and I played on it and had the best time pretending we were on a great exploring trip out in the wilds. Ever since then I've had a yearning to have a lawn swing. I also wanted it to have a roof so it could be shaded. Jim and I found this one and gave it to ourselves as a 40th anniversary present two years ago. We have come to call it "The Swing House."

I wanted to sit and enjoy my surroundings. The Swing house was mostly in the shade, and I was craving sun so I looked around until I found a spot that I thought would do.

This sunny spot turned out to be just the thing. I was able to sit quite comfortably on the floor boards. From here I even had a good view of the mystery plant. Amaryllis, which is sometimes called "Magic Lily," will send up leaves in the spring. After awhile the leaves die down and disappear. It's easy to forget they were there. Then in late June or early July a flower stalk suddenly appears as if from nowhere. When in bloom, the stalk is surrounded with a crown of light pink, trumpet-shaped flowers. For now I'm content to see the leaves and I'm glad it's not some colossal weed after all. Off to the side and down a ways, I could see the old ladder. Last year it had a clematis growing on it. Hopefully we'll soon have it upright again. I'm sorry I didn't get a picture of the cardinal.

Those lovely white stars will soon be gone, it's true, but just as day follows night, they will be back again. In the meantime I will enjoy what comes.

The redbud trees are swelling with anticipation…

Thank You, Kirsten!

Something really cute just happened. It’s Wednesday, and Kirsten knows that Wednesday is “Garbage Eve,” so this morning she very enthusiastically bopped around emptying wastebaskets. When she was finished she stood in the kitchen and announced, “DONE!” When we didn’t respond quickly enough she said, “Who, who.” We just had to laugh! She was reminding us to say "Thank You," which we immediately did. It was SO cute. She hasn’t ever done that before. She doesn’t have good control of her tongue, and is unable to say many consonant sounds. “Who, who” is “Kirstenese” for “thank you!” We’ve heard that one often enough that we knew immediately what she meant.

Speaking of “Garbage Eve,” that has been a phrase that we’ve used in our family for years. We got it from a TV program called “Jennifer Slept Here,” which was on from 1983-1984. It was a cute program, and when I looked it up just now I was surprised to see that it was on for only one season.

Ducky Visitors and More

We were eating dinner when I noticed an unusual movement out of the corner of my eye. I looked out the window in time to see two large birds setting down in our back yard. I realized they were a pair of mallards--an unusual sight, but it has happened before. It was fun to watch them as they waddled toward the bird feeder. Mrs. Mallard was in front with hubby meandering behind. There is a rather large residue of stuff on the ground under the feeder, and Mama was content to peck around in it for awhile. Dad stood off to the side and didn't do much, even after she came up and waggled her tail feathers at him. I had the impression that it was like she was telling him to just be patient while she shopped around a bit.

Something that impressed me was how bright orange his legs and feet were, while hers were just plain brown. I hadn't really noticed that before. It was an interesting example of Nature's paint job. All of a sudden a mourning dove landing on the ground behind Mama must have startled her, because she instantly took off with Dad close behind. I hope they come back.

I really enjoy the bird feeder. We've had feeders ever since Betsey gave me a little birdseed bell for Christmas one year. This is the time of year that we stop feeding the birds though. They will soon have enough out in nature to feed themselves. Another reason is that our funny little yellow dog, Angie, likes to go out and feast on the bird droppings on the ground under the feeder. Yuck! That can't be good, so every year we stop attracting the birds until the next winter. Angie is less likely to munch on the "offerings" on the ground in the winter when it's cold.

I will miss them once we run out of seed for this season. We are frequently visited by a pair of red-headed woodpeckers, a pair or two of cardinals, lots of chickadees and house finches. We also have some gold finches & juncos, sparrows, a smaller woodpecker, occasional red-wing blackbirds and mourning doves. Every once in awhile we see a cowbird, or a blue jay, but they are rare here. Once we were visited by a tufted titmouse. There is also a small hawk that several times a week will come and sit in our big maple tree to see if he can catch anyone. I don't think he's ever been successful. The smaller birds are good at hiding when he's around.

Years ago someone planted two silver maple trees and a Colorado blue spruce in a row behind the house. When we moved here we knew the spruce tree was too close to one of the maple trees, but we never got around to moving it. It was only about 14 inches high when we moved in, so we named it "Tiny Tree." Helena could easily jump over it. Well, now "Tiny" is 10 or 12 feet tall and really IS too close to the maple tree. An unexpected side effect though is that he provides shelter for the birds that visit the feeder. I think it's because of Tiny that we have so many birds in the first place. We would not have planned it that way, but the arrangement works perfectly.

BEGIN AGAIN- by Norman Vincent Peale

Begin Again

I wish to remind you of one of the greatest and most helpful facts in this world--namely, you can start life new every morning. This ought to be comforting for everyone who feels discouraged about yesterday or who thinks the future looks hopeless. God is big. He forgets. He forgives. He writes it off--because He is fair. He always makes it possible for you to make a new beginning.

--Norman Vincent Peale

Each day is a fresh start, a new beginning, a new chapter in our book of life, a new leg of our life's journey. However you desire to look at it, each day is a new gift from a Heavenly Father who loves us and wants us to succeed. The more we can leave yesterday behind and just live today the best we can, the better tomorrow we will have. Love, Kathey

(Norman Vincent Peale quote was found in "A Time for Prayer," PLUS, The Power of Faith, Dec. 2007/Jan 2008, p. 17)

THE SARCOID ADVENTURE-Part 1-PENELOPE

Following is a four-part story of a very important new adventure in my life. I've been working on this for several weeks, and I broke it down into parts to make it more manageable. I hope it all makes sense, and that you are able to grasp how important this is…I want to show how all this is impacting my life, BUT perhaps even more important is that it could possibly also greatly impact someone else. Please let me know if it does.

--Kathey

PLEASE NOTE: All four parts are presented here, one after the other. Scroll down after the first one to see the others.

When I sent out e-mails about our granddaughter Elizabeth's birth, in January, one of them went to my friend PENELOPE. (Click on her name to go to her very interesting website. She not only does BodyMind Counseling, but also is writing a book called Cry When You Need To, Stop When You're Done.) She and I have known each other since first grade. We lived 1/2 block apart and were in the same classroom at school. We used to sleep out in each other's back yards and have all kinds of fun. I just re-read a letter from her from several years back reminding me that she and her brother used to come to our house to watch Captain Video on our TV. Her family didn't get a TV until 1956. We got ours at the end of 1952, so it was a great excuse to get together.

We've kept in touch occasionally over the years. After she wrote back to me this time I got to thinking about her. I remembered that she had quite a few lung problems when she was little. I have lung problems now, so I e-mailed her and said that I'd like to talk to her about lungs.

She wrote back that she would be glad to talk to me about lungs. She also said, "I am managing rather well with avoiding grains and dairy for the most part, and with the aid of a brilliant homeopath." She also told me that her mother started her smoking when she was 16. "She was trying to be all cool and libertine I'm sure...but I had so much bronchitis as a kid, this was terrible. I smoked like a fiend for 10 years 2 packs a day except 3 packs on weekends. Terrible."

I knew she had severe breathing problems as a child. If she could say that she was doing well now after all that smoking, I had a hunch she would have something to offer to me that would be helpful. That hunch proved to be right.

First of all I need to say that I have never smoked in my life, but I was raised in second-hand smoke. I don't know how many packs a day my dad smoked, but it seemed like he was smoking all the time, so I know it was a lot. I had many colds and ear infections when I was little, and also had "walking pneumonia" several times as I got older. I started noticing severe breathing difficulties at age 19, and was diagnosed with sarcoid at age 20. That was 45 years ago. I've had it ever since.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR PART 2…

THE SARCOID ADVENTURE-Part 2-THE DEFINITION

WHAT IS SARCOID ANYWAY?

Sarcoid is "An inflammatory disease marked by the formation of granulomas (small nodules of immune cells) in the lungs, lymph nodes, and other organs. Sarcoid may be acute and go away by itself, or it may be chronic and progressive. Also called sarcoidosis." (I forgot to write down the source.)

There are quite a few articles about sarcoid, or sarcoidosis on the web. I'll enclose part of one. The rest of the article, which is quite interesting, may be found HERE

What is Sarcoidosis? Sarcoidosis (pronounced SAR-COY-DOE-SIS) is an inflammatory disease that can affect almost any organ in the body. It causes heightened immunity, which means that a person’s immune system, which normally protects the body from infection and disease, overreacts, resulting in damage to the body’s own tissues. The classic feature of sarcoidosis is the formation of granulomas, microscopic clumps of inflammatory cells that group together (and look like granules, hence the name). When too many of these clumps form in an organ they can interfere with how that organ functions.

In people in the United States, sarcoidosis most commonly targets the lungs and lymph nodes, but the disease can and usually does affect other organs, too, including (but not limited to) the skin, eyes, liver, salivary glands, sinuses, kidneys, heart, the muscles and bones, and the brain and nervous system.

What Causes Sarcoidosis? No one knows exactly what causes sarcoidosis, but it is probably due to a combination of factors. Some research suggests that bacteria, viruses or chemicals might trigger the disease. Although such triggers might not bother most people, it is possible that in someone with the right genetic predisposition they provoke the immune system to develop the inflammation associated with sarcoidosis.

The fact that a person is more likely to develop the disease if someone in his or her close family has the disease strongly suggests that genetics plays a role. Researchers have not discovered the genes for sarcoidosis yet, but it seems likely that more than one gene is involved.…

Two others in my extended family also have it, but their symptoms are not as severe. What are my symptoms? Mainly I'm short of breath especially on exertion, and frequently just have NO energy. I first noticed the problem in a swimming class my freshman year at the University of Illinois. I could barely make it across the width of the pool! I remember coming out of the water gasping for breath with my chest in great pain. Up until then I hadn't been a fantastic swimmer, but I'd never experienced anything like that before! Outside of that it really didn't bother me, and I continued to function well for quite a few years.

Now if I need to walk more than a few feet outside the house I use a wheel chair. Climbing stairs is about impossible. To show how limiting this condition is for me, I love to garden, but I haven't been able to do any lately. We have a lovely Square-Foot Garden in our back yard. Last summer I made it out there only 3 times. It was too far for me to walk, and coming back to the house is up a slight hill which made it even harder. I just couldn't do it. While the kids were growing up it got so that I couldn't go on family hikes or play badminton out in the yard. I regret that I was unable to take them to the park or other fun places. (Instead we read a lot and did artsy-crafty things.) We couldn't plan things in advance because I never knew how I would be feeling. Also, Jim has had to do the grocery shopping for years. Anyway--those are examples of what our family has been dealing with all these years.

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR PART 3…

THE SARCOID ADVENTURE-Part 3-THE DOCTOR

The more Penelope told me about her "brilliant Homeopath," Dr. K.O. George, the more intrigued I became. Dr. George gets such good results that he has people coming to see him from all over the world. People come who haven't been able to find solutions elsewhere. Among other things he is a specialist for chronic degenerative diseases. I became even more interested when I heard that.

He is from India, and has been trained in India. He has had over 20 years experience. He is located at the Hahnemannian Research Center in Irvine, California. He works there with his son. The website is www.hahnemannian.com For information about Dr. George click on “staff” in the list at the left of the page. The person you want is K. Oommen George. His biographical information is quite interesting. I especially liked reading about his areas of expertise and his education. Penelope told me that even though he is from India, Dr. George is a Christian. It was interesting to me that, among other things, his biography shows that in 1982 he received an MA/MSW from the American Christian Theological Seminary.

We knew we would be in California on February 17th for our granddaughter Elizabeth's blessing. Penelope told me that Dr. George is always booked up weeks in advance, but I got his phone number and called on the off chance that I might be able to get in to see him. I was told they just had a cancellation for February 19th, so I made an appointment! I also found out that his office is only a 40-minute drive from where Peter and Karen live. It was amazing how things fell into place.

A week or so after I talked to Penelope, she went in to see Dr. George for her regular appointment. While there she told him a little about me and said "She has sarcoid, can you fix it?" He said "Yes, I can cure it!" This was quite refreshing to me because the doctors at home here have said that I have end-stage pulmonary disease and the only way I will ever get any better is to have a lung transplant. Do you see why I'm excited?!

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR PART 4…

THE SARCOID ADVENTURE-Part 4-THE CURE

FIRST APPOINTMENT WITH DR. GEORGE

February 19th finally came, and I was not disappointed. Jim and I are impressed with Dr. George as a person and as a professional. He not only seems to know his stuff, but he is a kind individual. He's used to dealing with a lot of people who are very ill, and he does it in a kind way. We like his staff personnel as well.

Dr. George told us that symptoms just reflect the condition of the body. His goal was to determine what is causing my symptoms and to nourish and enrich my body so that it could heal itself through regeneration. He told us that he has cured many with sarcoid. He said that eventually all the symptoms will just go away--including the breathing difficulties.

I gave him a very extensive history that I had written down. He appreciated that and said he would study it carefully. He asked me a few brief, but to-the-point questions. Then he looked at my skin, and tongue and my arms and legs. He had me walk, tested my eyes, and briefly listened with a stethoscope on several places on my body. (I had the impression that perhaps he was taking pulses, but I don't know for sure.)

He said he has three immediate goals for me:
1. Get my energy back.
2. Stop the degeneration of my body.
3. Improve my blood.

He prescribed 17 liquid homeopathic remedies, to be taken in various combinations 5 times per day. (I was glad to receive liquids because my body has problems taking lots of pills.)

He asked me to bring several things on my next visit:
• A copy of the original biopsy report that diagnosed the sarcoid.
• Copies of any lab reports for the last year or so.

He said would talk to me about diet next time. Time actually with him was about 45 minutes. We felt he accomplished a great deal in that time.

Penelope had told me that the changes she noticed were very subtle, especially at first, and that it took about three months before she noticed significant improvement. I didn't notice a whole lot at first. If anything I had more headaches and joint aches than usual. Then suddenly on Friday March 21 I felt JUST AWFUL. Fortunately the sun was shining that day, so I went and sat on the deck and got some sun. I also drank lots of water, and slept a lot.

The next day, March 22, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. feeling fabulous, and having lots of energy. I got more done that day than I had in months, and I continued to feel great for the next four days until we left to go see Dr. George again for my next appointment on March 27.

SECOND APPOINTMENT

We ran into a glitch on our way to the second appointment, because that was the day American Airlines grounded 41 planes, including ours, so that they could check wiring. We're glad that the plane we did take was safe to fly, but it was 5 hours later. We didn't get to our hotel room until midnight, and the appointment was the next morning. We learned that we didn't allow enough time. We left on Wed for a Thursday appointment, and came back on Friday. It was just too hard. Next time we will allow an extra day.

Dr. George was pleased with my progress and so were Jim and I. He said my color was better and asked what we had noticed. I told him about my fabulous days. Jim told him that when he sits next to me in church he can tell that I'm breathing better. A friend also noticed that my singing voice is stronger.

I also told him that I am not sleeping any better and that I've been having even more post-nasal drip than usual. He asked if I cough and I told him I did some, but it was just because of the drainage. It was not a lung thing.

He observed me while we were talking and wrote out a new plan of homeopathic remedies. This time they consist of 23 different things--again to be taken in various combinations 5 times a day. While he was writing he told me about various foods that he wanted to emphasize. And that was it.

He wanted me to emphasize the following foods:

Artichokes
Avocadoes
Mangoes
Papya
Walnuts
Red lentils
Mung beans
String beans
Red potatoes
Small amounts of brown rice
Have 50-75 grams of protein a day
Turkey
(People with sarcoid shouldn't eat beef)
Trout, White fish, salmon, halibut, orange roughy
Cornish game hens

Onward & Upward

SCARY STUFF ABOUT CHOLESTEROL

I was talking to a doctor who is a Naturopath yesterday. She happened to mentioned that doctors are now saying that cholesterol should be below 170. Many people are on statin drugs who don't really need to be. She said they are not taking into account that the brain needs certain levels of cholesterol to function, and as people age their cholesterol needs to go up, not down. Ten years from now scientists are going to say "oops, sorry" to all those people in nursing homes with Alzheimer's because their cholesterol was kept too low.

Scary stuff.

Creating Happiness

The pages I read in my scripture/quotes notebook today were all about happiness. I thought it would be fun to share some of the thoughts expressed. It's fun to read through them and see how they relate to each other.

• He That handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and who trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. (Proverbs 16:20)

• Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. (Proverbs 3:13)

• We act according to our principles, not according to our moods, and then our moods go away. (Dr. Dean Black in The Frogship Perspective)

• If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. (John 13:17)

• It's the doing that makes us feel good. (Ellen Kreidman in You Deserve to be Happy)

On January 2, 1997 I wrote: "I just realized that I can recognize happiness through unhappiness. I knew that I was not happy with a dirty house or a cluttered kitchen. I knew I was not happy if meals weren't cooked. What I hadn't put together was that I could create my own happiness by doing these things. Just as John 13:17 says 'If ye know these things, happy are ye if he do them.'"

It sounds like a merry heart is a good cure for osteoporosis:

• A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. (Proverbs 15:13)

• A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)

I especially like:

• Happy is he that condemneth not himself. (Romans 14:22)

• For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. (Proverbs 23:7)

And going along with the idea that we are as we think, an article that I read this morning suggests that we help ourselves remember the good decisions that we make, by writing them down in a journal. There is a scripture that says: By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. (Alma 37:6) Here's a small thing we can do that can bring big results. It's too easy to remember the mistakes we made and the things we should have done but didn't. Remembering the good decisions that we made will help us to know that we have the ability to make more good ones. And "as you relive your positive moments, you get a boost in feeling good serotonin and endorphins, instead of the heart-hurting cortisol that comes on when you tense up over your frustrations." (Sharon Naylor, "Be Your Own Inspiration," Positive Thinking, Nov/Dec 2006, p. 11)

• Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

--K

Spring Has Sprung!

As a friend of mine used to say:

Spring has sprung, the grass is riz.
I wonder where the birdies is?

Well I’m glad that spring has sprung. We suddenly have robins all over the place as if to testify that it really has happened. As Jim’s dad used to say:

'Tis time of spring when poets sing
Of how the bird is on the wing.
But on my word, that is absurd
Because the wing is on the bird!

It's fun to see and hear so many robins. Sometimes we do see a few robins here in the winter, but the past few days it's like they have converged on our area for a musical convention, and I love it!

We also have purple and yellow crocus blooming, and the daffodils have huge buds on them. The maple tree buds are getting bigger and bigger, and it won't be long before the forsythia bushes burst into bloom.

Happy Spring Everyone!

These Made Me Smile Today

Kirsten would make a good mom. It has to do with the "radar" that all moms develop so that they know what the kids are doing in the next room. I think Kristen came with hers intact. In this case she always knows what is being said in the next room whether or not it involves her. After dinner, Jim and I were still sitting at the table. We gate our little dog, Angie, while we eat because she would be scrounging under the table the whole time otherwise. I don't particularly like to eat with her head in my lap.

Since we were through eating, Jim let her out. Well, I forgot that if I'm sitting at the table, Angie is going to come around just to see if I'm eating. She's always hopeful. Well, our little dog has bad breath and she pointed it my way. I commented about her bad breath and said it was probably from the sardine juice she had earlier, or perhaps it might be from her teeth and gums. And then I said "I wonder if dogs have tonsils?"

From the next room, Kirsten exclaimed "No!"

I don't know why that tickled me so much. It was said in such a matter-of-fact manner that it was really amusing. I giggled about that one for several minutes.

And earlier today I was removing some greens from the steamer basket with a pair of tongs. Jim was standing by the sink. I held up the tongs and said "I wonder if they have tongs in Tonga?" He groaned appropriately. Then about a minute later he said something like "Of course they don't have any in Tonga. Didn't you know that 'Tonga' stands for 'Tong Gone?'"

OK, so it's probably not funny to anyone else, and I admit that we have an amazingly low amusement threshold, but I got some good chuckles out of that too. Well, you would have had to be there I guess… :-)

7 Random Things About Me

Way back on March 6, I was tagged by Jill to list 7 random things about myself. Then I'm supposed to tag seven people to do the same. Well, I don't know of 7 people who have the kind of blog in which this type of thing would fit. I'll tag a few at the end, but Hey ladies, just do it if it works for you.

MY SEVEN RANDOM THINGS:

• I think oatmeal is slimy. The most redeemable quality of oatmeal is its ability to be used in chocolate chip cookies. Another is using it in home-made granola. (Someday I'll share my oatmeal dissertation.) (btw--raisins are never an acceptable substitute for chocolate chips.)

• I feel better and my day goes much better if I'm up by 6:00.

• I think people ought to be able to fly. Wouldn’t that be fun? "Lifter" is a favorite book.

• I can lift one eyebrow at a time, and can alternate them quickly. I practiced really hard to learn this when I was in 6th grade and saw Vincent Zamis (who was in my class) do it. If he could do it, so could I.

• I have a stubborn streak. That eyebrow thing shows it.

• I can wiggle my ears, but not independently.

• I am a bit paranoid about making sure all our bills are paid. It’s too easy for one to get lost if it’s not taken care of right away. I’ve designed a quarterly worksheet that has spots for making notations about all our monthly bills, and tithing. I can jot down the amount and the date paid, so it’s really easy to keep track. This also helps me to be on the alert if a bill amount suddenly changes. Tithing is at the top of the list. There are also spots for savings, and freedom fund so I don’t forget those either.

Before we went to California I could tell by looking at the worksheet that our Vectren bill was already two days past when I ordinarily pay it. I didn’t know if it had gotten lost in the mail, or if I might have misplaced it. I called and paid it over the phone the day before we left, so I didn’t have to worry about it.

I am even more paranoid about paying our utility bills after hearing an electric company horror story. A friend of ours from church suffered a heart attack while in Indiana. He was critically ill. Things were touch and go for quite some time. He finally had surgery and went to his daughter’s house (also in Indiana) to recuperate. During all the hubbub the daughter forgot to pay her electric bill. She had paid it on time for 15 years, but the company cut off her power when the bill became one month late. This was December, and it was COLD outside, and her dad was still quite ill. Even though the daughter explained the circumstances they charged her a $500 reconnection fee because they no longer trust her. AAArrrggghhh

I now tag Helena, Karen, Liz C., Connie C., and Allyson to blog about 7 random things about YOU!

Quite a Storm

We're having a blizzard, but at least it's a quiet one. During "The Blizzard of '78" I remember being jolted awake at 4:00 in the morning with the windows rattling and the wind HOWLING outside and being terrified that it would be coming inside at any minute. We later learned that the gusts got up to 70 mph. That was scary. This is just cold and inconvenient by comparison. It snowed all day yesterday but the flakes were small and still are, and the wind isn't very strong. It's only about 12 mph right now with gusts up to 21. The forecast is for 5 to 8 inches of accumulation during the day. I don't know how much we got yesterday. We do have a drift right by our front door.

Angie, our little yellow dog, had an interesting time when she first went out this morning. The snow was up to her chest and was so deep that she was afraid to come back up the stairs because she couldn't see where they were. Fortunately with a little enthusiastic encouragement from me she bravely bounded up the stairs and into the house. I was glad I didn't have to wake Jim or Betsey up to go get her. (I wasn't about to go get her myself!)

12:00 Noon: Our deck has more than a foot of snow on it. Betsey shoveled a path for Angie to get across the deck, down the stairs and out into the yard. As soon as Angie got down off the deck she left the path and started bounding through the snow. She tried to walk but had to get around by leaping. Jim shoveled a path to the bird feeder.

This morning Jim gave Kirsten and me haircuts, and he's hoping to work on taxes today. I say hoping because shoveling will take awhile. I'm playing catchup on bills and paperwork. I'm grateful for our cozy home.

Well at 4:30 the sun came out, and it's gorgeous. We also got a call right about then that church is canceled for tomorrow.

Interesting Insight about Sarcoid and Breathing

Having sarcoid makes breathing difficult. I've learned that it's more of a problem with exhaling rather than inhaling. Old air gets trapped, so there is not as much room for new air to come in. This results in shortness of breath, and the inability to breathe deeply. It's also a real energy zapper. A few months ago Robin Gentry McGee, who is my Holistic Whole Foods Counselor, told me about a DVD called Asthma QiGong that showed how to do QiGong exercises specifically for asthma and breathing difficulties. I ordered it and have been doing it quite regularly the past few months. It involves deep breathing while moving the hands and body slowly in specific patterns to enhance the flow of energy in the body.

I recently heard a tape in which the author said that when we make improvement in one area of our life, it enhances other areas as well. He went on to say that when we let an area slip, it also adversely affects (dehances would be a good word here) other areas. I've also heard it said that our world on the outside is symbolic of our world on the inside.

OK that's enough background information. Yesterday when I was doing my QiGong breathing exercises an interesting thought came to me. Would decluttering my house also help to declutter my air passages? I rather suspect it would. I would dearly love to hire someone who could help me get organized. I know good principles, I just don't have the energy to put them into practice. Over the years I've worked on letting go of old beliefs, and grief that might be cluttering up my lungs, but I never thought of the energy from the physical clutter affecting my breathing as well. Interesting.

The Urge to Prune

It's like spring cleaning--only outside. That's what pruning is. A few days ago it was actually 67 degrees. I sat on the deck for awhile and soaked up a little sun, and then I went out in front and started to prune our white althea tree. It's a gorgeous tree when it blooms and it really isn't very big, but I made a mistake when I planted it in front of our picture window. Yes, we have a nice view of the tree, but last year we couldn't see out the front window.

For instance, I like to be able to look out the window and see if the flag is down on the mailbox. Last year the tree made that impossible, so I decided to rectify that situation this year. The nice thing about altheas is that they don't bloom until July, so it's OK to prune them now. This is not the time to prune dogwoods, magnolias, lilacs or anything else that blooms in the early spring because the flowers would be cut off. Althea hasn't formed flowers yet, so hack away. This is also a good time to prune burning bushes.

Easy Clean Up

I rather detest cleaning up after a pruning job, so for me it works great to cut one branch at a time and put it into a brown paper sack. The branches I whacked were about 30 inches long, so I hope I didn't take too much off. I didn't get finished because we have rose bushes on either side of the tree and it got to the point where the thorns were grabbing me if I got too close. That kinda takes the fun out of it. It's a bit of a quandary because this is NOT the time to prune roses. Mark Webber usually ways to wait until April 15 in our area, but I usually watch the roses to see when they start to grow. That's when I cut them down to about 4 inches from the ground.

I think I will go out and cut back part of the rose bushes when the weather warms up again, just so I can get to the part of the althea that I can't reach. The poor tree looks really weird right now. It looks kind of like it has a Mohawk haircut on one side instead of in the middle. Very unbalanced--poor thing. I took a picture, but I don't know how to get a picture off the camera and onto the computer yet.

A Fun Experiment

Over the years I've experimented with that althea tree to see if I could get it to bloom more. Putting on fertilizer just makes it bloom sooner, but doesn't affect the number of flowers. Can you guess what makes it bloom more? I've actually figured out a way to make it have 3 times as many blossoms as it would ordinarily have. The last couple of years it has been COVERED with double, white blossoms. One year it was so covered that it became top heavy and actually fell over because we had a lot of rain which softened the soil. That sure scared me. I thought it was a goner, but with Jim carefully tying it up it has fared well.

What makes it bloom more? One word--pruning. I usually start pruning it in January or February. Then after new branches start to grow I just go out and snip off their ends. (The snippings are so small that I just let them fall to the ground.) This causes each branch to send out several new branches. Then after the second set of new branches starts to grow I snip off the ends again. By doing this we end up with lots more branches and therefore lots more flowers. Sound like work? Well, for me it's really not. It's more like a work of art that I really enjoy. We also have 8 dark pink althea bushes along our fence which Jim prunes now and then (every couple of years) with a regular hedge clippers, and that works fine also.

While I'm working I have a lawn chair near by so I can clip a couple of branches and then sit down and rest. It takes awhile, but it still works. So far I've ended up with 4 bags of clippings, and it's been great Fun.

Our February 29th

Today was busy. I completed Helen’s blog, and sent out e-mails to people to let them know. It was amazing how long everything took, but I wanted to word things well. Then after I’d sent out the e-mails I realized I’d forgotten to include the blog address, so I had to send them out again. BUT it's DONE! I'm so glad. It has been a long time coming. It has been a very worthwhile project, and I've been grateful to be able to do it. There are actually two blogs for her--one regular, and another that contains the unabridged texts of all the talks that were given at her funeral. I put blog counters on each of her blogs. Only three people have left comments, but 55 people have looked at the main one since this morning. 15 have also looked at the talk blog. That's good to know.

Then to celebrate February 29 our family went to Outback Steakhouse. We also rented the movie Stardust. From the commercials I saw about Stardust, I really didn’t think I would like it, but I really did. It was not a movie for little kids, (Kirsten went to bed before it was over) but it was a fun flick that told a sweet story with a happy ending. Helena told me it was somewhat like The Princess Bride, and it really was, although it was very different. Anyway, I’d recommend it. Jim and Betsey really enjoyed it too.

Does Elizabeth Look Like Peter? (Her Daddy) What Do You Think?

The following picture was taken in September of 1977. Peter was 9 1/2 months old. Helena (on the left) was 6 1/2, and Kirsten was 8. Jim and Kathey were 35. I love those Polly Flinders dresses the girls are wearing. Some friends and I used to go to the Polly Flinders outlet in Cincinnati. They were seconds so we got those dresses for 3 or 4 dollars each.

In the next picture Peter is 5 months old.

Little Miss Valentine Elizabeth is 5 weeks old here

This is a nice one of her looking at the camera on blessing day.

It will be interesting to see how she looks when she is a little older. Who do you think she looks like?

What Will You Do To Celebrate February 29th?

Tomorrow is the 29th of February. We're being given an extra day this year that comes around only once every four years. Rather than just letting it pass as another day in a routine week, I decided that we should do something to celebrate it. I’d like to go to a restaurant we haven’t been to around here, and possibly rent a video. What video should we rent? Barbie and Kyle recently saw Enchanted at the dollar theater and loved it. They said we’d really enjoy it. I wonder if it's out on video yet?

Going to a restaurant and renting a video isn’t anything spectacular but it ought to be fun, and we don't do it very often. It’s the wrong time of the year to go to the zoo or something like that. Even though I would love to go bowling, I haven't done that in years, and I don't think I could stand the smoke that is usually associated with bowling alleys.

My mom and I used to watch bowling on TV and really enjoyed it. I remember that Don Carter was a favorite. Right now I don't remember any of the others. When I was in jr. high or high school, I was on a bowling team in a league for teenagers that met on Saturdays, and I loved it! (I know I have a picture of the team around here somewhere, but I haven’t found it yet. I do remember that my top score was 192. I don’t remember my average.) We called ourselves The Deadbeats. Yes, that's an odd name for a bowling team, but there was a reason for that.

There was a TV show that was very popular with teens back then. (My guess would be between 1957 and 1959) It was on fairly late at night, probably on a Friday or Saturday. I hope that the name of it and more details will come back to me but all I can remember right now is that it was spooky in a hokey sort of way, and we kids loved it. The host was a guy who dressed like a vampire, and every once in awhile there would be a flash of lightening on the screen. The lightning was very distinctive, and even today I’ve seen that same flash used quite often when such a thing is required on TV. Sometimes I’ve even said to myself “That’s the lightning from–––––––“ and I’ve said the name of the show, so I know it’s in my brain somewhere. (Help, does anyone know? I tried calling my brother to ask if he remembered, but he wasn’t home.)

Anyway, to make a short story long—on this TV show was a musical group that was funny. I remember that one time they sang “I Ain’t Got No Body” and appeared as a group of singing, heads that kind of bounced around as they sang. The name of the group was The Deadbeats. It was a fun group, so we decided to name our team after them. At the time I couldn’t imagine why the manager of the league thought that was a terrible label to put on our team. It wasn’t until later that I learned that a deadbeat was someone who didn’t pay his bills, but hey, for us it had a much different connotation.

Isn’t it interesting that we can start out writing about a subject and something will trigger memories that cause the subject to go in a completely different direction? I just decided to let it flow and see where it would take me. It’s been fun.

We're Back!

We had four days in the Los Angeles area last week. California--land of incredibly tall skinny palm trees; bird of paradise flowers, and wax begonias blooming in February; very neatly trimmed trees and hedges; and crazy freeways either zipping along at 80+ mph or stopped. Well, yes, I had been there before, but it had been a very long time. And distances. I had totally forgotten about that. It takes a long time to get somewhere, especially when there's so much traffic. I had no clue. Here at home we can drive for 5 or 10 minutes and be out in the country, and it takes only 15 minutes to get to the next town.

We had a couple of unusual things happen on the way out. Twice we had to wait about 20 minutes in the plane on the ground before disembarking because another plane was in our parking place. Then when we went to pick up our luggage at LAX one of our bags wasn't there. There was another one, a little smaller, that was the same flower-print green as mine, but it didn't belong to us. When he inspected the tag, Jim found a phone number belonging to someone named Katie. On the third try she answered the phone. When he told her that her bag was at the airport and we suspected that she had one of ours, Jim heard her say to someone in the car, "Dad we have to go back." She showed up 15 or 20 minutes later, and yes, she did have my suitcase. Wheeeeeew! When we gave her the other suitcase we also have her two pass-along cards, so it will be interesting to see if anything ever comes of that.

SO! Hopefully we have learned that when flying, always include a cell phone number on the luggage.

Being out there was sure nice. The temperature was usually somewhere in the 60's during the day. Being with family, however, was THE nicest part. We got to meet Elizabeth on Saturday, and she was blessed on Sunday. She's an incredibly good sleeper. Her mom and dad get around that by taking lots of pictures whether or not she's awake, so we did too.

We are so grateful to have been able to meet Elizabeth and be there for her blessing.

It's amazing how you can spend two hours holding a sweet baby on your lap and just stare at her while she sleeps. That's what Grandma did that first day. (awww)

All tired out from the big day. This is the dress that
Aunt Barbie made three years ago when cousin Kate
was blessed. Aunt Barbie also made this quilt
for Elizabeth.


Grandpa got to hold Elizabeth a lot too. We love this picture.

This is also a favorite.
Aunt Kirsten thought Elizabeth was pretty special.

Lovely Mama

Happy Papa

She looks so familiar to me. Betsey says that's because she
looks like Peter. I'm not really sure who she looks like
--all the kids I guess, and my brother.

Peter planted a few squeaky kisses on her head. It was very cute.

She really does have red hair!
Awake and Smiling

Coming back was a bit of a shock. The first leg of our trip home took us to Dallas. As we took off from Dallas the captain announced that the temperature here at home was 16 degrees. A little later he announced that it had gone down to 12 degrees. As we were landing he said it was then 9 degrees. We had copious amounts of snow and ice. Six inches had fallen that day and the previous night, and our car was coated with a pretty thick layer of ice. Jim had us wait in the airport while he went to the car and scraped ice for about a decade. Good move I think. By staying in I missed much of the lunar eclipse that was going on at the time, but we stayed warm.

Put Your Head Down and Slide

When we first moved here we had only one car. Jim was in the AFIT program so he was in school full time. We also had a handicapped daughter who was in an early intervention pre-school program and needed transportation so I really needed the car. Jim solved that problem by riding his bike to work/school. I wish I had a picture of the things he did to prepare his bike, and himself. He had a basket for carrying his books, etc., and he also put a slow-moving-vehicle sign on the back of his bike. You’ve seen them—the big red triangle on the back of tractors, etc. You could definitely see him coming—or going as the case may be.

This was in the days before bicycle helmets, so he wore a motorcycle helmet. (I’m glad he did, as you will see later.) The helmet was to protect his head in case of accidents, but it was also handy for keeping the rain out of his eyes, and sleet off his cheeks. Get the picture? He rode all during the year—in all kinds of weather. He dressed in layers, and showered when he got to work/school. One day when the weather was especially bad—it was snowing and sleeting at the same time I believe, a car passed him. As it was passing the guy cranked down his window and yelled “you’ve got to be crazy!” Jim chuckled as he was telling me the story, because he thought the guy was a little nutty for rolling down his window in that kind of weather.

Well one day when he came home Jim didn’t look so good. He was smiling, but the shoulder on his jacket was torn up and ragged, his sleeve was filthy, his pants on that side were scraped, and his helmet was scratched up. I couldn’t imagine what had happened.

At that time it was still cold outside, but most of the snow was gone and the streets were clear. He went around a corner (and I’ve seen him take those corners—he doesn’t mess around) and met with sudden disaster. At the intersection there was a slight dip all across the road where some water had accumulated and then frozen. He hit that frozen strip, the bike slipped to the side, and BAM down he went. The really embarrassing thing is that there was a school bus full of kids (probably every one of them an excellent bike rider) stopped at the corner. He thought “Oh no!” But there wasn’t anything he could do at that point, so he just leaned the side of his helmeted head down on the pavement and slid until he stopped. By putting his head down like that he took most of the pressure off his shoulder and arm. We retired what was left of the jacket at that point, but if I remember right, he didn’t have a scratch on him. His pride was hurt worse than anything else.

So sometimes those things happen—times where we have to put our pride aside, go with the flow and just do what needs to be done.

The first time I used a wheelchair was like that for me. We went to the Columbus Temple open house. I knew that walking the whole way would be hard enough that I probably wouldn’t enjoy it very much, so I elected to use a chair. Once I got in the chair it felt SO weird. I felt like everyone was staring at me and I wanted to sink into the nearest hole. However, outside of that I was able to go through the whole open house and enjoy myself and not be totally worn out.

How about you? Have you had any times when you just had to put your head down and slide? Any that you could care to share?

Has This Ever Happened to You?

Something weird just happened. I had just completed a blog entry and was tweaking it a little. When I pushed "View Blog" it had disappeared! Any ideas? I wonder if I need to compose in a word document first just for safe keeping? ????

And Let Your Soul Delight in Fatness

I have a friend who is going through a severe trial--again. She commented how helpful it is to have the support of other people, because she feels terribly alone in what she's going through. I've pondered her situation--and wept for her, and prayed for her--and I remembered something. Some years ago, during a Relief Society lesson, a sister told of a realization she had during a time when she and her husband were having severe trials with one of their daughters. What came to her is that even though we may be going through something with another person, we really each face our trials alone. Even though she and her husband supported each other, and she was extremely grateful for that, the only way she achieved real solace was through prayer--deep heart-felt, gut-wrenching, down-on-your-knees prayer.

Tremendous comfort can also be ours through the scriptures. I realized that some years ago, but I had to do it in my own way. I have a short attention span. (I also told my kids that I have been blessed with a short memory, so I tend to take good notes to compensate.) In 1995 I received what I know was a personal revelation. I was even told what store to go to! I knew there was something important for me at Office Max. I went down there with no clue as to what I was looking for, but I had a feeling that I would know when I found it.

I made my way slowly down the first aisle, looking to the right--and there it was. What practically jumped off the shelf at me was a Gold Fibre Designer Project Planner, 9 1/2 in. by 7 1/2 in. No. 20-817. Huh? And what am I to do with this?

I don't remember now if it came to me in the store what I was to do with it, or if I figured that out later, but I went home with my new-found treasure. Over the next few years three others came to join it.

This sample page is out of my scripture notebook #2. I chose this page because it not only contains scriptures, but it shows a few quotes as well. Over time I came to include both. These little books turned out to be ideal for me because:

• There is a place at the top center of the page to write the
  topic or topics.
  
• To the right is the page number, followed by
  
• The date that page was started
  
• To the left is a column where I can write comments.
  
• There is also lots of space in which to record scriptures
  and quotes.

If a topic has lots of entries, they are continued on the back. Sometimes there are so many that it's necessary to start a new page. When that happens I just start it on the next empty page, and put a "see also" not only on the new page, but also on the original one.

The topic of the page shown above is Forgiveness/Repentance. It is page 102 and was started 1 Jan 1996. It says:

1. Forgiveness! What a wonderful way to start a new year.

See "Unexpected visitation" in Topics--Forgiveness.

[Note: Not only do I have scripture notebooks, I also have

a whole section of topics on the computer that I add to

over time. I really enjoy synthesizing information.]

2. Matt 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses,

your Heavenly Father will also forgive you.

3. Psalm 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and

mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my

transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the

iniquity of my sin.

4. Heard on the radio "Perhaps I can't forget, but I

can choose to not remember."

5. "Forgiveness means to write it off. Let it go. Tear up

the account. It is to render the account cancelled."

(Boundaries, by Cloud & Townsend)

6. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness.

7. Mosiah 26:30…As often as my people repent will I

forgive them their trespasses against me.

8. Moroni 6:8 …As oft as they repented and sought

forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven.

Please note: Originally I made colored index tabs and put them at the top of the pages. Over time I stopped using them in favor of a typed, cross-reference index which makes it a lot easier to find things. Also, I regret that I usually have not included dates on the individual entries.

I have found it to be great fun to read from the top down and see how well the entries fit together even though they are from different sources at different times.

I'd like to close with a few entries from page 134 the topic of which is Read the Scriptures:

For the Lord giveth wisdom: Out of His mouth cometh
knowledge and understanding. (Prov. 2:6)

…Hearken diligently unto me, and remember the
words which I have spoken; and come unto the Holy
One of Israel, and feast upon that which perisheth
not, neither can be corrupted, and let your soul
delight in fatness. (2 Nephi 9:51)

I love the metaphor of a fat soul. How comforting that sounds! (I know there are also several scriptures that refer to fat bones. Fat bones sounds to me like a possible remedy for osteoporosis!)

Jim commented that "You can never get too much of the word of God." He also said, "Getting fat on the word of God does not give you cholesterol problems!" (I like that!)

Dr. David Jeremiah once said "If we feast on food we lose our appetite after awhile, but if we feast on the word of God, we get hungrier for more." (Turning Point radio program.)

Everything's Just Ducky

These are from "Elizabeth, Week 3." Click HERE to see more.

Daddy/Daughter matching Shirts!

Elizabeth reminds me of someone in this picture. I think it's my brother. I'll have to check some old pictures. Wouldn't you like to be this peaceful?

I saw it! He caught a fish THIS big!

I'm Really Excited

We're going to go to California for Elizabeth's blessing! That means we're going to get to meet this little cutie and hold her and get acquainted.

We're going to take along the dress that Aunt Barbie made three years ago for Kate's blessing.
The dress was pretty big on Kate (pictured here) but it worked just fine. I'm sure it will be great for Elizabeth too.

Kirsten is excited about going along. Betsey, and our ferocious guard dog Angie, will be holding down the fort here at home.