Sunny Room

Hello, Our bedroom and the office are the sunniest rooms in the house. In the winter time I am so happy there. Perhaps its comfort induces me to spend too much time using the computer. Some days I hope to write more letters that go through the mail, but it often does not happen. It just seems too warm and cozy. Yesterday while talking to Brian on the phone, I watched a squirrel build a nest in the tree outside. This critter would dash down the tree a short distance, nip off a short branch, only to trot back up, quickly tuck the small twig with evergreen leaves (On an evergreen tree, what are the green parts called?), to stick it with other branches already gathered making a rounded place between bigger branches. It repeated this process again and again. Birds like this tree as well. Mostly it is sparrows, but there was a cardinal yesterday as well as a robin. On the way home from work, I often see a group of wild turkeys. I would like them in the lawn, but really, I am glad it is just the smaller species for now. At certain times of day, it is hard to see the computer because the sun comes in too much. Since it is a laptop, I can move it around, no real complaining here. Paula

Walking In the Wind

Hello, Yesterday we took a quick walk in the wind. It was a long walk, but with the wind behind us, we went fast. On a bike, we would have sailed. Today is about the same wind, but we have not been out there for a walk, yet. I did hang out sheets and five other things, but it was necessary to keep a close eye on the line because I did not want any clothes to escape. In spite of the initial freezing temperature, they almost totally dried. It will be nice to go to bed on fresh air sheets, tonight. On Wednesday evening the furnace quit working. It came back on before we left for work the next morning. A repair person looked at the works, oiled it. So now it is a decision for our landlord if it is better to get a new part or replace the whole thing. It has been working which is very nice indeed. We are so grateful. Yesterday Leroy and I went to another hearing aid company. We have another appointment next Friday. Leroy is aiming at the end of April to make a decision and purchase. There are certainly a lot of models out there. With all of this testing he is becoming very aware that he does not hear all things. It must be one of those things that when it goes away gradually it is not so noticeable to the person. Paula

Tight hip flexors and other mysteries

Hello, I have been doing yoga for a long time, often more than once a week. How does it happen that I have such tight hip flexors that I have difficulty doing certain postures? Supposedly it makes a difference if one sits too much, but I often spend time up and moving around. One of the problems is that my toes cramp in certain positions. This has been the case for about the last year or two. Before that my toes did not care what I asked of them. Now they protest painfully until I straighten them. When I get a toe cramp, I move my leg so it does not hurt thus not doing the pose. A long time ago I used to get cramps in my calves, but have not had that happen for years and years. How could I think I had golden colored slip-on shoes? This morning they revealed themselves to be brown. Did those cataracts obscure my sense of color so much? I had not gotten these shoes out for some time. How can my white thanksgiving cactus have that orange bud on it? I thought it was just an anomaly when it appeared in the fall. I checked and there is a white flower on the connecting branch. How can just one branch produce a different color flower? I have never seen such a thing before this year. Why do I go to the grocery store with a list and never look at it? Today I realized I had done that so I had to “leave the 99” and go back for the one missed item. At least I was still in the parking lot when I remembered it. It was a relatively simple matter to go back. Paula

Funeral and Taxes

Hello, We got a call yesterday to tell us that our tax papers were ready. All we had to do was pick them up and sign them. It was a drive across town in the rain, but we had a dry warm car. We did stop off at the post office to mail some papers to someone who was going to be driving to New Mexico. They had questions about what we had liked about our trip. They were also interested in places to see and places to eat or stay. Because of all the meals that were included in our trip our knowledge was a bit limited, but we could tell them were we had stayed as well as the few restaurants that we ate at. Two of the days we had “box lunches” so we could not talk about them very much. It was a day of death and taxes? In the afternoon we went to the funeral of a choir friend. The choir sang and that felt good. Leroy and I wore masks, as did two other people. We felt very much in the minority, but I feel it is a bit safer for Leroy. The man who died is my age. That rather startles me that he died because he seemed in good health. He had been at choir just two days before his stroke. It makes me realize that we walk a narrow line between death and life. I go to work tomorrow while Leroy will stay home. If possible, I will mix a batch of bread before I leave. Leroy is quite capable of baking us if I have the dough for him to manage. One thing nice about working on Saturday is that I come home at four. Monday I will do that same schedule because some of my coworkers have morning obligations. Again, it will be nice to come home and have the evening here. In spite of death and taxes, most of life is a continuation of routine. Paula

Group Travel

Hello, Someone asked me how much our road scholar trip cost. Apparently once the money leaves our bank account, I forget about it. I could not remember, but gave an amount. The amount was quite a bit more than reality. We did have to get there on our own which added to the cost. Seems to me there is no point in thinking about it since it is a done deal. We learned a lot. That is one thing I like about travel. Having a guide or leader gave us many more insights than we would ever have acquired on our own. Maybe it is my personality, but I am quite happy to have someone else plan out the details and I just sit back and enjoy the trip. One woman who had been on 30 trips commented that we were one of the best groups that she had ever been with. It was helpful that we were always on time or ahead of time getting on the bus. People were also generally quite flexible and able to deal with changes. Our leader had to deal with the snow and how to accommodate for that. We were able to do almost everything that had been planned in the schedule. It was so nice to reconnect with some of Leroy’s seminary classmates and spouses. Leroy graduated from seminary in 1975. For most of the intervening years, we had not seen much of each other. There is something to be said for the later years in life with no kids at home and not so many job responsibilities. Is this the golden years? I am starting to look forward to really retiring at the end of this calendar year. Paula

Good Trip

Hello, We have been busy since we came home on Saturday. I have to go to work in about an hour so not much update here. I noticed that I missed my electric toothbrush. Wow, how clean are my teeth now? I did not need to take so many tissues. Hotels have these items. Seeing friends is the best!! New learning is great, but some of it falls out the other side of my brain. (Smart Leroy took notes. Take a small note book next time.) Around the world and across the country there is a nice mix of the same human characteristics. Helpers are everywhere. We are well blessed with multiple layers of clothes. It is nice to let someone else deal with the bus that breaks down. Paula

We Will Be Gone

Hello, Leroy and I are leaving tomorrow for a trip to New Mexico that goes from Saturday to Saturday. I will not be writing during that time. We are not taking a tablet and I do not care to write on my phone. Friends from the seminary days will also be there. It is fun to think of spending some time with them. Leroy has packed and I am working on it. It is not easy to figure out what to take with us. We checked temperature but we are still not sure. We also like to take the minimum of luggage, because we do not like hauling it around. Even the company that we are doing it with suggested washing clothes and drying them in the room. I wish I had more quick dry things. I would really like to take more pairs of shoes, but they are room hogs. I lost a glove today when we were out delivering neighborhood newsletters. I am disappointed because I had thought about taking that pair with me. Oh well I have more gloves to choose from. Leroy is all fussed about what coat to take. He will have layers, but still wants to be warm enough. I will take my packable down coat and hope it is not too warm. Other layers will go with me as well. Remember you will not hear from me for a week. Paula

Crazy Work Schedule

Hello, Yesterday we were invited to a Shrove Tuesday pancake lunch. Because I work on Tuesday, I managed to figure out a plan that was fine with my boss. I did Tai Chi in the morning as a one hour volunteer time, followed by work time of an hour and a half. It was a good thing I was there because two of my colleagues had story time away from the building. The person who was to be there came half an hour late without explanation. After that I came home where I raced around packing my evening meal and deciding what clothes to wear to the gathering and work. Leroy picked me up and we rode together to the event. We thought we were not a minute early, but we were still the first people there. We enjoyed the whole grain seeded pancakes as well as the visiting. There were fruits and applesauce to top along with syrups. Leroy dropped me off at home before he proceeded to go to the rest of his work day. I gathered my things and drove to work. Our open hours have changed. We now open at 9:00 am. and close at 7:00 pm. most of the days of the week. That means I get home an hour earlier than usual. I do go an hour early which will take some learning on my part. It was nice to be home early, but there was certainly more traffic at that time. Leroy has always waited to wash dishes until I bring home my lunch things. Now he can complete that task earlier. Nice for him. Paula