Volunteering Mondays

Hello, I volunteer on Mondays at the organization that gives out meals M-F. almost every time I have been out of town recently has involved two Mondays. I am out of town for the next two Mondays. When I told them, I would be gone, I apologized. It is hard to get some tasks accomplished if volunteers are not regular. Both of the people I work under said, “Go enjoy yourself. We will see you in two weeks.” Today there were some large donations of food that we need to date and shelve. That took a bit of time and squinting to read the “best by dates”. Our large marker dates are easier to read when distributing food. It amazes me how many cans of green beans are there and then the next time I come they are almost gone. All of the donated foods are weighed as they come in. Not sure what happens to that information, but it seems to be required. I helped make sandwiches from the donated chicken. They also get a lot of donated hamburger buns, hot dog buns, and loafs of bread. If the breads have been there for some time, and they too are dated, we check to make sure it is still good. Today I threw away quite a bit of it. Bothers me to throw out food, but most of this food is being saved before the business would have to throw it away. It also bothers me that so many people in this country are food insecure. Something is certainly wrong, but I do not know how to fix it. Paula

Understanding

Hello, It is amazing how a simple thing can be misunderstood. For instance, when is it this week and when is it next week? For me Sunday is the first day of the week. Saturday it would be the last day of this week. When it is Saturday, such as it is today, any days after Sunday would be next week. I do not know if this is the standard or if is just the way I see it to be. The person I was speaking with was not interpreting it that way. She thought I was talking about a week from the coming Thursday when I said, “Next Thursday.” We solved it all by using the calendar and dates. It is easy to see how things get misunderstood and resentments happen when we could not easily have a conversation about the days of the week when something was going to happen. And we expect world peace and good relationships to happen among people who do not speak the same language. Being an interrupter is certainly a heavy responsibility. Look at how many different takes there are on the same Christian Bible. Even the written word is open for some variation in understanding. People need to be open to different ideas in order to have a good respectful conversation. Paula

Connected Again

Hello, Because of an upgrade, our internet was down when we came home. Now today it is finally back after a bit more than two weeks without. We did “borrow” from a good neighbor, but it feels better now to know it is back. We had to buy a new router, but it did not connect. Brian tried to help, but could not manage. Then a person tried over the phone, but they were unsuccessful as well. The first technician, who came to the house, did learn that the router worked, but there was not feed in from the outside. He said, “I will have them send a bucket truck to get up to the pole. They should come tomorrow or the next day.” No one came or even contacted us. Leroy called once again and spent a long time on the phone. This person also could not get it connected. He set up an appointment for a technician to come in three days. The technician who came today was very good and got the thing going. He put his ladder up to the pole, climbed up and fixed. He said, “They did not reconnect us after they had completed the update.” We had to call Brian to help us get the router up and working for us, with user name and password. I learned a little more about facetime and making the screen larger. Now hopefully I will remember that if I need it in the future. This shows how much we are dependent on the internet connection. Every day we missed it. Paula

Hot Days

Hello, While in DC we took a little trip to visit Yorktown which was an important battle influencing the outcome of the revolutionary war. It was an interesting place. I do not remember this battle from my history class. It was often a battle between ships trying to gain important trade routes.

The next day we went to Williamsburg to see an historic area where European settlers made a long-lasting settlement. It is a tourist area now with people wearing period costumes and working in the old ways. People seemed to be well versed on history and could answer many questions pertaining to earlier times. There were also some reenactments. It was quite a hot day and we started to notice that the crowd was about a third the size in the afternoon.

It is very hot here today with temperatures in the 90’s. There was a history walk in our neighborhood. It was very interesting about the early life of Grant Wood. He and his family lived in the neighborhood. We went supplied with sun shirts, hats, and water. We managed to do the whole two hour walk. I had thought I might stop after an hour, but there was a breeze and when we stopped, we all stood in the shade. I sat on the ground some of the time and that helped too. The sun has cooked two of the pots of pansies at church. Not sure they will be revived with more water and being placed in a shadier place. Paula

Getting to the Airport

Hello, The bus had not come to the stop on time, according to the paper schedule we had. I tried to look up the location of the bus on my phone. For some reason I could not find that even though I have found it before. I felt a little panicky, but Leroy was calm. He figured we had possibilities since we have to start so early to take the bus. We could even walk home and drive if need be. The bus came with just enough time that we could catch the next bus for the airport. We did learn that there is a summer schedule. Also, I think this bus was a bit late as all the other buses were at the bus station. When we went home this bus was late coming to the station, but it helped that we did not have to catch any other transportation. A number of people were on all of the buses that we used. I am happy to see that. It helps the environment not to have so many cars on the road. We like using it to go to the airport because we do not have to park the car there for a week or more. Seniors ride free and there is a little guilt associated with that. We could pay as we do in the cities of our daughters. The buses do not run sometimes when we need a ride so than we do have to catch a ride with someone in a car. In DC we use the metro. It is so convenient. As it stops about a block and a half from their house. This time when I was looking at the map a public worked came up to help. Telling me where we should change trains and which side of the platform, we needed to be on to get to our destination. There are good people everywhere. Paula

What Time Zone?

Hello, In the last month our time zone experience has been: Midwest, Mountain, Midwest, Eastern, and Midwest. My body hardly knows when to go to bed or get out of bed. We will stay in this zone until after the fourth of July, when we will spend some time in Eastern time zone once again. The direct flight to Washington, DC was uneventful except for a delayed start. At least we did not have to fret about catching another plane. Going through TSA, I was asked, “Do you have anything dangerous (or some word like that) in this bag?” Nothing came to mind. He pulled out my travel silverware set that I have so I do not use plastic when eating out. It is my idea of doing my part to help the earth from becoming overcome with plastic. Unfortunately, the knife in this set was serrated. The man then said, “I know it is a butter knife, but the serration makes it unacceptable. You could take it back out to your car or check the bag rather than carry it on.” Since we came by bus and the cost of checking the bag is at least $35, the knife was gone. It saddened me. He suggested, “Look for a slim none serrated knife and it will be ok.” Cutting back on the plastic in my life is not an easy task. However, I did use my two sets of silverware at least three times on this trip so it helped a little. I was also very quick to tell the server not to give me a straw. When at home I almost never eat out, it is not a fast was to cut back on plastic, especially one-use plastic. According to the kid’s almanac, the plastic mass in the Pacific Ocean is twice the size of Texas. There are five such plastic garbage locations in the oceans. Paula

Graduation Number One

Hello, We were happy to be in person for Olivia’s graduation. Only two wishes that it would have been shorter than two hours and that we could have heard a little better. There were over 400 graduates, but it was the talks that made it all so long. After the program, it was a little hard to find the girl even though she is taller than I am. Seems everyone is taller than I am. How did I get short?

Afterwards we went out for a nice meal. With the family and all the grandparents. Tomorrow, we head east for another granddaughter graduation. It is a smaller class so maybe it will be a shorter event. Can you believe there was a time when we thought we would not have any grandchildren and now we are blessed with six of them. While we have been home, we have watered plants at church, unloaded and put some things away at church, discussed moving flowers when the construction starts in earnest, and worked at the meal last night. I served because they were short some people and Leroy stayed on the clean-up crew. It was nice to serve because I got to greet the people. Paula

Our Bus Trip To the Airport

Hello, Just ahead of our stop, the bus stops at the meal site where I volunteer. We could see that stop from ours. There was a long line of people waiting. A woman who eats at the site came to our bus stop. I have seen her there as well as at the church meals. I greeted her. She then said, “Some people won’t talk to me because my husband is in prison. He did not do the crime, but he is there anyway.” I sympathized a bit. Actually, I had not a clue what would be a good thing to say. After a bit she asked, “What would you say it is like for me with my husband in jail for a crime he did not commit?” “It must be terrible for you.” I said. “Thank you,” she said and then she went off to the laundry mat. I saw the bus stopping at the stop ahead of ours, even more people got in line. That woman missed the bus as well as another one she could have caught. Perhaps she wanted to avoid the other lunch people. The bus was quite full. I perched on the edge of a seat next to a very large guy who really needed more space. But at least it was a stable place for me. Leroy stood, but almost lost his balance as the bus started. At that a woman moved her things off the seat and onto her lap so he could sit. That was better. Paula

Being Busy Away From Home

Hello, Miriam does have some jobs for us to do while we are there. I do not think I did so much because I do like to keep busy and I wanted to contribute to the house being ready for the graduation party. We helped plant some flowers, weed, deadhead iris, move soil, and Leroy mowed. Leroy dusted a little and ran the vacuum in several places. I did a small amount of dusting. Humm, it seems I did a bit of sitting around while Leroy moved. He did finish one library book and started another. I only managed to finish one I made breakfast for us each morning and he did his exercises. Maybe those exercises gave him a lot of energy. Leroy helped Andy string some wire for the new water heater. He also helped Andy, Miriam, and Olivia get the new heater downstairs. While Nora, Svea, and I watched, ready to call 911 if there was a mishap. I did make granola three times. The first batch was all gone and about half of the second, but since some of them like it so well, it was good to get a third batch made. I also went shopping for the ingredients. Some of them were in the bulk foods section and it takes a bit of energy to decide if I had the proper amount. So I was working. We took the dogs for some walks along with anyone else who wanted to go. Those dogs sense when we were going on a walk and they trotted right over. Paula

The Home trip

Hello, Our trip home started with ease, although I always get a little anxious about it all. We got to the airport in plenty of time. At the check in kiosk, it had no record of Leroy checking in even though he is sure he did that. I wondered if he clicked on all the possibilities. A kind woman helped us. But then the next thing was that it did not show that we had paid for the, to be checked bag. I was sure that this had been taken care of because we had gotten a receipt for the purchase. Course I did not find that on my phone. We just went ahead and repaid plus an addition amount because we were doing it at the airport. The friendly woman assured us that when we found the receipt our money would be refunded. The rest of the check in and security check went quite smoothly. Although my backpack was pulled out of line and checked. I had a bag of nuts in there and she said, “It is alright, but it showed up as a mass and we need to check those.” Once seated at the gate I calmly searched my email for the receipt and found it. Leroy suggested I take it to the agent at the desk. That was a great idea. The agent saw the purchase and commented, “I do not know why that did not show downstairs. Your last bag purchase will be refunded, but it will not show up for a couple days.” I was pleased to get that done and it did not involve a phone call. Paula

Happenings

Hello, We are leaving tomorrow for Utah for the high school graduation of our oldest grandchild and a niece’s daughter. We leave in the afternoon. It seems like a long wait as usually we fly in the morning. But we can manage to find some patience. Yesterday just after putting some new children’s books in the little free library, a couple walked by with their toddler. I got their attention and told them I had just put in some board books. With the first one the kid’s eye lit up and there was a big grin on his face. He was pleased with two more. His mother told me, “We have found books in here before. It is so nice. We will read this when we get home.” I was happy to hear that. What a good thing when people can find books that work for them. A large tree about four blocks from our house had died. It was taken down this week. It is really an art to take down such a tall tree in a city. We think the tree was perhaps 80 feet tall as it was much taller than the two-story house it was next to. The trunk was easily three feet in diameter. It did not have a single leaf on it, but I remember walking and enjoying its shade. Paula

Life Changes

Hello, When we had kids at home, we were not financially able to manage trips that much more than a few day’s drive. Now our grandchildren have been many places, some around the world. They can never really know what it was like to grow up like I did when at 4:00 pm we had to be home because the cows would need to be milked. It was years before I was comfortable staying somewhere after four as it seemed to be time to leave. There was no arguing this point the cows were important. When growing up it was rare to have a death of someone that I knew very well. That has changed now. I am not always close to the person, but I certainly know many who die and I have even laughed with them. It seems to me that laughter is a more intimate connection. As a young person, people my age only rarely had bodily aches and pains. Now it is a matter of course as people have both mental and physical issues to deal with. I notice some changes in myself. Generally, they are not such a big deal, but some are rather annoying. I could work to regain any strength that I have lost, but the truth is I only talk about it and do not lift weights. So far that has not achieved any positive results. Can you imagine that just thinking something does not make it happen? Paula

Seminary Graduation 50 Years Ago

Hello, Wow, it has been fifty years since Leroy graduated from seminary. That meant a move to his first parish in Missouri Valley, Iowa. He had to learn how to be a pastor and I had to learn the role of pastor’s wife. Actually, the learning went on for many years as each place is a bit different. Even in one place people come and go changing the dynamic. Leroy and I went back to the seminary for a celebration of this event. It produced less positives than we wanted. When Leroy graduated there were two seminaries that have now merged. His was the smaller of the two schools. There was only one couple there that we knew from days past.

It was good to see them again, even if we travel with them and had been together in April. We did have some interesting conversations with people we just met. Too bad we did not know them from the past.

We stayed with Brian the night before the event. That was nice to spend a bit of time with his family. They were a busy with work and school so there was not much time together except for being with Brian who is done for the summer since he works for a college. We drove in rain most of the way there and back. I now know how to use the windshield wipers on Leroy’s car. We were happy to have purchased tires that stop a bit better in the rain. We had one sudden stop and they did a good job. Paula

Second Bike ride of the year

Hello, Our church had a bike ride to promote Church World Service. We participated in that. I was happy that they had the start in such a place that it was three miles one way. It was a beautiful day with gentle breezes, sunshine, and ice cream at the half way point. Leroy commented on the number of people he had never seen at a CROP walk. Hopefully this will help them realize that their support of that event is needed as well. It was good to see so many families out enjoying the day. It was an added bonus to have crossing guards at the major roads. Usually, I have to come to a stop to evaluate the safety before crossing. Part of it was a beautiful mile ride under a canape of trees. Helps me think I must get out and ride some more. This is a nice trail. My seat would be more hardened for this if I did it more often. Legs would be stronger too. Paula

The Type of Weather

Hello, This type of weather dictates that I have three different weights of pjs at the ready. Cool, medium weight, and warm for those cool nights. There are also shorts, capris, long pants and sweatpants handy for whatever the day brings. Layers on the top keep me comfortable. This is all a first world problem because I have so many choices and do not need to put up with what comes. Comfort is a possibility. How rich I am. There was talk of a storm this morning, but it did not come. Now this afternoon the wind is blowing strongly and the sky is getting dark, but it might just blow over. We could use a nice rain. Leroy has new tires on his car so it is ready for the road. Neither of our cars have many miles on them. We walk and ride our bikes when we can and that does make a difference. Paula

Gardens Visited

Hello, On our trip east we visited three gardens. I enjoyed all of them. The first was at the Biltmore Estate. The house was the picture of amazing opulence and space. But the garden was beautiful and restful with ponds, fountains, and conservatory.

The season was more advanced in the south so there were beautiful flowers outdoors as well. It would be fun to go in more seasons to see the changes. Not sure that we made it to all areas of the garden. One thing about being on a bus tour, there are time constraints. But I like having someone drive us to the entrance, get the tickets and meet us at the exit. South Carolina had Brookgreen Gardens which is quite fine with flowers and statues. In the past it was created and owned by a couple. The woman, Anna Hyatt Huntington, was a sculptress. Many of her pieces are in the garden. They are beautiful. They also worked to preserve native eastern plants and animals. Thus, preserving the local feeling. It was beautiful and informative.

The last garden toured was The Elizabethan Gardens in NC. It was also beautiful and interesting. It was designed to be like a garden in the time of Queen Elizabeth I. It was also fun to see and soak up the ambience. Again, the flowers were much ahead of those around here. Trees were totally in their leafed out in summer finery.

Paula

Flapping Plastic Bags

Hello, Flapping Plastic Bags may not sound like much, but when it is one hour and forty-five minutes worth, it is a long time to flap. I volunteered this morning at the site where they serve meals and hand out food to people in need. Several other volunteers were there. They had many plastic bags donated. They were mostly in larger bags. My job was to separate them, spread them out and put one inside the other to make them stronger. I did manage to record a lot of steps doing this. It helped me when three elementary age kids helped and visited making the time pass more quickly. Another adult came a bit later. We managed to make the bag storing area neat and ready for use. While it was a tedious job, I am happy that these bags get a second use. I have to say if you donate plastic store bags here are some ideas about what is good. Do not have any trash in them or receipts. If they have large holes, they are not usable. Although this place knows someone who will take the torn ones and make a mat out of them that the homeless can use so they do not sleep on the ground. Clean bags are also appreciated. Each day at this place they have some things that will be available for people to take home. Odd sized bags went on that table. The other double bags were for use when people come in for a food supply. Leroy learned today that our tire in not repairable. After some consideration we decided to buy tires from the local guy who does our car repair. They were a little more expensive, but we hope this helps keep him in business. He has certainly been good to us. Paula

Where Does Time Go

Hello, It seems days and years go by faster than I can keep track. How does it happen that days in retirement can be so filled I do not know where they went? Last evening along with another couple we planted some flowers at church. I thought we could do it in an hour, but not quite. After that, Leroy and I had clean-up time at the Saturday evening meals. A couple helped with that. They had never done it before, but they stepped right up and were a big assist. It helped that we only served about 140. So, it was a bit slower than usual. We were quite tired when we got home. Not much productive was done after that. This morning, we went in early and watered plants again. I certainly notice the heat. It slows me down. Paula

Miles Traveled

Hello, On that 13-day bus trip to the Carolinas we moved around a lot. There were 3,880 bus miles, 30 ocean miles (on the ferry with the bus), and 20 river miles (on a tour in Savanah, GA). Leroy and I also put on 740 car miles to get to and from the starting point. We went through ten states plus our stating state so we could add one more for a total of eleven states. We have enjoyed our experiences with the company. It was a lot of sitting, but very interesting stops generally. When we were on the bus, we always heard information about the state we were entering. Our guide also gave much information about the places that we were close to, but not stopping. At least two times there were traffic problems with an accident or some such event. It was nice to know that I did not have to deal with any issues, but just relaxed and waited to move on. It was good to know there was a toilet in the bus if needed. It only rained when we were on the bus or at a motel for the night. It was generally sunny and beautiful. In future writings you will get to learn about the places we went. Paula

Home For a While

We got home yesterday afternoon. Lots of unpacking, sorting, and putting away occupied a bit of time. It was plant moving time as they were in the kitchen for watering ease when we were gone. We also looked at the mail that had been held at the post office. Surprise, surprise this included three Christmas cards. It was fun to get mail out of season. The grocery store was an important stop. There was very little in the refrigerator. I like to clean out much of it when the trip lasts more than a week. Leroy and I drive about six hours to get to the bus leaving place. It is quite a bit, but this company is good. They store the cars in a building so they are not subject to any weather incidents. We did find that we had a tire low on air pressure. It is low again today. It will be attended to on Monday. I thought you might like to see a picture of the bus as well as the driver and the guide.

The guide and the driver are very capable. It is so nice to have someone else take care of details. Paula

Would it Happen or Not

Hello, I have developed a strange sleep pattern. I fall asleep quite easily, but wake around 3 am to find sleep illusive. Sometimes I drift away, but never seem to reach real sleep. Last night, in the driftless region, I got thinking about what I would do with a billion dollars. You know a million is too small to make much difference. Without giving things particular numbers, I thought about all of the places I would like to give money. Especially those places that have been cut and it is noticeable to the poorest in our country. Refugees, people who depend on Medicaid, people who are food insecure, homeless with no shelter, people without health insurance, and those dealing with mental health issues. All of these groups were getting millions from me when I figured out what organization to give it to. Then I wondered, if I had that much money would I really be altruistic? It seems that so often when people have so much money they just want to make more and ignore the needs around them. Would I be sucked into that vortex as well? Paula

Tai Chi

Hello, Our tai Chi instructor is back from the winter months in a warmer place. I am glad for their return. Even though it was available on line in real time, it is great to have help right in the building. It is easy to miss things without a good camera person and just the camera on the laptop. We always visit some before and after class and I like those times as well. As we are learning, social interactions are of great important for our lives and health. Leroy and I are getting a bit of social expansion with our volunteering. We were at church briefly today. We were asked to help out more on Friday. It does not take long for someone to think of an area where more hands are a good thing. Along with helping with food delivery for the meals, we will stuff bulletins for Sunday. I can believe it will be a big job. We are happy to do it, but we are leaving on our bus trip on the Monday after Easter. I had thought of doing some other things in the time. We will manage to get it all done. I have some plants to put out that I kept over the winter. I think the geraniums can go out as well as the amaryllis. The real question is, where should they be planted? Could there be a late frost? Paula

Woosh!

Hello, I took a walk this afternoon. While on the sidewalk, I felt something brush my arm as I looked to see a young man on a scooter racing past. It was a motorized machine. I do not know how fast he was going, but I felt startled and a bit afraid afterward. I do not always walk is such a straight line as I look at the grass, flowers, sky, birds, or squirrels. If I had stepped over just a short way he could have hit me. That might not have had a good ending for me as he was quite a bit taller than I am and probably weighs more. He also had sped on his side. After that I kept looking back to see if anyone was racing up on me. Many walkers and runners pass me, but I can hear their steps before them are even with me. On the trail many bicycle riders say something before they go around. That is very helpful. Not many bikes ride on the sidewalk which is narrower than the trail. There is a lane for them on the street. Scooters with motors, should they be on the street too? When I volunteered today I learned that someone donated many cans of veggies that are out of date. They went out on the free table as they cannot be passed out when giving out bags of groceries, but if someone wants to take them, they may do so. In a good can the food is probably still good. We checked all cans to make sure they were still safe. It does bother me that people would hang on to these things for so long and then donate them. The cans were dusty and had bits of this and that on them. Paula

Afternoon Movie

Hello, This afternoon we watched a movie. I had borrowed the DVD from the library and it had been renewed once. So, it was time. The title is On the Basis of Sex. We both enjoyed it. It gives a bit of the story of the life of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Sometimes I forget how restrictive life was for women. One of the issues that was brought up was that women took jobs from men who needed to support their families. When I was subbing in the schools while Leroy was at seminary, I was in one of the high schools. The librarian there told me that she was told a job was not given to her, but to a man because he needed to support his family. At the time she was a widow with five children. No one asked about her need for a job. I can hardly imagine not being able to have a credit card in my name, but that was the case in my early adult life. The job possibilities for women were certainly limited. I knew I did not want to be a nurse or secretary so teacher it was. When I got to college, I learned that other women had more vision of the world and pursued other career choices. Paula

What Flowers to buy

Hello, A few years ago, I started to help water the flowers at church then the job increased to getting some flowers for church. We, along with another person who also provided flowers, decided when to start this for the season. This year a couple people have been urging us to get flowers for Palm Sunday. I said, “I would not like to do that because it seems too early. I refuse to take them in and out with lower temperatures. That is too much of a twice daily task.” After the final push, I agreed to see if I could find some flowers that tolerate lower temperatures. Yesterday we stopped at a big box lumber store. They had two selections that were touted at going to the frost time. To me that says they will deal with low temperatures. We got three of one kind that I do not remember the name, but they are beautiful. There are two pots of pansies and dusty miller combined.

Hopefully we will only have to take them in and out a couple times. After Easter, Leroy and I will be gone so they may die. The other flower provided found some hydrangeas that were not so terribly expensive. She got five of those. I think we are covered for Palm Sunday and Easter. Later we will get some more that we do not worry about in the temperatures. Paula

Out and About

Hello, Both Leroy and I have had several reasons to be out and about. He counted money at church for the last time for a month. It took longer than usual because two people struggled to get the figures to be correct. All I can say is that it is a good thing he is doing this job not me since I switch numbers. I volunteered at the neighborhood meal service. I saw another one of my neighbors there getting food. It strikes me how vulnerable some are. I am glad there are resources for them to find help. We went to a talk about a birder who spent a year going around the USA on his bike to record birds. It was quite interesting. Made me feel like a bike riding wimp. He started in Boston in January in a snow storm. At some point the temperature was -10 F degrees. We don’t even walk below that temperature. He had beautiful pictures of many birds that I did not know even existed. Yesterday we spent much time at church. Leroy provided food for the men’s early morning bible study. I went to tai chi, not at church. Then we went to church service at noon and stayed for a vocal presentation. In the afternoon we came back for a meeting with some about volunteer jobs that will come as part of the renovation of the church. We stayed and ate at the church because we were on the cleanup crew after the meal. That was followed by choir practice. We were both rather tired at the end of the day. We also made granola in tandem in the morning. I started it and Leroy finished it. Paula

Lazy Weekend

Hello, Yesterday Leroy and I had nothing planned so we washed some clothes, hung them out and enjoyed the fresh air. It was rather cool, but our walk was long and kept us warm. We both spent quite a lot of time reading. I just finished Horse by Geraldine Brooks. Guess I must like race horses because this was about a horse named Lexington. Seabiscuit also took my attention when I read about him. Lexington was born before the civil war so he is much older. Someone at church said, “I have seen him!” when I talked about this book at book club. She saw the skeleton in Kentucky. Maybe some day I will see that too. This book also dealt with racism past and present. It was a thoughtful book but was easy to stick with it. It is a novel based on historical fact. Leroy went to a stamp event that is sponsored by the stamp club that he has joined. He was pleased to get rid of some books that he did not need. He also bought some stamps that his collection was missing. This evening, he went and helped with cleanup so it was a good thing for him. Paula

Ideas revisited

Hello, I am reading a book about women who have made a difference in the world. The reference to Hidden Figures made me realize that I wanted to see that movie again. I think that I also read the book in the past. Last night we watched the movie and both of us enjoyed it. There is another movie that I also checked out, but we have not yet seen it. It certainly brought to mind the time I grew up and the ideas that were passed on to me about racism and the role of women. It was quite good to be reminded of that and how some things have moved on, but some have not. Wondering what my role is in all of that. Paula

Clean up Job at Church

Hello, Leroy and I signed up for clean up after a meal at church last evening. It was not a big event so it was basically just the two of us. Leroy did the scraping and dishwasher running while I was on clean duty. That was a new job for me and I had a hard time with waiting for some clean dishes to put away. It was especially hard when I would see things that needed to be scraped and Leroy did not seem to move as fast as I would want him to do. At first another guy was helping with the chore, but then he went to eat and it was just Leroy on that duty. I tried to look busy, but it was not easy, so sometimes I went over and bossed Leroy around. That helped me a little, but maybe not him. The problem with the clean job is that clean and dirty do not mix. Once hands are prepped for clean work, they can not do dirty work unless they re-prep. Logically that makes a lot of sense as we want to have the dishes, etc. as clean as they can be. It is probably some type of law from public health. It certainly was hard on me as I kept wanting to help Leroy and just had to stand and watch him inch along. Paula

Left and Right Challenged

Hello, This is not an April’s fool’s joke. I went on a long walk today. Over half way around, I decided to check my steps on my phone. After I fussed with my phone a bit, I noticed that I did not have a ring on my finger. “Oh no,” I moaned, “I lost my wedding ring. Well at least it is insured.” Should I go back and look for it where I took off my glove? But just where was that? Should I seek out a metal detector? What is involved in replacing this ring? It was never attached to the diamond ring, but they fit together. Should I just forget about replacing it? But the insurance policy covers replacement, not just loss. I have lost a ring before in the cold weather, but I knew it right away. Frequently I do not wear rings because of this tendency. In the summer sometimes my hands swell and it is uncomfortable to remove them. I often do not wear them that season either. However, I wear my wedding ring all of the time. I looked again in my glove and realized that I was looking at my right glove so my ring should still be on my left hand. It was there! Problem solved. Now if I could just know left and right without having to figure which is which life might be simpler for me. Paula

Volunteering

Hello, There is no school today so the number of volunteers drops by about six people. It felt so busy without them. There seemed to be a lot of donations that needed to be dated and put on shelves. Then when the chicken came it was a big job to get it bagged up. I donated only about fifteen extra minutes, but it still was not done when I left. It is an internal mental struggle about quitting when I do not have a good excuse, but I am ready to leave psychologically and physically. Usually, things are very close to being done. I told one woman there about how our church reached a new high in the number of meals served on Saturday night. It is the last Saturday in the month which always makes it higher as people’s resources for food are running low. But 230 meals served is a lot when it is often around 150. On the last Saturday they also hand out some extras. This time it was boxes of cereal and a half gallon of milk. The woman at the Monday volunteer place commented that they usually serve about 120 meals on the weekdays and much of last week it was 140 meals. A woman also commented that her daughter has four kids, works two jobs and gets just a bit under $100 per month in SNAP benefits. That is not enough to keep them fed so she often buys food for them. And some think that the minimum wage is adequate. Paula

Day Trip

Friday, we went on a short, day trip mostly, so I could get some things out of the house. We took a brochure to a Monument company that is in Dubuque Iowa. They deal with tombstones. Why my mother had this I do not know. It was a little gift type brochure that had needles in it. We had quite an interesting chat with the woman who was working at the front desk. They were pleased to get this since they did not have any like it.

Following that stop, we went to a church that has over 100 Tiffany windows. It was quite amazing. There was one window that was not by Tiffany and it was possible to see the difference. Even the bathrooms had Tiffany windows.

There is a park in Dubuque where my family had reunions. I thought we would eat our packed lunch there. Unfortunately, it was not yet open for the season. After that we drove on to Elizabeth, IL to visit my brother and to give him my mother’s diaries that I had kept since her death. I told him, “I stored them for 20 years. Now it is your turn.” My sister-in-law said, “It has been 27 years.” I then added to his son, “In time it will be your responsibility.” The diaries are not so interesting. Mostly, mom recorded the weather and what crop might have been planted, or hogs sold on that day. No personal things. Paula

Plastic, Plastic, Plastic

Hello, Trying to keep the plastic out of our lives is not easy. Everywhere I look in the house, there is plastic. In the kitchen it is in the microwave, stove, dish detergent bottle and that is just stuff. It is not even about all the foods that came in plastic. Most of the nuts in the house are in plastic, frozen foods, and bread if we buy it. Pill bottles are also plastic. In the living room the clock has a plastic face, the TV must have much plastic in it, the remote is also a plastic case. Then there’s the bedroom. The clock has lots of plastic, the flower pots are plastic, some clothes have plastic in the construction, and zippers. In the office the laptop, printer, lamp, pencil holder, file cabinet tabs, and the list goes on. Limiting this stuff in the house takes a concerted effort that I find difficult to maintain. I buy soap that is not wrapped, but still keep a plastic bottle of soap for visitors. Body wash is in a plastic bottle, but I did buy a bar of shampoo although I have not tried it yet. I will use up the bottle of shampoo first. Sometimes price drives my decision to get more plastic incased product. However, I tend to feel a little guilty about that until I forget the purpose of my buying decision. Paula

Downsizing

Hello, There is a small book case with just three shelves in an alcove. Somehow it seems to be a magnet for things that have no home otherwise. I decided that I must tackle the things here. It is not an easy job. Many of them I have not looked at since we moved here 13 years ago. That should tell me that they are not so important in my life, however they seem too good to throw away. Would anyone else want them? I have gathered some in a bag to take to the museum in my home town. I also found a small brochure for a monument company in Dubuque. They are still in existence. I was able to send them an email about this item. Maybe they will want it for their history. I suspect that my family had dealings with them years ago. Some of the pictures on this shelf, will be shared with our children. They can decide what the future of those things will be. I do not look at the print copies and I can not imagine I will want to look at scanned copies. It would be easy to eliminate things if someone else wanted them. What I am doing is not really downsizing, but cleaning up and making it neater. And less weighty in my mind. Paula

Sleeping In

Hello, Leroy and I do not know how to sleep in. We had nothing on the agenda today except wash some clothes and do a little shopping. We got up, perhaps, a half hour later than usual. It seems that our bodies are already adjusted to the new time and wake up automatically. Leroy did do his exercises, but I did not. We have changed roles here. I always used to do them, and he did not. How does that change occur? We played some games tonight. One was Boggle. Leroy does not like to play this game and tolerates it because I like it. He managed to beat me with a score of 16, while I only had 4. The next round was about the same. I did manage to win the third time. I figure I no longer have to feel badly about beating him. See there is another change in our lives. I used to hop out of bed and be ready to go. Now Leroy almost always gets up before I do. I suspect some of that is that I wake up so many times in the course of the night. He also wakes up some in the night, but not as often. Paula

Plants in my house

Hello, I have a Rosette Sansevieria. A few years ago, the pot became crowded with six plants. I gave away all but one. it seemed that the lone plant was not growing and changing. Now it has changed it has become quite tall almost like a new species.

It is also sending out two shoots. I am not sure what the new shoots will grow into.

The amaryllis that I thought was too small to bloom, bloomed with two beautiful red flowers. The pink cactus put out two blooms and the lavender cactus produced two blooms. Frequently the second blooming has many flowers. Maybe just two helps me to appreciate their beauty. The coleus did not thrive as much this winter. It seems that maybe I should just cut them off and plant the salvaged stems outside. It is getting warmer all the time so soon they can be outside. I saved two geraniums. One is in a pot and it looks good. The other is in a jar with roots forming in the water. They will be good to go outside very soon as well. I always like plants in the house over the winter, but am happy to put some of them outside in the spring. Paula

Libraries

Hello, I like libraries. They have had a big influence on my life. When I was able to read my family took me to the library to get a library card. I had always liked books even though we did not have very many in the house. It was a wonderful thing to get to check out books, return them, and get more. I remember begging to go the library, unfortunately it was only open in the afternoons. My farmer dad did not want to go in the afternoon, but once I got that to happen it was insured, we would go back when the books were due. We did not have a school librarian until I was a junior in high school. I was impressed by the change in the selections and her help when I needed information to write a paper. Now, I am concerned about the fate of knowledge and learning in this country as there is a move to cut public funds to public libraries. Those people would have cost me the job of knowing about other things than just the world I occupied. Today, I also know that at the public library many homeless people go to spend the day. Some of them read the newspaper and some just visit and get warm. There are people who say they should get a job, but to do that they need the library and its computers since they need to apply to many jobs on line and not in person with a piece of paper. It seems that the foundation of many things is changing and being cut off. But it saves us from paying many taxes. Is that a virtue? What do we as a people want to have flourish? Ourselves or all of us together? Paula

Spring Is Coming

Hello, We delivered some neighborhood newsletters yesterday. There was snow on the steps and walks that faced north. This is just two blocks from our house. We were surprised to see so much snow. People on that block must not believe in shoveling. Today we went back for another sweep and walked past those snowy places to find that it had melted. It was 61 degrees so that would make quite a difference. Leroy and I still had on jackets, but a number of younger people had on shorts and short sleeves. It was nice to be out. One of the neighbors had many snow drops blooming. It was great to see that. There were other places that had green shoots coming up. Motorcycles are out and roaring around in the quite dawn. Last night we went to an organ concert. It was free, but the donations went to support the people in Ukraine who have been negatively impacted by the war. The total amount collected was more than I expected. People are generous. The organist came from New York. She asked if she could come and play for this event. She has often traveled to eastern Europe and played organ concerts there. Leroy told her that we had lived in Slovakia and it was fun to hear her say that she has played at the Lutheran church in Bratislava. Leroy changed the clocks last night before bed. The one with the weather station reverts back to the previous time. We unplugged it this morning when we went to church. After being set it holds the time properly. Paula

Afternoon Out March 7, 2025 Hello, After snow and rain in the morning it seemed a nice time to take a trip to the history center where there is a special exhibit on Mercy Meical Center. It was interesting to see the artifacts as well as watch the film on dealing with the flood in 2008. I once read a book about the start of Mayo Clinic and the involvement of nuns who ran Mercy Hospital in Rochester MN. This hospital was also started my nuns in the order, Sisters of Mercy. Was that the same order? Care and concern for the whole person was a part of their mission. We had been to the museum before, but I did not remember much of what we had seen or perhaps some of the exhibits were updated. It was amazing to me to learn that the first electric car was made here in Cedar Rapids in 1904. Somehow oil took over and electric cars became a thing of the past only to reemerge in the future. How would the world be different if it had not happened?

Also, there is a big exhibit on national oats which is now Tree Top and close to our house.

When we were finished at the museum we walked to the library and I was able to pick up three items I had on hold. That was a nice walk and gave us a number of steps. I consider it a successful afternoon. Paula

Those Toes

Hello, My plan was to walk to the podiatrist, but getting caught up in reading is not a good way to make that happen. The car helped me to get there on time. After the doctor worked on the “scabs” a bit, he told me that healing is going well and I can skip the band aids at bed time. It is nice to learn that I can cut back on some of the care issues. I still might soak toes, but not twice a day. Healing is a good thing. Last night when we walked to church, I felt a rock that became a boulder in my boot. It was larger than a grain of sand, but not huge. Amazing how those things seem to take over the shoe when they get in. This was a piece of salt that must have been kicked up and entered. Today I had an uneventful walk in the brilliant sunshine. There were dog walkers, walkers, bikers, roller blades and runners out on the trail. It is a used spot and I am glad to have it close to my house. Last night it was cool and very windy when we walked to church. Leroy does not have any long underwear so he wore some colorful bike tights under his pants. He complained on the walk that his pants were falling down. After we got in the door at church it was easy to see that his pants indeed were falling down revealing his red white and blue tights. I laughed and laughed. No one else saw it so he felt okay about it as he hitched up his pants and tightened his belt. The sole of my shoe came loose at church. I always carry shoes when I wear boots to and from. It was a bit disconcerting, but now it is stuck together with shoe goo. Hope it holds. Paula

Retirement Gifts

Hello, One very good thing about retirement is that when the weather is bad and driving might be unsafe, we can choose to stay home. Tomorrow morning might be that time. We go to chi gong about 12 miles away. If the snow and blowing snow are as predicted we will stay home. Instead, I will try to do some heart healthy moves at home. We also spend some time meditating. I have been reading many more books than I have in the past. I do not even feel guilty taking the time to do this. One negative is that I do not read as many nonfiction books since they do not come across my desk and look interesting. Instead, I have to seek them out. Yesterday afternoon, I was going to take a walk outside and get more steps, but the rain came before I got out there. So perhaps I can get more steps by marching indoors. I hope to walk to church tonight. It seems that most of the sidewalk if clear of the snow. I am also glad to have more time to volunteer. It helps me to feel that it is important thing to do. Gives me some purpose, sometimes in ways not expected. Another volunteer was telling me that her husband had died not long ago. It seemed to help her to talk about it. So that is volunteering an ear. Paula

Trust

Hello, Going through the car wash caused thoughts of trust to come to mind. It was the kind of wash where you put the car in neutral and ride through on the moving track as water and cleaner come down and obscure your view. It will bring us through to the other end with a clean car is what we trust in. I also think of how much I trust my car to work properly even though it is more than ten years old. This fall I will have owned it for ten years and it has required almost no maintenance, except usual things like an oil change. What a trust worthy vehicle! Today we got a letter from the dealer where we bought this car. They tell us that they would like to buy it above market value because they have a customer who is looking for this model. Do we sell? To be replaced or to own? Each day I trust that the appliances will work as they should, but of course sometimes this does not happen because something has broken. I might say I trust God, but for what? To do my will? To care for me? What does that mean when I know things do not always go well for many faithful people. Sometimes it seems that God is a good person to just visit with while trying to be patient enough to listen to the response. And then there is the trust in other people. I trust most to stay in their lane on the highway as well as in the store. Is a contract something to trust in since these days our government seems quite comfortable in breaking them. Will that spread around to many other places? Course I have been reading about the European settlers and their relationship with the first people with broken pacts much of the time. There is a history of this sort of thing. Paula I did not get this sent on the day I wrote it. I generally try to avoid political comments, but have added some today. Part of that is having a daughter who works for an organization that has had promised funds cut off for finished projects. Also, our favorite orchard says that the same thing has happened to them. And they have no way to pay for the finished work. How these things help our country I do not know.

Warm Day

Hello, It was a great day to be out. Leroy even rode his bike, but he tells me that his hands got quite cold. I was quite warm because I worked hard on the gutter at the end of the alley. It helped to get the ice out yesterday. Unfortunately, there were plenty of other things in there including; mud, sticks, rocks, trash, and plants that seemed to have deep roots. Mostly I got rid of what I could, but the plants stayed. Maybe on a dry warm day I will figure out what I can remove. We would like to get the cars washed, but do not want to drive through the water at the end of the alley. Maybe day or two will fix that. It is to be nice for a few more days. I volunteered at the meal center up the street from home. Again, I shelved donated items. The shelves are quite full in certain places so it was challenging to put like items with like items. After that I worked on bagging the donated chicken. The people who were there did not talk much, so time did not move as fast as it has in the past. Paula

Sarah and Natalie Visit

Hello, Sarah and Natalie visited for a week. It was great to have them come. Natalie has the week off from school. Sarah was able to work remotely four days. We spent time talking, playing games, visiting museums, and volunteering. Oh, the two of them also put together two picture puzzles. And then Natalie went to the library with us and found many graphic novels to bring home. Natalie and I also went to a Qui gong class. I thought it would be an experience to show her what that is like. The instructor was very good at including her. Sarah did not work on Monday so the three of us went to the establishment that serves meals M-F. We helped put a lot of donations on the shelf as well as bagged donated chicken and made sandwiches with the fillets. By the time we were done it was lunch time so we ate there as well. They were both quite good workers. I think we got a lot done. Others also commented on how well they did. On Friday Leroy, Natalie and I went to church to help unload the donations and put some of them away. We also opened small cans of applesauce and transferred it to serving sized containers to be taken to the homeless shelters. The person who is mostly responsible for all of this apologized at the messy kitchen. She had put in a 12-hour day followed by a 13-hour day to take food to the homeless shelters. Because of the extreme cold the people were there all day. This woman contributes above and beyond the average person. She also fed us lunch at noon. She always has some food that is left from other things but not enough to feed 100 people. We visited “Leroy’s Museum” as well as the African/American museum of Iowa. We also spotted some eagles on the river. Paula

Plant Care and Sarah Coming

Hello, Two violets need to be repotted. Geraniums need to be put in soil. The problem is it is cold outside and plants become a rather messy job for some of us. Sometimes it can be done in the kitchen or bathroom where there is not carpeting to be concerned with. Now the potting soil is in the garage and frozen solid. It would be necessary to let it thaw for at least a day or two. Luckily, the rest of the plants are ok or even looking good. It is disappointing that the amaryllis are all too small to create flowers. Something outdoors ate the largest, at least it could not be found in the fall. Sarah and Natalie are going to visit for a week. They were to come in at noon, but the flight was cancelled. We now expect them after 10:00 this evening. Sarah was so disappointed because the first flight was to be direct. Now they have a connection to make. We are disappointed because we had been looking forward to them being here. I even got some books out of the library for Sarah. Books I know she likes, but cannot easily get at her library. At least snow is not a driving problem now. Paula

Cold and Windy

Hello, Besides washing three loads of laundry, it was a day for a lot of reading. I finished a Louise Penny book. There are only two books left in the series for me to read. I don’t know what Leroy read, but I know that he also finished a book and is starting another. I did see the foot Doctor yesterday. As he said, “One toe nail area is healing well and the other is not.” He did something to one toe that involved a sharp looking instrument. I averted my eyes so I would not flinch and cause him to stab me. My toe hurts a bit today, but he assured me that healing is happening. I am now taking an antibiotic. How nice to have a doctor’s office just four blocks away. Leroy got a series of exercises from a physical therapist. I can say that I am impressed that he is still doing them almost every day for about a year. He is hooked on the results. Now I have to confess that I do not do my exercises very often. Mostly it is when I go to a class. I do not even have an excuse. Although while Leroy does his I am preparing breakfast for both of us. I suppose I could exercise after breakfast, but it has seldom happened. At least I get some steps. Paula

Snow Bound

Hello, I remember a time when this much snow would not cause so many cancellations ahead of time. Generally, it was a game of wait and see. Now with the prediction of a major storm; schools, churches, and other organizations have cancelled many activities. Weather can still change, but the skills and equipment of the weather people have improved. Leroy and I went out and shoveled. He thinks five inches is on the ground out there. I am not so sure so he changed the number to four. It is cold enough that it is light and easier to move than sometimes. Leroy shoveled in the back and took on the front job. This includes neighbors on each side of us. Tiredness crept in along with the cold. My old mittens did not do a very good job protecting my fingers. They are my favorite so I do not want to part with them, but the time seems to be coming. Two of my fingers were quite numb by the time I came in the house. At least I recorded a number of steps. Leroy walked to bible study at church so he had quite a few but he only added about 1000 more. I get 3000 because the tracker is on my wrist. Leroy’s is his phone and it is in his pocket. We took our downstairs friend to the airport. The snow had started, but it was early so it was not a problem. It did not even seem to be slippery. It was good to get back home before the snow fall stepped up the pace. Paula

Downsizing? February 11, 2025 Hello, We have one bookcase that seems to be a collection point for various odds and ends. There are a number of photo albums there. I have not looked at them in a long time, maybe not even in the 13 years we have lived here. I wondered if I could just throw them away, but I looked at them and rather enjoyed that. I know many have scanned their photos to keep them. Our printer will not scan so how to do that? I also have to confess that the idea of doing that does not interest me at all. Maybe I could let the next generation throw them out when we have both died. That is a seductive thought. Less bother for me and perhaps it will be easy for them to do. My mother also kept a diary. Not a diary filled with words but one that told the weather and when a crop was planted or harvested. Certainly not titillating content. But could it be of value for history? Then, I found a small book in a box that was my grandmother’s there is a year’s worth of days, with text in German.

She had put birthdays in there. Not all birthdays, but some going back to the 1800’s. It seems a shame to eliminate that, but what use is it? I also have an autograph book from that grandmother.

The kind of book where friends wrote notes.

She was my father’s mother and the only grandmother I knew. Paula

Change of Mood

Hello, I got up felling grumpy and a bit unnecessary for the world. Some of that was caused by the lack of sleep. But still, it is a different thing to get up and be ready to take on the world. Too often these days I wonder: can I make a difference, do I make a difference, and how to make a difference. It seems to me that the most vulnerable people in the world seem to get the brunt of bad decisions. I did go volunteer at the neighborhood meal service. It was good to greet familiar faces and work with them. There were many donations over the weekend. I helped sort canned items, date them, and shelve them. After that it was on to sorting the chicken that had come in from a restaurant. It was an especially large amount today. One person commented that all of this food used to be thrown away and now it is given to someone who is living on the edge of food scarcity. The real problem is how to lift people out of poverty. It seems that wages are often too low for them to live on what they make. Some people have disabilities so are not able to work or must work for limited times and in limited jobs. I spend much time praying about these issues, but do not see answers. Paula

Ushering in church

Hello, Leroy ushered in church this morning. He needs to be there a half hour ahead of time. I was not quite ready so I came later. I am often a greeter, but had not signed up for today. I think I could have gone with Leroy and been a greeter because there was no one there. No shows do not happen often, but it is nice to fill in if needed. Our organist has had surgery on his arm. In the meantime, his wife is leading the services with the piano. They are both wonderful musicians, but I find I do miss the organ. I told Leroy I thought he should do something a little differently about ushering people up for communion. He finally said, “Why don’t you do it?” I laughed, “I would rather correct you.” No more suggestions for a good long time. Just let it all role. For some reason it is so easy to be judgmental about someone else’s job and not so easy to see things about myself. Guess there is still more room to learn new things in life. Paula

Walking again

Hello, This morning when I soaked my toes they hurt. As I walked around the flat it hurt. Leroy walked to church, but I drove. From there we went and did a little shopping because I was out of milk. My toes felt fine. Later this afternoon I went for a nice long walk and it was good. There were lots of people out on the trail. Some were groups of school runners. Some were walking dogs and some were talking to themselves or perhaps on their phones. On the baseball diamond there was a soccer team practicing. Another soccer team was on the regular field. All of these young people had on shorts. I had on a hat, scarf, mittens, winter coat, jeans, and wool socks. It was about 34 degrees F. When I got home, I was happy to get back in the warm. I was pleased to see that I have taken 7,500 steps. In recent days I have not even had 5,000. Life is moving on. Paula

At Home

Hello, It is harder to find things worth writing about when I spend so much time at home. It is too insulating. I did take a short walk this afternoon. It felt wonderful to have the air on my face. Everything was familiar, but a welcome sight. Unfortunately, toes are a slow growing place. It all feels fine, but will take a while to get to a place that one could call normal. I am reading the Tattooist of Auschwitz. It is not a happy read. I have read many books from the time of WWII. Most of them are a bit daunting to get through. It is hard to realize how cruel human beings can be to each other. This book was face out on the library shelf and in reading the flyleaf, I learned that it is based on the true story of a Slovak man. We have been to Auschwitz so I did recognize some of the things he talked about. Many terrible things are still happening in the name of power and greed as well as not caring about others only the self. Leroy did volunteer at the museum this afternoon so it was nice to have some time by myself. Paula

Tai Chi and a movie

Hello, My foot feels good so Tai Chi seemed like a good option of some movement. We stand for the entire hour. After about half an hour, I realized I needed to sit. My toes did not hurt, but I felt a sense of pressure. Also, the first things we do are in one position. It was quite different when we were turning our feet on the toes. I sat for quite a while with my foot elevated. I got up once, but soon knew I should sit again. It is interesting to see the class and not participate. Today, we went to another tai chi type class. This time I told the instructor that I would not be able to participate the entire time, but would need to sit because of my toes. She was skilled at telling me how to do the moves from a seated position. It was good to be there. We are getting icy rain now so I am not sure that I will be going to the morning stretch classes tomorrow. I hope not since I lead them and I am not sure about so many chair moves. If school is delayed there is no class. Leroy and I watched the movie, Jules, this afternoon. I watched the whole thing, but Leroy found it a slow start. He came later and enjoyed it. It was recommended by the AARP. Maybe we can trust their recommendations. Paula

Leroy’s Birthday

Hello, Leroy is now only a year younger than I am. Seems he is not good at catching up. He is the guy who seldom does impulsive things, but ponders it for a while. Because I have not been out and about much, we went and got his birthday present today. It is a new clock/radio for the bedroom. He has complained mightily about how difficult it is to reset the one we had. This new one also projects the time on the ceiling so I can see it without turning over and lifting my head to see over him. I felt a bit guilty, wondering if it is a gift for me too. We also bought a pizza for his birthday even though we both prefer the homemade variety. An apple pie and ice cream completed the birthday specials. He did do the dishes even though I told him I could do that. I will admit to being tired after shopping. Sitting around with a foot up wears me out. Certainly, it does not build muscle and stamina. Leroy is going to a spirituality study tonight. He is choosing that over his stamp club so I would say he likes it. My toes mostly do not bleed anymore, but they are bright red where those toenails used to be. I am grateful I have felt no pain. It is unreal. Even though the doctor had told me it would not be bad, I did not believe him because I was remembering an earlier experience. Paula

Sitting Around

Hello, It is not easy to sit around. I have read a book, watched a movie and sighed a few times. Yesterday we learned when changing the bandage on my toes, that there was quite a bit of bleeding. Probably I did not sit still enough. Today I am trying to do better. It is good that there is no pain but pain would probably encourage me to sit and have that foot up. As it is there is no penalty for walking around. Leroy has fixed meals and done the dishes, but I found other things to pick up or move around. Most days I must be on the move quite a lot. Yesterday I recorded over 4000 steps, but some of those occurred before the removal of toenails. I did call Leroy to come pick me up even thought the nurse did not sound like it was all that necessary. But maybe she did not realize I had walked five blocks to get there. I also went into the store to pick up my meds. I could have had Leroy do that on his own. The bandages were a bit bloody this morning. Perhaps that is because I got up twice to go to the bathroom. Or maybe the weight of the blankets was too much on the toes. At least I did not walk to church this morning to help unload supplies for the meals served to the needy in the community. Leroy did that on his own. Paula

Toenails Gone

Hello, Today I saw the podiatrist. We had talked before about my toenails. They did not respond to the anti-fungus medicine. His diagnosis was that it was the way my foot rolled forward when I walked, injuring my toenails and they keep getting thick and uncomfortable. Two of the three are gone now. There is still one on the other foot, but that is for another day. He had told me they do something so it is not so painful for 48 hours. So far that seems to be true. No bad feelings at all. I am taking it a bit easy and not getting in a lot of walking which saddens me. Leroy is taking care of much of the things in the house such as meals. But I should be able to resume normal activities in just a few days according to the doctor. I did have a toenail taken off almost 30 years ago. It was a much different experience. I had driven about nine miles to the doctor and for some reason I did not leave the office immediately. The pain started in about half way home. I was seriously crying by the time I could get out of the car. Hobbling was the only way I could get around and just ordinary pain pills did not take much of an edge off. I had some Tylenol with codeine left from when I had viral encephalitis (sleeping sickness). That was quite the experience. After taking the pill, I had expected to sleep because that was the result before. Now, I knew I had pain, but I just didn’t care. Apparently before, it was the disease that was causing me to sleep as the pain reliever allowed me to relax. Those few remaining pills helped me to tolerate the toe situation. Paula

Pipe Dream

Hello, Yesterday we got a flyer for 2026 Grand Voyages from one of the cruise companies. It seemed like a fine deal. A grand world voyage that would take 133 days covering south America and parts of Asia as well as Australia. It only costs $56,759 for the most expensive suites. What a deal! Especially since we have not been to many of these places. Oh, but wait that is only for one person so it would be double the price. It starts and leaves from Florida. It is on a small ship that has just 1432 guests. It seems like a nice idea. It seems like a nice idea, see the world and ignore the news. Should be relaxing. Could we handle being at sea for so long? We have never taken a trip longer than 19 days. However, we have left home for four years in a stretch to create a home in another country. In the end we decided there were other uses for our money, but it is tempting to think of such a voyage. It would be nice to unpack once and laundry was even included as were several other amenities. Such as no food prep, no cleanup, no dusting, and no vacuuming. We feel in these days and times we must increase our giving to most vulnerable people in our country, especially refugees. Life is not such a luxury for them. Paula

Volunteering Again

Hello, The two hours went by very fast at the place close to our house. I must be getting used to it. The first job was to clean the plastic above the serving tables and then clean the front door. Afterward, I bagged chicken. That was followed by bagging cookies. Monday is apparently a big donation day. It is good to know that businesses are passing on items that they cannot sell, but are still good for human consumption. It seems to be a real help would be a way to lift people out of their circumstances. Just how to do that is a problem. One of the people who works there was talking to someone and since I was right there, I could hear too. She commented that her kids got sleds for Christmas. She hoped we had at least one more good snow so they could use the sleds. The day that it was good for sledding, she could not go because she works two jobs. Someone made a comment about just working for money that is not really needed, but she said, “I am trying to pay the bills.” I wonder how much time she can spend with her children with the need to work two jobs. She also added, “I would just like a weekend free.” Later a retired teacher, who had not heard this conversation was talking about the lack of parenting and how difficult some of the children are. I wonder how difficult life is for some of these children. Paula

To Do List Blues

Hello, The to do list was to be for today. Somehow other things started taking more and more time. Things that did not get on the list, but still needed some time. Fix breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Eat Breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. Then Leroy was vacuuming and needed some help moving things around. We also took a long walk in the afternoon. Leroy ended with about 200 more steps than I did, not that I’m complaining, just commenting. Do you believe that last sentence? Reading was not on the list, but some of that got done along with making the bed, shaking out the bathroom rugs and sweeping the floors in the kitchen and the bathroom. Writing this letter is on the list and will soon be crossed off. One room was dusted out of four. Seems that dusting gets lower on the value pole all of the time. Maybe tomorrow. But tomorrow is Sunday and no house work on Sunday. But we still eat all meals and wash dishes. Paula

Cold To Warm

Hello, This morning it was -5 F. when we woke. By the time we left to walk to church it was 0. Seeing that improvement and expecting more, I did not wear my warmest coat but the one with the great pockets for carrying things like my phone, keys and glasses. I also wore sneakers that are more for summer with a breezy mesh. Leroy wore his boots which he has been avoiding since he has new inserts. I started noticing the cold creeping into my shoes and attaching to my toes. Also, my knees and slightly above that were getting cold. Then there was my face which was not quite as well protected by a bigger hood. I started walking faster in an effort to get to church faster. Leroy lagged behind, but I had no sympathy for him and just hurried on. When he caught up to me at the stop light, he told me his troubles. He should have worn thicker socks for these boots. The boots slopped on his heels and pulled the socks down and forward, baring his heels. He had stopped to adjust them. We spent a good bit of time at church volunteering so we warmed up before we started back. It was also quite a lot warmer outside so that made the walk home much more pleasant. I suggested it would help if Leroy had some rubber bands to hold up his socks. He acquired some from the church office. He told me the rubber bands were not strong enough and the socks went down anyway, but he just kept walking and ignored the lumps and bare discomfort. Paula

Losing It?

Hello, Today I went to a Dr. appointment only to learn that it is next week at the same time. I do switch numbers, but not between 23 and 30. So how did this happen? I do not have a clue. I seem to remember repeating the date and it being the one that I used on the calendar. Oh well! At least it was only about four blocks away and I did not drive miles to get there. Leroy shoveled this morning, but he left this odd patch unshoveled. When I asked him about it, he had no explanation for doing that. It seems he just ignored it and even walked by it when he went back to the garage. He does miss the trees for the forest. I usually miss the forest for the trees. Guess we complement each other. I like sunshine coming in the house. It lifts my spirits and makes it feel much cozier on a cold morning. However, it also shows where there is a need to dust which almost destroys the euphoria. Paula

Native American’s Use of Plants

Hello, We went to a talk about Native American’s uses for plants other than food. It was quite interesting. We both learned some new things. First was a list of the tribes that lived in Iowa long before the European settlers pushed them out. Their preferred name was used as well those used by English speakers. They have lived in this area since or before 10,000 years ago. I had never heard about how they marked trails with altering the growth of trees or depositing rocks. They used plant fibers to create mats, or to make string or rope. Plants were also the source of dyes to create beauty. They made wickiups for shelter. That required saplings and string. Gourds were a local plant that they could use to make vessels of many different sizes. They could also soak some of their string bags and carry water in them as the fibers swelled making them water tight. The cottony parts of cattails were used to make diapers. There was a type of ten feet tall reed that once grew here, but draining the land cause it to become extinct. It still grows in Oklahoma. They also made snow snakes which were part of a game. There were some stones that they carved out so they could sand the arrow shafts making them smooth and straight. Sometimes people say we have no early history, but unfortunately, they are just noting European settlers’ history and not the original people. Paula

Cold Day to Volunteer

Hello, I was quite comfortable walking the three blocks to volunteer. When I arrived, I rang the buzzer so they would let me in. I heard nothing and saw nothing. The buzzer is a two-inch-long thing at the door. I pushed it again and again with no response. It seemed strange since I had talked about coming back today. Checked on the parking lot at the back of the building. It had several cars. Back to the front and pushed on a different place on the strip. There was a nice ringing sound. Soon someone came and opened the door. It was nice to step into the warm. My first job was to write the expiration date on new food donations and put them on the shelf where they belonged. I managed to push a stack of cans off the back of the shelf that had no back. It was a bit of a scramble to find them and put them back. Most food was good for a long time, but some had been dated in 2022. They still give people the option of taking it if they like when it is canned items. I also helped bag chicken from a fast-food place. It comes in every Monday. This was the third time I had done this job and I became the de facto leader as today no one else had done it. Mostly I just had to make some decisions about which pieces were going in a bag. In the past I have worked with people who are mentally challenged along with leader. Today it all went very fast and I even came home 15 minutes early. Paula

Drive to Church

Hello, I was a greeter this morning at church. It was still below zero when it was time to leave. Leroy noted that the wind chill was -26 F. we decided it was prudent to drive. I missed the walk, but noted it was cold walking from the car to the building. Course we were not bundled up enough to be walking a mile. Once in the building many people wanted to know if we had walked. They were happy to hear that we even chose the car with heated seats. I opened the door for many people. It would have been sensible to have kept on my mittens as the door handles were quite cold. I also did not have on decent socks for the weather. My wool sweater was a great barrier to the cold. This afternoon I bundled up with warm outer wear and managed to get over 3000 steps outside. It was beautifully sunny with a wind, but I tried to find the most sheltered path. Leroy stayed in and walked with the TV on. I much prefer to be outside, although I will probably resort to doing that since I am still short for my 10,000 steps today. It is something how insulated we are against the weather. We have houses that are any climate we chose as well as vehicles. Privileged we are indeed. Since I do not live on a farm with animals that need care it is more like being in a cocoon. Paula

Picture Puzzle

Hello, We were gifted with a picture puzzle of the photo of the family gathered at Miriam’s church. Our downstairs friends thought it was such a good picture that it would make a good puzzle. It was indeed a good choice. Leroy and I managed to put it together in three days. It was fun to see the faces emerge after wondering what was what. It would have been easier if there had been more different colors to deal with. Miriam’s blouse was a stand out and got finished first. Fingers were not so easy to attach to a body so they did not get done very early. Even my older hands were a bit hard to isolate.

From another source we had the gift of tea at a local shop which sells tea and coffee. They did a lot of grinding of coffee beans. I know many people like the smell of coffee, but I do not. I was happy to leave the place with tea in hand. We are also working on a crossword puzzle book. It is a bit of challenge because of the layout of the grids. Many of the letters are not part of another word so there are not so many clues that would normally appear as the puzzle is solved. Don’t know if we should admit it or not, but I am becoming quite adept at looking at the answers without seeing the entire puzzle. Perhaps that is cheating, but it seems some of the them would not be finished otherwise. Paula