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

Shopping Adventures

Hello, This afternoon Leroy and I went shopping for a new humidifier. At the hardware store I was a bit shocked at the prices. The one which just broke was much cheaper than that. How many years has it been with us? I asked a store worker, “Will they go on clearance at the end of the season?” “They just store them and do not put them on clearance. This is a very busy season on them right now because so many homes are so dry. You could try our competitor next door as they sometimes have cheaper prices.” she replied. The store next door did have lower prices, but not on the cool mist that I would like to have. It was a nice warm day so we stopped to get the car washed. The first place was not working, broken part. However, their gas price was quite low for a few hours. Even though the gas tank was not so low we filled anyway. At the next place Leroy bought the ticket to get the wash. There we soon learned a car was stalled, blocking the entrance to the wash. The person who told us said she had been waiting for half an hour. Since the ticket was good until February we just went home. I had just filled my car last week so I did not need gas. I was sad because I had paid almost 50 cents more per gallon. On the up side we both have over 11,000 steps because we walked to church to help out there and did that shopping with long walks between the stores. I never park close if I can be farther away and get more steps. Paula

Sights on the Walk

Hello, This morning on my first walk, I saw the mail carrier wearing shorts. My coat, two scarves, hat, and mittens kept me warm, but not hot. How does that guy manage all day with that attire? This afternoon Leroy and I took a shorter walk. When we were waiting to cross the street, a car even stopped for us where there was no stop sign for them. Sometimes even at the stop signs I am not sure the cars are going to stop so we stay back. Perhaps we are invisible. I know that being a pedestrian is dangerous business with more deaths from that than from passengers in the city. We certainly look both ways and even try to check on people making a left turn. At night we each wear a flashing red light on our arm. Hopefully that makes us visible. Some Christmas decorations are still up. I enjoy the lights at night. It adds variety to the walk. We always try to find protection from the wind. The college football field has strong winds blowing across it. Buildings are much more protection. When it is quite cold, I find self-talk keeps me positive about the experience. For instance, congratulating myself on getting half way. Sometimes I count the blocks that are left and maybe even the houses, if it is daunting. Anything to keep going. Leroy gets more steps on the same walk than I do. It is disgusting, but I try to convince myself that it is ok. His device records more steps than mine does. Paula

Volunteering

Hello, Saturday, I helped at the dinner following a funeral. Set up, serving, and clean up were all part of my tasks. That involved four hours of time. While there I was asked if Leroy and I would help with the Saturday evening meal for the hunger insecure people we serve each week. Leroy was home and he was happy to help with clean up. That involved two solid hours of work that at times were rather rushed and pressured. I am happy to help, but by the end of the day I was quite tired as much of that volunteer time was standing. This morning, I volunteered at a noon meal provider that is close to our house. I packaged lettuce so people could take it home if they would like. Some boxes needed to be broken down for recycling. Then there was unsold chicken, from a restaurant, that needed to be bagged so people could take home smaller amounts. After that I poured coffee to those who wanted. Again, most of the time I was standing. My back did notice that after a while. The only draw back for volunteering here is that I do not get many steps on the walk there and back. It was quite cold about 10 degrees F. so that was a plus to have a short walk. Leroy walked to church this morning. He left the house when it was 6 degrees with some wind. He tells me the walk home was much nicer as the temperature had risen and the wind was mostly at his back. Paula

Eagles Seen

Hello, Yesterday when driving home, first Leroy spotted an eagle in the sky and then I did. I seldom see them while driving because I try to keep my focus on the road and the traffic around me. I just gave these a very quick glance. Leroy used to see them quite a lot as he drove across the river on the way to work. Leroy volunteered a couple afternoons this week at the museum. He tells me that he does not know how he put in full days before. He is becoming used to retirement. Leroy was not feeling so well last evening so he did not go to choir. I still walk even though it is dark and cold. I had so many warm things on that I was sweating by the time I reached church. I am not afraid because in the 12 years we have lived here I have had no trouble from anyone. Last night I met no one, perhaps because it was cold people were staying inside. I do let Leroy know when I leave the church so he could come looking for me if I do not arrive in a timely manner. I walked this afternoon. It was an unusually solitary walk even though it was not so cold out. I still need two thousand steps to get to 10000. But I will get some more in the house. Paula

More of the Visit

Hello, Miriam and Andy have two dogs. I like dogs, Leroy not so much. It is more something to tolerate. The dogs seem to like him just fine, especially when he is willing to take them for a walk. The dogs are required to sit before we put their leash on. For some reason Tate would very often not sit for me, but he would sit for Leroy almost all of the time. Leroy even took both of them for a short walk because I was not ready to go just at that moment. He managed quite well surprising me and maybe the dogs too. Surely my blood pressure did lower as I enjoyed sitting and petting the dogs.

I was not good at combing out Tate’s hair after he had a bath. It hurt my head to think about it. When my hair is long and it needs to be brushed, it hurts to pull a brush through it. Tate did tolerate it quite well. He made no sound and did not snap or even give me disdainful looks. Leroy, Miriam, Svea (exchange student), and I went to the church and cleaned out their garden there. It is not a very large space so the four of us got that job done in about half an hour. We worked fast racing to get it done before the sun went down. Some of the parsley was still alive even with snow on the ground. Miriam is hoping it will still be around in the spring. Paula

The Family

Hello, Brian and Sarah’s families came closer to Christmas Day. All of us gathered with the exception of Stephen, Sarah’s husband. Sorry that he was not there, but great to be with the rest of the group. We attended Christmas Eve Service and had some pictures taken afterwards.

We also spent some time with my niece, Pam and her children as well as Andy’s parents.

Miriam, her friend Susan, Leroy, and I walked in the mall several mornings before the sun was up. Those two younger, faster walkers would make it around the circuit three times while Leroy and I were grateful to get around twice. Actually, we had a little time to stretch before they showed up. They do not walk outside in the dark and cold. It was dark, but not sure I agree about the cold. The sidewalks are not even, so falling is a concern especially at the speed these to women move. We had in Iowa, nine degrees which does not compare to their 20 plus temperatures. Leroy and I also took some neighborhood walks, including to the library. Their dogs loved the walking, but one of us had to stay outside with them if we went to the library. Paula

The Visit

Hello, We came in time to attend the Christmas program at their church where Miriam and Andy both had roles to play and responsibilities for the outcome. They did great jobs, with set up, singing, and drumming. Much of the time we were busy, but Leroy still managed to read four or five books while I finished three. For me, one was a rereading of the Great Gatsby which one of the grands had in the house. It is for our next book club at church. I did see the most recent movie of this. I have never liked this book very much, but the movie helped a little with that. At least I can probably add to the discussion. I also saw two movies that had been recommended. Leroy watched one and not the other. They have the streaming service that supplied these. We do not have that one at home. Two swim meets were also on the agenda. Andy is one of the swim coaches. Two grands and the exchange student participated. It was at times exciting.

From time to time there was some shopping on the to do list. We also stayed home and played a lot of games as well as assembled two picture puzzles. Paula

Our Trip Home

Hello, Yesterday we came home after about two and a half weeks away. We got up in good time and convinced Miriam to take us to the airport earlier than she felt was necessary. She knows there are travelers who stress. We did have to wait at the gate a while, but not long. Once boarded, the plane did not move right away and then went to the de ice place. After that was complete, we sat for quite some time. The scheduled leaving time was 8:55 we actually took off some time after 8:39. The flight attendant said we would arrive almost on time. It was just five minutes late. How that could be I cannot say. Did we fly especially fast? I was grateful because we only had an hour layover. Getting on the next flight was quite simple. We even had time to eat a bit. Landing at Cedar Rapids was especially smooth. I complimented the pilot about that. “Thank you, there is no extra charge,” he grinned. The flight attendant told me, “It was his first flight.” She laughed as my eyes grew large. I wished them a nice day. We were not sure of the bus schedule, but it seemed that we would be able to collect our bag and get to the stop with ease. I did check the app while Leroy waited to collect the bag. We waited quite a long time for the bag. Luckily the bus seemed to be running behind the schedule so we could get on. We switch buses at the downtown station. Our bus was not there. They announced the buses will leave in two minutes and number three will come momentarily. All the buses did leave before our bus finally came. After that we got home without incident. The predicted rain had not come so it was a nice two block walk to the house. Leroy thinks our suitcase was heavy to get up the stairs. Paula