Homecoming

Hello,

When I landed in Cedar Rapids I realized that Leroy and I had not discussed where the parking lot card would be. I even planned in my mind what I would do if I could not find it. Things such as: call for a ride or leave the car there if Leroy had taken it with him to Salt Lake. Course the first task was to find the car. Leroy had not only given me verbal instructions, but he had also drawn a map that I had clutched in my hand for reference. On exiting the airport I could not distinguish long term parking from short term parking. I wanted long term. I asked an old guy who appeared to be waiting for something to come by. Pointing in both directions he told me, “They both are long term.”

At about that time I saw “B1” on a pole and beyond that “B2”. “Thanks,” I said as I headed off in the direction of E1. Leroy’s directions stated that I would be one row of cars off from that. Unfortunately I did not know if it was before or after that pole. By the map it looked after, however I did not spot the car by walking up and down the rows. How many gray cars were parked at the CR airport Sunday afternoon? Plenty. I next asked a guy getting into a van if he could see it since he was sitting up higher in the world. He did not see it, but I just realized that I needed to check the rows before the pole more carefully and there it was. I kissed it hello in my mind before I got in. The card so I could get out of the lot was easy to find.

“Oh no, it is not starting,” I thought as I turned the key. Then I realized I had not put in the clutch. Miriam’s car is an automatic. In one short week I forgot all about clutches. Now I could drive on home to my own bed. Aah, comfort!

Paula

Trip Home

Hello,

Miriam left for early service while Andy, Leroy, and the girls waited to take me to the airport. I was surprised at how many people were waiting to go through security when I got there an hour ahead of departure. Generally I do not fly on Sunday so I thought it might be a slow day. The gate waiting area was loaded with people; certainly there were no seats where I could sit in a row by myself. I think there must have been about five planes going out at close departure times.

It was an uneventful flight to Denver. I sat by the window so I enjoyed the snowy mountains the entire time. The woman on the aisle had an infant boy who might have been six to nine months. He was good, but he clearly wanted to move around more. When I had to go to use the facilities he was settled back quite comfortably against her. I told her, “I am quite agile and I think I can step over you so you will not have to get up. I could face you and brace myself against the back of your seat on either side of your head. If you want to try that I am fairly certain I can do it.”

“I am willing,” she said.

So I faced her, put my hands on the sides of her head, lifted my leading leg high up in the air, set it down, and lifted the second leg to drag it over. I think I brushed her leg a little with the last leg.

A wide eyed flight attendant was watching. “I thought that would help her not to need to get up with the baby,” I explained.

“You did that very gracefully,” she exclaimed with a big smile.

Both flights were good, but we did experience quite a lot of bumps on the trip from Denver to Cedar Rapids. Seems to me we could have been over Nebraska about that time. I wonder if that was when tornados were active Sunday afternoon. There certainly was disturbance above the clouds.

Paula

Changing Times

Hello,

Tomorrow morning I get on the plane to return to Iowa where I am hoping it will be warmer. I walked in jeans and long sleeves this morning with a temp of 51 F. It would feel even colder in the more humid Midwest, but it was chilly.

Right now I am wondering why people might complain about day light savings time changes as it hangs around for some months. I am going to, just after a week, make an hour change once more. Flexibility, flexibility!

Miriam will have to train new help as Leroy is getting on the plane any minute now. I will leave taking my new found skills with me. Those include driving their car, and finding my way to preschool and a store as well as ballet class. I used some old skills to make two batches of bread, cinnamon twists, and cinnamon rolls. I left my zest for cleaning at home much to Miriam’s disappointment. I hope her father brings his urge to run the vacuum cleaner as well as help Andy with this and that. I have completed some dusting in a rather lackadaisical manor. You know, a little here and a little there. At least I did not give them the light going over that I remember some children doing where the cloth only touched the surface here and there. The few things I dusted were indeed dusted.

This morning I did help Miriam move some daffodils in the cool, light rain. Luckily her neighbor warned that the bulbs should not be put in the mud as the ground would become like cement around them when it dried. So we let the dirt dry a bit before we tucked them back in. The green tops look a bit limp with shock now, but we are hoping for a recovery. Blooming is over for them for the year so that should be ok.

Miriam posted some good pictures on FB of our Sunday hike. It was indeed a nice day. I think we all look good.

Paula

Mountain Walk

Hello,

On Sunday we all took a hike in the mountains. The weather was perfect and bodies were strong. I was impressed at how easily these girls ran up the hill. As we got higher they did slow down a bit, even stopping to rest on occasion. As long as I moved at my own pace I did fine, but I certainly could not push it. I do not go up hills in the neighborhood here or at home. I will have to make an effort to find an incline to give me more of a workout.

I wore my pedometer and was happy to report that it showed more than 4000 steps on that walk. I would have liked to know the altitude, but would guess that it was somewhere around 6000 feet because I saw a sign about a frog that lives at about that altitude.

The mountain stream rushing over the rocks called us all to come closer when we got to the place the car was parked. The girls took off their shoes and waded in just a little way as they could quickly be swept farther downstream if caught in the swift current. All in all it was a perfect mother’s day treat.

I was pleased to see many people out there of all ages. Go people go.

Last night Olivia called, “Mama.”

Even though I am Granny not mama I went in and found that she had a fever. Miriam also came, gave her some medicine and went back to bed. It took a while, but after Olivia went to sleep she stayed asleep for the rest of the night. Luckily Nora has no school today so that we could both stay home with Olivia. Her fever has come back up but not as much as it had been in the night.

Because of sickness they are watching movies. How different when I was sick as a child. I generally got no medicine. Our bodies just had to heal and we endured. Then there was no TV in my house so it was just a long time to lie around. To entertain us, my mother would recite nursery rhymes as we had few if any children’s books in the house. We had a radio but I do not remember it being on very often. Certainly not just because we were sick!

Paula

Walking Around

Walking Around

May 14, 2013

Hello,

At dawn I got up ready to walk but before Katie (the dog) and I could get out the door a small girl asked if she could come too. I said, “Sure, go potty and get dressed.”

She took off at a run, but the next thing I knew I could hear her dad talking to her. It seems she made a detour into the room with her sleeping sister. So now I had to wait for another guest. It did not take so very long before we were off. We only go around the block with the dog because she has arthritis in her joints. Her heart does not want to be left at home.

The girls ran fast, but they know just to go around the block and not cross streets. I ran from time to time, but not fast and not for long. I have read that running rather than walking helps for bone health. At least it said that even one minute of running makes a difference.

On the walks we go under trees that are just loosing flower petals or seed pods. The girls love it when they stand under the trees and I shake the branches a bit causing nature to rain down on them. I should have a movie camera with me. It looks great as pedals cover the tops of their heads.

Katie often poops on these walks. This morning I forgot the poop bag. She of course went on the grass of a pristine lawn. I took everyone home and then went pack with bag in hand only to find that the sprinklers had turned on. I was unwilling to get so wet in the early morning chill so I have vowed to pick it up tomorrow.

Andy, Nora, and I walked Olivia to her school. It is a short walk, but certainly added steps. Nora was willing to go to the library today. The sad thing was that when I got there I realized that I had not brought the library card number. As soon as we dropped off the books we turned around and walked back home. At least I did not have the weight of books for two of those segments. I now have a book that I had not read before.

 Just before lunch I looked at my pedometer. It had 9530 steps on it. I am going to call it 10,000 for the day. Yesterday I only wore it when taking walks that could be labeled such and it showed over 10,000 steps. I am getting a work out.

Paula

Life Pace

Hello,

Miriam moaned, “How am I going to do it all? I need child care, a maid, cook, and a chauffeur. Mom when you write your letter ask for some help for me. I am feeling desperate and so tired.”

Today was the first day of class. She learned that she should have been looking at her school email account because she is already behind. She should have finished certain reading assignments already. It has not been so many years, only 12 since she graduated, but student life has changed. Most of the people in her class are those who are just going straight through school so they are used to the routine. She was in class today all afternoon and a little beyond. Tomorrow she will go early in the morning, but come home sooner in the day.

I believe that she was not exaggerating when she complained about being tired. She certainly looked as if sleep were her best friend. That emotional energy use certainly is draining.

Andy cooked the entrée tonight making a chicken dish. Why is meat always the entrée in this culture? I prepared rice and green beans. Miriam could not imagine how she would study tonight. She had a class at the gym. She went to that hoping that she would get some energy from some mysterious source in her being.

I picked up Nora school, played a game with Nora, made bread, hung out clothes, brought in clothes, folded them and sorted more or less accurately, picked up Olivia at school, and fed the girls a late afternoon snack. I will do some of those same things tomorrow plus I will drop off Olivia for school. Nora will be with me all day. I hope to convince her to go the library as on Saturday I brought home a book that I had already read. Can you imagine forgetting the title of a book you have read? Nora did not want to go there today, but I hope in the early morning she will be open to that idea. We also need to go to the store and make more granola. Miriam has asked that I make several batches so she can have it on hand for some time after I leave.

Paula

Getting Here

Hello,

As usual all flights were seamless. I will have to say that it is so nice in a small airport because I can find my way almost without thinking about it, lines are short, and auto traffic is limited. It was nice on the first flight because there were three seats across with no one in the middle seat so I felt that I had a lot of room.

In Denver greed took over. However it failed to materialize in a tangible return as $500 slipped away. Just as I was coming off the jet way I heard an announcement, “Anyone going to Salt Lake who would be able to go on a later flight please approach the desk.”

I had not a clue where the announcement was originating. By the time I had read the departure board, and scanned the desks for the gate; it seemed more prudent to go to the bathroom. After waiting in line, heading off to the gate, turning on my phone and letting Miriam know where I was, I assumed that there was no point in asking about the delay of five hours in getting to SLC. Miriam totally disagreed with that concept. So I dutifully went up and asked if they still needed a volunteer to wait. “We certainly do,” the man stated, “I will need your boarding pass. If we do not fill up then you will go as scheduled.”

I called Miriam back only to have her ask me, “How much are they going to give you? If it is only $50 just come, but it should be at least $200. But you can do what you want. At any rate you should ask.”

Following suggestions, I asked. The answer was, “It will be a $500 voucher.”

“Five zero zero?” I asked in amazement.

“Yes,” he replied with a big grin.

I excitedly called Miriam back to let her know the good news, talked to a guy who was waiting for standby, and sat dreaming of where and when I could fly with this great ticket amount.

Well just a minute after the gate closed they told me I could board and there went that $500 splurge that I had already spent more than once.

It would not have been so much of a hardship since I would have been just five hours late. Sigh!

On the plus side, because it was still before their bedtime, Olivia and Nora brought their grins and hugs to the airport to greet me. Happiness flowed all around.

Paula