October 23, 2010

Yesterday I went to the doctor’s for a chemical stress test.  I’ll admit I was a little stressed just at the thought of them shooting chemicals into to mimic hard physical exercise.  As it turned out, other than a nasty burning sensation as they injected the chemical, it went very well.  The most uncomfortable thing about it was that I had to lay on this narrow piece of equipment with my arms over my head for 25 minutes – twice.  I actually went to sleep the last time during the procedure.

Afterwards (it lasted a little over 3 hours) we stopped at IHOP to eat. (Breakfast for me and lunch for Ella).  UMMMM! Unlimited pancakes for $4.99.  They brought 5 pancakes to start with (which is all that I ate) but then they would bring more, 3-at-a-time, until you yelled, “Stop!”

This week we put more heat-shrink plastic on windows (inside and out).  I only have 2 windows left uncovered.  I will not cover them until I have to because once they’re done, I will be unable to open a window; and I so enjoy the fresh air!  Some of our friends packed up their motorhome and moved  south for the winter and left a set of steps behind.  They told us that we were welcome to use them until they come back next spring.  So, we picked them up and brought them home.  It IS nice to step out onto a tiny porch instead of the narrow RV steps.  I may have to make a set for us to have once I return these.

This morning while Ella worked at the club house, I did some cleaning around home and then picked up our Angle Food order.  I really like the fruit and veggie box.  It’s nice to get a variety of fresh food.  3 of the items I will donate to our church. I have more cabbage and carrots than we can possible eat and the bag of yellow onions are of no use to me as I’m allergic to them.

We had a measurable amount of rain today - the first this month - but it took us out of the lead for the driest October on record.

October 21

It is not quite 7:30 a.m. and the sun is still below the horizon.  The eastern sky has that odd yellowish whiteness that it gets on a cloudless sunrise.  There are no clouds to paint with gold and crimson, just a blank sky that in the process of changing from black to blue goes through this strange stage of vanilla. It looks like another beautiful day instore!  How strange the weather has been.  This year is the 3^rd rainiest in history and this October is the driest in history.  Until the first of October, we had not gone
14 days without precipitation all year! The Midwest has been stuck in what the weatherman called an Omega Pattern.  The jet stream had dropped so low over us that it looked like the Greek letter, omega.  And it kept any new weather systems from coming into the area.  Those who know the weather in the Midwest, know that it normally changes rapidly and wildly.

We’ve been babysitting the last couple of days.  Yesterday Rori spent a lot of time sitting on my lap (or more correctly, climbing all over me).  That is unusual for her.  She’s usually WAY too busy to be slowed down like that.  When Charlotte got home from school, she sat on my lap while I read to her.  She had brought home a book from school about a little girl and her invisible unicorn, Goldielicious.  Then we played a couple of board games while waiting for Daddy to come home.

We decided to save a little on our usual pie eating at Village Inn.  Normally, on Wednesdays, we order coffee or tea and get a free slice of pie.  My tip is usually larger than the final bill. (The wait staff LOVE us)  This month we’ve dug a little deeper into the bank account than I like.  So rather than give up our Wednesday treat all together, we just ordered one slice of pie (and got the second one free) to
go. 

About 7:30 last night I remembered that I was supposed to have gone to a committee meeting at church at 7:00.  Opps!

When I was in at the heart doctor’s earlier this month, I mentioned that I had had an episode of pain in my left arm.  It wasn’t severe and it didn’t last long.  However, it presented itself the same way the heart attack did a little over a year ago. Tomorrow I go to the doctor’s for a stress test on my heart. Because the arthritis in my feet makes it difficult to walk for long distances, they are going to do a chemical stress test.  As I understand it, they will start an IV and inject one chemical and do and EKG to get a baseline.  Then they will inject something else and do another EKG.  I believe that they will do this several times to determine how strong the heart muscle is.  The idea that they are trying to come as close to triggering a heart attack as possible makes me a little nervous.  Maybe I’ve just watched too many episodes of “House” on TV.

I have no plans for today and I’m just waiting for my bride to awake.  I get the same feeling that I did as a kid when I had to wait for my best friend to be able to come out and play! 

October 17

Today is Heather's birthday. - Happy Birthday, kid!  I did get a chance to talk with her for a
little bit before Mike came home.  They were
going to his parent’s house this afternoon.
This was Laity Sunday so the pastor had the day off and was just another
choir member.  One of our Lay Speakers
gave the sermon.  He has some interesting
ideas but his delivery often allows my mind to wander.
It is another beautiful day of warm sun and blue skies.  Temps are supposed to be in the low 70’s.  Not bad for mid October.  Last year we’d already had several inches of
snow by this time!  It would be alright
with me if the snow held off until Christmas Eve this year.  I like snow, however, last year snowed so
much and so often that I wouldn’t mind postponing it for a while this year.