Just Because

Carla made cookies for the family "just because." I was telling Maura the other day that sometimes you do a kindness for someone else "just because" not expecting anything in return. Those are the best kinds of kindnesses.
We've been keeping up with John...trying not to be a bother, but I worry about him as he's all alone. It seems he's been accepting any invitation that comes his way. I'm glad. He certainly has enough time to brood.
Today I resigned from the board at the Buchanan Log House "just because" I've not been a very good board member. It's always been my policy not to join any organization unless I could fully participate. That's not been the case with the BLH for the past few months. In my defense I confess to being a little disconcerted during J's last illness. Even though we were far apart in distance, we were close in mind and spirit. I am still feeling a void in my heart.
Speaking of friends with problems...our old neighbor across the road has lung cancer and he's getting the standard treatment of chemo and radiation. His wife is about worn out. I've been sending supper over a couple of times a week. She says he has no appitite. I think that is the norm for this theraphy. I told her we didn't want to intrude, but she knew where we lived and not to be shy about asking for help. They have one child and she lives in Canada.
Maura, Joan and I went to the Lobster for lunch on Labor Day...Dad went golfing...Ed went to work. We had the best looking waiter...I'm talking movie star handsome. He's probably waiting to be discovered or maybe he's a student. Whatever. Maura was eyeing him up and when he left she said he was good looking. I agreed and then she said...sighing...he's to old for me and too young for you, Grandma. Then she looked at her mom and said...he's too young for you too, Mom. I told her you are never too young or too old to appreciate beauty. We gave him a big tip.
This week I gave 12 baby afgans to Caring Choices and 3 baby afgans to the Elizabeth ministry at church. Also...sent along a dozen hats to Sara Cannon (that's Minnie Pearl to those who don't know) Cancer center. And gave a dozen hats to Glenn Brown for Gilda's Place. I'm out of stock. I'll have to get those needles busy.
This weekend...tomorrow Dad and I are going to see Wicked....the true story of the wicked witch of the west. It is supposed to be wonderful. Sunday...we are going to the state fair. I think that's about all the togetherness Dad can stand. I'm going to make the most of it.
Can you believe...It's mid September already...9/11...ranks up there with Dec. 7, 1941. Next week I start my art classes...I'm ready. I've missed those students...but if you'll reread the top of this missive, you'll see that I probably wouldn't have been so hot at that job this summer.
The Quinn family is getting ready to visit New Jersey...to see Ed's mom and family and then they will stop in Pgh to see Karen and family. That's next month.
I'm typed out. If you have read to the end of this rambling...good for you. You didn't quit when the quitting was good. Love to all...

Verrrrrry Interesting

Every day you should learn something new or try something new. I'm pretty much into the learn something new category as I'm not a very adventureous person. So, here goes some new and interesting things I've learned recently.
First I learned that siblings treat their friends much nicer (read kinder and more courteously) than they do their brothers or sisters. Why? Because if you aren't nice to your friends...they won't associate with you anymore. Bs and Ss are stuck with each other till they all leave the nest. Also...along these lines....Siblings fight about 10 minutes out of every hour. The tv doctor didn't say how this was related to gender relationships...that is brother on brother or brother and sister. . etc. He said how well adults got along with siblings as children predicts how close their relationships would be as adults. Hmmmm.
Then I learned that there are companies who are dealing with internet addictions. This is not just in this country, but also worldwide. If a person is on the internet 8 hours a day....they may have a problem. I don't know how this relates to persons who do their jobs via computer. The rule may not apply then. Also in China..some internet addictees have been treated with shock therapy! I do know that people convicted of internet fraud..hacking, identity theft, etc...as part of their sentences are not permitted to use computers for a period of time.
Then I learned that Medicare will not pay for pap tests if the woman hasn't had any problems in t two years. This is for patients 65. I found this out when I visited my doctor for my annual gynie this past week. I said I'll pay for it. I'm sure I'll get a big bill for this. This seems a little counterproductive. Isn't the function of these tests to find a problem while it is small? The reason I said, "Do it, anyway." is because I have a friend just diagnosed with uterine cancer because they found it on a pap test.
My doctor is very nervous about the talk about health care reform. I tell her we know what she thinks about socialized medicine...she's from Canada. If she could make any money there, she'd still be there. I don't think that we really know what the proposals are..many voices heard and I'm not sure that all of them know what they are talking about. Well, on that, we shall see what we shall see.
Lastly...if you are one of those fortunate people who don't get bitten by mosquitos...it may be that you secrete a hormone that bugs don't like. It seems scientists are trying to identify and manufacture this hormone for the mass market. It isn't going to be otc for a couple of years. I don't know why they tell us this stuff so far ahead of the game.
And that's all I have recently learned. Till next time.....

life is very scary/exciting

We had a medical emergency last evening. Al usually goes to bed before me,but last night at 8pm I said I was very tired and would go to bed at the same time he did. We went to bed, he turned out the television...and...then the incident happened. I thought his breathing was very shallow. He threw off the covers and was perspiring profusely. I asked him if he was ok and he mumbled "yes." Still breathing funny, I though. I asked again and got no response. I got up, turned on the light and realized that he was "out of it." I called 911 and even the fire department/ambulance was there in about 10 minutes, it was a very scary time. The emts were very professional and agreed with me that he was having a hypoglycimic (blood sugar too low) attack. His blood sugar was so low that it didn't even register on their meters.
The emts loaded him up in the ambulance and I followed them to the hospital. I'm very glad that Summit is only a couple of miles away. The er was ready for him and they started ivs and took vitals. His blood at that point was only 43. (Lord only knows how much it was at the start of this event.)
After tests...heart, lungs, etc. and glucose ivs, crackers with peanut butter, and three hours later, I was given the go-ahead to take him home. It was very scary.
The er doctor asked how long he'd been a diabetic and if this had ever happened before. I said 25 years and maybe 3 times over the years. When was the last time? about 2 weeks ago. Hmmm....
He slept in this am. I told him if he going to go walking this morning he better wake me up as he wasn't going to go alone. This is the first time in years he hasn't gone for a walk. I'm insisting that he rest today.
It was a strange evening....and very scary.
I told the emts what Karen said about blood levels....better to be a whole day high than a half hour low. This makes me nervous. I'm going to be on the alert for signs.
The trouble with signs is that there weren't any. He can usually tell when his blood is low. This time, if I hadn't been in the bed next to him and came in a few hours later as I usually do, who knows that would have happened. Yikes!!!!!
Today he's recouperating, although he says he is fine and he looks as he usually does. I'll be on the alert for post-traumatic actions. Post-traumatic for me. He doesn't remember a thing till he woke up in the er.
That's how it goes....till next time.

pets and more pets

When discussing pets with a friend recently, I commented that although we don't have a pet now, in our past we have had many pets. Well, I should say that I had many pets. When I was a little girl, we had dogs and cats. The first dog that I remembered was called Mitzi. She was a mutt. I don't know how we got her, but it seemed to me we had her till I was in the second or third grade. After Mitzi went to dog heaven, we had dogs that were Cocker Spaniels. Well, actually, only one was a pure bred Cocker, but the other was a mixed bred that looked like a Cocker. Both of these two dogs were black and it seems as if I've mixed up their personalities, combining them into one dog.
These two dogs lived a long time. The mix was still with us when Al and I were dating. Mickie would meet him at his car when he came to call, barking a lot. He'd greet him and walk him to his car when he left. Al swears that he was the only one the dog ever barked at, but as I recall, Cockers are barkers and I'm sure he barked at everyone. This was before leash laws and all the dogs in the neighborhood ran free. Mickie was no exception. We could go to the door and call him and we'd spot him at least a mile away in New Derry (across the fields). This little black spot would hear us and pretty soon we'd see that spot getting bigger and bigger as he crossed over the fields and over the creek and up the hill to our back yard. I don't recall how either one of these dogs met their fate.
Our family dog was named "John Wayne Steinmetz" nicknamed Duke..How original was that. We got him when Karen was about five. Duke's mother was a Cockapoo..a mutt herself...but named Valentine. Valentine loved the big dog down the street and every time she was in heat, she'd go visit him and come back pregnant. She had about three litters before her owners figured out how she was getting pregnant and decided to get her neutered. Duke was the runt of one of her litters and he was a sweet dog. We never trained him very well, Both Duke and the family could have stood some training. Duke died when Karen was in high school and we were all sad. As I was the one who bought the dog food, I was reminded of Duke every time I was in the grocery store. I couldn't go down the pet food aisle for several years after Duke was gone.
Now I could write a book about the cats we had...many, many cats. We lived near open fields and little mice would often make their way into the house. Cats of many colors and stripes were part of my growning up years. When I was an adult, but not married yet, we had a scruffy tom cat who would prowl the neighborhood and come in beat up from his encounters with other cats. That cat was just called Cat, but after one too many times in the ring, my dad renamed him Casius Clay, later called Ali, because of his fighting abilities.
I'll have to save the stories about cats in our married years for another time, as it appears it is time for lunch...the stomach is growling....If interested, just ask.
I'd have a cat in a minute, but the man I live with says, "No, thanks." You can't win them all, can you? Till next time.

Golf News!

This a.m. I was working in the yard sweating up a storm...it was about 89 at 7 o'clock. My better half had gone to his mid-week golf game at Two Rivers. I finished my chore and went to recycle some cardboard and plastic. After I came in and took a shower, I happened to see the message light on the phone. It was Al Steinmetz telling me that he had shot a hole in one. Boy, is he happy. When he got home I celebrated with him. He said he knew it was going to be a good day when he pared the first hole. Naturally, with this HIO, he was the winner of his foursome. I think I'll take his golf ball and scorecard and get them framed appropriately. He is certainly a proud golfer today. He has only been golfing (off and on) for 50plus years. I told him he was now ready for the Senior tour.

Speaking of golf...Tiger Woods lost last weekend. Beaten by a no-name from Korea. I say....it will keep him humble. This is the first year since he turned pro that he hasn't won a major. I always root for the other guy. In my opinion, it isn't good for a game to have one person or team dominate. Woods will win again...for sure, but last weekend wasn't the time.

I'm going to go paint...maybe I'll paint a golfing picture. Ha. Ha.

Till next time.

Goodbys and Hellos

We just arrived home from Jennifer's funeral. I knew for the past month that things didn't look good, but I don't think John (blessed John) realized it until the last couple of days. He will miss her a lot and there is a big hole in the family. I'm the last of my birth family...realizing this has hit me hard. I don't know why Jennifer left so early, but we do know that whatever and whoever meets us after this life welcomed her with open arms. Time means nothing in the hereafter but it will be long for us without her.

As to the hellos....new school year. Bill and Carla's family is growing up. Only one in elementary school now. I told Karen when her baby was born that she should enjoy Isabel because next year she'd be in college. Ask any parent of adult children and they will tell you how fast their kids grew and flew.

I did spend last Friday and Saturday evening with some classmates of 1959. Can't believe that I graduated 50 years ago. The weekend was interesting. I must say, at the risk of sounding vain, that I looked much better than many of my classmates. The guys looked awful. Even though some of the women hadn't gained much weight (my sin) they had dyed hair (there were only three of us brave enough to let it go white...we looked good) they had terrible wrinkles (I think they were smokers) and sagging skin. I came away thinking time had been kind to me. I was told by many classmates that "I hadn't changed a bit." which we all know is a lie, but I liked hearing it anyway.

People don't change much, personality wise. One gal who got on my nerves 50 years ago is still a pain....when asked if she had children she said she and her husband were happily married for 45 years because they had NO children. I told her that I was also happily married for 45 years but I had three children who are a blessing. Who is richer in this situation? Rhetorical question. Then there was the gal bragging about her two exhusbands and her money. Turn back the clock and she is the same girl she was in high school.

But...on the plus side...to see Barbara Fatora...her cousin David Fatora....Barbara Lawrence...Carol Baron...and many others was very pleasant. I'didn't know if I wanted to go to this reunion, but was afraid that "after the fact" I'd be sorry I missed it. I am glad I went...I may not ever make another, but I know the people who put these things together do lots of work. I only had to show up. It was fun.

Till next time.

replies to others?

It appears my son is upset with the Pirates and their recent deal with Boston. I long ago reached the conclusion that Pittsburgh doesn't really want to spend money to get and keep good players. I think I read their players are the lowest paid in the league....soooooo, you only get what you pay for. I think.

As for us here in Nashville. Al and I cut down a holly tree yesterday. The chipper is supposed to come on Friday so there are piles of brush all over the subdivision waiting for the big machine to grind them up and haul them away.

The fence people were supposed to come last Friday...no shows. This Monday is the new date.
Why is it that workmen never come when you expect them? Friday was the scheduled date. As usual I expected them about 8 a.m. Eight a.m. came and went and no workers. I was getting madder by the minute and at 9:30 someone called and said there would be a delay...not till Monday. So, now I have two days that I'm rearranging my schedule to accommodate the workers. We shall see what we shall see.

As for the rest of life here...much the same. Nothing exciting is happening. Boring is the word. We do say here that boring is ok. Sometimes the alternative isn't too good.

I'm gearing up for my 50th class reunion. I didn't know if I wanted to go to it, but then decided I would go because after the fact I'd probably be sorry I missed it. So, it's midAugust and that's on the agenda for the Steinmetzes.

Karen and family are home and healthy. Karen said she had to go to work (gasp) the first day back from her long sojourn with the family to parts across the ocean. I told her if she was looking for sympathy, she was barking up the wrong tree. She said she was just stating a fact, not asking for sympathy. Isabel weathered the trip well.

Joan goes back to school next week. It seems as if they just got out yesterday. Maura goes the week after. Maura got her kitten for her birthday. Joan and Maura took Dad and me out for his birthday. We went to Red Lobster for lunch. Our new RL is very upscale. The waiter offered to put his arm in the lobster tank and pick one out for Maura...but we nixed that idea.

Al has been golfing a lot lately. Good for him. We were rooting for the old guy at the British Open last week, but he lost in the playoff. What a graceful loser. He commented that nobody died after the loss, putting all things in perspective.

That's it for now. Till next time.....