It is a Wednesday

TERRY

Terry had PT yesterday and it seemed that Mei was pleased with her progress.  She stood by her walker for a few minutes and then did several exercises.  Mei had her stand and the lift her leg and move it as if she were walking.  Don't get me wrong, she did not walk but did make movements as if she were doing that.  Mei will come again on Thursday.

I did get 30 minutes of tennis in with the two pros yesterday.  AND of course, as always, they were positive and said I did a good job.  Was that true?  Just let me say that at the end of the session I was sweaty, sore, tired and really I did not do all that much.  Phil said he would like me to hit with him again later this week.

YES YES we finally got mail yesterday.  We finally got mail on the "14th" day of being here for mail.  I will not say it was me or the USPS but regardless we are now getting mail.  It was important yesterday as Terry received her new Medicare card that the hospital had lost!  As one would guess the other several pieces of mail were put in the recycling as I walked into the house!

So the days continue to go by and most days we see someone who is here to help Terry.  Monday it was OT, Tuesday it was PT and today Hector is coming.  To be honest I am not sure the purpose of Hector but I do know Terry was not all that happy with him last week when he came.  He told her she should be exercising 4-5 hours a DAY!  

We have been enjoying lasagne the last couple of days.  Cheryl brought a large pan of homemade lasagne over on Monday.  I am guessing it is enough for us over maybe a half dozen meals.  Terry thinks it is the BEST she has ever had and I would agree.

I put on my woodworker's hat yesterday as we need a platform about 5" high to make it easier for Terry to get into the car.  The seats are just a bit high for her to get in.  We did make it work when she went to the doctor BUT I think it was not a pleasant thing for Terry.  So there was a trip to Home Depot and I came home with lumber.  It is really interesting to build with VERY limited tools.  I do not carry tools back and forth as here the heat and humidity would rust them in a short time unless one had a shop with climate control.  AND we do not have that in the garage as I have limited control over anything in my life any more!!!

Our in-home-care person is Vida.  Today will be her third day.  She actually is doing a nice job but some things are always surprising.  One the walk yesterday I went about half way and then Terry and Vida went alone.  When they came back Vida was so so hot and tired!  I mean it was maybe mid 70s and I admit somewhat humid but still not enough to make it a hard trip.  In the house she is very helpful and tries to do things to make life easier for me.

It is August 16th, 1961

I look at this as being an old friend.  I learned to drive on this and spent MANY hours on it.

As the light filters through the west window I roll over and stare at the nails in the ceiling of my bedroom.  I think about what I may do today.  It rained last night so I will not be plowing today.  I am kind of happy but kind of upset as well.  I had thought I could finish plowing James' land down south and that would almost finish the fall work but that will have to happen maybe tomorrow.  

A smile spreads over my face as think about Dave coming home for the school year.  He has been working on a farm in Kulm for the last couple of summers.  I know that has been good for Dave as he and Dad often think one is oil and the other is water yet I know Dad loves him and respects him perhaps more than I.  As I climb out of bed and get dressed I wonder what in the world I should do today as no field work means free time.  Walking down the stairs I can smell that Mom has the stove on and I am sure I am in for a treat.  It will be pancakes with fresh chokecherry syrup which is the BEST.  It is only 7:30 but Dad is in the darkroom with the door closed doing his thing.  Opening the door and stepping into the kitchen I greet Mom and then allow my thoughts to wander.  I say to myself, "Is there another wife/mother in the world who would put up with what Mom does".  A few yesrs ago Dad had taken the old stove out and purchased a new small gas one for Mom.  BUT the idea was not to make it easier for Mom.  The whole idea behind that was he could then make his own little castle in the corner of the kitchen.  So here he is this morning with the door shut and working in his "cube" that measures maybe 4X8.  That takes up space from Mom's kitchen and for looks, it looks kind of crazy!  Granted now they do not need to put blankets over the windows and make the kitchen a dark room BUT could there not been a better way???  Anyway my mind quickly comes back to the "now" and I sit down to pancakes and syrup which is delicious.  About the time I finish eating Dad comes out of his darkroom and says that he is going into Cayuga to get the plow blades. After so many days we have to take the blades up to Keifers and they sharpen them.  I ask if I can go along and to my surprise he says yes.  As we drive off it is very clear that Dad's mind is somewhere else today so I sit back and "think".  I will be starting high school in a couple of weeks.  I really want to play football but have not asked Dad if I can.  I did get a letter from the coach last week saying that practice starts 10 days before school and I don't know how I would get to Forman for that.  I think about the last couple of years.  Before that Dave and I used to have a lot of fun during the summer but since he has been working away in the summer the time has not been all that great.  It did give me time to make my golf course and clean up the old foundation of the hog barn.  I miss our time together but I know that Dave is much happier now and he is also saving money.  He has said he wants to buy a car after he graduates.  Much later in life he tells me about what he did after graduation.  He said he bought this old car, put ALL his belongings in it and drove away from the farm with no regrets and perhaps not even looking back as he drove down the half mile to the main road!  Entering Cayuga I snap out of my dreaming and glance at the old grade school as we drive past.  I think about the many memories made there and most were good.  I think fast forward to now and think about what high school may be.  I am not the most social person so when I think about it I get nervous.  I say to myself that it will be OK as my good friend Larry and I will kind of stick together.  I am sure Larry is going out for football so I will use that when I get up the courage to ask Dad if I can play.  I will say if Larry can play I certainly can as I am a lot bigger and stronger than he is.  AND of course that changed by the time we were upper classmen!

Dad picks up the plow blades (I know that is the wrong name) and we head home.  I was hoping we may stop at the store and Dad would allow me to buy some baseball cards as I did put a quarter in my pocket but as I said Dad's mind was somewhere else this morning.  As we drove around the lake I decided that I was going to go fishing when we got home as that kind of solitude sounded good for today.

My FP is gone and I will get to work now!