Happy Halloween!!!!!!!

 

I am thinking Dave and I must have been Ma and Pa Kettle!  Mom would drive us around to Aunt Bertie's, George's, Hazel's, Uncle Halvor's and last but not least Alice P. as she always gave each of us a $.05 candy bar.  I think most of the places would give us home made cookies etc. but a 5 cent candy bar all for ourselves was special!  Well I guess Halloween about 65+ years ago was a bit different than now!

TERRY

If I were a stranger and saw Terry yesterday I would have said she would be walking soon BUT I know that is not the case.  However she was pretty impressive.  As I mentioned yesterday she just grabbed the walker and proceeded to walk the 35+ feet to the living room using the walker as support.  I am encouraged that she can do that and I do see her walking by herself in the future and maybe not too distance either.  

Here it is 7:10 and life is in full swing.  Terry is awake and reading the paper as she has the TV on.  I am on my first cup of FP as I blog.  There is a load of clothes in the washer and one in the dryer so life is almost normal, as normal as it can be at this time.  

I have some English Muffins out of the freezer so that in a short time I can have my breakfast of fried egg and ham on a toasted muffin.  Terry usually does not want to eat something early in the morning so I am guessing it will be tuna, pickle and mayo on a piece of toast later in the morning.  

summer of 1960

This is a drawing from my book.  Andy G. drew the pictures for me.  This is a little misleading as most of the work was done with the "M" tractor with the loader in front.  It is about the story of cleaning up the foundation of the hog barn which I never saw as it was destroyed before I was born.  I have shared this before.  To the west of the house about 50 feet was this very large slab of cement.  I am guessing it was about 25 X 40 and it just stuck out as an eye sore.  There were weeds growing up all around it and it just made the yard to the west look ugly.  So in the summer of 1960 I decided to do something about it.  It was the first summer Dave was working away from home so I was all by myself in doing work around the farm.  I was kind of lost but then about mid summer I had this grand idea.  I would have Dad put the loader on the "M" and I would clean up the cement.  I told Mom what my idea was and she thought that would be really nice to have it done but she questioned if I could do it.  Well sometimes when I get something in my mind I just have to do it!  Over the next six weeks of summer I pounded, banged, pulled and everything else you could think of as slowly but surely I broke up the huge slab and took it away.  There were many pieces I could manage so I would hitch the rock wagon to the Ford and drive loads of cement down to the rock pile.  However many pieces were just too hard or too big to lift so for those I would put a large chain down, take the loader and move the piece over the chain and then pull it down the driveway to the rock pile.  Once I got it there I would unhook the chain and then use the loader on the "M" to shove it down the bank towards the creek.  I still remember the day I finished.  I had not told Mom that I was finished but instead I hitched the loader that went behind the Ford and drove over and over the dirt with the loader tilted so it smoothed down the dirt.  When I was finished I had a big piece of the west yard that was level and looked so nice.  I walked into the house almost busting my britches with joy as I announced to Mom that her yard work was finished.  I was so so happy and pleased as Mom looked out the west kitchen window and went on and on how nice it looked.  I am sure we did not seed grass there but over time it filled in with grass so that the yard between Mom's clothes line and the barn looked nice.

One of our neighbors came back yesterday as I see there pickup in their driveway this morning.  

Neighbors to the south will most likely arrive today.  So the winter season begins and it will be interesting to see what is in store in the next many months.  What will  happen in the election?  When will life get back to normal?  When will Terry start walking?  The questions are many and I can hardly wait to see how everything turns out.  Let the day begin with the last cup of FP, a toasted bagel and the start of two days of rest from tennis.  Darn those days go by so slowly it seems as I am itching to send Christmas Cards out but one can't do that before Thanksgiving!!!

Two days until turkey month!

 TERRY

Terry had a doctor's appointment yesterday and it seemed like she had not been in the car for a long time. I think I said before they did a "sniff" test which sounds crazy but it is related to her lung.  They also did an X-ray of her right lung.  The appointment lasted about 45 minutes.  As I write this morning she is reading her morning paper which she enjoys.

I say on Facebook this morning that George Lee passed away Wednesday.  He was 96.  He was a wonderful neighbor who lived about a mile from us on the farm.  As with so many of the "Lee" guys he was a avid hunter and active guy.  I smiled when I read about him as at the age of 37 he seemed on his way to being a single guy.  BUT someone set him up on a date with Llse who had come to Veblen SD from Germany.  They were married three months later.  He was in the same vein as Dad and Uncle Halvor with his deer hunting, fox hunting, bird hunting and more.  I could almost say they don't make them like that any more but I am sure that is not true.

I will tell a story about Llse.  Her mother came over from Germany to visit and Llse invited my mom to drive over to meet her mother.  Mom came home and was shocked when she came home.  She said Llse's mother was reading the Bible and drinking a beer when she arrived!!!  Mom just thought that was the worst ever!

I have tennis in half an hour.  This will be the fifth straight day of tennis and there may be one more tomorrow.  

Not any plans for today other than tennis.  Well I could clean up a whole bunch of paper work around here and as I say that it sounds like a good idea.

It is now mid afternoon

Here I am and it is now way after I started blogging as the time is 3:30.  I played tennis for the 5th straight day and I think that is enough for this week.  Some guys play on Saturdays at 9:00 and I have been part of that BUT will forego that tomorrow for a couple days rest.  

I am just exhausted today and really for no good reason but it is what it is.  

Terry is watching TV in the living room now.  She got out of bed in the bedroom and used the walker to get to the couch which is about a 30 foot distance.  I held the belt around her but really she just pretty much walked the entire way by herself.  That is the first time we have done that without the Pt person here.  That is certainly a step in the right direction.

Enough for now and for today.  I promise I have a GREAT Halloween picture for tomorrow!!!

October 29th, Dad's birthday

 TERRY

As I write Terry is also awake.  She has a doctor appointment this afternoon.  An appointment that I forgot to take her to about a week ago.  It is a chest X-ray and a SNIFF test which to me sounds kind of weird.  Anyway I have my phone alarm on for 1:00 so I do not forget this time.  

I have a tennis time of 7:30 this morning.  The courts are getting somewhat busier now as more and more people are coming down.  

Dad was born 109 years ago on this day.  He was a man of enormous talent.  He was equally comfortable with a gun,  a wrench or a camera.  He would overhaul an engine on Friday and take wedding pictures on Saturday.  Truly a wise and talented man.  He only finished 8th grade but he did go to mechanic school in South Dakota for two winters.  

As I clicked to get onto my blog this morning I saw where today is my 1,684th blog.  I wonder if I have said anything worthwhile in that time?

It is almost time to get ready for tennis.  Terry is reading the paper with the TV on as she woke up and decided she could not go back to sleep.  I am hoping that she can shut her eyes later on this morning.  

Our in home help will come at 8:00 this morning but I will be gone.  I told her I would leave the door open.  

We are well into the count down to the election which I am thankful for.  I try not to watch too much TV but in the time that I do watch the political ads can not go away fast enough.  It does not make any difference who a person will vote for because as you watch the ads pretty much each candidate is BAD!  I am not saying that I am just saying what the ads say!!!

I don't know what I should do!  I want to shed a few pounds and then friends bring over beans, potato salad and burgers!  I mean one can NOT let good food go to waste, right???  Maybe tomorrow!

I just filled my cup with the last of the FP but I have nothing else to say this morning so will close.  

Time flies

 TERRY

Terry had her last PT session here at home for now.  The PT will make arrangements for us to go to a PT place where there is a swimming pool for therapy.  I think that will be very good for Terry.  I was amazed at what Terry did today.  She walked back and forth in the house I think two times which makes it about a 40 foot walk.  There was a time where the PT was right behind but took her hand off of the belt and Terry just went ahead.  That is the most she has done.  Yes, she was tired after that.  BUT then after the PT person left she insisted she use the walker and she went from the living room to the bedroom by her own power!  It was an amazing time.  Now we just have to keep it up and do it every day.  

I can not believe it is already 3:00.  I had tennis at 9:00 this morning.  Then after I had a shower and then I drove to the grocery store to get some things.  About the time I came back the PT person showed up and here we are with the day almost gone.  

I am hoping my body holds up as I have tennis Monday-Saturday this week.  I have shed 3 pounds in the last 3 days and hope to continue for a few more days.  All it takes is exercise and a limited number of stops at the fridge but that is easier said than done!

I am going to make it short today as something is telling me I need a nap but darn those are hard to come by with this left leg that aches.  

Enough for now.  I did have my FP this morning and that may be the reason I played kind of good!

Here we are on the last Tuesday of the month AND November is just around the corner!

 I would say Terry continues to be about the same.  I was able to redo her doctor appointment that we messed up on a week ago.  So now it is set for Thursday PM.  They will do a scan of her rught lung which the doctor said he was concerned about and the the "sniff" test.  I had more than one laugh with the person on the phone when we taked about that.  I do think it has something to do with the lung.  Terry has had NO issues with breathing etc so we are not concerned but the doctor wanted it done.

Another day and another tennis at 9:00.  This will be with some guys who are not quit on the level that played yesterday.  But I would say that if I can play like Jules at his age (86) I will be happy for sure.  

Sometimes I ask myself if it is better to just go to the store rather than order something from Amazon.  Well I needed labels for addresses.  I stopped at Staples and there was a package of 30 sheets for $13.95.  I did not buy them as I thought that was a bit spendy.  At home I went to Amazon.com and there was a package of 100 sheets for $14.90!  I wonder where I should buy them???

Sonja, the in home care giver, will be here again today.  I just have such a difficult time having her here as it is expensive BUT she does give me some relief from work around the house.  She is good but in my world it just is so so iffy to have to spend that kind of money for 4 hours of time when I can only keep her busy for half of the time she is here.  I need to think about it as time goes one.

It is the summer of 1959

Dave and I decided that we needed to do some cleaning in the barn.  On the east side of the barn there were four large pens.  The pen on the far south was where the water tank was.  The pen next to it had a cement floor but the two next to that had dirt floors.  We would always keep straw on the floor so the pens were nice for the cattle BUT Dave and I would do anything to get out of cleaning them.  I do not even want to say how often they were cleaned but I will say NOT very often.  Actually that was a good thing the time I fell from the rafters and landed on my head!!!  It was kind of a soft landing if you get my drift!  Anyway Dave and I decided on our own to clean the north pen which was by the side door.  Dave hooked up the manure spreader to the Ford and drove along the barn with the spreader right under the window.  With pitch forks in hand and air moving through the barn we got to work.  It had been some time (actually a LONG time) since we had cleaned it so as one could use the expression, "the shit was deep!"  By the time lunch came around we had some of the pen cleaned and the manure spreader full.  Mom kind of gave us a funny look as we walked into the kitchen for lunch.  She knew what we had been doing but she did not appreciate the aroma that followed us into the house.  After peanut butter sandwiches and kool-aid we were ready to drive the Ford out into the field and spread some "cheer' around on the field.  Part of the land to the east was summer fallowed so that was our place to go.  What we did not do was make sure every thing worked before we loaded the manure spreader!  Dave pulled the lever to make the floor move towards the back and the large wheel on the back turn BUT nothing happened.  As we examined the manure spreader, which had not been used for a long time, we saw that the chain that was supposed to connect the sprockets was missing!  Well there was no way that spreader was going to be unloaded without man (boy) power and pitch forks.  We unhooked the spreader and drove the Ford back to the farm to get forks.  It turned out to be a long afternoon but we did finish it.  I do not remember cleaning a pen again for a long time.

Here it is 7:50 and I am finished with my FP, I have enjoyed a bagel with cheese, ham and egg which I made from scratch and the blog is finished for the day so it is on to other things.  I will read the news on the computer and then dress for tennis.  I stepped on the scale this morning and I lost .2 pounds.  Success, I do not think!!!

We start the last week of October

 TERRY

I would say that Terry continues to be about the same.  She now uses the commode most of the time which is a good thing.  She even used it at 2:30 AM--not so good!!!  She just does not want to exercise between OT and PT and that is not good.  I will try again today as I feel she has to work on her own on days we do not have therapy come in as that is only twice a week.  She has had a headache the last couple of days and on Saturday she threw up so there is concern.  I have hope that the week will go well.

Tennis is heating up as more people come back.  I am playing with Karl this morning as he is now down here and as I looked at the web page of tennis I see where I am playing 6 days in a row.  Now that may be a little much for this old body but will give it a try.  As I have said in the past Terry does not mind so much when I play tennis as I am about a 3 minutes bike ride from home but to be out and about in the car makes her nervous.

Carmen, way to go!!!  Over the weekend I finished writing our Christmas letter, printed out addresses and they are ready to be put in the mail!  Of course they will be stacked near the office until just before Thanksgiving Day and then in the mail they will go!  It feels good to have it finished.  This year NO pictures on our letter just writing about what 2020 has been for us.  Now what should I do?

I did play tennis this morning.  Rusty and I won set one 6-3 but were behind 1-5 when 10:30 stopped our play.  I was tired.  We played Karl and John P.  Karl just arrived and he looked great.  I do not think he was over weight but I am guesssing he has lost 15 pounds or so.  I could tell that after 90 minutes of tennis he still had some left in the tank while I was dragging the last 20 minutes!  I need to ask him how he lost it!

I think I will be home there rest of the day.  I still have a cup of FP left from this morning so will heat that up and then decide how to use the rest of the day.

Saturday, October 24 and it looks like rain today

 TERRY

Terry is about the same.  As I write at 8:00 AM she is sleeping.  She said she did not sleep well last night.  

Every Saturday there is a section in the paper about "wheels".  I would often cut it out and send it to Dave.  This morning I actually was reaching for the scissor but stopped short because IF they get the Naples Paper in heaven Dave has already read it!  Here is a nice car to get.  It has a nice ride for a sports car.  The base price is only $210,000 but as shown it will set you back $269,000!  My involvement in it is only to read about it!  Terry and I got a new car last March and for the price of this McLaren we could have purchased about 8 cars!!!

If the rain comes late this AM I will get 9:00 tennis in.  At this time I am playing 3 times a week and Terry is fine with that.  As long as I am close by in case she needs me.  

As I write I can hear she was able to fall asleep again.  She had some needs at 6:30 but said she did not sleep well last night and hoped she could fall asleep again so success!

   

 QUIZ FOR TODAY

The quiz is: "which picture is taken in Naples and which is in St. Paul"?  The first to answer wins the million dollar check!!!  Don't worry, the check will be in the mail😃!

I started on our Christmas letter and I think it is pretty much finished.  Now I need to print out the addresses from the computer.  Of course it will not go out for some time but it will be nice to have it finished.  Terry read it and said there is too much about her.  Well what the heck, pretty much the entire year is about Terry so I did not have much other news to write about!  Anyway I told her I just put in the most important news.

I am starting to get the itch to write another book.  It may not happen but it sounds like fun each time I think about it.  

I do not have much else to say this morning.  Just for information Marlys wins the weather contest this morning with a low temp of 18!  I could go for a winner of the HIGH but that is no fun.  BUT if I did Judi/John would win with a temp of 70.  That is actually not fair as Mesa would win pretty much everyday!

Enough for now as the FP is almost finished and I could get dressed for tennis.

Friday, October 23rd

 TERRY

Terry is doing the same.  There has been NO doctor appointments this week which has been a nice relief.  She did have OT and PT so that was good.  She will have both of them next week as well.

I cut the orchard by the front door and brought it in so that Terry can enjoy it.  There are a total of 9 flowers in the stem.  I do not think we have come close to that many in the past!

There just is not a lot to say today.  I do need to go to Costco to get some meds as the PA ordered something which he said MAY help in the numbness that Terry has in her hands and lower part of her legs.  Yesterday the in home care person did not come as I guess she did not feel well.  I am hoping she shows up today as Terry does not like me to be that far away if she is alone.

No tennis today so will be home but there will be tennis tomorrow.  

January 15, 1957

As we are seated around the table eating supper Dad mentions that he will be developing pictures today.  Dave and I look at each other and then look up at the ceiling!  We did not like the nights that Mom and Dad worked on pictures.  I think to myself, why does Dad have to do that?  As we finish the stew that Mom had made she tells Joan, Dave and I that we need to do the dishes.  The dishes have to be washed, dried and put away as they will need the table and counter top to work on pictures.  As we finish the dishes Dad is already nailing blankets over the south and west window.  So about 7:30 the kitchen is ready for pictures.  That means that Joan, Helen, Dave and I have to make a decision.  We have to go upstairs to bed or stay in the living room.  There will be breaks of course and they seem to happen maybe every hour or so.  Now who in their right mind is going to bed at 7:30?  If a person goes up stairs there is no choice but to climb under the covers as the temp up stairs is near freezing.  So we make sure we have what is needed in the living room and the kitchen door that leads to the living room is closed only to be open perhaps each hour or so.  Dave and I have our things ready.  He has his erector set in the bright red metal case and I have my Lincoln Logs in the green and yellow tube.  There is also Touring Cards as well as the kitchen leaves from the table and empty shells casings and marbles.  So it will be "kill the soldiers" or "Touring" or just building things with logs and metal parts.  The first break happens at 8:45 as Mom opens the door to say we can pass through on our way upstairs if we want.  We all pass on that and decide to wait for the next break.  The next time the door opens we are given no choice, time to go to bed.  As we get a drink of water and head upstairs the kitchen looks like a ghost kitchen.  Dad's enlarger is placed on the table.  There are gallon jugs on the west counter and then there are trays with liquid in on the table.  Then above the cook stove there is a wire hung and there attached by clothes pins are pictures that they have developed.  When we get upstairs there is a quick change of clothes and then under the covers as the thermometer hanging near our bed shows 36!  Wow I think it is not even freezing!!!  As Dave and I lie in bed our conversation drifts from school, to cold bedrooms, to the games we just played and as we drift off to sleep warmer days seem to come to mind!  In the years that followed it seemed that progress was made.  I actually questioned that but Dad threw out the cast iron cook stove and bought a propane stove that was placed on the west wall.  He then made a huge ugly looking 4X8 cube where the stove had been.  That would be his "go to place" for the next many years.  I say I questioned because his cube pretty much ruined the kitchen and our beloved cook stove where we could fry sliced potatoes in the winter was gone.  The stove was also something that allowed me to earn a tiny bit of money as I got a few cents for bringing in corn cobs etc.  BUT I am sure it was nice for Mom to be able to cook on the propane instead of the cast iron cook stove.  

So here it is 7:25 and it is time to start the day with the last of my FP.

Opps

 TERRY

Terry had PT yesterday and that went well.  Again she walked a ways has she held onto the walker.  The PT wanted to do the pool exercise but I had forgetten to turn the pool on so I felt the water would be too cold.  As she finished PT Greg, the PA, arrived and was here for about 45 minutes.  He put in an order for something at the pharmacy that may help with the numbness in her hands and lower legs.  I received an text that it is ready BUT we received a call at 7:30 this morning that the "in home care" person is ill and will not be here so the meds will have to wait until tomorrow as Terry is uncomfortable with me being that far away when she is alone.  Costco is about a 15 minutes drive.

As the first week of November approaches my mind and my heart go towards the "good old days"!  Here we have from right to left Dick A, John, Ronald, Dave and I.  The deer on top of Ronald's Rambler wagon (I think I have the name right) is proof that we were OK hunters.  You may notice that there is a reason that the horns are so visible!!!  Of course Dad was there but he is, I am sure, behind the camera!  This must have been after we arrived home etc as we do NOT have our hunting clothes on.  This is one of my all time favorite pictures.  I am guessing this was about 1963 or so.  

I have 10:30 tennis today at 10:30 so will get ready for that soon.  

After tennis we will have Terry do the walking thing with the walker and me holding on.  We need to do that everyday.

I read this morning that Amy Coney Barret was confirmed in committee by a 12-0 vote.  The 10 democrats did not show up but instead put pictures of people on obama Care in their chairs.  I am not writing as a republican or democrat but that kind of behavior reminds me of the little boy or little girl who got up set so they took their toys and went home!  It is discouraging that people who help govern our country at the highest level exhibit behavior like little kids.  It is kind of like the attitude "If I can't win I will not play".

I am finished with eggs and meat for breakfast AND am ready for the day after I finishe my FP so October 22nd here I come!

Happy 14th to Cynthia and Mike

 TERRY

I have nothing new about Terry.  It is still one day at a time.  We do not have any appointments this week but I do have to make a call and reschedule one I missed last week.  I still am upset about it.  During the day Terry now uses the commode most of the time which is great.  She also used it this morning at 3:00 AM which was not so great!  Tuesday, here we come and are hoping for healing.

We have a very nice soft rain so my 10:30 tennis may not happen.  The courts do dry quickly so maybe.  I hate to miss a match now as there are more guys down which means better players are here.  I think when I played Saturday there was a slight up tick in my game!

Cynthia and Mike are celebrating their 14th anniversary today.  I remember the day well as they had the beautiful ceremony in the St. Paul Cathedral and then celebrated till midnight at the University of Minnesota Arboretum.  It was a grand day.  Here they are three houses and eight children later looking even better then this picture which was taken several years ago.  In fact, before their wedding.  They are a model for a great family.  The work projects, the children events and just everyday life is a testimony to the great people they are.  Cynthia and Mike, may the days, weeks, months and years ahead continue to be a blessing.  I need to add.  At St. Leo's Church, where Cynthia was baptised, I held her up in the air with my hands and said, "Lord may you bring good health, happiness and success to this child!  I know the Lord heard that prayer!  Have a great day.

Here we are in early June of 1955

Dad, as was often the case, said he had some business to take care of in Lidgerwood but Dave and I should pick a load of rocks on the land down south, Jim's land.  Now picking rocks was NOT our favorite job but picking on Jim's land was not all that bad.  I have to admit that I would actually pray that the grain would grow fast so the time of rock picking would be over!  On the land east of the house you could pick rocks all day and it seemed that there were more rocks the next day!  On Jim's land we may have to pick all day to get one small wagon load as the rocks were few and far between.  That made for a kind of a fun time as we would trade driving the Ford tractor and while one drove the other would ski bare foot behind to wagon or run and find a rock and shot put it into the wagon.  Then of course there were disc throws, hammer throws and more.  So we knew that we could play as much as work and only have to pick one load.  It was different picking on Jim's land as there was no place close to unload the rocks.  We would have to drive the load home and unload them on the creek bank east of the house where there was 1000s of rocks that WE had put there.  Dave and I got out kind of late as Dad was gone and that meant we did not have to worry about working too hard.  By noon we had about half a load of rocks.  Dave faced north and looked at his shadow and declared that it was noon and time to go home for lunch.  Dave said we may as well unhitch the wagon and just drive home on the tractor.  I asked if I could drive but he  felt he had the right as the oldest!!!  After a lunch of tomato soup, crackers and carrot cake we ventured back down south to finish off the days work!  When we would plow the rule of thumb was work till sundown but when picking rocks we figured if we worked it so we got a load by late afternoon we were good!  So as the wagon became loaded down and the sun seemed kind of a long ways from going down we headed home thinking that we had put in a full days work and actually got something done.  AND yes Dave insisted he drive again.  As we wound though the prairie hay field and towards the bridge we were happy as it meant we would have some time to play after the rocks were unloaded, the cows were milked and supper was eaten.  We rounded the corner and turned east on the road as we crossed the bridge.  Then it was a left turn which put us driving the half mile to our farm.  I had moved some of the rocks on the front so I could sit on the front of the wagon.  As we approached the hill just before our farm I yelled to Dave to stop.  By the time he heard me and stopped we were about a third up the hill.  As he turned to see what was wrong the wagon started to slowly move back from the tractor.  I jumped off the wagon and ran around to the back.  There I picked two of the biggest rocks and quickly placed them behind the two wheels.  By that time Dave was off the tractor wanting to know what was happening.  The pin that was supposed to go through the wagon tongue and through the draw bar had come loose and the wagon was about to unhitch and go down the hill and into the ditch.  Way to go Carmen, you saved the day!  That is NOT what Dave said, it is what I thought.  So there we were part way up the hill and no pin to keep the wagon hitched as it had broken.  Dave scratched his head for a bit and I think that give him the idea!  He unlatched the cover that was over the gas tank and tool box.  There he found a vise grip.  With all his might, after he had backed up the tractor some, he clinched the vise grip over the wagon tongue and draw bar and presto we were good.  Dave did drive into the farm instead of going to the rock pile as he knew we need not stretch our luck with the vise grip.  After rummaging around in the shop for some time he came up with a large bolt that would work for a pin.  BUT by the time we got the rocks unloaded, the cows milked and supper it was too dark to shot black birds or gophers so it was a day that was over.  We never did tell Dad how close we had come to having a wagon full of rocks in the ditch.  

The FP is saying that it has one last sip and that is all.  Time to get some things done and then it looks like the rain has stopped so it will be tennis at 10:30.

Start of a new week---Monday October 19th

 TERRY

Terry continues on about the same path.  She will have PT only once a week starting this week so that means there is more work to do at home.  Lord come in power and might and heal Terry through her hard work!

On what I am going to write next one may not want to read it.  I shared some time ago that Dad had this dream book and often in the morning he would stand in the doorway of the bedroom, lean against the door frame and read from this small white paperback book.  We knew it was a book that was supposed to tell you what your dream meant but we never did see the book.  Well here I go.  I do not dream every night but last night it SEEMED that I dreamt all night and it was crazy.  I was in college and was going to different classes.  At one time I did not have a shirt on but then got one to put on.  I had missed a lot of school and the English teacher told me the teachers were going to have a conference to see if I needed to repeat the class next quarter.  We had been given an assignment and that was supposed to tell the teachers how smart we were so I put my mind to doing really well on the paper so they would know I was smart!!!  So there is my dream and it means nothing,    I HOPE!!!

I will be making a run to Costco this AM.  Our in home help is here so I will go this morning as Terry does not like me to be so far away when she is alone.  So it is gas and grocery time.  No tennis today.  

I do need to make a phone call to reschedule Terry doctor appointment that I missed last week.  It makes me upset to think about it.  

I send notes to family on birthdays and anniversaries and tomorrow is Cynthia and Mike's 14th.  Wow, it does not seem like that long ago since I walked her down the isle.  They are doing well with their full schedule, full house and much more.  

A WALK DOWN THE ROAD TO SCHOOL

Our ball field was in the foreground and on the other side of the school were swings, other playground items and the pump where we got our water.  During the time it was a school it did not have the metal siding.  The area behind me that is about 3 feet out is where we served school lunch and lunch when we had Farmers Union meetings there.

From 1953-1957 Joan, Dave and I walked to Wood Lake School.  Sure, once in a while we would get a ride but most of the time it was a mile and a half walk.  It was a half mile south to the main road and then a mile walk east to school as we walked past George's farm and Uncle Obert and Aunt Bertie's farm.  Today, 67 years later George's farm is run by his son Robert and Obert's farm is no more as the yard is now fenced in for cattle!  I do not know now much time we gave ourselves but I do know that there were certain things we HAD to do as we walked.  Kicking stones was a big thing.  We would eye a stone and see how far we could kick it as it stayed on the road.  Fence posts were a big target.  By the time we got to school we had pasted our pasture and Obert's pasture which meant there were a lot of fence posts and I must say Dave and I got pretty darn good at hitting them with nice round stones!  Then there was the time in the spring after the creek had flooded some of the pasture and come up to the road that led to our farm.  There actually were some fish in the water as the water receded and trapped the fish in the ditch!  Of course in the winter there was running and jumping in the ditches to see how far our body would go into the snow!  I am sure there were tags, races and more as the walk to school was often an adventure that we made it into.  Actually by the time we arrived at school the rest of the day was kind of boring.  Well maybe one reason was I had the same spelling book 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade.  Do you think I could spell the words by the time I was in third grade???  I probably could because it seems that it was often during spelling class that I got myself into trouble and had to write my name 500 or 1000 times!!!  To this day when I sign my name I scribble!

Time to get some things done.  Here it is 8:15.  The in home help is here.  Terry is reading the paper and I have some work to do on the computer.  The FP is history.

Here we are in the second to last Sunday of October 2020

 TERRY

I would say Terry is about the same.  I do think she is somewhat stronger as she gets in and out of bed but of course we would like to see that translated to walking which I am hopeful for.  I still have Christmas as a goal for her to walk on her own.  IF that happens that will be the best Christmas present ever!

I did play some tennis yesterday.  There are more and more people coming down now so the tennis will get better and better.  Karl, one of the best guys on my team, will be here a week from tomorrow.  I have not even thought if I am going to field a team this winter.  I hope that is possible because the team competition is very fun as it gives one a chance to play against guys you do not see every day.  BUT time will tell if that happens.  I would not be surprised if it does not happen as there is a chance that clubs will not want visitors coming into the club.  We will just have to wait and see.

I need to reschedule one of Terry's doctor appointments that I messed up on last week.  I am still upset that I could forget an appointment twice!

I am now thinking about Christmas presents and a Christmas letter.  I think our letter this year will be short but at this time I do not know what to say.  Maybe I should wait until close to Christmas and then send a hallelujah letter as Terry walks!!!  As I lay in bed at 3:00 AM this morning I tried to figure out what to do/give but then as luck would have it I fell asleep again!

SUMMER OF 1957

It was a Saturday, July 13th of 1957.  It had been a good year for calves so we had 15 little ones running around in the barnyard.  I think one of my favorite, if not my very favorite, was little calves.  I would hope when they started being born that at least one of them would be small or born too soon which would mean we had to nurse it in the barn.  Anyway here we were in the middle of the summer and we had these little calves running all around the barnyard.  As Dave and I were eating breakfast we had hopes that Dad would have something to go into town for and forget to give us any work to do.  We knew that we could not pick rocks, our very worst job, because the grain was way to tall now.  Actually I take that back as the very worst job was cleaning the chicken house as the ammonia smell would almost send one to the crazy house!  Anyway Dad said it was time to dehorn the calves.  The male calves were starting to grow horns and Dad did not want that so the job was to use the huge horn cutter that looked like a tool from the middle ages and cut the tip of the horn off so that it would not grow.  Even though we had Shorthorn cattle we did not want any with horns!  Now I knew why Dad had asked me to shut the gate to the barnyard last night as all the cattle came into the yard.  So after Dave and I finished breakfast which consisted of pancakes with chokecherry jam on top it was time to get to work.  Even though we only had eight male calves Dad said it may take most of the morning.  When I asked why it may take so long he showed me a long needle and thick thread.  He said that sometimes the bleeding would not stop so one had to sew up the cut.  

Well that morning was not one I would want to relive over!  Of the eight male calves four of them would not stop bleeding so we had to catch them and hold them to the ground as Dad sewed up the bleeding.  The first three worked fine but the fourth one jumped up before Dad could get it closed and then we had to run after it with blood squirting out!!!  We tackled it (would have been good football practice) and sat on a crying calf as Dad sewed it up again.  He was not all the gentle as he was one upset Dad.  Finally after a couple of hours we were finished.  Dad said Dave and I should stay in the barnyard for the next hour just to make sure none of them started bleeding again.  I think I can still hear the calves crying as they were cut and then some sewed up!  All in all there was no more bleeding and Dad was happy for that.  He commented that now the calves would be ready for market by late fall.  My heart sank as I knew that would be the case but really as one watched the calves grow I usually put a name to each one and of course I knew that when the cattle truck came to take them away they were going to be butchered which made me sad.  Maybe that is one of the reasons I would not have made a very good farmer!

So here we are at about 8:10 AM on a Sunday.  We are starting another week with  hope and prayers that Terry gets better and life returns to normal again.  I say that but we all know that the word "normal" has an entire new meaning these days.  I have half a cup of FP and then the days really begins.

Here we are on the third Saturday of October 2020

 TERRY

Here it is almost 7:30 and as I write Terry is reading the paper.  We will take some time later to walk from the front of the house to the back with the aide of the walker of course.  We are expecting and hoping that as we do this daily at some time the walker will not be needed BUT we realize that is down the road.  

As I paged through the paper and then spent some time on Facebook it became apparent that today is a brother Dave day!  Pictures will explain!

I would say everyday there is more than one post on Facebook about towns that are long gone or farms that are long gone etc.  Well today there was a post on Cleveland, North Dakota.  Above is the school house and I am guessing a construction company is using the school house for a company building.  I have not heard but I am 100% positive that they are NOT doing a remodel on the school!!!  This is the school Dave started his teaching career at.  He and other teachers who lived in Jamestown drove the 15 miles to school each day.  I am not sure but I think he may have taught in Cleveland 4 or 5 years and it must have been in the early or mid 70s.  Whoever posted these pictures also posted pictures of many of the buildings in the town and it appears that there is nothing left with life in the town but I do not know that.  Anyway it brought back memories of sharings that Dave had with me.  I think he enjoyed his time there but to see it today tells us that time is often not good to small ND towns.

THEN

The Saturday edition of the paper had a spread on Ford's new 2021 Bronco

Pretty much like Dave's 70s or 80's Bronco

The last time I rode in Dave's was in the summer of 2018.  We took our handguns which consisted of Dave's tiny 22, Dad's target 22 and my 22 Diamondback and headed to Dave's brother-in-law Bert's place. There we shot up some things in his junk pile!  We joked about the new Bronco coming out and I suggested he go to the Ford dealer and offer to trade "even up" for a new one as they could then display his in their showroom!!!  Well the 2021 just came out so the dealer is out of luck!

I think today will be a slow down day as the past few days have been a bit too busy for me.  Terry had PT yesterday and we will try to duplicate today what they did yesterday.  The PT person suggested Terry get in the pool BUT we are not comfortable with that idea at this time.  WAY too dangerous in my mind but I do agree that exercise in the water would be good.

There is the crew of guys who play tennis each Saturday at 9:00.  I am not sure I will go over there today. I may go as I like to get on the courts but then again for some reason I do not feel like tennis today.  I have another hour to decide. 

I am now on my last cup of FP so will sign off.  I sign off with the hope that everyone, friends and family are staying safe.

Yesterday was dizzy!!!

 TERRY

Terry is about the same BUT she did have a long night.  At 2:00 AM she needed some attention and now she is awake at 8:00 so she may need a nap later today even though she seldom naps.  She does have PT this afternoon and I am beginning to worry about myself as for the second time in a week I forgot her doctor appointment.  For the next time I will need to put an alarm on my phone.

The pictures show what my day was like yesterday.  We had filed for an extension on our taxes with everything on our plate but yesterday was D day.  The day before we got a HUGE shock as the story that we got when Terry sold her home in Minnesota led us to believe she would have a small tax bill for it BUT I guess we had incorrect info!  The story was the bill was very large.  That meant we had to scramble to get funds and get the bill in the mail in time.  So there were phone calls, documents scanned and sent, bank visits and more as I looked for things, sent things on the computer and finally by mid afternoon was able to drive to the post office with things that needed to be sent.  By the time every thing was finished I felt like I had made a trip through the wringer on the wash machine that Mom had in the entry way on the farm.  Well, yes, I know that would have been impossible but I still kind of felt like maybe that had happened.  Perhaps I am getting old and not too strong as I settled my nerves and body with a cold beer and then felt better!!!

I do have a tennis match today at 9:00.  I also did get in an hour yesterday morning before the RUSH happened.  I feel that my game is getting close to 75% of what it was last year.  BUT maybe only 50% of what I would LIKE!

Our weather is getting a tiny bit better as fall comes on.  As I write it is 79 and in the 10 day forcast there is not one 90 which makes me happy.  It does look like possible rain 5 of the next 10 days.

I do not know what is happening in my mind but for some crazy reason over the last few nights I have dreamt and had thoughts about the farm.  I mean they just come in wave after wave.  Maybe I need a book like Dad often used.  We called it his dream book as I THINK he would look up his dreams to see what they maybe meant.  Do not worry as I think IF that is what he did it is kind of a "not good" thing to do.  I think I will just try to forget them.  I mean I loved my upbringing but what happened to the farmstead, the land etc. is something I am sad about and need not allow it to occupy my mind in any way.

By the way if you noticed the book in one of the pictures go ahead and order it on Amazon.  I could use the $.96 that I get from a $10 book after paying our large tax bill!!!  In reading it you also will understand why growing up on a farm in ND was a good thing!  I will add that "The Innocent Days of a North Dakota Farm Boy" does portray me as very innocent and that was true but adulthood is very different and I would say that is true for Helen, Joan and Dave as well.  Well I know I can not speak for Dave now as he can not defend himself but I promise you he was not so innocent in adulthood too!!!

No I am going to pour myself another cup of FP and then get ready for 9:00 tennis.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

TERRY

Here we are in another day and I am sure it will be interesting!  A different gal is coming for our "in home care".  We have no idea what happened to Sandra but I do hope she is OK.  This revolving door thing with care givers is getting a bit old!  Terry has two appointments this afternoon and I promise I will not forget.  They are at the same location so it should work out.  There is no news about Terry as she is about the same.

I am scheduled to play tennis at 8:00 and the new gal is coming at 8:00 so I may be a tad late to tennis.  I hope things work out OK.

I woke up at 2:30 this morning and was awake still at 4:30 so I got out of bed.  This may be a long day!  Then about 5:30 it dawned on me that second half property taxes are due in St. Paul today!  I was sure I had scheduled them to be paid out of the checking account BUT in looking at checking on line NO.  So then I combed through papers to find the tabs for taxes and one could guess no luck!  Well of course one can go on line and get all that info so I did that.  I then thought for a $1. fee I will just pay on line.  At the very end of the page they asked for the code.  WHAT CODE??  I could not figure it out so a check is in the mail.  I am pretty sure that as long as the check is postmarked by the 15th I am OK.  The blog title today gives one a good idea of how much property taxes are in St. Paul!! I figure that I am getting old and forgetful OR I have too much on my plate.  I'll take the "plate" thing and refuse to acknowledge that I am old.  AND really in this day and age 73 is not all that old.  Way way back when Grandpa Lee and Grandma Lee died in their mid-70s I thought they really lived to an old age but that was then.

I am thankful for my FP on mornings like this as I think it gives me what I need to keep going.  At least I tell myself that.  

I am guessing Terry and I will again watch some TV as I think this is the last day of Amy Barret's confirmation hearings.  I would say so far she has hit a home run each day and I am sure it will be the same today.   I do not know when the senate vote will come but many of the senators are talking to her and others as if it is a done deal soon.  Of course it used to be that a judge would be confirmed 90-10 or some vote like that but now days the credentials of a person do not come into play.  The only thing they look at it seems is "does this person think like I want them to think"?  AND in this case it also comes down to many think the person who is elected for the next president should do the pick so when the senate votes it will most likely be along party lines.  I think the Republicans have a 53-47 margin and I have not heard but at one time 2 Republicans said they would not vote for the candidate so it may come down to a 51-49 vote.  IF it would be 50/50 the vice president breaks the tie.  I am not sure where politics is headed these days but it is kind of scary.  I would say again that during the times I have watched the last couple of days Amy has been more than impressive.

It is Mom's birthday today and she was born 109 years ago.  Every time I think of Mom I give thanks that she was such a great mom.

Oh my I have messes in the den, the dining room and in the kitchen.  I am almost coming to the conclusion that I am a mess!  I must admit that with all I have going on in my life it seems that there are about a dozen plates spinning all at once and most people know that men are not good at multitasking!  It sure is good and important that I have FP to back me up!  Here it is almost 7:00 and I have been up for close to 4 1/2 hours.  I wonder what that will do for my tennis game.  Most likely not much!!!

I guess it comes with the territory!

 TERRY

I guess life just throws a curve ball sometimes.  Our care person who is supposed to come in each day for 4 hours did not show yesterday and did not show today!  The company she works for does not know what is going on!!!  We will just wait and see and take it one day at a time.  Terry had a very good Pt session yesterday and will have another this Friday.  

I am at a loss.  No in home care yesterday and today with NO word as to why from Sandra.  I just hope she is OK.  A different person is coming tomorrow so we will see what happens.  It is what it is BUT!

I did play tennis in a round robin this morning with a group of 8 players.  We would play 4 games and then switch partners so I got to play with and against some guys who "are better" but I promise I actually held my own.  It was fun.  

I really do not have much to say today.  We do have a meal of meat loaf coming at 5:30 today and Terry will love that.  We have been watching the sessions on the supreme court nomination and I have enjoyed it.  I just do not have a lot to say today.  I had my FP this morning and it helped me through the day up to this point!

I am not sure

 TERRY

Terry had a doctor appointment yesterday afternoon at 2:00.  We talked about it in the morning and then at 3:30 I received a text that we had missed it.  I am still kicking myself in the behind.  Terry did call and reschedule it for Thursday.  About myself, it makes me wonder!!!  Our in home care is not here today and actually I am not sure why.  Makes me wonder again!!!  I would say Terry is holding her own.  She does have PT this afternoon.

We have been watching the senate hearins on Amy and I find it very interesting.  I will not make any comments as this blog does not need to get political.  However it does make me wonder what is becoming of our country.

I played tennis today and actually played like I was NOT a new player.  My partner and I won 6-2 and 6-1.  I still am FAR from a good player but I try!

I am going to stop here as I do want to get back to watching the senate.  I did not have my FP before tennis so am enjoying it now.

Tuesday

 

Audrey enters her last year before the teen years.  She is a wonderful young lady.  I would list things about her but it would be toooooo long so I will just say she is special.  Happy birthday Audrey from Grandpa and Grandma Terry

Monday a new week

 TERRY

We start the week by me forgetting a doctor appointment that Terry had.  I do not know what I was thinking about but I mentioned it this morning but my mind went blank this afternoon.  No excuses just I failed!  We redid the appointment for Thursday and I promise I will not forget.  Terry has PT tomorrow and I will not forget that either.  Terry is about the same!

As the days go by more and more people are coming back down.  The tennis courts are getting more busy and the traffic is getting worse as well.  I really do not have much to say today.  We did get in home care today and will have it for the rest of the week.  I do have tennis several times this week so I had better be in better mind set than today!!!

I am going to sign off for today but promise to write more tomorrow.  I will say I did have FP today AND I did watch the opening of Amy's supreme court case.  I usually do not watch that kind of stuff but I did know her father and that makes it more interesting.

October 11, second Sunday of the month

 TERRY

There is nothing new about Terry.  I do think she is sleeping somewhat better but still I know there are times during the night that she is awake.  We will try the walker today to see how far she can go.

September 14, 1962

The alarm on my clock radio goes off at 6:15, fifteen minutes earlier than usual.  It is a BIG day and I can hardly wait.  I take just a few minutes to think.  A year ago, as a freshman, the first game of the football season was exciting but nothing like today.  Last year I was a sub waiting to go into the game IF we got a lead.  I got to play enough last year so that I earned my letter but this is a new year and I will be a starter!  Bob Z and I will be the ends as we line up against Milnor in a home game this Friday.  I think back to last year.  We had a very good team that finished with a 5-2 record.  The highlight of the season was a resounding defeat of Tintah by the score of 75-0.  I got to go in for Chuck K at end and played most of the second half.  I did not catch a pass but I felt I shined on defense!  The lowlight of the season was being shut out by Lidgerwood by a score of 0-20.  But my thoughts in bed then went back to today.  Milnor was coming to Sargent Central for an afternoon game and I was so excited to be in the starting lineup that I could hardly contain myself.  I did not know at the time that I would be able to start every game in the next three years of high school and in doing that I put my stamp of "defensive player" in the score book and in the paper.  I climbed out of bed and stumbled over my duffle bag.  I had packed it the night before and then had checked it several times to be sure I had everything.  I actually was kind of rude to Mom as she had forgotten to wash the nicest socks.  Well we did NOT have a fancy washing machine so I had rinsed them out in the sink and hung them up to dry.  I checked socks (I always wore 2 pair, one thin and one heavy), I had my favorite T shirt that I wore under my shoulder pads and jersey and yes there was a supporter too (I didn't know what that was a couple years ago) and lastly my jersey was in the bag.  Coach Hanson had allowed the starters from last year to pick their jersey and then next were the players who would start this year but had not started last year.  I was able to pick #18 which I wore for three years.  I hurried downstairs with my bag and then made sure to get my socks that were hanging up in the entry way.  I still was not used to getting out of bed and getting to school without Dave.  He had graduated the spring before and had headed out for a "new life" right after graduation.  It just seemed strange that I would go to bed, get up in the morning and head out to school without him.  Now it was Helen and I.  Helen was in the 7th grade so she got off the bus in Cayuga as the high school kids stayed on and headed to Forman each day.  Mom had a big smile on her face as she mentioned that she made pancakes for me this morning as she knew I wanted a good breakfast for game day.  Every once in a while I sit back and wonder what it would have been like if Dad and Mom had come to my games.  I think in high school I played about 100 games between football and basketball and not once did they see me play.  I thought so myself if Mom could see me tackle she would know how much I loved football!  The bus arrived in Forman about 9:05 and when I got off the bus I saw Bob, Dick and Gary with their jerseys on.  Dick said coach Hanson said we could wear our game jerseys for the day so I stepped into the bathroom and changed shirts.  When I came out I am sure my chest was kind of puffed out and my step was kind of high as now I was a starter on the varsity team and proud of it.  I thought maybe I could impress a certain girl but NO!  The day dragged on and on but finally 3:30 came and the bell rang.  As the players gathered in the locker room coach Hanson said that Milnor had arrived and we would have our hands full today so we needed to play our best.  Bob, the other end, came over to me and said he and Jack, the quarterback, had talked and I would get the first chance to catch a touchdown.  He said he had started at end last year and they would be looking for him so I would be the go to guy.  Well the game was a blow out with a final score of 48-7.  I never did get the touchdown pass but IF they had kept track of tackles I think I may have been #1.  From that game on defense was my game.  On offense I was less than good but on defense you had better not come my way.  If you did either I or the linebacker on my side Jack would tackle you for little or no gain and maybe even for a loss!

So my high school football career begin.  Defense was always my game.  I do not know what the deal was but catching passes was not my thing but put a runner in front of me and he would go down.  We went on to post a 5-2 record that season and then next we were in a new conference and tied for first place.  As I have posted in the past that earned us a trip to Minneapolis to watch the Vikings play.  I will not get into my senior year as it was worse than a disaster.  BUT football remained the highlight of my high school years.

Terry and I will settle in on the couch this morning at 9 and watch the final of the Men's French Open.  We may not see it all as it would not surprise me if it goes 3 or more hours.  

It is Sunday so I have my FP and today doctored it up, as usual on Sunday, with a bit of Irish Cream.  Enough for today.

Again???????

 TERRY

Things are about the same with us.  Here we are Saturday night and it is computer time or TV time.  Terry is doing the same.  We did not walk today with the walker but will give it a try tomorrow.

I can not believe I did not write yesterday.  Here we are and Saturday is almost gone.  We did watch a very interesting TV program by Ken Burns.  Well when I say Ken Burns you know it was good. It was the last in a series about WWII.  

Not much to say today so will sign off and maybe more tomorrow.  I did have my FP this morning.

I can't believe it

 TERRY

I can't believe that I did not blog yesterday.  I do not know what happened but when I looked at the blog this afternoon it showed the last blog was Tuesday.  Well is two days worth of news and there is not that much.  Yesterday Terry had an appointment with a doctor that she had never seen and that was kind of surprising as it seems she has seen every doctor in Naples!!!  We were there for 50 minutes and finally I left the room and found the nurse.  I said Terry was in a wheelchair and could not set much longer.  The nurse said the doctor would be only a couple of minutes.  I used my phone to start the stop watch and after 5 minutes I opened the door and called to the nurse that we were leaving as Terry could not sit any longer.  The nurse said wait wait and hurried into the doctor's office.  The doctor came out in about a minute and then he came into the room.  Finally, once we saw him, I was greatly impressed.  He pulled up a lot of info about Terry and showed us a picture of her left lung.  He said she had a elevated diaphragm and could not understand why that had not been looked into.  So now we have at least another doctor appointment down the road.  PT came today and Terry walked with the walker as the PT held onto her and pushed the wheelchair behind.  I would say they traveled about 30 feet.  As one could guess Terry was very tired but pleased that she could go so far.  Again I want to say she is FAR from walking on her own but I would say she is certainly getting stronger.  The incision where the feeding tube was is looking like it is healing very nicely.  So it is still one day at a time BUT I do see progress.

Oh my I think I need some R & R.  After I came home from shopping and washing the car I felt like a train had run over me.  NOT sick, just tired.  I took a two hour nap and when I got up I felt like I had not slept!  I jumped into the pool as it is chilly to see if that would help.  A little but I think I think I need some more rest.  I did play tennis this morning and felt tired but OK.  WE will see but I repeat I do not feel sick.

I must be kind of in a fog as I did NOT have my FP this morning and only realized it this afternoon.  Mabybe a double dose of FP tomorrow.

I will sign off for today.

Tuesday and the second of three doctor appointments coming up at 1:30

 TERRY

Terry had OP this morning and it lasted all of 12 minutes!  Don't really know what that was.  The feeding tube will be looked at today at 1:30 and we are hoping that it will be OKed by Dr. Cohen to come out soon.  Terry has spent the better part of the last few days in bed.

Today I feel like I could use a 3 hour nap!  I did sleep until 7:15 but yes my nights lately have been sleep some and then be awake for a while.  I did have tennis at 8:00 this morning so did not have my FP or breakfast

Terry needed some assistance and here I am several hours later with news.  With Terry's 1:30 doctor appointment we found out that Dr. Cohen was willing to take the feeding tube out BUT had some warnings for us.  He said we may want to wait for a couple more weeks as we would not want to take it out and then see Terry's health decline.  Terry was sure that she was ready to have it out.  After finding a room with a table that could be lowered for Terry to get on the procedure was on.  Dr. Cohen took some fluid out and that deflated what was keep it in.  He counted to three and presto tube was out!!!  Terry could feel it a bit as it came out.  There is NO repairing the hole as it closes itself up in a short time.  There is a pad over the hole and we will just watch it over the next few days but doctor said it is amazing how fast it heals up.  He said if a person wanted to put a tube back in the same hole in just a few hours it would not be possible as it would be healing already.  So that is it, no more feeding or meds through the tube.  Terry said she does not feel any different but I think it is a BIG step in the right direction.  But of course she now needs to eat enough. 

Here it is 6:20 so I will close and perhaps have more tomorrow.  Terry did have OT today and the session was all of 23 minutes.  Not sure what that was about.  AND of course the FP was finished about 8 hours ago.

The first Monday of October 2020

 TERRY

Terry and I had an uneventful weekend.  Terry has doctor appointments this week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  Today it is late morning so the "in home caregiver" who will come today will just work a couple of hours as she is coming at 9.  Tomorrow Dr. Cohen looks at the feeding tube and then decides when he can take it out.  I would say Terry is eating OK.  I would like to see her eat more but I feel she is eating enough to keep her strength up which she has to do.  

It will be kind of a busy week as our schedule goes.  It is always some effort to go out as there is the wheelchair, in and out of the car etc.  Actually I believe that is good for Terry to do those things as she is not inclined to to a lot in her condition.  I have high hopes that Dr. Cohen can find time to take the feeding tube out soon.  It is considered a surgery as I am sure he has to sew up the hole that the tube has been through.  

As for me I am trying to keep busy.  I THINK I have tennis on Tuesday and Thursday but I need to call to make sure.  This weekend I started going through a box of papers that I had just put mail in over the last many many weeks.  It was time to sort, throw and file.  I did not finish but got close.  

I have felt tired over the last few weeks and I am sure it has affected my tennis game.  I realize that is not really the important thing at this time but still it kind of is!  I do not do that much work but I think the mental part of caring for Terry and the big time concern tends to wear me down somewhat.  IF this "in home caregiver" who is coming today works out that would be a big help.  It does not sound like much but when I cover the clothes, the dishes, Terry's care etc it does wear on a person.  I am sure the house is NOT up to Terry's standards but it is what is it.  

Terry asked that I get some mailings out to family yesterday so I did get that done.

When I do get out on the tennis court I feel the effect of opening the fridge door too often so starting today and through the week I will try (I will) to do better.  I often weigh myself in the morning but will forgo that for this week and step on the scale next Monday to see IF I have made any progress.  I have confidence BUT!

I have yet to read a book this summer/fall.  Over the last several years I have managed to read 30+ books over the winter and here we have been in Naples 2+ months and really I have not even thought of going to the library.  Maybe this month I need to get some books.  I really enjoy reading about WWI and WWII.  Terry called to my attention Saturday that there was a Ken Burns show on about WWII.  We watched it and it was very good but then IF one has watched ANY of Ken Burns you know that it would be very good.

I will be watching and reading about Amy Barret on capital hill over these next few weeks.  I will not comment on what is going on but it is fun to see that someone from People of Praise is up for the Supreme Court.  By the way one of the founding fathers of Trinity Schools, Kerry Koller, passed away this last week.  He was a wonderful man and his founding work with Trinity has given 100's of young women and men a great eduction.  I did not have much interaction with him but I did have a conversation with  him one leaders conference.  We sat at the same table for lunch and in our conversation I mentioned that two of my sons graduated from Santa Clara U.  Kerry was a professor at San Francisco U for some time and he was very familiar with Santa Clara.  

I miss my brother Dave a lot.  I often think of him and all the things he was so talented in.  I often sit back and remember the long talks we had as we were in bed trying to go to sleep.  It was always a concern of mine as he and Dad were kind of like oil and water at times and that was the reason he worked away from home after his sophomore and junior year of high school.  BUT I think that Dad had great respect for him even though their relationship was rocky at times.  Actually as an adult Dave went home to Mom and Dad a lot more than I and did several work projects for Dad.  Anyway the games we played, the swims at the lake and the projects we did are all great memories and I suppose at the age of 73 it is not the worse thing in the world to spend time remembering and being thankful.  

As I look outside it is close to tennis time for those who will play today and it is still fairly dark.  I looked at my phone and the sun does not come up until 7:21.  It is supposed to get to 90 today and we have not had 90s for some time.  As I look at the weather of the many places family live Madison WI wins today with a low of 37! Other than Naples, Rapid City wins the high right now with 57.

I just poured my last cup of FP so will sign off, look again at e-mail and then try to finish some of the paper work that is left from the weekend.

October 4th, first Sunday of the month

 TERRY

Terry is about the same as the past few days.  Tomorrow we will get a new "in home caregiver".  It will be the gal who came last week with a fragrance that filled the entire house.  The company owner promised this time it will be different!  As I write Terry is sleeping and it is mid morning BUT she often does not sleep well at night.  

We have a rainy cloudy day.  

I am back as Terry woke up as I was writing.  I have now been to Costco for the day and am back to finish blogging.

We have an interesting week ahead.  Terry sees Dr. Cohen for her feeding tube which she wants out.  He needs to look at it and then set up a time to get it out.  Terry also has PT twice again and OT once.  She also has a doctor appointment Wednesday afternoon.

IT WAS OCTOBER OF 1961

Starting on Tuesday afternoon of the 17th there was excitment in the air.  A four day weekend was coming up and both Ronald and John were coming home as Ronald had dropped a note in the mail and we received it when Fritz came with the mail early afternoon.  It would be the second weekend of pheasant season and they wanted to hunt with Dad.  We had rye straw on the field to the east and it came right up to the groove of trees that ran parallel to the road.  There was a strip of land between the trees and the road that was about 50 feet wide and that was rye straw as well.  Dad had not been hunting yet as he had hoped the boys would come home and was saving the goove of trees for the weekend.  He knew there were pheasants in there.  He had been keeping a vigilant eye on the road as it was not unheard of for cars to drive bye, stop hunters to get our and shot into the trees.  In fact more than once we had pellets hit the house as hunters shot from the road towards the house.  We had a large groove of trees between the house and the road as well.  

I still had school on Wednesday and the day seemed like it dragged on forever knowing that Ronald and John were coming the next day.  At the time they both were teachers so they also had Thursday and Friday off.  As I lay in bed Wednesday night thinking about tomorrow my mind went to Dad and how he did things.  Here Dave and I were certainly old enough to hunt and both of us had 22 rifles that actually were gifts from Ronald, not Dad.  BUT the only shotgun in the gun cabinet was Dad's Winchester pump and for Dave and I--nothing.  OK so money was more than tight BUT!  Anyway I decided, as I lay in bed and thought that I would be the best bird dog ever!  I kind of mean that but of course I did not even resemble a dog but with NO gun I often was told to tramp through those bushes or those trees to scare up the birds.  

Thursday morning came with bright sun and little wind, a perfect day for hunting.  Ronald and John arrived about 9:00 and the hunt was on.  Dad said we would first walk through the trees to the east of the road.  He had Ronald walk through the northeast corner of the pasture and position themselves at the south end of the groove.  Dad said he would walk between the road and the groove to shot birds that flew west and John should walk on the east side of the groove for birds that flew east.  That left Dave and I to walk the trees with NO guns of course.  As we walked the groove which was about 1/5 of a mile it sounded like July 4th.  By the time Dave and I arrived at the south end of the trees John, Ronald and Dad had enough birds to fill their limit for the day.  We all walked to the barn yard where we used the water tank  and a long board to clean the birds.  Dad had told Mom that we would have birds for dinner (noon) and when we all walked into the house Mom had the table set and the fry pan hot!  It was a delicious meal and Mom had made mashed potatoes and yes, pheasant was and still is my favorite food.  

So what did we do for an encore?  We took the afternoon to walk the creek, the pasture and the trees to the north and yes we bagged our limit again.  Now of course that is not legal and it is perhaps the only time that I remember Dad doing anything that was illegal when hunting.  As I write this morning I can picture the plate of fried pheasant and taste it as well.  AND of course it was so special whenever John or Ronald came home.