Patience
My roses have staying power. They still look soft and sweet and beautiful. They’re not in a hurry to droop and wither…their petals falling away signaling an end.
They offer me a lesson in patience and perseverance.
My brother is still in a kind of holding pattern waiting for the paperwork needed to transfer him to the skilled nursing facility. His case worker has been out of the office this week. Hopefully he’s back by Friday so we can get this show on the road.
Patience is not my strong suit. I want it all and I want it now, please. Too many years as a privileged doctor’s wife, I suppose. My brother and I both seem to have inherited this trait from our mom.
I used to pray for patience. Then I realized whatever I prayed for, God gives me opportunities to practice that trait I need help with. Now I just pray for what is needed and let go of the tail of that particular kite
Speaking of pretty flowers, look at those beauties. They’re on the fifth or sixth day now and still so soft and pretty. They’re actually getting more beautiful every day! Maybe that’s what God wants us to do…slow down and hand Him the reins. He reminds us who is really in control.
I went back out to the camper again last night. It very well may be the last night out there till spring. We’re heading into cool and rainy weather in the next day or so.
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.””
Joshua 1:9 NIV
#Camping #weather #change #seasonsofchange
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Schottzie
For as long as I can remember, my brother has LOVED the Cincinnati Reds. They’ve always been THE team! My bubby could quote statistics for any player, any year.
Growing up in WV meant we weren’t all that far from Cincinnati mileage wise, but we might as well have lived on the moon. A trip to see the Reds was a luxury taken only once when we were kids. I was about 13 and had terrible anticipatory anxiety so I begged my mom to let me stay home. She finally gave in and I thought I was a big cheese. Turned out, I was a big chicken. A terrible thunderstorm blew in and lightning hit the transformer across the street. It about scared me to death. I hid under my bed till I heard the key in the door!
But, I digress.
Bubby had Reds sheets, curtains, hats and t-shirts. But his most precious memento was a stuffed Schottzie. I don’t remember if he got it at the game or a birthday, but he has slept with that thing all his life.
I want to say I brought it with us when we moved him to Colorado, but I cannot swear to it. There have been many things along the way that somehow grow legs. With him being in the hospital, I looked online to find a replacement. I looked for a vintage one but the only one I found was $100 bucks. I’ll keep looking though, because I’d love to surprise him with one!
I’m happy to say he continues to feel better, but his condition has regressed so much. The physical therapists evaluated him and feel he could benefit from a stint in rehab. I FaceTimed him last night and explained everything to him in terms he could understand.
I made the mistake of using the comparison of “an older person breaking a hip and going to ‘the PT place’ to get lots of therapy so they could regain their strength.” That led to a twenty minute conversation with questions like, “Where are your hips?” “Are everyone’s hips in the same place?” I had Destiny show him where your hips are. “He said, “Do hips keep growing?”
Only for some of us, my man.
I finally lassoed him and got the conversation circled back to rehab and I feel confident he understands now.
I am going over to the skilled nursing facility a couple miles from us today to see if he could come here. It all depends on funding. We’ll have to see. Please pray for the wisdom to make the right choices and no matter which way this goes, my sweet bubby will be happy, safe, and well cared for.
The weather has turned a little warmer so I slept in the camper last night. SO fun. I’ll probably get to stay out there one more night then the cold sets in again.
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“Do not cast me away when I am old; do not forsake me when my strength is gone.”
Psalms 71:9 NIV
#elder #care #eldercare #skilled #nursing #skillednursingcare
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Prayers Answered
I wanted to take a moment and thank you for all your prayers and support for my brother and me. He felt much better yesterday. His appetite was back and he was drinking water. Destiny said he was in great spirits which did this sister’s heart good. They kept him again last night and will evaluate him tomorrow to see if he needs to be in a rehab facility for a few days to build up his stamina.
Mr. FixIt and I took the new truck to the dealer to have one of the two items fixed that we discussed when we bought it. We went to eat at the Dog Haus for lunch while we waited. This repair too around an hour. Mr. Fixit went to do some errands and I headed to Sam’s. I wanted to pick up some staples and also get some fresh fruit. The grapes were gigantic and the golden kiwis looked wonderful! I couldn’t resist one of their huge apple pies, as well!
The roses keep putting on a show for us!
My sleep is so messed up…it may take me a few days to straighten out.
Pray for the health and safety of our poll workers today. And may God Bless us all!
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny #roses #ElectionDay #family #giving #thanks
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Reliving an Hour
I woke up yesterday and fixed us a nice Appalachian breakfast…eggs, bacon, and fried potatoes. Honestly, we didn’t do much of nothing all day. We watched football. Mr. FixIt napped in his chair. I worked on genealogy a bit. Mr. FixIt goes to the bowling alley in Sunday evening. I asked him when he was going to leave. When he said 5:00, I was really confused. Turns out the time changed yesterday without my knowledge! The nerve!
Every year, my FB page is inundated with memes about springing ahead or falling back. This year? Crickets. To be fair, I don’t spend nearly as much time on FB as I used to so it could have been there and I just missed it.
Since we still had time, I decided to make some Pumpkin Muffins to send with him to the bowling alley. They were still warm when he left so I hope the fellas enjoyed them.
I’d like to ask you to say some prayers for my brother. He has been sick all week then started spiking a fever yesterday. He’s stubborn like our mom…and ME, truth be told…and he was refusing to go to the hospital to get much needed fluids. It took us a while, but we finally talked him into going. I’m so grateful he did because he has Covid! Yes, he had his Covid and flu vaccines a month ago. You can still get Covid and the flu after vaccination, but it’s not nearly as likely to be deadly if you’re vaccinated. So if you would, please say some prayers or send good thoughts or light a candle…whatever you can do I would sincerely appreciate it. (Maybe stick some in there for me, too. He’s my Bubby and I don’t like it when he’s sick.)
Thanks so much…y’all are the best! I want to tell you who’s the BEST…Destiny, the house manager where my brother lives. She stayed right by his side and took him to the hospital. She waited and kept him company during the long hours in the ER. And then? She slept at the hospital so if he woke up, he’d see a friendly face! Above and beyond, for sure. Everyone loves Gary and it makes them sad when he doesn’t feel well. God arranged all of this when He got my brother in this residential program 22 years ago.
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
#family #illness #brother #time #change #timechange
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Forever a Learner
I felt better yesterday as far as the swimmy-headedness after the Covid vaccine I received on Thursday afternoon. But, I think just about any vaccine I get anymore will cause a fibromyalgia flair. So, I didn’t do much yesterday. I worked on my genealogy…trying to find a connection between Shattuck and Chadock. Do any of you all know anyone with that name…especially with the “Ch…”? It isn’t common.
I’ve gone down a rabbit hole reading about the oil and gas business in West Virginia. I came across these three photos that are colorized black and whites. They were taken in and around Elizabeth, WV. There’s another spot about 8-10 miles east of Elizabeth called Burning Springs. In the early days of exploring North America, a few spots became known for their oil and gas seeps and springs. Native Americans wrapped leather around the ends of big sticks and soaked them in the crude oil floating in them and then used them for light in their camps. When settlers arrived, they followed suit. Eventually wells were dug and the oil and gas boom was off and running.
I didn’t get much accomplished yesterday other than cleaning the kitchen and getting my iron skillets ready to season. I think I told you the other day about ruining the season on my two favorite skillets. I used a spray that said “grease cutter” on it without thinking that seasoning is exactly that…baked on grease. Oy! It’ll take a while, but I’ll get them back to nonstick.
Mr. FixIt went to let the cat out yesterday morning and that young fella’s truck was still in our driveway. He went out later to check the mail and it was gone. I looked on the security camera and they picked it up about 10 minutes after he let Pumpkin out and we didn’t hear a thing! Now, the young man told us he would bring us the money for the gas and he didn’t. I know what it’s like to be really broke but I wish he would have tried. It’s character building to follow through with your word. That being said, I gave him the gas never expecting him to pay me back. Many people helped me out when I was a single mom and I didn’t have two pennies to rub together. Pay it forward is all I ask.
I think I’ll make some pumpkin bread today. It’ll make the house smell nice!
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“olive oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense;”
Exodus 35:8 NLT
#genealogy #genealogyresearch #familytree #iron #skillet #ironskillet #oil #gas #oilandgasindustry #oilandgas
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Peek-a-Boo!
Standing in line on Thursday at the pharmacy was a lesson in patience. I was picking up meds that I take on a regular basis so I had no reason to be in a hurry. I looked around at others who obviously weren’t feeling well and they need their meds quickly. Still, we all stood in line…thankfully respecting each other’s space while we took our turns. In the meantime, I played peek-a-boo with this docile pup.
Mr. FixIt and I made plans to have our Covid shots while we were there. However, we saw the line and he said, “I’m going to look over here.” Both of us forgot by the time we saw that line and I only remembered because someone in front of me mentioned it.
We both take our phones in stores so “we can find each other when we get separated.” Wink, Wink. I called the Mister a couple of times with no answer so when my meds were paid for, I went looking for my errant boyfriend.
I was nearing the automotive department when I heard unforgettable yet tuneless whistling and knew I’d found him. Either that or I’d found some other woman’s tone deaf spouse by accident. I say that with love in my heart, honey. (He reads my posts, so…I send kisses!) He was purchasing starter fluid to help the young man whose truck died in our driveway Wednesday evening…who hasn’t returned by the way. Hopefully today!
Anyway, once I attached the leash, so to speak, we headed back to the pharmacy to get said Covid shots. We had a choice of Pfizer or Moderna. We’ve only had Pfizer once so we opted to have Moderna. Their vaccine has a new formula this year. It has a lower dose of the Covid vaccine in a newer delivery system where you don’t receive as much MRNA as earlier years. It didn’t bother Mr. FixIt at all, but I felt all swimmy-headed yesterday, so I didn’t do much of anything. My sweetheart went with a couple of his friends to a retirement party for a guy they worked with before the plant shut down. So, I took my book and headed to bed early. Hopefully I feel all better today! I still am a proponent for vaccines as I believe they save lives.
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
““Nevertheless, the time will come when I will heal Jerusalem’s wounds and give it prosperity and true peace.”
Jeremiah 33:6 NLT
#COVID19 #covidvacccine #bettersafethansorry #rest
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Oil and Gas Museum
Mr. FixIt and I went to town yesterday for our PT appointment then out for breakfast at Mary B’s. Our favorite breakfast place.
If you’ve been following the last couple of weeks, you know I inherited a fraction of mineral rights of land owned during my great-grandfather’s generation. Consequently, I’ve been diving deep into the history of the oil and gas industry in WV and it’s really fascinating.
Someone in our town turned the old WH Smith Hardware store into a museum. It mostly features oil and gas machinery and photos. But, when the shovel plant closed around 2005, Mr. FixIt found himself without employment. So, when he was asked to build a display about the plant, he jumped at the chance. When his buddy agreed to help, they dove right in. I haven’t taken the time to go down and see the museum in the twelve years I’ve lived here…till yesterday!
There are four stories in that building chock full of antiques that tell stories from a time nearly forgotten about. It would take over a week to see everything! We got through two floors and these ol’ bodies of ours protested vehemently. Maybe we’ll go again…maybe not. Either way…we had a good time. And, I picked up a book about West Virginia and the civil war!
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance”
Proverbs 1:5 NLT
#oil #and #gas #oilandgas #oilandgasindustry #oilandgasmuseum
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Sourdough English Muffins
I had the house to myself yesterday so I fiddled around in the kitchen. I made sourdough English muffins…without a recipe! I’ve taken to trying some things using logic and memory. A lot of bread baking is done by the feel of the dough, so I’ve been stretching my baking wings.
Sourdough feels so different than regular bread dough. It is wet and jiggly….soft and a little bit fragile. It almost feels like you’re working with a cross between cool whip and jello.
The English muffins turned out pretty good. Not as good as the first ones I made. Try as I might, I cannot find the recipe for those. I have such good intentions when I bake something and it turns out great. I almost always forget to save the recipe. That’s one reason I’m trying to bake familiar without a recipe. I never use a recipe when I’m cooking something, but baking is a different animal.
While the dough was rising, there was a knock at the door. It was after dark and Mr. FixIt wasn’t home yet. I’m always just a little bit cautious when I answer the door when I’m alone. The door was locked. I peeked from behind the curtain and there was a lean and lanky country boy standing on the doorstep. He apologized for bothering me and called me ma’am. He told me his name and where he was from, who his daddy and granddaddy were. He had run out of gas and managed to coast down in our driveway. This isn’t the first time this has happened. We’re on the corner of a dirt road and a two-lane blacktop and our light is always on. It’s a house where Jesus lives.
I pointed out a gas can down by the gate. It didn’t have much in it but he was welcome to it. I called Mr. FixIt and told him about the young couple in the driveway. He was on his way home so he dealt with them when he got there.
They worked on the truck for a while. His buddy brought more gas but the truck still wouldn’t start. They pushed the truck up on the cement pad in front of the building and the young fella’s daddy came to get them. He has to work tomorrow but promised he’d be back on Friday to get the truck.
I hate that I can’t trust the way my grandma did. She would have had that young couple sitting at her table eating some leftovers from their supper. She would have known the young man’s family and would have asked about his aunt so-and-so who’d been ailing.
Times are different now, but I promised Jesus to look for God in everyone, to help others, to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. So, that’s what I do…’cause I know He’s watching…and so is Grandma!
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”
Philippians 2:4-5 NLT
#breadbaking #breadmaking #sourdough #English #muffins #englishmuffins #englishmuffinsfromscratch
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Please pray for my bestie, GB. Her cousin had a heart attack while driving tonight and perished in the resulting accident. He leaves behind and large and loving family who will need all the prayers they can get.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Ginny
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The Romance Continues
Mr. FixIt went to town yesterday to get his hair cut. He saw his old barber for at least 18-20 years till he retired a couple of months ago. As with most of us, at a certain age change is really hard. After searching around for a replacement, it was the Former Mrs. FixIt who suggested her hairdresser. We both love her hair cutting expertise. And he is SO good lookin’!
After the year we had, we’ve come out the other side much closer and happier. Life looks a lot brighter on this side!
When he came home from town, I could see he was kinda slinkin’ up the sidewalk so I couldn’t see what he was carrying. He had a sweet look on his face when a bouquet of pink tinged roses emerged from behind his back.
That man knows how to sweep me off my feet! Thank you, my love.
We were thinking of going camping next week but I think we’re just a little too late in the year for that. Rain next week then cold again the next. So I guess we’re down to day trips for fun.
I’m still working on putting the grains away. Land sake…I have more than I thought. But the good news is…I shouldn’t have to buy more for quite a while!
Till tomorrow, dear ones…
Ginny
“In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself.”
Ephesians 5:28 NLT
#roses #romance #preservation
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