Starry night on the prairie

A non-productive day today. Jim has worked hard outside all afternoon and I have been lazy inside. It is 90 degrees and too hot for me!

I did bake Jim a batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies this afternoon. I have a meat loaf and baked potatoes in the oven for dinner. I guess I haven’t totally wasted the day.

Woke up at 4:00 this morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. Finally got up and took another hot bath and was able to sleep afterwards. The full moon hit me hard last night. I had a good cry earlier and that helped. Needed to release some emotion that I had been holding on to. Feel a bit drained this afternoon as a result. We will take a long walk after dinner and while on the walk I will refill my soul with light and love.

Wrote a long letter to my brother Max today. I have been attempting to write at least one letter a day to friends and family. I love receiving letters so decided to send some out.

Ordered two flat sheets and some grosgrain ribbon to make face masks out of. Also ordered some flannel receiving blankets to use to make the masks too. Amazon is sold out of elastic, interfacing and even cotton material that is at a reasonable price. Many others must be making masks too. If I was in KS I would have what I needed on hand to make them. Gotta put the thinking cap on and make them out of what I can find here. The stuff I ordered should be in this weekend so I can get started making them. That will give me a project – I have needed a project to do. I really do better when I am productive.

Tomorrow night we will attend Maundy Thursday church services via Zoom. So grateful for the technology we have that makes this all possible. Not sure if the church is putting anything out for Good Friday or not. Their Easter services will be on-line for sure.

I haven’t been off the property for over a week now. Jim went to the store yesterday but I haven’t been out. I’m surprised I am not going stir crazy but with the stores closed I really don’t have anywhere to go.

I realized after I scheduled my Ultrasound at 12:45 and my doctor appointment is at 10:30 that there is no where to go have lunch at in Topeka. At least no where that we can sit down and enjoy a lunch out. We will have to go to a drive-thru and then find a park to eat it at. Can’t even go shopping to waste time as the stores are mainly closed.

The guy that takes my prairie hay in exchange for him burning my property called me today to let me know he burned the property today. Wish I could have been here to see it. I enjoy watching them burn it. Grateful it was done without harming man or beast.

I told Jim last night on our walk that sheltering in place has a rhythm to it that I found on the Camino. Not much else to do but meet our most basic needs with shelter, food and water. The world seems to have become much smaller in some ways. Anything we choose to do during the day is optional. The Camino gave me a reason to get out of bed each morning though as I had a goal each day of getting to the place I would be staying that night. This time I am already there!

Makes me wonder how much of what I “normally” do is just busy work or essential stuff. I had given most of my busy stuff up as I worked to simplify my life after my divorce. I kinda like the rhythm of my days now. It will be jarring when the shelter in place order is lifted and we can begin to assimilate back into society.

Grateful for lazy days at home that feel full of the best things in life, grateful my property burn went smoothly and no one was harmed, and grateful I have had practice simplifying my life.

I am sitting out in the driveway looking at the full moon. I had set my alarm so I could walk to the top of the hill to watch it rise. I let Jim talk me into going a different direction and we ended up missing the rise of the moon. We finally saw it after it had been up for 15 minutes or so. Damn!

I am homesick for my prairie right now. I have lost contact with the moon and miss the sunsets. Both ground me in ways that I am missing deeply right now.

While Jim slept in this morning I went out and started mowing the back yard. Jim has a very deep but narrow back yard. I mowed for about an hour than came in and took a break. When I went back out I flooded the mower and couldn’t get it started. After Jim got up he went out and of course the mower started right away. I finally got the job finished late this afternoon. Jim did mention that I mowed it differently than he did. He is a creature of habit and change is hard for him. I told him I would mow the way I want or he could mow it. Didn’t matter to me.

Jim went to the grocery store with a long list this afternoon. He was like a duck out of water in the material section and ended up not getting the material I needed to make face masks. I may go tomorrow and see what I can find. It might be simpler to buy a flat full sized bed sheet. I read that the 600 count sheets are good filters. I could get lots of face masks out of a full size flat sheet.

We grilled brats for dinner tonight. They aren’t my favorite but Jim likes them. Tomorrow I will fix something I like better.

My foot surgeon called me this afternoon. I’m glad I didn’t drive two hours to go to the appointment as the call only took three minutes and there is nothing he can do to help me right now. It is a nerve problem that is going to take lots of time to resolve. He did say he could give me steroids but with the Coronavirus he is hesitant to do so as those on steroids are having a more difficult recovery. Since I have noticed a bit of improvement he thought they were counter indicated anyways. I am to call him if it gets worse. He thinks it will continue to improve but will take several months. Maybe by the time the shelter in place orders are lifted my foot will be better.

The moon has a moon-bow around it tonight. It is stunning!

It reached 88 degrees here today and is to be that warm again tomorrow. The spring flowers are in full bloom. I picked some lilac today – one of my favorites. The iris are ready to pop open and there is one red rose blooming. I love this time of year but I don’t like the almost 90 degree temperatures.

Thinking I need to have a good cry tonight. The moon pulls out emotion from deep inside me and I am feeling that tonight. A lot of what I am feeling is not even my stuff. It is the collective pain of grief that the world seems to be emitting these days. The moon is reminding me to let go and release it to her.

I can’t fill myself with light and love if I continue to hold on to grief and pain. Thanks moon – I needed that reminder tonight.

Grateful for the beauty of the full moon, grateful the back yard is mowed, and grateful for the light and love within.

I walked down to the mailbox today and picked up the mail. In the mail today was a hand written letter from a friend in KS. It made my day! Thanks Robin. I was so homesick last night and your letter helped. What an unexpected gift.

I got up this morning and it was so nice outside that I went out and weeded the iris bed for about an hour. It looks nice now and the iris are starting to bud. If it gets as warm as it is supposed to tomorrow – mid 80’s I be the iris pop open. I love the smell of iris.

Jim and I took a one-mile walk this afternoon. It is mid 70’s today but windy. We noticed several new spring flowers blooming today that hadn’t been. We have one rose blooming in the front yard.

Other than doing laundry and weeding I haven’t done much. Most of the projects that need done are stuff I don’t know how to do on my own. Jim is finishing hanging two kitchen cabinet doors this afternoon. He still has to build five more for the upper cabinets and finish scraping two lower ones. It is nice to get that project almost done though.

I have a list made for the grocery store but Jim didn’t make it there today. No rush as I can fix dinner without the stuff on the list. He doesn’t want me to go so I agreed to let him go. I have some things on the list that I need so I can make some face masks. It will be interesting to see if he can get what I need. We shall see!

The battery on my iPhone 8 is starting to not hold a charge. Is it possible to just buy a new battery or would I be better off getting a new phone. This one is about 3 or 4 years old.

May bake a batch of cookies after dinner tonight. I am in a baking mood. I like to make cinnamon rolls and would love to make a batch of those but not sure Jim can eat them all.

I heard back from the Crisis Text Line that I want to volunteer with. I passed the application process and the background check and have signed up for their training. The training doesn’t start until April 20 and lasts for two weeks. I’m excited for this opportunity to be in service. If this is something you might be interested in doing let me know and I will send you the link to apply. They are expecting to see a big surge in the need for their services over the coming months due to the current world situation. You have to agree to give them 200 hours of service over the next two years. They recommend you be available for four hours a week in two – two hour shifts although you can do more shifts if you would like.

Tomorrow my foot surgeon is to call me during the time I was scheduled to see him in his office. I’m looking forward to seeing how this process works. Hoping I made the right call not to drive to Wichita to see him in person. My feet still bother me but not enough to justify driving to Wichita. Not sure he will be able to do anything but we shall see.

My Endocrinologist is going to attempt to schedule my ultrasound the same day as my appointment with her in Topeka in May. I asked them to attempt that as I don’t want to make the drive twice – especially if we are still here in Stillwater. It is a four hour drive one way.

The guy that burns my property called me today and he is going to attempt to burn tomorrow unless the forecast changes. I’m sad that I won’t be there to witness it as I love to watch them burn. Another Coronavirus sacrifice!

I continue to ride the waves of my emotions. At least I don’t feel like I am on a roller coaster like I was a couple of weeks ago. I do get overwhelmed with emotion from time to time but it doesn’t last too long. I remind myself to allow whatever I am feeling and let it pass. Grateful when that works for me – it doesn’t always.

Grateful the iris patch is weeded, grateful for a letter from a friend, and grateful I was accepted into the Crisis TextLine training program.

I got up rather early for me this morning. Didn’t have lots of energy but enjoyed some quiet time while Jim slept in. At 11:00 I took my iPad to bed and we listened to church services. When it was over Jim got up but I fell asleep and took a two-hour nap.

We took a one-mile walk today. It is in the upper 50’s with little wind and a beautiful day out. We may go for another walk after dinner.

Not sure what I am fixing for dinner. I have some hamburger thawed so will need to use it up somehow. Running out of ideas of what to fix. We haven’t eaten out for over three weeks now. Not sure I trust restaurants right now. I know too well how employees come to work sick as they can’t afford to not work.

I am waiting to hear from the text hot line place. Two of my friends sent in their references and the company told me they would respond within two weeks if I am accepted into their volunteer program.

Next time I go to Walmart I am going to see if they are still selling material so I can get some to make some face masks. I need a project besides knitting. I have been researching alternatives to elastic as that is hard to find right now. Shoe strings and clothesline have been suggested to use as ties if you can’t find bias tape. I’ll see what I can find.

The Walmart here is limiting how many people can be in the store at one time and have made their isles one way. That all makes sense to me. I have started a grocery list and one of us will get out sometime this week and go get supplies.

I tried to go on-line today and order groceries and then go pick them up but the app wasn’t working. I bet they are overloaded with requests right now. I have never used the app before so maybe I was doing something wrong.

We sure are saving money right now. Not using the vehicles except for once a week trip to Walmart or grocery store and post office. We aren’t eating out so not spending money that way. Don’t go to Lowe’s and are doing projects we already have the parts for. I did order some summer clothes on Amazon as mine are back in KS. When you can’t go anywhere your need list gets smaller.

I truly wonder what businesses will be able to come back when the dust is settled. Will people go back to consuming non-essential goods? I read posts of lots of people using this time to de-clutter and get rid of stuff. So many people have lost their jobs and have no disposable income to buy stuff with. Maybe if the shelter in place orders last long enough more people will realize all that stuff is not necessary and won’t go back to buying it.

It is hard to get rid of stuff right now though as the normal drop off places are closed. Not a good time to have garage sales or list things on buy sell or trade sites. Interesting times to say the least.

These quiet days do give one the opportunity to think about their values and what they are really missing during this isolation time. The only thing I am missing is personal contact with family and friends. I really miss hugs and shared experiences with others.

I checked with my property manager to make sure all four of my tenants were able to pay rent and that none of them had lost their jobs. So far – so good. I told him I would be willing to work with the tenants if they had lost their jobs.

Grateful for our walk today and the beautiful spring flowers we saw on the way, grateful for this quiet time that teaches me what is essential to my well-being and happiness, and grateful I have Jim to give me hugs often throughout the day.

A chilly day in Stillwater – only got to the mid 40’s. It is to warm up starting tomorrow. We took a one-mile walk and it was too cold for me! Jim loved the temperature today. I had to walk faster than normal to warm up a bit.

I worked on detail cleaning the living room today. It looks much better tonight than it did this morning. Wish I could de-clutter it but it isn’t my clutter to dispose of. Jim is slowly working on removing parts of it.

I asked Jim to work on the kitchen cabinets today. He had made new doors for some of them and they needed fasteners so they would stay closed. He had bought the fasteners a while ago and had forgotten to put them on. They took him most of the afternoon to put on. He has two doors to hang and put fasteners on yet tonight. I think he can! I think he can!

When he gets done I need to do some paint touch ups. I may try to get that done tomorrow. I have several more rooms to detail clean but there is no rush to getting that done. We don’t have anyone coming over and we aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

I have chili cooking in the crock pot for dinner tonight. We both enjoy chili and it was a nice cool day to make it. It smells divine and has made me hungry all afternoon. If I come out of quarantine and my jeans still fit I will be surprised. I have been stress eating lately. I had given up snacking for the longest time but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do to get through the day. Someday soon I will give it up again – maybe when my jeans get too tight.

I woke up in the middle of the night after a bad dream. I had tears streaming down my face. Not sure I even remember what the dream was about but thinking it had something to do with a hospital and corona virus. I rarely have dreams that I am conscious of. I guess with all that is going on in the world right now it isn’t out of the normal to be processing my thoughts during the night in form of dreams which can become nightmares.

I sure wonder how children are handling all of this. It is hard for me to wrap my head around it all. I can’t imagine what children are thinking about it. It must be really scary for them. I saw an article today about the high number of domestic violence cases that are happening right now. My heart goes out to those that don’t have a safe place to weather this storm in.

Feels good to have had a productive day. The living room feels much cleaner to me tonight. I can smell the PineSol I used to clean with. I’m looking forward to detail cleaning the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom in the coming days.

The face masks I ordered from Amazon came in today. I’m glad I got them ordered when I did as there aren’t any more available. Next time I go to Walmart I want to get some material and make some that are washable. The ones I ordered are the blue, disposable ones. The hospital here is accepting donations of handmade face masks to give to patients and family members. If I can figure out how to make them I will make a bunch for them.

I managed to stay out of the muck pond today. Had a moment when I was talking to Ellexia and we realized we won’t be able to color Easter eggs together or have Easter dinner together. Oh the simple things of life that I miss. She asked me when she would see me again and I don’t have an answer for her.

I signed up for a 40 day free meditation series. I listened to the first one today. It reminded me to pause when things feel out of control and regain my balance before I respond. I needed that message today. A Pause is a great friend for me.

Grateful the living room is clean, grateful the kitchen cabinet doors will close tight when Jim is done tonight, and grateful for my conversation with Ellexia today.

It has been a restless type of day for me. Part of it is the cold weather and I haven’t been brave enough to venture outside for a walk. Having trouble settling down and doing much. Decided to roll with it and call this a day of rest – lessness!

I have done five loads of laundry. At least I accomplished something today! I did manage to take a shower and get dressed and eat breakfast and lunch. I’m on a roll today!

I was reading an article about ways to volunteer during this Covid19 confinement and found a link to a Crisis Text Hotline. There was a short application process, I had to provide three names they will send a reference check to, and then there is a two week on-line class that I will do. When I successfully complete the class I will sign up for two-hour shifts and accept and respond to texts from people that need a little support during these crazy times. This is something I can do and look forward to being in service in this way.

By the way, if you need some extra support you can text me now at 620-481-8323. I would love to hear from you and visit with you. We are all in this together and we need to learn to lean on each other as needed. Sometimes we can be the givers and sometimes we need to be the receivers. Both make the world a better place for all!

Jim has been restless today too and neither one of us have felt like doing much. He has been typing some articles for the local newspaper. He has become a guest columnist and they publish an article from him at least weekly. That is another way of being in service to the world right now.

I have heard reports of freezing temperatures in KS today. Slick roads and some sleet and ice fell overnight and into the morning. We got some moisture here but it didn’t get below freezing. It is to be in the mid to upper 80’s early next week.

I started knitting another baby blanket. I knit about three rows and have to take a break. Unusual for me to have to stop that quickly but whatever. I learned a long time ago not to force anything if I can help it. I am knitting for a bit, pacing for a bit, eating something, and then trying to knit again. This has been one of those days that I will way over eat and I don’t even care right now. Some days I just have to do what I have to do to get through the day.

I have some hamburger laying out for dinner tonight. I think I am going to make tacos. They are Jim’s favorite food and easy to make.

My sister-in-law posted an article on Facebook today that suggested we will be in lock down for at least ten weeks and probably longer as not all are obeying the direction to shelter in place. That confirms what I have been feeling. It hit me hard when I read it that it will be late summer before I get to see my kids and grandkids again. Thank heavens for FaceTime and texting.

Some days are easier than others. This is a day that seems to drag and go by slowly. I’m sure tomorrow will be better. I have managed to stay out of the muck pond so far which is a miracle in and of itself. Allowing myself to feel the restlessness today and knowing this too shall pass.

Grateful for a possible volunteer opportunity I found, grateful this last blast of winter weather will be gone shortly, and grateful for a warm house to shelter in place in today.

Not a very productive day but a good one. I went out and pulled a bunch of weeds in the iris garden. The iris are almost ready to burst into bloom. I love the smell of them and will be grateful when they bloom in a couple of days.

I marinated chicken tenders in olive oil with seasoning and then grilled them for dinner. They were so good! Made an easy and quick dinner.

Jim got the brow of the garage covered in wrap this afternoon. He still needs to put the metal over it and then that project will be done. It is to rain tonight so he wanted to get the wrap on it to protect the boards.

Jim went to Walmart today to pick up my prescription and a few things we needed. It was his weekly out of the house trip. I will wait a few days and then it will be my turn to get out. We like going together but in light of what is happening these days decided it is silly for both of us to expose ourselves at the same time.

I’m surprised I haven’t been going stir crazy. I do better when I have projects to do but today went by easily and I didn’t really have anything special to do. It did feel good to get outside and get my hands in the dirt. We haven’t taken our walk yet today but will when Jim gets off the phone with his son. I talked to Nicole for an hour earlier today. Nice to be able to stay in touch that way.

I had ordered some summer clothes and they came in today. They all fit! I had planned to go back to KS after the wedding for a week and was going to bring summer clothes back with me then. Since we didn’t get to go to KS I needed to order some as I have no idea when we will get back to KS. It is to be in the high 80’s again early next week here in OK. There winter was much milder than it was in KS but there summers are much hotter.

I think I am going to bake Jim a batch of cookies this evening. I feel like baking. I’ll have to see what ingredients we have on hand and then I can decide what kind to make. His favorites are oatmeal chocolate chip and snickerdoodles.

We have been married two weeks already. This second week has flown by. It seems like it was three days ago that we celebrated our first week anniversary. There is a sameness to our day these days. Nothing happens much that helps me know one day from another. We don’t have choir practice on Wednesday and church on Sunday to mark the days. Good thing my iPad tells me what day of the week it is everyday or I would have no idea what day it is.

I had a stuffy nose yesterday so Jim gave me some Flonase to use. I used it again this morning and I noticed tonight I haven’t had a headache all day. Wondering if I had a bit of a sinus infection that the Flonase is helping to clear.

Sent a note to my Endocrinologist asking her to either schedule my ultrasound the same day as my appointment in May or if I could have the ultrasound done here in Stillwater so I don’t have to make two trips to Topeka. I haven’t heard back from her yet.

I called my accountant to check on my taxes. He had completed them but they hadn’t been reviewed by his partner yet. He didn’t tell me what the results were yet. They aren’t seeing clients face to face to deliver taxes to so he said he would need to mail them to me to review before they could file them. Good thing the due date was delayed. He said they were running a Skelton crew and were running behind. I guess keeping up with all the day to day changes the IRS is making is delaying them too.

My house sitter said there was a lot of burning happening in the neighborhood. I am so sorry that I am missing it this year. I love watching the night prairie fires. Don’t miss the smoke and ash that blows into the house though.

The dogs and cats are due for their flea and tic medication this month. I will need to call the vets office and see if they will mail them to Kylee so she can give them to the pets. I had planned on being home to pick them up myself. So many plans that need changed!

Spent some time this afternoon imagining how the world may be different when all this is over. I truly trust that things will shift and the decisiveness of our nation will find a way to bridge our differences and a better balance in wealth will happen. I know many of the jobs that are being lost will not return and people will have to find other ways of supporting themselves. I think we have all learned that government can not provide essential services and we need to find a way to help one another through this crisis.

I put on FaceBook and I will say it here too. If you or your family is in financial need during this time please send me a private, confidential message and I will see what I can do to help. We are all in this together and we all need to help each other out. It does require that someone ask for help though.

Grateful for a delicious dinner, grateful for phone calls from family, and grateful for essential services that people risk their lives to continue to provide.

Had trouble sleeping last night. Finally took some NyQuil around 5:00 and slept hard until 11:00. Makes a day go by fast when you sleep half of it away.

Jim worked yesterday replacing boards on the overhang of his garage. I painted them today and he added the first top layer. Still have more layers to go to finish the project but it already looks a lot better than it did.

It was a day in the low 70’s in Stillwater today. The clouds would roll in and than roll out. The sun would come out to play and then go behind clouds again. When the sun was out and the wind was calm it was t-shirt weather but when the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up I needed long sleeves.

We grilled hamburgers again for dinner. I used the air pot and made French fries. Have finally figured out how to use the machine and the timing of the fries. They turned out good tonight.

We are going for a walk as soon as Jim finishes fastening the last board to the over hang.

I felt hung over most of the afternoon. I am grateful the NyQuil helps me sleep but I don’t like the after effect. I had a Foggy brain and a feeling of not being completely in my body most of the afternoon. I was on a ladder most of the afternoon with my head bent backwards – not a good combination when you have a hang over.

It is to be windy and warm again tomorrow with rain coming in along with some cooler temperatures for Friday. Next week it is to get up into the 80’s. Summer comes fast to Oklahoma.

The governor of OK still hasn’t shut down the state. Individual cities are closed down to essential businesses only but not the entire state. The numbers keep jumping here. Testing has been slow to get here although they announced today they got a lot of test kits in and have relaxed the conditions under which you can be tested.

We started self isolating around the 14th of March. It is starting to feel “normal” to stay home and not see anyone else. We are working on projects that Jim has the parts for so he can avoid going to Lowe’s. One of us needs to go to Walmart to get my new prescription but decided it would wait until we needed other things too.

Ellexia seems to be enjoying internet school. She said it is boring though. She is in advanced classes and they are teaching to the lower level. She liked being able to see her friends. She is such a social butterfly that staying home without her friends is hard for her.

Realized today that Tagen won’t have an 8th grade graduation ceremony. Wonder if they will do something in the fall. Can’t believe he is starting high school this fall.

Grateful the painting job is complete, grateful for NyQuil and sleep, and grateful that in this moment all is well!

Guess what – I spent another quiet day at home. I bet no one guessed that – right? Ha! And double guess what I am doing tomorrow! Right – staying home! Not sure I need a blog to remind myself what I did with myself these days.

I took a nap this afternoon. I haven’t been sleeping well and felt sleepy this afternoon so I laid down. Slept for about 90 minutes. I’ll take sleep whenever it finds me these days.

It was a beautiful day in Stillwater today. It reached the upper 60’s and we had sunshine most of the day after getting rain last night. We took a one-mile walk this afternoon and may take another one this evening.

I still have a headache. I can’t seem to get rid of it completely. I don’t usually get headaches anymore. There was a time that I got them frequently but haven’t had them for a long time. It is probably due to my anxiety of the world situation right now. Trying to find some extra grace to extend to myself right now and allow myself space to not do much when they hit. It makes a day long though when I don’t do much.

Jim has worked outside on his garage roof most of the afternoon. I went out and helped him a bit. He is hoping to have part of it ready for me to paint tomorrow. That will give me an afternoon project.

I wrote letters to my two aunts today. I have been thinking about both of them and decided I would write them a letter. I may try to start writing a letter or two a day for a bit. I do better writing than I do on the phone. I love getting letters in the mail and now seems a great time to send some. Trusting they will arrive Virus free.

I had left over mashed potatoes so fixed potato pancakes for dinner tonight along with bacon and eggs. Made a quick and easy dinner. Trying hard to use up our leftovers and not waste food.

I called my foot surgeon’s office today to tell them I didn’t want to drive to Wichita next week for my appointment. After several calls back and forth they decided they would schedule a phone visit instead. The doctor’s office is to call me at my scheduled appointment time next Tuesday and I will talk to the surgeon about the pain I am still having in my feet. I trust this will work and he can figure out something to do to help my feet fully recover. They are slowly getting better but the right one still sends sharp pain up the big toe when I walk on it. It doesn’t happen every step now like it was doing six weeks ago but often enough I am tired of it.

I am mentally preparing myself to shelter in place in OK until at least August. If we get released before that I will be very happy but I do better with a target date. I set it far enough out that I am trusting we will get released before the date I mentally set. This is the longest time I have been away from my kids and grandkids. Thankful for all the different technology that we have now to help me stay connected to them somewhat. Can’t wait to hug them all again.

I feel for all those single people out there that don’t have someone to shelter in place with. If any of you need someone to talk with please call me anytime – day or night. I told Jim at dinner that if I was in Strong City I would know people that I could be checking on and offering to get groceries for them, etc. I don’t know people here in Stillwater that could use my help.

I have been slipping on my eating habits. I still haven’t eaten sugar or flour but have been snacking more than I have in two years. I’m not even hungry but find myself stuffing food in my mouth. My anxiety must be higher than I realize it is. I’m going to come out of self-isolation and have no clothes that fit if I’m not careful.

Grateful I have a safe place to shelter in place at, grateful for the mail service, and grateful for afternoon naps and walks.

A very lazy day in Stillwater today. It has rained off and on all afternoon. After such a productive day yesterday today was the exact opposite.

My Camino friends from CA FaceTime with us today. It is so fun to see their faces and have conversation. We chatted for over an hour!

I went to Walmart to pick up my prescriptions and get groceries and some other things we needed. The store was not busy and the shelves were fuller than they were last time I was there. Still no hand sanitizer, thermometers, rubbing alcohol or jig saw puzzles. They had some hamburger and other meat today although I didn’t buy any.

When I picked up my blood pressure medication they told me they had to give me the water pill part separately as they can’t get the combination pill. They told me the price was $243! Ouch! I use GoodRX and was able to get the price down to $44. Still not sure how that works as I don’t pay GoodRX anything. Something seems fishy to me in that deal.

I called my doctor in Emporia today and found out they hadn’t received my blood tests results from Stillwater that were done last Thursday. I called the Stillwater Clinic and they told me they would fax them again. The Doctor’s office called me back and the doctor changed the dose of my thyroid medication. I had just picked up a refill of the other dose. I’ll have to go back to the pharmacy when the new dose is ready and pick it up. Sometimes it is hard to know what to do!

I was surprised I wasn’t sore from being on my hands and knees for six hours yesterday. The floor sure looks nice today. I’m anxious for us to get it sanded and the varnish put on it.

I have scalloped potatoes and ham baking in the oven for dinner. They should be ready in about 30 minutes. I will need to heat up some veggies to serve with it and that will be dinner.

I’m grateful for being able to deposit checks on-line. I got a rent check Saturday and was able to take pictures of it and send to my bank and they were able to deposit it into my account. Amazing!

I listened to a BBC report this afternoon. The report said the people in England are being told to stay at home with little movement in the community until at least the end of June. Starting to think that will happen here too. I may not be back in KS until fall time.

I have moved into a better space mentality as I have started to accept the reality of what is happening. I am in a safe place and have all my basic needs met and many of my wants met. I am one of the lucky ones. There are so many hurting people in the world right now – from the sick to the ones that have no financial resources.

I sure miss my kids and grandkids. It will be a grand day when we see each other again. One certainly learns quickly not to take face-to-face visits for granted. I am missing giving and receiving hugs to my family and friends. Grateful I have Jim to hug often.

Grateful for a safe and peaceful shopping trip today, grateful for GoodRX and the savings they provided, and grateful my basic needs are met and then some!

A very productive day at last. Jim and I tore out the old linoleum in the kitchen and found wood floors underneath. We had to scrap off the material that was used to glue the linoleum to the floor. We soaked it with water first, used a scraper to get the first layer off and then used a scotch pad to get the glue off. It was messy and dirty work.

We started a little before 1:00 and finished around 6:15. I think both of us are going to be a bit sore tomorrow.

We will need to rent a sander and finish the floor with sanding it and then applying polyurethane. We will save that project for another day.

It felt good to have something physical to do. I have needed a project day for a bit and this was a good one for me. Not sure what I will find to do tomorrow.

I started my day off by listening to a meditation that was on-line. I knew one of the three women that hosted it. It was so good to reconnect to Court and it did my body good to take some time to breathe and relax. Court sent me a recording of the meditation so I can listen to it again.

This afternoon my Aunt Jeanne called. I haven’t talked to her in several years. It was so nice to hear from her. Can’t believe she is turning 80 this year. Where does the time go?

Tomorrow I will need to go to Walmart and pick up my prescription. I have a list of things we need that I will get while I am there. I also need to get hold of my doctor in Emporia and see if he wants me to do anything as a result of the blood and urine tests that were done Thursday. I have had a headache off and on for over a week now and the pain in my lower back still comes and goes. I feel like something is off but not sure what it is.

I fixed salmon for dinner. It is easy and quick to fix. Served it with a nice green salad and corn. We had pineapple rings with cream cheese for desert. Neither one of us love salmon but I try to serve it once a week or so.

We took a one-mile walk after dinner. Both of us were a bit stiff from being on our knees working on the floor all afternoon. It felt good to stretch the legs a bit. It was lovely out and we saw the last of the sunset.

No big plans this week. My adventure of the week will be going to Walmart tomorrow. Jim will go later this week. I’m sure we continue working on the house as there are many projects waiting our time and attention. I would love to see us finish the kitchen project so at least one room would be complete. Jim prefers working on this and then that and then that instead of sticking to one project and finishing it and then starting another one. We are different that way!

Since I am staying in OK for the time being I need to check with my insurance and make sure I don’t have to do anything about changing it to OK. I had gotten a notice from my prescription coverage asking why my prescriptions were being mailed to an OK address. I can’t tell them until I know how long I will be here.

Beginning to feel like the stay at home orders will be in effect for several months. I don’t think KS or OK have even begun to see the full impact of the spread of the virus. This will not be the year to do any traveling – at least not until the last quarter or so, it then. Having to readjust my plans for the year. I am slowing coming into acceptance of this new reality. It sure would help if I had an end date but I know that no one knows when that might be. Learning to accept what it is and dealing with it. I keep reminding myself that right here, right now all is well!

Grateful the kitchen floor project part 1 is done, grateful for our walk this evening, and grateful that right here, right now, all is well!

I’m grateful my iPad tells me the day of the month and week. When you stay home all day everyday the days run together and it is hard to know what day it is.

We worked outside this afternoon after taking a two mile walk. It was in the mid 60’s but very windy. I mowed with the push mower and Jim worked on the garage overhang. We also cut down the tall grass by tying a string around it and using the chain saw to cut it down.

Since I am not coming back to KS for a bit I had to make different arrangements for a prescription that I need refilled. I called the pharmacy in Emporia to see if they could mail it to me. They could not but suggested I contact a pharmacy in Stillwater and have them call my pharmacy in Emporia and they could transfer the prescription to them. I called a pharmacy in Stillwater and made the arrangements. I am assuming everything worked as I didn’t hear back. I told them it wasn’t urgent. They are to text me when the script is ready for me to pick up.

I listened to the governor of KS issue her stay at home orders today. The governor in OK has not been as pro-active. I’m glad we realized last week that we needed to stay put and not go back and forth between the two places. It sure would be easier though if I knew when I might get to go back home again. Thinking it might not be until May or even June.

My mother’s cousin posted today that her brother-in-law is in the hospital with Coronavirus. That hits pretty close to home. He is a younger man with a wife and two kids. I pray he will recover.

When my prescription is ready I will go to Walmart and get some groceries and a few other things we need and then we won’t have to get out again for several days.

We grilled hamburgers for dinner tonight. Jim cooked them perfectly. They make a very simple meal and one of our favorites.

No plans for tomorrow other than to continue working on the house. Same for Monday, Tuesday,…….Rinse and repeat!

I need some T-shirts. I didn’t bring many when I came last time as I thought I was going home this week and could get them then. I may have to order some although I don’t like to make the delivery workers work so much. I may look at Walmart and see if I can find some there and if not I will have to order some as the clothing stores are closed. I don’t have any shorts with me either. I wasn’t planning on staying here this long. Although if I buy some shorts I will have to shave my legs – not sure I am ready to do that yet this year! Ha!

Feeling a bit better today. Only had a headache for a couple of hours instead of all day. My back hurt off and on but not constantly. I’ll take that as progress.

Grateful I got to mow today, grateful for hamburgers on the grill, and grateful for feeling better.

Another quiet day spent at home. Thinking that is what is going to happen for many more days if not weeks and months.

I didn’t sleep much again last night. I finally was able to get two hours of sleep this afternoon. Woke up feeling better. I still am struggling with a headache that seems to come and go and has for the last week. My lower back has hurt off and on for about that same time too.

Got the results of my blood work back but didn’t hear from my doctor. I still have Red Blood Cells in my urine so wondering if I still have a UTI or maybe even a kidney stone. The pain gets rather strong at times. Most of the other results were within normal with a few exceptions. The two things that were in the blood in the ED and were concerning to the ED Doctor were gone which was good news.

Jim chopped and stack a rack of wood in the back yard today. He is hot and tired tonight.

I forgot to lay some meat out for dinner tonight. In the freezer is a bunch of food I had gotten for the brunch we were going to hold on the morning of our planned wedding. I heated up a quiche and some potato bite things that were really good although probably not really good for me. It made a quick dinner. Good thing we liked it as I can fix three more meals just like it.

We took a one mile walk after dinner tonight. We got a few showers this afternoon and it cooled down nicely. We saw the last of the sunset while we walked. There was a nice breeze and it was a nice time to be out walking.

I need to find a project to work on while I am sheltering in place here. I am starting to go a little stir crazy. I have been knitting a lot but am almost out of yarn. I do have two sets of tea towels I can work on so may switch to them.

Got a text from David and he said the car and title arrived safely. I like being able to cross things off my pending list.

It is getting hard to know what day of the week it is. Everyday is almost the same.

Chase County has gone into lock down mode. I read this afternoon that visitors from Wichita and the KC area have to self-quarantine for 14 days if they come to Chase County or if a Chase County person goes to those areas. Unfortunately Chase County is experiencing an influx of guests from KC and Wichita trying to escape. The fear is they will bring it to us. Wish people would just stay home!

Wishing I could find something to do to make this situation easier for others. Hard to help others when you can’t hug them or touch them. I do spend time each day sending healing love and light out into the world.

Grateful for my health tonight, grateful for afternoon naps, and grateful the Prius arrived safely at its new home.

Happy one week anniversary to Jim and I! What a week it has been. Feel like we got on a roller coaster and it hasn’t stopped yet. We have had more ups and downs this week than since we started dating.

I woke up at 3:00 this morning and never did go back to sleep. Had something on my mind and had to work through it. By the time I did it was time to take a shower and go get my blood work done. When I got to the clinic there was a nurse in the lobby that took my temperature and then allowed me to go to the lab.

While I was waiting for my blood draw one of the techs came out. Turns out she was best friends with my Doctor’s daughter during high school. It is a small, small world.

Stopped at Sprouts on the way home and picked up a pot roast for dinner. They had potatoes – the first ones I have found for over a week. Came home and put the pot roast in the crock pot for dinner. It was delicious! Served it with mashed potatoes and gravy.

We worked out in the yard today. I put wood from a big pile a branch at a time on a horse and Jim used the power saw to cut them into pieces. We also replaced the screens in the storm windows. I got pretty good at it by the time we were done.

Took a one mile walk after dinner. It is still in the upper 80’s here this evening. It reached 95 this afternoon! It is still March! Not sure I want to summer in OK if it is this hot now.

I am tired tonight. Trusting I will be able to sleep many hours tonight.

Grateful I was able to get my blood draw done today, grateful I found potatoes in a grocery store today, and grateful for warm spring days.

We had to get up early this morning as the plumber came at 9:00 to fix the drain under the kitchen sink. After he had been here a bit he told Jim he had just gotten home yesterday from a trip to the Caribbean! WTF! Why wasn’t he under quarantine?

By that time he was almost done with his job. I stayed outside the rest of the time he was here and Jim stayed as far away as possible. After the guy left we mixed up some bleach and water and wiped down everywhere the guy had been – including the door knobs, etc.

I understand how difficult it is to not work and not have income but to enter my house under these conditions and expose us is not OK. I thought travelers coming into the USA right now were being told to self-quarantine. I wonder if he was told and decided to not obey or if no one suggested it to him.

Jim had said something to him earlier which led me to believe the guy is a Republican and one of those that aren’t taking this thing very seriously. He is probably in his early 40’s and thinking all of this is making a big deal out of getting a cold. UGH! He is the type that will make this virus spread and never know he was why the number of cases jumped in his area.

We took a walk to the lake this afternoon. We only walked about 1/3 round it and found a bench overlooking the water. We sat and enjoyed the sunshine and the wind in our face. It was windy enough we could hear the waves. It reached 86 here today and is to be in the 90’s tomorrow. We must have sat for an hour in the sunshine and then walked back to the house without walking all around the lake. It felt so good to let the wind blow the cobwebs out of my head.

We came home and Jim laid down and fell asleep. After about an hour I decided to lay down too and I slept for several hours. Getting out in the fresh air was exhausting I guess. We both slept really hard this afternoon.

We were talking earlier how our lives really aren’t much different being in lockdown than they were before. We rarely ate out and the main difference is we are not going to the grocery store as often as we did before. We limit our trips to Lowe’s which it the other place we went a lot. When we do go to the grocery store we try to get what we want quickly and get out and back home.

We are grilling steaks tonight. It is so nice we may even eat outside.

Nothing on our schedule for the foreseeable future. That is weird I guess. We usually had church if nothing else to go to. Hoping we get some work done on the house but we didn’t manage to get much done today yet. Maybe after dinner we will get something done. A nap seemed more important today.

I sent a note to my doctor in Emporia and he faxed orders so I can get my blood work done here in Stillwater tomorrow. We will go do that sometime tomorrow.

Still hard to think I may not get to go back to my prairie until June. I told Jim there is nothing in my house I have needed except for yarn. Maybe I ought to sell it and walk away completely. He wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Things will return to “normal” again but have a feeling it will be a new normal and not the way they were. We were overdue for a major correction in the world and I have a feeling this is what this is all about. May we rebuild the world so that it works better for all of us and not just the top 1%.

Grateful for a beautiful walk on a beautiful day, grateful for the wind today that blew the cobwebs out of my head, and grateful for afternoon naps that restore my body and soul.

A somewhat better day today. I’ll take it as a sign of progress. I haven’t cried today – at least yet!

Just sent my Prius on its way to CA. It was weird to drive it one last time. It has been a great little car but I can’t say that I am sad to see it go. I love my Forester much better! It will be a good car for David. I will miss the low cost of filling the gas tank.

Jim went out on errands today. We decided we both shouldn’t get out at the same time and double our chance of exposure. He dropped off recycling material and went to the grocery store.

I took about a one mile walk while he was gone. My heart started racing so I turned around and slowly walked back to the house. It does that when my thyroid levels get out of wack after being sick. Have about two to four more weeks before I will feel “normal” again.

It is 71 degrees in Stillwater today. Going to hit the 90’s on Thursday. Maybe it will get warm enough to chase away the Corona virus that is invading OK. They are over 100 cases already and have surpassed KS in case count. People here don’t seem to be taking shelter in place very seriously.

Still have a nagging headache. Unusual for me to have a headache and especially one for several days. It quiets down and then roars back. Thinking it is related to my thyroid being out of wack.

I called some doctors in Stillwater to see if I could get an appointment this week so I could have my levels checked. There is a six week wait time for new patients. One office recommended I go to Urgent Care and ask them to do the blood work. Another said I could have my doctor in Emporia fax the blood test ordered to the clinic and have my blood drawn that way and they could send him the results. I will decide tomorrow which way would be best.

Saw a post about the price of eggs in the stores. Grateful my chickens are putting out a few eggs a day right now. Wish I was home to eat them! Might need to replenish my stock sooner rather than later if the price of eggs keep rising.

I sure miss my prairie. If Plan A was enforced we would be home on the prairie for a week. Staying flexible and making the best of Plan B. It would help if I knew when I might get to go back home to stay but there are way too many variables for that. Good practice for me to continue to sit in the unknown and know that in this moment all is well. I repeat that to myself many times a day when my brain goes into monkey chatter. It helps remind myself to come back to the present and know all is well.

I’m glad the tax date got extended as I don’t know when I will get to Emporia to get my taxes. I haven’t heard if they are done or not and what the outcome is. I’ll have to make a trip to Emporia to pick them up if I am not home by then.

Grateful for a beautiful spring day in Stillwater, grateful the Prius is on its way to California, and grateful I am on the upward swing!

Another hard day – damn it! I wish I could shake this depression. I did realize today that whenever I get sick it throws my thyroid out of whack and it takes about six weeks to level back out. I am on an emotional roller coaster right now and my balance is totally off. Knowing what is behind it helps.

We have decided to stay put in Stillwater for the next month. My heart wants to go back to my prairie but my head is telling me to stay here. We had much trouble deciding what to do – both of us want to be in both places.

I need to figure out something to do with myself. I realize how much I liked doing taxes and having something to do several times a week. I can’t get out and do volunteer stuff now so will need to get creative and come up with something else to do. Jim has a very long list of projects to work on and will have no trouble finding something to do around the house. Most of his stuff is stuff I can’t do.

My house sitter is being very flexible and is able to stay on. I will mail her some funds tomorrow so she can replenish the critter food supply and get gas for the mower. I will miss mowing and riding my mower! I love that job.

I only have yarn to do two more blankets and three more baby blankets. Yikes! That is almost a national emergency. Ha!

I will need to find a local doctor to get my blood follow up test done. I had an appointment with my doctor a week from today in Emporia but am not driving back for that. Hoping I can find someone here that is taking new patients and will see me.

I have an appointment with my foot surgeon on April 7. Not sure if I will go to it or not – as fast as things are changing who knows what will be happening then. My foot is a bit better than it was when I went to see him a couple weeks ago. Still not where I want it to be but not an emergency by any means and not worth a four hour trip to see him.

I do have an appointment with my Endocrinologist in May in Topeka that I will drive to. I need to have my cancer levels checked and have my annual check with her.

My Prius is getting picked up tomorrow and shipped to California. It will be good to see it get on its way. Trusting it will have a safe journey and that David will enjoy the car.

Baked Jim some butter cookies last night. He doesn’t have a cookie press so just spooned them out. He said they were delicious although they weren’t pretty.

I went to Walmart today and was surprised that about 30 to 40% of the grocery isles were empty. There were no potatoes, hamburger, beans, sugar, and not to mention Tylenol and hand sanitizer. There were many other shelves empty. I was surprised I was able to find a gallon jug of bleach.

Hard for me to wrap my head around the divide in the country. Many seem to be taking this situation seriously and doing their best to stay home and limit their exposure to others. Yet there is a group that still seems to believe we are making too much out of this and it will all go away on its own. Guess we will see in a few weeks time which group was on the side of truth.

I saw someone getting a manicure today and neither were wearing a mask. Wonder if a manicure was worth the risk? Guess we each have our own priorities and risk levels we are willing to tolerate. This situation is calling us out of our comfort levels to do things that make us uncomfortable and to make sacrifices for the benefit of others.

I’m sure that is part of what I am feeling. Things feel out of control on many levels and giving up free choice feels icky. When I can remember that I still have choices and am making them based on the whole instead of my selfish desires it feels better inside.

I’m sure I’ll bounce out of this funk soon. Remembering my thyroid is behind part of it helps. And this too shall pass – maybe like a kidney stone but it will pass!

Grateful our decision has been made, grateful the Prius is almost on its way to California, and grateful for the groceries I was able to find and buy today.

I am having a much better day today. I climbed out of the muck pond and have been able to have a level head today. Although I am still a bit overwhelmed with the world situation I have a better perspective on it today.

We were planning on going to the prairie tomorrow for a week and return a week from Monday. It hit me this morning that we are putting ourselves at higher risk by going back and forth. We need to pick one house or the other and prepare to button down the hatches and hole up. We have gone back and forth as to which house we should stay at. Both have pros and cons. We are going to sleep on it tonight and make a final decision in the morning.

At this point we are leaning towards returning to KS. We would take Jim’s cats with us and hire someone to walk through his house three times a week to keep an eye on things and hire someone to mow. It seems simpler to leave this house empty than to hire someone full time at my house.

If we end up in Strong City Jim would have time to get a shop built in the big building. He could take his negatives and prints and get started on what he wants to do with them. It would delay completing the Stillwater house project but that project isn’t going to get done anytime soon regardless. We would hopefully be able to come back late summer and maybe spend the winter here again and get more work done here. Hard to know what the future holds at this point.

If we go to KS we won’t leave until mid week to give Jim time to get things in order here and time to gather all the things he would want to take with him. We had planned on taking two cars anyways so will have room to take some stuff. Hopefully we can come back for a day or two if needed in a month or so. Hard to know how bad things are going to get and how shut down they will become.

If we end up in Stillwater my current house sitter has agreed to stay on. I will have to get her some money so she can restock the critter feed as needed.

Hard to know which way to go. Guess we are lucky to have two places to choose from.

I made crock pot chili for dinner tonight. It was really good. If we go to KS I need to remember to take that recipe with me.

I am feeling better today although my headache came back this afternoon. Thinking it is allergies as my ears itch and my throat is sore and draining. Spring has sprung here and lots of blooming plants already.

We took a one mile walk this afternoon. I had to wear my winter coat as it is in the low 50’s and damp out. It felt good to stretch my legs a bit and get some fresh air.

Still seeing lots of evidence here of people still acting like life is normal. The governor of OK hasn’t done much yet. The city of Stillwater is holding a meeting tomorrow night and on the agenda is a lock down policy. They decided they need to not wait for the governor to do the right thing. There is a second case in Stillwater that has been confirmed and heavens knows how many other cases. Testing supplies are very limited and are only given to those that are sick enough to be in the hospital.

I am almost out of yarn here in Stillwater. Yikes! That could be another disaster in the making! I bet Walmart still has some though. I hate to buy more as I have tubs of it in Strong City. Maybe that will be the deciding factor in where we stay! Ha!

Grateful my head is out of my ass and I am back to being grounded and centered, grateful for two homes to live in and shelter in, and grateful we are both being open and flexible.

Not a good day for me. I fell hard into the muck pond and it took most of the day to climb out of it. I was near tears most of the day. Thinking part of it is what is happening in the world right now but the other part was me throwing myself a pity party. All five kids, Jim’s brother and family and my sister were to have arrived today for our big wedding tomorrow. I was supposed to have been busy today cooking a big dinner for 20 people. I’m so sorry things worked out the way they did and our family couldn’t come be with us.

I have had a headache, a bit of a sore throat, some body aches and chills off and on all day today. I didn’t sleep very good last night and have been very tired today. Don’t think I am physically sick as much as soul sick. I’m sure I will feel better tomorrow after a good night’s sleep tonight.

I did get out and take a one mile walk alone today. Felt claustrophobic all day inside. It was only in the low 50’s today so I had to wear a heavy coat. It felt good to get outside and get some fresh air.

I got the Prius out and got it filled with gas. We are going to hire a transport to deliver it to David in Berkeley sometime either next week or the week after. It will be good to get the car to him.

I am going to KS Monday. Jim may have to wait a day as we need the plumber to come fix under the kitchen sink before he can leave. We aren’t sure when he is coming back or when I am coming back so we had already decided to take two cars in case we decide to come back on different days. I have a doctor’s appointment a week from Monday and Plan A is for me to come back to Stillwater after that.

When we made our plans originally I needed to be back on Sunday so I could do taxes on Monday. Taxes were stopped sometime ago so I don’t have them to come back for. I may decide to just stay in KS. I am so homesick for the prairie. I have been in Stillwater since the middle of December except for a few days here and there back on the prairie. My soul needs some wide open space and to reconnect to the sun and moon.

We loaded all the wedding stuff in my car so I can take it to Strong City. I have more storage space than Jim does. Not sure if and when we will be able to schedule a reception in Stillwater and Strong City so we can celebrate with our friends. It will depend on how long this crisis drags on. Starting to look like it will be fall if we are lucky before it will be safe to gather again. Does anyone drink Fresca or White Grape Juice? I have five containers of each that I won’t be able to use for a bit and not sure it will be good six months from now. I also have two batches of cream cheese mints that need eaten or thrown out. I won’t eat them as they have sugar in them. Holler at me if you would eat them and I will get them to you.

Just got notification that the oven I had ordered cannot be installed. They can deliver to outside my house but not install it. I tried to call them but the hold time was over two hours. I think I will cancel the order completely if they will let me do that. They were to come Thursday to deliver and install it. I certainly understand why they don’t want to come in people’s houses right now to do this type of work. It isn’t urgent that I have a new oven. I sure feel bad for businesses right now and all the adjustments they are having to make.

What a time to be living through. So much chaos and fear. Doing my best to stay grounded and out of fear. Tomorrow will be better!

Grateful to have climbed out of the muck pond this evening, grateful for fresh air and a walk today, and grateful I get to go to my prairie on Monday.

Another quiet day at home in Stillwater. We did go to the hardware store to get parts for the kitchen and stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few essential items. The workers came today to lay the new kitchen counter top. It looks so nice!

We had to buy a new kitchen sink today. When they hooked it up they discovered a hole in the drain pipe. Jim has a temporary repair on it but the plumber will need to come hopefully Monday to do a permanent fix. We aren’t using the kitchen sink drain right now to prevent a disaster. One thing about repairing 100 year old houses is you can always expect the unexpected.

I took a two hour nap this afternoon. The guys were working in the kitchen and I was trying to stay out of the way. Decided the bed looked inviting and warm so laid down to warm up. Next thing I knew it was two hours later and I slept the afternoon away.

I think my tiredness is soul tired. The news is overwhelming right now. We try to turn off the news and take media breaks. We have been getting a walk in every day so we can get some fresh air and walk off some pent up energy. Today we walked one mile.

This is sounding more and more like it is going to take a long time before things get better. Even if we can slow it down during the summer it sounds like there will be another big surge in the fall. Life as we knew it is being altered before our very eyes. I trust what will be created out of all of this for the future will be something that works better for those on the bottom rings of our society. The path we have been on for some time has not been working and needed changed. Careful what you ask for?

My heart hurts for those that can’t afford to pay rent or buy groceries as they have lost their job. Trusting some sort of security blanket gets put into place sooner than later. With people self-isolating I’m not sure how we find out those that need help. It might be up to each of us to reach out to our network of friends and check in with them and see what their needs might be. I don’t trust that my government will be there for them. If you are in need, please reach out – help is available but you will have to ask for it.

I watched a meditation today that was a balm for my soul. I need to remember to search out and find things like that daily. I can’t be of service to others if I fall into the muck pond and withdraw my light from the world.

Married life is grand! I’m so grateful I have someone to self-isolate with. This would be even more difficult if I was still single and alone.

Trying to figure out how I can use the house in Strong City to be of help to others. I have to balance the risk of bringing in someone that may make me sick with the need to help them out. I am trusting that a way will be shown to me if a situation comes to my attention that feels right. Anyone single out there that needs to join with someone else in self-isolation that wants to come live with us in Strong City? You are welcome to come stay! I’ll be back on the prairie Monday and plan on staying for a bit and would love to have company. Wide open spaces and lots of fresh air.

Grateful I have a partner to share this crazy time with, grateful progress is being made in the kitchen, and grateful for the internet which helps connects us. Sending love and hugs to all!

We got married this afternoon. It was a beautiful, simple service conducted by the preacher of Jim’s church. We held it in the sanctuary of Jim’s church and maintained social distances from the couple that stood up with us and the preacher. That was a bit weird!

One of Jim’s sons recommended about an hour before the service that we live stream the wedding service. We were successfully able to do so and lots of our friends and family were able to watch the ceremony. It is posted on my Facebook page if you missed it and want to go see it. When times are like this you have to do what you have to do to make it work! I am ever so grateful Thomas suggested the idea. I could feel the presence of our loved ones watching.

We took a one mile walk before the wedding. It is a beautiful day in Stillwater and was good to get out and stretch my legs and work off some extra energy. We will probably go for another one when I get the blog written. A cold front is coming in tonight and it is only going to be 46 for the high tomorrow.

After the wedding we came home and had some soup and then changed out of our fancy clothes and into work clothes. I painted some more cabinet doors and Jim is building the two drawers for the kitchen. I need to do some housecleaning this evening.

Not sure I feel married yet! The ceremony was very sweet. The preacher did a great job. We were only at the church for less than an hour. With no guests except for the two attendants it was simple. I’m glad we had our virtual guests.

We don’t have any plans for the weekend. We will continue to work on some projects around here. Hoping the kitchen counter top came in today and the guy can come install it tomorrow. Would love to get it and the flooring done this weekend but we shall see what happens. Monday we are going to KS for one week. I am homesick to spend some time on the prairie.

Next Thursday Best Buy is to come install the new double oven in my kitchen in Strong City. I wonder if they will be able to come or if they will have to postpone the visit. Not sure I would want to go into homes of strangers right now and am not sure I want a stranger in my house right now. Things are changing so rapidly who knows what the situation will be by then.

I have a doctor’s appointment on March 30 to get my blood levels rechecked. Plan A is to return to Stillwater after that visit but that may change. Since I’m not doing taxes anymore I have no reason to have to return to Stillwater and if we decide to we could stay in KS. Not sure what will happen. Staying flexible and fluid right now seems to be what is required.

If I am not needed to help with grandchildren we may go back and forth every week or so. We need to bring Jim’s cats to KS and only pay for one housesitter instead of two though. Jim also talked about me staying in KS and he comes back for several days alone part of the time.

I don’t think I will be opening my Airbnb again for a long time. It is just too much risk right now. I will keep my ear to the ground and see if anyone I know needs some safe space to hang out in and invite them in. I have a rental property that is coming empty the end of March in Emporia that I may reserve for someone that becomes homeless as a result of loosing their job during all of this. We will see what happens on several fronts.

Guessing we won’t be doing any travel this summer. Estes Park is totally closed right now and they were going to reevaluate the middle of April. So hard to know how to plan.

What a day to get married. I’m sure years from now we will be able to tell our story about how we gathered our friends and family via live stream and shared our simple little ceremony with them.

Seems like this crisis is one of those that we will refer to in the future as life before Coronavirus and life after. If feels life changing on many, many levels. My heart hurts for those that are sick, those that have lost their jobs and those that are afraid. Yet I can feel a deep change happening in the world. It feels like the world was slammed with a giant 2 x 4 to get our attention and help us reprioritize our lives.

Grateful to be married, grateful for our friends and family that joined us in witnessing our ceremony via live stream, and grateful for Jim and his love.

Going to the chapel and we’re going to get married! Tomorrow afternoon at 2:00! There will be five of us gathered for the deed. Celebration to follow after this madness is over.

Spent a quiet day at home. We did go to Boomer Lake and took a three mile walk. It was a beautiful day here in Stillwater – mid 70’s and the sun even came out to play for part of the day. It felt so good to get outside and take a long walk. There were lots of people out walking. As we passed people we gave each other lots of space.

I came home and took a two hour nap. I didn’t think I was that tired but decided to lay down and treat myself to a short rest. I feel asleep quickly and slept hard for over two hours. I’m still a bit tired tonight. Thinking it is emotional tiredness as much as physical tiredness. I have hit overwhelm a bit with all the bad news and changing of plans.

There was a post on Facebook tonight about a couple from Council Grove that have been diagnosed with the Coronavirus. They had traveled earlier in the month to the Caribbean and had returned to Council Grove March 11. Over the weekend they were in Strong City and ate at Ad Astra obviously while they were contagious and before they were showing signs of being sick. Sure points out how important isolation is and why it is important that restaurants close.

My soul hurts tonight. So many are posting about loosing their jobs, no income, little food in the house, more questions than answers. Time for all of us to step it up but hard to know how to help. Self isolating is one step I can take but that doesn’t feel enough. Spending time sending positive, healing energy out to the world.

Did a bit of painting this morning. I have two more cabinet doors almost done. Have one more part to paint on them tomorrow and they will be done. Running out of projects to work on which is not a good thing right now. I need to keep busy right now. Jim said he would find some projects for me tomorrow.

What crazy times. The mom in me wants to retreat to my country home and have all my kids come home and stay with me. It is so hard to know what to do and keep up with all the changing news. My heart hurts for those that are in financial distress and those that are sick. Time for me to step it up and help out in some way. Figuring out how to do that safely is hard right now. Trusting a path will be cleared in front of me and I can find a way to lighten the load.

Much love to each of you. Reach out if I can help in any way.

Grateful for unplanned naps, grateful for long walks in the great outdoors, and grateful that tomorrow I am getting married!

Another crazy day! Hard to keep up with all the developments in the Coronavirus outbreak. Schools closed for the rest of the school year, businesses closing or modifying service, lifes disrupted everywhere you look. Hard to process it all.

We spent a quiet day at home. We did go to the OSU office to find out about health benefits to see if I want to change to Jim’s plan. We stopped at Lowe’s for more small parts. We got what we needed and came home quickly.

I spent some time looking at his health insurance package. I pay less for better coverage in KS. Not sure the plan he is offered is at any sort of discount. I need to call and talk to them tomorrow and unless I am missing something I will stay with what I have.

I finally got on-line and saw the results of my blood tests that were done when I went to the ED early Friday morning. There were two that were unusual for me to be off. Not sure why and what they mean. I looked them up but couldn’t really find out anything. I did schedule an appointment with my regular doctor in KS so I can have the level checks again and ask him to interrupt them for me.

I have been restless to get back home. I figured out today that is part of the restlessness I am feeling but the main part of it is my uncertainty with what is happening in the world right now. It is so hard to process the magnitude of what is happening. My heart feels heavy as I think of those that don’t have the financial means to survive this time they are being forced to take off work. I think of the domestic violence situations that many women and children live with and are now being forced to stay in without any way to escape.

I trust that those in need will be able to reach out to some sort of support system that will be put into place. I haven’t heard mention of that in the national news yet but in my small community the first rumblings has started. Have a feeling this will be the type of thing that neighbor will need to take care of neighbor. Jim and I have been brainstorming how best we can do that.

I sent my property manager a text to let him know I will be flexible if any of my renters lose their jobs and need some rent relief. One of the houses has the renters moving out the end of the month and he hasn’t found renters yet. We will see what happens with that.

I never know who reads this blog. But if you are reading it and need support please send me a private message. I will be back in KS next Monday and am wiling to help anyone that needs whatever.

Cancelling a wedding seems so small right now! We will be married Thursday afternoon with little fanfare and celebration. We were laughing at dinner tonight that we won’t even be able to go out to dinner to celebrate.

As often as I could remember today I took a minute and took deep breaths and reminded myself All IS WELL. It helped me keep myself grounded and fully present in the moment. Whatever will happen will happen and I can’t control any of it. All I can control is my reaction to it. Breathing. Grounding. Centering. All is well in this moment!

Grateful for the internet which connects all of us together, grateful for all the angels that are stepping up and reaching out to help their fellow humans, and grateful for mantras and deep breathing that ground and center me.

The pace of the change in world events is leaving me a bit breathless this afternoon. Still not sure what to think of it all. Doing my best to stay grounded and reminding myself to turn off the media to take media breaks frequently. I can’t seem to wrap my head around all that is happening.

Went to the grocery store this morning. We had gone last Thursday morning and the store was quiet and the shelves full. This morning the store was very busy and the shelves were decimated with lots of empty space. Found most of what I was looking for but came home without potatoes as there were none left.

After Jim got up we went and picked up our marriage license at the Court House. Stopped and got some stamps and went to Lowe’s to pick up a few things Jim needed. Lowe’s was fairly busy but the post office was not. Hoping we can stay in tomorrow and Wednesday and not go back out.

Tomorrow the guy is to come and install the new kitchen counter top. Jim may have him do some other jobs too. We need to get the flooring installed. Jim has never installed this type of flooring before so he may ask the guy to help him get started. He got the kitchen cabinet doors installed except for two of them that still need to be painted. We got more door handles for them at Lowe’s. Progress.

We have arranged to get married on Thursday at 2:00 in the preacher’s office or in the small chapel at the church. The choir director and her husband will be our witnesses. That date and time may have to change as the plan still feels fluid. New guidelines keep coming down and who knows what they will be by Thursday. That seems a long ways away in some ways.

Jim has a son that lives in Berkeley and David’s community has been put on total lockdown. Residents are asked to shelter in place for the next three weeks. So grateful we cancelled the wedding as David wouldn’t have been able to come now. Crazy times right now!

We had planned to go to KS next Monday and spend a week but that seems a bit fluid too. I need to check with my house sitter to see if she can stay if we decide not to travel. Not sure what is best for us and those we love. I would like to be home in case I can help with the grandkids. They are out of school again this week and may be out again next week too. Michelle works nights and I hate for them to be alone all day so many days in a row. We will not make any final decision until the time gets closer and the right path presents itself to us. I am a bit homesick and was looking forward to being on the prairie for a week but I may need to suck it up and deal!

I miss doing taxes. They closed the site down until further notice. We have heard there may be an extension as to when taxes are due this year but nothing has been sent out yet. We are hoping to get back opened later so we can help people get their taxes done but not sure that will happen.

During this time of unsettled energy it can get uncomfortable within. I keep reminding myself that nothing is fixed – everything is temporary and everything changes. I keep reminding myself to ground and come back within myself. Staying grounded and flexible is all I can do right now. In this moment right now all is well. Sometimes I have to repeat that to myself several times a day and sometimes several times each hour! All I have is this moment and if all is well in this moment what else do I need?

Grateful all is well right here right now, grateful we were able to get our marriage license today, and grateful I know how to ground myself and allow the world to swirl around me and not get pulled in over my head with her craziness.

Feeling much better today.  Still not a ball of fire but am eating, keeping it down, not running to the bathroom, and I have been remaining upright and not sleeping all day.  I’ll take that as progress.

I’m so bummed we had to cancel the public ceremony for our wedding and the reception in Strong City.  All that planning down the tube.  We are going to talk to the preacher Monday and find a time during the week that she can marry us.  We will have to find a couple to witness the ceremony for us.  Jim has several friends that will be happy to do so.  Just wish my kids could be there but that isn’t going to happen. The preacher told us she could do another ceremony later after this madness is done and I will reschedule the reception in Strong City later too.  Sometimes you have to deal the hand you have been given.

Both of us still feel we made the right decision.  If the majority of people would self-isolate the spread of the virus would greatly slow down.  I’m amazed how many are proceeding as if nothing is going on or think it is just a cold.  I don’t think we need to panic but some good common sense would go a long way to stopping the spread.  After hearing the condition of the airports this weekend I am grateful Jim’s sons won’t be flying next weekend and standing in long lines with infected people.

Both Jim and I are in the higher risk group due to our age but we are both relatively healthy and would probably be OK.  We are self-isolating to hep protect those that are autoimmune deficient or medically challenged.  Neither of us will leave the house except for essential trips to the grocery store or pharmacy.  We will go meet the preacher to get married later this week!  But that will be a group of five people.

I contacted all our vendors to cancel our plans.  Everyone was understanding and willing to work with me.  The florist and cake baker won’t give me a refund but will delay delivery until a later date.  The photographer didn’t have a deposit and said I didn’t owe her anything when I offered to pay.  She just asked me to contact her when we reschedule.

I’ll have to figure out what to do with the mints in the freezer.  I don’t think they will last several months without picking up a funky taste.  I’ll probably end up throwing them out and making fresh ones when we have a new date.

The freezer is full of brunch frozen stuff.  Guess we will start eating on it during our isolation time.  Not sure it will stay good for six months or so.

I cancelled all the hotel rooms and am to get all my money back within seven days.

I spent some time this morning notifying everyone that was invited to the reception that it has been cancelled.  Jim did the same with people he invited to the wedding.

We are going to the court house Monday to get the marriage license in case they decide to close the court house to walk-in traffic.

There are so many that are in much worse situations than we are in.  I feel bad for all those that have lost income due to businesses closing and jobs shuttered temporarily.  If the US follows like Italy we haven’t even began to see the worst of it yet.  It will take everyone doing there part to slow the spread.  Cancelling a public wedding and reception is small potatoes compared to what some will suffer.

Times like this it is important to check in with our friends and neighbors.  Especially those at high risk and offer trips to the store for them, etc.  A phone call can brighten a shut-in persons day.

Grateful for vendors that are flexible and understanding, grateful I am feeling better and on my road to recovery, and grateful for our preacher and her willingness to flex with us.

I got hit with a stomach bug Thursday evening.  Started around 8:00 with diarrhea every ten minutes and then I started vomiting around 10:00.  Came out both ends for over three hours every ten minutes or so. Finally went to the ED as I was getting very dehydrated and weak.

I continued to put out for three hours while there.  They gave me a medication that slowed it down but it didn’t stop.  After three hours they gave me a shot which knocked me out and things slowed down.

I was in the ED for over four hours.  Sent me home and I slept for eight hours straight.  I was up for 15 minutes and slept for another four hours. Up for 5 minutes and slept again for four hours.  I managed to sleep most all night last night too.

Still have a touch of diarrhea but the vomiting has stopped.  I hate to throw up!

Jim is a good nurse.  He reminds me to drink and fixed me some chicken noodle soup.  I ate about ten spoonfuls of the broth.

I just ate a banana – my first food since Thursday night dinner.  I’ll see if I can keep that down and will try to eat some more food later.  I am a bit weak today but know my strength will come back quickly once I can start eating again.

The church where we were to get married a week from tomorrow has closed for three weeks and maybe longer.  Sounds more and more like we need to cancel the public wedding ceremony and the receptions in both Strong City and Stillwater.  The recommendation from the authorities is to self isolate as much as possible and hold no public gatherings.

We will make a backup plan today and will probably pull the plug on both the wedding and reception in Strong City.  Maybe we will hold something later in the year when this crisis has passed.  There are only a few confirmed cases in both KS and OK but there has been so little testing done who knows how many are really here.  Most of the guests we invited for the wedding are over 60 and are in the higher risk group.  I would hate to have them come to the wedding and someone be sick and get everyone else sick.

I’m sad and disappointed to have to make this decision.  If we do cancel we will go to the preacher’s office or have her come to our house and marry us.  We will find two people to stand in as witness and call it good.

I will have to contact the florist and both cake bakers on Monday and see if I can cancel and get back my money.  I will need to cancel the photographer hotel rooms I reserved for the kids and siblings that were coming.

Life is always full of curve balls.  This one is a big one!  The impact on people’s lives is going to be hard for many.  Cancelling a public wedding and reception and turning it into a private one is not a huge sacrifice compared to what others will be called to do.

I have been awake for over an hour this morning and am getting tired again.  Time to go take a nap.  Trusting the banana I ate will sit well and not start the cycle of throwing up again.  I do feel better than I did earlier.  Trusting I am over the worse of it and things will only improve from here.  I do need to self isolate a bit as I am in a weakened state right now and am more susceptible to picking up another virus.

Stay well my friends!  Celebrate with us in your hearts and someday soon we will join together for a public celebration.

Grateful for ED that are kind and compassionate, grateful for Jim’s care and love, and grateful for healing.

This has been mostly a quiet day at home.  I haven’t gotten much done but maybe that is what my soul needed today.  I’m not used to having three days a week taken up with a commitment and it has felt good today to relax and chill.

I went to the grocery store this morning.  There were hardly any other customers shopping while I was there.

We did go meet with our wedding musician and picked out the music for the wedding.  She made it easy and didn’t have to give us many choices before we found something we liked.

Stopped at Jim’s bank so I could cash a money order.  I had to sign the money order over to Jim, he had to deposit it in his account and then withdrawal the funds.  Whatever it takes!

I have a ham and scalloped potatoes cooking in the oven.  Have beer bread muffins ready to pop in the oven in 30 minutes.  Made an apple salad and have broccoli to fix.  The guys will have cheesecake with strawberries for dessert.  Trusting our guest will show this time – he forgot Tuesday night.

We don’t have anything on our calendar for tomorrow so hoping we can get the kitchen floor started.  Saturday I am doing taxes in the morning but then we are free for the rest of the day.  Sunday we have church but are free the rest of the day.

We checked in with our preacher today to see if she wanted us to change our wedding plans.  So far she is comfortable proceeding as planned.  This virus situation seems to change daily but as of today we are on as scheduled.  We will check in again Monday.  That is the last day I can cancel the flowers and cake and get a refund.  Fingers crossed the virus stays away from the heartland for at least another ten days!

It reached 80 degrees in Stillwater today.  The high tomorrow will only be in the mid 50’s tomorrow and most of next week.  There is a wet cold front coming in tonight and spring rains are headed this way.  The spring flowers are busting out and are beautiful.

Grateful for quiet days at home, grateful for a flexible preacher, and grateful for beautiful spring days.

 

Did taxes most of the day today.  Around 3:00 I decided to go get lunch.  I was going to return but we were so slow they told me not to come back today.  We were slow most of the day so stood around visiting much of the time.  Sure makes the day go slow when that happens.

We got two kitchen cabinet doors hung when I got home.  I touched up two others.  Still need to go out and finish painting two others.

Jim is working on the hallway floor this afternoon.  He cut out the linoleum and carried it outside.  He is scraping up the glue that is on the wood floor.  He is making progress but it is hard, slow work.

He has choir practice at 7:15 tonight so I will need to get dinner going soon so we can eat before he leaves for practice.  I am going to make Shepherds Pie and use up the left over mashed potatoes from last night.

Heard Emporia is testing someone for the Coronavirus today.  That is getting pretty close to home!  Getting a bit nervous about the wedding and if guests will be able to come.  Hopefully the preacher will stay well and we will be able to get married on the 22nd.  May have to celebrate with our friends and guests in a different way at a later date.

It is in the mid 70’s today.  We want to get out and take a walk soon.  Spring has definitely sprung in Stillwater.  Rain is in the forecast for most of next week.

There is so much work that needs done to this house and I can’t do most of it.  I will get some deep cleaning done tonight while Jim is at choir practice.  That I can do!

Tomorrow we meet with our wedding musician to pick out the music we want her to play.  We will also go check out Jim’s benefits and see if we need to make any changes.  Saturday we are doing taxes in the morning – they are trying one Saturday a month this year to see if that helps some people out.  If I remember I will go up and help them out.

Eleven days to do!  Wow!  Trusting we will get the kitchen floor laid this weekend.  Anything else we get done will be a bonus.  I am ready for the 22nd to get here and get it over with.  I want to get on with the rest of my life.

Grateful for more progress happening in the kitchen, grateful for Spring and the beautiful flowers that are blooming, and grateful it is only 11 more days!

12 days to go! It will be here in a New York moment! I think I am ready!

Did taxes this afternoon. Only competed two returns but reviewed four others. I attempted two others but one was out of scope and the other needed more information. I left early as we ran out of clients again.

I fixed a pot roast for dinner. We finally texted our expected guest when he was over 30 minutes late. He forgot about it! He is going to come Thursday night instead. He missed out on a great dinner. I tried a new recipe for the pot roast and it was the best pot roast I have had for a long time.

The recipe was a 3 -4 pound chuck roast put in the crock pot. Sprinkle on a package of dry Ranch dressing, a package of dry Au Jus mix, and 5 pepperoncini peppers, and 1 stick of butter. Cook over low heat for 8 hours. I served it over mashed potatoes and made gravy out of the juices in the crock pot.

We had to take a one-mile walk after dinner as we both ate too much. It was so good! I had also roasted some carrots in the oven. Jim has a whole pan of brownies to eat. I’ll probably take some to the tax site tomorrow to help him get rid of them. They sure smell good!

Tomorrow I do taxes again all day. Hopefully we are busy all day. I haven’t worked all day for several times. Time goes much faster when we have clients stacked up.

Thursday we meet with the musician for the wedding to pick out the music we want. We will also go to the University HR Department to check out what we need to do for Jim’s benefits since we are getting married.

We are free all weekend and hope to get the kitchen floor laid. The guest that was to have come to dinner was going to advise Jim on some techniques for laying the floor. Hopefully he will come Thursday night so we can get to work on the floor Friday.

Since I was focused on getting dinner ready tonight I didn’t get any painting done tonight. Hopefully tomorrow night I will get the rest of the cabinet doors painted.

In my free time I need to start deep cleaning the house. I have a lot of dusting that needs done. Thank heavens the house is small so it won’t take a long time to deep clean.

I told one of my clients today that I am getting married in less than two weeks. He told me he is 80 years old, a widower and still believes in love! He gave me a big hug when he left and wished me well. He was so cute!

Grateful for all the spring flowers that are blooming in Stillwater, grateful to have found a new pot roast recipe that is delicious, and grateful for the wonderful people I am getting to meet while doing taxes.

Went to do taxes this morning at 9:00.  I did one client and there were no more clients in line.  I waited about 15 minutes and no one showed up so I came home early.  I don’t like to waste time and I had lots of things I wanted to do at home.

I got some more flowers ordered.  I had forgotten to get flowers for the grandkids and I also needed two more wrist corsages.  Got those ordered and confirmed.

Sent an email to the photographer to check in with her.  She is confirmed.

Stopped at the grocery store on the way home from taxes.  We are having a guest for dinner tomorrow night so picked up ingredients for that.  I also picked up three gift bags and thank you notes.  I needed to give a thank you gift to the hostess that sponsored the brunch that was held in our honor.  I also wanted to give the preacher and musician for the wedding a thank you note and gift.  Got those sacked up and ready to deliver.

Jim called the benefit department of the university that manages his pension.  We need to go in and talk to them and see if it would be beneficial for me to go on his insurance plan instead of the one I have.  They told us we can just stop in and we didn’t need an appointment.  We will get that done sometime this week.

I got the kitchen cabinet doors painted today.  I have the back side of the two new ones I need to paint but then that job will be done.  I have a bit of touch up painting to do too.

My next project will be to clean the house really good to get it ready for all the company that is coming in for the wedding.  A lot of that project is decluttering and that is something I will have to talk Jim into doing.  I will go into hide and seek mode the day before our guests are due to come in if he hasn’t gotten to it by then.

I had sent out a note to the people that occasionally house sit for me.  I needed someone to stay in the house for a week in July.  I immediately found someone and two others volunteered to be back ups.  Another one said she was sad she couldn’t come that week.  We need to come to Stillwater for a long weekend in May so we found a weekend that we can make that happen today.  I love my house sitters!

The new flooring material came in and Jim picked it up today.  The guy that is coming to dinner tomorrow night is a friend of Jim and he is going to give Jim some advice about laying the floor and may possibly even come over and help him do the job.  It will make a big difference in the looks of the kitchen and I’m excited that we will get it done before the wedding.

I keep checking my to-do lists to make sure I have forgotten anything.  I still need to go to the church and find out where they store the punch bowl and ladle.  We are going to the church Thursday to meet with the musician that is playing for the wedding.  I will find out then where the punch bowls are and how to access them the day of the wedding.  I also need to find out where I can put the cakes and flowers the day before the wedding.  The refrigerator at Jim’s house will be full and I won’t have room for two cakes and flowers in it.

Keeping my fingers crossed that the Coronavirus stays away from this area so we won’t have to change our plans to keep people safe.  We will if we need to.  I am a bit concerned about Jim’s sons having to fly to get here.  Jim has told them not to come if things get worse and they get ordered to stay in place.  One of them lives in the hot area of CA and the other lives in DC where there is a big outbreak too.

I’m almost to the point of I can’t wait until the wedding is over.  I’m ready to work on a new project!  It will be a fun day and I am looking forward to all the family that are coming – if they can get here.  I’m just tired of the planning and endless to-do lists.

The full moon is tonight.  I can feel the effect on me today.  I am overdue for a good cry – it might happen tonight.  Jim is so gentle and considerate when I have a breakdown.  He just holds me and lets me cry.

Grateful more things got crossed off my to-do list today, grateful the painting project is almost done, and grateful the flooring material came in early so we can get it done before the wedding.

 

 

I had a beautiful start to my day. I got up and went out to the living room. The pre-dawn colors to the east were beautiful.  Then I turned to the west and watched the setting moon.  I rarely catch the moon set so it was a special, magical start to my day.

We headed for Stillwater a little after 1:30.  Stopped at Costco and got a cart full of things.  I decided to get stuff pre-made for the brunch the day of the wedding.  I will make homemade cinnamon rolls but most everything else will be stuff I just need to heat up.

Drove through some rain between Wichita and Stillwater.  Nothing heavy but it smelled divine!  It was raining when we got to Stillwater and unloaded the full car.

Managed to find room in the freezer for all the stuff we got.  I bought a six pound package of hamburger and divided that into one pound portions and then froze them.  I bought a whole roasted chicken and I deboned it and froze the meat in two separate baggies.  Jim unload all the folding chairs and tables we brought and put them in the garage.

We are going out to eat in a bit.  I am tired and we need to go to a place and ask about reserving a room for after the wedding.  We will try and take care of that tonight.  Good reason to go eat out!

It was great spending a few days on the prairie.  I didn’t get any painting done this time but maybe after the wedding and we are there for a week we will get more done.

I noticed blooming Bradford Pear trees as well as other blooming trees and flowers when we arrived in Stillwater.  They are about two weeks ahead of Strong City.  It was delightful to discover spring has sprung forth in Stillwater.

Two weeks to go!  Jim and I are both ready for the day to get here so we can get on with the rest of our lives.  Neither one of us can think of anything that will change once we get married other than it makes it easier to introduce the other to friends.  People understand spouse – they raise their eyebrows at companion or partner.

Tomorrow I do taxes all day.  Hope to get some painting done tomorrow after I get done with taxes.  Tuesday I do taxes in the afternoon and Jim has invited a friend over for dinner Tuesday night.  Wednesday I do taxes all day.  Thursday we are meeting with the organist at the church to pick our wedding music.  The week will go by quickly.

I’m tired again tonight.  Not sure why I have been so tired lately.  I have been sleeping more than I am used to – maybe that is making me more tired.  I went to bed  before 9:00 last night and fell asleep in minutes -most unusual for me.

Trusting that Jim’s sons will be able to make it to the wedding with all the fuss about the Coronavirus.  I saw a travel alert recommending people avoid airplane travel for the next two months.  Thankfully both of his sons are young and healthy and we have to trust they will be able to travel.  It will be what it is and worry won’t change anything.

Grateful for another safe trip from KS to OK, grateful for all the signs of spring, and grateful for the short time we had on the prairie.

Another beautiful spring like day on the prairie today.  The wind has reached over 30 MPH though.  If you can find a spot out of the wind and in the sun it is nice and warm.  It reached 70 degrees today!

I worked on my to-do list a bit this morning.  We brought a load of Jim’s stuff to the house when we came from Stillwater and then filled the car with stuff we need for the wedding to take to Stillwater.  We are taking a table, folding chairs, an ice chest and my big mixer.  Hope I haven’t forgotten anything as we won’t be back again until after the wedding.

This afternoon we drove down to Matfield Green to go to Pioneer Bluffs.  They had Farmer Derek give a presentation today.  If you have never seen his video’s they are fun to watch.  Go to You Tube and search for Farmer Derek.  He seems like a very nice young man that has a wonderful sense of humor and is very creative.

We didn’t get any deck work done today.  It is too windy to be on a ladder painting.  I had some other painting I could have done but the wind would have blown the paint everywhere.

I got the cake ordered I am using for the reception in Strong City the weekend after the wedding.  Nice to cross one more thing off my list.  A neighbor is making it for me.  I have my grocery list ready for that week so I can make the other food I am serving.  Jim will take care of the wine and beer that week.  Grateful I don’t have to make those choices.  I don’t drink and never know what kind to buy.

I noticed this afternoon my hands are extremely dry.  Whenever I come home from Stillwater I seem to dry out when I get here.  Does 200 miles north make that much difference?

We cut cockleburs out of both dogs again today.  I lost count a long time ago as to how many we cut out. Managed to not cut the skin on either dog.  Sophia still has some more but she had enough of me pulling on her again.  I might get one more go around on her before we leave tomorrow.

The kids were going to come out but something came up and they couldn’t come.  I need to think of something to fix for dinner.  I have some hamburger thawed so need to use that up.  Wonder if I can fix the same thing as last night and call it good?

The time home has gone by too fast.  I am so looking forward to the end of April when we can come stay for several weeks in a row.

The next two weeks are going to go by quickly. It is getting to be crunch time for the wedding.  I’m grateful most everything is planned and ordered.  Have a few last minute follow-ups to do next week.  We are stopping at Costco on the way through Wichita tomorrow to get some items off my list for the dinner and brunch we will be hosting at Jim’s house the day before and the day of the wedding.  I have my grocery list ready for the Thursday before the wedding for the rest of the stuff.

I’m starting to get excited and ready to party!

Grateful for the time home on the prairie even though it was too short, grateful I got most of the cockleburs off the dogs, and grateful for to do lists that keep me organized.

For a quiet day at home I am tired out tonight.  Got up this morning and baked a double batch of Jim’s favorite cookies – oatmeal chocolate chip.

After we had lunch we ran into Emporia to get some groceries and a lamp shade.  Got what we needed quickly and came back to the prairie.

Went out and cleaned out the chicken coop.  Jim helped me.  He says that proves he is no longer a city guy – the verdict is still out.  It was nice to have his help.  This is the hard clean of the year as the coop hadn’t been cleaned out since October.  I had five wheelbarrows full of dirty straw to dump.  When I clean it monthly I only have one wheelbarrow full to dump.

We took a two mile hike before dinner.  It was a beautiful day on the prairie and we had a nice walk.  The wind was picking up a bit but it was in the high 50’s and perfect walking weather.  We always pick up beer cans and bottles along the road when we hike.  Today we found eight of them.  Sure wish people wouldn’t throw them out along the road.

While I was fixing dinner my Camino friends from CA FaceTime.  We had a wonderful conversation.  It is always so good to hear from them.

I fixed hamburgers, tater tots and broccoli with cheese for dinner tonight.  Simple, quick and easy.

After dinner we baked Snickerdoodle cookies.  Jim rolled them in the cinnamon and sugar after I made them into balls.  We are going to Pioneer Bluffs tomorrow to listen to Farmer Derek and they had requested homemade cookies from the volunteers.  I have six dozen ready to take if I don’t forget them.

I am tired tonight.  It isn’t even 9:00 and I could fall asleep if I laid down right now.  Not sure why I am so tired.  I slept really good last night and got more sleep than I had been getting.

We cut out about 50 cockleburs off of Sophia tonight.  She still has more on her but she was tired of us pulling on her.  Some of them were really close to her skin and must have been bothering her.  When the dogs used to run the neighborhood I could cut that many off of them everyday.  I need to remember to cut some more off of her tomorrow.  Roxy doesn’t pick many up as her coat is a different texture than Sophias.

We didn’t get any painting done today.  We sat out on the back deck for about an hour and enjoyed the peace and quiet and beauty of the prairie.  We have been so busy the last few weeks at Jim’s house that it felt good to sit for a bit.  The painting will have to wait until after the wedding.  We might get some done tomorrow but not counting on it.

Farmer Derek is the guy that played his trombone in the middle of a pasture and video taped the reaction of the cattle to his playing.  He has since made hundreds of videos about farm life.  He will be at Pioneer Bluffs tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 for a free presentation.  I’m sure it will be lots of fun.  Everyone is welcome to come.

Time change happens tomorrow night.  Sure wish they would leave it alone and not make us do that.  Not sure what it saves.  It takes me a bit to adjust to the new schedule.

I still haven’t tried on the dresses.  Maybe I will get that done yet tonight but it will probably wait until tomorrow.  I hate trying on clothes.

Grateful the chicken coop is cleaned out and the girls have fresh linens, grateful for a beautiful hike this afternoon, and grateful for my Camino friends in CA.

 

I am back home on the prairie.  It has been a long day getting here though.  We left Stillwater at 9:00 this morning.  We came to my house and Jim got out of the car.  I headed back to town immediately so I could get to my 12:30 appointment on time.  I didn’t even take time to go into the house before I left.

I had my teeth cleaned at the Vo-Tech.  Anna did a great job and it only took a little over two hours today.  They had a new dentist (t least one I hadn’t seen before).  He was thorough.  I asked him why I have two places that trap food every time I eat.  He said the dentist that put the crowns on didn’t fit them correctly.  The only fix is either two new crowns or modified braces that would pull the teeth together.  Not sure I will spend the money for either solution.

After I was done I went to Walmart and picked up a few groceries and then headed home.  It was so nice to sit in my corner chair after I got home and just sit.  We did manage to walk down to take care of the chickens.  Only picked up two  eggs.  I could tell some Rhode Island Red chickens were missing.

I made chicken Parmesan for dinner.  I got ready to put the Parmesan in it and discovered I didn’t have any.  Then I remembered I had bought it in OK!  Sometimes living in two houses creates problems.  The chicken was good but turned into chicken Marinara instead.

I am tired tonight.  I doubt that I stay awake past 9:00 tonight.  We have been going hard and heavy for the last week or so.  Hoping tomorrow morning we can sleep in and take a quiet day at home.

My shop renter brought my mower back to me this afternoon.  He had taken it to the John Deere dealer a week or so ago.  I called John Deere and gave them my credit card information to pay for the repairs.  It was over $350.  Ouch!  I started the mower and it starts easier than it has since I had it.  Nice to know that it is ready to go when the grass starts growing and mowing season starts.

It was a nice day on the prairie but very windy.  We were going to take a walk but I didn’t have the energy to fight the wind to take a walk.  Maybe tomorrow……

l hope the wind dies down tomorrow so I can get outside and do some deck painting. Most of what I need to do is ladder work and not sure I want to be on a ladder if the wind is 20 plus MPH.  We will see what the day brings.  Jim brought his sander and is hoping to get the last couple of steps sanded so they can get painted.

Grateful to be back on the prairie tonight, grateful for clean teeth, and grateful my mower is ready for mowing season.

We weren’t very busy at taxes today.  I only did five returns but reviewed at least five others.  I had time between each return to visit and stand around.  It makes for a long day for me when I am not busy.  I don’t get the adrenaline rush I get when we see a hallway full of people slowly thin out.

I was tired when I came home at 2:30 and didn’t get much done this afternoon.  I didn’t sleep well last night and didn’t have the energy to get out and paint.  Darn!  That will set us back another day getting the cabinet doors back up when we get home next week.

Jim and I talked at dinner tonight that when we come back to Stillwater Sunday we only have two weeks before the wedding.  We have so much work to do on the house.  Obviously we won’t get it all done before the wedding.  We will have to stay focused to get at least the kitchen done and we will see what else we can get done too.

Jim is at choir practice tonight.  I am working on finishing up the laundry and starting to pack for our short visit to KS tomorrow.  Jim loaded the car today with stuff he wants to move to KS.  Not sure what he put in it today to take.  I still need to pack my suitcase tonight.

I think I am going to take all the new dresses to KS with me so I can try them all on and make a final decision on which one to wear to the wedding.  Jim doesn’t have a floor length mirror so it is hard to see myself in them.

Several of the tax preparers have the virus bug that seems to be going around in OK. Fever, cough, tired, etc.  Trusting that I won’t catch that this close to the wedding.  Wish the ones that were sick would stay home!

So looking forward to being back on the prairie for a few days.  My soul is craving some wide open space.  The sunset here was beautiful tonight but we don’t have a big view of it.  It is to be nice this weekend in KS and hope to be outside painting most of the day on Friday and Saturday.

I need to remember to go by John Deere while I am home and pay for the mower repair.  I had to have new blades put on it as the others were so beat up they couldn’t sharpen them.  I wasn’t surprised when they called to ask permission to replace them.  The rocks in my yard are hard on mower blades and hard to avoid.

I have a list of things I need to bring back for the wedding weekend.  We are having 19 people at Jim’s house the day before the wedding for dinner and then on wedding day for a brunch.  I will need to bring some folding chairs back so we have a chair for everyone to sit in to eat.  I also need to bring my mixer as I want to make cinnamon rolls for the brunch.  I need some short sleeve shirts as the temperatures are rising here in OK .

Have a bit of a headache tonight and a bit of a sore throat.  Trusting it is because I am tired and by tomorrow morning will be gone.  I am tired of being sick and don’t have time for it right now.

Grateful to be headed back to the prairie tomorrow, grateful for to-do lists that keep me somewhat organized, and grateful Jim was understanding and encouraged me to rest this afternoon when I got home.

I am feeling much better again today. I have a very slight backache but it is almost gone.  My energy has come back and I can almost put this little episode behind me.  I may go in while I am home Friday and have a UA done just to make sure it is clean.

Went out and painted for an hour this morning.  I am working on the kitchen cabinet doors that Jim is building.  We are painting them two different colors and they need two coats of each color.  I have to paint both sides and all the edges so it is taking me several days to get them all done.  We won’t get them up before we leave for KS on Thursday morning but they should be up early next week after we get back to OK.

I only did three tax returns today but did four reviews.  We ran out of clients so I left before 3:00.  I don’t like to stand around and do nothing.  The people I met today were super appreciative of the service we are providing.

Came home and painted for another hour.  I doubt I paint anymore tonight.  I might get one more coat on when I get done doing taxes tomorrow afternoon.

We took a one-mile walk this afternoon.  It is in the upper 60’s today and a perfect day to take a walk.  I almost had us go further but decided I shouldn’t push myself yet.  Maybe tomorrow we can add some more distance to our walk.

I am going to fix tacos for dinner tonight.  That is one of Jim’s favorite foods.  I will have a taco salad but I think I will use the left over chicken from last night.  I prefer chicken over beef and Jim prefers beef over chicken.

The electricians came this morning and added a new plug for the microwave.  It finally works.  We need to clean the old one up and take it to the ReStore.  They also installed a plug in the bathroom.  I now can plug my electric toothbrush in the bathroom instead of having the charging port in the bedroom.  Wow!  Progress!

I have lost touch with the phases of the moon.  I am looking forward to getting back on the prairie full-time the end of April.  I need some wide open space for a bit.  We will probably come back to OK for at least one week during May but I am hoping to be on the prairie for most of May.  We are going to be gone the first two weeks of June and maybe another week.

We got confirmation today that we have the cabin we requested in the Y Camp in Estes Park for July 1 – 29.  I am hoping some of the kids will be able to come out and spend some time with us while we are there.  Two of Jim’s brothers and their families will be out there during at least part of that time too.  It will be a fun month full of family and hiking.

Feeling a bit disconnected from my friends and family in KS.  I have been in OK for over three months now and still have another month to go.  Coming home once a month for four or five days has helped but really feeling the need to have a long stretch at home.

Grateful for another beautiful spring day in Stillwater, grateful for all the progress we are making on the kitchen remodel and grateful we got our cabin for four weeks in July.

20 days till THE day.  It will be here before I know it.  Trusting I am ready.

Took the Prius to the glass shop today and had the windshield replaced.  It was $150 cheaper in Stillwater than I paid in Emporia.  Wonder why?  Glad to have that done.

Stopped by Walmart on my way to do taxes this morning to pick up two things Jim forgot to get when we were there yesterday.  Got to the library to do taxes around 9:00.  There were only three people in line.  Set up my computer and went out to get my first client.  Took her back, entered three pages of information and the entire network went down.  It didn’t come back up for over an hour.

By the time we got it back up and started getting clients done there were over 30 people waiting to have their taxes done.  I didn’t get a lunch break today until after 2:00.  We finally got through the line and ran out of clients.  I was going to go to lunch and come back but was told I didn’t need to come back as there were seven preparers there and none were busy.

I went to Chipotle and had a salad and then came home.  We went and picked up the Prius and brought it home.  I painted a bit on the new cabinet doors.  We took a one-mile walk as it was in the upper 50’s and good walking weather.  After our walk I came in and got dinner going.  After dinner was cleaned up I did a bit more painting inside.

We are making progress on the kitchen cabinets.  I still have some more painting to do before Jim can hang the doors that are done.  He is out in his shop now building two more doors.  After those are done he will still have four doors for the upper cabinets to build and four shelves.  Thinking we will get them all done before the flooring material comes in and we have to stop to get that down.  We should have the kitchen done before the wedding but we won’t get the back room done.

I am feeling much better today.  Still have a bit of backache but it is so much better than it was yesterday.  I have had much more energy today too.  Thinking by tomorrow I will be back to full strength.  I’m glad I didn’t have to go back to the doctor today.  I don’t have time to be sick right now!

Tomorrow morning the electrician is coming to put a box in so we can plug in the new microwave.  He is also going to install some under counter lights and put a plug in the bathroom.

I do taxes tomorrow afternoon and again all day on Wednesday.  Thursday we leave for KS in the morning and will be back to Stillwater on Sunday.  I hope the weather is nice in KS so I can get some painting done on the deck.  That project is still pending and I am tired of thinking about it.  Painting seems to be my thing everywhere I go these days!

Got my electric bill for February.  It was $32.  Wow!  The solar panels are really making a difference.  I do heat with propane but my electric bill was never below $125 a month before and my electric bill hasn’t been over $45 since I had the panels installed the end of October.  I’m anxious to see what my bill will be during air conditioning season.

Lost another chicken today.  I feel bad for my house sitter.  She feels so responsible and is concerned I thought she wasn’t feeding or watering them.  I keep trying to reassure her it would be happening if I was there too.  Wonder if the chickens have a virus or something or if they are just old and it is their time.  I want to get rid of the chickens later this spring anyways but hate to see them die like this.

Starting my to-do list for when I get home this weekend.  At the top of the list is to clean out the chicken coop.  Not sure Jim will be helpful as he struggles to handle chicken shit.  Sometimes he is such a city boy!

Grateful I am feeling better, grateful progress is being made on the kitchen, and grateful for my solar panels.

Three weeks from today!  Wow!  Time is flying by.  I think everything is ready.  I told Jim we needed to go through everything one more time and make sure we haven’t forgotten anything.  He is trusting me to handle most of the arrangements – just wish I could remember what I have forgotten to do.  Sure feels like there is one more thing that I needed to do but darn if I can think what it is.

I didn’t go to church this morning.  Jim got up at the last minute and went.  My back is still sore today and seems to be having spasms of some sort.  It feels better for a bit and then the pain hits me hard again.  If I am not better tomorrow I will either go back to the urgent care clinic or see if I can get in to see Jim’s Urologist. Sure hope the pain is gone by tomorrow.  I’m surprised I still had pain today.  I am starting to wonder if I have a kidney stone.

I painted one of the two colors on two of the cabinet doors today.   I got the second coat on them.  Waiting for them to dry more and than I can put the second color on them.  The other doors aren’t ready to be painted yet.

I got out the heat pad and have been laying on it for a bit this afternoon.  It feels better when I lay down but when I get up it hurts again.

We went to a baby shower at the church this afternoon after we went grocery shopping at Walmart.  The church administrator had a baby about a month ago.  She requested diapers and books.  Had a fun conversation with a couple of Jim’s friends.

it is in the lower 70’s today.  Sure wish I had felt better so we could have taken a long walk.  We walked around Jim’s big back yard and that set off my back pain.  I wisely decided not to attempt a one-mile walk.

The daffodils are blooming already.  The hyacinth are popping up – bet they will be blooming by mid-week. Spring comes earlier here than in KS.

I do taxes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Thursday we go to KS as I have a 12:30 dental appointment Thursday afternoon.  We will come back to Stillwater on Sunday.  This week will be gone quickly.  Hoping the weather will be nice enough in KS that I can get some deck painting done on Friday and Saturday.

I take my Prius in to have the windshield replaced tomorrow morning.  Decided it needed to be done before David takes it to CA.  I would hate for him to take it in to be inspected and they order him to get the windshield replaced before they would approve it.  I also need to schedule an oil change for it before I hand it off.

Grateful for ibuprofen today, grateful for 70 plus degree temperatures, and grateful for heat pads.

 

This has been a rough day.  As I was getting ready to go to bed last night I noticed blood in my urine.  That explained why I was so tired yesterday and felt kinda crummy.  I had a lower back ache all night long and slept on and off.  I still felt crummy when I got up at 9:00.

Finally decided around 11:30 this morning I better go to urgent care and see what was going on.  Jim took me to the urgent care that he uses.  They were not busy and I got back within minutes of my arrival.  The nurse and the PA were both efficient and kind.  After giving them a UA the PA came in and examined me.  She concluded I had a bladder or kidney infection.  She gave me a prescription for an antibiotic and sent me on my way.  She did say there is a chance it is a kidney stone and if I don’t feel much better by Monday I need to go see a urologist pronto.

We got home by 1:30 after stopping at the CVS to get my script filled.  I must say the CVS here is much more efficient than the one in Emporia.  They had me out of there within five minutes.

Came home and took a nap of about one hour.  When I got up we took a one-mile walk.  My back hurt some during the walk but it was so nice out today I had to get out and enjoy it.  It got up to the lower 70’s today.

After our walk I took another one hour nap!  Trust I will be able to sleep tonight after taking two naps today.  I feel tired yet so am hopeful I will be able to sleep all night.

Jim grilled hamburgers for dinner tonight.  I managed to make us each a salad to go with our burgers.  It was a simple and good dinner.  Just didn’t have the energy to do more than that.

Jim worked on installing the cabinet doors today.  He got two of them hung.  He will take them off and I hope to feel good enough tomorrow that I can get them painted.  Just didn’t have it in me to paint today.

Tomorrow we have another quiet day.  Other than church we don’t have anything on the calendar.  I may or may not go to church tomorrow depending on how I feel in the morning.  Unless I am much better I doubt that I go.  Usually with an antibiotic within 24 hours I am feeling much better so may wake up tomorrow feeling almost back to normal.

I am always a bit humbled when I get sick.  I’m not very sick this time and am amazed how little energy I have and how crummy I feel.  I am ever so grateful for my health and today is a reminder to not take it for granted.

Today is my third day back on Bright Lines with NO cheating.  I can already tell my body is thanking me for getting back to eating what runs my body the best.  I don’t handle foods that are processed.  I really do feel better when I eat whole foods that are not processed.

Trusting that tomorrow I will feel better and have some energy to do something other than sleep all day.  Jim was a good nurse today and took good care of me.  I am grateful!

Grateful for antibiotics that get me back to normal, grateful for naps that help me heal my body, and grateful for the love and care Jim showed me today.

The concert last night was fabulous. It was St. Martin in the Fields with Joshua Bell on the violin. They played some Mendelssohn and Beethoven. We sat way up in the balcony but the seats were good. Watching Joshua play the violin was like watching fairies dance.

I got up early this morning and after breakfast I did the final painting in the kitchen. Good to have that done. When Jim gets the cabinet doors made and fitted I will need to paint them.

After Jim got up we went and ordered the flooring material for the kitchen. It won’t be in for about two weeks. That will cut it short to get it laid before the wedding but I think we can get it done.

We dropped off a car load of donations at the Salvation Army and the ReStore. Stopped and got an estimate to get my windshield replaced. It is cheaper to do it here than what I paid in Emporia for the last one. They are going to put it in Monday morning.

Came home and Jim went out into the shop to work on the cabinet doors. I laid down and slept for several hours. Not sure why I was tired but I was able to sleep. I take sleep whenever I can find it. I slept six hours last night. I still feel like I could sleep some more. Guess I am catching up a bit. We will see what happens tonight.

I fixed salmon for dinner. It is quick and easy. Neither one of us love it but I feel like it is good for me to eat occasionally. I usually fix it once a week. I had some broccoli with it. I fixed a baked potato for Jim as he doesn’t believe a meal is complete without a potato.

Got a text from my house sitter. Another chicken had died. It is unusual that two die this close together. We will see if more die soon. I was going to have someone take them away when I get home this spring. At this rate I won’t have to worry about that. They are almost five years old and have begun to really slack on egg production. I won’t replace them until I know what we are going to be doing next fall and winter.

I feel a bit achy tonight. Sure hope I am not coming down with something. I hope it is because of the painting I have been doing and not something else.

We took a one-mile walk this afternoon. It was in the mid 60’s today. It was a touch windy but nice to get out and stretch my legs.

My foot is feeling a bit better. It was only going off about every ten steps or so instead of every step. Maybe it is getting better and will gradually stop doing that.

We have another free day tomorrow. Hoping to get some cabinet doors painted so we can get them up on Sunday. I painted the doorway today and Jim needs to cut and put up two pieces of wood trim to finish off the dining room side of the door to the kitchen. He said he would do that tomorrow so I can get them painted too.

Having trouble knowing what day of the week it is. We usually don’t go out during the week except Jim goes to choir practice on Wednesday. Guess we need to go out more often and shake things up.

Grateful for a beautiful day in Stillwater – it feels like Spring is almost here, grateful the kitchen painting is done, and grateful for naps and sleep.

I got up at 5:00 this morning as I couldn’t go back to sleep.  I had slept hard for five hours which is a lot for me.  I finished reading a book I had and ate breakfast.

At 11:00 I went back to bed and slept until 1:30.  Grateful I got a second sleep.  We are going to a concert tonight and now I won’t fall asleep during the middle of it.

After lunch I painted a second coat on the woodwork in the kitchen.  Jim scrapped the doorway and I put a first coat of paint on that.  I am almost done with the painting in the kitchen.

The dealer called and my Prius needed a new starter battery.  They got that installed and we went and picked up the car.  It drove fine.  I hadn’t drove it for two months.  I forgot how quiet it is when it starts.  I will need to get the oil changed before I send it off with David the week of the wedding.  Trusting it won’t have any more issues for a bit.

I need to get dinner underway so we can eat a bit early.  I will need to take a shower and change clothes before I go to the concert.  I have on old sweats and have a bit of paint on me.  I am not the neatest painter in the world.

We have a free day tomorrow.  Jim is working to get the cabinet doors he is making installed.  He is going to take the hinges off after he makes sure they fit and tomorrow I will get them painted and ready to be permanently hung.  He still has the doors under the kitchen sink cabinet and the upper doors to make but he is making progress.  We may start laying flooring tomorrow or Saturday.  I have a floor board I need to get painted that runs under the cabinets before we lay the flooring.  Jim has to figure out the floor under the dishwasher.  He wants to lay the new stuff there but the dishwasher barely fits now and he is afraid with the additional quarter inch the dishwasher won’t fit.  Once he solves that problem he can go pick up the flooring and get it started.

Still working on making ice cubes for the punch for the wedding.  I am over halfway done.  I keep forgetting to make more.  I fill the tray half full with water, let it freeze, add the raspberries and then fill the trays with water.  Seems to take me two or three days to do both steps and then remember to start the process over again.  The tray only makes six cubes at a time so it is taking a bit of time to get 48 made.

The renter that rents my shop in Strong City offered to take my mower to the dealer so they can get it ready for mowing season.  They text me today to let me know they took it in today.  I so appreciate them.  It will be good to have the mower in top form when mowing season starts.  It will be here soon.

Three weeks from Sunday is THE day.  I got the cake baker confirmed and changed the pickup time to Saturday instead of Sunday.  I will call the florist and photographer this week and double check with them.  Sure can’t think of what I am forgetting to take care of but have the feeling I have forgotten something.

Made a couple more hotel room reservations.  My sister and a friend are coming and Jim’s brother and family are coming.  I didn’t realize when I made the first reservations that I have to be there to check people in.  I think I will go to the hotel Saturday afternoon and check everyone in and then have them come to the house to get their room keys.

My foot continues to send sharp pain up the toe when I walk.  I did notice though that it doesn’t do it with every step I take now like it had before.  Maybe it is getting better.  I sure hope it isn’t still bothering me in six weeks and I have to go back to the surgeon.  I will be so grateful when my feet feel normal again although I am not sure what that will feel like.

Grateful for second sleeps even when they happen hours after the first one, grateful the Prius is back up and running, and grateful progress continues to be made in the kitchen.

This has been a weird day for me.  I got up early and was ready early so decided to go to Walmart to pick up a couple things on my list before I went to do taxes.  I got lost and it took me longer to get there than it should.  They didn’t have two of the three things on my list anyways.

Went to do taxes.  I got there at 9:15 and there were only three people in line.  This is the first day that we haven’t had at least 15 people waiting for us to open at 9:30.  I helped two of the rookies do several clients today and ended up only doing two myself.  I left at 11:30 and took a lunch break and went to the other Walmart in town.  They had the two things I had looked for earlier in the day.

Went back to do taxes and we still didn’t have many clients.  There were plenty of volunteers so I decided to leave after doing one more client.  I don’t like to stand around and not have anything to do.

I had called Toyota mid-morning and asked them to come get my car started.  They came right away but couldn’t get the car to start.  Jim had to call someone to come tow it to the Toyota dealership.  I stopped by the dealership on my way home but they hadn’t gotten to it yet.  I trust it will be a simple fix and not cost too much.  I am grateful we discovered there was a problem before David gets here to drive it to California.  I would have felt bad if he had stopped overnight on the way home and have it not start the next morning.

We went to church tonight for Ash Wednesday service.  Jim had choir practice before the church service.  I sat and knitted while the choir rehearsed.  The service was nice.  The piece of bread I broke off to dip in the juice broke apart in the juice.  I had a tiny little piece left to eat.  When my grandkids were small and drank out of my glass we called in back flushing when they left bits of food for me in my drink.  I guess tonight I back flushed into the communal cup of juice.  Oops!

We went out for Chinese after church.  I had cashew chicken without rice and a cup of egg drop soup.  Chinese isn’t my favorite type of food but I can eat it.

Tomorrow we have a free day although we decided to go to another concert tomorrow night.  I hope to get the painting in the kitchen done tomorrow.  We hope to get the kitchen floor laid this weekend.

Another dress came in today.  I haven’t tried it on yet.  I sure have a nice supply of dresses now.  Wonder how much I will wear them.  Most of them are spring and summer type dresses so hoping when it warms up a bit I will wear them some.

We got a bit of snow overnight but it had melted by morning. The wind was cold today and it didn’t warm up much during the day.  It is to warm up more tomorrow and even more over the weekend.  I am ready for spring and warmer temperatures.

Grateful for Ash Wednesday and a church to attend, grateful we discovered something is wrong with the Prius, and grateful for a new supply of dresses.

Went to the foot surgeon today to find out why my right foot feels like I am stepping on a gel pack and then shoots a pain up my big toe with every step I take.  The doctor’s best guess is I have scar tissue and nerve damage from the surgery.  The surgeon is hoping it will get better within the next month or so.  I am to go back in six weeks if it isn’t better and he will treat it with steroids.

He did take X-rays to see if the screw he put in the big toe is in place and not causing the problem.  As far as he could tell on X-ray it is not.  Another possible solution is to have him remove the screw but he said he would want to try a round of steroids first.  He promised me I would be able to walk lots of miles in Estes Park in July without pain.  Wonder how I hold him to that promise?

This morning we met with the preacher that is going to marry us.   In OK if you do pre-marital counseling the marriage license is only $5.  It is $50 without counseling.  Today we talked about the actual ceremony and how things will proceed.  We won’t meet with her again before the wedding.  We aren’t having a wedding program so can make changes up until the day of the wedding.  Jim is taking the lead in planning the actual ceremony.  I don’t really have any preferences as to how we do things.

I took a box of blankets to the preacher today.  She said she could find homes for them.  Grateful to have found a place to take them for me and put them to good use.  I still have lots of yarn to work up and it makes me motivated to get it worked up when I know I have a home for them to go to when they are done.

We ran into light snow in Wichita.  Never did accumulate while we were there.  Strong City got several inches today.  I’m glad the snow stayed north and we didn’t have to drive on slick roads.  It is to be near 70 here this weekend.  Spring will be in the air.  .

Tomorrow I have a full day of doing taxes.  Tomorrow evening is Ash Wednesday services at the church.  Maybe Thursday we can get back to working on the kitchen and getting our part finished up.  Haven’t heard when the contractor might be here to do the countertop and floor.

I need to call the local Toyota dealer and have him send someone out to get the Prius started tomorrow.  I may have to get a new battery for it.  I don’t want to send a broken car to CA with David after the wedding.

I’m fixing left overs for dinner to help get the refrigerator cleaned out.  Maybe tomorrow I will fix something fresh.  We won’t get to eat until after 7:00 tomorrow night.  I’ll have to think of something to put in the oven before we leave for church.  I prefer to eat early and Jim prefers to eat late.  Tomorrow he wins!

Contacted my wedding cake baker today.  Originally I was going to pick the cake up on Sunday morning but asked her if I can pick it up on Saturday instead.  We will take it to the church and put it in the refrigerator there.  We will also pick up the flowers on Saturday morning and take them to the church too.  Sunday morning of the wedding felt too busy to have to pick up the cake.  I had nightmares that they would forget to meet me and we would have no cake to serve to our guests.

I had ordered a second cake just in case and it is starting to look like we won’t have many attend the wedding.  It is spring break here in Stillwater and many of the people Jim invited will be out of town.  I think I will serve the second cake to the family that will be coming over to dinner Saturday night.  I can always take the leftovers to the church and have as a backup in the kitchen in case we need more cake.

Grateful for a safe trip to Wichita, grateful there was nothing seriously wrong with my foot, and grateful for a flexible and compassionate preacher.

 

 

What a day! I went to do taxes at 9:00. There must have been 15 people waiting when I got there 30 minutes early. Unfortunately the system had a technical issue and we couldn’t print the returns. It turned out to be a system wide issue. We finished the returns and had to ask the clients to come back later to sign and receive a printed copy of their return.

At some point during the morning the system totally went down off and on for about 30 minutes. I’m sure they had to reboot it to fix the printing issue. It was frustrating to enter a return and have it disappear and I had to start over.

I only did seven returns today as a result of all the technical difficulties. Had lots of slow time while we were waiting for the system to come back up. Makes for a long day when that happens.

All the clients were very understanding and didn’t get upset with the fact they had to come back to finish their returns. The best part of doing taxes is meeting all these wonderful people that are so appreciative of the service they are receiving. It is rare to find one that is grumpy or demanding.

One of the clients was asking me about the change in age that you are required to draw down your IRA. I didn’t know about the change. Love that the clients are my teacher!

Jim tried to start the Prius today and it was dead. He put new batteries in both key fobs but that didn’t help. When I got home after doing taxes I called the local Toyota dealer. He said the car will need to be jumped. He is going to send someone over on Wednesday to help get the car started. He told me the Prius C doesn’t handle not being driven regularly very well. Glad we discovered it before the week of the wedding when David is coming to drive the car back to California.

I came home tired and can’t make myself go do some painting. I may get there yet tonight but it isn’t looking good. I fixed bacon and eggs for dinner as that was quick and easy which is all the energy I had for tonight.

Tomorrow we meet with our preacher in the morning and then have to drive to Wichita to go to my foot doctor. My right foot is still acting up. Last night both feet hurt most of the night. I think last night was due to the rain. I’m anxious to hear what the doctor has to say and am not optimistic that he will have a good solution for me but thought it wouldn’t hurt to go in and find out.

Another dress came in today. I haven’t tried it on yet. I like it on the hanger. It is another print dress and I decided I want to wear a solid color for the wedding. I now have a nice supply of nice dresses to wear to church, etc. I still have a couple more ordered that haven’t come in yet too.

Grateful today was an exception in doing taxes and not a regular situation, grateful for the clients I got to meet today, and grateful the local Toyota dealer can help me fix my car Wednesday.

A very non-productive day today.  Came home from church, had lunch and took a long afternoon’s nap.  Both of us were tired and decided a nap sounded good.  It has been lightly raining off and on all afternoon and was a perfect day for a nap.

Fixed left over chili for lunch and cleaned the refrigerator out and served left overs for dinner.  Some days I get a lot done and others I don’t.

I have worked off and on knitting a twin sized blanket today.  Have the second skein tied on so almost half way done.  Will probably tie on the third skein tonight.  At least the day wasn’t a total wipe out.

Four weeks from today – 28 days – till the wedding.  Oh my!  I think I am ready.  Keep thinking I have forgotten something but can’t figure out what it is.

Tomorrow I do taxes from 9:00 – 4:30.  Tuesday we meet with the preacher in the morning and plan the actual ceremony and then run up to Wichita to go to my foot doctor.  I hope he can do something about the squishy feeling I have in my right big toe.  Wednesday I do taxes again all day and we have Ash Wednesday services at the church at 6:00.  The rest of the week is free and clear so we can get some more work done in the kitchen.

I did touch up one of the three colors in the kitchen today.  Still have the other two colors to do final touch ups with.  Once Jim gets the cabinet doors completed I will need to paint them.  We are hoping the guy that came to look at the counter tops and floor will give us a bid this week and be able to do the project in the next week or two.  The electrician is to come by early in the week to hook up the microwave plug.

It is to snow on the prairie Tuesday.  Trusting we will be able to make it to the foot doctor OK without running into snow and ice.  We shall see what happens.

Grateful for rainy day naps, grateful for days I get to “Be” instead of do, and grateful four weeks from today is THE day!

The brunch that was given in our honor today was delightful.  There were about 16 people that attended – all members of Jim’s choir.  The hostess does a wonderful job of cooking and the food was delicious.  Conversation around the tables was lively and fun.  It was so sweet of Nedra to hold this event for us.

Afterwards I painted the kitchen walls.  I love how the kitchen looks now.  It really brightened up the walls and pulled together the two colors we used on the cabinets and lower wall.  I can’t wait until we get the new countertop and floors done.  The kitchen will be completely transformed.  Jim still needs to finish making the doors to the cabinets but they will get done when they get done.  Hoping we can get the floors and countertops in before the wedding.  Not going to hold my breath that the cabinet doors will be done though.

I made a crock pot of chili for dinner tonight.  JIm has a really good recipe and we enjoy it every time we make it.  Have enough leftovers for at least one more meal if not two.

I told Jim I need him to come up with another project for me to do once I finish the kitchen.  I have one more day of touch up painting to do in the kitchen and my part of the kitchen will be done.  Hoping to get that done tomorrow after church.

I started knitting another blanket – this one is a twin sized one and not a baby blanket.  I like to have something to pick up to work on when I sit for the evening.  I play too many iPad games if I don’t have some knitting to work on.

Next week will be busy – at least for the first part of the week.  Monday I do taxes all day.  Tuesday we meet with our preacher in the morning to plan the actual wedding ceremony.  In the afternoon we have to make a two-hour drive to Wichita so I can go to the foot doctor to find out why my right foot feels like I am stepping on a gel pad all the time.  Wednesday I do taxes all day again.  As of right now we are totally free Thursday through Sunday so hoping we get lots of work done on the back room.

The wedding is one month from today and four weeks from tomorrow.  Time is flying by since I am keeping so busy.  Glad I have most everything organized and ready.  I am working on making the ice cubes for the punch.  As far as I know that is the last thing I have to do until the week of the wedding.

My house sitter let me know the little red hen that had two deformed feet died today.  She was over five years old.  Never did figure out what happened to her feet.  She stayed inside the coop most of the time as it was hard for her to get in and out.  I hate that my house sitter had to deal with a dead chicken.  It isn’t the easiest thing to have to pick them up and dispose of them.  I told my house sitter that I expect more of them to die though as they are getting so old.  When I get home later this spring I need to find someone to take the hens and will need to get babies to start my flock over.  I will wait to do so though until fall and I know better what Jim and I will be doing and where we will be living most of the time.

Trying to get my summer trip with Ellexia nailed down.  She has decided she wants to go to Disney World in Florida.  Think we will go for five nights.  One day we will go to the beach and then go to three different Disney parts on the other days.  I will keep her so busy she won’t have time to get homesick.  Jim and I are going to NC the first part of June and then on up the coast to DC.  We are leaving for CO the first of July so I have to get my time with Ellexia squeezed in between those two trips.  June and July are going to busy for me!

Feeling the need to get back to the prairie and reconnect to Mother Earth.  I am hoping we can stay on the prairie most of May.  I need a full cycle of the moon to reconnect and get grounded again.  It amazes me what a difference that makes for myself.  I so miss the sunsets, sunrises and being able to track the moon when I am away from the prairie.

Grateful the kitchen walls are painted, grateful for Jim’s choir friends who took time out of their weekend to come to the brunch, and grateful for my little red hen and the joy she gave me.

A very non-productive day after a night of little sleep. I didn’t fall asleep until after 4:00 this morning. Woke up at 8:00 and couldn’t go back to sleep. Laid down for a nap around 11:30 and slept until 1:00. I was going to paint today but didn’t have the energy to do so.

We did go run errands this afternoon. We went to the Court House and Jim got his passport ordered. We also mailed our request for reservations to the Y Camp in Estes Park for the summer. We are hoping to get a cabin for four weeks in July this year. Hopefully all five kids can make it out at some point during the time we are there and can enjoy it with us. The Y Camp uses a seniority system to honor requests and Jim has been going since 1955 and is rather high on the list. He usually gets what he requests.

I finished knitting another baby blanket this afternoon. I gave the others I had knitted to Jim’s preacher. They distribute a gift basket to members that have a baby and will include a blanket in the basket. I’ll have to go through my yarn and get another project on my needles. Lord knows I have plenty of yarn to work up.

I dislike days like today when I have little energy or motivation to get anything done. My body is stiff from not moving it and I can’t make myself move it. All I want to do is take a hot bath and go to bed. I still need to fix dinner before I can go to bed though.

Tomorrow a brunch is being held in our honor. It will be a fun time. Not sure who all will be there but thinking it will probably be the people from Jim’s choir. I know many of them by now so will enjoy their company. I feel a bit uncomfortable being the center of attention though.

The piano concert last night was amazing. Jonathan Biss played five of Beethoven’s 32 Sonatas from memory. The passion he puts into his playing is incredible. He has long, thin fingers that danced on the keyboard. I kept checking to see if someone else was helping him play as at times I couldn’t believe only 10 fingers were creating the music.

I think I am a bit depressed from all the national news. It is harder for me to take a break from the news when I am in OK. Jim watches the news for several hours every evening. It overwhelms me and depresses me. I have to keep coming back to the only person I can change is myself. I am working harder on myself to find my faults and weaknesses and change them. I am working to not add to the decisive energy in the world right now. When I see something in someone else that triggers me I turn the mirror onto myself.

I also know there are more good people in the world than bad. We have lots of strong ethical people that work in our government and I have to believe that at some point things will turn for the better. I can’t let the negative energy bring me down or it wins.

Grateful for what sleep I did get last night, grateful Jim’s passport is ordered, and grateful for people that play the piano so beautifully.

Today was a quiet day at home spent painting in the kitchen. I painted some more woodwork and then touched up the kitchen cabinets. I will start painting the wall tomorrow.

We went out this afternoon to look at a flooring product. Picked out a color we like. Some guys came over early afternoon to give Jim a bid on laying a new countertop and he asked them to bid installing the floor. We are trying to get both of those projects completed before the wedding. Jim has cabinet doors to build along with a long list of other things he wants to get done before the wedding. We won’t get this house finished up unless we hire some of the work to be done by contractors.

Jim is at a board meeting right now. As soon as he gets home we are going to have dinner and then go to a piano concert. That will make for a fun evening.

Both of us are tired though as his cat yelled during the night many times. She is 18 years old and is having to stay in a big crate as she has forgotten how to use the litter box. Her bedding gets wet and then she gets cold and then she yells. We are doing a load of laundry a day of just her bedding to try to keep her with dry bedding. It is like having a newborn baby and changing diapers all day long.

Tomorrow we have a free day with nothing on the calendar. Hoping to get lots more painting done. Not sure which project Jim will choose to work on. He has many to choose from. I wish I could do some of his projects but they aren’t something I can do for him. Not sure what he will find for me to do once I get the kitchen walls painted. We do better together when I have projects to work on too.

Another dress came in today – this is the first dress I ordered way back the first part of January. I haven’t tried it on yet. It is a print and I think I prefer a solid color. I like the style of it though. I may wear a dress to church Sunday so I can practice putting on my panty hose and wearing my new heels. I think I have forgotten how to act in a dress it has been so long since I have worn one. Now I have several to choose from and still have three more I ordered that haven’t come in yet.

I need to remember to clean Jim’s house the week before the wedding. We are going to be feeding 18 people Saturday night and Sunday morning of the weekend of the wedding. Maybe the house will be so full of people no one will notice if the house is clean.

Jim just got home so need to go eat and get ready for the concert.

Grateful for the painting I got done today, grateful we found some flooring we like, and grateful for a free day tomorrow with no commitments.

Another day of doing taxes. Only did 7 returns today. We ran out of clients around 2:00 so I left early. I needed to pick up a few groceries and other stuff at Walmart so did that before I came home.

Jim painted the master bedroom closet today and added a shelf. He got rid of things off the floor of the closet and made a bit more room for my stuff. He has trouble letting go of things so I am proud of him for doing so today.

He is at choir practice tonight so I have a quiet evening at home alone. I think it is good for both of us to have some private time apart. I have soft classical music playing in the background and am decompressing from the whirl wind of life. I forget to stop sometimes and “be”.

Tomorrow I will get back to painting the kitchen. I was tired tonight when I got home and I don’t like to paint when I am tired. We have a concert to go to tomorrow night so will need to stop late afternoon and clean up for the concert. Jim has a meeting at 5:30 so we may have to catch a quick bite to eat somewhere before the concert.

We need to go pick out the new flooring for the kitchen floor tomorrow. It will be so nice to get that installed. The old stuff is in really bad shape. The new floor will transform the kitchen.

I cleaned out Jim’s utensil drawer today. I didn’t throw anything away but took out stuff I haven’t seen used since I have been with him. I put the extra stuff in a bag and put it behind some stuff in the kitchen cabinet. I’ll see if he misses anything. Sure is easier to find what I need when the drawer isn’t so full.

Friday we don’t have any plans so am hoping we will make more progress on the kitchen. Saturday a friend of Jim’s is hosting a brunch to celebrate our wedding. That should be fun!

We have so much work we would like to get done before the wedding. Hopefully this weekend we can kick into high gear and make some noticeable progress. We seem to work in spurts and have trouble sticking with it. Jim project hops and starts new projects before finishing the one he first started. It all needs to get done so guess it doesn’t matter what order we do things in. So much of what needs done he has to do.

It is almost time to send reminders to the photographer, cake baker and florist to make sure they are lined up for the wedding. Four and one-half weeks to go! Wow! It will be here before I know it.

It was 55 for the high today and is only going to be 42 tomorrow for the high. It will warm back up this weekend into the upper 50’s. I am so ready for spring and warm temperatures. It is to snow again on the prairie tonight. Can’t say I am sorry to miss that.

Working on making the big ice cubes for the punch. Can’t quite figure them out. I am putting raspberries in the cubes. The first batch the raspberries sunk to the bottom and in the second batch they rose to the top. The batch freezing now I filled half full with water and put in the raspberries and will top them with more water after the bottom half freezes. Maybe I can get the little buggers to stay in the middle of the cube like I want.

Grateful I have taxes to do as it makes me feel useful and in service to others, grateful for a quiet evening at home alone, and grateful the master bedroom closet is freshly painted and cleaned out.