02/27/2009 Fri

Wow, I ordered an NIV Bible for my Kindle and it came in a minute or less. No trouble getting it this time! It's almost too easy. I wish every title were available on Kindle. No one would ever have to wait for the US Mail to bring an Amazon book. I hope Don and my sister both get one as I think it is a wonderful thing and right now, lots of fun. I even went to a specific verse in a specific chapter in a specific book of the Bible in about a minute. It would be faster but you have to move the cursor down to identify what you want to see specifically. Completely wonderful.

02/26/2009 Thr

I got my Kindle 2. Yes, I did. We had trouble loading in the first book I ordered but, with the help of Amazon's customer service, we did do it and when it happened, it happened fast too. I thought Amazon did well. They were quick to answer and quick to help although they did have to get tech support involved. Next time, I will first restart the Kindle and see if that toggles whatever to make the book come through. I am enjoying learning about it and reading it too. It will read to you if you want. I am trying out everything right now.

Bertha came this morning and cleaned and cleaned. Don came by and returned the shower bench to Church. I think that is the last of the handicapped equipment I had in the house. Milo will miss this shower chair as he liked to stay under it while I was in the shower. Don's Charlie has not shown his face to Don today so I am worried about that. I want him to be okay. (Don found him later under the bed and he is fine.)

I called my tax lady with a couple of questions about my return. I need her to call back so I can get this thing in the mail (or know that I can't just yet). She called and I can't just yet.

Don and I are going to a wedding this weekend. It means a long trip. It is near Charleston so I bet the surroundings will be beautiful. We haven't done a long trip in a while and I think we will have fun.

I got with tax lady and she is redoing my return. The exercise lady and I also talked, and a schedule is worked out. Between my appointments and her vacation for one week to Italy, we feared we might have to go all over the calendar to get in 8 sessions but it turned out most of them will by at 9:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays. She will leave me with goals for the week she is away on vacation. I discovered a glitch in the tax program being used by my tax preparer and she is re-printing my tax returns. It saved me about $30 on state taxes so I may have come out to the good but she will probably charge something for the re-do. We'll see.

Milo is in here at my pc "repairing" my printer. He keeps sticking his foot way back into it and he has no fear when it makes noise. It is just more proof that the thing needs his repair expertise. He also races to any running water when Bertha is cleaning. She told me she baptized herself once when the shower was on and in he came. Poor little learning disabled cat. It is not that he wants to get drenched but he does want to "capture" the water with his paws. It is really cute and funny to watch.

02/24/2009 Tue

My Kindle 2 shipped yesterday, the first day it has been available. I believe this was a day earlier than planned by Amazon so I am hoping it will arrive tomorrow or Thursday. Thursday is its scheduled date to get here. I want to spend some time looking for a good book or two to put on it but I am spending so much time looking on line for jobs that I haven't had the time to spend on choosing books. It won't take me long anyway. I want something light reading and I bet there is a best seller somewhere on Amazon that would fit the bill. Then I might want Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis as I am getting snippets of it from a "Year with C. S. Lewis" daily reading I started on Feb 1. It is really thought provoking and I am a little surprised since it looks so innocuous. Sometimes concise means having to fill in the blanks on your own and I am having to pay close attention to the written words in order to glean their meaning.

Don wrote our Senior Minister telling him how much we appreciate what he is doing with the Year Through the Bible series. He really is doing a wonderfully interesting series of lectures on some of the main topics of the Bible. He even got in a rabbi who made Leviticus interesting. That is some trick if you ask me. But the rabbi made it fascinating. (The rabbi is a conservative Jewish leader. Evidently there are different Jewish interpretations for some of the Torah and every rabbi gets to choose how to interpret the laws for his "congregation". This one is meticulous in following each and every law and he can tell why he interprets things the way he does. The audience asked some really difficult questions which he answered right away and explained why he thinks the way he does. He had obviously already thought the questions through a long time ago and had an immediate answer. The most difficult one was about abortion and whether or not Jewish people thought it was murder. His answer is no due to Exodus 21:22 which has a man tripping a pregnant woman and causing her to lose her baby. The Torah does not say the man who tripped her should be put to death which Rabbi Ezring says the Torah would have done if God had considered this murder. Humans are not considered life until they breathe their first breath outside the womb according to this Jewish interpretation.)

We went to church for a Shrove Tuesday pancake supper and just got back. I told you we eat at church all the time. It is not 100% true but we surely do eat there a lot. Shebra earns her pay as lots of people show up for her food.

02/22/2009 Sun

Went for a long walk yesterday right out my front door. It was hard in that it felt most of the walk was uphill. I did go though several parking lots on the diagonal which helped make the inclines less difficult.

We went to the Country Club again for lunch today. Someone arranged to let our whole SS class go - for the price of lunch. It was good but Don and I won't need to eat again until Wednesday, we decided. We are always eating at church so I think we will get another good meal on Wednesday. I think Shebra is about out of barbeque which she has been serving every chance she gets to feed some of us from leftovers - such as the Thursday $2.oo lunch that she lets me do sometimes.

I might get in my Kindle toward the end of the week this week. I am going to figure out a couple of good books to put on it when it arrives. That should be fun to figure out. I only wish there were more time for reading since I only want to read everything I hear about. I seem to have accumulated a lot of "things to do" every day.

02/19/2009 Thr

Went to the the rabbi presentation again today (it was a video of Monday night's presentation). Did you know that every rabbi makes his own law interpretation for his congregation? I certainly did not. I am used to ministers having a hierarchy to report to but evidently this is not the case with rabbis. Don and I enjoyed the presentation so much and enjoyed it again today. And...I actually found 3 things (2 books on John Wesley and one video of the Holy Land) to check out of the library. This keeps me out of trouble in the "gift shop". But then I thought of a book to give Don so went and got it for him while he was with his men's Thursday Bible group. I gave it to him as a Happy February 19th present and I think he really liked it. Then we went to the YWCA again so I have now fulfilled my 2x visit that I promised the trainer. I hope he calls by the first of next week as I am eager to get the show on the road with training. I saw Shane (one of our young ministers and the one I think went to Carolina) at lunch today. His wife had a baby a few weeks ago and I asked how his sleeping was going. He said he wasn't getting much but realized this is a temporary situation and as the baby grows up, he will sleep better and longer through the night. Shane is going to speak for 4 hours on Saturday at an Asheboro church and I would love to hear it. I think it is a district thing so I don't know whether outsiders can go. I am still a little new to this Methodist thing but I still think it suits me just great.

02/17/2009 Tue

Wow, today we took Milo to the vet and he has a bunch of medicine to take. I guess I will become Public Enemy #1 in his eyes before the week is out. But I will get the stuff down him as he needs it. He is the closest thing to a baby I have right now so I want to take good care of him. My vet's web site is listed under links on the right side of this blog. What credentials in a small practice!!! I usually see Dr. Green (the best in the country as far as I am concerned) but he was on vacation this week so I saw Kari Hyatt who was also wonderful.

I met with a personal trainer at the Y today and I liked him a lot. I committed to using him for one month - 8 times. This should break the bank pretty well judging from his prices. And he talked to me about a nutritionist besides. I think I will just keep plugging along on my own diet. Everyone seems to want me to eat (what is to me) the un-eatable because it would be good for me.

I hope Don is working on his taxes. I want the real man back-not the one worrying over tax matters. I am so grateful I got my tax backup to someone yesterday and hope I get the return back soon so I can sign and mail.

02/15/2009 Sun

Sundays are my favorite days. There is an order to them and lots of meeting with friends at church and breakfast. So we went to church at 8:30 a.m., communion at 9:30; SS at 9:45 and breakfast at 10:45 or so. Then we went for a walk around Freedom Park's lake - about 20 to 25 minutes. Don says that is too slow but it was the best I could do today. The UNC men play at 7:45 - always makes me a little nervous. I would be a basketcase if I ever had had to play, I guess. Anyway, I will watch and hope for a win. (I chicken out if they get too behind and quit looking.) I don't assume they will lose even before they begin to play, however. I always start out hopeful. Tax appointment is tomorrow morning, Milo goes to vet on Tuesday morning, and I am meeting a trainer at the YWCA to ask that he come up with a 30-45 minute routine for me. I will have to let him know that there are some things I just can't do in the beginning but I want to aim toward gaining the strength to do. I am looking forward to meeting him as he sounds so upbeat over the phone. (He says I will grow to dislike him though as he pushes people to do better all the time.) That's about what I know for now. I did get in a little nap this afternoon - which is a good thing for me. I have a difficult time sleeping through the night, but have at least improved to the point I can go to sleep for several hours before waking up. I used to be unable to get to sleep in the first place.

02/12/2009 Thr

Not much else happening here. Don and I went to hear our Year Through the Bible lecture for a second time this week. I ate leftovers from the dinner last night at church (for a whole $2.00). Last night, the same thing was $7.00 so I think I got a good deal. I looked over my backup for tax prep as I have the appointment on Monday and want to be ready. I also found an old email with directions to my tax prep person's house. That sounds like nothing but it was a big deal for me. I feel so disorganized with things not being where I used to keep them so it is always a treasure hunt when there is something specific I need. So far so good, though, on coming up with solutions - like looking back at old emails was this time. Looks like my brain still thinks. I sat next to someone who admired my (Carolina) blue sweater so we struck up a conversation. Don, who played football at Carolina sometime ago, is always happy to find a fan. He watched the game, but only after learning his team had won. I, on the other hand, watched the whole thing while it was going on. Some of it was painful but the ending was good. My senior minister is an AVID Duke fan and he wrote a message on his Facebook wall this morning that he was not going to be talking about this game with any "Tar Holes". Evidently this may have been in reference to a Gimenski gaffe toward the end of the game where he said Holes instead of Heels. Don and I are going to the Duke-Carolina game at Chapel Hill on March 8 so I hope we get good results there as well, especially since I requested the trip to Chapel Hill. I missed out on so many of them in Oct/Nov due to THE surgery. I am missing the place pretty badly right now. By the way, someone has clued me in that there might be at least one of our ministers who is a Carolina grad. I am going to find out for sure as he is a good one, although very young. He came by to see me in the hospital during the stay after surgery and I liked him a lot then, even more now that I have heard him speak.

02/11/2009 Wed

Don and I went to a church meeting this morning and, guess what, the meeting is next Wednesday. But I went to the gift shop and found my Valentine's present so it was a good morning after all. Then we went out to eat lunch at a nearby restaurant. It was kind of early but good nonetheless.
I got up fairly early AND DID THE CROSSWORD PUZZLE IN THE PAPER!!!!!!!!! I was so happy that I could read the clues. The new glasses work for reading. ALL RIGHT!!!!!!! We are now working on gathering up tax information and Don says to tell on him that he is NOT in the best mood. I don't notice a problem, however.

02/10/2009 Tue

Got my new glasses today. I am a little undecided on how much better I can see. It is still a bit blurry but, so far, I have been able to read whatever I have tried to read.

Yesterday, I was interviewed by a Yale University researcher who is trying to determine the cause of meningiomas. Mostly, she asked about hormone replacement therapy history; cell phone, CB radio, and cordless phone use (how long and for how many minutes per month/week/year - who would know); family history of tumors. The usual suspects, I guess. I did the best I could with the questions and we got more answers than I would have alone due to Marlene's familiarity with Ancestry.com. She looked up ages at death of several family members which I would not have guessed if given all day.

I hope everyone out there is in good shape for Valentines!!!!!!!!!!

02/05/2009 Thr

Not much today. I went to hear Sr. Minister talk about Moses at 11 a.m., then ate lunch and waited on Don to finish with his men's group. We went home about 1:30 p.m. and I was pretty tired from not sleeping as well as I should the last couple of nights (about 5 hours each night). Milo got in the shower this morning and stayed a little longer than usual. His tail got drenched on his way out and he looked so sad. What a little love, though!!! This afternoon, I made some phone calls and rested mostly. My eyes feel really dry today and I ordered Restasis from Caremark. I did not finish addressing cards but will try and do that tomorrow. I know all manner of children who need those valentine cards and they shall have them.

02/04/2009 Wed

I am learning about Facebook. If you want to learn about being my FACEBOOK FRIEND, click here.

02/03/2009 Tue

The day was filled with an eye doctor appointment - a neuro-opthamologist, no less. She was a teenager according to Don but I liked her very much - 5 years out of school so she is a young doctor. She thinks my eyesight will continue to improve but that I am not likely to get back all of my sight. (There are areas of the optic nerve which appear to be dead tissue and my range of vision has large areas where I can see nothing.)

She does think glasses will help me to read again which is a great relief to me. No driving right now, however. I ordered glasses and they should be in in 10 days or so. I really really really want to read the newspaper and magazines that are not large print items. We had a hard time finding a place that took the vision care insurance that I have which made me wonder out loud whether that type of insurance is worth it's cost. I am to go back in 3 months. Since my eyesight may change rapidly for the next 6-9 months, I got the most economical glasses I could buy. I hope I do have to change them out again before the year is out. I would happily pay for another pair if it means my eyesight has changed for the better.



Then Don and I went to eat dinner and ran into my next door neighbor at the restaurant. Don insisted on paying her bill and the restaurant staff thought she had absent mindedly left without paying. Don and I got a kick out of their dilemma before he let them know he had her bill and would be paying it when we left.

Milo still has his own dilemma about how to be in a shower with me without getting himself wet. He always runs away "at first mist" and gives me this look of "You mean thing you." I really wish he would enjoy drenching himself. I would happily give him a bath if he started liking the wet.

UNC beat Maryland handily tonight and I am glad since Don gave tickets to a friend who has never gone to a game in person before and they were sooooooo happy to be given tickets. I am glad our team put on a good show for them. We are planning to go to the Duke-Carolina game when they play in Chapel Hill. I hope we (UNC) win but I bet that could be anybody's game. Which reminds me, there was a Duke Blue Devil hanging on the wall of the eye doctor's examining room and I spotted it in a mirror. I said, Do I honestly see a Duke insignia on the wall. She assured me she was not a Duke person but she has a good dear friend who works there. I told her about Martha working there and about my Senior Minister loving the school, so it isn't ALL bad. She "borrows" the office of another doctor when she goes to the location we were at. Then she said, "Maybe I need to see about getting another room when I come here." Definitely, I would say.

Going to sign off now as I have had 5 hours of sleep tonight before waking up at 3:30. I will try to get another couple of hours before daylight encroaches. Sometimes I think I can sleep better in the daytime than at night.

Regards and love to all who read this - even the Duke fans.

2/3/09

02/01/2009 Sun

Normal Sunday routine with the only difference being that Don and I went to breakfast alone as our friends who normally go also, had illness in their families. Don and I then went to Crowder Mountain to walk around a lake - which had been drained and was a big disappointment to us both. There were signs around the "lake" saying no fishing. I guess not. The poor fish were long gone. Despite all this, we had a good time and walked about one-third of the way around the "once upon a time lake" before running into a barrier that meant business. We turned around and retraced our steps back to the car. We did have a great time, though, on our great adventure and it was worth the effort.