Nature Songs ~~~~

AUGUST, 2000

~ continued ~

August 8,2000 - Tuesday came. Tuesday went. Just as any other Tuesday would do when there is little to motivate one to do very much. Evening comes and there is very little to recall.

Quest? I did that as usual. I drove by myself today since we all seemed to be going in different directions after our workouts. Maybe it is the hot, humid weather of summer working on all of us, but the whole group seemed to be dragging. It’s one of the first - if not the only- time I’ve had second thoughts of skipping a session. Another look, and I decided not to give in to the urge to stay in bed and made my daily migration down into the valley.

No way was I going to forget another hair appointment. I missed one last month and only got another spot for this afternoon. My hairdresser is a very busy lady. Dropping by the nursing center before going down to Hickory sounded like a good idea for me. Then I could come on home and relax for a while. A storm blew up while I was at the center and I left a few minutes earlier than planned so I would be ahead of the storm. Mother wasn’t too happy with me leaving with the thunder and lightening bouncing around outside, but I was on a mission. I had to make the trip. No more delays on getting my hair shortened.

Turns out the storm didn’t follow me. It went another direction. Folks tell me that I missed a hard storm. That doesn’t bother me at all. We need all the rain we get and this will be a good week for more rain.

August 9,2000 - I lost it! I have looked all over everywhere through the day to no avail. Not a single glance of it anywhere.

It wasn’t hiding under the bed, behind doors or around any corners. It was not playing hide-and-seek or it would have ran out for “home free.”

It was not hitching a ride in the truck at any time.

I thought maybe it would have shown up at Q4L. It didn’t.

Visiting with Ms. Jay at Mother’s, there was not a peep out of it. Even when Ms. Jay went out to fill the birdfeeders for Mother, did it bother to appear and offer a helping hand. Nor when another friend dropped by to visit did it show itself.

Throughout the afternoon, it continued to make itself scarce. Apparently, it took a vacation and didn’t even leave me a message that it had left. Myenergy level was to be found no place throughout the day.

Hopefully, the torrid, humid days are sapping away the energy and it will return when the weather decides to take a change. The actual temperature is in the low to mid nineties, but it feels more like the hundreds. Going out of the air conditioned cars, houses and buildings is like walking into a hot wall. Am I spoiled to the coolness of the modern age, or is there another reason for being so lifeless? A few more days like this and I’ll be ready to join Mother at the center and occupy that empty bed in her room (kidding of course.)

Nothing is better than a vine-ripened tomato. The sweetness and juiciness is unmatched. My friend that is gardening out in my field, brought me a basket of garden goodies this afternoon. As soon as she left, I proceeded to the kitchen to make me a tomato sandwich with one of the fresh tomatoes. Two slices of whole-wheat bread, Duke’s mayonnaise spread on each slice, and then thick red slices of tomato. With a napkin to catch the juice, I sat down to enjoy my tomato sandwich. In fact, it was so good, I had another one for supper this evening. Nothing is any better.

A phone call came this afternoon reminding me that Oreo and Charlie are scheduled to be groomed tomorrow. Joy, joy.

August 10,2000 - One would think that one would be ready for an event before the final hour. Here it was time to leave this morning with Charlie and Oreo, and there are no leashes. I know I just bought some the last time I took them to be groomed. I remember seeing BusyKid playing with them one day. I took one and put it up in a safe place. Me thinks, it must be in that safe place even yet. I could only come up with one leash for two dogs. We decided since I have the truck that we would leave the crate here that Charlie usually rides in, giving us more room on the one seat. Charlie had to have the lead. No doubt about that. Oh well, they made the trip quite well as it turned out. We carried Oreo around. There was curbside pickup this morning at the groomer’s for us. The lady that washes the dogs met us at the porch and took the dogs inside, saving us the extra steps.

Only five of us appeared for our water fun day. We had our fearless fill-in leader today that does all the cool things like playing beach ball with us. There was only one ball today since there were few of us, but we got a really good workout socking the ball all over the place, including outside of the pool. I got some good stretches catching and bopping the ball all around.

We considered taking in a class on foot pain. Fifty people had signed up for the class, but no one was around. What should our wandering eyes discover? A leaflet posted that stated the time of the class at 6 p.m. instead of 11 p.m. So much for our good intentions. With any luck, the class will be repeated during a morning session. Neither of us want to have to come out at another time when we are already in the building each morning.

The red light was blinking. I had a call. Of course, I knew who it was from. I get many calls from mother each day, leaving me a message to call her. The calls are less frequent since she isn’t seeing as well and has difficulty dialing the number. No way will she allow herself to seek assistance from others if at all possible. Being the Grand Lady that she is, she would rather not ask for help doing something that she always enjoyed doing for others.

S u r p r i s e ! This call was not from Mother. It was Goofus! Imagine the shock! He has news that the Explorer is fixed and ready for me. Did he just happen to get it fixed, or did he see the recall going out on the Firestone Tires and decide not to be responsible if anything should happen to a tire while he was driving. Would that have been the incentive to complete the work? Am I being cynical to think such thoughts? I only wish I had recorded the mileage before leaving it with him. Eight weeks and four days and it is finally fixed. Do I still remember the color of it? Will I still know how to drive it? Can I even tell for sure that it is mine? I didn’t want the shock of knowing how much it will cost. I will find that out when I go to pick it up later this evening.

I drove up to Wally World to pick up more candy for the staff. Yes, it is dwindling down again. While there, I strolled all the way back to the furthermost corner to pick up yet another leash for the dogs. This time, there was no taking time to pick and choose which one was best. I looked for El Cheapo. Voila! There it was! I grabbed a bright red one with the hopes that I can spot it easier. Should I take wagers on how long it will hang around here? Who would believe that a store the size of this one would be out of Coke six packs! Nary a one to be seen.

A quick stop at Eckerd’s to correct an error on my meds. One of the refills I got was for only half a month instead of a month. I paid for a month’s supply. They shorted me the equivalence of about $70 dollars. That was well worth the trip back to the drug department. Another would you believe: they were out of Cokes, too! I had to stop at a grocery store to get Mother some cokes. She had been out for several days now. S’la vive.

I was late returning to pick up my newly shorn pets. They were ready and waiting when I returned. This time I had the crate in tow since I was alone. A leash on each, I got them to the truck and they quickly jumped in. Bright little Charlie not only jumped right into the truck along with Oreo, he went straight into his crate, turned around and laid down. They knew I was alone and caused no problems.

Coming back home, I tried a new road which turned out to be considerably shorter traveling. I noticed other cars turning on it a lot, so after noting the same name on the other side I decided to turn on it this afternoon. It is even more rugged countryside to view and more curves to contend with driving. A typical old timey mountain road.

We kidded each other as we drove to the garage a while ago. Did we remember the color of the Explorer? Would we know it if we saw it. Yes, as we turned into the parking lot, there it sat. Cardboard was still on the ground under it where the workers had been crawling in and out working on the transmission. The damage, cost-wise? Considerable. Over seventeen hundred dollars! There were actually three bills on it. The check engine light led to replacing the air flow sensor, bill one. Rebuild the transmission, bill two. After all was fixed, the alternator went out. That was bill three. Going over the bills at home, there it was: $10 for gas! I left it with a tank of gas. It was on empty, I mean REALLY EMPTY, when I drove it out of the lot. I was fortunate to make it to the filling station. Finally, it is back home now that the boys are all back in school.

Was I saved from toting around three active boys all at the same time this summer? Was this a blessing in disguise to be without the Explorer?

I forgot to even look at the tires to see what brand the Explorer is sporting. Oh, well... there is always another day for such things. It’s not worth the effort for me to walk outside just to look at the tires on a car that may not be recalled for a year and a half.... I may not be driving the car much anyway until I learn more about the tires, if they are the ones being recalled.

OUCH! I had to look out the back door on my way to the computer to transfer my journal! There on my Explorer they are! The worst of the bunch - Wilderness AT! Now for closer inspection to see if there is evidence of any problem at this time.

I logged on to the Ford Website and sent them this note:

"I have the Wilderness AT tires on my 95 Explorer. Am I supposed to wait until you contact North Carolina or what? It seems extremely damgerous to just go on driving for such a long time without the security of knowing how safe I or my grandchildren may be. I can't afford at this time to go out and just buy new tires myself since I just got a transmission rebuilt....

Please advise."

Those 'mater sam'aches sure are good. This time I added a slice of cheese.

August 11,2000 - Strange things happen sometimes. Some way, a funny looking sort of bird-like stuffed toy jumped into my shopping cart yesterday while I was purchasing a new lead for the dogs. It looks odd, to say the least, with its long plaited rope legs ending with two bright yellow feet, and its multi-colored string tuffs for hair, wings and tail. Add a red band separating the face and the orange beak and a squeaker toy sewn inside and Charlie has gone batty over his new toy. He has carried it from one room to another trying to retrieve the noise maker out of it for himself. Oreo will only sniff it once and a while and walk away.

I’ve noticed lately that my handbag is a little on the small side. By choice I choose to carry the smaller size. The doctors keep telling me not to carry one that ways over two pounds. Two pounds for any woman’s handbag is not a logical goal. Time was when I carried everything but the kitchen sink in my bag. If there was anything you needed, chances are that I would have had it for you. My bags were huge and packed by a suitcase ready for a six month tour in a foreign country..

My purse I carry now is barely large enough to hold the merest of necessities. Check book. Appointment book, cards, money, keys and very little of anything else. I stopped carrying pictures to show off and brag about children and grandchildren. Sorry, I can’t thrill passer-by’s with pictures and such.

Time was, when I had a bag to match each outfit. I was always changing from one to another. I was always looking back in different ones searching for things lost in the shuffle of changing. Now I carry only one. One that goes summer or winter; recreation or formal. It’s all the same for me. Convenience is the word of the day. My purse will match whatever I may wear, or wherever I may go. It’s my old faithful. My shoulder would be lost without it swinging along as I go.

Thomas Woofe lived in Asheville, North Carolina. When my parents lived there, we drove by his homeplace many times through the years. I’ve always remembered to look at the home each time I passed. He lived in a two-story 1883 Queen Anne house with his mother. She took in boarders during all the time they lived there. Soon there will be a celebration outside the boarded up house in honor of his 100th birthday.
I've read all of his books. Something about Look Homeward, Angel and You Can't Go Home Again have made a deep impression on me and I've always remembered them. Perhaps, it is because I was able to feel much of what he had to write about as they related to my own life. He has always been one of my favorite authors.

Two years ago the house which had been restored and turned into a museum was torched. An arson caused considerable damage to it and funds are still being raised to rebuild it to its previous glory. There is a touch of sadness thinking of his mother’s silver service becoming so hot that it melted and ran through the floor, forming a puddle in the basement underneath the dining room. Why do people have to be so destructive and cost the innocent to have to pay so much to undo the damage done ...?

August 12,2000 - Talk about cost! Someone within the realm of our Animal Control Office goofed big time. Close to six hundred dogs and cats will have to be revaccinated for rabies because someone without proper certification gave the shots at a county drive by clinic back in May. They only paid five dollars per pet. Cost for fixing the error is seven thousand dollars out of the county tax office. Wonder who will actually end up paying for the mistake? Even if it comes from the monies allocated the Animal Control group, it still comes from the taxpayers.

To date, there have been twelve confirmed cases of rabies in our county this year. The last one was the first case involving a skunk instead of raccoons. The skunk was found carrying off baby beagles from a home in the area that Allan lives in. It was caught when it returned to get another puppy to carry off. The mother beagle had her rabies shot and was okay. The rest of the litter had to be put down because they were so small.

I got a quick response from the Ford Company the other evening. I feel somewhat better about my personal experience with this episode as it explodes. I know that my tires are not the original tires. They are much too new for the mileage on the Explorer. One of the “safe” companies producing the tire is here in North Carolina. More than likely, my tires would have come from it. The only way to tell if they are safe or potentially dangerous is to have them checked on the back side of the tire. There are a series of dots that identify which company made the tire. I have only to check the dots on the tire and compare them to the list of companies found on a website on Internet. There are six chances that all is well. Yet, I shall not take a chance, life is too precious to take unnecessary chances.

Driving the truck is better than driving the Explorer. The truck has much better pickup power for navigating in and out of traffic. The truck is much quieter when riding around. The truck rides like a really nice car. No wonder I enjoy my truck.

Scanning through the upcoming classes at Quest, I make a mental note that I need about 80% of those offered. The majority of them are free. The one on managing Diabetes has a cost, but insurance will pay for it when you qualify. I would qualify and probably should make arrangements to attend the new class. Next week, I am signed up for a cooking demonstration. The feature for this session will be making a super low-fat banana bread.

Woe! Double woe! Triple woe! Quadruple woe! Why me? Wes checked the DOT code on the back of my Firestone Wilderness AT tires. I was hoping they came from the Wilson, North Carolina firm; or from Aiken, South Carolina. It seems likely that this is where they were purchased. No so! They came from Decatur; the very factory that is center of much of the tire woe controversy. Today Wes searches replacements for the Explorer rather than wait for the notification from the company by mail. There is no need to take a chance, now that we know for sure.

August 13,2000 - Church comes first. We cast our individual votes for extending an invitation to a new fearless leader of our flock. There is an air of excitement among many of the members anticipating his acceptance and moving to our great state. He was born in Pennsylvania, and presently working in Texas. Many prayers are offered, hoping that this will be the one to come and lead us.

Before supper time I meander over to visit with Mother and take her a 297% enlarged copy of her ball teams for the week. Since it is so large, it takes two pages to hold the schedule. She still has trouble making out what is written.

Both my boys and their families show up to visit a while as well. They had come by my house to find that I was gone and came on over to the nursing center. Mother was thrilled to see the great-grandchildren. Her supper wasn’t very good, but that didn’t matter to her since she had the children to watch. Before we left, in walks my brother and his wife. They have saved the day for Mother. They had a ham biscuit for her and a large cup of watermelon. Her day is perfect ... children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, ham AND watermelon.

footnote: Mother got to talk with her sister in the nursing home in Alabama. She wants to come up to share the room with Mother. The doctor there said she will be able to travel soon. Her son will make a bed and bring her up in his van. NOW, Mother’s day is really the best for a long time. =;o)

The two puppies have been strutting around since getting all prettied up. I’m glad I chose to have Oreo clipped again. I was thinking of letting his hair grown out full and long to show off his ears and culottes. He is much more comfortable with the short style since the weather is so hot and humid. Both boys are sporting green bandannas with buzzing bees around their necks.

~ continued ~ page three