Sunday, October 26, 2014

Wow!  What's happened since June??  Lots, and yet nothing important.

Needlework Club continued throughout the summer - I continued to knit fancy scarves - some are donated to sell at the Christmas boutique (Woman's Club of Fort Worth).  I worked hard on the yearbook for the Shakespeare Club.  I worked on a draft of a yearbook for another organization but it wasn't used -- I created in MSWord after first speaking with the printer about how to set it up but there was some kind of misunderstanding on the other end because it was wanted in a different software.  So, that one was taken over by someone else.  I also managed to complete eight (8) patriotic table runners which were going to be used for a certain organization, but after completion of all of them I received a call letting me know someone else was being given the job of decorating/refreshments so now I have eight lovely table runners.  They all look like the ones in the following picture - some with red tassels, some with white, some with navy.  I'll do something with them - not sure what.

The General Edward H. Tarrant USD1812 had a tea celebrating the anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner on September 13, 2014.  As a current officer I was part of the committee - which means I was a part of the committee that worked themselves just about to death to make it happen!  My goodness, that was hard.  We didn't have it catered and didn't have it at a place that set up the room for us so we had to set up tables, furnish and fix all the food, drinks, etc., do the decorating, handle every aspect of it.  I was also in charge of the Voice table - (sell tickets, people put ticket in bag next to item wanted, drawing is held)  We were all totally washed out after that event!

The following weekend, September 20, the Six Flags Chapter of the DAR hosted the Constitution Celebration luncheon at a local country club.  I was on that committee, too, but was just a peon in the grand scheme of things, thank goodness!  Although the tables were decorated by the chapter, at least there was no set up and tear down of tables, no preparation and serving of food, etc.  It didn't take long to pick up the decorations afterward.  

September started club/organization year, so I've been going to meetings and doing that kind of work.  As the Historian for a couple of groups I try to stay up with what's happening and collect whatever is possible.  I'm not a scrapbook person so they will be lucky I'm doing anything at all.  I'm also the Recording Secretary for one organization and the Correspondence Secretary for another -- that keeps me busy as well.  

K and I went to Beaumont for a state convention the first week in October.  We purchased pics taken by the professional photographer but those haven't come in yet.  It was a good time.  We were there with many friends and acquaintances.  I am on a state committee (having to do with software and creation of on-line fillable forms), and I received an award...our team is bringing this organization into the 21st century!  We had two formal nights at convention and because K wasn't supposed to be escorting either evening, we saved his beautiful new black western dressy outfit for the big Saturday night President's event.  He got to wear it to the banquet but as we were seated in the big hall awaiting the program to begin he was suddenly sent to the hotel room to change into his uniform because the camp in charge of the escorting hadn't planned for all the number of ladies who would need to be escorted!  So, western rancher one minute and soldier the next.  

At the President's Banquet on Saturday evening - with fellow chapter members and spouses.

Bringing in the "important" ladies -- no, I'm not one of them...

On Monday prior to leaving for convention on Thursday morning, after looking for about 15 months, we got a "new" car (new to us).  The Saturn I drive was totaled in the tornado that hit Amarillo the end of May 2013 (early June?  Can't remember).  That was when we were on the way home from Colorado.  The car still ran fine, and has been a great vehicle but had over 50K miles on it.  Insurance paid off the Saturn and we bought it back for very little.  Likewise, we managed to sell it for very little!  

My first intent was to purchase a very large vehicle like a Ford Expedition - that way we could pull a travel trailer as well.  We finally settled on something not so large but larger than the Saturn Vue (originally the tow car for our motorhome).  We found a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse LT with 21K miles on it and had it transferred to Fort Worth so we could see it.  After a test drive we made the decision to forego getting something that will pull a travel trailer and instead get the Traverse because it has plenty of space for the mobility scooters in the back plus passengers.  It has a 3rd row of seats which fold down but even with the scooters in the back the 2nd row of seats can remain up.  

After the last meeting on Sunday morning we got gas in the car and headed for Baton Rouge, LA.  We stopped at some little place and had lunch at Shoney's but then drove on to Baton Rouge.  We stayed at the Siegen Inn - after wondering around, fighting, getting lost, and finally finding the place.  We had Whatburgers for dinner because it was next to the hotel.  The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel, packed up again, and headed for New Orleans.  

I drove to New Orleans, and for the most part the entire trip.  Because K freaks out in strange places.  But, I missed the turn in New Orleans and we ended up down by the sports dome - which, thankfully, wasn't too far from where we needed to turn to get to the French Quarters.  We finally found our way to the Le Richeliu Hotel, checked in, found our way around to the parking lot, got help to get all our luggage into the hotel, and then got a taxi to take us to the Natchez River Boat!

 We had a reservation for the late lunch cruise up the Mississippi.  That was so much fun.  K had never been to NO, and had not been on the mighty Mississippi.  It was a wonderful way to relax, calm down, enjoy ourselves as well as a great buffet meal...one of the best meals we had in NO.  Afterward we hired a bike taxi to take us to Jackson Square where we caught a carriage tour around the French Quarters.  The picture below is an example of the bike taxi we used - somehow I failed to take a picture.

These guys and gals develop great muscles pedaling these things!

The carriages are pulled by mules, not by horses.  So this is a bit different from Savannah.  We had a great tour - the guide was knowledgeable and made it a pleasant trip.  

After the carriage tour, K and I walked through the park at Jackson Square and then hired a bike taxi to take us back to the hotel.  There was no way I could walk it.  At convention, with the wearing of the dress shoes and all the walking I did some kind of twisting of my knees and could barely walk - in fact was limping.  Back at the hotel K and I put the batteries on the scooters and then headed toward Dawson Street and the French Market cafe for supper.  The hotel had recommended a couple of places but they were inside a bar and there was no way K was going in there.  I can't remember what either of us ordered, but it was nasty/awful and neither of us were able to eat it.  In fact, both of us felt a bit ill afterward.  Fortunately we take our own snacks/food with us when we travel so we had some things back at the room.  Unlike most of the tourists who visit NO, we did not stay up late and wander the streets or do a lot of partying/drinking.  We went to bed early because we had a bus tour of NO scheduled for the next morning.  

The bus picked us up at the hotel about 9 a.m.  It took us all over the city, including a cemetery tour (New Orleans is below sea level...burials are above ground.  A few pics are included here.  

The bus also took us to see the levees that broke during Katrina, took us to see various housing areas of NO, but could not take us down to the 9th ward because of so much reconstruction.  NO is full of history, and it was interesting to hear all the information.  We learned that a Creole is the offspring of a black woman and a Spanish or French male, or the other way as well.  Apparently Beauregard was a Creole.  

We also made a stop at City Park - a very nice place where we had a short break, were able to get something to drink, stretch our legs.  Ken managed to snap a picture of the gazebo at the park before we hopped on the bus to continue.  

The bus also took us around Robert E. Lee Circle and the driver quickly pointed out the monument as well as the location of the Confederate Museum and the World War II Museum.  

But he said they weren't supposed to talk about the Lee monument or the Confederate museum because some found them offensive!  That made me angry.  I am a southerner, my ancestors were southern, we were invaded by the people from the north, our properties were stolen and destroyed, our women were molested and raped, our children killed/hurt/molested, etc..  Offensive?  You bet, I'm offended - I'm offended that I'm supposed to act like my ancestors were criminals and that what happened to them was deserved.  No, they were not criminals and they did not deserve what happened to them.  It wasn't about slavery - the bit about slavery did not come into play until the middle of the Civil War - it began about states rights.  My family didn't own slaves.  (The pic to the right is not of Lee but is of Beauregard that we passed on the way to see City Park.)

The bus tour was a great way to lean about NO.  We enjoyed it for the most part.  

In lieu of finding a place for lunch, after the bus tour we grabbed a bite at the hotel restaurant/bar and then hailed a taxi to take us to the Confederate Museum.  

As usual, places like this make me want to cry.  I am not that far removed from the Civil War...my maternal grandfather was born in 1870, and I remember my paternal great grandmother who was born in 1865.  The history I was told as a child was fresh.  Three of my great great grandfathers died in the war, as did at least two gg uncles.  To me the war was like yesterday.

We were not allowed to take pictures inside the museum, but that is me standing in front of it.  Fortunately they had a wheel chair I was able to use inside because by this time my knees were screaming.


The World War II Museum is located across from the Confederate Museum.  At first I wasn't too interested in going but decided since my father-in-law had spent his life in the service and been involved in WW II the least I could do was go while we were so close.  I am so glad we didn't miss it.  This was one of the highlights of the trip.  As one who worked in the aircraft business most of my life, I found the museum with the actual planes and equipment to be well worth the tour.  I'll not post pictures because it was difficult to get shots of the planes and these need to be experienced not just seen in pictures.

By the end of our museum tours, I was pretty far gone, although K had pushed me all over the place in a wheel chair (I really, really need to get mine back home - it's been missing for a very long time - I loaned it out and it has not been returned.).  We made our way back to the hotel via taxi, stopped at the desk to inquire about a place for dinner, got our scooters and headed out to eat before it got too late.  We ended up at the Praline Connection which is on Frenchman and Chartres (I think).  Small hole-in-the wall place but they helped us with the scooters.  I had some sort of crab stuffed something or other and some "normal" vegetables; K had who knows what but experienced greens - which he had not eaten before.  We had bread pudding which was not very good.  Afterward we went to a little store to get bottled zero coke and then headed back to our hotel room.  We always try to be back just about dark because we are two old people on mobility scooters and after dark we are just sitting ducks for someone wanting to do harm.  And we are not partiers.  So back to the room, separated and packed our stuff, prepared for the next day.

The following morning we rose early, and via our scooters made our way back toward Jackson Square and Cafe DuMond.  K needed to experience the bad coffee and square donuts with powdered sugar which are part of NO tradition.  I don't care for either - would much rather have real donuts!  Then we did a little souvenir shopping on Dawson Street - I finally found a miniature tea set for myself and we picked up some t-shirts and whatever K decided on.  After that it was time to head back to the hotel, move our luggage to the car, check out of the hotel, and hit the road toward Mississippi.  I'll talk about Mississippi in a next blog.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

My brother passed away about 7 a.m. on Thursday morning, June 19, 2014.  The last few days have been sad ones, especially for my extended family.  My sister-in-law Jerrie has been a real rock for my brother who has been in ill health for several years.  She has loved him and taken care of him for quite a long time.  There are not enough words of praise to give her for that.  She and my brother Joe had been married for 53+ years, married as children at the age of 17 and been together through all the good times and bad times and in between.  They found strength in one another and in the three children they raised, and in the grandchildren and great grandchildren as they came along.  It was hard to watch them all have to go through the final goodbyes.  I can't imagine how tough that was for them.  As difficult as it was for me as his sister, I know it was many times over tough for all of them.  I pray for strength for my sister-in-law to get through the coming days but I know she will have many days that will be rough.

I'm afraid I contributed to her heartache without meaning to.  In using my phone to send several pictures of Joe's visitation to a cousin in Louisiana, I accidentally got one of them posted to FB instead of private message.  Unfortunately it was one of him in the casket.  Although I deleted it immedately upon learning about it, I certainly managed to alienate the family with that screw up!  They were hurt by it and naturally upset by it - I would have been, too.  I wouldn't have hurt them for the world, not any of them.  I care way too much for all of them.  I wish I could undo the damage.  All I know to do is ask forgiveness.

K and I got to the cemetery early (graveside service only).  We were standing outside the car so we were not burning gasoline running the a/c.  Someone in a car across from us got out of his car and asked if I was Dorthy.  He asked me if I knew who he was - but I didn't.  When he introduced himself I was shocked.  He was my boyfriend from way back when I was 13-15 years old!  He was older than me and decided to join the Navy so of course we went our separate ways.  In my mind I remember him, but I didn't remember him in person at all.  

Thought we were going to go out of town a couple of days to relieve pressure for a bit, but as it turns out, K made plans with his guy friends and I decided to stay around the house.  With losing both of my brothers in less than a year, I realize that time is pretty short.  Has made me think about things a lot - like why in the world save things for "some day"?  Such as the good rugs we keep rolled up in the front bedroom and put out only when company comes.  So I pulled out the large one and put it down in the den in the sofa/tv area.  Might as well use things up/wear things out.  No point in protecting them any more!  

Today's been nice - it has rained most of the afternoon...in fact, it has been flash flooding.  Our yard is singing in delight - what's left of it after the drought the past couple of years.  We've got to get out and seed or sod the yard...we barely have grass.  But lots of weeds!  Got to get after it.  Maybe I can work out some pain, depression, or whatever by working in the yard.  I've got to do shrub trimming as well - K doesn't do that...he doesn't do a good job of it.  

When I'm stressed or life is crushing in around me, I tend to handle it by either curling up in a ball inside, or withdrawing completely, or a combination of anxiety and activity.  When K woke me up on the 19th to let me know Joe had died, I was just numb.  I knew it was going to happen, and knew that he was ok, that the sadness to come was going to be for those of us left behind.  But all I wanted to do was cry.  I knew I couldn't go to his family because they had far too much to get through, and even though I'm his sister, I knew the right thing for me to do was to allow his family be together without me being around in the way.  I guess I went into the "anxiety and activity" mode, knew I had to keep myself occupied.  I had started stitching the binding on a table cover for my Singer 66 treadle machine at Needlework on Tuesday.  I spent the days after Joe died in my big rocker in the bedroom in front of the double window using the natural light to help me see where to put the blind hem stitching, and in my mind and heart went through the days and years of my childhood family.  And that's how my heart really said goodbye to my big brother.  I managed to get it finished and it is now on the machine.  I also managed to put together the crochet blocks of another table cover.  These blocks have been completed for 2 - 4 years.  It's now as finished as its ever going to be - with lots of mistakes in it - and its waiting to be washed and blocked.  I don't care that it has mistakes in it...those just represent many mistakes of life.  It's just going over a vintage sewing machine cabinet so it will be ok.  A pic of the rooster table cover is included here.  

I've also started uploading my digital pictures to Walgreens and having 4x6 prints made of the ones I want to keep.  I decided to get them all printed and into plastic sleeves in notebooks regardless of whether or not they are in chronological order.  I think its better to do it this way than to just let them be lost in space when I pass on.  Maybe someone will want them.  Who knows.  At least they'll be available.  I wish I had some current good ones of my kids and grandkids because I would like to display them.  I took down all the ones I had before because they were so out of date.  

With all the deep cleaning that's been done around here in the last month - and not quite finished - I decided when my former cleaning lady called to let her come out for a usual cleaning.  The house was not that bad - I had spent my time taking everything imaginable apart to clean "my" way.  I was quite shocked when she let me know after her girls had finished that it would be $145 since it had been so long since she had been there.  I let her know that wasn't going to happen since the house had not been bad when they came to clean.  I also let her know that it would be the last time I would use her...I'll be cleaning it myself from now on.  That's because when I took the house apart to clean I discovered SO much had not been cleaned while using the team.  Guess I'll save myself $200+ per month doing that.  I need the exercise anyway.  I do one room a day so it's not a big thing.  For instance, I took an entire day to clean the master bedroom - took the bed completely apart to clean, cleaned the bed as well as the floor and baseboards.  I did this heavy part while K was at the mission one day.  Here are pics of the bed part of the room!  (Got rid of plastic plants!)  I wrested that king size mattress and the foundation pieces by myself.  That's BJ testing it out to make sure all is ok.  I've been doing this type of cleaning all the way through the house.  Have more to go.  Getting rid of things, cleaning out.  Going to go through things every time I clean a room again and just keep on getting rid of stuff!  Of course there are some things that I will hold on to forever.  

So what else has been happening?  We got news that K is being awarded some sort of something or other by the SCV camp.  He's southerner by marriage so is an auxiliary member of the camp, and supposedly he is receiving the first-ever something or other awarded to an auxiliary member.  We'll find out at the meeting on Tuesday, July 1.  Hope I remember to take pictures.  

Speaking of organizations, I was elected Recording Secretary for the Julia Jackson chapter of the UDC.  Installation was held in May.  I'm including some funny pictures - K nor I are the best picture snappers!  I was asked to provide piano interlude during the military service award ceremony - K managed to get only one picture...and he took it while I was trying to get the music spread out before I began playing.  Oh well, in a hundred years it won't matter.  Just comical.  And then there's the pic of me as Recording Secretary with our newly installed President, Betty.  It was hat day for our May closing luncheon/military service awards ceremony/installation of new officers.  I had a better internal image of myself in that dang fascinator than what it appears here!  (lol)  The dress is my new one for the year.  It has the sleeves that have the slit opening down them in the center and my left bra strap kept falling down.  Plus it was purchased before the abdominal abscess so it was a bit big and hangy because of weight loss.  With my Grandma dress shoes I look like a throw-back to the early 1900's.  Betty was smarter than the rest of us - she wore pants!  The group picture is during installation.  

In addition to becoming an officer for our UDC organization, I have the honor of being the Historian for our Daughters of the War of 1812 chapter.  (Because my ancestors, on both sides, have been in this country since the 1600's, I'm eligible for just about any lineal organization around.  That and a dollar won't buy a cup of coffee any more but it does give me something to do and keeps me from going crazy...maybe.)   A couple of pics of that installation are included below.  Please note that the purple suit turned up once again!  It goes to lots of events.  First pic of us with installer Ruth, second without her.  We are holding up different spices because we are the spices of the chapter (lol).  Ruth handed a different one to each of us as our names were called, with a cute reference of our position to the spice.  I received cinnamon - and then forgot to bring it home with me, leaving it on the table in the club room.  

Haven't done anything exciting that I recall.  Life is full of crooks and turns and I seem to always be taking the wrong ones and hacking people off even when I don't mean to.  For that I am truly sorry.  Don't know anything to do but to pick my butt up and go on with life and whatever it's going to bring next.  

Much love to my children and grandchildren - you are my heart.  

Sunday, June 15, 2014...Father's Day

Not a single soul has had the decency to call and wish K a happy Father's Day.  I know how he feels; I know how badly it hurts, because no one wishes me happy Mother's Day.  These days are horrible.

Yesterday was Flag Day - sponsored by the Mary Isham Keith chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  All chapters within the district plus all the other heritage organizations participate.  K and I were there.  It was held at an outdoor pavilion of a veteran's park in a nearby small town.  As historian for one organization and a member of several organizations, I took pictures.  I'll share a few here.

Our young Navy cadets out of the unit at the Joint Service Base did an excellent job presenting the colors.  They range in age from 10 to 17.  

Dr. Judith Carrier, former head of TCJC/TCCC, is the current Regent of the Mary Isham Keith DAR chapter.  Since MIK was the hosting organization, we were pleased to have Judith as our "MC" for the event.  I was sitting behind Diane Dyess, Regent of our Six Flags Chapter of the DAR and it was either catch a profile picture or the back of her.

Our Daughters of the War of 1812 was well represented at this event.  The lady with the tiny baby fosters children while they are in the "in-between" cycle of adoption.  This tiny guest was absolutely adorable.  We are often blessed with little ones like this coming with her to meetings and events.)

Diane Dyess, Christean Jenkins, Pamela Rhoads, Peggy Jones, Dorthy Casten, Joann Durham

Both the Six Flags and the MIK chapters of DAR were represented at the event.  It was a great Saturday for such a ceremony -- not too hot, a good breeze.  I can't recall the names of everyone in this photo, except the lady in the red jacket is Anita Daniel, in the green is Diane Dyess, yours truly in the white jacket, Arlene Pricer next to me, and on the right end is Bettye Rogers.

I can name a few of the ladies in the MIK organization...That's Dr. Carrier on the far left, Linda Johnson next to her, Sonja Starnes stepping away from the group, Sally Allsup (Chaplain) in the white; Virginia Brown next to Sally, sweet little Paula Smith in the black jacket, Joann Durham dressed in red/white/blue with the hat, and again Bettye Rogers on the far right.

Betty Rogers was the speaker for the day.  She is retired military, and during the Vietnam war was in charge of a flight hospital (aircraft outfitted as a hospital) that flew into country to pick up the wounded and flew them out providing medical care.  She shared several stories with us about those days but unfortunately we could not hear much of what she had to say -- the microphone needed to be held very close to the face for amplification and as most of speakers do, she tended to move it away from her and turn her head.  I think we need to invest in one that pins to the shirt.

Our Sons of Confederate Veterans were also represented at the event.  Several of us are members of several lineage organizations, thanks to our ancestors who fought, bled and some died for this country.  Since this was mostly a DAR event, however, our SCV camps were low in number.  But here we are - yours truly and hubby K, along with Diane and Jack - members of the Griffin 2235 camp of the SCV.  (I didn't wear any of my ribbons that day...just my flag pin.)

Instead of going to lunch with the rest of the attendees, we elected to head to Cleburne via the new tollway with intention to eat lunch there.  The tollway dumped us out in an area of Cleburne where we did not recognize anything.  We continued on what we thought would take us into the actual town but still could not get our bearings so pulled off to check map on phone.  That's when I noticed I had a message from my niece - about my brother Joe.  Joe has many medical issues, including diabetes, heart issues, frozen lungs, etc.  He has been ill a long time and this time has been hospitalized since Monday of this week.  There is not any more that can be done - he will be moved to hospice care.

This is so very hard.  Joe and wife Jerrie have been married since they were 17 years old - 53+ years.  He has been the rock of our entire family since he was a very young man.  It seems impossible that we are losing him.  Seems impossible that just yesterday we were kids playing at the creek, riding bicycles, begging mother to let us play in the rain, etc.  And now we are the old generation - the grandparents/great grandparents.  Time has come and gone.  I hope to go see him tomorrow - he can now have visitors.  They wouldn't allow it before now.  He can also eat and drink whatever he wants - no more restrictions.  So today his daughter took him a burger from Sonic and a malt.  He and I are the last of "our" family, but he and wife have 3 adult children, 5 grandchildren plus several step/foster grandchildren, and several great grandchildren.  Saying goodbye is totally tough; God give us strength.

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Note:  I lost two friends over the past 3 weeks.  Friday was the service for friend Jan.  Over the past year I've lost several other friends.  Perhaps it is morbid, maybe it's just realization, but during that service on Friday as I looked at the casket at the front of the chapel, it came to me that it won't be long before it is my turn to get into the box and have the lid closed for the rest of eternity.  I find it terrifying.

Saturday Night, June 14, 2014

Haven't posted in a long time - although I've thought about it.  Because life has just seemed so "real"...one thing after another!

Because the holidays of November and December are so painful (I long for my children and grandchildren and cry my way through the holidays), I look forward to January as a healing month.  Unfortunately that was not the way it happened this year!  Having spent way too much $$ for Christmas, January was also to be "catch up time/take a breather" month.  We were knocked off our terre firma a bit much when K's disability check was not deposited in our account on the 15th.  A call to our local SS office revealed that he had been terminated as disabled ... they claimed he had been working for the past year earning over $1800 per month!

We made a trip to the local SS office, sat for 2 hours waiting our turn to speak to someone, and then received hateful treatment by the representative.  She claimed he had been working, that he had earned all this money, that they had sent letters to us in November telling us he would be cut off, etc., etc.  They handed us print outs of the letters we never received.  We asked for reconsideration because he certainly had not earned that kind of money -- and who would know better than the SS office?  They have records of his earnings!  I had all of his income records with me, along with our bank account information where his deposits are made.  They made copies of his W-2's but didn't want to see anything else.  In addition, we completed a form seeking appeal.  We left totally shocked at the way we had been treated, as well as the misinformation they were giving us.

We waited a couple of weeks, never heard from them, and began calling from time to time.  Each time we were assured it was being handled.  It wasn't.  A phone representative finally send our call to a main SS center in Kansas City.  I received a telephone call on Thursday of that week from a representative there who told me she had no idea why the FW office had done this to K, because her records showed he had worked two weeks out of the year full time, and the rest of the time intermittent part-time work (stadium).  She and I went over the records she had vs what I had and they were the same.  She advised that she had already been to her supervisor as soon as she saw the mess, and she had been instructed to expedite reinstatement.  Needless to say, expediting with the government takes a while.  It was March before we learned that K's disability had been reinstated, but that it would take 30 days or more before he would receive current and back pay funds.  Thankfully it finally came in April.

In late January I accompanied Betty Abdo, President of our chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, to Salado for the State forum.  That was the weekend of the 24th and 25th of January, and we drove there on icy roads but fortunately did not have an accident.  A business meeting, of course, and somehow I found myself on a State committee tasked with converting printable forms to online fillable forms.  That task has been ongoing since January but thankfully has now been declared completed and the forms have been provided to the masses for their use and discontent.

In February I transferred from the Mary Isham Keith chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution to the Six Flags Chapter.  MIK is a very large chapter, and therefore it is very hard to become involved in the workings of the chapter.  Transfer permitted me to become involved - probably more so than I need to be!  But it is more fun to be involved.  As of right now I am co-chair of the Constitution Day event which will occur in September - a big deal for the DAR, and Six Flags is the host for that event for our District this year.  I attended the planning meeting this past week.  In addition, I find myself in charge of producing the Yearbook for the chapter because the Regent's computer crashed, restoration could not be done (she thought she had it backed up, but alas, no), so everything is being recreated.  So, I'm working on the yearbook.  I had it about completed when I was told that it needs to be done in Publisher - a software I don't have, and a program I know ZERO about.  So I guess somehow I'll be coming up with that program and learning how it works.

On February 10 I had vascular surgery on my left leg...it was not done in the hospital but in the doc's office.  There was a screen set up over my chest across the table so I would not be able to see what was being done.  So I'm on this table, sans undies, with folks on the other side of the screen working on me.  The doc advises me that he is going to begin at the ankle and be injecting 20 numbing shots up the inside of my leg and into the groin area.  NOT a pleasant experience!  After that he advised he was going to start at the ankle with an incision and insert whatever (no idea what it looks like or is or what all entails because I could see nothing) to work upward through the large vein of the leg.  All of this was done because the valves in this vein of this leg were worn out and no longer pushed fluids back up out of the foot/lower leg.

After surgery I was told that I could not sit down, had to walk/stand for 20 minutes, could not sit at home, had to be up on my legs.  We did the walking, went to the car, stopped for food, and I spent the rest of the afternoon evening walking through the house, standing beside the sofa doing dance steps, and finally going to bed for the night.  That's when the discomfort/pain, moaning/screaming began.  I continued the walking/moving the following day and throughout the weekend and then returned for ultra sound check on Monday.  I was told the leg would be painful for an extended time, that it would take a while to recover, but I could stop getting up during every commercial.  The doc wanted to go ahead and schedule surgery for the right leg -- I smiled and left...no way.

I never got better...just started going down hill healthwise...felt sick, weak, cold, chilled, couldn't get over it.  I continued to try to move forward - even went on a quilting retreat but was just not well.  In March I celebrated my 66th birthday (no cards, no phone calls, no visits from those who matter the most to me).  My health continued to go down, and I found myself more and more curled into a ball covered with a blanket unable to go about my business.  During the night of Thursday, March 13, when I turned over it felt as though I had pulled something in the groin area of my right side - the area where my transplanted kidney resides.  I didn't think too much about it except the pain continued to get worse through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  And my abdomen was as big as a basketball and hard.  On Monday I called my transplant doc and went for an ultrasound of the area.  I knew I had an appointment with the doc on Wednesday, so was trying to hold out 'til then instead of spending $$ going to the ER.  But I was no longer able to endure the pain, was doubled over, went to bed, tried to get comfortable, but just couldn't.  K gave me two choices - he could drive me to the ER or he could call an ambulance.  I let him drive me.

The ER staff started me on morphine and dilauded for pain...nothing touched it.  The on-call transplant doc was able to look at the ultrasound results made earlier on Monday and yes, there was fluid and infection in the area.  I was admitted to the hospital but by this time I was pretty much out of it.  I was so sick, I didn't see any way I would make it out of that place.  I was out of it, and as of today I don't remember the first 4-5 days of that hospital stay.  I nearly died so they say.  Tests were apparently done on Tuesday...lots of blood work, lots of antibiotics started, lots of fluid.  Dr. F. had to go out of town on Wednesday but left instructions for a procedure to be done to drain the site so cultures could be grown.  None of that happened while he was gone, just pain meds.  He was not a happy camper when he returned on Thursday.  It didn't take long for me to be sent for a couple of things...first, a CT with contrast - a no no for transplant kidney patients.  There was no choice.  Usually the transplanted kidney is dies after that.  Then I was sent for another procedure - first a big syringe with a big long needle inserted to draw off fluid to see what it was -- massive infection.  Sent to lab for culture growth.  Then they knocked me out and an incision was made to drain the area and insert a drain that could be attended to by the nursing staff.  Tests indicated the transplanted kidney was affected.

I was placed under the care of an infectious disease doc (Youree), and cultures indicated my bad luck -- an intestinal bacteria (fecal) had somehow entered my system and went to the weakest point...the transplanted kidney and abdominal cavity.  That info allowed determination of correct antibiotic to use to combat the infection.  I was placed on a 42 day regimen of IV antibiotics through a PICC line placed in my right arm across to the heart area.  Once I finally began to improve (a few days), I was discharged home to continue the IV antibiotics, reporting to Youree's infusion clinic every 7 days.

Cause of the infection?  Most likely occurred as a result of the vascular surgery done in February.  Who knows for sure.

I was doing fine on the antibiotics...had reached the final week of infusions.  The last day was to be Thursday, May 1.  On Monday, April 28, K got Subway sandwiches for us for lunch.  I ate about 1:30 or so, and about 5:30 became violently ill...nausea, vomiting, pain in the abdominal area, cramps, the whole shabang.  Again, K took me to ER, I kept throwing up.  I was admitted to the hospital, tests were run, and thankfully it was not a return of the original infection...instead it was food poisoning.  But because of my already weak condition, I had to stay in the hospital that week.  The antibiotics were increased, but I was declared finished with the IV meds on Thursday and the PICC line removed.  I was discharged home late Thursday.

Did I lose weight with the ordeal?  Yes...approximately 20 lbs.  Was it worth it?  Not hardly.

I'll blog about other spring events in another post.  It's been a busy/frustrating year thus far.  And it is going to be a sad one as well.

Monday, February 10, 2014

It's 1:20 a.m. here, and I have to take meds and go to bed.  Tomorrow - that is, later today - I will have scary vascular surgery...my left leg.  I've been in such pain with this leg for the past 9 months to a year, much more than ever before.  Sometimes to the point I can't do anything but take a pain reliever and go to bed.  SO, must be at the appointed place at the appointed time on this Monday to face what I've been told will be tough on me and can have complications.  Recovery, so the doc told me, will take a long time...several months.  Hopefully it will be lead to better days ahead.  To say I'm a little concerned, filled with dread for tomorrow, would be an understatement - truth is, I'm scared to death.  Tough part is, not a single solitary soul gives a damn.  K will try to care, but unfortunately he won't remember it's being done.  He'll just get angry that we are there for so long, his meds will wear off, and someone will have to deal with him.  And then he will expect me to take care of him.  This time I can't.  

Tried to clean house...I just couldn't.  Had to go to bed today.  Hope I can do better after surgery.  

SO, that's the bad stuff!  What's good that's been happening?  Certainly not finances!  Still have not heard anything from Social Security favoring our plight - instead got a bill for K's Medicare.  Sinice he has no income, he has no way to pay it.  So will call the SS office again sometime tomorrow or Tuesday to try to work that out.  

I went to Salado in January to the UDC Forum.  Roomed with friend Betty again.  She's such an inspiration.  She's shouldering a lot these days with family issues and life as well.  But keeps on keeping on.  I should have stayed home - just went because I needed to get away for a bit and because I wanted to learn what goes on at one of these.  I got put on a State UDC committee that is converting forms to on-line fillable format.  I've just been testing them; there's a younger lady who is doing the actual conversion.  Thus far she's not doing such a hot job.  We send her the corrections that need to be made, instead of working through those she does something else and sends them all back out to us, we have to re-test them and send the same damn issues back to her.  I long for disciplined version control as we always had at my former employer.  

What else?  I started going to the Needlework club and I'm trying to learn to knit.  Funny, tedious, not doing very well at it.  Thus far I've learned to cast on and learned how the knit stitch is made.  Executing what I've learned is something else.  After crocheting since I was in diapers, I'm finding knitting is kicking my butt!  Oh, well, maybe I'll learn anyway.  Won't hurt to try.  

Oh, yeah...I was appointed Chair of the nominating committee for our chapter of the UDC - that was back in November.  The committee and I have been working on it ever since...begging, pleading, doing whatever we can to get someone to take positions.  Thought we had it worked out but Recording Secretary nominee advised she can't fulfill the duties because her husband is doing so poorly now.  So, we started the begging and pleading by emails and phone calls and in person all over again.  As of midnight Feb. 4, we had no one.  I had been asked by several to take the position but I had not stepped up because I am fairly new.  At a meeting the night before our report was due to the full membership I allowed myself to be talked into it.  I read the report at the meeting and explained how we had hunted for someone to fill the positions.  I submitted the report and announced it will be read again at the March meeting before voting in April.  I could not believe it - a woman came to me immediately and wanted the job!  Why hadn't she responded to all the communication since November???  I would have gladly surrendered the job to her except for the fact that she is not able to perform the job.  The requirements of our organization are that members must be a descendant of a soldier either direct or collateral.  Intelligence is not a consideration for membership.  Oh my gosh, this is the one person none of us would have ever suspected would have come forward.  I don't think she understands what the office is or does, and based on previous dealings with her, several of us know she can't perform.  SO, what to do?  I've been told to read the report as filed at the March meeting, and that on the day of elections someone can be nominated from the floor and a contested election can be held.  I just do not want to do that!  Think I'll just be sick and stay home instead.  I didn't want the job in the first place and I sure don't want to deal with the politics of a contested election.  

Finally got the 2012 taxes figured out.  Got to get it ready for Ken to mail tomorrow.  Yippee - we are owed money.  I think we'll be owed even more for 2013.  

Guess that's it...love to all.  I miss being a part of life.  

  

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Door bell rang a bit ago -- I've been reading lots of horror stories of bad guys breaking in on old people and doing physical harm.  K was in bed already and no way was I going to the door.  K got up, dressed, then he and the dog went to check on who was out there.  Found no one.  We figure it was the neighbor because when K checked our garage door was open.  The neighbors around here are good at letting one another know if the garage door is left open.  At least the adrenalin got to flowing!

Let's see...I've built a Facebook page for the Six Flags Chapter (Texas), Daughters of the American Revolution.  I made myself and fellow chapter member and officer Diane admins on it.  I've sent out invites to all chapter members and we've been surprised at who all has actually visited and joined the site (must be member of DAR).  Diane and I have also sent invitations to a few of the national committee folks to come visit our site and join it.  We've been experimenting with it, learning about it, etc., and laughing because every time we do something those who accepted membership are out there checking out what we are doing even though we are "testing" it.  It's funny because most of the ladies are in their 80's but they are really "hip" as far as getting on the computers!  Sometimes before we have time to check something they've already hit the like button!

Since this is Diane's idea, and since Diane has been elected to be the next Regent of Six flags, we are trying to get this up and running for her term of office so that maybe, just maybe, we can get a dying chapter up and moving in a positive direction.  We've got some plans for some activities and some ideas that we hope will work to enliven the chapter.  YOUNG blood in the chapter will help!  At my age I'm one of the YOUNG people.

I haven't done much more to K's t-shirt quilt...I need a day when I can focus on it.  Doesn't look like that will be this week.  Friday is project day for Lockheed Blanketeers - I'm signed up to go but not sure I'm going to be able to.  I hate to miss - always have a nice time with the ladies.  BUT, thanks to Uncle Sam (SS), we are having to pull together documentation and go to the SS office to combat/appeal their decision to stop K's disability checks!  We didn't find out until today that they had decided to no longer pay him disability.  We called SS - they claim they sent letters but we did not respond.  We haven't seen any letters.  They claim he worked all year and earned way too much money.  He hasn't earned anything except for his little part-time work for the stadium, which amounts to hardly anything.

I went to endocrinologist yesterday - it was much like going to "medical confession."  I've been so bad for the past 3 months.  Got to get back on the right path.  Doc wanted me to go to HMR's  weightlosstx.com office and get started with them.  I called their office...let me see, that will be $25 to $55 per week for the doctor supervision plus food.  So I said, in other words, $500-$600 per month?  The lady said yes.  I said I can't do that, it's too expensive.  She said, "it takes the place of your regular groceries."  To which I responded that since my husband still has to eat it doesn't take the place of anything!  And we don't spend $700-$800 a month for groceries (doc plus food).  I spend approximately $250 - $300 per month for groceries.  Anyway, that's not a consideration on our budget.

Guess that's about it - nuttin' excitin' happening at our place.

Saturday, January 11, 2014...Nuttin' Happening

Already the 11th of January - time just keeps marching on.  What have I done since January 2...hmm, have to think about that one.

Last Saturday, even though Ken was sick as all get out, we cleaned out both cars and packed all the Christmas gifts for kids and grandkids in them and drove them to Mansfield.  We feel much better that the kids got their stuff.  Afterward we stopped at Olive Garden in Burleson for dinner.  Ken felt so bad he couldn't eat and I was fading fast.  We came home and went to bed!  Since then we've both been trying to get better.

Let's see, I made a rag quilt for our cleaning lady who is due any minute with her third child - another girl.  I started it over the weekend and got it finished on Tuesday because the cleaning team was due on Wednesday.  I think it turned out fairly cute.  I selected six different pink flannel prints and cut out blocks 8.5" square.  She wanted it nice and soft so I didn't use any batting between the front and back squares, simply turned them wrong sides together, quilted the "X" across each block, then sewed them together with raw edge.  this one is 7 blocks by 7 blocks, making it about 49 x 49 once the seams were done.  The baby's name will be Lesly Aylin but I did not put a label on this quilt for her...because I am going to make another one for her that is most likely going to be either 9 patch or disappearing 9 patch.  That one will bet a label.  Using the snippers on every seam on one of these is tiring, but I think I want to make a king size quilt for our bed.  Problem is, Bennie Joe stays on the bed all day so I don't put anything nice on it.

No idea why some of the blocks are showing up coral in these pictures - they are all the same light shade of pink.

What else?  Ken's been very sick so I haven't been able to move the furniture around or get the sewing room cleaned out/put together.  That will get done soon.  He has suggested once again that I take over the master bedroom as my large sewing room (has hardwood floors) and that we put our bed in the small bedroom.  I'm still thinking about that.  After all, we don't do anything but sleep in te bedroom and I could sure use the space.  The problem is, it would soon be just as messy as the current one and I would be out of space once again.  I think it's probably better if I stay with the smaller room and figure out how to store/place things in a more organized manner.

OK, so what else?  Ken was feeling a little better on Tuesday so he went to the Civil War Museum in full uniform and hung out with buddy Jack Dyess learning lots of information for the benefit of volunteering out there.  He came home with a side arm and sash to wear on his uniform.  He's quite excited about being a confederate character (lol).

Ken's family didn't arrive in this country until after the War Between the States so he has no loyalty to either side.  He's confederate via marriage to a Southern gal and my involvement in various lineage organizations.  He's an auxilliary member of the Wm. H. Griffith #2235 Camp of the Sons of Confederate Veterans; auxilliary because he can't trace his lines back to the period.  His uniform is that of a Sargeant in the Artillary - the uniform was custom made for him by Fall Creek Suttlery out of Whitestown, Indiana.  He got it as one of his Christmas gifts.  The Confederate uniform was grey jacket, sky blue pants, grey kappa (cap).  All out of wool and HOT.  The jacket is lined...otherwise he would itch badly.  The side arm he is holding in the picture is not "real" so he says...but certainly looks it!  It has no chamber for bullets.  It, the holster, and the red sash, along with the knife were loaned to him by Jack.  I think he can purchase his own at the museum.

I was supposed to go to the Woman's Shakespeare Club on Wednesday, and intended to do that. Cleaning ladies came and I had plenty of time to get ready after they left...but I wasn't feeling well. Instead of going to Shakespeare I went back to bed for most of the rest of the day.  I think it was what I needed to do because I felt better Thursday morning although still weak.  I managed to attend the meeting of the Six Flags Chapter of the DAR.  I am transferring from the MIK chapter of DAR to Six Flags because it is a smaller chapter and there is much more potential for getting involved.  I've already been asked to build a Facebook page as well to take over development of a web page.  Shouldn't be difficult.  And I've already started making suggestions.  Six Flags is an ageing/dying chapter, and if something is not done it is going to become a "has been" chapter.  It needs members and it also needs some activities to enliven it.

After the meeting Thursday I met up with Ken and a couple of his friends and another wife for lunch at WS Cafe.  As long as I've lived here that was the first time I've been there.  It was ok, nothing to write home about.  Typical "greasy spoon" cafe with the exception that it is fairly large!  Afterward, in separate cars, Ken and I drove out to Benbrook to the antique mall and spent about an hour piddling before heading home.  It was a horribly soupy, messy, foggy day; and I got lost in the fog on the way home!  Missed a turn and then had no idea where I was.  I sent a text to Ken and confessed I was lost and told him to lead us home.  Turns out we weren't that far away from the house, I just couldn't see in the fog.

I've had a t-shirt quilt for K in the works for a couple of years.  I did the large blocks, making them all the same width, but they are all different heights.  K has been griping because I haven't finished the thing so I decided to work on it.  I haven't worked on it because I haven't been quite sure how to handle it.  The shirt blocks are all backed with stabilizer and all have different size sashings on them so that the blocks come out to the same size width wise.  I just wasn't sure what to do to set them together.  SO, we laid them all out on the king size bed (I no longer work in the floor!), and I used 72 inches in length as my "goal" length.  We spread the columns of blocks out so that horizontal seams will be offset from column to column and then I measured between each block and cut fabric strips to fill in.  I don't yet have a picture of it like this, so the picture here is just of the blocks before I started messing with in-between strips.  Thus far it looks ok.  I hope to get back to working on it on Monday.  I'm adding things as I go along...such as some of the smaller things that were on t-shirt sleeves, or some special things such as an American flag, a Texas flag, Ranger Baseball emblem, etc.

Today daughter B and grandkids came by to pick up wheel chair to loan to long-time friend from school who managed to bust up her ankle and has had two surgeries thus far.  She's going to be incapacitated for a couple of months.  Barely got the chair in the back of B's new Ford Escape SUV - used to her driving the mommy van but she no longer has it or needs it since kids are older.  Pretty car - glad for her.  She deserves to drive a decent car.

K and I went to lunch at "neighborhood" cafe and then walked through the little antique place next door.  I have such a hard time walking - just makes me so angry.  I used to walk for miles walking my dog and now I'm lucky if I can get down the aisle at a grocery store without having to sit down because of pain in the legs and hips.  I don't understand what happened to me!

We were planning to go to the big antique mall in town so came home, plugged in scooter battery intending to rest about 45 minutes before leaving.  The battery got plugged in alright but our entire household (K and me plus all the fur babies) went to bed and skipped the outing.  I woke up about 6:30 p.m.  We were thinking about going out to eat but K was dealing with the sensor on his insulin pump so we stayed home and had "every man for himself" night.  And now I'm starving!

That's about it.  Life is good, I think.  We will start preparing for next weekend.  Friday will be Blanketeer project day for me all day, Saturday we will be up and downtown early to ride in the parade, and then Sunday we have a SCV memorial ceremony at the camp's adopted cemetery. Hope it's a nice day for all of that!  But for now, it's time to start searching for FOOD.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Appointment with Dr. Broker, Vascular Specialist early this morning.  First time I've met him and his staff although they are members of my transplant team.  First time I've needed to see him.  VERY good looking, and appears to be all of 12 years old!  I was so stunned when he came in the examination door that it came right out of my mouth - "Oh, my gosh!  You're so young!"  He laughed, said he had actually shaved this morning...otherwise his grey would showing.  Anyway, thankfully I didn't have to fill out a bunch of paperwork because it's all in the computer same as Dr. Lander the heart doc and the hospital.  Nice to work with a team.

Really sweet tech put me through the paces today, including a deep sonogram of the veins in the left leg.  Sure enough there is damage and the valves don't work.  And yes, it is a vascular lesion on my leg which could worsen and become an ulcer which might never heal causing loss of leg, blah, blah, blah.  The doc also ordered a sonogram of the right leg and there is damage there, too, but not yet as bad as the left.  So, we start with the left.  This will require surgery, but now days it is done via laser and not by the barbaric means of hospitalization, putting the patient under heavy anesthesia, cutting out and stripping the veins.  With laser it is still surgery, but under local, takes about an hour, is done in the doc's office, but must have driver with the patient.  There will be no prolonged sitting or long car trips for at least two weeks after surgery due to possibility of blood clots.  He promises there will be pain (how will I know the difference) but should subside in about a week (they all promise that!).  And, it will take several months for healing.  But eventually the lesion/ulcerated leg should heal.  There will be walking involved...no idea how I'm going to do that but I am.  Doesn't have to be fast, and can certainly use the walker.  Can't wait to get this done; over with.

Afterward had my visit with my counselor and discussed various things including whether or not I'm jealous of my ex or anyone, and whether or not I'm manipulative.  Some self examination.  No, I'm not jealous.  I wanted OUT of that situation, so not jealous.  Counselor doesn't think so, either.  However, I confessed to having hurt feelings and feelings of being disrespected because I want to have time with my children and grandchildren.  Counselor says that I need to own those feelings, that they are my feelings...that it is ok for me to have feelings and that I should not be guilty because I have feelings.  I'm not making any sense trying to write this down, but I understood at the time.

Manipulative...still can't see that one, and we talked about it a lot.  Haven't been around anyone or spoken to anyone in a long time to be manipulative.  I need more feedback for us to discuss that one.

We talked a lot about relationships...that a relationship, at least a good one, cannot be one directional and be a true relationship.  That the "rules" and "demands" of the relationship cannot be made by one side, that consideration of the needs of both sides have to be involved.  And learned that my needs are viable just as everyone's needs are.  Wow!  I need to replay that one over and over again in my head 'til I get it through my noggin.

Also had discussion that just because the relationship is not good doesn't mean I am a bad person (which is the dialogue I tend to play repeatedly in my brain).  It also means that the other party to the relationship has issues they need to resolve.  What a concept!

As usual, there were no miracles that occurred, just some good things to contemplate, some great points I need to work on for improving thoughts of my own self worth, which has been zilch for a long time.  And some things I need to watch out for to "protect" myself.

Other than that...I stopped at Joann's to get supplies for the rag quilt I need to make for the lady who does our house cleaning.  I need to get it completed by next Wednesday.  Her baby is due any moment.  I picked out 6 different pink flannels and bought a yard of each.  I'm planning to use 8" squares to make it about 48x48, flannel both sides, no batting in between.  She asked me to make it so that it is really, really soft.  So it will be with flannel.  I should, hopefully, be able to get it completed over the weekend if I don't come down with the crud K has.

Speaking of the crud, K is definitely down!  Oh, my.  He was sick all night long, wasn't able to go to the mission this morning (and he just hates that!), wasn't able to go to the Civil War Museum this afternoon, has been taking meds all day, and is currently asleep and snoring (I can hear him from here).  I was hoping he would be able to help me with packing the two cars with the Christmas gifts for the kiddos so we could get them delivered, but that's just not going to happen today.  He's supposed to work at the stadium tomorrow, but I don't see that going to happen either.
Guess I can't move furniture out of my sewing room today either...can't do it by myself.  I'm wanting to move everything out of this room, including the huge desk, so that I can do a deep cleaning.  Then I'm not going to put all of this back in here, but am instead going to do some different things to make the room work better for cutting/sewing/quilting and storing fabrics and supplies.

That's it...I'm tired...one of K's business contacts is supposed to stop by in a bit...need to wake him up.  Other than that, going to get the leg elevated and may close the eyes very early.

Happy ending to Thursday?

January 1, 2014 - New Year's Day

Happy New Year!

Stayed home for NY's Eve --DH doesn't like to go out because of the drunks and stupid heads.  He went to bed but not to sleep.  I stayed up, doing some cleaning & piddling.  The pop, pop, pop of either gunshots or firecrakers rang out about midight and Luci was scared.  She was barking her head off in the middle of the king size bed, trying to make Daddy get up to go stop whatever was happening.  We stay away from the doors/windows in our house during this time.  It is not unusual for bullets to be flying in our neighborhood.  We toasted the New Year with caffeine-free diet coke.
Today we slept in (LOVE being able to do that), then had a morning of doing a few things and enjoying our time.  This afternoon we went to a NY's blackeyed pea party hosted by friends Joan and Bill and saw a bunch of our friends we haven't seen in a while.  Friends, food, a little good wine.  We left before totally dark because if we leave after dark we have to drive by Braille - DH can't see at night but doc still says its not time to remove cataracts.  And I have a tendency to go to sleep in the car.  So we need to get home before totally dark.

DH will be working at the mission tomorrow morning, then will meet up with our buddy Jack at the Civil War Museum where he will spend the afternoon learning various things about volunteering out there.  It will be great for him.  It will be the first time he wears his uniform.  He had tried on the jacket Christmas Day, as well as the shirt.  But tonight he finally tried on the pants.  These come up on the belly, not below the belly.  The pants were made according to the waste size and without consideration of his skinny legs!  Two people could get into the legs of these pants and the butt.  And they had not been hemmed.  I contacted my friend Maggie in Mississippi who makes period clothing to get "hurry up" advice about what to do.  She says they are supposed to be baggy, not fit like modern clothing.  Also told me to turn the pants up and run a fast whip stitch instead of cutting them off since they haven't been cleaned yet (will probably shrink a bit).  I spent about an hour turning them up and hand stitching them...they don't look the greatest but will do for tomorrow and then we'll get a tailor to hem them.  He's just going to have to wear big baggy pants.

Oh, well, need to go to bed...it's 2:15 a.m. on the 2nd!  I have a doc apptmt (vascular doc) at 9 a.m.  Hopefully going to find out if there is anything that can be done about my left leg.  Veins have collapsed, won't pump the fluids back up, is extremely painful and huge with edema.

Enuf for now...need sleep.