summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Thursday, July 21, 2011

hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk

Rosie and I took our walk this morning, and it was HOT!!! There is a slight breeze, and the part where the road winds through the woods was lovely, but the sunny part - ouch.

It is already 87 degrees out.

It might reach 100 today here, with high humidity.

We put our two window air conditioners in last night, and turned them on this morning. We hung the curtain across the hall, so now the kitchen and living room are cooling off.

We shall stay home today. Mostly. I still have to take that little trip to the post office. oops. I was leaving yesterday when Kathryn told me about her ear, so I delayed my departure to coincide with her appointment, and oops, the post office was closed for lunch hour. Yes, a small town. Then on the way home, oops, it was closed for the day. So...after all the nice things I did yesterday, the first thing Paul asked when he got home was if I went to the post office...nope.

I can't stop thinking about the old man in Walmart yesterday. He was waiting for his prescription, and was told it would be another five minutes. He was old and hunched over, and confused. He said he needed to sit down. His wife was already sitting on the bench some fifteen feet away. I can't even write this without crying, but he peed his pants. His jeans were soaked through, and it smelled bad. As he turned and looked at his wife, she scanned around to see if everyone saw, and I averted my eyes. She was all made up and so dignified, and he looked so helpless. It totally broke my heart. He hobbled over to the bench with his cane and sat with her, and I stood there with my eyes brimming, wondering what I could do for them. I decided that pretending I hadn't noticed was good. But last night I tossed and turned for hours, and concluded that I should have gone and gotten him one of the store wheelchairs, so he could leave in dignity. I prayed that God would help me to think more clearly next time...

God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So getting old is a nice last chance to embrace humility, I think.

Kathryn is lying on the living room floor on a comforter, dozing. She was awake at 4:30 am when I thought I heard a noise. She was watching, "Good Morning America". Her ear hurt. I told her to take more ibuprofen, and she could keep watching it if she wanted. She is tired today, and so am I. Nothing like crying for an old man I don't even know to keep me awake all night.

I wouldn't be a good nurse. It would take too much for me to distance myself from the patients.

Benjamin is hearing conflicting reports about when they are going to Afghanistan. the U.S.Army seems really good at that. He is not in any hurry, and neither am I. Perhaps he will not have to go at all, that would be nice.

Tonight I have to go to the airport around midnight to pick up Mr. Aaron, World Traveler. It will be so nice to see my chocolate bar, I mean, my son.

Blah, I should not even eat one bite of chocolate, Norwegian or not. My weight is just staying staying staying the same again, and I need to step up the exercise and trim the tastes down. Exercise in this heat is not happening, besides in the pool, which may tone up, but does not lead to weight loss for me somehow. blah. I have to mind to do this things, but to have it really happen is sooo slow. I am done with being so heavy, finished! I wish I could fast-forward to being thin. But as with all things, it's the climb. No, that is a Miley Cyrus song. I hate the climb. I just want the results. Oh well, too bad for me, 'cause there is no way around it. I would rather lose weight than eat good food, now I need to persevere.

Well...I had better get to that post office.

1 comment:

Martha said...

I am thinking of Jerry who is 96 and lives in Fort Erie in a hot, stuffy house. It was already hot inside on Sunday. I can't imagine how it will be this afternoon. :(

My mother can be grateful she has someone to help her find some relief from the heat.