The Boots My Father Wore

At a place called Grace Assisted Living, in Meridian, Idaho, in the tiny apt. my Father and Mother have lived for the past 8 1/2 months. There sits my Father's boots, the two pair he brought from home when he came here to live. He would alternate the days he wore them. At 98 years of age, his shoulders and arms did not work as they once had.  Some days he struggled to pull those boots on, and many evenings my Mother helped him to remove them. Along with his Levis, his western shirt and vest, and most often his cowboy hat, he made a fine and dapper looking gentleman.  Lately his boots have sat there together, under the t.v stand where he would sit and watch his western movies and while away the hours.

On Sunday January 5th, while getting himself dressed, he suffered a fall and was taken by ambulance to the hospital.  It was determined that he had fractured his pelvis in 3 places.  From that point on, he was bedridden.  He spent two nights in the hospital and on Tuesday January 7th was transported back to his place at Grace.  He was already in Hospice care due to another hospitalization over Thanksgiving. From the moment he came back to Grace, there was a steady stream of relatives along with the hospice people. The hospice staff were all wonderful to him and to us.  Hubby and I were there, we had spent the previous 3 1/2 weeks in Idaho so we had spent a lot of time with him. Because of work commitments, we had to come back to Texas, so, reluctantly, we left on the 11th. From the time he came back to Grace he alternated between being clear and coherent to being agitated and incoherent. When he was doing well, he always had a kind word or a joke for the hospice staff, the aides and staff at Grace and anyone who came by to see him.  Yesterday on Sunday the 19th, he passed peacefully, in the presence of my Mom, my Sister, my Aunt(his sister) and my Cousin(his niece).  My Father, Bernard(Barney) Stephen Conner, was 17 days from reaching his 99th birthday.

When I left him on the 10th, I was pretty certain it would be the last time I would see him in this life. I wrote these words when I got back home to Texas.

Your voice so soft

I cannot hear

I must lean in

Close to your ear

So much unspoken, but the time is near

All I can do is say...

Thank You

I Love You

and then

Goodbye

Oh no, this is not my black bag

You know those signs at the airport near baggage claim..something to the effect that "a Lot of bags are similar or look alike"  Yeah, those signs.  Lately when we travel, we take 4 large bags.  Each one is the largest bag from whatever "sets" of luggage we have had.  So they are all different colors, and pretty recognizable.  A couple of them are pretty beat up. But I shudder to think of buying new ones again.  The last one I bought got ruined by the airlines the very first time I used it. I say ruined, it was stained with oil and grease, but still usable. So instead of buying another new one I just keep using it.  Well anyhow, I have made custom tags for all our bags, so they are very recognizable coming off the turnstyle.  We have never had a mix-up so far.  A couple of times Hubby has seen his black bag grabbed by someone else, but always caught it.  This time, we got our 4 bags and trudged down to where the airport shuttle picks folks up.  When we got on the shuttle there was one other person who got on with us.  The driver dropped us off first.  It was dark and we were tired.  Some times we just open up the one that has our toiletries in it and wait to unpack the next morning.  Well, Hubby decided to haul them all upstairs anyhow.  He was groaning about how heavy the black one felt, he did not recall it being so before.  Well, pretty soon he hollered down the stairs for me to come up.  He had opened the bag and it most def. was not ours.  He ran downstairs and called the shuttle company, and they got in touch with the driver, who came back to exchange the bags.  He had gotten about 20 miles away, but had not delivered the other passenger yet.  That was really close. The driver apologized about getting them mixed up.  I told Hubby, before we use that black bag again I am going to spray paint a design on it so it REALLY stands out.

Speaking of luggage, I bought 3 pieces of matching Chaps, the black and brown with stirrup design,  last year because I thought I might like some "matching" for a change.  The very first trip, the large one came off the turnstyle with one roller wheel completely broken off. The rest of it looked fine, but it was totally unusable with only 3 wheels.  Sometimes I feel like packing my clothes in a cardboard box with a rope tied around it!

Yes, I have probably spent enough over the past ten years on luggage to have bought a set of industrial aluminum.  However, the sets I have bought have always been good brands, and "on sale", but never really cheap. I guess I should start using the really old hardside Samsonite one that went with my Mom's set.  But I don't think it ever went on an airplane, so consequently, still looks like new.

Snow Day in Idaho

Hubby and I flew to Idaho last week to spend the holidays with family. There was snow on the ground when we got here, and a few days later we got a few inches more.  It snowed most of the night and we had almost 3 inches of fresh snow by morning.  Beautiful to look at from inside, but then there is that task of clearing the driveway and walkways.  Not to mention driving in snow, which we have not done in quite a few years.  Everything has worked out fine so far.

 

The view of the back yard at my Idaho house. I love the look of the snow on the bare branch trees. This tree is a Crabapple, and in the far background there are several tall pines next to the fence.

BRRR! It's winter in Texas

Well, it's winter everywhere isn't it?  Most places I have lived though, there are 4 seasons and winter comes on gradually.  Here in Texas, we are wearing shorts one day and our parkas the next.  Last week we had two days of 80..then overnight, "The Big Arctic Freeze" blew down and we had a freeze.  It did not get above 30 for 4 days in a row.  Most cities in Texas are not equipped to deal with ice and snow because we don't get it on a regular basis.  Plus we have all these high in the sky overpasses and bridges that freeze over.  Makes life interesting. Our little fountain on the porch did not get drained yet, so it has had a bit of ice on it the past few days.  I like the way it looks.

The colors have finally changed here though and it looks real pretty.  I don't have an oak tree in my front yard.  I have a live oak in the back and it doesn't shed it's leaves in the fall, only in spring when new growth occurs. But my neighbors on both sides have oak trees and so I have the benefit of tons of leaves.  I find it amusing that the guy on the left rakes most of the leaves from my yard, he says it's the least he can do, since they came from his tree.  Matters to me not a whit, we eventually rake or vacuum them up when they all fall.  The guy on the right rakes right to the property line, so I always just hope that the ones on my side blow back into his yard..HaHa  He also rakes every few days, then the next day the yard is full again. He's also the guy who mows his yard 3 times a week, while the rest of us do it once a week.   Both my neighbors are great, its just funny to me, the differences in people..

 

 Oak tree to the right

 

Oak tree to the left

 

Leaves in my yard

Leaves for crafting

 

 

The three day recovery that took a week and a half

The weeks kept slipping by and I had been putting off a dental procedure that I really needed to have done.  I had a failed root canal that had been giving me fits for awhile.  I had lost confidence in my regular dentist and was trying to find a new one.  After visiting a dentist that was rated REALLY high on Angie's List, and having a dismal experience, I was beside myself with what to do.  Sought advise from my periodontist, the one who had done my implants a number of years ago. He gave me a few recommendations, but in the meantime referred me to an endodontist to see what could be done about the tooth that was problematic.  That experience was a nightmare...very creepy fellow to begin with, with a lot of weird things happening during the exam, and him telling me when I asked for an explanation of the procedure called apicoectomy...  to "google it".   So after two really horrid dental experiences, I was beginning to question my sanity, and thinking perhaps I just needed to lower my expectations...and that maybe my previous dentist had not been so bad after all, in comparison.  Reported to the periodontist that I would not be having the procedure done there, and that he might want to rethink his recommendation of that office...  He apologized profusely and told me we would work on finding a better fit.  He did send me to a regular dentist who it turns out I really like and like everyone on his staff.  They sent me to a newer endodontist who I felt a lot more comfortable with.  So that hurdle is over.  Now to find time to have this procedure done, what with all the festivals, my full calendar, the holidays looming, etc.   Told them I wanted and needed to be fully recovered in time for the Formula 1 Races. It was also the week-end of mine and hubby's 40th anniversary.   Oh, no problem, it was a 2 hour surgery, and intensive, but I would be fully recovered in two days.  So, I had the procedure on the 12th, pretty much slept for a couple of days, confident that I'd be fine on Friday.  Well, Friday comes and not only am I still so swollen my face is distorted, I am totally bruised from my eye, to my chin.  I looked like I walked into a door. I had followed all the instructions to the letter, but was feeling weak and nauseous from all the meds.  Antibiotics, pain killers. anti-inflamatories.  So on Friday I stayed home and hubby went to the events.   Keep in mind we had our tickets since last year and it seemed kind of special, being it was our Anniversary.  So on Saturday, I did my best to cover my bruised face with make-up, took all my medications and headed off to the races.  I was so miserable that I only lasted about half a day, then we came home and I went to bed.  I was realizing by then that I "might" be having an allergic reaction to the antibiotic I had already been taking for a week.  I was breaking out in a rash all over my neck and chest.  Well, Sunday I coated myself with cortisone cream and off we went again.  No way was I missing the final day of the races.  I really took it easy and spent most of my time under the awning out of the sun, until the actual time of the race...a couple of hours. So there I was, bundled up in a scarf to cover my rash and a big floppy hat to cover my face, in the blaring sun.  Then back home and to bed again, first calling and leaving a message at the Dentist for them to have on Monday morn.  I had discontinued the antibiotics when I first realized that might be adding to the problem.  After taking some Benadryl I had gotten some relief, and when they called me on Monday morning that is what they told me to do anyhow.  So I made it through Monday and spoke to them again on Tuesday.  The rash was subsiding a little bit, but the pain in my face and tooth area was not.  I went in yesterday and they removed the stitches and the Dentist was shocked to see the state of my face.  He said he had never had a patient have that kind of bruising and this was totally unexpected.  I said NEVER? and he replied that I was ONE in about two hundred people he had performed that procedure on and it had never happened.  So aren't I the lucky one?  Oh yes.  I am still feeling poorly, but it is getting better day by day.  Anyhow, I hope this will be the end of my dental woes for awhile.  It really kind of ruined our anniversary, but it will certainly be one to remember.

A nice man who was seated next to us, took our photo to commemorate the occasion.  I don't think I look too bad considering what I was going through, but still... Oh and the fact that most of my face is in the shade. Ha Ha.  Maybe you can see the bruising and swelling . Our 40th anniversary photo.

The Festivals of October

I cannot believe I am so far behind in posting about all the fall festivals.  But just going to them all has kept me so busy that I believe I may be suffering from what might be called Festival Fatigue.  The entire month of October, every week-end was spent attending some kind of event. I had started this story several times, but today just deleted it all.  I'll post some photos of a few of the places we went. 
 First of the month, local Museum Day, when all the museums have free entry.  We made it to a couple of locations then went to Mexic-Arte for a sculpture demo and make and take. Fun, but challenging, lots of laughs from those who had not worked with this clay before. Some of us had experience as children with clay, but not a lot as adults. The guest artist Angelica Vasquez was so interesting and helpful to everyone.  She actually made the tiny flowers on my hat, so I just used them instead of continuing my efforts to make my own!

 Mine, the lady in green(forgot her name) and Hubs on the end.

The following Saturday, we went to another make and take, a carving demo. Once again, I had not done any carving in so long, I was at a loss.  Hubby jumped right in and did the Heart, and I struggled with a fish.  The young boy across from me did the shark and we traded a print. The main reason I am posting these photos, both of the carving and the clay is this...  When you don't do something for a long time, you forget how. At least that seems to apply to me, as I have gotten older.  When you continue to do it on a regular basis, you get better at it and can see progress.  So my juvenile attempts were pretty humbling, but gave me the challenge I need to try to improve in both of these mediums.    

 
Dia de los Muertos came the next week-end.  The Mexic-Arte festival used to be held at the end of the month, closer to the actual date ( Nov1 and 2nd) but they have moved it up the past couple of years because of conflicts with so many other festivals.  This is the first and traditional one, read about it here.  MexicArte-fest  This holiday has become very Anglo-cized over the years.

  

 

 

One hundred Catrinas were stenciled on the outside wall, in honor of the 100th anniversary of JoseGuadalupe Posada, the artist who created the original la catrina blockprint.  We had one done in memoriam for Hubs Mother, who passed two years ago.

 

We have also gone to a couple of music events, the Texas Book Festival, a football game, a convention for work, another art festival.  I must say I am worn out from all the activity.  I am getting too old for this constant running around. I know you are thinking, well then just stay home!  Ha Ha.  There are so many tempting things to go to, that it is difficult to resist.  November has begun with a bang as well, and the month is filled with things that have nothing to do with the Holidays.  I am planning some serious sleeping and relaxing at home over Thanksgiving.

Buckets of Rain

We've had a lot of rain this past week-end.  I haven't read all the numbers in inches, but the reports have been anywhere from 6" to parts of town that got over 12".  We had around 8 inches in my part of town.  It started Saturday night and I heard it off and on all night, with thunder and the skies lit up with lightning.  Hubby was scheduled to work at the golf course on Sunday morning.  He was there a couple of hours taking photos then came home. Needless to say, the golf course had to close.  It rained all day, again last night and some today.  The last day of the Austin City Limits music festival had to be cancelled yesterday.  A lot of the concession tents collapsed and the roads into the festival area were flooded.
The golf course is about 5 miles from our house.  A couple of streets in our neighborhood are underwater as well.

                                                                Hole #1

                                                                          
                                                              Hole #1 Green        

                                                               Hole # 10

 

7th hole fairway

                                                                  
                                                                       16th hole

 
                                                           Pump house

 

construction area

 

 

Hubby took tons of photos, everyplace on the golf course was flooded.  Also a video,of the rushing water, I can't figure out how to upload it. We need the rain, because of the drought, and it raised the lake levels.  But the flooding is very inconvenient and causes a lot of damage.  The golf course has an obstacle course that runs around it's perimeter, and it is used for police and some military training. It had just had a great deal of work done on it the past two weeks, getting ready for some big events.  That is entirely ruined and will have to be started over.
Our 5 day forecast is for more rain.