What a long time

it's been since I posted. Going backwards, I drove to Denton and spent a fun day with MB at a regional DOK meeting. I have become a daughter at large. Then drove home for a stewardship dinner here. Son Don came to visit for a couple of days and we really enjoyed having him. It just happened that he got a real taste of our world. The first night, we met Nancy and kids for dinner, then church and our Bible study, which he seemed to enjoy. The next night happened to be the monthly birthday dinner for our senior citizen community. He got his fill of looking at the bent and lame and white haired, but the food is always good. Sadly, our entertainment was a local church bringing their bell choir to us. I'm sure it was good and I could hear most of it, but a great many of our residents are pretty hard of hearing and so tried to talk through it, which enraged those who could actually hear. Not pretty.
We've been to various doctors. Dad had a steroid shot in his hip and says it is minimally better. I had two and I feel the same way. Steroids used to cure me, but at least it helps. My eye is healing slowly but I still need readers. I think I maybe also read too much. I've quit posting all the books I read - from now on, only the best of the best make it.
Now, Susan and Adam are with Scooter, visiting the ranch. I know Adam was really disappointed to miss the family reunion out there a while back. Then they are to come in and visit us, have dinner with the Scotts, and again sleep out there. Back here tomorrow for a visit before they have to go back to Midland and another plane trip. We are really anxious to see them and are so pleased they added us to their itinerary.
Don left a set of clubs here, which will make it easier for him to drop in for a day or so on his travels, for a game with Dad. They really enjoyed playing when he was here. So Adam can use those if he is interested in a game. Otherwise, there is the Chicken Art Farm tomorrow, and really good art museum and Fort Concho. This is an interesting small city - made up of many very community minded folks, so the whole town turns out for most happenings. And there are always happenings.
I am still praying about the seminary. So far, no answer, except that sometimes no answer means "no". So, no decision right now. I am writing personal interviews with our communicants for the monthly bulletin, and while I am pretty much a last minute person, I somehow manage to get them all in in time. This last one is a high school senior who is headed for medical school. All in all, an amazing girl and I loved getting to visit with her.

Tuesday

We looked very carefully at all the pictures shown of the Manhattan marathon. Granddaughter Susan and her DH were both running, but we didn't spot them. Granted, they showed very little of the race except for the winners. Dean, Barbara and Katie were there to cheer them on.

My tree is turning. I am not sure whether it will be brownish red or really red this year. We seem to perpetually be in a season of drought and this takes the real red out of the leaves. Maybe when more turn, I can spot some really red ones. I hope.

I saw the doctor today and he changed the anti cholesterol meds yet again. They are causing the severe muscle cramps and the mood changes. These people just insist I have to have a level of 75 or less and I can't seem to break 100. Considering that, untreated, my level is about 350, 105 sounds pretty good to me. Not so, I guess.

Dad has been having lots of back pain. He thought it was kidneys so went to the nephrologist who x-rayed and did other tests and he can't find a thing. At least we know what it isn't.

Don will be here next week for a couple of days and he and Dad will golf. No surprises there. It seems that the Continental flight out here has bitten the dust also, so Don is flying into Midland. It seems to me that even a couple of flights a week iinto San Angelo would be better than none.

I'm leaving for Denton on Friday where MB and I will attend a regional DOK conference on Saturday. Driving home again on Sunday morning as Dad and I are part of the hosts for the every member canvass dinner on Sunday night and I have a dessert to make. I stopped by the library again today and picked up some extra book CD's for the trip.

I learned today that fingernails and toenails grow more rapidly in November than in any other month. Do you believe that? I have a book that says so.

Actually,

daughter Sarah tells me that she does her baked potatoes in the microwave with damp paper towels wrapped around them. This way, armadillo potatoes could be nuked. I seldom bake in the real oven until really cold weather. By the same token, the automatic oven cleaner (for which I give thanks) is only run in the winter. For some reason I used to feel strongly that I had to clean the oven every time my mother came to see me. I think the reason was that I'm sure she checked to be sure I'd done it. ahhhhh-guilt.....

No Halloween party tonight. Or last night. Symphony tonight and looking forward to it!. I do wish for cold weather.

No red on the Texas oak as yet....

By popular request

of one ----- herewith is the recipe for armadillo baked potatoes. The only different thing you do is to preslice the potato first. I had thought half inch slices, but they are really more like 1/4 inch., Go most of the way through, oil the potato, wrap in foil and bake. It pleases the little boys to think that the baked potato resembles an armadillo (and it sorta does). It is really easier to get to and eat. Try it - you'll like it. The youngsters who were 'slicers' proudly informed me of their job and I complimented them effusively. They are lovely children. I am really proud ot the work Nancy and Scooter do with these young boys. Their lives will be better for it and so will the world.

Another thing to share is something I read ---

The Woodcarver, by Chuang Tzu

"I am only a workman./
I have no secret. There is only this:/
When I begin to think about the work you commanded,/
I guarded my spirit, did not expend it/
On trifles that were not to the point."

I voted!

I really did it! I had my mail-in ballot (not lost) and marked the ballot and caught the mail lady as she careened by. Dad voted this morning also. He is crowing because he has a sticker and I don't. I assured him it would soon fall off.

I have been so depressed since I took the 'deacon' possibility off the table, that I have put it back on. I know some of you think it is too much for me, considering age and physical condition. It may be, and I may not do it, but I am at least back to considering it. The next thing is to visit my deacon neighbor and see his books and course of study. I will also consult the internist and cardiologist about the advisability of starting this. And I may stop there, but I just don't know. I will tell you what I decide when I do.

Now, I have to study my E-100 lesson for tonight. It won't do to have the facilitator unprepared, will it?

So far,

the meditating tree has not a hint of red on it. And we had a mild freeze last night - or so 'they' said.

I have been reading, in my alumni journal, about a ceative writing professor from FSU who has written a series of children's books. She also recommends other writers for kids. We bought several for Christmas for the children. I figure if we buy them, I get to read them first. Dad could read them, too, but he'd hate it, so I make him listen while I tell him about them. I'll put an asterisk (*) by these books as I add them to the list. Right now I am reading The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt. The lead character, Holling, is the only child in the school who is not Catholic or Jewish. The Catholics and Jews have Wednesday afternoons for religious education and school is let out for them. Unfortunately for Holling, he is protestant, and they don't have special programs, (oops for us!) so he is left in school alone with his teacher. Fortunately for him, his teacher decides he needs to read and understand Shakespeare. I love it. H learns all sorts of wonderful things to say in Shakespearean English, so nobody knows what he is talking about. Such an opportunity! And the plot thickens-----

You folks who are pre-teens at heart, check these out.

This chilly evening,

we went to Mertzon to a Cub Scout program and dinner. I learned to make armadillo baked potatoes. Yum!! The lady who did some of the cooking also played the violin for us. The program mainly was how to dispose properly of torn, ragged, and otherwise used up flags. The children took turns telling us how to do this, and we must have watched them burn at least a dozen flags saluting all the while. The flags were both American and Texas. Then we said the pledge to America and to Texas. How many of you know the Texas pledge? It was a bit thin. Dad got so cold he had to go sit in the car, but I was pretty warm. This was held outside on the banks of Spring Creek, which is truly beautiful - it flows eventually into Twin Peaks reservoir so is part of our water supply. We really enjoyed the evening.

Tomorrow I'm having blood tests, including one for anemia. What on earth would the doctors our here do without visits from us all the time? Then, tomorrow night, more Building Bridges (for the children and adults who are trying to deal with death in their families. It is both hard and rewarding to watch kids and grownups work their way through their grief and begin to come out on the other side.