Sick of Being Sick

OK. I will give it one more day and THEN THAT IS IT! I'm officially sick of being sick. I really didn't want to go on antibiotics but I've coughed so much I've pulled a muscle in my back. I am being treated for bronchitis and a sinus infection...possibly pneumonia but I deferred the chest x-ray unless I get worse. I doubt that will be necessary because, as I said, I'm just about to get well.

Seriously, I am talking about being sick of being sick, but I do know that this is a short-term illness and I realize there are many out there who deal with more difficult health challenges on a daily basis. Please don't take my whining too seriously.





Just before I went in for my appointment my friend, Nicole, dropped by with a sweet little bag of things to make me better. She brought chicken noodle soup, essential oils appropriate for my illness, mints and a pattern for crocheting. Thanks, Nicole! You are so thoughtful!











That last one particularly shows you that she knows what I like, huh? I'm so grateful for her friendship. I really have a lot of kind friends and I know what a blessing that is!







I don't yet know much about the essential oils but I'm learning. I know that some of the medications I used to give as chemotherapy came from tree bark and such, so it seems reasonable to me to experiment with these a bit. Nicole taught me how to use the ones she brought to me and I've got a good book on the use of them, including references to some of the efficacy studies. It's kind of fun to be learning about some of these ancient remedies. I've got my diffusers going and the house smells great! Have any of you used essential oils?

Still In Isolation

Thank you for all the get well wishes! It was especially nice to read so many kind comments.

Yes, I am still sick. I am still avoiding my husband. Last night we texted each other across the hall a lot. We talked on the phone a bit but it made me feel like I had to cough so that didn't last too long. The good news is, so far he has not shown signs of illness.

Anyway, the glamour of being sick just isn't there anymore. I'm not finding the whole yucky tissue/coughing until my sides hurt/fever/short of breath/pounding sinus headache thing to be that much fun anymore. I'm funny that way.

It sure seems like a lot of people have been sick and it seems to hang around longer than usual. Have any of you been sick recently?

Avoiding My Husband

I am avoiding my husband.

As I write this I am in the guest bedroom. Nope. We are not having a spat. I am sick. Not to worry; it is just the usual kind of stuff that gets passed around.

I'm coughing and sputtering and don't have much of a voice but it will soon be a memory. It's not a big deal, except that this is Holy Week.

You see, because my husband is a pastor this is a very busy week for him. He has 4 services in the next 6 days, including a funeral, and he doesn't have a back-up pastor! As you can imagine, this would be a rough week for him to be sick! So, I am holed up in our guest room. I've got my juice, tissues, cough drops, fluffy pillows, computer, books and crocheting. If I need to use the restroom, I make sure Mike isn't in the hallway. I don't want him to breathe my air.

I'm avoiding my husband, but it is out of love that I do so.

Palm Sunday

(Triumphant Entry-Lift High the Lord Processional by Catbird SC)

Today is Palm Sunday. Do you know what that is?  Click here to read why I think we could also call it Cloak Sunday and here to read about a gentle donkey kind of King.

Palm Sunday is all about Jesus. It carries a lot of significance for Christians, marking the beginning of Holy Week. It is all about remembering something that happened a long, long time ago.

Near the end of Jesus' life on Earth, he and his apostles returned to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Passover is a Jewish celebration. That makes sense because Jesus was Jewish. It is something done in remembrance of God saving the Jewish People from slavery. That event occurred many generations before Jesus lived on Earth. In fact, it is still celebrated even today.

So, as I said, Jesus and his disciples (special followers who helped with his ministry) were coming back to Jerusalem for the Passover. When they entered, it was like a glorious parade, all in honor of Jesus. One of the things his fans (followers) did was to lay palm leaves on the road for him. Even though he was being treated like a rock star, he entered on a donkey in a very humble manner. Here, I'll let you read an account from the Book of Matthew...

Matthew 21:1-11

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

21 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”

⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to Daughter Zion,
    ‘See, your king comes to you,
gentle and riding on a donkey,
    and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”^[a]

⁶ The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. ⁷ They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. ⁸ A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. ⁹ The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

“Hosanna^[b] to the Son of David!”

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”^[c]

“Hosanna^[d] in the highest heaven!”

¹⁰ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”

¹¹ The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

So, we begin Holy Week on a high note. Next Sunday will be Easter, my favorite of all holidays. In between, though, we will travel some pretty hard days following Jesus' path to the cross. I will try to explain it as we go along as I know not everyone has heard these stories. They have had a powerful impact on my life, though, and I'd like to share them.

Too Earthy!

The other day a patient, getting ready for a colonoscopy, was nervous that he might say something to embarrass himself when he woke up from anesthesia. That made me think about the things I'd heard patients say while under the influence.

After 9/11 do you remember that the news was always reporting on the tracking down of Osama bin Laden? There was talk that he was holed up in a cave somewhere at the time. Well, as one patient was waking up from his colonoscopy he asked, "Did you find Osama bin Laden in there? Get it? Dark cave...

Anyway, not to worry. Most of the time now a medication is used that allows a patient to focus and wake up with a clearer head. While patients appreciate this, I must say it took away some of my fun.

And speaking of colonoscopy fun...

Last time I had a colonoscopy I wore my Betty Boop socks. They have a picture of Betty Boop as a nurse. She is holding a syringe and it says, "Bottoms Up!" I thought it was appropriate for a colonoscopy day.

I can guarantee that as my husband reads today's post he is shaking his head and saying, "Too earthy!" He tells me that quite a bit. I think most nurses are pretty earthy. How about you? Are you earthy or are you more prim and proper?

Our Sweet Little Deformed Tree

Nine years ago, when we first looked at this house, we noticed a pitiful tree in the front yard. It was maybe 4 ft. tall. We don't know what really happened to it, but it was quite straggly and the top of it seemed to be.... well....GONE! The realtor mumbled something about lightning but perhaps he was just guessing. I'm speculating it was a wind-caused injury. I think Mike and I were both planning on having it removed. It was planted too close to the house anyway.

Sam was eleven years old at the time. That seems like a long time ago when I look at our youngest, now 6'4" or more. Anyway, Sam was quite upset when he heard us talking of having that tree removed. He begged us to let it live! It was kind of cute, really. So, how could we remove it after that? 

Instead, we have trimmed and nurtured the poor little deformed tree. It will not likely ever be noted for it's beauty to anyone but us, but I really like it. It is a survivor! Last night, just before dark, I went out and took these photographs of it all dressed up in the new, heavy Spring snow. 

No, it isn't the most beautiful tree in the neighborhood but 

when I look at it I think of an eleven year old red-head 

who pleaded for its life. The memory of it makes me smile.

Cookie Update

Just a quick check-in to tell you I had to try the Hugs with Pretzels.  If you don't know what I am talking about, check here.

They were SOOOOOOOO delicious! They were also beautiful.

I think you would like them!

Yesterday - From My Phone

Do Not Call

We have had a dramatic increase in telemarketer calls lately. While I don't want to be mean, I know the people calling are just trying to do their job, I am just tired of it! After about the zillionth call the other night, I went online and signed up (again) for the DO NOT CALL LIST. Maybe we will soon get some peace!

Here are some things I found out when I went to the Do Not Call website. I found out that this is a national registry operated by the Federal Trade Commission (FCC). That sounds pretty important, doesn't it? Most telemarketers are supposed to subscribe to the list. Non-profit organizations, political organizations and telephone survey folks are exempt from having to subscribe to this list, but they can voluntarily do so. It seems to me that they should, though.

When you register your phone number(s) with the Do Not Call folks, it shows up on the list by the next day but telemarketers only have to update monthly so it may take a bit before you see (hear) improvement. That month won't be soon enough for me! Seriously, I have reached my limit of these calls.

I also found out that there is a phone scam going on. If someone calls you offering to put your name on the National Do Not Call Registry, JUST SAY NO! They are charging fees to do this but in reality, private companies can not do it. Consumers must register directly or through some state governments. It is always free.

Before you even have to ask I will tell you that, YES, you can register your cell phone. If you are registering online you get to register as many as 3 phones at once. They send a confirmation link to your e-mail, one for each number you registered. You have to click on the link to complete the registration. If you have more phones than that to register, you just go back and start the process over. It isn't hard and it takes only a few minutes. 

If you own a business, don't use this service. Sorry, but that is the rule. The Do Not Call Registry is only for personal phone numbers.The National Do Not Call Registry is only for personal phone numbers. 

According to their website, your phone number stays registered unless you call to remove it or the number is disconnected or reassigned.  I am wondering if this part is newish. I think it used to be for 2 or 3 years or so. Anyway, that is what it says.

If you purchase something from a company, that means you "established a business relationship" with them. Because of that, they can call your number for up to 18 months after your last payment, unless to ask them not to call again. If they ignore your request, they might be fined up to $16,000! 

Also, if there are some telemarketers you want to allow to call you, you give them written permission and that overrides your National Do Not Call Registry...just so you know.

That covers the highlights. There is a lot more information at the website but I think I've hit the main points. Now you know.  No need to thank me. I just wanted to share the love.

Sweet and Salty

Don't you just love sweet and salty as a food combination? It is such a perfect marriage of tastes. Mike knows that if I eat something very sweet, I'm likely to need some potato chips to go with it. That's why some cookie recipes that I saw on Pinterest practically shouted out my name! I had to have them!

I didn't exactly use the recipes as written. If you know me, you know that is no surprise. I can tackle a recipe with only two ingredients, such as these, and still manage to change them up a bit. This time was no different.

The first recipe called for Ritz Crackers and full size Rolos. I found mini Rolos and found them to be perfect. They were NOT individually wrapped, which saved a lot of time.

The second recipe called for pretzels and Hershey Hugs. I saw the Hershey Kisses with Amonds as well as the Hershey Kisses with Caramel but no Hugs... no worries....improvise is my middle name! (Not really. My middle name is Ann.)

I preheated the oven to 250 degrees. I didn't bother going back to Pinterest to see what heat was recommended. I probably would have done my own thing anyway. So, first, I started with the pretzels. I added the Kisses with Almonds on some and the Kisses with Caramel on others. I know it sounds kind of whiny but I will admit that unwrapping all those little Kisses got to be a bit tedious.

But I finally got the job done.

I popped the cookie sheet into the oven for only about 4 minutes. Trust me, you don't want to let it melt all the way or you'll have a big mess. Even I knew that. I just wanted the Kisses to get soft enough so that I could moosh the lid on successfully.  When they look shiny and limp, they are just right to top.

I found that the ones with almonds didn't look as pretty because the bulky almond kind of got in the way.

 It turns out that almonds don't melt or moosh. 

They tasted great, though!

The ones with the caramel Kisses were perfect. I bet you wish you could eat one of these right now, don't you?

Next, I turned to the Ritz Crackers. Because I'd found the bag of Rolos that weren't individually wrapped, these were super simple. I decided it was important to be sure that the salty side of each cracker be on the outside of the sandwiched cookie. It only makes sense, really, for your mouth to better experience the salt.

I think I melted these maybe only 3 minutes.

As you see, they were just barely melting when I took them out. I topped them with a second cracker, just giving a little twist as I added the "lid" in order to smear the little Rolo all around the cracker.  Yummmm!

Then, I couldn't stop! 

I tried some with Rolos on the Pretzels.

They were my favorite combo for ease and taste.

You just couldn't make a better little treat!

They were pretty messy, though.

I found that letting them cool and then putting the whole pan in the fridge for a bit was the best way to handle them, taking them off the pan after the chocolate and caramel kind of hardened again.

I then tried the Kisses on the Ritz Crackers. 

Also good and much neater. 

If you are making cookies to take somewhere (I was taking them to church) you might find my last combination to be the best. I used Ritz Crackers with the Rolos (easier) and topped with the pretzels (saltier). That was really good and looked kind of fancy.

There were no left-overs!

Next time, I hope I can find a bag of the Hugs, too,

as I think that will be pretty with the white oozing out.

Sweet and salty..... mmmmmmm good!

Rejoicing and Weeping

Romans 12:15

Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (King James Version of the Bible)

Yesterday we experienced a very meaningful but emotional church service. As I told you, we had a baptism. We rejoiced with a handsome boy. He came to church all dressed up in a suit, surrounded by relatives. It was a happy time. 

We rejoiced.

(photo from  free-extras.com) 
But we had a death in our church family Saturday evening. Many were just learning about this loss as they arrived. They weren't expecting it. We all felt rather numb and disbelieving I think. It seemed she should walk in and take her place, sit in her usual spot. People who loved her were in the pew, people who first came to our church because of her. She wasn't there.

Our Worship Team sang her favorite song, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone). We cried as we sang it to her family. We all knew she had some heavy chains in this life, shackles really. We all knew she was free now. We all knew she'd been ransomed and was experiencing Amazing Grace in a way we could only yet imagine.

But we saw a mother who had to see her daughter go before her. We saw a young son, a sister and many others who weren't ready for her to go so soon. We saw our friends in pain.

So we wept.

Your Love Never Fails

Your Love Never Fails

Even if I run away

Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes

You have new mercy for me everyday

'Cause Your love never fails

(Chorus)

You stay the same through the ages

Your love never changes

There may be pain in the night

But joy comes in the morning

The wind is strong and the water's deep

I'm not alone here in these open seas

Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide

I never thought I'd reach the other side

Your love never fails

Chorus

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

You make all things work together for my good

You make all things work together for my good

Chorus

And when the oceans rage

I don't have to be afraid

Because I know that You love me

Your love never fails

Baptism

This week our church secretary sent out an e-mail to congregation members to let us know there is a young boy who is getting baptized tomorrow. To Christians, baptism is a very big deal, a very happy big deal. At our church, if we know about it ahead of time, we do something special.

First of all, there are men in our congregation who make these beautiful baptismal chests.

Isn't that pretty? I know they try to keep ahead of the demand as it would be rather tough to whip one of these beauties out at the last moment. I don't know how long this has been the tradition in this congregation, but I think it is really special.

The rest of us bring gifts, then, to place in the chest. When we arrive at church tomorrow one of these chests will be right up front. As people arrive we will see some of them going up front to deposit a gift for the young boy who is getting baptized.  At the end of the service he and his family may gather around the chest for photographs, marking the special occasion. When they go home tomorrow, the chest and gifts go with them. Won't that be a special reminder to him, perhaps a lifelong reminder, of the day he was baptized?

Baptism is done many different ways within Christian Churches. Some of the differences are based on traditions. For example, giving this baptismal chest and gifts is a tradition within our congregation. It isn't something we've read about in the Bible; it is just something we do to celebrate a joyful event. Some of the differences are based on varying theological understandings of Biblical accounts of baptism.  This accounts for such differences as sprinkling versus immersion and infant versus someone old enough to make the decision for themselves.  Mike and I spent hours and hours discussing these differences, even when we were dating, as we come from different denominational backgrounds. 

Most Christians agree, though, that baptism is very important and very special. I've heard baptism compared to adoption. People have said that the day you are baptized is the day you are adopted into God's family, the day you become a Child of God. It isn't quite that simple, I suppose, given that we believe everything, including ourselves, belongs to God in the first place. However, I think it is a fairly good way to explain baptism to someone who is new to Christianity.

I am not a theologian. Although raised in the church, I have never attended a Bible College or Seminary. I do have a theologian in residence as my husband has both a Bible College and Seminary degree. As I write this post, he is sitting right here in the same room with me, easily accessible. However, I am recklessly tackling this subject without his help. As far as he knows, I am furiously typing out cute granddaughter stories. So, if you landed here by googling "baptism" and were hoping for some deep theological insights, you may be disappointed.  I can tell you a few things, though.

Baptism is done in obedience to God's Word. That is to say, the Bible tells us we should do this so we do.  

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19 (NIV) 

That is one of the verses that tells us to do it. To be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (we'll talk about the Trinity another day) is a command. We who are disciples of Christ, meaning His followers, want to do this out of obedience. We don't do it in secret, either. We want others to know that we are His followers.

“But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” I Corinthians 6:11 (NIV) 

Baptism is also a washing away of our sin. Do people sin even after they are baptized? Yes, of course. With our human understanding of time you may think we are to be baptized over and over again, each time we sin. Nope. As children of God we are able to repent and claim this forgiveness of sin over and over and over. I would think that must get so tedious for God, but his love for us is big enough to handle it.

Baptism points to the fact that we are to die to ourselves. Our will is no longer paramount. It is so hard to remember and to live this way, but Christians really do want God's will to be what matters, not our own. We love our Lord and he loves us. HIS love is so pure, so complete, we are overwhelmed by it. Dying to ourselves is not a sad thing, it is a great thing. This next verse means a lot to me.  

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”Galatians 2:20 (NIV)  

My firm belief is that as a baptized child of God, I have Christ living within me. What could be better than that? This is a great heritage to claim!

   I have joined a link-up today. Click on the button to read more.

Dreams Do Come True

One of the things Cordelia once told me was that some day she wanted to ride in one of those kid cars at the mall. Yesterday was her dream-come-true-day!

She wanted Elise to enjoy it as well. 

She did...for awhile anyway.

Cordy was so casual; she could drive with one hand out the "window".

Just look at those pretty smiles!

footnote: We may have driven (shopped) a bit too long. 

At one point Cordelia told me she didn't want to ride in it forever.

Help! I Can't Stop Pinning!

I'd like to write a thoughtful and earnest post about something intellectual and fascinating. It would make me feel cerebral if I could offer some deep insights. Maybe I could toss in some brilliant humor as well. That would be a great blog post, don't you think?

Well, too bad.

I'm much too busy on Pinterest right now. I couldn't possibly take myself away from all the "pins" leading me to useful websites. I'm learning things such as how to make houses for goats and ideas on making centerpieces out of gumballs and such.  After that maybe I just want to keep looking at photos of German Castles. Here's a cool one... art out of sticks. Actually, I thought that would be a dumb link but they have some pretty neat things. Look at this!

(greige: interior design ideas)

Yes, I'm sorry but I am simply too busy right now to write a blog post.  

P.S. If you are also addicted to Pinterest, feel free to follow onlythemanager.

Talking About the Weather

On my post a few days ago Elizabeth said we were lucky because our weather was more Spring-like than her's. Well, those photos were taken late Sunday afternoon. Below are some photos from Monday. I think even the weatherman was taken by surprise!

Wyoming has a saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change." Actually, I've heard this saying in several of the states where we've lived. It was true in Montana and Minnesota... not quite so much in New Mexico. 

When we lived in the Seattle area I saw a slogan that was so true it made me laugh...

"Seattle Rain Festival - Jan 1 through Dec 31"

Do you have any funny and/or true weather sayings where you live? 

Crying My Eye Out

I am going to tell you about a mistake I made this past week-end.

Have any of you ever used Clear Care to clean your contact lenses? It seems to do a superb job. It was recommended to me because I had been having trouble with my contacts being uncomfortable at times. I was also warned that if used like regular saline solutions, it would really sting. It contains hydrogen peroxide. Your contacts go in a little cage and down into a container with some of the solution. That little cage has special material that neutralizes the hydrogen peroxide when left to soak for at least 6 hours. Ok. I can do that.

When I was putting my first contact in Saturday morning I blinked and dropped it. I picked it up off the counter and reached for my saline solution to rinse it. You've probably guessed by now what I did. Yes, instead of rinsing it with the saline solution I rinsed it with the Clear Care solution. I even filled it with a drop of extra solution as my eyes were real dry. Without my contacts in, I just didn't realize I'd grabbed the wrong bottle.

The pain that followed is hard to describe. I'm not saying it was like childbirth, but it was quite intense! It took some time for me to be able to pry my open to get the contact out. I then tried to flush my eye with tap water. It would have been better to flush from the saline bottle I suppose. I've since read that another idea is to immediately step into the shower with your clothes on, holding the eye open for flushing. Another way is to fill a cup with water, bend over and place the affected eye over the cup then tip cup and face back together for flushing. I'm telling you all this in case you ever have need to flush your eye in a hurry. I just used the faucet along with a splashing technique. It was hard but gave me some relief anyway.

For awhile my eye was just stinging and very, very red. Later it felt like I had rocks under my eyelid. Light started bothering my eye as well. My clip-on sunglasses, even indoors, helped. Every blink hurt! It hurt to have my eye open and it hurt more to have it closed. That eye cried tears all day long! It was a wonder I didn't get dehydrated just from the water loss.


Perhaps I should have gone to the ER. If I had been advising someone else, that is what I would have told them. When I went online to see if there was more I could do I read about people getting corneal abrasions and even corneal ulcers from doing what I did. Nevertheless I decided to wait until Sunday morning to decide if I needed more care.

By 8:30 Saturday night I felt exhausted, I guess from the misery. I know, poor me. I took ibuprofen for the pain and later took a couple of Benadryl because I knew I couldn't otherwise sleep. That seemed to help.

By Sunday morning it was feeling better, still sore but most definitely better.  It is still not quite right but my vision has been fine and as long as it keeps improving I expect I will soon be ok.

I found out that this is a common mistake with Clear Care. Most people who use it also have the saline for rinsing. Unfortunately, the bottles are similar and without my contacts in, it was an easy boo boo to make. To be fair, though, Clear Care does have warnings on the bottle. It wasn't that I didn't know how it was to be used. I did know it could sting or burn but I must admit I didn't know it could cause any serious damage.

If you use Clear Care, my advice is to put that bottle in a totally different place from your saline. You likely use the Clear Care just at night when taking out the contacts so just put it in a cupboard or something far from the other. Don't leave the two bottles side by side. As for me, I got rid of mine.  

An Evening Exploration