May 2013 Daybook

FOR TODAY....

Outside my window...it's dark and quiet with crickets chirping.  Of course, it's almost midnight.  Our front porch is right outside our bedroom windows.  We've got a lovely flat leaf parsley plant and a struggling basil in pots.  I just planted rosemary in a huge pot this afternoon.  Definitely one of my favorite herbs!  We also have two ferns that are off shoots of my Grandma Mamie's beautiful ferns.  For some reason I always thought ferns were hard to grow.  Either I was wrong or these two are just hardy.

I am thinking...of all the many things I need/should do tomorrow.  Prioritize, delegate and eliminate.  Those things that I think are truly important, I'll prioritize.  Some things I can delegate.  Boo has been folding undies and pjs recently...not well, but who cares?  Folding and putting away those two things are no longer on my to do list.  Boo has also taken over ensuring that Boudreaux, his wonderful cat, has fresh water several times daily and always has dry kibble.  I still handle the canned food.  Boo has trouble using the can opener and could easily cut himself on the cans.  Last night Boo carried the garbage out the front door, across the front porch and to the garbage can.  Yeah Boo!

I am thankful...for Boo's love, for his continual optimism and his recent helpfulness, especially now that Mom's needing more help.  I'm also thankful for Mom's orthopedic surgeon and his attentiveness.  He insisted on weekly x-rays, realized that her arm wasn't healing properly and reset it...complete with a plate and screws.  I'm extremely thankful for Mom's good spirits and her willingness to figure out how to do as much as she possibly can with her left hand.  She's doing so well!

In the kitchen...at Mom's house are freshly washed dinner dishes.  No, I didn't put them away.  It's more sanitary for them to air dry...I think.  Besides, I was procrastinating.  In my kitchen are some well rinsed dishes waiting to be washed.  Nothing is cooking.  It's midnight, remember?

I am wearing...a white tee shirt, black capris and no shoes.  Nope, no shoes.  It's almost summer and I hate shoes.  I do wear Crocs outside.  The lovely green snake I saw yesterday ensures that I won't go barefoot as much as I'd really like to do so.  No, I didn't kill it.  I'm pretty sure it was harmless.  Not completely positive, but we won't go into that!

I am creating...a household notebook for myself.  It's amazingly difficult for me to remember everything that needs to be done in two households.  We're only talking about three adults and two cats here.  It shouldn't be this hard!  I guess it's the odd things that crop up on an all too regular basis that throw me.  Mom's broken arm, Boo's late night wandering and/or confusion, Boudreaux's wound from his "night on the town."  I deal with the unusual things and lose track of the daily, need-to-do stuff. 

Is a household notebook creating?  I'm not sure it counts, but it's the closest to creating that I've managed since Mom broke her arm.

I am going to...take a quiet, leisurely bath before bed.  Yeah, I probably need one after today.  Mostly, I just want to relax in hot water. 

I am wondering...when the vet clinic is open again.  Boudreaux's wound needs to be examined and he may need antibiotics.  I've been cleaning it with saline solution and a diluted Betadyne wash.  Boudreaux isn't happy with the cleaning, but tonight seemed to tolerate it without protest.  That concerns me. 

I am reading...online about treating cat wounds and about broken arms in the elderly.  Interesting, I know, but necessary for me right now.

I am hoping...to spray paint my wicker rocker tomorrow.  That will be the thing I do for myself.  Maybe I'll plant two hanging planters as well.  Neither should take long.  So I should be able to work them in between helping Mom and Boo.

I am looking forward to...Davi's Bon Voyage party this coming Saturday.  It's just one block away and only two hours.  Mom should be able to go and socialize.  Boo can too if he's having a good day.  Otherwise, I'll ask one of my cousins to stay with him.  Davi's leaving very soon for a two year stint on a Mercy ship in southern Africa. 

I am learning...to be more patient with myself and not to over schedule unnecessary things to clutter my days.  Boo's been really helpful with this one.  When he notices me becoming stressed in the day time, he'll mention it and ask if I really need to do everything.  That's a good question.  Many things I can just let slide.  After all, spending quality time with my family is what's most important.  Two reasonably clean houses are important.  Rearranging my closets and decluttering Mom's closets are certainly less important right now.

One of my favorite things...a coffee shake with real vanilla ice cream.  Yum!

A peak into my day...

These two photos were taken BEFORE Mom had surgery.  She elected to try letting the arm heal in a cast.   When that didn't work, she had an open reduction of the ulna just above her right wrist.

Mom let me paint her right finger nails, but not her left.  Not at all sure why she wanted to stop after just one hand, but she did.
 



Here she is in her pretty red cast!  That woman likes any color as long as it's red!



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April Daybook 2013

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...

it's dark and wet and chilly. We've had a very rainy day today with unseasonably cold weather. Mother noted that it's warmer in Vermont than it is here in North Carolina today. That doesn't happen too often.

I am thinking...

about all the things I need to do before bed. In fact, I've taken ibuprofen to help my aching joints before I begin. I need to straighten the house, about thirty minutes. Then I need to wash dishes, about ten minutes. Vacuuming the house will take another forty or fifty minutes. This carpet shows everything. I'd just like to start the week with a relatively clean house.

I am thankful...

for my family and friends most of all. They are wonderful, supportive and very loving. This week I'm also thankful for my new vacuum cleaner. It has quite a bit of suction and seems to work far better than my old one. It removes dust and dirt that Mom's vacuum (which I'd borrowed) left behind. Who knew I'd ever get excited about a vacuum?

In the kitchen...

are the remains of supper. We had chicken gumbo, hopping john and rice with reduced sugar carrot cake for desert.

This is a photo of part of our kitchen. I've always liked old country homes with bead board walls. This wall in our kitchen houses our dishes, lots of spices, cat food, kitchen and table linens, some packaged foods and food items I'm hiding from Boo (so he won't eat too much of them.)

The bird mugs are very special to me. Over forty years ago, we moved to a small town in the Piedmont area of North Carolina. Granny Galyon, one of the wonderful shut-ins at the church my father pastored, gave us those mugs for Christmas one year. She told Daddy not long after we'd moved that she “prayed him here.” Knowing Granny Galyon, I'm sure she was right. She may not have been able to get out and do things that she had when she was younger, but she certainly was a prayer warrior.

I am wearing...

black capris, a leopard print pullover with three quarter sleeves, a black sweater and black ballet slippers. For once, I'm color coordinated! I'd likely be in knock about clothes right now, but Mother and I took dinner to Mrs. Gloria, a very sweet shut-in. She and Mrs. Gloria used to go out to eat every Sunday. When my father and her husband were alive, they were a foursome.

Boo has on blue sweat pants, a gray sweat shirt and bedroom slippers. He's refused to leave the house today and just wants to be comfortable.

I am creating...

little touches to make our house feel like home. We've been here just over a month and love it. Still, it's the little things that make a house just feel homey.

I wanted to hang paintings and photos that are meaningful to us. The first two paintings are some that Mom painted in the 1980's. They remind me of my parents painting in the evenings and during holidays to relax.

One of Boo's daughter's gave him this Cajun print for Christmas years ago. Many Cajun children went to school as late as the 1940's and 50's speaking Cajun French as their first language. Boo remembers family members speaking French and stumbling over English. One of his cousins had a Cajun French radio show for years.

This ceramic powder dish was made for Mother by her mother, my Granny Hall. Granny Hall set a wonderful example of living a full, productive and creative life while caring for Papa who was an invalid. She took all kinds of craft classes though the agricultural extension department. Every year for Christmas, all her grandchildren were given something she'd made. One year it was afghans made from beautiful hand towels crocheted together. Another, it was crocheted scarves and tams. Mother received this ceramic powder dish for Christmas.

We've framed and hung several lovely drawings by grandchildren. I'm in the process of framing photos of family members. We also set up an altar in the living room as a reminder to pray daily. Boo rearranges it several times daily. Later I'll take and post more photos.

I am going...

to call Mom's primary doctor to find out when her next appointment is, what the results of her tests were and to set an appointment for Boo. Doctor's appointments and recording home medical records seem to be my job.

I am wondering...

just when I'm going to find time to do everything that I need to do. My to do list seems to grow longer daily. Just how did my grandmothers take care of their homes, husbands and other family members?

I am reading...

A Philadelphia Catholic in King James Court.

Boo is listening to an autobiography of Archbishop Fulton Sheen.

I am hoping...

to contact Sr. Sheila at Sacred Heart Catholic Mission or the priest at the sponsoring church about receiving Eucharist at home. Boo is unwilling to leave home often. He becomes confused easily at home and even more easily away from his comfort zone.

I am learning...

to pace myself. I may not accomplish all I want every day. However if I try to fill my day with all the things I think I need to do, I neglect the truly important---actually spending unhurried time with Boo and Mother.

Around the house...

all is currently quiet. That won't last long. As soon as I put on pajamas, Boo and Boudreaux will awaken.

I am pondering...

how to curtail some of my Mother's overly ambitious projects in such a way that she doesn't feel uninvolved or slighted. She doesn't have the stamina she once had...and neither do I. I'm having difficulty keeping up with her projects. They all seem to involve my participation. Maybe we need to concentrate on those that are most important to her or maybe I need to sit down with her and list what needs to be done when (and by whom) for each of her projects. Then perhaps we can delegate some parts to others.

This is what happens when she attempts too much. Mom ends up napping on “Boudreaux's” bed with him. This is actually our “little” bedroom that is set up for Mom should she want to use it. Boudreaux just claims the bed for day time naps.

A favorite quote for today...

“My past, O Lord, to your mercy;

my present, to your love;

my future, to your providence.”

St. Padre Pio

One of my favorite things...

recently is to collapse on the loveseat in our den/dining room and enjoy some peach tea---iced if it's hot out and hot if it's cold out.

One of Boo's favorite things recently is to sit on our front porch and wave at people who pass on the street. He hasn't wanted to talk to any of them and tends to respond to them in monosyllables. At least he's willingly doing that. I think he'll become more talkative as he becomes use to the new faces he's seeing.

A peek into my day...

We're linking with A Simple Woman's Daybook.

March 2013 Day Book

Boo completed some of the questions today!  Yeah!  This is one of his really good days.

FOR TODAY...

Outside our window...it is beautiful.  This is a bright, sunshiny, splendid day to be alive...quite a welcome change from the cold, gray, windy days we've had lately.

I am thinking...of rearranging our tall bookcase.  It's the first thing I see when I walk in the bedroom and it's time for change.
Boo is thinking...about the Duke-Carolina game later this evening.

I am thankful...for Boo's good day today.  He's been well oriented and happy.  In fact, he talked to one of his sisters for thirty minutes.  For Boo, that's a long time on the phone.
Boo is thankful...for his sister's prayers.

In the kitchen...well, there's really nothing interesting happening right now.  We're having leftovers for dinner tonight.

I am wearing...a gray snowflake turtleneck with gray sweatpants and black clogs.
Boo is wearing...a medium blue turtleneck, gray sweatpants and black bedroom slippers.

I am creating...a crocheted phone case that's a little too big.  I'm making it up as I go along because I couldn't find a pattern that didn't call for sewing the sides together and I didn't want to do that.
Boo is creating...a recorded collection of memories.

I am going...absolutely nowhere!  Home is just where I want to be.
Boo is going...to be very excited when Duke beats Carolina tonight.


I am reading...The Girl with a Dragon Tatoo.  I saw it at a thrift store and decided to try it.  We'll see.  It's not my usual type of book.
Boo is reading...Princes of Ireland.  Well, the Audible version of it anyway.

I am looking forward to...more lovely spring days.  I've missed being outdoors with Boo far more than I thought I would.  He's not wanted to go outside much this winter.
Boo is looking forward to...seeing my mother-in-law.  She doesn't realize that Boudreaux is the smartest cat.  (Indeed she doesn't.  Mother firmly believes that Bootsie, her cat, is the smartest, the best, etc.)

Around the house...NCIS reruns are playing in the background.  Boudreaux and Romeo (a friend's cat) are pretending to be sleeping bookends on separate shelves...and hey, there're only four books that've been knocked to the floor.

A favorite quote for the day..."Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another: 'What?  You too!  I thought I was the only one.' "   C S Lewis

One of my favorite things...plain saltine crackers and iced tea.  Don't ask me why.  I just do.
One of Boo's favorite things...coffee with milk, stevia, vanilla and cinnamon.

A peek into our day...

Boo concentrating on talking to one of his sisters on the phone.

Still talking to his sister and enjoying the sun.

Boudreaux on his first walk in weeks.

He hears children...time to go back inside.  This cat is terrified of children.

Romeo on his first trip outside...OK, on his first allowed trip outside.  He didn't enjoy it at all and he so wanted to go out.

We're linking with A Simple Woman's Daybook.

January Daybook

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...it's a chilly, wintry day.  The sun is casting it's thin, watery rays over a muddy blue sky.  It just looks like a cold winter's day!

I am thankful...for Boo's health, for wonderful times with family over the Christmas holidays, for the smell of clean sheets (I can never get enough of it!), for warm oatmeal and homemade hot chocolate.  Boo is thankful for being home.  He really didn't like being away from Boudreaux over Christmas.  He's also thankful for oatmeal which is one of his very favorite foods.

In the kitchen...I'm preparing beef vegetable soup and spinach, sausage cheese balls.  That sounds warm and homey.  Just the thing for today.

I am wearing...blue micro fleece pajamas with blue hearts and green socks.  OK, I should be dressed I know.  However, it's so chilly looking outside and I am sick.  So, I'm still in pajamas at lunch time.
Boo's in pajamas too, but his are a dark blue plaid fleece which he stylish paired with an over sized gray fleece shirt.  Boo generally likes to wear pajamas at home.

I am creating...a crocheted hooded scarf for a friend of ours.  Then, I'll work on a gray one for my daughter for her ground hog birthday.

I am going...to Walmart later today to pick up some supplies for Boo and some scrapbooks that didn't arrive in time for Christmas.  I can't wait to see them.  Oh, and I might get some cat treats for Boo's favorite four legged son.

I am reading...nothing right now.  That wouldn't be news worthy except that I read constantly.  I haven't felt well since Christmas and just haven't read anything.  Who knew I could go almost three weeks without reading?  Boo has been listening to Christmas music and EWTN podcasts.

I am hoping...that the new antibiotics prescribed yesterday will kick in shortly.  I have strep throat and just feel icky.  Yes, I am taking extra vitamin C, resting, disinfecting all my eating and drinking utensils and door knobs.  (I know I'm weird, but door knobs just seem like germy places to me.)  A friend suggested that grapefruit seed oil was an excellent remedy for many viral and bacterial infections.  I ordered some this morning and plan to try that too.  I'm also hoping that Boo doesn't contract strep.

I am looking forward to...improving my immune system so that I don't pick up every little bug that makes its way near me.  Any suggestions???

A favorite quote for today..." Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."  C. S. Lewis

One of my favorite things...sweaters!!!  I love warm, fuzzy sweaters.  Really, they don't have to be fuzzy, just warm.  One reason I'll probably never move to the tropics is that I can't wear my sweaters.  Just for your information, I found a sweater that I wore in college.  I've been moving it with me for years now and I'm pretty sure I'll never weigh 94 pounds again.  So, the likelihood that I'll fit into the sweater again is slim to none.  Throw it away?  Not after all these years!  Maybe I'll turn it into a pillow.

A peek into our holidays...

Christmas at Mom's 2012

For some reason, I was unable to upload Christmas photos to Blogger today.  So, I provided a link to them.

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Kari's October Daybook

For today...

Outside my window...it's chilly. I love crisp, cool autumn mornings.

I am thinking...about taking a walk a little later today when someone can sit with Boo. Walking in the cool autumn air, hearing the crunch of fallen leaves under my feet, watching squirrels hastily gathering nuts for the rapidly approaching winter: oh, I can't wait!

I am thankful...for the discussions Boo and I have on occasion these days. Although Boo's memory is definitely more impaired than it was, there are still moments when it's still there. For those moments, I am truly grateful. I have the man I fell in love with back for just a little while.

In the kitchen...is yogurt incubating. Later today, we'll have strawberry yogurt. I may bake some homemade graham crackers to go with it.

I am wearing...gray knit pants, a striped turtleneck, socks and clogs. I love turtlenecks and sweaters of all kinds!

I am creating...a crocheted basket. This simple pattern I found on pinterest. One can never have enough baskets and I'm using up bits and pieces of yarn that I've had for years.

I am going...around the corner to buy more cat food from Family Dollar. Boudreaux is running low on dry food. Woe, to me if I allow his dish to get empty. I tried telling him about the starving kitties who don't have food all day, every day. He was definitely uninterested. A full dish equals a happy cat.

I am wondering...what I can do to interest Boo in spending some time outside. He's been afraid of leaving the house lately...even to sit on the deck outside our bedroom window, even when Boudreaux accompanies him. Boo needs time outside, needs to enjoy the fresh air and needs to observe the changes in the weather. Life spent constantly inside rapidly becomes too mundane, too dull. Pushing past his fear to do things he really does enjoy is problematic, but doable.

I am reading...a book on Lectio Devina, rereading The Chosen, by Chaim Potok and anything that Boo asks to have read. Last night, it was an article from the local city newspaper about the NC zoo.

I am hoping...Boo will be awake and alert when Lucy comes to bring Communion a little later this morning. He so looks forward to receiving Communion. Sometimes he looks forward to it so much that by the time Lucy arrives, he's exhausted and can't really participate.

I am learning...to let go of those things which I simply can't change. Learning slowly, but learning nonetheless. Boo's mental status is changing and nothing we do seems to help. I'll keep trying some things, but I'm learning not to worry and struggle so much. This part of life, of being a mature adult, I do not like. I want things to be as they were. I want to believe that if I try hard enough I can make everything as it was. The reality is that I can't.

Around the house...it's very quiet. Too quiet. It may be time to shake things up a little.

A favorite quote for today...”At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend or a parent.” Barbara Bush

One of my favorite things...spending time with Boo and Boudreaux. Just being. Not necessarily doing anything. Just being. Oh, and autumn. I really enjoy autumn.

The Simple Woman's Daybook

A Daybook for September

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...

it's dreary and overcast, even the birds are quiet this morning. This gray misty day is just not much motivation for me to get up and get moving, but I must.

I am thinking...

about the outward things that give me inward purpose. That sounds rather academic, but it certainly isn't. It's really day to day stuff. It's just the things that trigger a response from my heart, moving them from the routine to a whole other realm. For instance, holding and praying my rosary helps me form a daily connection with Jesus' life, with those for whom I pray and with God who infuses that act with Himself. Or preparing snacks and meals for Boo, a very routine part of our day, but one which provides endless opportunities for sharing the beauty of a special mug or flower, listening to and reciting poetry and just talking.

I am thankful...

for the positive response Elizabeth seems to be making to her treatments for leukemia. I'm even more thankful for her positive, giving attitude. It's such an inspiration to me...and to many others.

In the kitchen...

are plenty of leftovers for today. Large Sunday dinners tend to provide lots of extra food for us and lots of extra dishes. As a matter of fact, I have a few things still soaking in the sink waiting to be washed. (My mother would probably be horrified at that admission.)

I am wearing...

comfortable jeans, an off white long sleeve shirt, a black headband and bare feet. Of course, my feet are tucked under a quilt at the moment.

I am creating...

more digital scrapbooks. This time I'm working on Christmas presents. I'm also thinking about preparing family calendars for Christmas. If I were willing to follow a prepared template, it would be simple. But no, not me. I want to reinvent the wheel and completely design my own.

I am reading...

Medjugorje: The Mission by Wayne Weible and several novels.

I am looking forward to...

Well, for some reason this one is difficult this morning. I really am looking forward to several things this week and I can't remember any of them at the moment. Has my hot tea not kicked in yet?

I am learning...

more with Paint Shop every day. It's so much fun to experiment and play with this program. It also keeps me occupied when Boo needs me beside him. I'm also learning some Irish crochet stitches. Oh, maybe I didn't phrase that quite right. I'm learning some crochet patterns that mimic Irish cable knits...since I don't knit.

Around the house...

it is very quiet. The whole neighborhood is quiet this morning.

I am pondering...

my deep need for relationship. More and more I find myself drawn to those with whom I can be authentically myself and those who think. Recently, I've reconnected with high school and college friends, with cousins and even some friends from Girl Scout camp years ago. Thank you Facebook! Many of these I've maintained a superficial relationship with for years by exchanging Christmas and birthday cards. Now, we actually have “conversations” on FB about our faith, about politics (and boy, do we disagree!), about those things that are truly essential to each of us...and about mundane, every day things.

One of my favorite things...

is slowly savoring a cup of hot tea with a little stevia and sometimes a little lemon...depending on the type of tea I'm drinking. Never, never would I pollute a wonderful cup of tea with milk or cream, but that's just me.

A favorite quote for today...

“Eros will have naked bodies. Friendship naked personalities.”

100. S. Lewis

A few plans for the rest of the week...

Wow, just thinking about the rest of the week makes me tired. We have several appointments. The preparations for these appointments is far harder than the appointments themselves---reminding Boo several times daily about the upcoming appointments and what we're likely to experience there, making sure I have all the essentials in a backpack (necessary papers, snacks and water, change of clothes for Boo, BP cuff and glucometer, meds just in case we're out longer than anticipated, a knotted cord rosary and a photo of Boudreaux to help during those confused times for Boo, my wallet, a small brush, comb, wet wipes, etc.) and, most difficult of all, preparing him for the trip itself (Yes, we'll be leaving the house at ___ time in a car. We'll be back in time for ____ hopefully. Yes, you'll have your rolling walker. No, we won't get lost. We will be coming back home. Boudreaux will be waiting for us when we get back...)

The Simple Woman's Daybook

August Daybook

For today...

Outside my window...

a squirrel is chattering at Boudreaux who is staring intently at the bushy tailed little creature. Boo is cautioning Boudreaux about squirrels and how fast and devious they are. I'm sure there's a story hidden in Boo's mind about squirrels that I haven't heard.

I am thinking...

about taking Boo and Boudreaux to the backyard for a picnic supper this evening.

I am thankful...

for the slight reprieve in Boo's mindset this morning. I doubt it will last all day, but I'm coming to appreciate and grab these precious moments.

In the kitchen...

is leftover whole wheat banana bread. And roast chicken. Maybe I'll make chicken pie for supper or a chicken salad.

I am wearing...

a soft sage green three quarter sleeve tee with comfortable light weight jeans and bare feet. Hummm...I need to paint my toe nails. Yeah well, that's probably not going to the top of my to do list.

I am creating...

several digital scrapbook pages. I like digital scrapping. No mess to clean up, easy repositioning of pieces and I can drop it when Boo needs me without loosing my train of thought...often. (Boo unraveled one of my potholders a couple of weeks ago. So, I'm not crocheting right now.)

I am reading...

several articles on dementia. So far, I'm wading through these articles. They're written for medical professionals not for lay people like me. I keep hoping I'll learn something practical and helpful from them. Thus far, that hasn't happened.

I am hoping...

to hear from one of the geriatric neurologists I've contacted. I really want Boo to have another neurological exam to determine what is happening and what can be done to help alleviate his confusion.

I am learning...

to take Boudreaux's cold shoulder in stride. Sunday night I bathed him...again. Before he always took baths with a regal feline disdain. Now, he's taken it very personally and will have nothing to do with me. (He will allow me to feed him, but refuses to touch his food until I move away from it. You never can tell what those suspicious female humans might do!)

Around the house...

it is exceptionally quiet. That won't last I know, but I'm planning to enjoy it while I can.

A favorite quote for today...

“Our problem is not just believing that God could inhabit bread. It is believing that God could inhabit us.” Fr. John Kavanaugh

One of my favorite things...

is kneading yeast bread. It's one of my favorite stress relievers bar none. Besides, I like the smell of bread while it's baking and well, nothing tastes like bread warm from the oven.

A peek into the recent past...

This beautiful little girl and her mother came to visit for a few days. Boo loved watching her and listening to her giggle and babble. 

The Simple Woman's Daybook

 

Daybook for Third Week of July

For today...

Outside my window...

it's a little overcast, hot and muggy. The rain we had yesterday seems to have cooled things off just a bit. The birds and squirrels are quiet this morning. I wonder if it's going to rain later this afternoon.

I am thinking...

about Orthodoxy (written by G. K. Chesterton). Yeah, I'm still mulling that book over in my mind. It's full of food for thought.

I am thankful...

that Boo is eating this morning. He's eating cinnamon oatmeal this morning and drinking sugar free Swiss mocha coffee with protein powder added.

In the kitchen...

is a new, properly functioning refrigerator. That's such a nice a feeling.

I am wearing...

really old clothes---a black t-shirt, pink plaid capris and bare feet. I know that's an awful combination, but I'm planning to deep clean the living room floor as soon as I'm through with this post...and I'm dressed for the job!

I am creating...

simple crocheted pot holders. When Boo is agitated and needs me just to sit beside him, I can crochet. I put away the shawl I started because it required too much thought and I couldn't talk to Boo and crochet. These pot holders are so simple they are almost impossible to ruin.

I am going...

to take a long walk later today...I hope. If it rains, I guess I won't.

I am wondering...

about the connections we have with people, especially those from our childhood. I've reconnected with several friends from many years ago through Face Book. There's a certain comfort and freedom in “talking” to those who knew me way back in the dark ages. There's a shared history that just can't be reproduced. After all, they know things about me that no one else does...and are willing to use that knowledge in devious ways. Yeah, that shared history is a mixed blessing!

I am reading...

very little on my own lately. I'm still thinking about Orthodoxy, of course. I am reading The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood by Howard Pyle to Boo. The language is challenging to read aloud, but he enjoys the story line as long as I read slowly to allow him time to digest the language and story.

I am hoping...

to find some recipes for sugar free jelly. That is, recipes that actually jell. I don't know enough about jelly making to know what isn't working. Jelly that doesn't solidify as it should makes wonderful syrup, but I only need so much syrup.

A favorite quote for today...

“Remember that nothing is small in the eyes of God. Do all that you do with love."   St. Therese of Lisieux

One of my favorite things...

is listening to The Andy Griffith Show reruns with Boo and Boudreaux. They're funny and contain morsels of folk wisdom. Besides, they remind me of childhood summers. I used to run into my Aunt Tina and Uncle Leach's house, grab a cold biscuit, a glass of iced tea and settle in front of their TV to watch Andy Griffith with Uncle Leach. Afterward, I'd sit on his foot stool, a small cotton bale, and talk about my day. Wonderful memories...

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Daybook for First Week in July

For Today....

Outside my window...

it's blazingly hot! How on earth did we ever manage before air conditioning became common practice? I don't remember being particularly uncomfortable except on road trips in our unairconditioned cars way back in the dark ages when I was growing up.

I am thinking...

about the upcoming month and the things I'd like to do.

I am thankful...

for Boo's recovery from a minor infection. He's not completely well yet, but he's definitely better.

In the kitchen...

are enough leftovers from last night so that no cooking has to be done today. Maybe I should consider once-a-week cooking. I'm not sure that would be feasible with Boo's erratic appetite, but still something to consider.

I am wearing...

a white t-shirt, green knit pants and no shoes. It's summer and I want to go barefoot! Mom used to tease me about going barefoot in the summer. Now, I'll go barefoot in our bedroom and that's about it. Elsewhere in the house, I tend to step on little things that shouldn't be on the floor at all, like Boudreaux's fishing pole toy or his numerous jingle balls. I have to do a cat toy pick up first thing in the morning before Boo is up and about. I certainly don't want him to trip and fall.

I am creating...

digital scrapbook pages for Mom's birthday. I'm also working on a photo DVD for her of all the old family photos that I've scanned.

I am going...

with a friend to Adoration, confession and a Mass Wednesday evening. Boo will be staying home with a friend because he just can't manage the four hours away from home that time of day. (Any time of day would be pushing it!)

I am reading...

Orthodoxy, by G. K. Chesterton. Actually, I'm reviewing it which is really not my favorite way to read a book. I really like Chesterton's writings (and C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkein and Madeleine L'Engle). I thought this review would be a piece of cake. Not so. I've gotten mired down separating the important from the most important, discerning what audience this book would most appeal to today and whether young adults can grasp and use the truths Chesterton presents. I plan to reread this book slowly and savor it this fall.

I am hoping...

to contact some of my cousins and start planning a family recipe book, among other things, for our upcoming family reunion next summer. We have the place already and we're planning a pot luck, though it might be wise to cater part of the meal. I know now why some families plan these events several years in advance.

Around the house...

all is quiet. I can hear the quiet chatter of a young relative on the phone. Are phones permanently attached to the young like umbilical cords?

I am pondering...

the first chapter of An Island Story. It's a children's storybook of English history and early English myths that Boo and I are slowly reading again. As soon as we finished the chapter, Boo said, “That's what history's all about isn't it? Love. Love that makes you want the best for your family, for your faith, for your nation.” He went on to elaborate linking different historical events as actions of love, at least in the minds of the people at that time. Funny, that's not what I gathered from that chapter, but I can see his point. I don't fully agree with it, but he's thinking and making sense of the world in his own mind. That's an important step and one that has been a long time coming. (After Boo's second stroke, he was busy relearning to function on a daily basis. We were told that that level of reasoning was all that could be expected for the rest of his life. Not entirely true, as it turns out.)

A favorite quote for today...

“You need to know your faith. You cannot give what you do not have.”

Fr. John Corapi

I know there's all kinds of controversy surrounding Fr. Corapi and I'm not interested in getting into all that. That's between Fr. Corapi and the Church officials, not me. This particular quote really means a lot to me. I cannot share what I don't know and I have a responsibility to learn.

One of my favorite things...

is looking at family photographs. So many things that I'd forgotten are suddenly remembered again. I'm really enjoying the memories.

A peek into my day...

The Sinple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

FOR TODAY

Outside our window...

it's overcast and muggy, even the birds and squirrels are quiet.

I am thinking...

of the difference between Boo's morning exuberance yesterday and his quiet, gentle disposition this morning. Both mornings he has been enthusiastic, but in different ways.

We are thankful...

for the calls Boo received yesterday and the package he received for Father's Day. He had a wonderfully loud, happy day yesterday. (And he was the one being loud much to Boudreaux's dismay!)

In the kitchen...

are plenty of leftovers from last night---steak, shrimp, salmon, cheese biscuits, baked potatoes, spinach rice dressing, black eyed peas and the makings of an awesome tossed salad. OK, there's half a baked potato, but enough for something.

We am wearing...

black plaid capris, a black polo shirt and black clogs. Boo has on summer weight blue jeans with an elastic waist and an olive green tee with a thin white stripe. So far he's wearing bedroom slippers, but the day is young yet.

I am going...

to our storage unit today to find a few summer things that I evidently didn't label as summer. I must remember labels and a Sharpie pen just in case I find other mislabeled boxes.

I am wondering...

if I can figure out how to reorganized this blog. I have some ideas, but can I implement them? I'm not as computer savvy as I'd like to be.

I just finished reading...

The French Gardner by Santa Montefiore. A friend chose it at a thrift store and I read it first. It's about love, marriage, commitment and gardening. I didn't expect to really find anything noteworthy in the book, but it surprised me. For a quick read, it did have some thoughts to savor.

We are hoping...

to take a walk this afternoon and sit on the deck for a while. Maybe the weather will cooperate...

We are looking forward to...

a quiet, productive week.

A favorite quote for today...

“Magic is love. If you love someone, they grow in beauty and confidence. They flower before your eyes. The garden is the same. With love, it will grow brighter and more abundant. There's no secret to love or magic, just the limits of our own courage and self-belief.” from The French Gardner

One of Boo's favorite things...

is Boudreaux's beautiful red leash. He can see the leash and know that his cat is near. Another favorite thing is taking Boudreaux for a walk. (Boudreaux would rather go his own way staying close to Boo. Boo would rather have him ride on the seat of his rolling walker. Boo generally wins.)

A few plans for the rest of the week...

include washing Boudreaux, attempting to reorganize this blog, taking daily walks, and ensuring that all Boo's medical records are transferred to his new primary care clinic.

A peek into our day...

(We've been looking at old photos this past week and remembering.)



Boo's father, about 2005

Dave, after just telling a tall tale.

Do you expect me to believe that>

Jan, just watching Dave and Boo interact.

What group of photos would be complete without Boudreaux?

Simple Woman's Daybook

Boo's June Daybook

FOR TODAY...

Outside my window...

the sun is shining and the squirrels are scurrying around. Kari's making oatmeal for breakfast with peaches. Boo wants oatmeal this morning with bananas. We're out of bananas unfortunately. So, he'll have blueberry peach oatmeal with stevia instead.

I am thinking...

a lot lately. Who knows just what he's thinking about these days? He hasn't really shared his thoughts with me this past week.

I am thankful...

that it's morning. I got tired of the dark last night and watched TV. Boo was watching Three's Company this morning when I woke up. He told me that “Jack's” father played in westerns.

In the kitchen...

Kari's going to make ice cream and strawberry danish bread. I told Boo I'd make frozen yogurt today if he took a walk. The strawberry danish bread is my creation so that I don't have to actually make individual danishes.

I am wearing...

my pajamas and I don't want to change. The pants are blue plaid with pockets and I'm wearing a long sleeve blue tee shirt. I suppose Boo's comfortable and until he takes a walk, he can certainly wear what he wants. Long sleeves are important to him. His arms and legs get chilly at night. The last time he wore a short sleeve tee shirt to bed, he woke me complaining about the frosty weather.

I am wondering...

if there are any westerns on TV. Well, I doubt it this early, but we do have twenty Roy Rogers movies that I just got at the Dollar Tree Saturday. Roy Rogers anyone?

I am listening to Kari read...

the newspaper and several books. A friend of ours was quoted in a newspaper article and I read the article to Boo. I am also reading Tales of Saint Frances, The Stolen Crown and a Clive Cussler novel aloud. As soon as I finish one of these, we'll substitute an audio book for a read aloud.

I am looking forward to...

spinach and mushrooms and garlic. Guess that means that I'll need to make more.

A peek into my day...

Boo will sit and socialize if Boudreaux is with him.

Boudreaux likes being behind Boo so that he can keep an eye on Boo and on the fish.

The Simple Woman's Daybook