Mountain Mama's Point Of View

  On the way home now and I can finally take some time to absorb all that has happened. We left last Friday. What were we thinking? Knowing that we had to go through part of Atlanta, it was an act of insanity! The traffic was brutal and it was miserably hot. Friday was my birthday, I had totally forgotten until my sister-in-law called right before we left home. Not exactly a fun day, but at the end of the first day's journey there was cake and presents from my nephew and his wife. My daughter-in-law was feeling bad that there would be no celebration, but there was. I liked the cake and the solar lights and a frog for my gardens, but spending time with the babies was my favorite part. Listening to them talk made my heart sing. They are so smart and so cute. Big boys with big boy haircuts, they look like 3 year olds. Jonah entertained me with some flash cards, eagerly showing me that he knows his numbers and colors. Josiah does, too, but he is man of few words. He gives great bye-bye...

  As promised, last night's adventure .... I was resting at the end of the day as dusk was falling. Suddenly all my dogs were on their feet at the sliding door, barking ferociously at some unseen (to us humans) intruder. They could barely wait for the opening of the slider to escape out the door and gallop to the back yard. I was watching Lester Holt tell us about the state of our world and didn't give it a second thought that the dogs were out. The yard is fenced, after all. No gate could swing wide and let them free. The gate stands on the small back porch, hinges and all, just waiting to be hung, as it has for the past two years. HeWho fails to give his wife a gate stood from his favorite seat and saw Eddie out the window. He shouted that Eddie was loose and I was quick on his heels to go out to coral my boy dogs. I knew that if Eddie was able to get out, Bo would be out. Toni Louise was looking up at us as we raced out. I put her in the house. She is so docile now that she ...

  I worked a little in the yard today. It was non-strenous. I was making a turtle out of hens and chicks. Confused? I shall explain. I took a one of those hanging baskets that has a three point system with chains going to a hook. A half circle. This one was on the larger side and not very deep. Being shallow makes it so that you must water more often and I never use it. So, I took the hangers off and then bent it into more of an oval shape. It is old and bent quite easily. I lined it with burlap and filled it with soil, covered the soil with another piece of burlap and flipped it over. I have been growing the little succulents called hens and chicks. I was on the deck, so all the dirt I spilled was not an issue. Just sweep it up and pour it back in the pot. Before I planted the ones I had, I carefully plucked some of the middle row of leaves to propagate more plants. I think I have 5 circles of the little petals all set up to make new plants. After all the plants have filled in, I ...

  I had some energy yesterday, but I used it all to mow. Mowing my little patches of grass takes less than a hour. It was the 5 battery changes and going up and down the steps that was draining my energy. I took some Melatonin, hoping it would allow me to ease into a peaceful sleep. It didn't. I lay there awhile, hope running deep, and listened to all the tiny sounds of a house and the creatures in it. Eddie was alert. He somehow knows when I am awake, no matter how still I might be. HeWho is my lifemate is woefully unaware of my sleeplessness. He will say he didn't sleep either at the end of a restless night for me. Does he forget that I am wide awake and know if he is? I finally get up and after helping my short-legged friend to the floor, we make our way to the sofa where I will sip some herbal tea and we decide whether to watch TV or listen to a book. Eddie and I have read three books this week, all mysteries. I made my way back to bed at nine this morning. It is 1:00 now a...

  The past week or so has been a blur. Unable to sleep, I have been muddling through each day in a daze. No accomplishing much of anything. I harvested 3 tomatoes and now the plants are leafless. My garden seems to have been invaded by bugs I can't see and none of my remedies are working. While I am without any impetus to do anything, HeWho is starting new projects and always looking for something to do. My thoughts are that he could FINISH some of his pojects, but what do I know. Another visit to the clinic this morning. More blood drawn and still looking for a solution to my current status. I seem to be at the bottom, looking up. In addition to all my other symptoms, I can't sleep and walk  stagger around like a drunk person, making me afraid to ascend the steps to the embankment where my happy place is. I slipped on the rock up there a few days ago and fell in a most interesting way. My right leg was bent under my butt and the left was straight out. My knee was full of grav...

  This morning was so nice, 69 degrees with a nice breeze. Perfect to work outside. It is only 81 right now and I would still be outside if not for the noise. I spread 10 bags of mulch and then went on to cutting down more small dead pines. I was in my happy place when suddenly I hear a helicopter. A helicopter with a saw balde hanging down to cut the trees along the path of electrical wires on the roads. It was in the distance, just a buzzing annoyance. We ordered a pavilion topper for the deck and it arrived yesterday during the rain. I called HeWho was still abed and he came out to the nice cool weather to assemble the contraption. I helped carry all the parts up to the deck and unwrap all the packaging, not wanting to chase it in the wind to properly dispose of it. He is single minded and it would not occur to him to bag it as he went. I went back to my chore of raking and trimming trees when the noise got louder and suddenly I could see the huge blade swinging down over the tr...

  I spent last night with my two best friends, insomnia and indigestion. Sitting upright helps with the stomach acid, so I got up and made some tea and sat sipping until the tea was stone cold. I read blogs, I played games. Watched TV, hoping for sheer boredom to make my eyes close.  I finally went back to my bed at 4:30 this morning and lay there watching light fill the bedroom. I did not check the time, but the sun was up before my eyes finally closed. I slept until 11:30. That was really pushing the boundaries of dog bladders, so it came as no surprise to encounter a puddle on the floor. Toni Louise just couldn't contain her bladder. Not her fault. She was not even scolded. But, did she have to avoid the giant pee pee pad adorning the floor adjacent to her puddle? Still, she is as old as I am and was probably quite anxious to relieve herself. I cleaned it up and made coffee. HeWho sleeps, but swears he was awake all night, arose from his slumber and announced that he was go...

  I find myself on the upswing of my mental disease today. I have accomplished much today in this unrelenting heat. I pickled some red onions, watered and watered again. Dug up and replanted a half dozen gladiolas and weeded the vegetable garden. I tend to be very productive when my mind is racing as it is, so if this post is somewhat disjointed ..... I cleaned the house and did 2 loads of laundry. Changed the sheets on my bed, which is always a challenge in the tight confines of my bedroom. I always have high hopes when I put clean sheets on my bed. I hate wrinkles in my sheets and go to great lengths to prevent them from happening. I bought these elastic straps with hooks, think garter belts from long ago, supposedly garateed to prevent the sheet from moving. Those of you who are young won't be able to imagine this. I put ones with 3 clasps at the top corners of the sheet and recently purchased a long one that runs under the bottom of the mattress and hooks to the sheet with the ...

  As happy as I am that HeWho is becoming more active and interested in doing things, sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just do everything myself. But what would I have to complain about if I did? Yesterday, after working in the various gardens and finishing my fence I built from the small trees I cut down and scraped the bark from, I came in to avoid the midday sun and heat. The nights are cool here, in the 60's, but around 1 PM, the heat becomes intense and I take advantage of the cool indoors. As I sat reading email and drinking ice water, HeWho is usually a stranger to the kitchen was washing dishes and making a pitcher of ice tea. Or, is it iced tea? Anyhoo, he was attempting to put the lid on the plastic pitcher. He was getting aggravated because he said it didn't fit. He was pounding on it with his fist. I decided to take over before he knocked the entire contents onto the floor. If he did and cleaned it up, I can guaratee the floor would still be sticky until I mopp...