Old Age

I never thought I'd get here but I have arrived. Well, it ain't no day at the park. About all I do is sit in my rocker recliner and wish I could die. Kenny came and spent some time with me today and I deeply appreciated it. I shared a memory with him that I had not thought of in years. We had a neighbor that lived across the street from us and her name was Mrs. Youngblood. Back in the day when adults were known as Mr. or Mrs. Whoever. He was four years old and couldn't remember her name so he called her Mrs. Blood Vessel. I thought it was funny so I told Mrs. Youngblood about it and she laughed so hard I thought she might burst a blood vessel.

We had good times back then. One day I told my son, Mel, that we are getting neighbors in the vacant house across the street and they have a little boy about your age. He came over to the window and looked over there then he went into his room and put on a jacket and didn't say a word to me but went straight over there and the Dad pulled a red wagon off of their loaded trailer and gave to them and they became friends and they are still very good friends to this day.

 

This is us and our Grands, Deena and Trent

My First Crochet Hook

My First Crochet Hook

by Helen Bootes

It was back in the 40's,

I was eleven that year.

There were 10 of us kids

and money was dear.

I visited our neighbor,

just crocheting away.

I watched her for hours

Not a word did I say.

All the while I thought,

I could do that too.

I'll go home and tell Don,

He'll know what to do

Don was our big brother,

And it was quick to see,

When he said "Just calm down.

And explain it to me.

I need a crochet hook

It should be this long, Don,

With a hook on the end

So the yarn will stay on.

Later he came back

With that I-made-it look,

I knew in an instant

I had my first crochet hook.

He had taken a twig,Smoothed it with a file,

just right for my hand.

Now many years have passed

And I crochet with pride.

Knowing how I got started,

There's a warm feeling inside.

So thanks to my brother,

Cause I know what it took.

Now nothing can replace

My first crochet hook.

Brighter Days Here

I was at the beauty salon, just

got a haircut and a fix.

I had lost my desire for food and couldn't even force it down. It was because of a green pill I had been taking for years. My doctor told me to stop the pill and I will regain my desire for food again in 7 to 10 days. It was a pill to help me sleep. When I was younger my body could tolerate it, but now that I am old, elderly, over the hill, and ready to bail out, the pill made me sick. I went through the dry heaves and sick feeling and couldn't even force anything down. It was terrible. Finally today I am beginning to eat again. I still can't eat bread because it has an overly sweet taste I can't tolerate. But I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I lost a size in clothing. Now that I am on a roll I will continue to lose weight. I will not gain that weight back. I had always been able to control my diet but somehow I just gave up and gained a ton. Goodbye fat and good riddance. 

I looked much better in the mirror than I do in this picture.

This is a sickening post, but it's the best I can do.

Till Next Time! 

This is Chris and Robin, the hairdresser.

History

I have been sick. Test runs and Dr. visit indicates some side effects from a med I have been on for years could be the cause of it. Stop the med and wait for 7 to 10 days. It has only been a couple days and I already see some improvement. It's a wait and see game. I haven't been able to enjoy eating for some time. Food was tasting bad.  Now, I am trying to drink lots of water. My daughter and her side kick, Karen and Dennis were here from Tacoma and helped me so much with everything. I can't thank them enough for all their help. They headed back over the mountain awhile ago. 

We had fun going through some of my boxes that I have saved things forever. This picture is one of the things we found, a picture of me and a friend from about 1947.

Yours truly and Mary Takach

 

Till next time!

The Pill

I have been feeling like something the dogs dragged home. Yucky feeling, can't eat because everything tastes disgusting. I had a bunch of blood work done which was awful because they couldn't find a vein so it was both arms and both hands and three nurses before they found a vein they could get blood from. Today I finally saw the Dr. about the problem. He found that I am taking a med to help me sleep and have been taking it for years. That pill is the root of my problem, it has the very same side effects as I have symptoms. So stop the pill today and I should be back to my normal self within 7 to 10 days. It takes that long to get it out of my system. The reason it just now is causing all these problems is that I am 93 years old and my body is unable to tolerate things as it did when younger.  Simple as that! Praise the Lord and pass the tacos!!!

We were a happy family then.

Men used to think it was cool to have a cigarette sticking 

out of their mouth.

I apologize for the different print sizes but I can't seem to correct it so I give up.

My World

Another day and the world moves on.  I'm still lightheaded and not feeling so great. I have tests and Dr appts coming up. It's 6 AM and the sun is out doing its thing. I have nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs and cruise the Internet. 

Spring has sprung

The sun has ris

I wonder where

      the little flowers is.

(A Chris quote)

I have lost my eating enjoyment. Everything tastes terrible and oversweet. The doctor wants me to drink at least two cans of Ensure per day. So I just had my first can of the day. Someone said to add a dip of ice cream and it will go down easier. So I just did that and it was not bad at all. I had the Liquid Ensure which is berry or part berry juice. 

Sassy, the cat, doesn't have a regular bed. I had one for her but she wouldn't get in it so I gave it away. She finds different places to sleep such as a chair. I have discovered that if I caress and talk to her and carry on like she is really special she will go curl up in a chair and sleep for hours. I have always preferred dogs but somehow ended up with a cat.                                                                                              Till next time.

                                                 

                                                                                          

Gloom and Doom

I am not feeling the greatest. I'm pretty sure I'm headed for kidney failure. I am under the care of a doctor. The medicine I am on is not helping any that I can see. I am dizzy and feel like I am going to pass out but so far I keep hanging on. I cannot eat. Food tastes terrible. I made a bowl of oatmeal presweetened, and just added a little milk and heated it. It was horrible, too sweet, I couldn't force it down. 

I did drink a can of Ensure juice that Charlie gave me and it is staying down so far. Thanks, Charlie.

Life isn't always a bed of roses as almost everybody already knows from experience. 

I have always been the pessimistic type, so maybe I will come bouncing out of this and be just fine. I have another appt with the medical folks next week.

Till next time.

Gripes and Groans

I have this problem, I can't eat anything. Everything tastes terrible. The test results show everything normal except the kidneys and I have low sodium and some infection so I am on meds for the infection which is supposed to fix the problem. I did my own research on the taste problem and it indicated a nasal polyp problem. I need polyps removed.  I was able to get some soup down which I couldn't do before so maybe the medicine he gave me is going to work. I can only hope! The soup wasn't very tasty but I managed to get it in my stomach. He said if the kidneys stay as they are I will be okay. 

Charley, my friend gave me a bunch of Ensure and some in the juice form. That one is not so bad, much easier to get down. 

I know this is a gloomy post, but it's about my life and this is what is happening now. 

My little brother. Hollis called me from Snoqualmie. We discussed everything pretty thoroughly, including his new rocking shoes. I had never heard of them before. He has Arthritis in his feet and the shoes really help a lot.

Till next time!

 

Call a Spade a Spade

Call a Spade a Spade but of course, it's really a Shovel. Well, I have the Yukies and that means sick. I can no longer eat like regular folks do. My taste buds got up and took a hike. I could not stand the taste of anything, so I went to a Dr. and had all the tests done. The follow-up and test results will be available tomorrow at 3 PM. Getting blood out of me is next to impossible. It was finally taken out of the back of my hand. That blood pressure cuff is another punishment I don't deserve.

Hey, I was able to pee in a cup. Yea! for me. 

I could have an infection lurking around in my body somewhere. We'll get to the bottom of this.

In the meantime I must drink two cans of Ensure. Now, that stuff is good for you so shut up and drink it. At least 2 cans per day and more would be better. Well, not in my book, it wouldn't be better.

To be continued:

I marvel at the people I watch on TV. They walk, run, jump, ride a bicycle, and dance as though they never had a pain in their life. It's hard to believe that I once could do those things as well. Now, it's grab the cane and go to the bathroom or the kitchen and I accepted the fact that I am no longer a young thing. 

Now, I lost my appetite and last night I had the dry heaves, and sicker than I've been in a long time. Dr. Kenny diagnosed it as the regular Flu. I do not have Covid. I only had one line which means no covid.

I will recover.

I am so hungry so Kenny bought me some KFC and Fries. Because I love fries more than anything. Greasy fries is probably the very thing I should not eat, but it's the only thing that tastes good to me. Well, I am a lot of things, but I am not stupid so I am leaving the taters alone until I feel better.

Wish me a fast recovery!!!

This is Dylan, my Great Grandson, and my Great Great Grandson.  I never get to see him. His name is Matthew.