Yesterday morning I went to put gasoline in my car and the scrubbing, grinding noise I'd heard in Pennsylvania the day before returned, along with another sound I can't presently identify. I decided to stop at Klem's Garage and leave my car there in the lot. Hopefully they get some time to look at it before next Tuesday's appointment. For now I am home with Killian and we'll be walking if we want to get out.
* News of the eclipse party is everywhere. The eclipse was fantastic, the gathering was the best!
* After every fabulous, rejuvenating event come unexpected stressors. We are stressed. We are stressed for several and various reasons. All we can do is move through them because they aren't going to be over until we do.
* Did I tell you I was scheduled for an echocardiagram in June? Well, it's tomorrow instead. Yesterday I went in for an MRI on my lower back and afterward decided to see why my follow up appointment with the cardiologist was so far out when my papers say 4 weeks. After checking the schedule, it was discovered there had been a cancellation this week. Did I want the appointment? Absolutely!
* Stress does crazy things to a body. Many of the sensations I have been feeling recently would have been brushed off in the past, but with the knowledge that I have an abnormality in my heart, there comes an even greater consciousness of these sensations. Is today's pain in my upper back related to my heart or did I sleep wrong? Am I once again carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders? Am I imagining symptoms or are they real? (I wasn't crazy in February...) I can not tell the difference between what is serious and what isn't. I will be relieved when tomorrow's appointment is over and I have some answers. (PS. I took a sick day tomorrow.)
* My car has a new battery, fresh oil, new lift support struts so the back will stay open when I want to put my groceries inside, and new brake lights too. Oh, and the gas tank is full.
* Please keep my little family in your prayers. We have big things happening. Thank you so much.
PS. I felt God smile again this afternoon when my phone rang. The person on the other end had no idea I was trying to call them back for precisely the same reason they were calling me. I never even had to tell them anything. I just smiled and agreed to their suggestion. It was perfect!
* It's been a stressful week. By week I mean since my last post.
* Wednesday. I met one of my kids at the therapist's office. Absolutely overwhelming. It took a few days to process all the emotions and settle my heart and soul.
* It's hard to process thoughts while tending to 3 or 4 babies all day long, but they are good therapy. I miss the other kids, but catch them when I have opportunity. I still get lots of smiles and hugs.
* I went car shopping on Saturday. A friend offered to go along and we actually had fun. I even bought a car. I'm a real grownup now. (I think.)
* On Sunday, after church (Yes, I actually got there this Sunday!) my sister Rachel and I went for a long walk through the woods, around the Webster Recreational Center, and back again. Later I made some chicken noodle soup, and took Idris down to the lake for a little while. It was a nice weekend.
* Yesterday I was stressed at work. Lots on my mind
* My Minnesota family is struggling. They're moving to Florida, closing
on their house, and dealing with sickness, movers, and lots of unknowns.
It's so hard when all I can do is pray. It's not nothing, but sometimes
it feels like nothing... They start the long drive tomorrow. Please pray for health and safety, for peace and rest, and for the transition to a completely new environment. And thank you. This mom appreciates it ever so much.
My car is still at the shop. It appears to need a new catalytic converter. The parts on either side have already been replaced... It's the converter itself that is pricey and he's had no luck locating an aftermarket part. There are aftermarket brands but nobody can get one. The only choice appears to be ordering from the dealer. It will take about four days to get here and cost two grand. And that's just the part. *Ouch!* Thankfully, I do know how to save money. I just never get to keep it.
I still have to give my mechanic an answer on whether to order the part and do the work...
It rained all day Sunday, but because Saturday had been so beautiful, the rain was easier to take. I went to church online in the morning, and when Hannah and Sergio went out later, I stayed home. While they were gone I started a batch of homemade white bread, and made a dish of bread pudding. Late in the day Hannah and I took a rain walk with Idris. Along the way we cleared debris from the gutters so the rainwater could run down into the storm sewer "where the alligators live."
This morning I took my car back into the shop to have the brakes checked. I need two new brake lines, which was no surprise to me. They are original to the car and it is 11 years old. It won't be done until tomorrow as the shop was terribly busy, but I have nowhere pressing to go so that's okay. Rachel picked me up at the mechanic's and we went back to her house for the day.
It was a wet, gray morning. I had packed Dad's old diaries into my purse, along with my reading glasses, and we spent the morning looking at separate computers while typing in old diary entries. I started with 1964 and she with 1969. We typed along until lunchtime, ate grilled cheese sandwiches and Fritos, and kept right on working until we decided to get up and stretch our legs.
I have not been out to the grocery store since last week. Yesterday I went to see my chiropractor and followed that will a very cold walk with my friend Chris. We took a walk in a newish nature preserve in Williamson. The preserve hugs the Pultneyville Cemetery (both sides and around the back) and skirts the edge of Lake Ontario. Yesterday was not only sunny, it was cold and windy too. It was not a day for ice cream no matter how much we love Yia Yia's. We decided to grab some coffee at Dunkin Donuts and socially distant visit at her house. A word of advice- Make sure your bladder is always empty if you plan to be out for any length of time. The places that have public restroom (like Dunkin) aren't letting people in, and this is why we ended up at Chris's house.
Like I said, I haven't been shopping for a week now. Hannah took my car and went to Wegmans this morning, and I thought about going out for a few things myself, but my brake light came on yesterday and I can't take the risk. I called someone who knows more than me and in the course of our conversation found a few leakage spots where I've been parking my car. Boo! I called my mechanic again and he will take a look at my car on Monday. In the meantime, I guess I will have to walk if I want to get somewhere.
It's been a lazy week. Sunday's walk was wonderful, but since them I've been pretty lax. I've not been getting up early enough, and I've stayed up too late. I'm not meeting my own expectations in being disciplined and productive. In spite of this, I am okay. Tomorrow is a new day and more is being accomplished than meets the eye. I've had some really great snuggles from Number Nine recently, and that is a great accomplishment.
* As our daycare numbers dwindled last week, I began to come home early. Thursday evening I walked in the door to my family sitting together in the living room. There was a little gasp and Idris cried out, "It's Grammy! Now we're all here! Me and Mommy and Daddy and Grammy!" I couldn't help but smile.
* Our weather has been fickle. Friday was quite warm, so on the drive home I flipped on my air conditioning. While stopped for a traffic light I noticed an odd, burning odor. I turned the air off, opened my windows a bit, and hoped it was someone other than me.
* I've been listening to my car's engine upon starting it and while idling at stops along the way. I didn't like the new sounds I was hearing. Something under the hood was amiss, but I didn't know what, so I sent a text message to my favorite mechanic. I stopped by after work to have him take a look at it. Good thing. It was something having to do with the unit that hooks into the air conditioning, a belt, and some bearings. (I can't keep it straight) All I know is it could have left me stranded and been a much more expensive job than it already is. (My feet as I sat waiting to find out what was wrong with my vehicle.)
* My boss, bless her heart, is covering for me in the kitchen tomorrow. The baby teacher will come in early, and I will stay home from work while my car is being fixed. This evening, after a cold, late afternoon walk, and no coffee, I am exhausted. I'm turning in early tonight. My eyes don't want to stay open.
Today I bought a brand spankin' new battery for my van. I'd gone to lunch with a few friends and afterward found my van to be a bit uncooperative. When I turned the key it didn't even go click. I called My Darling but he was 45 minutes away. I called Hannah who came to my rescue, but we found that even with the two vehicles attached to my shiny new jumper cables, still my van did not make so much as a click. (sigh) I called James back. With no way to help me, Hannah went back home and I wandered about the Dress Barn while waiting for my night in shining armor to arrive. He was able to get the van going and I followed him up the road, around the corner, and into the Auto Zone parking lot where a pretty new battery was installed in my vehicle.
Not much going on at home. Hannah went out to play Frisbee tonight and came home with the announcement that "girls are dumb". She didn't elaborate. Maybe I'll have to go pry it out of her. :0)
