Weekend Assignment - Animal Attacks

I don't know how amusing this was at the time, but after a few months, we are all laughing about it.  My husband, Robert, bought 8 little ducks for the ranch last year.  At first, they were just cute and messy.  We built an outdoor pen for them.  5 of the duck survived the 20 kids and the trauma of living in captivity.  In about April last year, Rob finally let the ducks out to roam the ranch.  Every morning they would follow him as he fed the animals.  One particular duck seemed to love him.  Rob called him Aflac.  It would jump onto Robert's head and hang around with him.  We all thought it was cute and funny.

On June 1st, Rob had to go to the US for health reasons and I was left to wait for the new directors.  I took over the morning chores, evenig chores, et. al.  Aflac figured that I must be his replacement and he followed me everywhere.  I had to be quick to close the doors, else he would be in the house with us! 

One morning after I finished the feedings, I went to the laundry room to talk with an employee.  Aflac followed.  I told him gently but firmly, "No ducks in the laundry room."  He followed anyway and I picked him up, petted him and put him outside.  The happened 3 times.  After the 3rd time, Aflac was ticked and flew right at me - wings hitting my face and webbed feet landing on my arm.  Well, I started to scream!  I didn't know that ducks had such long toenails.  Aflac was pulled off of me and I had to go to the doctor for the damage. 

Aflac has long since become "mole de pato" (that's duck stew to you) and my arm has healed just fine, thank you.  We won't be having ducks at our new home, however, I've had enough.

Home

Well, the days passed and the surgery is over.  It didn't happen the way I thought.  I had too much pain and had to go to the ER.  They admitted me, put me on antibiotics and did the surgery a day early.  I spent 2 nights in the hospital and came home this evening.

I'm in pain, but it wasn't as bad as my head projected it would be and I'm safe and warm in my own bed.  The hospital is not a place to get any rest.  Here I will be papmered by Rob and Andrea and no one will be poking me with any needles. Needles are not my friend.

I'll probably get back to the journal in a day or so when I can sit long enough.  Thanks to all for the prayers and e-mails. 

Blessings,  Penny

 

Two Days to Go

All my resolve in the last entry went to hades in a handbasket.  I got a load of laundry in the washer, but couldn't even transfer it to the dryer.  I've heard from the surgeon's office and am scheduled for surgery on Tuesday.  As much as I dread having the surgery, I am ready to be rid of the pain.

They tried to draw blood on Thursday, but my veins collapsed.  Three sticks and only a quarter vial of blood.  She said it was enough.  I do hope they've left me a vein for surgery.  I don't want to be awake for that. 

Rob and Andrea have been treating me like a princess, though I'd rather be queen and running my own household.  Poor Andrea thinks I might die and we've done everything to reassure her that it's a simple procedure and I will be home the same day.  Things surely have changed. 

Anyway, I'll probably be away from my journal for a few days.  I wanted to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day!  Give someone you love a great big hug. 

(((((HUGS)))))  Penny

 

Wednesday Morning

It's Wednesday morning and I've been stewing in self-pity for several days.  I had a very painful procedure/test on Friday morning and haven't felt well since.  Addin insult to injury, I also have to have my gall bladder out.  I haven't really wanted to talk about this too much, preferring to wallow when possible.  I've been online some, even wrote in my other journal.  Fortunately, I can't stand this another day.

I'm getting up to work on some things around here.  I don't care if it hurts, I've had enough.  I need to do laundry and perhaps cook a meal today.  We did go out yesterday to buy a vacuum cleaner for the new house.  It was all I could handle.  I came home and took a 2-hour nap.  Boy!  My life is exciting!

Rob and Andrea have been wonderful.  They have pampered me no end.  Of course, Andrea has an ulterior motive . . .she thinks if I'm sick I won't make her study.  Poor kid was sorely disappointed.  Rob just wants his wife back.  At least I'm not too grumpy. 

Saw the house again yesterday.  It's coming along.  Hank put a deck on one side so we won't fall through to the shop.  Looks real good.  He's going to buy white cabinets for the kitchen, which suits me fine because I'm going to make the room bright by painting trim chinese red.  Don't worry, there's not too much trim.  I'm doing the room in chili peppers.

He's also ready to finish up the bathroom in the next day or so.  It's really small, but the tub is great - an old cast iron tub that's plenty deep.  I will be a happy camper.  Our pastor's brother brought carpet for the rest of the house.  Mostly it's on the brown side, but one good sized piece for our room is hunter green - my favorite.  Think I'll do our room in jewel colors.  I can't wait to share pictures when it's done.

Thanks to all who wrote with prayer support.  I've really needed it these past few days and just knowing that you thought of me was a blessing.

Weekend Assignment # 46

This is a dream assignment for football widows.  We can make any rule we want!! I've thought about this for nearly two days now.  I sometimes watch the game, but I'm not the obsessed one.  Seems Super Bowl Sunday is waay too long.  The game doesn't start until late in the day, but the revelers get started early.  They watch old game highlights, older game highlights, game replays, pregame warm-up, the game, the commercials and the post-game wrap-up.   In our house, nobody drinks, but the passion is there just the same.

So here's my rule:  for every hour they watch Super Bowl stuff, "widows" get an all-expense paid hour of shopping.  Let the teams pay for it, after all, the fans pay for them.  That's it in a nutshell. 

Of course the Eagles are going to win the game.  They aren't favored and won't rest on their laurels.  If I'm wrong, so shoot me.

If you'll excuse me now, I gotta start my pre-game shopping.

The God Box

I've been having a rough couple of days.  Not only am I going through all kinds of medical tests and have to go see a surgeon tomorrow, but I am in physical pain.  I am even having difficulty walking from this house to our new house 2 doors away.  I'm apprehensive about the next 2 appointments and that's probably adding to my pain.  I've also been grouchy.  My beloved husband and daughter can attest to that, poor dears.

In the middle of this, I have the joy of the Lord.  I know He's taking care of it all and that whatever the answers will be, His hand is there.  It's easy to say that now, but I used to have a major trust issue with God.

My dear friend, Pat, always had a smile on her face.  Her comment when I complained that my life was horrible was this:  "It's okay, honey, God'll take care of it!"  That was hard, or nearly impossible for me to believe.  I had just left my 3rd marriage, lost the house, had two kids to raise and no place to live and of course, no money.  I had to do something, but what?  My prayers felt like they were falling on deaf ears.  I knew in my heart that God heard all my prayers, but I felt terribly alone.

I was cleaning houses and selling Tupperware to earn the money to get a place.  It seemed like my problems always followed me wherever I went.  I had heard someone once talk about writing down their problems and putting them in a "God box".  What the heck, I thought.  I'd give it a try.

I found an empty oatmeal box - the cylindrical one - and put sticky shelf paper all around it, sticking the top on so I couldn't get back in to check out what I wrote.  I cut a hole in the top and bought a small tablet to carry with me.  The box went everywhere I went.  Whenever I thought about something upsetting, I would write it down:  "Dear God, Rene owes me money."  or "Dear God, I am afraid I'll never find a place to live" or "Dear God, the kids are driving me crazy." 

The act of folding the paper up and shoving it into the box was a physical prayer for me.I always told God it was His now to handle.  Often, I wrote the same petty thing for days on end.  I filled up the box and had to make another. When I went to clean a house, I would leave the box outside the door, laying all my problems asideso I could be a good worker.  Many times, people would notice the box and after several visits, get up the nerve to ask what it was.  I would reply that those were my problems.  Sometimes we'd talk about the physical act of leaving my problems outside when I would enter a place.  For me, that's what it took back then.  My problems seemed overwhelming.  Once in the box, they were an entity that God had to care for. 

After I got settled in a little house of my own with the kids, I was no longer carrying the box.  I don't even remember when I stopped.  Somehow that stuff wasn't so important anymore.  As I was emptying out all the boxes of stuff from our move, I came across one of the boxes.  Dying from curiosity, I ripped the top off the box and sat in the shed reading paper after paper of my cares and worries.  ALL of them had been resolved!  God took my worries, whatever size and made ash of them.  I took the box, the papers and all and burned it in the barbecue. 

So as I worry an fret about what's going on here, I know one thing for certain:  God is in control, 

I'm thinking about you guys out there in J-Land and am grateful for your comments and prayers.  I'm trying to get to journals, but just can't seem to make time right now.  If I have to have surgery, I have a feeling that I will have plenty of time on the 'puter while I recover. 

Blessings to all, Penny

Home Sweet Home

These are the first pictures of our new house!  Hank is doing a destructo-derby on the kitchen and bathroom - redoing the plumbing throughout.  I am so happy that it has a bathtub!  I will continue to be able to soak in bubbles. 

It has two yards!  The little fron yard has room for a table and chairs so we can watch traffic go by . . .The side yard is big enough for a tool shop and a doggie!  Of course, the doggie will be in the house a lot, but she will need an outdoor place to run and play.  Also, Hank is going to put a little deck on the back so we can barbecue out there. 

Andrea joined Robert and Hank to pull the cabinets out of the kitchen.  The house was probably built in the 1920's, so the changes definitely have to be made.  The windows are the old weighted sash windows which Hank is going to try to fix. Many of the other windows have been replaced.

We will have to paint the entire place and the carpet will have to be cleaned or replaced, but our pastor has a brother who will get us carpet for free! 

I'm not excited or anything!!! I feel like a kid getting her first place.  And in a way, this is our first place.  We lived at the ministry for many years.  And though it was our home, we didn't have 4 walls that we could call just ours.  This will be a treat and a privilege for us.  God has surely blessed us.

I took a picture of Dufus on the fireplace, of course.  He wanted to get in on the fun as well.  He wouldn't let me put him anyplace else and he promptly left a "deposit" for posterity.  The little entryway will be perfect for my office. 

Most of the tear-down got done yesterday and the plumber is starting today.  We thought we'd have 2 months to get ready to pay rent, but it looks like it might be done a bit sooner.  Aaaahhhh!  Privacy!