Just need to talk to my friends (144)

Lorita

Hi,

Thank you all so much for the advice.  I can't get in touch with either of them - his voicemail is full and, of course, she doesn't answer when she sees it's me calling.  I hate to get APS involved.  Maybe I could call tomorrow and ask for a welfare check and if the police came in, maybe they'd make her go to the hospital. 

 Thank you, Judith, I don't know of anything either of us can do at this point.  It's just so strange that we went through this with Patsy and now Sarah - both of them hung up on me when I was trying to convince them to go to the hospital.

 It's beautiful here now but windy.  We're supposed to have storms later this evening and tonight. Did get my new weather radio so maybe that will come in handy.  Ron, I think the worst may be north of you and south of us.  Maybe Lou will sleep through it.  Have you tried Melatonin for sleep?  I never have because I normally don't have trouble sleeping but it has helped lots of people, I'm told.

 Rescue Mom, Dr. G. told me the same thing about involving APS with my sister.  He said it should be the last resort.  I did with her - with no help from them and I hate to do it now.  She could tell them anything about T and they might believe it. 

 Judith, in Sarah's frame of mind if Home Instead did go to her house she wouldn't answer the door - just as she's done with Home Health.  Todd can't stay with her all the time because of his work.  I think that may be one part of it - she wants him there with her all the time and he can't be and run a business.  The one friend she had was staying with her and stole from them and disappeared so neither of them trust very much.

 Mr. K and his son came about 9:30 to fix the little strip of fence they didn't get done before.  He had misunderstood about that part - but, to me, it was one of the most important parts.  It's where I put the moms and 2-3 day old babies until they're bigger and stronger.  It didn't take them anytime ) to get it done and he wouldn't accept any more money for it.  They took out a big wild rose bush (CCC set them out in this area many, many years ago and they're a big nuisance).  They're so thorny and grow so fast.  I had trimmed it back a bit so I could close a gate but now it's gone - used his tractor to get rid of it.  He's the nicest man and does such good work.  We have all new fencing now except on one side of both meadows, a quarter mile  along the road and the pasture fence just down from the house to the road.  Everything else is done and so glad I don't have to worry about the girls getting out on the road.   When he did the first fencing for us six years ago he told me the man who owns the place east of us wouldn't pay him $10,000 for fence work he did.  He seems to be a peace-loving man and wouldn't pursue it in court.

 I do wish I could get in touch with either Todd or Sarah but you can't make someone answer their phone.  Guess I'll just have to wait.

 Looks like the barn-cleaning crew won't be here until Monday which is probably good.  I have enough to worry with now.    Stormy's asleep on the divan and Sheena has gone to the bedroom to sleep.  Iris, both of them weigh around 90 lbs. and they're the best housedogs.  They stay in part of the time and they're quiet - never know they're in the house. 

 Guess I'll stop and try getting in touch with them again.  Thanks, again.

Iris L.

I agree with getting hospice involved. This will confirm that the patient has a terminal condition and is not being deliberately withheld from nourishment or medical care by family.  

Iris

jfkoc

His voice mail is full...then he can not get a call from Sarah or you. She will not answer the phone? If she did what would you say? Do you truly think you could change her mind about medical help? Could she even tell you how you could help her?

I think all you could say is that you are sorry that she feels she is dying...that to think of losing her makes you sad. That she is important to you and that you will do anything she wants to  help her. You might visit with her about shared memories. 

I think all of us here believe or want to believe that a long term stay in a medical facility can get things strightened out but then we know that has not worked in the past. She also needs serious treatment for her depression. 

Sarah and Todd are adults and Todd has a sister who is an RN.  There is little that you can do except be a strong shoulder and love on them.

Mint

Lorita I do not know S but she may just be tired of being sick and is done.  People become tired and have no desire to fight the battle anymore, and they stop all or part of their treatment.  Personally have no problem with this, I understand.  Would be best for all concerned if she had a do not resuscitate order in place.

  I’ve seen people on here say you do not need a referral to hospice.  You just need to contact hospice and they evaluate you.  It may still be a little scary for her even if she is done with treatment.   Hospice could help her with pain meds etc., but she would have to be agreeable and cooperate with them. 

It is the same here as Judith said.  The only way to be admitted against your will is due to mental illness.  Here they call it pink slipped I believe.  Guessing, but sure don’t know, that the decision would be a police, squad call as someone else mentioned.

If she doesn’t go into hospice or get a do not resuscitate order done, eventually the shoe will drop and if someone is there to call the squad, she won’t be able to refuse and off she will go.

As I said, I do not know her.  Is there any possibility she is being manipulative to someone, for example T.  This was not something I saw frequently, but have seen it, and it could be quite dramatic.  

jfkoc

Sayre....DNR...If she does not have one getting her to sign one just might shock  her into getting the help she needs.

Lorita

My new weather radio works!!   It just came on to tell us there's a severe thunderstorm warning for eastern and southeastern Oklahoma- so it begins.  It goes until 11 p.m.  Supposed to be a squall line or two develop with 60-70 mph winds and hail.

 I've talked with Todd and with Sarah - both of them called.  He was leaving to go to work and while we were talking the Police came to do the welfare check I'd requested.  They told me she was okay and they told her to call me - which she did half an hour or more later.

 I think maybe she'll go to the hospital - at least she said she would.  She said she was afraid - and I know that's of what they might tell her.  Tried to impress on her that she should go and get her medications straightened out and she'll feel better and they could get on with their lives.  They're both acting like teenagers instead of middle-aged people - one feeds off the other.  We'll see if she goes - I won't be surprised if she doesn't.

 Maybe, if she does go the case worker will get her on Hospice.  DNRs are hard - I'll never forget how hard it was for me to sign the one for Charles when he went on Hospice.  That should shock a person into doing all they can do to feel better.

 Girls have gone down to graze.  I told them before they left that it was going to rain and to come to the barn when it begins.  The babies are staying close together.  I always dread the first rain on new babies but Charles always said that's their first good bath - guess he's right.

 Thanks to all of you and for the suggestions.  If she does go to the hospital, maybe things will work out.  Neither one is acting their age.

Jo C.

Lorita, I am truly sorry to hear of what is happening with your niece.  There are so many possibilities for what is happening, and it appears not any of them have a good dynamic attached.  This situation has been going on in various ways of inappropriateness for years now and none of it has been positive; there has been much manipulation, med abuse, refusal of much needed care from anyone; from doctors, the psychiatrist, from home health, from care aides, etc.  She has such dreadful medical conditions I can only imagine how hard it is for her.  None of this is new but it appears to have ramped up considerably.  Her health is so very tenuous.  I can really understand how upsetting this is for you, but it is more or less out of your hands without her cooperation.  You cannot really fix this; at least not without help from an agency mandating her care of which there are options, but still very diffcult to have it come to pass.

 If she truly wishes to die, I understand and then help would come from Hospice for her comfort as she leaves this life.  Yet; one does not know if that is the actuality.

You can call APS without making a referral; just inquiring for information on how they would handle things under the circumstances.    Good to know for sure what their action would possibly be.  Your niece has indeed had mental health problems, appears not to be able to utilize adequate judgement or reasoning; at one point was receiving care from a psychiatrist for a short period, but she refused to accept that care and stopped that treatment; she appears to be in a dire physical state.  (Need to give the reasons for making an assessment if that would be helpful.)

 She is a danger to herself with her self neglect; it may be that her decisions are presently based either on her actual wishes, OR because she has refused to take her critical meds and is also both dehydrated and malnourished, and all of this has caused changes within the body that cause her to become unable to use logic or judgment and lends confusion in thinking; in some instances, this can cause outright full blown confusion.  Or; there may even possibly be a component of manipulation which has happened in the past.  You mention her wanting her spouse to be there to provide her care for her, but he works far, far away and cannot do that.

If this were me, and I called APS, I would ask to speak to a supervisor, let them know the facts including the psych, mental health issues, her medical conditions, etc.,  and ask under the circumstances what they would be able to do . . . . if you feel they would be helpful, then you can make the referral.  It isn't about being socially appropriate, it sounds as though it could possibly  be a life or death situation if all is as it seems.

 T's cellphone is full; he cannot receive calls, he may be aware of that and it may possibly be that he does not wish to receive any calls at this time.  There are many dysfunctions in that relationship and no one knows for certain what the dynamics actually are.  And of course, he has a business to run and is in the midst of contracting.  He may know more than you do and feels things are not as dire as they seem; no way to know that for sure.  He is really up in the air for garnering information.

It is not a case of making a wellness call by the police, they can do nothing; they cannot force her to receive care.  I remember multiple wellness calls you had them make and your niece would not answer the door.  The only thing they could do IF they felt there was a life and death or dire health issue would be to make a 911 call for the paramedics to come out and assess the person if they feel there is a safety issue such as also feeling that she is a harm to herself, etc.  She needs acute care and being alert and if oriented, she is able to make her own decisions even if bad ones and refuse the paramedics or ambulance to the hospital.

 Hospice; that may or may not be what she would accept depending on whether she is truly wanting to die or if there may be manipulation or pain med abuse which has happened multiple times in the past.

 Hospice, if their assessment indicated she has six months or less to live, (that is flexible with complex situations for many Hospices), can come to the home to assess if she requests it or accepts it if the call is made by someone else.   The Hospice Intake Nurse would come out the same day and do an assessment and intake.  That takes time to do; they are required to take scads of information on the first home visit.  In order for Hospice to start, they will need to get a doctor's order from one of your niece's doctors - Hospice can do that for her. Since your niece is on Oklahoma's Medicaid, they may have a certain Hospice they choose to use. 

One thing about Hospice, is that she would have much pain medication available to her; BUT, she would absolutely either have to have someone in the house caring for her 24/7; OR she would have to go into a care facility where Hospice could follow her and she would have that 24 hour care component as well as hands on needs addressed as well as medication management.  We know she has signed herself out of such settings in the past.

 This is not going to be either simple or easy.

It appears that what you may be able to do constructively, is to gather knowledge for what can and cannot be done.  APS; the Social Workers at the med center, the Case Managers for her insurance, etc.  IF she is having chemical changes within her body from neglect, with not taking critical meds, dehydration, malnutrition, she may not be capable of making any decisions for herself.  In order to determine that, someone professional will have to get inside her house . . . . how that would happen will probably depend on the laws in Oklahoma.  Or . . . . if her husband returns home and sees a severe physical situation, he can call for help. 

 This is a tough situation; I can only imagine how upsetting and overwhelming this must be for you; again, I am so sorry.  You have done so much to try and be helpful over the years.  It may be that if you get a call through to her, you can just let her know you are there for her and will do whatever you can to help for what SHE will permit.   If she sounds confused and unable to use adequate judgment and reasoning, then that sounds like an urgent referral to a helping agency/entity.  If considered a harm to herself, that leaves a little leeway for helpers to get her to care.

 I wish I knew more ways to help, but getting the inside scoop from APS who can advise different options and the same from Social Workers and Case Managers can perhaps lend some light.

 Only other option would be to make the long drive to her home to assess the situation yourself, but that does not seem possible considering the length of such a drive and the care the ranch needs, not to mention your own health and well-being.  She may possibly refuse to let you in or refuse care.

 Please do keep us posted as to how this is going; if someone elses comes along with a good idea, that would be great.  I am sorry this is happening; there are not words sufficient.  You are doing all you can from afar.  (((Lorita))).

 J.

ladyzetta

Lorita,   You are doing everything possible. Now, I hope you can get some rest. Does T have POA to over see her health care?  If I had had POA the time that Dan fell I would have had him taken to the hospital. I guess it would be real hard to take them if they did not want to go.  I hope you don't have too much of a storm, it must not scare the girls too bad. 

Lazy day today at my house, sure is cold outside.  Hugs to All, Zetta   

Jo C.

 Whoops!  We were both Posting at the same time.   Glad you got through to Todd and Sarah.  It does not sound as bad as imagined.   I agree; there is much drama in their lives, and unfortunately it spills over onto others.  

Hopefully, this will begin to move in the best direction.  Still might be a good idea to contact APS without referral to gain information for the "just in case" sort of need.

 Best of wishes for one and all,

 J>

ladyzetta

 Ron,   I am so sorry you will have to deal with the storms. If you have not tried Melatonin it works well for me. I take one about a hour before I go to bed and it helps me a lot. I don't sleep all night but I will always go back to sleep when I wake up.

 Jo,   Thank You so much for all your post I learn a lot when I read them and I am sure they help a lot of people. You give a lot of comforting information. I wish I had been sitting on this porch when I was taking care of my DH. I got a lot of good advice and support on the other boards that did help me a lot, and even by some of the people on this porch. I even remember Ron's weekly hugs.  Sitting on this porch is very comforting more detailed questions are easier to ask. 

I thank all of you for being here. Hugs Zetta 

jfkoc

The Queen has lost her prince. How to  you go on without the person you have been married to for 74 years.

Lorita

We all know how hard it will be for her.  I feel sorry for her.  He was just two months shy of being 100.  Married 74 years - that's almost as old as some of us are.  Can you imagine?

 Bad weather's west and north of us and it's already pretty dark here.  They're having quite a bit of hale -  maybe I should put the frost guards on the windshields.  I need to call a tree company and have them the two big trees on the north side of the house - they're hanging over the house and it's scary when the wind's strong.

 Keep safe.

jfkoc

Looks like Ron is having a big storm right now. I think I am clear here in OKC

Lorita

Thanks, Jo, for all the information.  Like Zetta, I learn a lot from your posts.  A lot to absorb.  I couldn't do any more over there than I can here which isn't much of anything - except to listen. 

 She's telling me now that she's going to call the ambulance and go to the hospital.  Started saying this two hours ago but keeps putting it off.  I doubt she will.  We'll see.  She did tell me she was afraid - not sure if it's what they'll tell her or being fearful of the virus.  Neither one of them have had the vaccine.

 Sara - aren't you glad you got your vaccine a few weeks ago before J&J started having problems.  I heard 41% of the adults in our Country have had at least one dose but there's been 75,000 new cases each of the last two days. 

 Going to go out and look at the clouds. Girls are still way down in the pasture - except Rose Bud who's still up here around the house.

 Zetta, watching Gunsmoke.  One of the women who plays one of the Baldwin sisters on The Waltons is on the show and I've seen her on the show before.  Amazing how so  many of the same people are in the shows.

 Back later.

jfkoc

You might ask her what she is afraid of or if she wants to talk about it.

Nothing like Oklahoma clouds. We were at Target one day and told to go to the back of the store because of a Tornado. Dick went to the front and outside to watch the storm come in.

Lorita

Men don't seem to be as afraid of storms as women.  I know I am - got that fear from my grandma and mother.  When I was growing up we spent a lot of time in the cellar in the spring.  Didn't have much of a way to know about storms then, so daddy would watch the clouds and what TV reception we might have.  When the storm was getting closer he'd wake us up and we'd get dressed and go to the cellar.  Very close to the back door but when you go and it's pouring rain you still get wet.  Daddy built some benches down in the cellar and I can remember being down with some water in it and someone knocking on the cellar door.  We had neighbors almost half a mile away and they'd come up through the pastures to the cellar when it was really bad.  Had some frogs down there and their boys delighted in putting frogs on us.

 I have asked her, Judith, and she just won't answer.  I think it's that she's afraid she'll go to the hospital and not get to come back home.  She's called me three or four times in the last hour.  Kept saying she was going to call the ambulance.  This last call she said her stomach started bleeding about an hour ago - and she couldn't get through to EMS so called Todd's partner and he was coming to take her to OUMC.  I told her to call when she got there.  She was crying and saying she was scared.  I imagine she is and I would be, too.  We'll see if she really goes.  For her own good, I hope she does.

 Only one time I can remember when I working that we had a real tornado warning at the VAMC.  We had to go to the lower floors - guess they took all the patients to the hallways.  Luckily, everything was all right.  Did you have rain over there?  Looks like the storms are the next County over from us and some have already gone through but guess they were a bit north of us and missed us.

 Sheena has come into the LR with me.  Thunder scares her.  She had been in the bedroom sleeping.

ronald71111

We've had the first round of storms, thunder shook the house but all is quiet now. 2nd round is suppose to come late tonight.

I will leave you tonight with a little humor.

I use to rock around the clock, now I limp around the block.

I hate it when I realize I'm the same age as old people.

Sleep tight my friends!

Ron

jfkoc

"I hate it when I realize I'm the same age as old people." Oh, how I love that!

How can you not get hold of EMS? I just called 911.

Lorita

Love both of those.  We used to have a little friend who was in her 80s living in an assisted living center.  She'd talk about those little, old people who were there.

 Ron, glad that part of the storm is past you all.  There's having some rough weather around McAlester but if it goes east that will be north of you.  Also had a little pop-up tornado in the southern part of Tulsa (didn't touch down) and also north of Muskogee.  I can hear thunder and it's raining a little bit.

 Beats me, Judith.  Todd called and his partner was on his way over to take her to the hospital or to get an ambulance for her.  I told him to call me when he heard anything and I'll let you all know.

 Weather radio doesn't seem to be working right.

Lorita

Hi,

 Storms have passed through here.  We had a couple of loud claps of thunder - Sheena did very well - and heavy rain for maybe ten minutes.  But, that will make it muddy around the barn - maybe it'll dry out some before Monday.  Storms were pretty bad north and south of here.  Weather radio is still going off.

 I called OUMC and the nurse in the ER said Sarah was there - had been for about an hour.  He didn't know if she'd be admitted.  I would think if she's bleeding they would admit her.  So, if she's admitted, maybe something can be done to help her get her medications straightened out and help her to feel better.

 I'm about ready for bed.  Hope all of you sleep well tonight.  Thanks for all the help today - much appreciated.

Lorita

Sarah just called from the ER.  She's getting IVs and pain meds.  Said the doctor told her she has a bad abdominal infection.  They're going to do surgery to replace her feeding tube tonight, she thinks.  So, she'll be admitted.

 It's a good thing she made it to the hospital - should have gone sooner but that's water under the bridge.   She still says she's scared of the surgery.   I told her to be sure to get my name on the list so I can talk with them about her if I need to.  So, things will be better for her.  Maybe the infection and pain was what was making her act out so much.  She said Todd was bringing her phone charger up to her tonight.

 See you all tomorrow.  I'm about ready to go to bed.  Everyone else is asleep and the weather here is quiet - still storms south of here around Wister.  Ron, not sure if you'll get any of this.  Lots of power outages north of here.

  

ronald71111

Good morning, sure is nice outside this morning. I love the calmness after a good rain and the air has such a pleasant smell to it. The storm woke me up at 1:45 this morning, loud thunder and heavy rain. I looked over at Lou and little bit and both just snoozing away. Doesn't matter, even if it woke her she wouldn't remember, it just would have been harder to get her back to sleep. 

I love my early morning coffee, so nice and peaceful, just me my coffee and no worries. Maybe that's why I cant sleep, afraid of missing my quiet time! 

Lou has been exceptionally good the last couple of days, which has made it so much easier for me to take care of my pneumonia. I have had to watch myself moving to fast lately, seems like I get light headed and takes a few minutes to get my balance. Dont know if its after effects from prostate treatment, the pneumonia or a combination of both.

Time for another cup of coffee, I have some of those small cinnamon donuts to go with my coffee and sure enjoy it. I was thinking it sure would be nice for all of us to set on the front porch early morning and enjoy a cup of coffee, good conversation and watch the sunrise together. 

Ron

Mint

Good morning

Zetta we had summer this week.  Suppose to cool down tomorrow, but yo normal temperatures so that will be good.  Maybe will go ahead and plant my poppies.

Cases of covid going up here too.  Guess we haven’t reached herd immunity yet.  Will be interesting to see if hospitalizations and death go up or not too.  

Glad you are getting a little quiet time with your coffee this morning Ron.  Remember one time when I took an antibiotic got dizziness.  Looked it up and sure enough that was a side effect of the antibiotic.  You just never know.

Think I will start some more seeds today.  This is when the push really starts.

Take care everyone

Lorita

Morning early birds, Ron and Sara,

 It's really nippy here this morning.  Wore my coat and hat to feed Tom and Jerry and see the girls.  Finally saw all of them.  I can count three times and get three numbers - they'll all there and seem fine.  We got some rain but not much - no water standing and it's not muddy.  North wind's blowing and it's cloudy.  Wouldn't it be nice to sit on the front porch and have our coffee, tea and donuts or whatever.  At least we can imagine.

 So, I'm in a quandary.  When I talked with Sarah last night (she called) at 10 she was getting ready to go to surgery to replace the feeding tube and was getting all kinds of IVs.  This morning I called to see which room she was in and she isn't there!  They transferred me to the ER and at first they couldn't find a record of her being there - but finally did, name was spelled wrong.  She said she was discharged!  I can't get in touch with either Sarah or Todd so I don't know what happened.  If she went to surgery, they wouldn't have discharged her, would they?  If she had this massive infection she said they told her she had, why didn't they admit her?  Guess I'll just have to wait until one of them calls.  Don't know who else to call at the hospital.  I may try the ER again - maybe I'll get a different person who would be more helpful.

 Ron, glad the storm didn't awaken Lou or Little Bit and that you didn't have bad storms.  It's so green here it seems like the air's green.  I always think that in the spring time when things are leafing out. 

So, Sara, it's almost time to get in gear with your planting seeds.  Do you ever buy transplants - seems that you always start your own which I think is better because you can choose the variety you want.  I'm anxious to see how you like those Delicious tomatoes. 

 Darn, I thought Sarah would be admitted and we could get things started as far as home health, etc.  Can't figure out what happened.  Guess I'll wait until someone calls.

 Hope all of you are well this morning.  I hope it's a quiet weekend.

 Addendum:  Finally got Todd to answer - he's travelling - heard his PU say he was going 70 mph - this may be the day he has to go to Apache.  He said Sarah called him this morning and told him to come and get her - being discharged.  He said they changed the feeding tube and she said gave her a lot of medicines.  He doesn't know if she talked her way out or what.  She isn't answering her phone.  Last night she said he was going to bring her phone charger so she could plug it in so at that time she wasn't thinking about going home.  Just have to wait until she calls.  So, guess we're back where we were.

BethL

Good morning everyone. 

Ron, sorry to hear about your difficulties but glad you have your quiet time with good coffee and a donut. Do you like dark roast? I do and recently searched Amazon for it. I found some called "Death Wish." Very strong in terms of caffeine and a nice dark roast. 

Lorita, I'm glad Sarah got to the hospital. I said a prayer for her. 

I've been enjoying looking out my window the past couple of days (no, I don't sit there continuously!) First, a nice gentle rain a couple of days ago. I like the sound of rain so I opened the window. So relaxing. Then, our town had pick up days. People put things on the curb that might be larger than what goes in the garbage, and you should see the pickups and trailers coming through, looking for goodies. It is fun to watch and see what people have in the back of their pickups or trailers as they drive by looking for more. Today the garbage vendor will come through and pick up the rest, for the landfill. Always glad when people come through first and save things from the landfill. 

I've been doing a lot of gardening including helping an elderly lady by cleaning up/weeding hers. It was quite a mess, lots of chickweed and creeping charlie! When I get the weeding done I'll mulch it. We will also be mulching our gardens, hoping to start today. Speaking of the garden, I have MANY daffodils in bloom - hundreds. The tulips are just beginning to bloom. I have a few hundred of them too, but not as many as daffodils. Tulips don't live long, whereas daffodils multiply and multiply and multiply. 

My plans for the day are to get groceries and maybe mulch. After a year of mainly ordering groceries for drive up, we go in the store now (with masks). We're fully vaccinated and I feel safe. I switched from a N95 to a cloth mask with a 5 layer filter. Much easier to breathe! Grateful for the option. In fact, much to be grateful for. Life is good.

jfkoc

Being vaccinated does give one the feeling of taking a big re-entry step back into the world. I still wear my mask a lot but after checking the status of the people I am with may take it off.

Lorita....I know that feeding tubes require maintenance and that they can become clogged but usually can be unclogged rather easily by the owner. They do need replacing but I have never heard of needing "surgery" to do so. 

 I think it is possible that Sarah is not maintaining her feeding tube. I know when I was with her at an appointment it was clear she was not following instructions. Todd became agitated when she was not truthful with the Dr.

Anyway, good she is home and has scripts for her diabetes and for the infection. 

Ron, next time bring more doughnuts.

Beth...we have pick up day here too. I have a beautiful, expensive (I know the manufacturer) chandelier curtesy of the curb. I know people pick up metal to sell too.

Sayra...the push is on???

Mint

Lorita not sure you get the straight facts from S.   Can see a possibility of a few different scenarios.  It’s totally normal to change feeding tube and send patient home.  They may have told her she had an infection and she relayed it to you as a massive infection.  They may have said a massive infection trying to encourage her to go home and be compliant when in reality it was an infection that could be dealt with at home. Who knows, not me, just a few guesses.

I do buy a few transplants.  Like going and looking around.

Grew Delicious last year.  I liked it.  Am not growing it this year.  

Chickweed and creeping Charlie will definitely keep you busy.  

Beth if you are able to take a picture of flowers and put it on here, would love to see them.  My tulips and daffodils have buds.  The tulips were here when I came.  They have bloomed every year so far.  They are under a huge locust tree.  They bloom before it leaves out. 

What do you mulch with?

Grateful for my vaccine and mask too.   Feel like life has gotten a little bit back to normal.  Always disliked when I had to use a N95 at work.  They were difficult to breathe through.  Was so glad when I could remove it.  I use a KF94 and it is easy to breathe through.  

At another place I lived helped a lady with her flowers.  That is a job.  You are very kind Beth.  

Lorita

Hi,

 Judith, from what Sarah said (and I have to take those things with a grain of salt) she was bleeding from the feeding tube site.  I don't know - just what I hear from her.  From what she said that was so bad I thought surely they would keep her and we could get things straightened out.  I'm exhausted after yesterday.  I have to let them do their own thing.  I know, I've said that before and get pulled back in.  But, I'm too old for this - seems like there's always something going wrong either with her health or between them.  Gotta let it go.  I hope it wasn't as bad as she made it out to be and that she did get medicine.  I know they wouldn't fill the scripts at the hospital so guess Todd had to drop them off at WM and then pick them up.  She's not answering her phone so I won't call again.  Like I said when I talked with him he was on the highway travelling so he probably won't be home today until late.  I've told her she needs to use the pharmacy we used for my sister - they deliver - but she said they closed after the pandemic began.  maybe they're open again.

 It's cold here this morning.  I put on a sweater over my shirt and as I'm sitting here talking with my friends and watching TV I have a fluffy throw over my legs and feet.  Stormy and Sheena like cold weather so they're outside.  I've watched a couple of cooking shows.  In one they were cooking cranberry beans.  I'd  never heard of them so asked Mr. Google and found they're the same beans (with a different name) as ones Charles and I used to grow called Horticulture Beans.  They're a glorified pinto with some purple spots or strips on them and it says they're creamier than pintos.  So, if our store has them I'll get some of those.  I do remember we really liked them and they were pretty. Have you all ever heard of Hyacinth Beans?  They're beautiful.  They make a vine that can grow on a tall fence, have beautiful purple blooms and purple bean pods and the beans have a lot purple on them.  Never ate them but they're pretty to grow, however, lost my start of them. 

 Sandy, saw a short video of a woman cooking beans in the Instant Pot.  She used two cups of beans and four cups of water, set it for 30 minutes on manual setting and they were done.  I'm going to try that.

 I watched a new show called Magnolia Table.  It featured Joanna Gaines.  If you all watch Home Improvement shows she and her husband Chip have/had a good one filmed in Waco.  It may be a show I watch occasionally.  Watching Aerial America now - about Missouri.  They're showing Arrowhead Stadium and Royals Stadium.  Really enjoyed going to football games there.

 I've heard about those pick-up days when people put things out they no longer want.  Sounds like it's a bit like garage sales but everything's free.  That would be fun - we don't have that out here.  Anything that's put out for the trash pick-up is trash.  I have put old propane stoves, I think a TV or two and a microwave out but they were broken.  Still have my last microwave to set out for them. 

 Beth, don't you just love this time of year when the beautiful, yellow daffodils are blooming and the pretty tulips?  I have a red knock-out rose out toward the barn and in front of it I have a lot of daffodils and on each side of those I did have yellow tulips.  They got to bloom two of three years.  Last year before they bloomed I noticed a cow was eating the leaves - had one or two tulips.  This year one came up and one of the new moms got that.  I did find a beautiful, tall, dark rose-colored tulip on the south side of the house - one tulip bloom. But, I had hundreds of daffodils scattered all over the yard and north of the house - they're all bloomed out now.  I love them but really makes mowing hard for a couple of times because the foliage has to die down before they're mowed or they won't bloom the next year.   Sandy said she has daffodils and tulips beginning to bloom.

My two weeks after my second vaccination is up on Tuesday.  I think by the end of next week I'll need to get into town for creepfeed for the little ones and hope I'm brave enough to stop by WM garden center and get some flowers.  I'd like to have a couple of geraniums for pots on the porch and some petunias for those two pots on the steps.  Not sure if whatever has been eating the wild violets will eat them or not.  Wish I knew what's eating them - they've eaten every leaf and stem.  Also want to get some vinca for the bathtub. I always used to have a hanging basket of purslane and one of a blue flower (can't remember the name of it now).  Might even get some potting soil and a couple of tomatoes and an eggplant.  I think that will be the extent of my gardening.  My whole life until six or seven years ago I've gardened so with only one person I don't want to do much.  I remember I used to make a drawing or diagram of the garden each year so we could rotate the vegetables each year.  Charles was a city boy so he learned and really loved to grow things.

 Sara - I ran out of bread so I have a loaf going now.  I think I'll continue to bake my own bread - really like the taste and texture of it better than the kind I buy.  By the way, I was getting ready to throw away those two cartons of ice cream and on the vanilla container it said it was good until the middle of May 2021.  I think I ate some of it a few weeks ago with a piece of chocolate cake - kind of gooey on top but underneath it seemed okay.  Maybe I'll throw them away and be safe.  Time for some fresh things.

 The boxes from WM and Chewy are still on the porch - I'll take care of those tomorrow.  I don't need the dog and cat food yet so I'll wait on them.

 Hope all of you are well this morning. Judith, how lucky you were to find the chandelier - probably makes it more special. 

 Back later.  Enjoy the day.  Like Ron said, after a storm the weather is always nice - everything seems so clean.

jfkoc

When I have a new med the Dr office orders it for me online and I have the option to have it delivered. If you google you can find out which WMs make home deliveries in OKC. 

Of course   you get sucked back in. How about not calling, not answering and next time chat with APS and tell S&T that is what you intend doing.

Lorita

Hi,

 It's been a quiet day here, cool and sunny this afternoon.  Supposed to be almost 80 tomnorrow.

 Judith, I haven't talked to anyone today except Todd for a couple of minutes early this morning to find out what happened.  So, don't know what happened or why.  He said she may have talked her way out of staying in the hospital.

 Just heard there were 82,000 new cases of the virus yesterday - the most in a long time and the number of doses of vaccine is going way down because J&J isn't making as many.   Sara, so glad you got your vaccine with no side effects.

 Sandy, I dipped my toe in the water today - did the trial test on the Instant Pot.  Worked okay, I guess.  When it finished the time came back on one minute at a time after I released the steam.  I think I'll try cooking some rice tomorrow.  Saw Jimmy the Baker on QVC again today and ordered some more cinnamon crumb cakes - they are delicious.

 All the girls came back through to another pasture a while ago - except I did see Rose Bud when I went to the mailbox so told her to come up and I'd feed her.  Found her pan and got some feed and went back behind the barn and fed her.  I drove out in the garden in the Gator to find her pan and one of the cows saw me and came down to see what was going on - she just now went back.

 Awful storms last night in Louisiana.  Ron, was that east of you?  I just saw a huge tree that was uprooted, fell on a house and trapped a woman inside.  Next week I'm going to call the tree company I use and see if they can do something with those two big trees.  Daddy used to have the trees topped but we haven't done that in years and years.  Our roof is metal and quite a ways from the fence so the cherry picker can't reach that far and it's hard for them to get a secure footing on the roof.  The tree I'm really worried about is very old - daddy even put a chain around it when it was much younger because it was trying to split.  Parts of the chain are still there but broken.

 Don't know anything - that's not unusual - so I'll stop for now and watch the world news.  Hope all of you had a good Saturday and will have an even better Sunday.