April 30, 2017 - Msg 107433: ROMEENA--I heard about the terrible tornadoes and deaths near Dallas. My prayers for all those families. I sure hope you and all of yours are OK.
MDC
April 30, 2017 - Msg 107434: We're fine, MDC, and thank you for your concern. Actually I had no idea any of that was going on. We were supposed to get rain but did not, and though it has been windy, it hasn't been damaging winds, at least not in Irving, where I live. That happens a lot. The storms will be heading straight for us, but divide just before they get here, go north and south of us, and then come back together to the east of Dallas. I don't know why that happens. The only thing I can think of, and it's probably silly, is that D/FW airport is about 8 or 10 miles due west of us. Is it possible that all that concrete - tarmac, runways, humongous parking lots and such could create a thermal that interferes with whatever is aiming at us? Seems unlikely, but I can't think of any other reason. We have been hit at times, but nothing like the communities all around us. Whatever the reason, I thank God for it. --Romeena
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107435: Interesting about those boys, Ro. Sounds like some kind of substance abuse is involved..would explain the burglary. People had better open there eyes in this country. Drugs are on the top 2 list of dangers we face, worse than the threat of terrorism. Huge problem, especially down here near the border of Mexico.

Well, I have to work again tonight. One of my very sweet coworkers needs a little more time off after the death of her mother. I don't mind helping out but I think I will try to squeeze in a nap before work. Monday nights tend to be pretty busy due to kids being seen in the clinic after the weekend, etc. I am glad, though. I actually got kind of bored last night..too quiet for me.

Better scoot.

Boo

PS-Asa, no need to repay me...my knuckles will be just fine. ;)
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107436: Hi All.

OLD FRIENDS

OLD FRIENDS ARE ONE OF LIFE,S TREASURES,
THOUGH NEW FRIENDS ARE ALSO WORTHWHILE;
BUT THE ONES WE HAVE JOURNEYED THE YEARS WITH
ARE THE ONES WHO BRING FORTH A SURE SMILE!

HOW DEAR ARE THE ONES WITH WHOM WE HAVE CRIED
OR LAUGHED, RECALLING SOME TALE:
AS WE KNOW WITH THE PASSING OF TIME,
THEIR LOVE FOR US NEVER WILL FALL!

NEW FRIENDS MAY SOON FALL AWAY,
FOR THEY HAVE NOT WEATHERED THE YEARS,
HAVE NOT BEEN SWEET PARTNERS IN PRAYER,
AS WE SHARED OUR JOYS AND FEARS,

OLD FRIENDS KNOW OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
ALMOST AS GOD KNOWS OUR LIVES-
YET, THEIR LOVE IS AS SURE AS FOREVER,
LIKE THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE TIDES!


TOM
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107437: Good morning, porch. Boo, you couldn't be more right about those boys. Substance abuse? Oh yes, big time. Read this: http://tinyurl.com/lxet7l3. This is from the "Dallas Morning News." I hope their aunt is proud of herself. The "sewers" it mentions actually refers to a large, 6-8 ft deep concrete drainage ditch that slashes across this whole side of town and carries run-off water to prevent flooding. When it meets a street, there is a bridge, and there's one about three blocks from my house. Apparently that's where the boys would hang out to do their drinking and drugging. Yes, they were doing drugs too. It's a sad case, for sure. The parents seem very nice, according to my neighbor Angie, who lives between me and that family. She had some interaction with them, I never have. So sad. I can't imagine what those parents are going through, knowing their son deliberately beat an elderly woman to death, just because he was mad at a friend.

Well, got to go watch "Emergency!" and then "Quincy." I like both of those old shows. Actually, I'll let "Emergency!" play for about half an hour while I do something else, then I'll rewind it and will buzz through the commercials. Gotta love that DVR. Dish Network has even upgraded it, there's a 30-second advance button that lets you skip forward in 30-second increments, so it's easier to find the end of the commercials. There's a 10-second rewind, in case the 30-second one overshoots the last one. Very, very handy, and ingenious, in my opinion. Hmmm. I guess "rewind" isn't exactly accurate, since nothing is actually being rewound, but I don't know what else to call it.

Beautiful day here. Sunny, light breeze, brilliant blue sky. I see the most amazing things from this window. An enterprising little spider has strung a web strand - one single strand - from one tree to another, a distance of about fifteen feet, and about ten feet off the ground. One strand! I can only see it when the sun strikes it, because it glints in the light. Now just what is that little spider thinking? It's remarkable, how strong their web lines are! And how did he get it from one tree to another? I guess he just shot it out there and let the wind carry it. Amazing.

Well, gotta run. Blessings, porch! --Romeena
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107438: Good morning, TOM. Of all the poems you have posted over the years, that's got to be one of the best. Absolutely beautiful, and so true, true, true! Thank you for that. I'm going to copy it into an email to go out to my Sunday School class, to the women I've known for over forty years. That poem describes the relationship I've enjoyed with them, just perfectly. I've attended (or hosted) baby showers for them, and then done the same as their grand children were born, and a now a few great-grandchildren! I've cried with them as husbands passed, and they were there for me. I've gone on trips with them, worked on church projects with them, filled boxes to send to children around the world with them, and sat comfortably in their living rooms, drinking tea and eating cookies, as they have sat in mine. There's nothing like times spent with old friends. We love each other, warts and all.

It's true, as Robert Browning said: “Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, the last of life, for which the first was made. Our times are in his hand who saith, 'A whole I planned, youth shows but half; Trust God: See all, nor be afraid!”

I'm planning to do exactly that. I'm growing old, along with life-long friends, I'm seeing the other half, and I am not afraid.

What a lovely poem, TOM, and it describes our long-term friendships here on this porch so well. You really don't have to meet someone face-to-face to be their friend, and I think we have proven that right here. Thank you for sharing that beautiful thought. TOM, my friend, you're the cats! --Romeena
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107439: TOM...I agree with Romeena, that was a Good One Buddy!. Stay dry, storms a coming.... G-F
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107440: Morning folks,

Been kind of in the doldrums and not on the computer too much lately. There was a terrible tragedy took place here about two weeks ago. If you look at the pictures of my tractor on my blog, you will see a hill behind my pond. A 16 year old male was killed on the other side of that hill in a roll over truck accident. I was sitting outside on my back deck and heard a vehicle go down our road on the other side of the house. There was a quick silence, then I heard what sounded like thick, large cardboard boxes being tossed around. Kind of a loud thuddy thud sound. I thought "Oh no!" I jumped up and raced to my drive way you see in those pictures and looked towards the hill. I saw this large plume of dust rising. I raced back to the house and told wife there was an accident. She dialed 911 about the time neighbors, straight across from that field, came sprinting down their driveway and disappeared behind the hill. Long story short, a 16 year old and his 16 year old male friend were in that truck. Both wearing seatbelts, the driver was ejected and thrown from the truck. LOTS of emergency vehicles showed up including lifeflight helicopter. Coroner showed up and pronounced him dead in that field. Time is healing the shock and impact. But that's a sound I'll never forget!
Father is having "bathroom" issues and is getting stubborn on taking pills to keep him "moving" well.
Stress, major lack of sleep and worry about my mother's health, both mental and physical, is just bearing down on me. I know there are many of you with much worse situations and I dont mean to downplay them and look like poor pitiful me, but that's why I have been absent.

Take care, folks!
John Masters
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107441: THANKS for the beautiful poem TOM, made my morning.
HAPPY MAY!!!
mdc
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107442: JOHN, my prayers are with you! Regarding your dad, instead of pills, try something liquid perhaps, like some Miralax in his coffee or whatever. That stuff works! Sure did for my dad, and he never knew!
As for the other, my goodness, so very tragic.
Tough to think about TAGS at a time like this, but perhaps an episode or two may help you out of your doldrums.
God bless my friend,
MDC
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107443: One thing I forgot to mention...some of you might have noticed I havent been on my blog lately. One reason is I have cut out ALL news and politics. I was getting so mad, angry and frustrated with the bull stuff and I would get amped up when really none of it involves me at all. The snowflakes and political finger pointing, the political correctness of everything...ARGGGGHH! So, I cut it all out. I told my wife not to mention any news to me unless it's like a big death (celebrity, sports, etc.) or something major happens like war, missle strikes, etc.
I went back to my childhood over the last couple of nights and watched some Foster Brooks on the Dean Martin roasts on YouTube! THAT folks...that will break your doldrums for awhile, I promise. If you get the chance, bring up Foster roasting Don Rickles. There's no way you make it thru without crying from laughter! Rich Little doing Johnny Carson and some of the good ol' celebrities is great too!

Have a great night, folks! And thanks MDC!

John Masters
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107444: Good afternoon, porch. John Masters, I hear you, buddy. I get "all het up" (as my dad would say) over the idiocy that's running rampant in America today, and my blood boils. A long time ago, I learned that Proverbs 15:1 is true, in more ways than one. It says "A soft answer turneth away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger." That is usually taken to mean that it defuses your adversary's anger, and that's so. However, I have learned that it can do the same to me. When I'm angry or upset with someone, and lash out at them, it doesn't make me feel better, it just upsets me even more. If I respond with kindness and restraint, my adversary wilts before my eyes, and my own anger deflates as well. Do I follow that rule every time? No, and I'm sorry every time I fail.

I think we can apply the same idea to the things you mentioned - the news, mostly. If we dwell on it, and respond to it - verbally, in conversation, in a blog, or by any other means, we just rile ourselves up still more. I rarely even watch the news on TV anymore, and I read my newspapers in batches, about every two or three weeks. When I read something that stirs me up, I put a lid on my feelings until I read a few more papers, because almost always I come across a story that tells about the outcome of whatever the issue was, and anyway, by then, it's old news, so who cares? My family thinks I'm a little nutty, but I don't care about that either. Also, I get to read the comics all at once, and that's fun!

I wish I had stumbled upon that proverb and understood it many years ago, when I was young, high-spirited, very sure of myself, and impulsive. My life would have been more peaceful! I guess it's like the saying on a wooden plaque that used to hang in my German grandmother's kitchen: "Ve get too soon old, und too late schmart!" Yep. Hey, I'm a trained noticer! I was watching "Quincy" earlier, and in one scene an Egyptologist was unwrapping a mummy and said the person had died of "schistosomiasis." (Yes, that's a disease.) Dr. Asten told Quincy, and he pronounced it "schistomosiasis." Quincy argued with him, and then, unbelievably, he also called it "schistomosiasis." They both said it wrong!! I replayed it several times to be sure I had heard them right, and I did. Isn't that hilarious? Some advisor on the set should have caught that.

John, sorry about the tragic event that took place near your home. It's always hard when someone is killed like that, especially when it's a youngster. So sad for all concerned.

Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 01, 2017 - Msg 107445: I used to love those celebrity roasts. Here's one that I think John Masters was talking about...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdmXHDSHkls

Enjoy. Have a good evening.
MDC
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107446: Good morning porch ! Who's cooking or do we meet somewhere ? SPOT
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107447: What a wonderful poem, TOM. Thank you for sharing it!

Ro, I did some reading up on that case and one of the saddest things I have read in a long time. I feel so bad for the woman's husband and family. It sounds like she was such a sweet soul. I think the aunt who bought liquor for the boys should be right there in jail with the boy who killed the woman. Why one earth would someone be such an idiot?!

Funny about the schistosomiasis.:)

John Masters, I sympathize with you and know how hard it is to deal with that kind of trauma. I am just getting to the point now, 11 months later, that I am finding some happiness in life. The trauma that occurred nextdoor, when our little Maddie was killed, really has taken a toll on all of us. It will get better, but it takes time. Very sorry you had to witness the accident. I, like most of us, know how draining it can be to care for our elderly parents. God bless you as you go about taking care of those who need you so much.

Ro, I love what you posted from Browning! I think it is my new life motto. :)

Hey to MDC...hope you are feeling better.

SPOT, I'm cooking...biscuits, gravy, bacon (bent at the waist), eggs any way you like them, toast with homemade plum jelly and butter, juice and coffee.

Gotta get my Erin to school then a busy day ahead.

Boo
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107448: PS- ya'll tell me what color cap you want for Christmas. I am taking orders early. I can make black, cammo, blue, whatever color you guys want and for the girls just let me know what you like.

Boo
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107449: Happy Tuesday porch, hope everyone is well today.

its a lovely sunny day on my end of the porch. a bit breezy tho. cooler temperatures on the way for the next few days. I suppose this is "blackberry winter" for us. We generally have a cold spell this time of year. Lasts a few days and then it stays warm. usually a sign that the blackberries are in in bloom afterwards. folks usually start much of their garden and flower planting along about Mother's day due to their hope the frosty weather was done for the season.

work has been busy and been working til 6 most days. Kids are doing good. Beth likes her job at Food Lion so far. Patrick had to travel to Charlotte,NC for 3 days this week for a training for his job and Daysie has had to switch to a 3 to 11 type shift due to changes in the hospital. Mr. Maude's job is a bit better for now.

Guess that's about it for my crew for now.
Prayers and blessings to everyone today.
Big Maude
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107450: Good Morning Porch!
How is everyone doing this fine day? I've been swamped with work, blogging, and for a month my stepson was home from Iraq. Bryson is graduating in a few weeks. And so much more! Catch me up with what has been going on with everyone!

Tom- I love that poem and copied it for my own use.

Romeena- I am glad that you're okay from the storms.

John Masters- As part of my job I have to read the news all day long so as soon as I get home I forbid it being on tv as long as I am in the room. Once I go to bed my husband can watch all he wants.

Boo- You are doing The Lords work each and every night and I'm so proud of you!

MDC & John Masters- Liquid magnesium will do the trick.

Asa- How are the grandbabies?

Spot- How is your garden going this year? Did we get enough rain?

I hope everyone is doing well. I'll do my best to stop by more often for a rocking spell. I'm still dealing with finding balance with it all. I began watching TAGS all over again on Netflix on Sunday. There's nothing like it to calm the soul.

Blessings to you and yours,
~Lucy Matthews.
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107451: Big Maude you snuck in on me. It sounds like everyone is doing well at your house. Glad to hear it.

~Lucy
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107452: Aren't Ya Kind Boo...Don't know if it is safe to put the scarf away just yet, cold and windy here today!.CRAZY
I do like the color you did the scarf in that grayish blue...

Lucy, glad to have ya pop in for some rocker time..Why don't ya come up got the Meet-Up in July in Mt. Airy? You can pick up Possum on the way. She has been there before so she knows how to get there.... AND have SPOT follow you on his motorsicle 🏍 You ALL would have FUN!... Just ask the Possum!... That shout-out goes for Maude and Mr. Maude too!

John Masters... Sorry to hear of that tragedy, it is sad to see young life cut SO short...

G-F....
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107453: Well, glory be! Lucy Matthews, it's good to hear from you. We've missed you! I can't believe your kids are all grown up, and apparently doing well. I remember some of the challenges you had when they were small. I guess we all have or had those at times, but they do seem to work out with a little maturity.

Maudie, it sounds like things are on the upswing at your house. Glad to hear it. I respect Beth for taking that Food Lion job - I know it wasn't what she wanted, or what she's prepared for - but it is good training for the future. She will learn a lot about public relations, and whatever she ends up doing down the line, she'll need that. In the meantime, it pays the bills.

I haven't seen Mama Duck in several days now. I hope she didn't abandon her eggs, or fall victim to a predator. On the other hand, if those eggs hatched and the babies jumped to the ground, I can't imagine a good outcome for them. She would have tried to lead them to a pond or the Trinity river, and any option would be about a mile or so from here, with major roads to cross. Add to that the cats they would encounter - no, I can't imagine that they'd make it. I guess I'll just hang my little wading pool up in the garage, and see if she returns next year. I hope she doesn't.

Well, guess I'll run along. Got to take Toye Starr to Dr. Mike in a little while. It's time for her Lepto vaccination, although where she would ever pick up leptospirosis, I don't know. She does not go outside, and is never in any wet or muddy environment, where the spirochetes could be found. Still, her vet recommends it, so we do it. I've known Mike for 40 years, he goes to my church, and I trust him.

Blessings, porch! --Romeena
May 02, 2017 - Msg 107454: "You aint talkin' to a jerk, you know." (:
May 03, 2017 - Msg 107455: HI ALL, I see the nephologist (kidney doctor) on Wed, so please keep me in your prayers so they can see if that is causing my swollen legs, my chills, and my fatigue, etc.
LUCY--so nice of you to drop by. sounds like things are going pretty well for you these days.
Please don't be a stranger.
BIG Maude--glad your hubby's job is better now.
Sounds like the family is also doing well.
So glad you werent hit by those storms!
BOO--you are a "treasha" making caps for the porch. My prayers continue for your family.
Well, have a good evening all.
MDC

May 03, 2017 - Msg 107456: Prayers going up in your behalf MDC, for sure buddy. I'm so sorry you are not feeling well.

Lucy, so good to see you. I hope all is well with you and your family. My Grandkids are just grand, thanks for asking. Growing up way yonder to fast, but what are ya gonna do?

Good to see you also Maudie. I'm sure Beth will use the job as a springboard to bigger and better things.

Romeena, does Toye Starr give you the silent treatment after a Vet visit? Barney doesn't, but Sammy would pretty much ignore whoever took him for a day or two, or until you gave him a hot dog. Then all was forgiven. He loved his hot dogs.

Gosh Boo, black would work great for me, but please don't feel like you have to do that. That is so kind of you, especially with your hectic life. Maybe I can get you some canning jars. :)

How ya doing GF? What you been cooking up lately?

Well off to the homestead.

Asa
May 03, 2017 - Msg 107457: ....."MEAT"loaf
May 03, 2017 - Msg 107458: Good evening, porch. Gosh, "MEAT"loaf. That's something I like very much, but never make it because what I make just never turns out like I like it. It's always too soft, or something - just falls apart. I've tried the recipe on the oatmeal box, and about ten different ones from family and recipe books, and they're okay, but not just great, which is what I want. There's a little cafe in town that makes "just great" meatloaf, and the chef doesn't share his recipe with anybody, no how, no way. I like a firm, fairly solid meatloaf, with a little onion mixed in, and not too greasy. So, I've tried making it with 93% lean Angus beef, and a little oatmeal and an egg in it as binder, but it's still crumbly. Guess I'll just have to go to PJ's one of these evenings. Maybe I could trade that chef a mashed penny that was run over by a train, for his recipe! Who could resist that?

Asa, Toye Starr usually forgives pretty quickly, but she sure was droopy around here yesterday after we got home. Tail dragging, wouldn't eat, wouldn't play, but wanted to be close to me. This morning she was just as droopy, though she did eat a little. I called her vet at 7:30, as soon as they opened, and asked if the Lepto shot would do that, and they assured me it would. Today was English classes at church, so I left at 9, then went to lunch with Eloise, went to the doctor, and ran some errands, and when I came in about 5:30, she was her usual perky little self, so I guess she's okay. She's in her cuddlebed, under my desk, and reaches her head out and licks my ankle every few minutes. She's such a loving little thing. Oh, and she's gained an ounce or two! She weighed 4.8 lbs yesterday. Middle-age spread, I guess.

Well, guess I'll go rustle up a little dinner. I stopped at the store on the way home, got some chicken tenders. I think I'll pound them down a bit flat, dredge them in a little flour and fry them ever so gently. Then I'll make a butter-and-flour roux, thin it to gravy consistency with some chicken broth, and add lemon juice. Voila! Lemon chicken! With a little 90-seconds-in-the-microwave rice, there's dinner! Take note, Asa. Very easy, and very quick. And good! Don't forget good!

MDC, I will pray that you get a good report from your nephrologist, that it will be something easily remedied. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 03, 2017 - Msg 107459: Good Evenin'!

Life is going fairly well. It's not easy having a son in the Army these days.

G-F - I'll do my best to get there but no promises because of work.
Romeena- Yes, I've had a time with my three little ones and I'm so glad that you and the rest of the porch were here to help me in raising them.
MDC- What did I miss? Are you not feeling up to snuff>
Asa- The little ones need to stop growing up! I'm glad they're all well.
Romeena- Southern Living All-American Meatloaf is really good. I hope you had some vegetables with your supper!

Well, I need to get ready for bed. Y'all have a most blessed day tomorrow!

~Lucy
May 04, 2017 - Msg 107460: Hey there, Lucy. Fear not - I always, absolutely always, have vegetables. I love them. I never met a veggie I didn't like, at least not since I was about 25. Up until then, I thought I didn't like turnip greens, cabbage, green peppers or avocados, and a misunderstood order at a restaurant caused me to try turnip greens once more, and I found to my surprise that they were delicious! After than, I tried the other things, and found that I liked them all. Kid taste vs adult taste, I suppose. Anyway, yes - I had some leftover green beans and a handful of cherry tomatoes. I could eat those little red globes of delight like candy, and isn't it kind of them to be so low in calories and so rich in vitamins?

Well, guess I'll head for the bunkhouse. Toye Starr is heaving sighs in my direction, I think she's ready to go to bed. She's feeling tiptop now, ran circles around the living room a little while ago and wore her little self out. For a dog that's technically a "senior citizen" she sure can act like a puppy at times. Does my heart good when she does that. Gotta love her! --Romeena


May 04, 2017 - Msg 107461: What's up it's me, I am also visiting this site daily, this website is actually pleasant and the visitors are really sharing fastidious thoughts. eegakakefcacfbbk
May 04, 2017 - Msg 107462: Hi All.It a little cool here.
G-F keep the cold and rain right there!
Hi Lucy it not east no one win a family in Army all we can do is asked GOD to keep thin self!
I will keep you and your son in my prayer.

TOM


May 04, 2017 - Msg 107463: Good to see you Lucy! Thank you for those very kind words..it means a lot. :) I'll bet it is beyond hard having a son in the Army. May the Lord protect and keep him.

Ro, I have the exact same experience when it comes to meatloaf. I made Pioneer's Womans recipe a couple of times and it turned out good the first time, not the next. I guess I used two diff kinds of ground beef or something. I never know how it is going to go so I mostly gave up. Mine, like your's, often crumbled apart or it was too greasy. There is one place here that is a family style buffet that makes good meatloaf but you never know when it is going to be on the menu and I seldom eat there cause I don't like buffet style much.

Had a busy three days off doing laundry and catching up. Back to work tomorrow but I really don't mind. Bruce and I will be leaving early Saturday morning to visit his mom. Its about a 5 hour drive but we really need to see her. It sounds like she isn't doing so well. Her Parkinson's is getting much worse and she has to use a wheelchair and even have someone feed her now. I am looking forward to a couple of days away with Bruce, though. It's been quite a while.

Erin found out she passed all her classes and testing for the year. I was concerned because she was having some trouble with her advanced biology class but she is passing. She already has her course schedule for next year and it is tough! I hope she will do ok. They are making her take an advanced history class because of her state test score, as well as geometry and advanced chemistry. Yikes! She is also taking a sport's medicine class as well as athletics and a few more classes (8 in all). She wants to play softball and basketball next year but right now we are going to physical therapy for her injured shoulder. I hope she can get it worked out before next year.

Ro, that lemon chicken sounds so good! As far as veggies, I love some of them, can't stand others. I am trying to make myself eat more of a variety. One thing I know is that I am about sick and tired of green beans. I eat a lot of spinach to boost my iron. I get leafy greens every day and plenty of lean meat. I have a craving for steak or red meat of most any kind. I guess it's due to my hgb being low.

Asa, I will probably end up finding a nice, warm black yarn for caps for the guys, unless someone wants something specific. I was going to make a cap for GF to math his scarf but I don't know if I can find that yarn again. By the way, I already have more jars than I need and I don't want a bed jacket, thank you. :) I never saw the sense in a half a robe, Horatio. ;)

The weather sure was nice here today! Low humidity and in the 60's in the am and evening. Love it! I sat out on the porch swing for awhile and watched a cute little hummingbird try to get nectar from the fake flowers on my door wreath. Poor little thing. I just love humming birds. Yesterday, we had a yard full of huge hungry buzzards. Apparently they found a dead squirrel on the road and decided to relocate it to our yard and away from the traffic. They ate on it for the entire day. I wasn't about to go out there and get that dead squirrel and move it. Eventually they flew off with it. Just the kind of stuff you deal with in the country.

Better go get ready for bed.

hope you all have a good day tomorrow.

Boo
May 04, 2017 - Msg 107464: HI ALL, Well, I saw the nephrologist on Wed., and he put me on a heavy duty diuretic, (ethacrynic)
and also ordered a sonogram of my legs and kidneys, which I had done today.
The legs have no deep vein thrombosis (blood clots) so that is good, (they called to tell me); but no results yet on the kidney scan. It will take a few days. They lady with the sonar 'wand' showed me my kidneys on the screen. Neat to see. I asked her if it was a boy or girl?! Ha. She said, "do you know how many times I've heard that one?" Oh well, so much for that. ha
I have only taken one diuretic pill (today) so far, so we'll see how much that helps as the days go by. He says I do not need any dialysis, but then again he hasnt looked at the kidney scan yet either, so we'll see.

He also ordered a full blood panel and urinalysis, which I will be doing on Friday morning.
Thank you for the prayers!! Hopefully this will be the beginning of getting the swelling down. The other thing, of course, is that it could be my a-fib heart getting weaker, and the swelling is due to poor circulation, or a combo of both?
Hopefully, my cardio doc's office will call soon with the echo-cardiogram results.
Thanks again. Please ask Our true Living God to direct the doctors' expertise!
Love 'youse' guys,
MDC

May 05, 2017 - Msg 107465: MDC... Remember what happens after you take all those diuretics... Just like What happened to Forrest Gumpp after he drank 15 Dr. Peppers and was waiting in line to meet President Kennedy....ha!... Joking aside, I hope they get you regulated and back on track Buddy...

TOM.. It's been very cool and raining all week here, we need some of that dry warm weather from MDC's neck of the woods.

As far as the meatloaf debate I started, I get mine from a little Market close to me, they make their own meatloaf and hamloaf, I don't know what they do but it stays firm and it is easy to slice for sandwiches. Mrs. G-F likes their hamloaf, but is not a fan of meatloaf so I get a small one of each so I make both..."MEATloaf".....

Boo...Bed jacket...Half a robe...That was a good one!...Not much good, like a half cup of coffee ☕️ Ha!

G-F.....
May 05, 2017 - Msg 107466: Happy Birthday,to Big Maude!!

Hope everybody is doing well- I'm trying to read the archives and get caught up on things.

Looks like a tornado may have hit my hometown last night! Thank God nobody was hurt,although there was some damage. The building across the road from the Baptist Church had the roof torn off,which landed in the road. Very grateful that the church wasn't damaged.

Well, guess I'd better get over to O'Malley's cabin and get things ready for Maudie's birthday party- Spot, bring the celebrating elixir,please!

************
possum u.a.r.
May 05, 2017 - Msg 107467: Ooh, forgot to tell y'all this- found out that Miss Laci loves TAGS!! She decided this on her own,without any help from me,as she was always a bit too young to enjoy it back when I would keep her a lot. But now that she's older,her mama tells me they watch it on Netflix and Laci just loves the show. Her favorite episode seems to be the one with the spoiled kid- my daughter says Laci will cackle her head off at Opie having his tantrums & fits! And she loves all of the episodes with the Darlings and their music, too!

I asked my daughter what Laci thinks of Ernest T. Bass ( Laci is mostly non-verbal,so I didn't ask her) and she said that Laci doesn't "quite know what to make of him"- ha!

Anyway, I'm proud. I am SO proud!

possum again
May 05, 2017 - Msg 107468: Possum the Bible says... Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
I think that goes for watching TAGS too!... Just my opinion, it's not biblical but truthful!.... G-F
May 05, 2017 - Msg 107469: Hey, porch. Our little bunco group met early today and drove out to Kaufman, a lovely little town southeast of Dallas. We went to a very nice, very cool little tea room right on the town square. It occupies what used to be the bank building, and actually, the vault is still there.
I'm guessing it would have been too destructive and expensive to remove the vault and then repair the the place it occupied, so they just left it. I think they use it for storage. Anyway, the food was wonderful, service friendly and down-home (I expected to see Olive serving the tables) and it was a lot of fun. When we got back to town, we went to the home of Donna, (one of our group) and played bunco and ate cake! It was a good day. Donna has a small dachshund named Baxter, who is just the cutest, most friendly little fellow, and who became my friend back when I was seeing Donna twice a week as her home health nurse. He remembered me, and came to me often this afternoon to get his ears scratched.

Well, better get busy. I need to get the laundry done, and clean things up around here a little bit. I'm leaving on Monday with a group from the church. We're taking a chartered bus to Kentucky and Tennessee. We'll be seeing the Creation Museum and the full-scale replica of Noah's Ark. We'll do a couple of other things as well, but those two things are the main goal of the trip. We'll be gone until Saturday. Toye Starr will stay with David and his family. She and Diesel will have a good old time. I'm not really looking forward to that long bus ride, but we'll stop about every two to three hours (we never pass a Buc-ee's without stopping. Our driver, Dennis, is semi-retired now, but the bus company allows him to drive on request from some of his regulars, and that would include us. He's driven our groups all over the USA over the years, and that man can handle a bus!

Blessings, porch! --Romeena
May 06, 2017 - Msg 107470: Hi, just a quick hello tonight.
Possum--that is very cool about Laci!
She is one smart girl!
RO--that trip sounds really fun. I recall when the Noah's ark exhibit was done, because it was mentioned in a small piece in the local paper.
Here is its webpage:
https://arkencounter.com/about-the-ark/
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAUDIE!!

All for now,
MDC
May 06, 2017 - Msg 107471: Good morning, porch. Thank you, MDC. I think this trip is going to be one to remember, for sure. Between the ark and the Creation Museum, it's going to be well worth the money and the effort. Add to that, the friendship and fellowship with the group that's going, the other things we'll see and do, the beautiful scenery along the way - it all adds up to a really great time. I don't know what I'd do without my church and church family. I've known some of the folks I'll be traveling with for over forty years. Family? Yep, they qualify. Eloise is going too, we're roomies, and that's always fun. We travel very well together, have done a lot of it over the years. People are always surprised when I mention that my co-mother-in-law is also my best friend. I guess that's a little unusual, but it has worked out very well for us.

Well, better get busy. We have to be at the church by 6:30 Monday morning, so that means I need to have everything clean and packed by tomorrow. I travel light. I'll wear jeans and a t-shirt (I wear the kind with a collar) and will pack another pair of jeans and about six shirts and a spare pair of shoes. A few other necessities and that's it. We won't have any dress-up activities. I'll get it all in one small suitcase. I'll take along a light jacket, which will remain on the bus. Dennis locks the bus whenever we get off, and we leave jackets and anything extra we buy in the overhead above our seats. I don't usually buy souvenirs on these trips, except for one Christmas ornament. I don't clutter my house with a lot of "I went to..." things but a tasteful ornament for my Christmas tree, with a small indication of its origins - that, I'll do. Makes me happy every year, to put those ornaments on the tree, and remember. One year, I bought a small box of chocolates, because it was tied with a gorgeous black and gold bow, which was tied in the shape of a cross. I saw that bow, knew it would be lovely on a Christmas tree, so I bought the candy, shared it with my friends, and the bow is now on my tree every year, and I remember the fun I had that day. Anything can be an ornament!

OK, this time I really have to go. My grandson down in Fredericksburg just called to remind me that the Kentucky Derby is being run today, so I have to allow time to watch that. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
May 06, 2017 - Msg 107472: HI ALL, I hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Traveling prayers for Romeena and her whole group.
I guess we "scared off" Thelma Lou. Too bad, a new porch sitter would be nice; 'course I DO love you all! ha
Act Like Somebody!
MDC
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107473: Romeena here is a tidbit to get you ready for your trip tomorrow https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CgsFCyD4nEw sounds like a great time....RIGHT!....lol

G-F
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107474: Good Sabbath all.

Romeena, have a fun and safe trip. Sounds like a good time for sure.

MDC, Prayers your test results are good. Have all these issues come up since your hip surgery? How is the new hip doing?

GF and Tom, I hope you folks get some dry and warmer weather this week. GF, Y ou got anything in the garden yet? I was going to try some maters yesterday but I decided to wait one more week. Around here the unwritten rule is to wait until Mothers Day to plant the delicate plants, then two weeks later dig them out because they got hit with a late frost and replant again. lol

Well better go get cleaned up for preachin I reckon.

Prayers for all.

Asa
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107475: Asa, I have some plants started, but not in the ground yet. We too have been having a lot of wet cool weather.
So I've been setting the plants out in the sun during the day and bringing them back in at night. A couple of weeks to go yet, because they are calling for frost the next couple of nights...

G-F
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107476: Good morning, porch. I didn't make it to preachin' this morning. Didn't get to sleep until nearly 4 a.m., and just couldn't make the old bod move this morning to make it on time. It was one of those nights when the brain won't quit running. It's like a cranky old car that keeps dieseling when you turn off the key. It happens to me mostly when I'm in the middle of a big project (like the book) or like now, with this trip to make and all the preparations that go with that. I travel light, packing is no trouble, but I have to pack for Toye Starr as well so she can stay with David and Brittney, arrange for someone to check on the yard and make sure no pumps are broken, the pond is stable, the sprinklers haven't failed, nothing is leaking, etc. Joe said he'd be in the area on Tuesday or Wednesday and would come by and check on things. He's a good friend.

Anyway, maybe I'll sleep better tonight since I didn't get much sleep last night. I hope so, because there's no sleeping on the bus, not with that rowdy bunch! I like to enjoy the scenery, anyway. I'll take my little pillow along but probably won't use it. I like these bus trips, because we can take anything we can carry ourselves, and leave most of it on the bus. I usually take a little pillow and a light blanket, because some of our folks are part polar bear, and the bus is usually too cold for me.

Drat. I see a gladiola bloom stalk out back, at least a foot and a half long, and just full of buds. That pretty thing will probably open while I'm gone, and I'll miss it! Guess I'd better go anchor it to a stake, though. It's really tall and if we get any more of that wind we've been having, it will be broken.

I was going through and clearing out my email, and came across this. I thought it was interesting, a solid commentary on the idiocy that reigns in our nation right now. Basically, it says we should adjust our expectations on punctuality, based on cultural differences. That's fine in casual social situations, but for work, or classes? Please. http://tinyurl.com/k8f9lbb How ridiculous is that? Can't people see what the left is doing? Lower the standards of everything, from grades to behavior, adjust it to the lowest common denominator, in order to "include" everyone. Naturally, that will garner more votes from the group that doesn't want to conform/perform/be informed, whatever. "Just send me my check and don't expect anything of me." That's the mantra. And they don't even realize they're being held down. OK, sorry. Got to stay away from such things, but I thought that link was interesting.

I'm off to brace up that gladiola, then tidy up the kitchen and pack Toye Starr's little diddybag. Blessings, porch! --Romeena
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107477: Hey possum,Romenna...MDC race is on ! I just sure hope rain is gone..have been working some long hrs..Congrats to the Cobb EMC Linemans Rodeo team this weekend They worn The State Chanpionship ! ..Now for the international in Kansas later this year...garden doing very well .. I'm in the process of building a VW Rail buggy...coming along fine some FB friends have seen it...well let me get some reading done...here all night at work...prayers...SPOT
May 07, 2017 - Msg 107478: Good Afternoon Porch Friends!

MDC- I hope you'll let us know how your tests turn out.

Possum- I adore that Laci's a TAGS fan. I hope everyone in your hometown is safe.

Romeena- When are you leaving? I didn't make it to preaching either.

Spot- This week will be good for planting. Only 1 rainy day on the weather app so far. That's wonderful about the Cobb EMC rodeo team!

Tom- Thank you! He just finished a Infantryman Evaluation Board the last 2 weeks in Mississippi. He's on his way back to the base. His goal is to get this sargent's exam ASAP so he can get out of infantry. They told him he could after a year of enlisting yet here it is 3 years later and they won't allow him until he's a sargent.

Big Maude- Did you have a nice birthday?

I've been meal prepping today and now about to blog for a bit then write out the graduation announcements while watching 2 weeks of Father Brown episodes. I hope everyone has a great rest of the day!

~Lucy