March 10, 2019 - Msg 111836: Good evening porch and Frankie ! Gone read .. SPOT
March 10, 2019 - Msg 111837: swish !



March 11, 2019 - Msg 111838: Good evening. I had to work today so no church for me. I have been on a very long work stretch but might get a day off on Wed. Maybe I will go to Wed. night service. I have been pouting a little because my pastor friend and I are having a disagreement about one of his sermon subjects. We talked it out, but had to agree to disagree. Its ok, we love each other anyway, and isn't that what being a Christian is about?

Heard today that when I heard that Shoreline had been bought, it may have been a fib. No one seems to know anything since they keep their employees in the dark about everything.

Tonight before I left, I was having a conversation with an elderly man who works on the night shift and he was sharing some stories about his past jobs in another part of the state, when he worked in the criminally insane unit of a large facility. Yikes! The man was shot in the stomach at two separate incidences. The first time a guy grabbed a gun from a guard and shot him in the stomach with a 22, the second time the circumstances were similar but the gun was a 38. He survived both. What a tough old geezer. Tonight he said, "That's why I don't give these little s**** an inch. I know what they are and that they are headed for the penitentiary" (don't know if I spelled that right)..Well, I cant say I agree completely, but it is true for the majority of these boys, sadly.

Been a tough few days of feeling some anxiety and depression but it seems to be lifting today. It happens sometimes. Hope you all had a great day, though. I think of you often and am trying to get back to the porch more.

Later!
Boo

PS=thanks for the suggestion for Erin, MDC
March 11, 2019 - Msg 111839:
HI ALL,
I found out from the prison ministry leader today why the prison was on lockdown. There was a flu bug going around! 1200 of 1500 prisoners had the flu! As one prison official told him, "it has not been a pretty sight." Ya think!?
My prayers for all those prisoners. At least it was not due to a riot or such!
Auto racing in sun soaked Phoenix today!
I have not been out there since I worked concessions about 8 years ago, but Phx traffic is getting worse these days, especially with all the snowbirds still here. It's funny, because at the end of March suddenly you see 5th wheels heading out of town like its an evacuation! ha
HEY to SPOT and Frankie. Hope all is good.
BOO--I prayed for you and your pastor today. That is such a tough situation on a tough subject.
He wants to speak the truth in love, i sure, but that can be easier said than done sometimes.
So sorry to hear that Shoreline may indeed not be sold as you thought. It must be crazy to be kept in suspense like that.
I have a pretty good week planned. Ultrasound Monday of back of leg, and then not too much on the
agenda (other than 'round the house stuff) until Friday for the other leg work. I am sure glad that we humans are only two-legged! ha
ASA--I sort of took your advice for today, and actually got in a little nap.
I got a letter from Pappabear on Friday. His health continues on the decline. For those who have his
address, you may want to send him a 'thinking of you' note. For the first time he indicated that
the great Mayberry in the sky may be just around the corner. Thanks.
Ya all will lose an hour, but it will be "lighter longer" now!
Prayers,
MDC

March 11, 2019 - Msg 111840: Good morning all. Start of a new work week, so I hear. lol

Great to hear from you Boo. I'm glad that you are able to deal with your disagreement with your Pastor so calmly. That is such a difficult situation you both are in. I wish there was something I could do or say to help. Just keep on loving those two Boo, and stay close to the Lord. It seems like the adversary is really trying to ensnare you all. Stay strong.

MDC, 1200 flu prisoners sounds like purgatory. Yikes! I was talking to a co-worker last week who is retiring in June, and he and his Wife will be moving to your area right after that. He is pretty excited about getting away from our winters.
Sorry to hear that P.Bear is not doing so well. I'll send him a card. Poor feller sure has had some health challenges.

Spot has a built in broom with that tail of his. Good sweep buddy.

I hope everyone has a great day and great week.

Asa


March 11, 2019 - Msg 111841:
Hidee ho neighbors. TAGS tonite featured Asa's favorite lawyer, Neil Bentley, in Otis sues the county, always a good one. :) Slow day on the porch today, hope everyone is alright.
Hey to ASA. What part of the metro area is your co-worker moving to?
We are getting rain today sent here by way of california. We need it, so no complaints.
My grass is starting to green up already, so the rain helps for sure!
Do any of you subscribe to your area's newspaper? I still do. I just like the fact that I can see "more than one screen" at a time. (And then i can pick it up again and maybe catch a story that I missed with the first look-thru. I can remember when the stand price was 10 cents. Now it is $2.50.

One interesting article yesterday said that people who spend a lot of
time fiddling with their device (the current word for what used to be a phone)
are actually lonelier than those who do not. It was a study talking
to an equal number of "dos and don'ts." They said that those who use their device now from banking to ordering food are missing out on human contact and face-to-face interaction, which can also lead to panic attacks!! Interesting obsevation.
Well, thanks to the catholic, episcopal, and anglican lenten time right now, there are a lot of fish offerings out
there at restaurants, and it's just what the doctor ordered! ha
God's blessings,
MDC
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111842: Morning all.
MDC I'm not sure what part of town he is moving too. He said it was a gated community and quite nice. I'll ask him when I talk to him next time. I have not had a newspaper subscription for years. And I must say I'm not missing it. Well I did like to sit on my front porch on Sunday mornings and read it. But the problem was there wasn't much real news in the paper anymore. Most everything they did print had a very liberal slant to it. When one of the columnists wrote a rather ugly article concerning the Elizabeth Smart searches, I e-mailed him a note expressing my opposition to what he had stated in his column, he responded with a very childish and ugly e-mail back to me. I thought to myself, I am not going to pay this thing for his opinion anymore and wrote a letter to the Paper (including a copy of his response) and cancelled my subscription. So that was that.
Good old Neil Bentley. I always laugh at how Floyd says "what a nice man" after he first approaches Andy with a proposed settlement. HA, Old Floyd was in his own little orbit, wasn't he?

GF, I think we should go with a big name to write the Forward to our book. We can go serious with Ron Hazelton or Bob Villa, or take a more casual approach and go with Tim the tool man Taylor. Any thoughts? :)

Frankie, So I asked my Pharmacist about that shingles shot, and he said that indeed the newer one seemed to be more effective than the one I had gotten. He said the claim was that the one I got seemed to lessen the severity of a shingles outbreak, but not so much prevent it, where the hewer one worked better at preventing it. I said I had not heard any of this before, and he kind of rolled his eyes in a way that said he wasn't sure if he bought any of it himself. But he also said there wasn't any available now anyway, so to be patient and we will see what happens. He also warned that not all insur@nces will cover another shot, so I guess I will just wait and see.

Well I hope everyone has a nice day. We are supposed to be in the low 50's today, with snow coming in tonight.

Asa
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111843: Asa, As we ponder the “Forward” we can’t forget to add O’l Barn to it...Can’t ya picture him trying to explain about concrete in this picture?...https://www.pinterest.com/pin/141089400804075810/ “Now Men, here’s what ya have to do”...First you get you some clean water!....I have seen that magazine in the past and I vision that tutorial in my mind....Always makes me laugh, or it might just be me!...

G-F
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111844: Hey Porch,

I thought I'd come by and...uh oh...well, I was going to sit a minute, but here comes that Viola Slat.

John Masters
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111845: Good morning, porch! Gray, rainy, drippy and wet on my end of the porch today. I'm not complaining, the rain will wake things up and kick off the spring show, but it sure makes for a gloomy day. Very little critter traffic out back, they're all holed up somewhere staying warm and dry, I hope. I'd put out feed for them, but it would just get soggy.

At the risk of sounding like a school-marm, let me settle the sisters/sister's/sister-in-law/laws mystery once and for all. It is sisters-in-law, because it is the noun (sister/sisters) that is either singular or plural, not law, which is part of a descriptor. One sister, or two sisters. The "in-law" part just modifies the noun, by indicating that the sisters are not blood related, but rather are sisters by marriage. It cannot be made plural. Oh, and while we're here - the apostrophe in "sister's" would indicate possession of something, not plural. I can still hear my English teacher saying, "And just what is it that the cat owns, dear?" - when I had written "cat's" instead of "cats." She was a good teacher - kind, perceptive, patient, and wise. She helped to reinforce my love of books and language.

Boo, I will be so happy when Shoreline finally makes landfall somewhere, so you and the other employees can make long-range plans, and your patients can get established somewhere, I hope in a facility that will be more stable and physically more pleasant. Those kids have problems and they don't need to be in such a state of uncertainty all the time.

MDC, I'm glad you can finally see the finish line on this medical journey you've been enduring. I really hope you'll come out of this last procedure feeling good and with a spring in your step!

Asa, you are absolutely right. You can make two roasts, do everything exactly the same, and have very different outcomes. The roast itself has a great deal to do with it. I agree, I prefer chuck, as it seems to have more flavor. As for making gravy, the roast influences that pretty heavily too, but gravy-making just takes practice. My sweet daughter-in-law always comes and stands at the stove and watches or helps when I'm making pan gravy after frying pork chops or chicken or whatever. She now makes gravy at home, and it turns out very well, according to David. I think she just watches me to make me feel valued. By her own admission, she couldn't cook worth squat when they first married, but that's all changed now, and she's quite a good cook. (Note the apostrophe after "she" there. An apostrophe behind an "s" following a personal pronoun just makes a contraction, as in "she is." But you knew that.) OK, I'll take my pencil out of my hair bun and take off my glasses, and quit being the school-marm. Actually, all this was instilled in me so firmly at a young age, that it's second nature. I never really gave any of it much thought until I started teaching ESL. Boy, was that an eye-opener! Folks, English is HARD! By comparison, Spanish is so easy.

Well, guess I'll go cuddle little Toye Starr. She had another wreck-up. That's what I call it when her little kneecap luxates and she can't walk. I hear her cry out, and find her flat on her tummy with her back legs tucked beneath her, very stiffly. I can feel the displaced patella and just massage it back over into the groove it belongs in, and she's fine. It dampens her spirits for a little while, though. It is painful for a moment, when the patella slips over and out of its groove, and I think it scares her and hurts her little feelings, so I give her some extra cuddles for a while. Such a sweet, innocent little thing.

Prayers for those who need them, and I guess that would be all of us, don't you agree? --Romeena
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111846: As always, thank you all for the kind words and encouragement. It means so much.

Poor little Toye Starr. Makes me sad to think of her being in pain at any time. I went through a terrible time when my little Poopsie had that bad allergy attack and the hives that lasted for days. She was just miserable day and night. We never determined exactly what caused it, but thankfully it hasn't happened again. I suspect it was something in the canned cat food she got into. We are only giving the cat dry food since...just one more thing that the poor cat has to tolerate since the pup joined the family. Lol.

Yes, Romeena, I wish we knew the fate of Shoreline but as usual, no one is telling us anything, and in the meantime, the nurses are trying to keep the nursing department afloat (all four of us). If anyone gets sick, I don't know what administration will do but we can't work around the clock. Makes me mad the idiotic way things are run and our nurse administrator is living it up all month in Europe.

Asa, did Romeena tell you to try putting a cup of coffee in your gravy? I tried that and it was good.

Well, working again in a bit so better go get ready. I might get a day off tomorrow if the evening nurse shows up. She is nearly 80 and uses a walker so not sure. She called in sick the last two nights she was scheduled. I can't tell you how happy I will be when March is over and the time change is only making things tougher.

Hope you all have a good evening!

Boo
March 12, 2019 - Msg 111847: Ahhh, Romeena sorry your furry companion is hurting, it’s hard to watch them struggle. Hopefully all is fine...G-F
March 13, 2019 - Msg 111848:
HI Folks, I feel like I should tell RO that the founding of Jamestown
was in 1620! ha You make a very good school marm RO! :)
And so good of you to care for ToyStarr's patella (oblongata) She's got a good mommy!!
As for roasts, we usually start with chuck also, and let the crock pot do it's thing. Lately we have used the little red potatoes with skin on, better that russet I think.
We had a real gully washer of a rain today. I could almost 'see' St. Augustine blades starting to pop up! ha We had those real low dark clouds, even a funnel that did not come to the ground.
Some spring training games were even cancelled. (BTW, interesting point: there are no refunds during ST.) If the game is cancelled and you
are holding tickets, (which are usually about 12 to 25 bucks) too bad, and the games are not rescheduled. BTW, D-Backs signed outfielder Adam Jones today.
ASA--have you DVR'd any GRIT westerns yet? Just curious. I was also stunned about your newspaper situation. I guess I'm surprised to hear of a 'liberal' paper in what I thought was pretty conservative Utah!
JOHN Masters---good to see ya, next time set for a spell and don't fret over Viola. ha
BOO--My goodness, such goings on there at shoreline! Prayers for sure.
Hey to POSSUM, SPOT, PH, and all!
MDC

March 13, 2019 - Msg 111849: Good morning all.
So far our snow has been pretty lite. And the ground is warm enough that so far it isn't sticking much. But the mountains are getting a good pounding. So that works out good as far as I am concerned.
Yesterday was my oldest Grad Daughters birthday (Mariah). Hard to think she is 13 already. I remember announcing here on the porch her arrival. Man, time moves right along. And if you will permit me, she has grown into this beautiful young woman. Very athletic, very competitive, and very bright. She has a deep love of the Lord, and is always seeking to do what is right. Sorry, I don't mean to gush. Forgive me.

Romeena, I am so sorry little Toye Starr has that injury issue. I am glad she has you to tend to her. Like I have said before, I don't believe in reincarnation, but if I did, and I came back as a critter, I'd wanna come back as one of your critters. :) I'm sure my grammar must drive you crazy as you read my posts. lol I really struggled with that in school.

Boo, I am not a coffee drinker so I never have any in the house. She has mentioned using worstershire sauce in gravy to give it added flavor. I do that and I really like it, as long as I use it sparingly. That's one of the things I am learning, a pinch of different things can make a big difference, but two pinches, not so much. I do hope that things at Shoreline will imrove soon for you.

MDC, I guess newspaper big wigs figure controversy sells. I don't know, they seem to be like newspapers everywhere, dying off. It sure is funny how technology can change things so dramatically. Things that were wildly successful just a few years ago, today are all but forgotten because of technology.

GF, Gosh, I didn't know old Barn was handy with his hands. I figured what with his Judo, Karate, and pistol drawing, he was like a surgeon, and should not put them at risk of injury. :)

Oh MDC, I was going to tell you I watched another lecture the other night that Jim Lovell gave. He was talking about the Gemini 7 flight he was on with Boarman, and they were wearing these leg compression sleeves that would pump u and compress every 6 minutes. Well I thought to myself, if I ever have to do an extended visit in outer space, I am equipped, thanks to you. lol The more I learn of the details of those missions, what they were doing, with the technology that was available at the time, the more impressed I become. Truly amazing stuff. Every mission was an important one, and each flight built off the previous one, but I do believe Apollo 8 was by far the most daring and most courageous one of them all. And I will go a step further and say it may have had more impact in toppling the Soviet Union than any other single event.

Well the temps have dropped, the wind is blowing, the snow is falling sideways. It looks like a good day to snuggle in the Wheeler and watch some tv.

Prayers for all.

Asa
March 13, 2019 - Msg 111850: Good morning, porch! wow! It's beautiful out there this morning, blue skies, soft breezes, little puffy clouds dotting the sky here and there. We had a real frog-strangler of a rainstorm last night, but this morning is gorgeous! Oddly enough, I don't see any critters out back. My guess is that the hawk is out and about, and they're all laying low. I'd put some feed out on the stones, but I don't want to lure them out if he really is there. I'll wait until I see some activity. Then I'll know it's safe and I can put some corn and seeds out.

Toye Starr and I slept very late this morning, after we spent most of the night listening to the thunder crash outside. It was a humdinger of a stoirm, for sure. About her little knee, it's not an injury, it's just what's called a subluxing, or luxating patella. In a dog's little rounded knee on the back legs, the patella is attached to a fibrous band that rides in a groove in the big bones. In some dogs, especially the tiny bteeds, that band sometimes slips up and over and out of the groove, and it's painful when that happens. She just flops to the floor, with her little legs stiff and jutting beneath her, and cries. It just breaks my heart! I pick her up, massage her legs (both, just for good measure) and ease that tiny patella back into place. All the while, she's licking my hands! Then she wants to cuddle and "recover" for a few minutes. Soon, I put her down and she goes tootling off to play. I know it hurts, but I have to remember that she's a bit of a drama queen, too. Our Bentley used to have the same problem, and after yelping and panicking through the first few episodes, he learned to just stretch that leg out straight, it would fix itself, and he'd go on his way. Anyway, TS takes Metacam, an anti-inflammatory med her vet has given her for her arthritis. It helps her day-to-day stiffness and aches and pains, but doesn't do much for that little wandering patella.

Asa, Boo is right about the coffee in the pot roast. It does add a nice "brown" flavor, and you really don't taste the coffee. I hadn't mentioned it before, I guess, because I don't do it anymore. Like you, I'm not a coffee drinker. I'm probably the only nurse in captivity that doesn't drink coffee,, but I just never learned to like it. I do like coffee flavor in things - love the tiramisu at Olive Garden, and I like coffee ice cream - but I don't drink coffee, unless I can put LOTS of flavored creamer in it, and I don't keep that at home. My Dale drank a pot of coffee every day, so there was always some around for the roasts, but after he passed, that ended that. However, I wonder what would happen if you put about a scant tablespoon of instant coffee in the roast? I may try that.

Well, my computer guru friend, Bruce, will be calling shortly, to link up with my computer and get a little more "tweaking" done on it. I love the new machine, but am not terribly happy with the new versions of my favorite programs, like Word and Thunderbird. There's quite a steep learning curve, but I'll get there.

Blessings, everyone. Do a random act of kindness for someone today. You'll be amazed at how good it will make you feel. It's even better if you can do it anonymously. --Romeena


March 13, 2019 - Msg 111851: Rats! "stoirm"? "bteeds"? I hate this little toy keyboard. I've got to get to Office Depot and get a new larger scale, wireless keyboard. This dinky little thing probably has remarkable capabilities, but it's just too small. The keys are small and very close together. I keep hitting two keys at once, and my fingernails hang on the key above the one I'm aiming for. I shortened my nails, but it didn't help much. I think I'd have to take them down to the quick to fix that problem. Oh well. This too shall pass. --Romeena
March 13, 2019 - Msg 111852:
RO--your "I dont like coffee" routine reminded me so much
of Lydia's "I dont like chit-chat" lines! It actually
made me laugh thinking of the two at the same time! ha
I have TAGS fever I guess! :)
More later,
MDC
March 14, 2019 - Msg 111853:
Well, it's about 8 hours later from my post above, and no one else has been here. (Maybe it's my breath!) ha
ASA--yes I agree, Apollo 8 was the first one to go around the backside of the moon, and out of radio contact for some time. Scary indeed. And that
is interesting about the leg pressure sleeves. I wonder if that was the forerunner to
the lymphedema sleeves? And the saving of Apollo 13 was just short of a miracle! A lot of our modern technology was born of the space program.
And 'gush' all ya like on Mariah, i think that is a grand-dad's privilege! ha
ROMEENA--at least SPOT and POSSUM can blame their big paws for hitting the wrong keys!lol
Also, maybe TS will figure out to stretch out her leg too.
As for coffee, I have been a drinker since i was 13. I think most of you know that i attended a boys boarding school for high school, and at my first breakfast there, coffee was served, so I tried some. I always liked the smell when I would take that little 'key' and
start to break the vacuum on a can of Folgers for my folks! I am not a big drinker, but more of
a sipper, like Andy. BTW, they sure drink a lot of joe in the westerns that i watch!
Prayers for Boo and all,
MDC


March 14, 2019 - Msg 111854: Good morning all.

MDC, Yea, the Porch has been kind of quiet as of late. I guess folks are busy.
I have no doubt that those leg sleeves originated from the space race. So many amazing things with the A.8 flight. I could go on for hours about it. lol And I agree, getting the A.13 crew back alive was incredible to say the least.
This talk about coffee reminds me of a feller I worked with years ago. He was 20 years my senior, and not the most devoted person to personal hygiene. He smoked Camel non filter cigarettes, and drank coffee by the gallon. He presented the "trifecta effect" (as I named it). The smell of B.O., stale cigarette smoke, and coffee breath was about all my stomach could handle. This was with the same Company I worked at that had the Korean ladies reeking of kimchee. Lets just say, I am glad I have a strong gag reflex to smell. Oy!

Romeena, I am always amazed at how fast I see some folks typing out messages on their cell phones, usually just using thumbs. Mercy sakes! And what is it with texting these days? Seems like folks don't want to speak to each other anymore. I don't get it. Can you imagine if we as a porch group could talk with one another rather than post messages? That would be awesome. The only one of the current Porchters I have spoke with was Romeena. She is just as darling on the phone as she is here in her posts, with a nice southern Texas drawl. I did actually meet New Neighbor, and her oldest Daughter a number of years ago. That was pretty cool.

Well a bunch of errands to do today. We are supposed to start warming up by the weekend, so it looks like we will finally get some spring weather.

Prayers for all for a safe day.

Asa
March 14, 2019 - Msg 111855: On the subject of coffee, I am mostly a one cup in the morning when it’s cold out kind of drinker. While I’m at it I might as well give a shout-out to “Mayberry’s Finest” coffee. Here is the link to get it at “Weavers Store” https://www.weaversdepartmentstore.com/catalog.php?item=541 Weavers is operated by Mrs. Floyd for ALL your Mayberry related needs..

I personally have got things from them (the coffee included) I got the Sunday Morning blend, and like Andy says... It’s Goooood! They have Hi-Test and De-Caf too!...As far as I know other than the coffee shop that does the grinding and packaging Weavers is the only place to get it right now...

G-F
March 14, 2019 - Msg 111856: That easy fix for the oven story reminds me of a truly embarrassing moment. I had a car at the very end of the warm season, and the AC freon ran out. I waited until the beginning of the next summer to charge it. Had it done at a car repair chain near my workplace, picked it up, and......it didn't work! I drove home, the next day drove to another repair shop in the same chain close to my house, and they had a look. They did their usual thing of turn it on, turn the dials.......and it worked! I had plumb forgotten you had to push in a button to turn the AC on. It'd been 4 or 5 months, after all, and you can't remember every thing...I bet they laughed themselves silly after I left.

As for the apostrophe s for plurals, I have a real compelsion complex about that. Drives me crazy. And speaking of compelsion complexes, I think Floyd is the best thing since sliced bread-ever wonder what phrase they used before sliced bread-but it's the middle of March after all, and our archives for 2019 are still going in a column headed by "2018". I get real high strung about stuff like that.

Billy Ray the Not Meaning to Nag Postman
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111857: Hello Porch,
I got some bad news today about my Mom. Dr. says she has a very large tumor up in the gum of her mouth. She said it takes up the whole side. Dr. said we should get Hospice in because it looks so bad. Mom had like a pimple on her check Wednesday night and then this morning it looked like a big boil. Dr. came to the house and checked Mom out this afternoon. And told us this was very bad. She was just seen by the Dr. a month ago and everything went very smooth. Mom is still so week from everything else she has gone through. My heart is just broken to see her go through so much. What I thought was a pimple then a boil is cancer coming through her check. It all happened so fast I am still in shock. Mom will be 94 next month. Not sure when I will be back on the porch, just so much happening around here and it is just me here.
Frankie
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111858:
Oh dear Frankie my prayers go out for your mom.
So many of us on the porch have gone thru this, and it is so hard dear friend. It does sound like this may be it, and I pray that her pain will not be drawn out, but that the Lord will do an incredible healing or take her home swiftly. You have been a supreme daughter, and my prayers are for you also. God bless you.
MDC
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111859: Frankie, So sorry to hear about your Mom..Your Porch Friends will keep her and you in our prayers.
Check in when you can......G-F
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111860: Frankie, I am so sorry to read that about your Mom. I know how much you love her. Her, you, and your family are in my prayers. As GF said, check in when you can. The porch can be a good place to escape too.

Asa
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111861: Thought I'd pop in to say "Hey!" and noticed Frankie's post. I'm sorry to hear that news about your mom,Frankie. It sure is hard when it comes time to let them go-I just went through it myself with my mama last summer.All I can tell you is to take things day by day and talk to the Lord about things and you will make it through. God bless you and your mom.

Well, "Hey!" to everyone except for MDC- he gets a "generic hello!" ( private joke!) Ha ha
MDC,would you email me Pappa Bear's address again? I saw your post about his failing health and want to send him a card. Thanks!

Love and prayers for all~ possum
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111862: Prayers and sympathy to Homemaker. She lost her father earlier today.

possum again
March 15, 2019 - Msg 111863: Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers it really means so much to me and my Mom. Dr. sent over a RN last night and then again this afternoon to check in on Mom. The area on her check looks a little larger than yesterday especially in the center core of it. Dr. called me this morning on her way to work to check up on us. She sure is a wonderful Dr. When I called her yesterday she stayed her at the house for at least a hour from her already busy day.

Sorry to hear about Homemaker and her loss, I send my prayers to you.
It has been a hard week.
Frankie
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111864: Good evening, porch. Frankie, I'm so sorry to hear about the situation with your precious mother. It's so hard to understand why these things have to be, but as others have said, just keep the lines open to the Lord, and He'll bring you through it. You are in my prayers.

Homemaker, my prayers are with you as well. I'm so sorry to hear of your father's passing. It's never easy, and when I lost my mom in 1999 and my dad in 2003, I was in my 60s, and still I felt like an orphan. Then I looked around me, and realized that many of my friends had lost their parents many years ago, when they were much, much younger than I was when I lost mine. I had to just thank God for letting me have them as long as I did. Still, it's never, never easy.

I will never forget the lesson my father taught me one day, in spite of the fact that he was pretty deep in the grip of Alzheimer's at the time. This is mentioned in my book, so some of you have read it there, but I'll re-tell it here. Daddy was still living at home, though that was about to change. Every morning, it was his habit to read his Bible at the kitchen table, as he drank his coffee. I wasn't sure whether he could still comprehend what he was reading, but he settled that for me when I dropped in on him one morning. He had his open Bible on the table, and he got very excited to tell me something he had just read. It was Psalm 23, an old familiar passage, but he had discovered something that struck him as new, and guess what? It did the same for me. He quoted (quoted, mind you) the part that says "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me..." He was so excited when he said, "Did you catch that? It says "through" the valley. If you walk through something, it means you go in and then back out on the other side. That's where the ones we've lost are, they're on the other side, and I just can't wait to get there! I about wore God's ear out that day, thanking Him for that little revelation for my dad, reassurance for me, and delight in the joy it brought to Daddy.

Asa, thank you for your sweet and kind words. You make me blush! As for my Texas drawl, I'm glad it's still noticeable. I acquired it growing up in San Antonio, but in the past few decades, Dallas has become so cosmopolitan, with people moving here from the north, and I've been afraid it was eroding my accent. I really don't think it's as heavy as it used to be. My Dale used to say I could give his name four syllables at times.

Well, guess I'll hit the ironing board. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111865:
Prayers go out to New Zealand tonight.
Things seem to be weird all over these days!
Frankie, my prayers continue for your mom.
My dear mom passed in 2007 and i still miss her, and 'talk' to her almost everyday.
I have 'let her go', but sometimes she just seems to continue to be here.
Hang in there with your mom and cherish every moment with her. :)
All-everything went well with my procedure today.
Only 5 sutures this time, but the leg is 'done,'
and hopefully, after the ultrasound on Tuesday that will be it for a while.
Thanks for all your prayers.
I was watching the "Sheriff Without a Gun" episode tonight, and for the first time I noticed a mistake. It may have been brought up before, but i'm not sure.
Cue the link below to 4:15 and you will see the gun rack is open, but at 4:30 it is closed.
https://tinyurl.com/y4k92rf4

It looks like our rain is over for a while, and we are now drying out again.
RO, how are u feeling these days?
Hey Possum, thanks for stopping by.
Prayers,
MDC
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111866:
RO, you got in there before me. thanks for the update

March 16, 2019 - Msg 111867:
Oh, i forgot, then the rack is opened again, and then closed yet again.
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111868: Good morning all.
Prayers continue for Frankie and her dear Mom.
And for Homemaker. So sorry to read of her loss. Thanks for passing that info along Possum.

MDC, Glad the procedure went well and you are just about done with all this medical stuff for a while. You sure have had a rough year. But it sounds like you have come through it well.
Good catch on the blooper. I had never noticed that before. I had noticed that Barney was able to easily put the rifle away in the "locked rack". lol Makes you wonder why they even had the thing locked up. Their continuity person must have been off that day, same as the day Barney was trying to recite the Constitution from memory. lol I love catching those little bloopers.

Romeena, What a great story about your Daddy and his Bible reading. It just goes to show how we should never stop our searching. I am going to share that story if I may at Church tomorrow. And your drawl is still very much well and alive to my ears. I have a brother in law who was raised in Alabama. Spent the first 18 years of his life there. Then joined the Air Force and moved away. He has lived here in Utah now for over 40 years, and you would think he never left Alabama. He somehow has managed to hang on to that drawl (he's very proud of his southern roots). I know plenty of folks in similar cases, who were raised in the south, then moved north as adults and in just a few years have hardly any drawl left. In fact I worked with a gal just recently who was raised in Baton Rouge, and you know how they talk. Well after she married, she moved here to Utah in 1978, and she has no drawl at all. The only word I have heard her use (and I used to tease her about it} was the word oil. For her it came out as all. She was telling me one day she was taking her car in after work to get the all changed. I laughed and asked her why she used laundry detergent in her car, and why all, wouldn't Tide work? She laughed (very sweetly disposed gal) and I have ribbed her ever since. She has been one of my co=workers I have missed the most since retiring.

Well MDC, we are also drying out. Supposed to be warming up to near 60 by mid week, so I think spring is here. Our snow has all melted off again, so I best start getting the power equipment ready for the summer. Being retired now, they are going to see more use than usual. I hope they are up to it. I hope I am up to it. lol

Asa
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111869: Good morning, porch. MDC, I'm so glad things went well, and you're just about done with all the leg procedures. Once the surgery soreness resolves, you're going to really enjoy your new comfort and be so glad you did it!

Asa, thanks for the reassurance regarding my Texas drawl. It's just part of who I am, and I'd hate to lose it. My husband had a definite Michigan "clip" to his speech when we married, and used to tease me about my drawl, but in a few years, much to his chagrin, his family in Michigan began to tease him about his drawl. He definitely did develop one, and toward the end of his life, you would have sworn he was born in Texas. With one exception, that is - the word "on." In Texas, we say "awwn." It almost sounds like "own", but not quite. In Michigan, they say "ahn", with a very broad, open "a". He never changed that. Actually, he tried, but it still came out the same. I was glad, because it left something for me to tease him about, when he laughed at my four syllable words that were supposed to have only one. Memories.....

For a little over a year now, our church has been without a pastor. Our beloved pastor of many years retired, though he did stay on as interim pastor, preaching two or three Sundays a month, with guest speakers covering the gaps. We have an executive pastor who handles the business matters of the church (for lack of a better term) and other associate pastors for missions and outreach, youth ministry, college age and young adults, etc., so we've not been without leadership, but we just haven't had our beloved senior pastor, at least not full time. A pastor search committee has been busy, traveling around the country, viewing videos here at home, and reading resumès and applications. Now we are told that they've found a good candidate, and he will be with us next Sunday (not tomorrow) to meet us, and to preach in view of a call. I'm very glad they have found someone, and since I know and trust all of the twelve people on the committee, I'm sure they've made a good choice. I do have one small reservation, which I will keep to myself around the church folks - he's only 28! However, he's married, has one child and another on the way, has a Master of Divinity degree, and is working on his doctorate. In his picture, he has a big, warm smile and a very open, expressive face. He was born in raised in Alabama, so he'll have a wonderful drawl, I'm sure, if the colleges haven't "educated" it out of him. Since about 75% of our membership has hair the color of mine, I can't help wondering about his age, and how 28 will relate to 80, but I'm going to trust God on this one. Perhaps the very fact that we are an elderly membership is why God has put him in our path. If we don't attract younger folks, our church will eventually just die, as the membership does, one by one. We have a few young families, but not many, and I have to remember that what attracted us to the church 46 years ago was the big youth department with many things for our children to do, and all the families our age - young adults - for us to enjoy. We need to cultivate that climate again, if we're to survive. So, I will listen to this man preach with an open heart, and unless I get some strong negative signals, I'll vote for him. God knows what He's doing. He always has, I have no reason to believe He will make a mistake here.

Well, guess I'll go scratch up some lunch. Blessings, friends. --Romeena
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111870: I just saw the most unusual cat! I've caught him twice on my surveillance cameras, just now I actually saw him as he strolled through my back yard. He's white, and I thought he had no tail, but I was wrong. He definitely has a tail, but it's charcoal gray with black rings! He also has a triangular black mask, which extends up and covers most of one ear. The video shots I've seen of him were dark, and the tail really wasn't visible, so I thought he had none. He's really unusual and quite pretty. He seems to be wearing a little collar, but it looks tight. I wish I could check that out, but he seems very skittish. He's a little skinny, so am not sure he's got a family, and I worry about that collar. It doesn't look like the average flat collar, it's more like a cord, very thin. No telling what somebody has put on him, poor kitty. Sure is an odd-looking little fellow, though, very unusual and pretty. --Romeena
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111871: Hey to our "O'Possum!" :)
March 16, 2019 - Msg 111872: That was from me..."McMDC!" :)
March 17, 2019 - Msg 111873:
HI FOLKS, Romeena, that is very interesting about your new pastor. I am assuming that your committee members are all somewhat in the "grey haired league," so apparently they saw something in this young preacher. I am a bit concerned however
about the type of reverends who are graduating seminary these days.
Case in point, the church that i go to has always been pretty conservative, but a few
years ago a young as$ociate pastor was assigned who had some pretty wild ideas
which most of us did not cotton to. After several letters to the bishop by several of us, he
got us someone else. Now regarding politics...haha

I had a good Saturday, mainly elevating my leg, then walking for a bit, then repeat and repeat! But doing well. I did get to watch some college hoops and a little golf on the tele.
Speaking of drawls, being born in Minnesota, I picked up the words 'weresh' for 'wash' and 'a-boot' for 'about.' I've actually tried to shake them over the years, but alas, they just wont change!

I got a phone call from pappabear today. He is on oxygen now. Without it he is at about a 78! He is is good spirits however, and thanks everyone for their prayers.
Speaking of which, my prayers continue for Frankie's mother.
Good Sabbath! and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
McMDC

March 17, 2019 - Msg 111874: You beat me to it, MDC! Today is the only day that I use my "given" name- I'll sign off here with it in a bit.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all- may the luck of the Irish and many blessing be yours.

I bought a nice card yesterday and will send it off to Pappa Bear this week-thanks for the updates and his current address, MDC. Prayers for him and all in need.

Have a nice Sabbath,all!

*********************
o' possum under a rock
March 17, 2019 - Msg 111875: Lol MDC....McMDC ☘️ It sounds like a new burger at McDonalds...Goober McFife🍀
March 17, 2019 - Msg 111876: Good Morning Porch Friends!

I'm sorry for not having been on too much lately. Just been a busy bee but also I spend way too much time on my phone. Which is what I have given up for Lent, but not too successfully. Anyhoo, I wanted to pop in and say hello!

Homemaker - I'm so sorry for your loss! He's reunited with his wife so that part is good.
Frankie - My sister had cancer in the muscle of her jaw and thankfully it was found (she was only 28 too). It's such an unusual place to have it. I hope she isn't in much pain. Praying for you both.
Romeena - The young pastor may just bring lots of fresh perspectives on the Word and may enrich your spiritual walk. That may be a good thing!
MDC - So glad that things went well with your procedure! Keep up the good work.
Boo - I don't know what's going on with your job but I hope it works out! You don't seem too chipper on the posts I've read this morning. Prayers for your heart.

Will someone please send me Pappabear's current address?

I watched church online this morning. Though I'm grateful that I have the ability it's not the same as attending. I woke up right on time to get ready but apparently closed my eyes again without meaning to!

Being from Kentucky I had quite the country accent. Then moved to Atlanta where it's very transient. So thought you'll hear some Southerners many down here are actually northerners or midwesterners like my husband. He has made fun of me quite a bit so though I sound more Georgian (lilt) all day when I'm tired my Country comes out. Warsh, oyyl, etc is in abundance.

I'm about to head to the beauty shop (they've got their work cut out today ha). Y'all have a wonderful Sabbath and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Blessings,
~Lucy O'Matthews