Sheila

My old friend Sheila came for lunch today.  With her she brought sandwiches, cookies, and chips.  And it was a wonderful visit.  We haven't seen each other for almost two years.  Far too long.

Sheila and I go way back, you know, one of those friends you had when you were student poor and hardly had two nickels to rub together.

First met Sheila when I was working for a small up and coming computer company in Raleigh.  At that time, processing anything on a computer was a really big deal.  The computer room that housed the main frame was huge.  My iPhone now does way more than that old machine could ever think of doing.

One day a new girl came in.  It was Sheila.  She had been hired for a temp job and we hit it off right from the start.  I was talking with her that day and realized she didn't have transportation, and, no place to live.  Well, that would never do, so I put her in the car with me and home we went.  All of Sheila's belongings were in one bag so she was pretty easy to move around.  I already had three other roommates, never thought that it might impose on anyone and don't remember anyone ever complaining.  That could have been because Sheila was so endearing to anyone that met her.  And I think to this day, I have never heard her say an unkind word about anyone.

Sheila stayed with us till she got back on her feet and then moved into her own apartment.  But timing is everything.  While sleeping in our crib, she met Pete.  Pete was a geology major at NC State and a good friend.  On occasion, (insert big smile here) I would either have a party or attend one,  so Sheila went with me and met Pete. They hit it off right away too.  Pete and Sheila have been married over 35 years.  As I said, timing is everything.

During our visit, we reminisced old times, shared pictures and stories of family and friends and just generally had a wonderful visit brushing away all the time we have missed.

Her children are grown now, and like mine, live too far away.  She has one granddaughter and another on the way.

Here's a photo of Sheila with her prayer book.  She has a list of everyone she is praying for and their needs.  She decided to write them down in her book because she woke up one morning and realized she had forgotten someone.  That's my Sheila.

Wish I had time to tell all of my Sheila stories.  Maybe later.  They are way too good not to share.  Sheila was always a good one to play tricks on because she was so trusting, not just of me but everyone.  Sheila always sees the best in people.  Once, when she and her family lived in Utah, her children took a photo of her standing in front of a road sign.  Sheila never thought to look at what it said.  They told her to stand in front of the sign so they could take her picture and she did.  When it came back, there's Sheila in front of a big sign that says, "Dense Fog".  And she laughed along with them.  That's my Sheila.

A few summers ago, Sheila and Pete invited us to spend the weekend at the lake house to celebrate her birthday.  My "party in a box" friend Kay and husband Bill went too.  We had a wonderful time and when we were leaving, Kay and I decided as a trick, to put one of the extra jumbo cucumbers, with a little face carved in it, in their bed so they would find it that night when they went to bed.

Several months went by.  Kay called and told me we were going to have to replace the mattress at Sheila's.  They had left the lake house that night and never found the big "baby" cucumber in their bed until later and the mattress was ruined.  We were horrified, especially since Sheila didn't find it....her mother-in-law did.  After several phone calls of apology, Sheila finally said, "Gotcha!"  She had been playing a trick on us for a change.

Touche Sheila....guess we taught you well.

PCQ

Feeling Better Now!

Didn't feel well today.  Not sure how much can be attributed to being sick and what part I can blame on the weather.  But my wagon's been going a little slow.

Had a little accident the other day and it has caused me to whine a little more than usual.  Went to get the trash out of the trash can in the pantry and when I was backing up, pulling on the garbage bag...it was very heavy,  and I backed right into the door.  Maybe "backed into" isn't the proper description, it was more like "crashed into" the door and KNOB.  And, you know right where it hit, Kaboom, the very spot where I have the growth at the base of my spine.  Oh man, it did really, really hurt!  Since then, I've had to do a little more to keep pain at bay.

Anyway, it was raining and cold today, the snow and ice still hanging around.  Since bumping my butt on the door, I have been even more worried about slipping on the ice and being jolted from another angle.  Amazing the thoughts you have when you are scheduled for major surgery.  No one ever wants to get hurt, but I have been being even more careful recently.  I don't need any more bumps on the road this wagon is traveling!

Just then, Nick starts barking and I look outside.  It's Kay and Phyllis, dear friends from my church family, smiling from ear to ear, and gingerly walking across the ice with an armload of food and flowers.

In they came with a wonderful Italian spread; fresh garden salad, a loaf of crusty bread, spaghetti sauce and pasta, homemade pie and a beautiful bouquet of flowers.  They even brought a loaf of cranberry orange walnut bread to have with my coffee tomorrow morning.

"We are not worthy!" I said, but in they came and spread it all out for our dinner tonight.  Sometimes you just don't know what to say other than "thank you".  We chatted for a bit and they prepared to leave.   "Everyone's signed up for a night to bring you food," Kay said.  "No, no, you can't do it now.  Wait till I have my surgery, that's when I will really need you."  "Oh we're going to do it then too," she said, "everyone's excited about helping you and we already have it all taken care of, so don't worry, just enjoy."

I guess you know at this point, I almost cried.  Sometimes we just don't feel worthy of all the love and attention we get.  I'm supposed to be the one doing things for others, not the other way around.  Did I tell you they had big smiles on their faces?

Soon they were out the door, sliding across the ice to their car and gone.  (Don't see how they both got in with those big angel wings:-)

John and I sat down and had a wonderful dinner together.  And you know, I am feeling much better now.

PCQ

How We Do Snow Down South

Received the message below from a friend in Virginia and I inserted Greene County in some places....but it works for almost any place down South!

Love it!
PCQ

 In case you're new to the area, let me tell you how we do it here.

• Someone somewhere says snow is coming to eastern NC
• We start paying attention.
• Someone says it's coming to Greene County.
• We Greene County folks really start paying attention.
• Someone (weatherman) brandishes the word "accumulation." 

Done. Finished. Over. We who call Eastern NC home all-out lose our minds. 

In the case of this snow, it happens like this: 
Tuesday morning: The word "accumulation" is first used. 
Tuesday afternoon: Accumulation confirmed. All weekend plans put on stand-by or out-right canceled. 
Tuesday evening: First trip to supermarket for bread, milk, wine, beer and cookie dough. 
Wednesday morning / afternoon: Calls around town for sleds begin
Wednesday evening: Local news does a story about the run on supermarkets for bread and milk. Second trip to supermarket for extra bread and milk, plus frozen pizzas and non-perishables, because you never know. 
Thursday morning / afternoon: Spend workday obsessively checking the forecast. More calls for sleds. Search online for sleds, but decide against them because you can't believe how much sleds actually cost. 
Thursday evening: Meet friends out for dinner because you never know when you'll get out again. Realize you forgot to buy bagels. How could you forget bagels? Third trip to supermarket. 
Friday morning: Alternate staring out window for snow and consulting forecast for exact snow start time. Cancel the rest of weekend plans. 
Friday afternoon: Weather.com reports that it is snowing in your area. Run to window. Spend at least one hour yelling at weather.com because it is clearly not snowing. Ask boss about company inclement weather policy. Complain about said policy. Wait an hour; ask boss if company is closing early. 
Friday evening: Fourth trip to supermarket on the way home for last-minute necessities, like chocolate and fancy hot cocoa. Alternate staring out window and watching local news for exact snow start time. Watch the Closings scroll to see if your work is closed on Monday, because you never know. 
Friday night: Snow finally begins. Call/text all of your friends and family to see if it's snowing in their area and to make sure they're OK in the storm. Update Facebook status to reflect snowfall in case you missed anyone. Order pizza so you don't have to break into rations too soon. 
Saturday morning: Marvel at snowfall. Fling pets / children into the snow so they can marvel and so you have pictures for your Facebook page. 
Saturday afternoon: Drive or trudge to nearest hill and attempt to sled on a cookie sheet/shower curtain/trashcan lid/pool float. 
Saturday evening: Meet friends out for drinks or dinner to celebrate snow. 
Sunday: Eat leftover pizza and stare out window, watching snow melt. Obsessively watch Closings list. Feel happy when the county you live in announces closing and then sad because you never became a teacher and now you have to go out, clean off the car and then go to work tomorrow. Plus you've got all that bread and milk to eat.

Snow on the Ground

Click on the link below to check out the YouTube video John and I made.  This was the first try as you can tell.

Maybe I need to reduce my medication.

Snow on the Ground

PCQ

Lunch with Mama

Had lunch with my mother on Friday.  And I went by myself.  First time I have driven any farther than Greenville alone since last July.  I was okay, though probably not something I should do very often given my current situation, but I made it.  Having been so limited in what I am able to do, each new independent step is greeted with a smile of success.  Never been too many things I couldn't do if I wanted them badly enough, but this has been different and I don't accept "no" real well.  Often I am tempted to accept an invitation by friends, but ultimately realize that I may be able to do it, but I will be miserable the entire time.  So I weigh each opportunity and make a decision.

My mother, who celebrated her 80th birthday in November and retired from Johnson & Johnson many years ago, still works part time making flower arrangements at Carolina Pottery in Smithfield. She says it's like being with family there.  And they are so very kind to her.  Always checking on her, offering love and support when she has been sick, and making her feel wanted.  And isn't that what we all need?  So, if you buy a flower arrangement there, it just may have a little of my mama's love in it.

While waiting for Mom to finish up, I walked around the Pottery for a bit looking at all the stuff I really don't need but would like to have.  January and February are their slowest months they tell me and they use that time to rearrange and restock for Spring.  My personal decision tree for whether I really want something comes down to two things; how long did I have to work to pay for it and would I rather have the money or the object.  Sometimes the decision is easy, sometimes not.

We decided to have lunch at Ruby Tuesdays, just down from the Pottery, because Mama wanted a baked potato and they have good ones.  But once she got there, the baby back ribs were calling her so we split a rack, ordered an extra potato and drank enough sweet tea to float a boat.  But it was ever so good.  We talked and ate and caught up on all the family and friends.

One of her friends has a new beau, "He's a Yankee", she said, as only a Southern woman would say it.  Another one of her friends is under going cancer treatments and she is distressed about that.  We talked about my upcoming surgery and being a mother, she wanted to know if I have proper bed clothes, robes and the like....and did I need anything?  A wonderful mother is always a mother, no matter how old their children are.  And I am so very thankful to have such a caring mother, wanting to know what she can do to help.  Oh how I wish all children, young and old, could be blessed with that love.

Soon it was time to go.  Snow was predicted and we were both tired and ready to get safely home before the Friday work traffic makes driving even more stressful.

Before leaving, I returned the Pyrex dish she left with me at Thanksgiving, full of her wonderful sweet potato casserole that I adore.  In it I had placed a large slice of coconut-pineapple pie a dear friend had brought the day before.  Mama loves coconut and it was a delicious pie to share with her.   We hugged and said good-bye one more time.

It was a good day.

PCQ

Out of the PCQ Office - Be Back Soon

Sorry I haven't written recently, getting tax info together.  (Yuck!)

Be back soon, hopefully, new and improved and better than ever!

PCQ

Dancing in the Sand

Receive a lot of wonderful emails from friends and family.  Thought you would enjoy the message below from my friend Lauri, with her blessing to share.

The email reads:

I finally had time to sit down and read your blog.  Kathy keeps me updated, but I wanted to check for myself.  What a sight and sound those birds must have been!  Wow!  And I know Nick was happy with peanuts falling from the sky! 

When you talked about pulling your wagon, it seems to me that sometimes our wagons get so full, we can barely pull them.  But isn’t it a blessing to know that you have help pulling your wagon.  And, when it gets too full to pull, Jesus is right there pulling with you.  Kind of like the footprints in the sand – sometimes two sets, sometimes one set – and sometimes many sets.  And sometimes the steps are heavy, sometimes light – and sometimes they dance! 

Always praying,

Lauri

PET Scan

Got to the hospital around 12 today in pouring rain.  Of course the parking lot was full so I had to walk a good distance to get to the Out Patient area.  Luckily, when I got there, the first person I saw was one of my dear friends, William.  He has retired and is a volunteer at the hospital.  He helps by ferrying people through the maze of hallways to their proper destination.  William was happy to escort me to the Nuclear Medicine area of the hospital.


The Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan I was having today was to see if there is any new cancer growth detected.  If I light up like a Christmas tree...or even a night light, it's a game changer.  No surgery will be done and we will go to Plan B.  But, back to the test, basically, the scan is a nuclear medicine imaging machine that will show three dimensional pictures of my body.  Always thought I would make a good fold out, just never thought of it this way.  


First, I was given an intravenous tracer medication that apparently emits some type of special rays (probably enhanced my natural aura!) that can be detected by the machine in areas like a cancer growth.  The machine in turn, will make images in 3-dimensional form to be read and analyzed by computer and the doctor. 


In doing my research, I thought it interesting that the first place this was first done was the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, then at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, way back in the 50s.  Both cities we know well due to my daughter Lauren getting her master's degree at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh and now teaching at Washington University in St. Louis.  


Then, I had to sit for one hour and do nothing.  I say that, because I put my earphones on to listen to a little funky music on my iPhone.  The hospital has a camera monitoring the room and the nurse came in and told me I couldn't listen to music cause it would induce too much brain activity and the glow in the dark stuff might all go there.  Oh well...Sam Cooke can certainly stir up some good brain activity!


Afterwards, I was taken to the PET machine and locked in.

My head was put in a holder so it wouldn't move during the procedure.

My arms were strapped in and legs elevated.

The test took about 45 minutes.  I was tired by the time it was over.  Couldn't eat anything for 6 hours prior to the procedure, so that meant last night's dinner was my last meal.  Of course, I can miss a meal and it probably won't hurt me.  

Hopefully, I will hear from the scan next week.  I will let you know when I do.  Until then, we can only hope and pray that all will be clear and no new growths have appeared.


Here's to good sleeping till then and another good pull on the wagon.

PCQ

Peanuts from the Sky

We have had an unusual occurrence at our house.  This past Sunday afternoon it was so nice outside, I opened the sliding glass doors at the back of our living room.  As I opened them, I heard birds.  Not just a few birds, thousands, and they were so loud, we couldn't hear the movie playing.  I walked outside to look and they were flying toward the peanut field next to our pasture.  There were so many, when they flew over, the sound of their wings and undulating motion was awesome.  I stood and watched and listened.

Click the link below to hear the birds.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnn_EVc9deI

But as they were flying over, peanuts were falling from the sky. Yes, peanuts were falling from the sky!

Here's Nick, our dog, checking out the peanuts that fell on our deck.  Guess he thought that was pretty sweet cause he loves peanuts.

Peanuts are all over the place, and here's more beneath the pine trees out front.

Our farm covers about 27 acres and right now it is littered with half eaten peanuts and shells.  The farm next to us harvested the peanuts last fall.  I am amazed at how many were left for these birds.

Guess when they found the peanut field, trees, and our pond, they thought life is good here.

PCQ

Simply Good!

My taste is finally coming back from the chemotherapy treatments and that is a good thing.  During the holidays, when I cooked, I would always have someone taste the food along with me just to make sure it was seasoned right.  I didn't trust my taste buds.  Christmas is always a time for special food and drink and I sure missed smelling and tasting all of my favorites.

Guess that's why I have enjoyed Simply Apple so much.  Hate to say it, but I succumbed to their advertising and bought a jug.  I will preface this and say, I am not a real apple juice person.  I like apples and applesauce, but apple juice?  No, I prefer orange juice.

But that was before I tasted the Simply Apple.  It is so good, when I drink it, I only take a little sip and taste every little bit.  Has the flavor of Honey Crisp apples and if you've had one of those pricey but tasty apples, then you know what is dancing around on my tongue causing such delight.

Ahhh...certainly enjoy having my taste buds back from their chemo retreat and I guess that temporary absence just makes everything taste better.

And as they say, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!"  Let's hope so, and Simply Apple sure makes it taste simply good.

And no, I don't own any stock in this company, but may look into it!

PCQ