Update on Matt's Recovery

Okay, here is the latest. After the "Who's supposed to be watching me?" incident Matt has ordered me to have a walkie-talkie with me whenever I'm outside so we are always in communication. Those of you who went to Elaine's for the Wine Tasting last year know which walkie-talkies I'm referring to. These babies are heavy duty. I could probably go into Brockport and he'd still be able to pester me about something. :) Yeah, every time I come in or go out he asks where it is to make sure I carry it from place to place, it doesn't even have a clip on it. He's just like an old mother hen. "Mom, where's the walkie-talkie? You have to take it with you." "Mom, it doesn't do any good if you put it on the deck and then walk into the garden." "Mom, do you have the volume turned up?" "Mom, you have to push the button BEFORE you start talking." Mom, Mom, Mom...Good Grief! Now don't go getting the idea that I'm leaving him alone continuously. He has someone with him almost constantly (lots of company). I can't decide if he just wants his mommy close by or if he wants to turn me into his slave (payback for some obvious misplaced anger :) ! It is probably the fact that he loves any techie toys and right now this is the only way he can get a few kicks!

He was complaining about having to sit around with nothing to do so Elizabeth suggested crossword puzzles. He didn't want to do that. She suggested reading. She said she has lots of romance novels :-) or perhaps a mystery novel. He didn't want to read either. I said well, I have some knitting needles and yarn you can knit me a holster for this walkie-talkie. :) Needless to say that didn't go over well either. So there he sits/lays turning into the dreaded couch potato.

Seriously, he had his first bad night last night, said he woke up in the middle of the night from a dream, felt very uneasy and had a lot of discomfort. It took him quite a while to realize where he was. We have him set up in the living room so we are just a room away but I'll be sleeping in the living room tonight because he is feeling anxious about sleeping through the night.

In the Woods

We brought Matt home this morning, got him all settled in. Dave was reading the paper and Matt was sleeping. I thought it would be a nice change of pace to go for a hike, since the past several days have been constant running back and forth to the hospital. I really should have been cleaning inside and doing yard work but....oh well, all that stuff will be there tomorrow. So I called Yellie and we went for a hike. Shortly after we went out Dave came looking for me to say he was going to the store. I said we wouldn't be long so Yellie and I headed back since the little vampires in the woods were ridiculously thirsty. We decided to do a little art project and cast a few leaves. I went inside to get some plastic gloves and check on Matt. He was still asleep so I went back out. When we finished, we came in the house to wash up. Dave was home from the store and Matt was on the couch, not where I left him (which was asleep on the floor). He asked where we were and wanted to know who was supposed to be watching him? :) Oh boy, guess I'm in trouble...again. You think you're free when they hit 24 don't you? WRONG!!! :)

Anyway, here are a few pics from our hike. We were crossing a swampy area and there was a felled tree caught up in some other tree branches. I thought we should climb it. Here's the little chicken at the bottom and another pic of how far it goes up. I was somewhere in between. It was scary getting up there which wasn't that far, (maybe 10 or 12 feet) but not so bad just sitting there, but I did have a very nice view of things from there. And I thought those Yoga classes were helping me with my balance. Actually they are but there was no way I could balance on this uphill log. Here are a few pictures from up in the tree.

On our hike back we got a picture of "Jack In his Pulpit" :). Had to get his side profile otherwise the picture doesn't do him justice.

Spring Garden

I was out slug hunting this morning and thought it about time I made a post. I have been so busy preparing the garden for summer and trying to stay ahead of the game I haven't made time for any new postings. Last year slugs were very destructive in the garden. Before I knew it my hostas, day lilies and irises were unsightly. So I started the slug hunt :). Every morning...sometimes every other morning, I'd get up at the crack of dawn and set out with clippers and a pail of ammonia with water, walk around picking the little darlings off my plants and popping them into the ammonia mixture...YUCK!!! I think I would collect about 30 or more slugs each day. I think it was worth it cuz I went out yesterday and today and found only 3 slugs in two days. Wow, for once I did something right! PRAISE GOD! Anyway, the slug hunt didn't take long so I went for the camera in hopes of finding a few good pictures to post. It was very windy and most pictures came out blurry, but here are a few with some additions to the new garden. The purple and white tulips were there last year (given to me by my cousins Tim and Brenda), but the red "lily chic" tulips in the next picture are new this year.

Here is a close-up of the sand pool I have added which consists of authentic ocean sand and shells collected from our many Myrtle Beach trips and my trip to Florida with my cousin Dolores in February 2005. We found ourselves obsessed with picking up shells. You just can't stop. It is like finding Treasure! :). The sand pool idea was born during a visit with my cousin Barbara. She had large clam shells scattered in her garden, with the inside facing up to catch rain water. She did not have a sand pool but seeing the shells in her garden gave me the idea of finally doing something with all the shells I've collected over the years. Last year 2006, I collected bags of sand to bring home for this very purpose. A friend of mine asked why I went through all the trouble and said I could have just bought a bag of sand for a few dollars. Well yes, this is true but it wouldn't be authentic sand now would it? It means more when you put your heart into it.

And finally a picture of my prized Red Bud. I put this in a few years ago. Well, that's about it for now. Until next time...Peace to all of you.

A Thank You from the Kids :)

I accompanied some of Nativity BVM's religious education kids (Kindergarten and 1st grade...I think) on Easter Sunday while they sang "This Little Light of Mine." We had 3 practices together and they did a super job singing. They gave me a plant and made me this beautiful, very colorful thank you card. They were a wonderful, cooperative and lively bunch. It was a pleasure to work with them and their teachers.

Thought for the day

The quieter you become, the more you can hear.

Zen Master