MYEVERYDAYLIFE

Back home

2012-01-21T09:13:00.000-06:00

Well the surgery is finished and I am back home. Still in a lot of pain. The doc said that place was in a mess with the spinal cord leaking fluid. He put a blood block in there to patch it up. Told my daughter that it might take 4 weeks for me to feel any relief. I can't sit but a few minutes at a time. So not getting on the computer but a couple of minutes at a time.

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.

Later,

Helen

Surgery set.

2012-01-06T14:37:00.000-06:00

The hospital called this morning with the news that someone had cancelled for Monday morning. 6:00 O'clock AM CST. Suits me fine. The quicker the better. Looking forward to getting it done and put behind me. God willing I will feel lots better.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

Merry Christmas Everyone!

2011-12-23T16:18:00.000-06:00

Well this Christmas is a rough one for me or us. I ending up having to have another MRI which was rough also. Then this week I got a call from one of the doctors. Result is, I have another ruptured disk. Another surgery will have to be done. This will make the fourth one.
I go to see the orthopedic doctor next Wednesday to get things set up for it.
I am still using my walker to get around.

Hopefully in a few days I will be feeling better.
Thanks for all the prayers you all have sent up in my behalf.
You all are great folks.

Merry Christmas to everyone and if I am not back online by New Year. Have a great New Year. May everyone have a blessed one.
Helen

MRI yesterday

2011-12-06T11:49:00.000-06:00

It was really rough . One foot and leg was leaning outward and I wasn't allowed to move a muscle or they would have had to start over, plus it felt like that hip was pushing through the flesh. When they rolled me back far enough to put the contrast stuff in the IV I told him about the foot and leg and he pulled the foot over and buckled it to the other foot.

Then when I finished I couldn't get up. The technician ran and got the other man and they both pulled me up. Around 45 minutes in that thing. One told the other one that he could feel my body jerking as they were pulling me up. It was hard to start back walking even with my walker. Next Monday is doc day.

Today has been a rough day,

Thanks for your prayers,

Helen

Back troubles again

2011-12-02T08:47:00.000-06:00

Good morning everyone. Once again it's been a while since I have made an entry. Seems as if all my entries for a good while have been health related.

Well Ken has been doing great after his last surgery. Been waiting on me a lot.

I will have an MRI done here next Monday on my back then see a Doc on the 12th here. He will report his findings to the other doc that did my last back surgery 3 years ago. It is just a wait and see thing now. They are neurosurgeons. If they can't fix it then I will ask for a orthopedic doc referral. I would have to go to Birmingham AL for any kind of surgery.
I have been down in my back and using a walker since the 28th of Sept. 2011, two days after Ken came home from his last surgery. I would certainly appreciate prayers and good thoughts and thank you.

Have a blessed weekend.

Helen

Ken is coming home today

2011-09-28T08:40:00.000-05:00

I talked to Ken this morning and he can come home after awhile. He is still in a good deal of pain and the doc say he will continue to have it for several weeks. Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts. We both appreciate them very much.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Ken

2011-09-27T07:42:00.000-05:00

We have the computerized board here in the waiting room in the hospital telling about a patients progress in surgery, thing was Ken's name was on there to start with then I was watching to see what time they actually started surgery. Well his name didn't show anywhere, one of the nurses called me and said the surgery had been going on about 15 min that she has been really busy and didn't get a chance to call me. His name never showed up on that board anymore. She did call every hour though. The last time she called I told her that board wasn't working right. She said it was working right from where they were. She told me they liked about 30 min being finished and then the doc would call but I looked up in about 30 min and there he was had just come in a door at the back. They have a special room where you go and talk to doctors but some of the Doc's just came on in and talked to the patents where they were sitting. Guess it was quicker that way. But as soon as I looked up and saw him I got up quickly and went where he was.

Ken had a rough night. Fever and chills for a good part of the night. His throat was so sore he could hardly talk to me. Finally they gave him a couple of Tylenol and got the fever down a good bit. He didn't sleep much. His doc will be around early this morning. I doubt he will get to come home today. Things will have to get a lot better today if he does.

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts and your comments.

Have a blessed day everyone, Helen

Ken and surgery.

2011-09-26T15:12:00.000-05:00

Thought I would let everyone know that Ken came through the aneurysm surgery fine today. Took a long time and he only did one, said the other one might hold out for 10 more years but would keep a check on both of them. He was in a good deal of pain when I left a mid afternoon. Thanks again for your prayers and good thoughts.

Getting bloodwork done today.

2011-09-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

Ken is getting blood work done today for his Aneurysm surgery next Monday, Sept 26. Guess it will be early enough for us. 5:00 Am is when we are supposed to be at the hospital.

Prayers and good thoughts Please.

Thanks in advance,

Have a blessed day everybody. Helen

Things about Ken

2011-08-30T17:11:00.000-05:00

It didn't take long at all at the doc's office today. In and out in less than 30 min. He already had a large graphic on the wall where he drew what he was going to do. A thing where he could draw on it then wipe it clean.

One aneurysm is larger than the other one. They plan to do one at a time or if conditions are right then they will do both while they are in there. The largest one will be done first. Then if they have to wait the other one will be done about 3 weeks later.
The last couple of weeks they have come out with a new material they are going to use. They are going to get the team together and do it on the 26th of Sept if they can get all four doctors together at the same time. Two surgeons, one heart surgeon, and one anesthetist person plus the nurses. Some of the doctors will have to come from other cities.
I am going to be optimistic and pray that things will go right.
Prayers will be appreciated.

Thanks for the prayers you all have already sent.

Love to all.
Have a blessed week.
Helen

Things are looking up.

2011-08-10T11:23:00.001-05:00

Finally we have a couple of answers.

Everything went well this morning, No sign of cancer in the colon, thank the good Lord. He also told us the two aneurysms were not very big but when we go back to his office on Aug 30th we could decide if we wanted to go ahead and put stents in or wait until it grows more. I vote for having it done before they get big.

He still has to have the prostrate checked out. The doc. could feel they were enlarged some.So we have to find a good doc and have that checked out.

Thanks for all your prayers and good thoughts.

Have a blessed afternoon Everyone.

Helen

Times are not so good.

2011-07-30T09:05:00.000-05:00

Good morning everybody. It's been quite a while since I have made an entry. Like everywhere else it has been so hot here in Alabama. We are having a time keeping our grass cut in this hot humid weather. That grass is growing twice as fast as it normally would.
Well I am asking all of you for more prayers our way. Ken had a scan done on his abdomen a couple of weeks ago. Our regular surgeon has left his practice and went on to higher things. So we went to see the surgeon who helped with the surgery when Ken had his ruptured aortic aneurysm. The doc who sent him to get the scan thought he had a aneurysm now. Well it turned out what they were seeing was the repair work that was done before. Only thing is when this surgeon looked at the scan, (he could pull up scans from the hospital) he could see where there was an aneurysm below his groin in both artery's going down toward his knees. He scheduled another scan to be done on the 3rd of August so he could tell more about them. He said they can sometimes put a stent in an aneurysm to help that. I pray that they can do this on Ken. Also he scheduled something similar to a colonoscopy to be done on the 10th only Ken just has a few inches of his colon left from those two cancer surgeries. He will check that part out to make sure it is still ok.
In the meantime our regular doc had called for more blood work on his prostrate reading so the nurse called to say he had a 35% chance of having prostrate cancer. He will wait until these two other things are taken care of to see an urologist about that. So you can see why I am asking all you to send up prayers and good thoughts for him.
Hopefully one day I can make an entry when things are going ok. Well things have been going pretty well this summer. Ken has been wracking his brains trying to think up interesting things to do on hiding those geocaches. He has been enjoying that and has made quite a few interesting ones to hide. We have hunted a few geocaches which is always a fun thing to do. We haven't hunted as many as we would if gas wasn't so high now and if my back was in better shape.

By the way our den used to be a carport when was enclosed to make a den so just right outside this door is the real carport. Anyway I can hear a cricket making it's noise because it has eased under the door coming in here. Those things are hard to find LOL.

I will update this entry when we have some news on what is going on with Ken.Thanks in advance for your prayers.

I hope everyone has a blessed weekend.
Love to you all,
Helen

Good morning!

2011-04-02T08:53:00.001-05:00

Good morning everybody,
Today is going to be a beautiful day but tomorrow will be even prettier.
My daughter is going to spend some time with us this next week due to her school is having spring week.
Hopefully we can get out and geocache some while she is here.
Ken and I went out and hid a couple last week but the week since then has been rainy and cold. It was cloudy and cold yesterday until way on in the evening. We were glad to see the sun come out. After the front yard dried off a bit then Ken cut the grass. The back yard is still soggy wet.
Here are a few pictures from the last geocache hide.
The crab apple trees have been beautiful. They were getting past their prime a bit before I took any pictures, this is from the first of the week while we putting out some geocaches.

Here is a short video of a stream not far from the trees.

Have a blessed weekend. Helen

To long

2011-03-25T10:04:00.000-05:00

It's been to long since I have updated. We are still getting out geocaching and putting some out also. The weather has been perfect for that. Now we will have to be careful and watch for snakes while in the woods and weeds. Some people have already seen some around here.
I got some new glasses this week which makes everything look so much bright and crisper just in time to see all these pretty flowers and flowering trees this spring. There are some beautiful flowering crab apple trees downtown but I forgot my camera when we went to get my glasses. Guess they will be gone before we get back down that way. We had a frost last night which will probably get them. We have had some beautiful days in the 80's though for several days. I am loving them.
Here are a few of my spring flowers and some wisteria from when we went geocaching yesterday.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

I am still around.

2011-01-25T00:27:00.002-06:00

I am still hanging in there folks. Ken and I have been doing a little geocaching since Christmas. We needed to get out and do a few things and not sit here at home so much. My back has been holding our fairly well. We have run into some interesting places to go not far from home either. People can hide these things in the oddest places. Some we find and some we don't.

Here are some of the places we have went and things we have found.
I have no idea why some of the words have background colors. It won't let me fix the either.

This one is called a Nano. There is a tiny log rolled up inside that you sign your name and the date. Some of the pictures I just realized are on Ken's computer. I need to put them on mine also.

My daughter is still recuperating from some surgery on her neck for another tumor she had done a few days before Christmas. It split back open and the nurses have been coming to school twice a day to pack and dress it. They are coming to her home on the weekends doing it also. It is leaving a pretty large place but is gradually filling in. Her doc said yesterday it was about half filled in. It has been really hard on her teaching school and doing all she has to do but with God's help she is making it.

My DIL has been sick for two weeks but is better. I am asking for your prayers for all them please, and for my son who has been out of work for a few days. I pray that he finds another good one close to home with health benefits. When some of his employers found out about having to soon provide for health insurance they have been going out of business which makes it hard to find a good one. He was out a month before Christmas but then worked a month or so and now is out looking for another one. Some of these companies move from place to place. He is in Welding.

Will everyone remember Sara, Jeff and Oreo in your prayers.

They have lost there beloved dog Misty which they dearly loved.

They are going to really miss their girl. She was so pretty and sweet. Rest in peace Misty. You will have no more sickness and pain. Misty is the tan and white one in the picture. Beautiful dogs and well trained. They will appreciate your prayers.

I hope everyone has a blessed week. Thanks in advance for all your prayers. Helen

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T10:10:00.000-06:00

I would like to tell everybody Happy New Year!

I hope this year brings happiness, good health, peace, and more jobs to everyone.

Helen

Happy Birthday Jesus. Merry Christmas to all of you.

2010-12-25T08:51:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday Jesus

Merry Christmas Everybody. May your day be Blessed and Happy.

Many Thanks

2010-12-18T09:11:00.001-06:00

Many Thanks to all of you for your prayers and condolences for our families in the passing of my brother. I could feel the comfort of all them surrounding me during this sad time. They have helped to ease the sorrow.
May all of you have a very blessed Christmas. Stay safe during the Holidays.
Helen

O Holy Night - Incredible child singer 7 yrs old -

2010-12-13T18:45:00.000-06:00

Asking for prayers

2010-12-11T13:39:00.000-06:00

I didn't realize when I made my last entry that I would be back so soon asking you all for your thoughts and prayers. Will everyone please remember mine and my brother's family in your prayers. My brother Doyle Richardson passed away at home last night in his sleep. Thank you in advance.

Hugs to everyone, Helen

Had to start all over .

2010-12-10T03:51:00.003-06:00

Well I had an entry almost finished and hit the wrong key and the whole thing disappeared. So I am starting over.
I awoke up to a beautiful sunrise Wednesday morning that I thought I would share.

Well this eye has finally about got straightened out from my precious surgery. I still have a floater at times that makes me think a black fly is flying in front of my face. Makes me swat at it at times then at times I can't even see it. This happened last week after I had a little laser surgery done.
Ken still has macular degeneration in his eyes and has to get a shot in one eye each month. I hope that will soon get better and he won't have to have the shots anymore.

Mira has had more health problems and is doing better except she will have another tumor removed from her neck while she is out of work during Christmas. She missed over a week having some surgery done about two months ago. She had a large tumor removed from her sternum and some more work done at that time but the reports came back benign, thank the Good Lord.

Ken and I rode up on a mountain close to the house the other day where I took the header picture. All the pretty foliage was just about gone by then.
I thought I would show you all how our two girls ride when we take them with us. Daisy loves riding in the front with Ken while Patched loves riding on the platform Ken made in back of the jeep and covered with cheap carpet. Patches like to be where she can see everything. That head is constantly moving looking around.

Daisy, she is watching Ken.

Patches, she is watching me. She likes to ride with her head on the backseat with her face between her paws. I know it jars her to do that. Sometimes she is all over the place. Ken lets the window down a crack at times and she hops up there and puts one foot on the bottom of the window where he has made a place to put her foot to keep her from sliding down while the other foot is either on the side of the back where he has put another strip or puts her right foot on his left shoulder and she sniffs the air coming in the window. Daisy's bed is on the other side of Patches.

Well I have told about all the news I know for this time.

I will try to make another entry before Christmas.

I hope everybody has a blessed day and a blessed weekend.

Yes, it has been cold here in AL. 20º here yesterday morning.

Helen

Eyes and a couple more Zinnas

2010-08-06T14:57:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone. Just a short note to let you know that I came through my cataract surgery fine.
Only thing is the next day the pressure was up in both eyes.
I can see fine but the doc added another eye drop to the already 4 I was on so that brought it up to 5 kinds a day. 1 once a day, 2 twice a day, 3 four times a day.Takes all my thinking to keep them straight as to what goes when.
I see the doc again next Monday to see if the pressure has come down any.
I saw that beautiful butterfly again today and did get a couple of shots but they wasn't all that great. I put it in the header picture.
Here are a couple more Zinnia pictures. The heat is taking it's toil on them now.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and may it be a blessed one. Helen

2010-08-02T13:48:00.000-05:00

Hi everyone, I see it has been a while since my last post.

It is so hot and humid that we are just taking it easy. It's suppose to reach 100º today. I know a lot of people are experiencing more heat than that but here in Alabama that is really hot.

I am supposed to go tomorrow and have the cataract removed in my right eye. The pressure finally went down in the left eye after having laser surgery on it but I still have to use drops to keep the pressure down.

Not much else is going on except Ken is having a time keeping the grass cut. The hot weather and showers really makes the grass shoot up.

Here are a few zinnias that are still blooming. I saw a beautiful yellow butterfly on them this morning but it was here and gone quickly.

I hope everyone has a blessed afternoon. Helen

Good morning all

2010-06-27T08:10:00.000-05:00

Good morning everyone. It's good to see the sunshine this morning following a bunch of storms that moved through last night.
Well so far it seems like the laser surgery on my eye has helped a lot. So far it had brought the pressure down almost 10 points in that one eye. I am glad. I go back to the doc and have it checked again in two weeks and in about a month I go back to see the surgeon who actually did the laser. He is on a trip to Africa for several weeks.
Those places that the other doc took off my nose and arm are doing fine. One was a Basel cancer but he says he got deep enough to get it all and if I have any more problems to let him know and he will do further work.
We have two boxes of Eastern Bluebirds nesting in our yard, one box in front and one in the back yard so I have been enjoying watching them go in and out taking food to the babies.
I watched the male bird get a short bath yesterday but knew if I moved to get the camera he would be gone. This is the female coming out after feeding.

I haven't had a chance to get any pictures of the other pair but this is the box they are using.

I very seldom get to see the babies after they fledge.

My Hydrangea bush has been blooming beautifully.

Tomato vines, Better boy.

Sweet 100 tomatoes and boy are they sweet LOL.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Yellow,orange and brown wild flowers

2010-06-12T17:29:00.000-05:00

Sorry about not posting lately. I have been in such a foul mood lately. I had some skin cancers taken off my face and arm last week. I haven't got the results back yet. Then this past Thursday I had some laser work done on my left eye due to the pressure staying so high even with me on meds for it. I hope it helps.
Well we haven't been in good enough health to go anywhere for me to take any pictures so I will post some more wildflowers in our flower beds. Today they will be on the yellow, orange, and brown theme.

I have some more yellows but will show them later.

Everyone have a blessed Saturday night and Sunday.

Helen

I am blue

2010-05-21T08:29:00.000-05:00

Today I am featuring all blue wildflowers. We planted some places last spring with wildflowers. Most of them didn't come up and bloom until this year. A lot of them have been blue so I thought I would post all blue flowers today. I don't know the names of most of them so I will just put in the pictures.

A couple of them look a lot alike but some have yellow centers and some don't. Some are tilted downward and some are looking up.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

In honor of all Mothers

2010-05-08T10:49:00.001-05:00

In honor of all Mothers for Mother's Day. May each of you have a wonderful day.
If your Mother is still living wish her a Happy Mother's Day because when she is gone that opportunity is lost forever.
.

In honor of all Mother's who have gone on before. I lost my Mother in 1995 and still miss her every day.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

Thanks to you all

2010-04-30T06:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks to each one of you who left comments of condolences to Joyce, her and Sherrye's family and myself in the previous entry on the death of her daughter Sherrye. We both appreciated every one of them. You are all great folks.

I been having tremendous back problems this last two weeks and spending a lot of time laying down with my ice packs so this will be a short entry with a few spring pictures I made a few days ago.

I love them all spread out everywhere when they are blooming but if I feel better when they are finished this season I will get Ken to cut them way back.

I hope everyone will have a blessed day and a great weekend. I am sure most of mine will be spent with an ice pack.

Helen

In honor of my friend Joyce's Daughter

2010-04-19T09:00:00.001-05:00

These two flowers are in honor of my Friend Joyce's Daughter Sherrye.

Joyce doesn't have a blog now but she had one for many years. She was known as Springangel1235.
Sherrye was buried last Thursday the fifteenth of April.

Will everyone please remember her family in your prayers.

Thank you in advance.

Helen

Hello everybody

2010-04-09T03:20:00.001-05:00

Hello all, it has been some beautiful weather this week but they are calling for 39º tonight. I hope it doesn't frost and kill all the pretty flowers and flowering trees.We did plant a couple of tomatoes plants but we will have to cover them up. When the weather gets to be around 85º and higher you think things will be safe but often times we get fooled.
Below are some of the flowering things around here. Some are wildflowers which I don't know the name of. I can't get them in order. Most of these I know the names of but this stupid blog is as stupid as I am and won't let me post the names where they go so I give up LOL. I will post more later.
This should go at the bottom of the blog but I can't put it there.
Have a blessed day everyone, Helen
Crab apple trees downtown

Bartlett Pear tree

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T17:02:00.000-05:00

He is Risen

Have a Happy and Blessed Easter everyone.

Helen

New storm door Patches, and more flowers

2010-03-21T18:54:00.000-05:00

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Sorry I haven't posted in a while friends. I did make a post last week and somehow all the sentences got all jumbled up so I quit.

A couple of weeks ago Ken was carrying some bird seed through the kitchen to the back porch. He bumped his head and somehow swung around and bumped the sliding glass doors with his rear and busted it into what looked like a million pieces.

Well we looked and called all over the place for another one and found out they don't make them anymore. We called a storm door and window place and had someone come out and discuss what he could do so we could have a doggie door for Patches and Daisy. We decided to add a storm door so we could open it in warm weather and still have a screen. We wanted the bottom to be clear so Patches could look out and watch for the squirrels. She sits a lot looking out that window.

Here is what we came up with. See Patches looking out the door? See my reflection in the door LOL?

Patches has been under the weather for several days. She would go limp as a noodle and fall . I would pick her up and put her on the couch or bed where she would lay very still and her eyes would follow me. Then she would get ok. She did this twice in about three weeks. We took her to two different vets when it happened and they couldn't figure out what is the matter with her. Blood work showed up nothing. Our regular vet which was not open the first time told us several things to test for if it happened again because she would be fine when we got there. He said it could be her heart but was not showing up by either vet listening really good. He said if it was a regular seizure she would have went stiff for a while. He is going to look further into his books to see if he can find anything. The last spell happened Friday. We can not afford the expense it would cost doing brain scans and so forth. He is not equipped to do it anyway. We just pray that it doesn't happen again.
Now on to some more spring flowers.

I can't believe the forecast is calling for snow tonight. Seeing is believing LOL. Our Bartlett pear tree is full of buds and blooms already and the neighborhood has tulip trees blooming and blooming Bradford pear trees blooming.

I hope everyone has a good night and a blessed week next week. Helen

Can spring be far behind?

2010-02-25T17:45:00.000-06:00

Hello all,

I went outside this week and found these coming up through the stray leaves. It's still quite cold here though.

Female Eastern Bluebird

Hope everyone has a good night and a blessed Friday.

Helen

Happy Valentine's Day Everybody!

2010-02-14T09:30:00.000-06:00

Have A Blessed Valentine's Day Everyone. Helen

Rare Snow Day In AL 2-12-2010

2010-02-13T04:45:00.001-06:00

Hope you enjoy.
Have a blessed day. Helen

Just a few words

2010-01-29T02:02:00.000-06:00

I haven't updated in a few day so thought I would do a post.
Everyone is doing about like usual. Except I have been having some serious back problems this week. This to shall pass or get a tad better in time. Ken still has problems with his eyes and I am still have some problems with mine also.
My daughter goes back to Birmingham AL Mon on her birthday to get another heart checkup. I hope he reduces her meds because she is so tired all the time. She does put some long hours in at school. She has to stay late about every night getting lesson plans up and so forth. I am glad to say her back is getting more in line now. That staph infection had left her walking with one hip higher that the other one. It has taken time but they are slowing getting more in line. She no longer has to use the pole Ken made her for rising and walking. I thank God for that.

My son had been having Mini strokes before Christmas and has been on blood thinners which has helped a lot. He is back at work now and doing better. He never let us know he was in the hospital for 4 days. Didn't want us to worry he said. I like to know though when my family gets sick so I can send up prayers for them.
Well these two girls here keep Ken and me laughing a lot.
I ask them, " do you girls want to go outside?" They both hit their doggy door running to see who can get out first. Patches screams and barks so loud a person would think I was kicking her to make her go LOL. Then they go racing across the yard to stay for a while smelling things out. So funny. Then when they get back inside they sit on a rug in front of their treat table waiting for a treat. I need to get a picture of some of that at least.
Well here is a picture of them not related to that. They are waiting to go to bed LOL. They like that old worn out spread wadded up, they scratch and root and pull with it with their teeth it till they get it just right. It is very soft and they love it. They will not sleep in their beds anymore.

I hope everyone has a good Friday and a blessed weekend.
Helen

I have been tagged

2010-01-17T15:45:00.001-06:00

Seems as if I have been tagged by Stephen Baird over at Nikon Sniper. He does outstanding photography from all over the place on a lot of different subjects. Check out his blog sometimes. My answers won't be as long or as interesting as his is because I stay at home and very seldom get out and about like I used to do. Never like he does or has LOL.
Plus I may have missed some of them but who's counting.

8 TV shows I watch on occasions
1. News
2. That's about it as I very seldom watch TV.

By accessing the world-wide (it's everywhere now) internet I have often enjoyed:
1. Reading blogs
2. Checking out different bird sites

3. Looking at different flowers
4. Looking at nature sites, waterfalls and such
5. Reading different news from different parts of the world

6. Having Ken buy things on the web
7. Online banking

8. Emailing friends and family

8 favorite places to eat and drink
Sorry we do most of our eating at home. Maybe a fast food place sometimes for with this horrible back problem I can't sit long enough to wait on food.

8 things I look forward to
1. Joining my family and friends in heaven
2. The seasonal changes
3. Being able to use my camera more often especially in the spring
4. Better health

5. Maybe one day feel up to traveling places
6. Taking walks again
7. Going places to join family and friends for get to gathers

8. Going fishing again

8 things I love about winter
1. When it is over

2. Sitting in front of a warm fire
3. Eating a hot meal when I am cold
4. Staying inside on a rainy day
5. Knowing my family is safe in their homes in bad weather
6. Reading a good book
7. Playing with our two dogs
8. Eating snacks LOL

8 things on my wish list
1. Grand - children

2.Wishing I could play the piano
3. Wanting to take better photos
4. Having plenty of money
5. My family and myself having better health
6. Ken's eyes to get well or at least a lot better
7. Seeing my family more often
8. Drawing a blank about now

8 things I am passionate about (not always in this order)1. My love of God
2. My family
3. People getting well who are sick
4. Getting home from the hospital when I have to go there
5. Taking better pictures
6. People treating other people and animals as they should

7. My famiy's love of God
8. Hearing from family and friends

8 things I have learned from the past
1. That I am unable to fix everything
2. That there are going to be good days and bad days
3. Letting go of the past
4. That I have done some lousy cooking
5. Made some lousy photos
6. That I could have been a better mother
7. That I could have been a better daughter
8. Not visiting my parents more while they were living

8 things I want/need(not necessarily need but want.)
1. A better camera
2. A whole passle of different lens
3 .The know how to use the camera.
4. Learn how to use the lenses

5. Places of interest to go to use them.
6. Better health.
7. More $$ to go places.
8. More years to learn how to do these things

8 people I want to tag
I would like to tag everyone who reads my blog but this does take time and I wouldn't do that to you.
Why did you do this to me Stephen? LOL

Anyway if anyone wants to do this just go right ahead. I promise it's not that easy unless you lead a more exciting life and have more interesting answers than I did.
If you decide to do it please let me know so I can go look at your answers.
Helen

Congratulations to the Alabama coaches and their team.

2010-01-08T04:05:00.002-06:00

Alabama Crimson Tide Team and their couches deserve Congratulations for winning in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA against the Texas longhorns 37-21. Click Here to see -- a write up in our local newspaper this morning.

Have a blessed day everyone,
Helen

Not much snow today

2010-01-07T17:36:00.003-06:00

Well we didn't get much snow. It snowed really hard and stuck for a few minutes each time and then melted.
Here are some short videos of it snowing.

Burr, it's cold in Alabama

2010-01-05T14:46:00.001-06:00

It has been really cold for Al this week. I know it is much much colder in other places but we are not used to it being this cold for this long. It's even going to get down to freezing in Fl.
Ken and I went and got some groceries this morning. They are calling for some snow on Thursday. Now that remains to be seen again. None has shown up so far except for a few flakes one night which didn't stick.
No, I didn't see or get a shot of the Blue Moon. It was cold and dark and the wind was blowing so I didn't go outside by myself after the clouds went away. I did see it was really light during the night when I got up once.
The large picture at the top was Patches one cold morning this week when it was nineteen. She had seen a squirrel and ran out the doggie door and was watching it. I got tickled at her, she would try to sit down and it was so cold she hopped right back up. I called her in in a few minutes. She very reluctantly came came back inside. Daisy didn't go out with her LOL.

Here are a couple of just about frozen rose buds. These would have been white roses. It has been in the mid teens this week so I am surprised they are even still on the bush.

I have been putting out extra bird seed and the birds are really gobbling them up. I looked out this morning after I fed them and it looked like a thousand blackbirds in the back yard eating those seeds and whatever they could find. I am sorry but I can't afford to feed those things. When they come the song birds leave until they are gone so I scared them away.

Everyone have a good afternoon and a blessed night. Helen

Happy New Year Everybody

2009-12-31T13:14:00.001-06:00

My wish for everyone is that you will all have a Happy and a Blessed New year. Be safe this New Years Eve Night everyone. I wish everyone good health and happiness in 2010. I hope everyone can see the Blue Moon tonight. It is supposed to rain and maybe some snow showers here tonight so that means I probably won't get to see it.

Helen

I need to do this

2009-12-26T01:10:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas To All For Friday

2009-12-24T05:10:00.001-06:00

I am posting my entry today because everyone will be so busy tomorrow, going here and there and running around getting ready for that Special Day.

My wish for everyone is for them to have a very Merry Christmas wherever and whomever you are during this special season. May you remember what this season is all about and give praise to our King.

This is the most special day of the year.

Remember each Child and pray that they receive a gift of love for Christmas.

I hope everyone has the most blessed Christmas ever. May God be with you and keep you safe.
My thanks to Sugar for most of my graphics.

The church where we went - Check out the blue sky

2009-12-21T23:02:00.002-06:00

I mentioned in my last post that we were to go put flowers on my Parents and my Babies graves. I did go with Ken and am

no worse for wear. Mira met us there and I got a hug.

I was a member of this Baptist Church for twenty years. I joined this church when I was eleven years old and my faith is still strong. It dawned on me that I didn't have a picture of this church anywhere so while I had my camera with me I went ahead and took a picture of it. It has some Sunday school rooms in the back in an add on building. To the left side and behind is a very large cemetery. My family is buried in the back part of the cemetery. To the right is a road and across the road is a large building where they have dinners and such.

My mother taught Sunday School there for twenty six years until she got to be unable to attend church on account of several mini strokes which affected her mind. We found out she also had cancer soon after that and lived seven more months. On the day of her funeral the Sunday school members cooked a large lunch for our family members in the large meeting center.

My Grandparents on my Dad's side and one of his brothers is buried to the left. Another of his brothers is buried in the back. His grandparents are buried in the side center.

My GG grandparents on my Mothers side are buried about in the middle of the cemetery. One of my Mother's sisters is buried in the plot with my parents. There are probably some older family members somewhere there that I know nothing about.

There are also some old graves with no markers in center of the cemetery and no one knows who they were.

Have a good Tuesday everyone and may it be a blessed one. Helen

Getting closer

2009-12-21T00:27:00.003-06:00

Well here we are getting closer and closer. Santa is getting close to Alabama.

We have been doing a little toward getting ready but it's a slow go. Fortunately we didn't have any snow to cope with this weekend.

I went back to the eye doc last week and the pressure in my eyes are still pretty high. He changed my eye drops and wrote a new prescription for some more. Well I looked on my insurance and it is is the highest tier so needless to say I will see if he can change that to something else today. He is is this town only on Monday's but it being this close to Christmas he may not be in today. I will call before I go. Meanwhile I am still using my current drops.

Will everyone visit Jon who recently lost his mother and doesn't have any family or friends close by to be with him this Christmas. I know it will be a lonely one for him. Thanks.

One day this week we will or Ken will go take Christmas flowers to the cemetery for my parents and my two baby boys. It takes about and hour and a half to get there and then have to come back. I certainly don't want to be where I can't motivate around for Christmas so Ken has offered and I may let him take them because I still have things to do and things to cook here.

The economy being what it is we are playing Dirty Santa again this year, Everyone enjoys doing that and has so much fun.

Well I have sit here long enough. Time to go back to bed. I am having one of those regular sleepless nights where I sleep a couple of hours then have to get up and mess around a while until I get sleepy again. I do this every night so that is nothing new. This when I make some of my blog entry's. My back gets stiff and hurts so I get up and move around for a while.

Thanks Sugar for most of my graphics

I Hope everyone has a blessed Monday.

Ken's eyes

2009-12-10T15:43:00.000-06:00

Hello everybody. It has been a while since I made an entry so I thought it was about time to do that.

Ken went back to the eye doc this morning and the doc says the bleeding has stopped to come back in six weeks to let him check it again. Said his visual range was better. I suppose that is because the bleeding was hindering his vision.

I have been putting out a few Christmas decorations and have my small fiber optic tree out.

Trying to clean a little before Christmas but with these two dogs and their shedding I will have to do it again LOL. Guess I am just wasting my time.

Wish I had something interesting to say but I haven't been getting out much to see anything to talk about LOL.

Have a blessed night everyone.

Helen

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T18:03:00.000-06:00

I Hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving.

Helen

Ken's eye and other things

2009-11-16T07:20:00.001-06:00

Good morning all, well Ken made it to the Retina doc last week. He inserted dye into a vein in his arm and took pictures of the eye. What was dry macular degeneration has now turned into the wet kind and some small veins were bleeding so they gave him a shot into the eye to dissolve the blood. He says it will not help the seeing of the eye but will keep it from degenerating farther. He goes back in a month to let him look at it again.

Well my flowers have just about seen their last days but here are a couple of pictures I took a couple of weeks ago when the sun was shining really bright.
Click on pictures to get better view and to center them. I have no idea why they are always placed to look like you have not done a very good job of getting it all in a picture.

Some sort of dragonfly.

Have a blessed day everybody. Helen

In Honor Of All Veterans

2009-11-11T10:33:00.001-06:00

Thanks Sugar for the great graphic.

This morning as I was checking out at a local store the clerk asked the man behind me if he was a Veteran. He said yes.

I turned to him and told him "Thank you for serving us and our Country". He said " you're welcome, I was in the Navy".

She was getting some kind of paper out of a stack. I was hoping it was a big discount coupon but I didn't see what it was.

A big thank you to all our Veterans past and present for defending us and our great country to retain our freedom.

Sending up a prayer for those and their families also who didn't make it or have gone on before.

A big hug to all of you.

Helen

Butterflies bout gone

2009-10-26T14:51:00.002-05:00

Click for larger view

This one could hardly keep it's balance, It's wings were

continuously fluttering. I almost didn't get a still picture,

This is the way I feel, about gone.

Have a blessed afternoon everyone, Helen

Ken eye doc visit and Eastern Bluebird pictures

2009-10-21T01:21:00.002-05:00

Hi All, Yesterday Ken went to his eye doc expecting to get tested for a set of new eye glasses, well that was not to be the case. The doc found some hemorrhaging in back of his left eye that he has already had five surgeries on. So he set him up with an appointment with a Retina Doc the 13th of November in another City. I hope they can take care of it with laser treatment. We shall have to wait an see.

Early yesterday morning I looked out the storm door and heard and saw the pair of Eastern Bluebirds making a fuss and trying to scare something out of their box. Their soft fussing wouldn't scare a bee off. They were diving at the box and peeking in the door. I couldn't see what it was but grabbed my camera not realizing the flash was on. It blurred against the glass making the picture look foggy. I didn't see what was in the box until later when I looked at the pictures. I was focusing on the Bluebirds LOL. I quickly turned the flash off. It had already scared the female off so I grabbed a shot of the male.These birds over winter in the old nesting material in the box.They also raise two nestlings of babies in that old box in the spring and summer.

Have a blessed day today. May the sun shine brightly where ever you live and may you see a beautiful Bluebird to brighten your day. Helen

Thanks and It's colder this morning

2009-10-17T10:11:00.003-05:00

Good morning all, First of all I would like to thank everyone for your visit to Sara's Blog. I know she appreciated each visit, each prayer and every word of encouragement that you sent up and left for her and her family.

It is a lot colder here this morning. For the first time this fall I turned on a little heat last night. It has been coming on a good bit all night and this morning. It was only 46º outside but with it being cloudy and the wind blowing it seemed much colder. It's going to be colder than that tonight. We will probably see our first frost of the season tomorrow morning. The leaves haven't even changed but a little so it looks like the colder weather may keep them from turning much. We shall see. I wanted to get out for a while to get some pictures if they ever turn.
Mira went to her back doc here Wednesday and he was pleased at how she was doing but her back still hurts a good bit. He wants her to have another MRI in Jan. then see him a few days after that. This is the longest drive she has made since her surgery and the ordeal she went through. The long trip effected her hip and leg a lot. She is in a good deal of pain this morning.

I have been having some eye trouble the last couple of months with the pressure running high. My eye doc thinks it is the beginning of glaucoma. He has been running all kinds of test but still not 100% sure. The pressure has come down a good bit because he has me on eye drops. I see him again in Dec.

Well news is running short for a stay at home person.

Here are some flowers from a neighbor's back yard two doors down. I just used my regular zoom on this. I am sorry to say he is no longer living now. He passed on this summer. He worked in his yard about all the time until he got in such bad shape and I miss seeing him out there.
The red building was his work shop. He built all kinds of things including the gazebo on the left. He also built the patio and steps and railings to his shop.

This is a couple of flowers from across the fence in our neighbors yard on the other side. The Gold one is an Angel Trumpet that was full of trumpets about two weeks ago but I missed getting a picture of that. I have no idea what the pink one is. Some type of fall Azalea I think. All the flowers around here are about gone now.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

Prayers for Sara and her family

2009-10-08T10:06:00.004-05:00

Hello everybody. I wanted to ask for prayers for Sara and her family who lost her Brother In Law over the weekend. I have been reading her blog for several months and have enjoyed watching her train her two Sheltie dogs Misty and Oreo. Misty is an older dog of hers that she has trained a good bit lately and Oreo is her younger dog who she is training who is so smart. He has won several Blue Ribbons doing the things Sara has trained him to do. Both of them are beautiful dogs and Sara is a wonderful person who is a school teacher. If you will please go by her blog and leave some words of encouragement for the family. Click here >> Here is Sara's blog .

Several of my readers have mentioned Ken in my last entry. He is feeling much better. Thank you for your kind words.
We both went to get groceries this morning, one headed in one direction and one in the another. It worked out pretty good. I tell you that if a person didn't have to eat, money would go much farther LOL.

This picture is a Butterfly Ginger Plant. It smells just like a Gardenia and blooms in the late summer and fall.
Wish I could put the scent right on this blog for your enjoyment.

Have a blessed day everyone and thanks again for your prayers and support for my family and me. Now I am off to lay down with an ice pack for this back.
Helen

Ken and more butterflies

2009-10-01T08:33:00.002-05:00

Good Morning everybody,
Ken has been under the weather this week but feeling better this morning. Allergies I believe. He went to the doc Tuesday and they ran some test. No flu but he had some good indications of it but thankfully it was not.
It has turned much cooler here this week.
Daisy Mae and Patches are all curled up each morning because it is cooler.
I am trying not to turn the heat on yet. The butterflies are out in the afternoons when it gets warmer.

Under wings of the Painted Lady.

Clouded Sulphur

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Butterflies and flood victims

2009-09-23T10:07:00.005-05:00

Will everyone please remember the 10 victims of the floods in GA and AL and their families in prayer. Schools are still closed in many places on account of flooding inside the schools and the water supply is not sanitary.
My daughter went in this morning to get some of her work caught up with and she says the whole school stinks. When she walked down the hall past the bathrooms she gagged on account of the smell. Some of the rooms have water spots in them which stink. One school has had water 12 inches deep for 72 hours and lots of homes have standing water in them. She is safe in her home.
Now on to better things, Here is a video of a Buckeye Butterfly on a flower.

Click on for a larger view.

Gulf Fritillary

Have a blessed day everyone. Count your blessings each day. Helen

Having a little fun Sunday

2009-09-21T06:46:00.003-05:00

Ken has caught two more possums since my last entry. He and both dog have gone this morning relocating one. He takes them about 10 or more miles away to some woods to let them go. No, he will not let the dogs out. Patches especially would try chasing it.

It is going to be a rainy day here which it has been doing this weekend. Some schools are closed here today and where Mira works in GA also because of flooding.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Doctors, dogs and other things LOL

2009-09-16T13:27:00.002-05:00

Hello everybody, I went back to the eye Doc Monday and the pressure is down ten points in the eye that he did laser on from what it was two weeks earlier. He wants to wait a while to do the cataract surgery in the other eye. I go back in three months for another pressure check but meanwhile I have to stay on the drops twice a day to keep the pressure down.
It has been thundering around today but only a sprinkle of rain here so far. There were tornado warnings out about midway of the state. I hope no bad weather comes through here. We live on the NE side of it.

We went to Walmarts this morning to get a few things and when I went back to the car Ken took the buggy and put it back in place. When we got home my purse was nowhere to be found. He took off back to Walmarts and someone had turned it in to the desk. I had left it in the buggy. It was hard to believe no one had bothered anything in it.

I saw Patches all curled up asleep on the back of the couch asleep this morning so I got my camera but she keeps an eye on that camera and had already stretched out some when I came back. She likes to get on back of the couch so that is why the old sheet stays there.

The neighbors have been seeing an Opossum on their porch where they keep their dogs food out. She wanted Ken to see if he could catch it so here it is. He relocated it close to some woods. It was hard to get a picture of it because when I got where I could see it's face it would turn around and hide it's face. He will reset the trap and see if he catches anymore.

Have a blessed afternoon everyone. Helen

Went to see Mira Yesterday, Sunday

2009-09-07T09:17:00.002-05:00

Good morning everybody, I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend.
Yesterday Ken and I and the two dogs made a trip over to see Mira. We we glad to see her and the dogs had such a fit over getting to see her.
I should have taken my camera but didn't.
We took lunch over and shared it with her then left some leftovers for another meal for her. We did a few things for her that she still can't do as she still can't bend over to do them. She is doing so much better though and is walking almost back to normal. Her back is straightened out a lot from one hip being higher than the other one. She still has some pain when she overdoes things and she still can't sit and drive very far. She is still wearing her brace and uses the pole Ken made her for walking especially at school where she has long hallways to have to walk. She worked full time last week but I know this weekend was a blessing for her to rest some.
Everyone have a blessed and safe Labor Day and next week.

Here are a couple of pictures not from yesterday though. I made one a few months back and the other one Saturday. Helen

This and that

2009-08-27T09:22:00.003-05:00

Thought I would play catch up and make an entry today.
Mira is doing much better but is still working half days at least through this week. Thank the Good Lord. Prayers are being answered. Thank you all.

I have been feeling much more rested but still having back problems.

Monday Ken took me to the eye Doc where we spent three hours with all kinds of tests being run. They did find I had the beginning of glaucoma on one eye which I was sorry to hear. The pressure in that eye had been to high for too long even with me using drops at times to keep the pressure down. He put me on some more to see if I can tolerate them. If so them I will stay on them. He also removed the film or scar that forms on the eye after cataract removal with laser. I was seeing through what looked to be a fog. I was continually wiping my reading glasses thinking they had a film on them and wiping that eye to clear the vision. I am seeing some floaters this week after the laser was done which is annoying. Makes me think a mosquito is flying in front of my face. I have swatted my hand at it several times LOL. I go back next Monday and let him check it and if everything is ok, if so then he will schedule Cataract surgery soon on the other eye. Things are beginning to look dim through it. I wanted to get it fixed before the end of the year when insurances will probably change and it might not be covered.
Ken's macular degeneration is gradually getting worse.
Well I better get off here as a big clap of thunder just happened right overhead.
Have a blessed day everybody. Helen

The body on this one didn't focus good but you can see the hairs on it's legs and the web on the flower.

Slowly but surely

2009-08-12T04:42:00.003-05:00

Well Mira is in her second week at school. Three days last week she worked half days and two days she had to stay all day but so far this week she is working half days. Someone drove her most of last week but last Friday and since then she is driving herself. It has been really rough on her but she is still wearing her back brace and using the PVC pipe pole Ken made for her. It helps her to sit down and get back up and to walk also. Gives her some stability. She is not using her walker now. She will restart her pool therapy Friday after school. Her friends have been going and getting groceries for her.
She still needs all the prayers anyone can send up for her.

I have been taking it easy since she had been gone but my body is still tired even though I am taking the iron tablets and B12 shots. I still stay tired when actually I am not doing much of anything but getting us small meals and very little housework.

Ken is trying to keep the grass cut which grows so fast it actually needs cutting twice a week. It's been really hot but it's supposed to cool down a little this week. He got too hot one day. He is only able to cut a few rounds at a time. His eyes are gradually getting worse. I just thank God he was able to see to get Mira to and from the hospital and doctors when she had to make those trips to Birmingham.

Today we go back to our regular family doc for a checkup.
Thank you all again for your many prayers, good positive comments and good thoughts for all of us.
Ken has been taking a lot of pears off to the dumpster because there are so many falling.

Another wildflower which I don't know the name of.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Gone back home

2009-08-01T15:20:00.002-05:00

Well Ken took Mira back to her surgeon Thursday and he gave the ok that she could work half days for two weeks and then get in touch with in at the end of that time to see if she would be able to work full time. Her school ok-ed for her to do that which I was glad of. She went back home last night. One of her teacher friends and her hubby came over and got her. She had not been home since the 2nd day of May I believe it was. She says she has been laying around today and taking it easy. I just pray that she will be able to hold out at school. Sitting and standing is still hard for her to do.
All those prayers, and good thoughts and words of encouragement has really helped her out. Thank you all so much.
I have just been taking it easy today. Trying to rest this old back of mine.
Ken has been cleaning house some today. It really needed it.
Have a blessed afternoon everyone.
Helen
Here are a couple of pretties for you.

Sorry I have not updated lately

2009-07-28T15:19:00.002-05:00

Just a quick entry to say that I am sorry I haven't updated lately.
Mira is doing much better and hopes to return to work soon.
I just pray that when she does she can hold out without a lot of pain.
She has a call in to her surgeon's office to see if she can see him soon to get the ok to go back to work. She has been doing pool therapy several times since I made an entry. It is helping her to build some of her muscles back. She has walked a few times without her walker. Sometimes she uses the pole Ken made for her and still uses the walker at times also. She still wears her back brace when she is up. We had a healing service with my aunt and uncle one day last week and it seems that she is steadily getting better.

Now on to me, I did have those test done and the doc didn't see anything wrong with my throat or in the colonscopy area either. Guess those Prontix tabs are helping. I still have some acid reflux though. I also had my antibiotics filled again this week for the bleeding that was coming from my kidneys. I had got really weak again so decided to go ahead and do that. In a couple of weeks I will go back to my regular doc and have them tested again. Ken and I both have appointments to see him then.

Thanks again to all of you for your prayers, good thoughts, and encouraging comments.
Love to you all, Helen

We feel like a Miracle is happening

2009-07-17T18:55:00.002-05:00

We feel like a miracle is taking place. Mira went back to her back doc Wed and did not get good news. She cried most of the evening. Her MRI showed the Staph had ate almost all of that disk away. She said it looked like Swiss cheese. She still had not walked any without her walker and was still in tremendous pain.
We began to pray that a miracle would happen. Well yesterday and today she hasn't been in very much pain and walking and getting around is so much easier. In fact she used her walker to come into the bedroom where I was and had me watch her. She turned loose of that walker and made a circle in the room before going back to the walker. Thank The Good Lord. We pray that she will continue to get better each day.
We truly thank each one of you for your prayers, comments and good thoughts.

Now on to me. I did go to our surgeon Wednesday and he set up my light bulb down the throat thing and a colonoscopy for early next Monday. I dread the prep on Sunday. For those of you who have done that knows it is not a fun thing to do.

Here are a couple of our Monkey face flowers.

Have a blessed weekend everybody. Helen

One thing after another

2009-07-07T19:02:00.004-05:00

Sunday evening I got so weak I could hardly walk across the floor. Chest pains and pressure and I thought I was going to pass out. I went ahead and toughed it out because I thought acid reflux was the problem. I have done that about 3 times with acid reflux in the past. Early Monday morning we went on to the emergency room where I stayed for several hours and they admitted me where I stayed until mid afternoon today. They did all kinds of blood work and X-rays along with a stress test given by meds and scans. The chest hurting was acid related but the weakness was caused by me being anemic. The doc said I was losing blood some where and was going to do the light bulb thing tomorrow. After my insurance found out it wasn't my heart they wouldn't pay for another night in the hospital so I will have to have that done as an outpatient later. I will call tomorrow and set up a time to get that done. I still have some blood in my urine also and it wasn't mentioned when they dismissed me. I will try to get this stomach issue done with before I take any antibiotics for the kidneys. I don't think my tummy could take any right now. I just took some for that about 3 weeks ago.
We never know what is going to crop up next. Poor Ken had to worry about me and be here with Mira some to help her with her IV and fix her something to eat part of the time because she can't stand long enough to do that. She is not doing any better with that back. Still using the walker to get short distances. We still need your prayers and good thoughts.

Mira sent some flowers to me in the hospital today so I had to take a picture so everyone could see them. I was very proud to get them. She said she wanted to send them to me for everything I had done for her besides she only had one Mother LOL.

Love to you all. Helen

Mira is home

2009-07-02T10:07:00.002-05:00

Or maybe I should say Mira is here. Her home is in another place. She will stay here for a few days. A really good friend went to the hospital and got her yesterday and brought here here. It was late when they turned her loose and it was close to midnight by the time they got her meds filled on the way home, got here and we got into bed. She is still having some of the A-fib but they put her on medication so hopefully when she gets settled in it will get better. She is still having to use a walker to walk short places and her back is still giving her trouble. She will be on some antibiotics for two more weeks. This one will be so much shorter time than the other one was. Thank you so much for your comments, Prayers and good thoughts.
Cardinal sunning. I took this one this morning through the storm door.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

As if I am not worried enough already

2009-06-29T12:12:00.003-05:00

We just have had to make a quick run hunting Patches. They were shooting those guns in National Guard training. That makes twice that they did several this morning. I had already given her a benadryl then they started again. We saw her run out her doggie door and ran to the back of the yard all the while we were calling her. She was like she was in a trance. Just ignored us calling, went behind the storage building and we know she climbed the fence although we couldn't see her. We rode several blocks behind and in front of the house and went to the main road. There she was running down the road. She went a long way running to get there. Some dogs inside a fence were barking at her so she headed to the fence wagging her tail. Ken pulled up and I called her and she came running and went to Ken's side and hopped in, proud to see us. I now have the doggie dog shut for a while. Guess we will have to shut it from now on as soon as they start shooting. It is so loud at times the windows shake which is unnecessary.
I am a nervous wreck already without her doing that. I am headed off to bed with an ice pack for this back.
This was made last week while she was sitting looking for squirrels.

We would be lost without her or Daisy Mae.

Not coming home

2009-06-29T09:20:00.002-05:00

Well Mira is not going to get to come home today. Her heart has been doing the A fib thing at night so one of her doctors is going to get the Cardiologist involved again. She still needs your prayers please.
Thank you all in advance.
May your day be a blessed one. Helen

The second try this morning

2009-06-28T06:44:00.002-05:00

For the second try to make an entry this morning. I was almost finished with the entry when it just disappeared all at once.
Mira is supposed to come home tomorrow, Monday, if all goes well. She still has to use the walker and is still in a lot of pain. She will still be on the IV antibiotic for three weeks to make sure this is all gone and doesn't come back but thankfully it will be for thirty minutes only once a day unlike the first one which was close to three hours twice a day.

Ken's first patio tomato. It didn't come out sharp and clear.

First hibiscus blossom of the season. This bush is way over my head and the bloom was way at the top of course LOL.

This is the hibiscus look alike which is a wildflower of some sort which is about knee high. The undergrowth is flowers also but has not bloomed yet.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Short update

2009-06-24T07:53:00.003-05:00

Thank the Good Lord all Mira's blood work and the biopsy shows negative. They finally took her off those antibiotics Monday that was doing all that to her and changed to another one once a day. Her heart went into Afib Monday morning but she didn't let me know until late evening. That is the first time that has ever happened to her. They ran all kind of test then on the last one, the echo thingy it showed it had went back into normal rhythm. They put a back brace of some sort on her yesterday. I don't know if this will be an all time thing or just when she is up. Her back is still in a lot of pain. Her back doc has been out of town and supposed to be back today they said. Then the two doctors will have a conference about her. Hopefully she will be back here soon and maybe by then I will feel better with more strength. This back is an on going thing with me.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Update on my daughter

2009-06-22T08:24:00.002-05:00

Thought I would give an update on my daughter. First I would like to thank all of you for your prayers, good thoughts and comments for all of us.
She is still in the hospital for one week already. The doc came around this morning and said he was going to change her antibiotic for her IV today. The other one has made her legs break out in a rash, made blisters inside her mouth and on her tongue and lips. She said she can hardly swallow. I hope this one doesn't give her any side effects. They did another biopsy on her back in the incision last week but they haven't told her any results from it yet. I pray that she gets better soon. We have no idea when she will get to come home.

I am headed to see my DR this morning right before lunch. Hopefully to get something for this back and maybe a vitamin B12 shot. I am so tired I can hardly walk. I am going to see about getting the B12 shot on a monthly basis. I need all the energy I can get.

This is one of our wildflowers just bloomed this morning. As with most of them that have bloomed I have no idea what kind it is, the plant is about knee high. Looks kinda like a miniature hibiscus.

Have a blessed day everybody. Helen

Happy Father's Day to all Fathers

2009-06-21T05:02:00.004-05:00

Happy Father's day to all fathers today, may you all have a happy and blessed day. For those of you who still have a Father make a point to visit or call him today if possible. I still miss mine so much still. We lost him in 1996.

I will try to put in an update on my daughter tomorrow. She is still in the hospital and not doing well at all.

Helen

More bad news

2009-06-16T12:52:00.003-05:00

I just hate to have to post this entry. Ken took my daughter Mira back to the communicable disease Doctor this morning and she cried just about all the time, has been for the last couple of days. Her temp is staying way up and she is in terrific pain. Her body aches all over now. They have kept her in the hospital to run some more test and may change her antibiotic. It seems this one is having a lot of bad side effects. They will probably do another MRI. I pray that they can find something to relieve all the pain and fever she is having. I would appreciate it if you all would keep sending up those prayers and good thoughts.

May you all be richly blessed. Helen

Thing are looking up a bit.

2009-06-14T15:15:00.004-05:00

Good evening everybody. Today is a rainy day here today. Things are still moving slowly around here. My daughter Mira is still having to use the walker but seems to be able to get around a little better. She has mostly come off of her pain pills and muscle relaxers. Something was causing pressure in her chest and shortness of breath so she is leaving them off.
She is still on the Antibiotics through the IV twice a day. The druggist thinks it was not a side effect of the antibiotics. Ken will take her back Tuesday to the doc who is in charge of this part. She still has about 9 days to go twice a day. I hope it will be all when that is finished. He will probably have a hard time finding the place and parking he is told. He is going to rent a wheelchair to get her where she is to go. Since she is feeling some better things have lightened up with me. Not as much worrying but she is still running some temp though.
Now on to a couple of flower pics.
Batchlors button(I think)

A clump of volunteer poppies from one volunteer last spring.

Have a blessed Sunday evening and a blessed week next week. May your troubles and worries be light ones. Helen

Coming along slowly

2009-06-03T19:26:00.003-05:00

Well it has been a slow go for all of us. My daughter called Home Health today and got the readings on her blood work which was done Monday. Everything shows an improvement. The Home Health place faxes in the results of it to the Doc every week so he can see the results and adjust the dosage of the meds before they send them out here.
She still has a problem getting up and making short trips here in the house using her walker. Not sitting any except to eat. The physical therapist came today and did some work on her legs and hips which relieved a lot of back pain she was having. I hope the adjustment lasts a while. He will come back again Friday. She has also been running a pretty high temp but I believe it was a little lower last night.
She has some infection which is showing up in her lymph glands but the Dr said there was nothing he could do about that, it was a viral infection and would just have to run it's course. You would think those antibiotics she is taking in that IV would stop that but he said no it wouldn't.
This old lady has just about run out of energy and the back pain is terrible.
Oh, our Daisy has not hardly left Mira's bed while she has been sick. If she leaves for a little while and Mira cries out in pain from muscles spasms in her back Daisy goes running back to check on her.

I am sorry but I still haven't had the time or energy to read but a couple of blogs then comment or not. Maybe one day things will smooth out some.

Zinnia

Ken's patio tomato.

Have a blessed night and Thursday everyone.
Thanks again for your prayers, good thoughts and comments.
Love to you all, Helen

About time for an entry

2009-05-25T05:50:00.004-05:00

Sorry about not reading any blogs lately or commenting but things have been so hectic around here lately. Doing this and that for my daughter and us. She has been and is really having it rough. Just been walking a few steps with her walker to the table and bathroom. Part of the time she had to lie on her side in bed and eat. She has really been in a lot of pain. She is on several type of meds.
Those meds were not holding the pain at bay so Ken went down to the doc's office last Wed. when his day was here in town. The receptionist tried to put him off telling him to call the main office and talk to a nurse in Birmingham Al. Ken told her that wouldn't do a bit of good, the doc needed to do something about her pain. They tried to keep putting him off but Ken told them he was parking himself in the office until closing time and would follow the doc to his car because he WAS going to see him. Well they did a couple more patients and called him. The doc was very nice to him and did up her pain med from one tablet every 4 hours to 2 tablets every 4 hours which seem to help a lot.
It takes the IV antibiotics close to three hours to run. This has to be done twice a day which makes it rough on an old woman like me to have to stay up late getting through with it and on her also. They came out yesterday AM at almost 10:00 to do blood work because they were going to be off today. Well it has to be 12 hours since her last IV so that got us started late yesterday morning and then finishing last last night. Takes it's toil on old and sick folks not getting much sleep. I think she is doing some better or the pain meds are helping one. Her temp is not as high as it was when she came home.
Ken has been helping all he could doing part of the cooking and all the grocery shopping for us then trying to keep the fast growing grass cut. It has been raining a lot and that grass runs away. Bless his heart he has to cut a few rounds and rest.
Thanks again for your wonderful prayers, good thoughts and comments.

We planted some wild flower seed in the early spring and a few of them are blooming plus some of the volunteer flowers from last season have come up and have just started blooming. Everything is not in full bloom yet.
I have no idea what these flowers are. One looks kinda like a snapdragon but is not. They are planted close to the house so I don't have far to walk to take a picture LOL. You can see the sun was shining brightly at this time.

I think this might be some sort of Poppie.

Have a blessed Memorial Day everyone and stay safe. Helen and Family.

Coming Home

2009-05-18T16:32:00.002-05:00

Thanks again for all your comments, good wishes ,and your prayers for Mira and us. We certainly appreciate all of them.
Mira called this morning and said they said for Ken to come on over that she could come home today. Well it took him 1 and a half hours to get there then he waited almost five hours and finally they are on their way home. Thank the Good Lord. The doc has already told her she would be in a good deal of pain until this clears up pretty good. They have cut way back on her meds and last night and today she has been in a lot of pain and just miserable.
I called Ken and he said the roads were really congested. I will be so glad when they get home.
At least they gave her the IV meds right before she left so Home Health will get that set up tomorrow hopefully. Ken will still have to get her pain meds when he gets home. I just hope the pharmacy will still be open. Now I pray for a quick recovery. Six weeks is a long time to have to take those meds through an IV. Well once a day. I dread all the pain she will have to go through yet. That makes me so nervous and makes me hurt for her.

Snowball bush

Have a blessed evening everybody. Thanks again. You people are the best.
Hugs to everyone, Helen

Update on my daughter and Mother's Day flowers

2009-05-16T07:22:00.005-05:00

Thanks again for all your good thoughts and prayers. We still need them.

Where to start? I suppose it all started when Mira got home from the hospital. She didn't do good from when she first came home on on the 7th of May, She was in a lot of pain and got where she couldn't get off the bed or to walk without help or almost screaming with pain plus she was running a temp so this past Monday night the 12th she got a friend to take her back to the hospital emergency room where the surgery was done. First they did an MRI and couldn't see anything and was going to do a nerve block but cancelled that because her blood work showed up an infection so off they went to do a Base Disk Biopsy on Wed.
Mira's doc didn't know exactly what to make of that culture that was taken Wed. so he called in a specialist in that field to have a look at it Friday morning then he came and talked to Mira. He said everyone carried a certain type of staph on their skin but her's happened to get into the incision and had it very irritated. It is not the really dangerous kind like Ken had so bad that he caught from someone when he was in the hospital last year but it was from her own skin cells and that is a good thing. She will have to take antibiotics intravenous for 6 weeks. She will stay in the hospital until she is a lot better and have to take them at home when she leaves. I have no idea how they will arrange all that. I think a home health nurse will come to her home to do that.
They put one of those deep vein IV's that ran from just above her elbow up her arm and on close to her heart to put the antibiotics in. She said that was very painful and took them 2 hours to do it. They had a hard time getting it in.

Ken has gone over to check on her early this morning and taking her another phone. Someone stole hers Thursday out of her room when she went for more tests. One of the nurses found her wallet outside her door on a cart. Everything was in it. Mira thinks someone had both and had probably almost got caught so put the wallet on that cart. They probably had already slipped the phone in their pocket. One of the nurses let Mira use her cell long enough for her to call us so I have been calling the hospital phone to check on her since then. Ken called the cell company and had her phone disconnected as soon as we found out. I then went and got her another phone and Ken activated it Friday morning and got her the same number. They gave her back the minutes she had on the other phone.

Now on to Mother's Day. Mira was already here and my son and DIL came. Ken's son Kevin was here. We all had a good lunch. My son and DIL brought me a hanging basket of some kind of flowers I am not familiar with but sort of look like my monkey faces but are not. The also gave me a card and some $$$.
Here are two pictures of them.

Click on pic to get a better view of it

Maybe one day I will have some good news to report. It seems like all I have done lately is make post that are not so good.

Have a blessed day and weekend everyone. Helen

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:14:00.005-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to all Mother's everywhere if you consider yourself a Mother to anyone or to any animal of any sort. I feel like I am a Mother to my children as well as to our dogs.

May your day be a blessed one. Helen

Update On My Daughter

2009-05-07T10:25:00.003-05:00

Update on my daughter, Ken just called a few minutes ago and said Mira had come through the surgery fine and was in recovery. If she is doing ok this afternoon they will let her come on home. It will be according to how she is doing. The doc said he had cleaned out more of that disk and cleared that nerve, said this happens sometimes but he wouldn't guaranteed that it couldn't happen again sometime in the future but more than likely it would not. I just pray that it won't and that she will have a quick and complete recovery. Thanks once again for all your prayers and good thoughts that you have sent our way.

Another update: They just called me and are headed on home. I think Mira decided that she should come on home while she still had a lot of medicine in her, that it would be even rougher riding tomorrow. The Dr had left it up to her if she felt like coming or not.

Have a blessed afternoon everyone. Helen

A Short Update

2009-05-06T15:47:00.002-05:00

Thought I would give a short update on my daughter. Tomorrow around 9:00 AM CST she will have back surgery again. The last MRI showed that disk had herniated and is pressing the nerve really bad is what is causing all that pain. Therefore the doc will have to clean all that out. Ken will take her and be with her as I am unable to go. She will be laying down in the backseat of the car and I can't sit that long. I would appreciate more prayers and good thoughts that you all will send her way if you will please. Thanks again in advance.

The house finches have shown up again and the Goldfinches seem to have thinned out a lot.

Have a blessed evening everybody, Helen

She did it again!

2009-04-27T15:50:00.003-05:00

Well our little Patches did it again. Ken and I went to do a small bit of shopping this morning and while we were gone Patches got out of the fence again. We were not gone much over an hour and when we got back no Patches could be found. We looked everywhere and called her to no avail. Then we rode the neighborhood looking for her. We were both really worried. After a while when I was cooking I heard the dog next door barking and asked Ken to see if Patches was outside. There is a man that takes his walks on the neighborhood streets, he walks really fast and looks neither right nor left. Well he had already passed our house and was at the driveway next door. Patches was running along in front of him just like she belonged to him. Passed our house right by. Ken called her the second time and then she looked around and saw him and came running. We don't know if those National Guard guns went off while we were gone or not. They scare her so bad that she doesn't look like she knows what is going on.
We think she is climbing the fence to hunt us down. Guess we will have to shut the doggie door when we leave from now on.
My daughter's back is not doing any better so the doc went ahead and ordered another MRI, it will be done this Thursday then she will see the doc next week. I am looking for more surgery to follow. Thanks for all the prayers and good thoughts that all of you have sent her way.
I did get a few tomato plants put out but not all of them, then I stayed in bed most of the next two days with this back using ice packs.
Ken has been repairing the rails on the patio/porch and then he got that painted plus the floor. Guess he will get a couple of chairs to put out there and do away with the metal glider swing since one foot is rusting out.
Here is a Columbine I got last week.

Have a blessed evening everyone. Helen

My daughter and American Goldfinches

2009-04-22T17:11:00.003-05:00

Ken and my daughter Mira have just come in. The doc said sometimes some more of the disk he has trimmed off slides out and presses on that nerve. He said give it two more weeks and if it's still not any better he wants another MRI done. I just hope he doesn't have to do surgery again. He wanted her to have a steroid pack but she is like me on that. She can't take them. He told her no sitting at all just standing or laying down. I am so worried about her. Right now it appears that she may not be able to teach any more this term.
Please continue to send up prayers for her. Thank you for the prayers that you have already sent.
The American Goldfinches have really come in this week. Ken and I went a couple of days ago and got one new feeder, we already had an old one and a sack of Thistle seeds. They are really eating them. By a couple of days this sack will be gone.
This batch is all males who haven't fully put all their summer plummage on yet. I noticed the white is showing up kinda blue looking.

This batch has one female in it. You can see which one is her.

Have a great night eyerybody and may it be a blessed one. Helen

New flower & my daughter

2009-04-20T18:33:00.003-05:00

I went to Lowe's last Saturday and got a few flowers which I said I wasn't going to do this season. Also a few tomato plants but I haven't planted anything yet.

My daughter Mira is still having back problems. The scar has healed up good from the outside I just hope it is healing good on the inside. I will be so glad when all that swelling goes down. The pain is in her back, running out into one hip and down that leg. She still has not gone back to work. She is a bad diabetic also. She has an appointment to see her Doc again Wednesday afternoon. She still needs a lot of prayers please. Thanks in advance.

No, mine has not quit hurting either. The pain is not where my last surgery was done but down below there where I had a spinal fusion done many years ago and it is hurting around there. I don't regret having the last surgery because he got out a lot of scar tissue and some pretty good sized bones which I feel sure I would probably had to have fixed in the future and I am not getting any younger so I feel like it was best to go ahead and have it done.

Now on to one of the flowers I got which is a cyclamen.

Have a good night everyone and may it be a blessed one.

Thanks for your input and Hummer

2009-04-15T11:31:00.002-05:00

Thanks to everyone for your input on the unknown critter from my last entry. I searched all over the internet but couldn't find anything exactly like it was. I believe Kelly came closest to guessing. It resembles a Crane Fly but the body and coloring look a little different. It may have changed once it dried out but it had flown away when I checked for it again so I didn't see it anymore.

I saw a female Ruby Throated Hummingbird over the weekend. I went immediately and fixed up some juice for it. The last couple of days it has been feeding from it. Yesterday I got off two quick shots through the glass door. It is not as close as I would have liked but I didn't have my telescope lens on the camera.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

What in the land is this critter?

2009-04-13T10:03:00.003-05:00

As I was throwing pine blossoms out of my flower barrel this morning I threw what I thought was a black twig out then looked at the ground and saw something move. Then I noticed it was wriggling so I took a closer look, then decided to get my camera. When I got back and just had focused on it, it slide out of the black casing. I have never seen anything like this and just wondered if any of you had any idea what it was?

Click on picture for a better view.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Have A Blessed Easter Everyone

2009-04-11T17:09:00.001-05:00

Graphic by Sugar, Thanks Sugar.

Ken Eyes and flowers

2009-04-08T13:54:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was a great day for Ken. He went to the eye doc for a checkup since he eyes had got so blurry. He could drop his glasses down and see the TV better without them.
Well guess what! His eyes are doing better and the reason things were so blurry was his glasses no longer suited him. They made him new glasses yesterday also. Today he went and got some groceries and he said he could see much better driving and he could read the labels on groceries much better. Praise the Good Lord. He still has the black spot in his eye but what he could see was much better. Those new eye vitamins must be working along with prayers. Yahoo!

My daughter's back is still giving her a lot of pain and she has not gone back to work yet. She still needs your prayers and good thoughts.

We had below freezing temps last night which damaged the flowers and trees. These pictures were made this past weekend.

Sweet Shrubs, check out the pollen on the petals.

The next ones are Azaleas

Have a blessed afternoon everybody. Helen

2009-04-05T12:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we went to see about Mira , she is still in a lot of pain. This is what happened while we were gone.

They shoot loud tanks and guns which get really loud several miles from here in National guard training. The days they shoot it literally scares Patches about to death. She shakes uncontrollably and pants like crazy and paces all over the house. She was scared because they were shooting when we left but we had to go on and leave her for the first time. We were gone several hours and when we came home we couldn't find her anywhere. I thought she might have slipped out the door when I went out last. I walked the neighborhood calling her. One family said they petted her and she was real friendly then they went back inside and didn't know where she went. No one else I asked had seen her. I called and called her and walked entirely to much. Ken got in the car and hunted me down. I wanted to ride around and look for her so we rode several streets then got on the main road and I spotted her in a yard with two dogs. A man was sitting in the doorway with the door open. Ken whirled into the other road real quick and stopped and called her. I could already see her watching the car. She came running and ran out in front of a car which when they saw her they slowed down. That was one happy little girl that hopped in the car when Ken opened the door. Tail was wagging ninety miles an hour. I shed a few tears and said thank you Lord.
We really don't know if she slipped out when I did or climbed the fence trying to find us. She has never climbed the fence before. She was one happy little girl and I was one happy Mama. She is so friendly if anyone had tried to pick her up she would have went with them plus there are big dogs around here at times.
These were made this morning. It's hard to believe Ken just cut that grass the last part of the week.

Patches

Meanwhile when I came back inside Daisy has been snoozing.

Have a blessed afternoon everybody. Helen

Update on my daughter

2009-04-01T18:29:00.002-05:00

Hello everybody, First let me thank all of you for your prayers, good thoughts and comments about my daughter's surgery.
She came through the surgery fine. One of her friends from school took her and called me often for an update. My back was not in shape to go and sit through the surgery. The doc did release her to come home several hours after the surgery with the condition that someone be with her for twenty four hours. Her friend brought her here to spend the night and she wanted to go on home this morning. I did lay in the backseat of the car and went with Ken to take her. She has called me a couple of times today saying her back was hurting pretty much. I think she is going to call the doc's office first thing in the morning and see if they will fax in a prescription for some muscle relaxers to go along with the pain med he gave her.

Here are some azaleas and a Japanese snowball bush that have already put out and in bloom in our yard.

Have a blessed night everyone and thank you all again. You are all great friends.
Love to you all, Helen

Some flowers from my spring bouquet, Ken's sleep Apena and My daughter's back surgery

2009-03-28T08:49:00.007-05:00

Good Saturday morning to everybody, Ken is doing really good wearing his CPAP for his sleep Apnea.
He went back to the Dr. Thursday and all his test looked good. His doc said he was doing fine with using it. He has slept about all night the last two nights using it. He also has more energy to do things.

That breathing test turned out fine . The one where they put you in a room and make you breathe all sorts of ways, not the Apnea test. His xrays he had made the other day turned out good also. His doc gave him a good report.

My daughter Mira is having her back surgery next Tuesday March 31st. Would everyone please remember her in your prayers and good thoughts that she will have a safe surgery and a fast and complete recovery. Thank you all in advance.

Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

2009-03-20T11:03:00.004-05:00

Happy First Day Of Spring Everybody.
The above picture is a bouquet of spring flowers from Ken.
He gives me one each year on the first day of spring. Don't you just love the clover patch in our yard LOL.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Our sunset yesterday- 3-11-09

2009-03-12T08:19:00.002-05:00

I though I would share our sunset yesterday.

Have a blessed day everyone.

Ken and his sleep test

2009-03-11T15:37:00.002-05:00

Good afternoon everyone. Yesterday was a beautiful day, close to 80 degrees but today is a little cooler with rain starting tomorrow and lasting for several days.

Ken went last night and had part of his test done for sleep Apnea. Yes, he does have it. He didn't sleep long enough at a time to be able to set the numbers on a machine he will have to use. He will finish the test next Tuesday night. The Dr came around while I was there to get him this morning and I got to hear the results along with Ken. He was stopping breathing on the average of 17 times every hour. The time it showed he quit breathing lasted for 35 seconds to 60 seconds. I knew he was stopping breathing and tried to get him to have this done many years ago but he hasn't done it until now. The doc said that machine he will be using will stop that loud snoring and he will not be quitting breathing anymore. Makes me wonder why people put things off where their health is concerned but I am sure everyone does it. So do I.
Now for a picture of a lone flower which my uncle and aunt planted the bulbs for me last year. They put out 10 bulbs, each one a different color flower. The others came up but only one has a bloom unless some bloom later. Hopefully they will bloom better next spring.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

My Daughter's surgery and Carolina Wren

2009-03-04T08:57:00.003-06:00

Good morning everybody, Well yesterday my daughter went to see the neurosurgeon and his report was: She has a herniated disk between L4-L5. He says he can make a tiny incision, trim off the disk and she can go back to work in a week. This was great news. She was so happy with the report she was crying when she called me from the Dr's office. She was so afraid she was going to have to have a spinal fusion. Several years ago she had an auto wreck and an MRI showed 2 ruptured disk. She has suffered with it off and on for several years now and missed a lot of work especially lately on account of it. Well this MRI showed only one disk was ruptured. He said the other one had healed itself.
She will have her surgery on the 31st of this month(April) and can recoup the week school is out for spring break. She is a teacher. My request is will everyone please remember her in your prayers and good thoughts? Thanks in advance.

Now on to a couple of pictures I made of this Carolina Wren I made the day it snowed. There is an old clothes peg sack hanging on the back porch which some wrens have used before but not last season. I have noticed them going in there for the night a lot so I just let the bag hang there for them. It seems this season they are going to use it again. I saw one headed that way this morning doing it's chirruping. Yes they do have their nest in there and have raised babies there two seasons. At least it's out of the weather.

Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

A few more snow pictures

2009-03-02T07:23:00.006-06:00

Patches footprints

Here she is checking out the snow, No I did not cut her head off this blog did that. If you click on the pic you can see all of it LOL

Now she on the alert for squirrels

The Snow is all gone now but it's pretty cold. For those who wondered. Yes, the pear blossom pics yesterday laden with snow is from the same tree I posted about the other day with the pretty blooms. Ken hopes the snow kills all the blooms so he won't have to pick any up pears later LOL. When those pears fell last year they got covered with baby bumblebees, I mean a lot of them, (he got his hands stung even through his gloves) so Ken had to pick them up twice a day because the tree was loaded with pears.
Have a blessed day everyone. Helen

Rare snow in Alabama

2009-03-01T17:39:00.005-06:00

This is the only snow we have had this winter season. We only got about an inch I suppose.

Poor Pear tree blossoms.

Another Stormy Time

2009-02-27T23:07:00.002-06:00

Well this afternoon and tonight is another stormy time here is Al. Several tornado's have been spotted in the state. I don't know if any damage has been done anywhere or not. I can hear it thundering now. Would you believe it is calling for snow showers on Sunday? We shall see LOL.
We did have some colder weather last week with weather in the twenties. I though the Bartlett pear tree was a gonner for sure but it is still hanging in there. Ken says he hopes the blooms will get killed since he had to pick up so many pears and dispose of them last summer and fall LOL.

We both went back to our regular doc yesterday. Ken has pulled his stomach muscles and has been having a time. He went to a Cares Clinic Wednesday and got some muscle relaxers and pain caps and that has helped. He goes next week to get a breathing test of some sort done then on to a pulmonary or lung doc next Wed. He has been getting out of breath really easy. Our doc is doing a bunch of blood work in a few days. That clinic did a few and says his white blood cell count is up some so our doc is checking that out with other blood work his heart doc wanted done.
My hip and upper leg has been doing some better but this back is still giving me fits at times. At least the pain running down that right leg and the upper thigh is better.
My daughter has an appointment with the neurosurgeon for next Tuesday the 3rd. with her back. She was out of work all last week with that. Please remember us all in you good thoughts and prayers. Thanks in advance.
I am hoping better days are ahead so we can do some crappie fishing from the banks this spring the Good Lord willing. We can always be hopeful. Never loose hope or faith is our motto. Got to keep hanging on.
Oh, we ordered some wildflowers for the front plot that is supposed to be low grow more than what we had last year and some for shady spots on the side of our carport. They came yesterday. Ken will have to see to that when he is better. Doing something like that would set me way back for sure.
Well I slept for a while so back off to bed I go to see if I can snooze a little more.
Have a blessed weekend everyone. Helen

Tornados everywhere yesterday

2009-02-19T11:49:00.003-06:00

Yesterday evening and early night was a scary situation with tornadoes all over the state of AL and even went over into GA where my daughter lives . Large hail along with loud thunder boomers, lightening and wind. Everone was safe though, some trees were uprooted near here.
If you wonder why I am so afraid of them, I was in a tornado once in a car ,it picked it up off the ground and slammed it back down hard enough to break an oil seal. The hail was so large it felt like someone battering the car all over with baseball bats. The whole car was shaking. There were huge dents all over it afterward. Really scary. It did pick one car up and threw it into a pond on the interstate. We were riding parallel on a secondary road. It flattened a huge clothing store a few feet from us. Tore down a whole small mall. It crossed the road right in front of us tearing up everything in it's path.Buildings including. No deaths thankfully. So therefore I am very afraid of tornados. We were blessed not to be killed in that one.
Well here is some of the large hail that I took through the front glass door after it was gone yesterday.

Have a blessed evening everyone and be safe. Helen

Still hanging in there

2009-02-18T13:18:00.003-06:00

Good afternoon everybody. We are all still hanging in there, Doing a little better but far from well. I have been shredding old bills the last two weeks from way back. I thought I would get some of this mess cleared up so if something should happen to me then no one else would have to do so much. I cleaned out Ken's old office desk and we gave it and a chair to a place called Center of Hope. Of course I had to box up the old paper work that needs to be saved in case the IRS should ever call for the records.
We are under a tornado watch until 8:00 PM tonight. I hope it doesn't get bad weather wise.
Now on to some of the flowers that are blooming here now.

Have a blessed afternoon everyone. Helen

2009-02-05T16:29:00.003-06:00

Good evening everybody, Just a short entry to let you know I am still around.
I haven't been doing anything of interest lately. Not even able to get out and walk any. I got a call returned from my doc this morning. I had called asking him to call several days ago. I wanted to know if a block on the right side would be worth the side effects of the steroids that makes my heart race and also skip beats. He said if it did that to me then he would not do one. He said he doesn't know of anything else he would be able to do to help me in any way. He suggested that I stay in touch with my local doc and see if there is any kind of medication he would give me. Since I can't take pain or anti inflammatory meds that is not going to do me a lick of good except go get a torodol shot when it gets really bad. I have been using the ice packs and staying off my feet as much as possible to combat the pain.

The weather here in Alabama is very cold for us. It got down close to 16 degrees the last two nights and the days have been cold and windy. It did get into the 40's today and supposed to get in the low 60's tomorrow so hopefully it is beginning to warm up a little more.

Sorry that I don't have anything of interest to report.
Have a blessed night everyone. Helen