I stare at a blank page. Concentrating.
What could I possibly write?
What words powerful enough exist?
to express how I truly feel.

 I hold the phone.  Pondering.
What could I possibly say?
What spoken word would be enough?
to convince you of the my endless love.

I sit with my head in my hands. Wondering.
What could I possibly do?
What actions would undoubtedly prove?
that you are my everything.

If love were a tear drop,
my love for you would drown the world.
Tony C.

Sometimes I sit and wonder
As I'm all alone at night
Are the stars a little brighter
When two people share the sight?

Is the pot of tea now steeping
Much sweeter to the taste
If poured into another's cup
And shared with little haste?

And as you walk upon the beach,
Dodging the lapping tide,
Is not the stroll more pleasant
With a companion by your side?

Ah, yes, I know the answer.
Just sharing means so much.
The world would lose its flavor
If our lives could never touch.

Mary Conner

On Feb. 1, 2003, space shuttle Columbia broke up as it returned to Earth, killing the seven astronauts on board.

 
In Memoriam
of the crew of STS-107

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.



From left to right: Brown, Husband, Clark, Chawla, Anderson, McCool, Ramon

Good Morning Everyfriend!  I didn't get to check out last night.  Having company in the house keeps me busy!  And today will be another busy day. 

I've read everything and put prayers where they were needed, sympathized with your needs and wished everyone well as I read.  Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you always.

BUBBLE, thanks for the fresh, new Soda Shoppe!  I enjoyed all the entries and I remembered with a tear the loss of our astronauts. I remember that time very well.

My prayers continue for MARY Ann!

Cathy, Christy and I are making a trip to the Amish store this morning while Frankie sleeps in and then tends to the doggies.  When we get back, Christy and Frankie with take care of some of Frankie's errands and then F. will get ready to go to work at 3 and Christy and I will get ready to have supper at the Chinese restaurant that we both like.

Sounds like a nice but busy day coming up so....

I wish you all a lovely day!
Make it your own in every way!

And scoot back here to share it with all of us!

Good morning everyone..

Not a lot going on here just laundry day today and we are also to get snow, hope it waits till the laundry dries.

Jane, have a fun time with the family, you can always rest afterwards.

Bubble, thank you for the new start page. I remember that day, I think everyone's heart stopped watching the shuttle.

Jenny, prayers for Michelle. What a task you and Bob are doing. I have been trying to downsize here as I too  reap and gather.

Joy, hope your feet are better.

Sandy, great to hear that all is well with your eye.My sister and sister in law both go each month to get a needle in their eye. Makes me shiver just to think about it.

Phyliss, hope better days ahead for you....with Spring just around the bend that may help.

Gloria,can you keep this good CNA or will you be going back to your other one?

Shirley, I think the young ones of today forget just how tough we  ah...mature folks are.

Mary Ann, prayers and good thoughts heading your way..


Lloyd,where are you??? We miss your posts. Did you get that last two cows shipped?

Better get the laundry started.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning everyone, 29 and a bit foggy this morning. Had a new and different CNA yesterday, one of the best since my long time one has been on sick leave. Had some good laughs with her.

SANDY  been cold here in RI. but  we broke a redord for the warmest January and lack of snow. Only 3" officially. That comes from the airport and that is near the Atlantic, here inland it is always colder except in summer and more show, too.

JANE  I woke at 5:30 this morning, better than the 2 Thursday and the 3 yesterday. Wish I had some news to talk about but I lead a very dull life. The other residents here are all friendly and we all talk to each other. Only a cople who stay in their apartments but are friendly when one sees them. With all the company you get, even to a puppy visitor, you will  never have time to be bored. Imagine how worn out you would be if you were still working? Ahh retirement is great isn't it?

PHYLLIS  I think I will make an online grocery order soon. When I send one of the CNA's to the market I always tell them no substitutes but the don't make any difference. I do  better ordering. At least I get what I ordered.

AMY  I used to make mac & cheese often but lately I cannot do it. Cannot get the pan of hot water and mac to the sink. I cannot pick it up to carry it. Tried a few of the CNA's to make it but the mac is so overcooked it is mush.

JOY  there is a few cheeses I really like but not many.

CALLIE  I have a small box of papers to shred, I keep putting it off and it really will not take too long but it is a job I keep putting off.

SHIRLEY  most days are lazy days for me. Wish I could do more but impossible.

JENNY  I got rid of so many things when I moved here that I wish I had kept. Not much storage room in these apartments.

AMY  thanks for the latest news about Mary Ann.

BUBBLE  thanks for the new page for February. I remember that day when the Columbia broke up, just did not remember the year. Great graphics and stories.

JANE  another busy day for you, enjoy it.

AMY  I am beginning  to wonder if my old CNA/friend will be able to come back to work. I will never another as good as her. I as  told  the one I had yes terday will be here nex t week on Wednesday and Friday. Will see.

Have a good day.

Happy February,

Sunny and warm in central Oklahoma.  Having a "leisurely" start to the day.  May be the same until bedtime. 

Wishing Everyfriend Everywhere an Enjyable Day.

Nearly noon & I've done nothing but feed cats & myself & let them in & out & out & in... read the mail & sat & thought about the taxes the gov demands from an old lady that pinched pennies all through the years & now expects her to divy up with people that never made the effort to save. Just deleted more rant. & deleted again, guess I can't talk this morning without boiling over. Be glad to get this job over but have one more form to come in before I can visit the tax man.

We have bright sunshine, supposed to be upper 50s today & 70s tomorrow. For sure the birds, trees & flowers are confused, but I remember other years like this and snow storms in late April.

Shirley, I can sympathize with you on that. We know of a family that has two "girls" on the system..they smoke ,drink and do drugs and we pay for it. Boils me to the core. No pride at all in themselves and think the world owes them a favour. Both are more than able to work too. Ok off my soap box

Thank you Bubble for the start of a new month. 

I am doing as well as expected and probably will fill out the two expected weeks here at Rehab.  I came in last night and after we were here, James, Alicia, Annie and the  twins came to join Tom and me for pizza.  Annie left for Tulsa today to start a new job and we needed to get together.  We had a great time.  The girls were all over the place.  I had a visit from the Cardiologist's PA, also a therapist and we will really start therapy on Monday.  What we did today was preliminary.

I'll try to put a bit in whenever I do anything.  If you have any questions, please, ask and I'll try to answer.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann,  very encouraging to see a nice message from you !  It sounds like you are well on the way to a great recovery.  I know that had to make you feel good to see your family and the little girls.  Keep up the good work !   Thinking of you and sending you special get well wishes.

Joy

Mary Ann, so good to see a message directly from you.  Having family come for pizza is a great way to start Rehab!

Hope Annie gets settled soon in Tulsa.  Is she living in company housing?

All the best to you, Dear Friend.  Lookin forward to seeing more posts from you.

CallieK

Mary Ann, great to see you in here and you do sound up beat. Take it easy and get well.

Mary Ann, a long time ago I copied this "tidbit" from something & every time someone does bed or hospital time, I look for this to let them know it is okay to be tired/winded/whatever after any illness. Glad you have such a great attitude, it has served you well so far! Sounds like it was good for the family to see you up & attem. "A rough rule of thumb for nurses and physicians is that for every day an elderly patient spends in bed, 1 percent of muscle mass is lost. "You'd be surprised how quickly it can go below the point where you can safely stand up and move".

Bubble, you really out did yourself with the new home... great graphics & super sayings!

Shirley - one of the things they want to improve is my walking distance.  I can walk the length of our garage, past the front of the car, also the distance from getting out of the house and down to the sidewalk.  I really don't go places where the distances are longer Tom always lets me out in front of a place unless the distance is quite short.  One of my sayings is "I go where the car goes" meaning I don't try to walk too far.

Callie, yes, Annie is living in company housing.  I saw a picture of the house and it's beautiful. 

TV here is different than what is on our household TVs so I laid down and closed my eyes.  One of the aides decided I was sleeping and should get ready for bed - at 7:30 pm!  I did not know I was ready for bed, but I let her help me.  I will try to remember to get a message off to Annie, then I will really allow myself to be ready!

Mary Ann

AMY OK here i am. except here on S & F seams the whole world has gone crazy. it is so depressing. even peter says same over there except they use knives and stab. as they can not have guns except hunting weapons an except in hunting season they have to have them stored in a vault not at home. friend's seam to go crazy. you have to higher Lauears for almost every thing. we had to higher one to get a tenet out , the court ruled in our favor. well all that done was get him gone his belonging's are still here. he was supposed to have them all gone today.they are still here and he sent a email saying he could not get them out until the 28 th of February, that is third time he has balked on his moving time. Just stress for me. this year alone i have two heart attacks confirmed , and about two mouth's ago a third one but did not get to hospital soon enough to confirm it. now you all should understand why. well time to apollaige and bid you all sweet dreams and good night.

Lloyd 

Good morning everyone.

Looks like a bit of snow to deal with this morning. Just a slow dance with the shovel should do it.

A day of rest here but then the past couple of days have been just that...no get up and go .

Lloyd, just glad you are ok...no need to apologize. You can do two things with the belongings.......wait till the end of the month or bundle them up and take to a place that could use them. You have been more than accommodating to him and he is abusing your friendship.

Better go get ready to meet the day.

Enjoy your day everyone.

Good morning everyone, just heard a weather report and we will not get beyond the mid 30's today, looks gloomy again but it is groundhog day (my Dad's birthday)whatever the weather is wherever he loo out of it's den we still have almost 2 months of winter. Just wish we would get some real snow instead of rain.

SHIRLEY  glad I wasn't around you yesterday. I wouldn't want to see you tearing your hair out over the income tax you have to curse every year. Makes me glad I no longer own anything.

AMY  I knew one gal whe wanted the government to support her and her kids, how she did it I don't know. No pride in herself. What really gets me is the ones who come to this country illegally and want every thing handed to them without working. 

MARY ANN  I will not ask questions but will pray that the rehab helps you and you can go home feeling great.

SHIRLEY so far I don't stay in bed all day but at times I feel like it. I can stand with  help of my rollator and walk with it but I sure wou ld like  to do i t on my own and not by holding onto something. Darn the arthritis in my back.

LLOYD  you have had a lot of stress and that is not good for your heart. I know you would like to see the end of that jerk's things that are still at your place. He is just tormenting you.

Time to go make my breakfast, I am hungry.

Have a good day.

The sun is shining and that is so nice to see after a couple of dreary days.  It has been quite cool but tomorrow the temp. is supposed to be in the 70's!  My daffodils are up about a foot tall and the periwinkle has already been blooming for several days.

All is quiet here.  I've had a little trouble sleeping but I think that will pass soon.  These periods come and go and I try not to worry about them too much.

It was so nice to see and hear from Mary Ann.  She sounds good and I hope she will be back home soon.

Take care, All.

I had a little therapy yesterday, but will start in earnest tomorrow.  There was only one therapist yesterday, today other than pill giving is quiet but tomorrow I'll have two therapists and two sessions.  I passed the grade yesterday on what they asked me to do.

Tom came for lunch today; it was the best I've had so far - meatloaf, broccoli and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy and apple pie for dessert.  They feed me too much and I've gained a couple of pounds.  Of course, I am more inactive than usual and you can't say I'm active at home.

Gloria, feel free to ask any questions you want; I do not mind.

Amy, cute picture of the animals.  My cat meows at Tom occasionally, wondering where I am. 

Now, I think I'll ask to go back to bed.

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, good to see you. I would think Kendrick would miss you dearly and won't leave your side once you get home. Your meal did sound delicious! Sounds like you are a perfect patient .

Checking in, came to see what time the Super Bowl starts, I won't be watching but will be rooting for the KC Chiefs since they have a "kid" from here (Blake Bell) playing. Watched his dad & uncle (twins) grow up & sat behind them in church until they got too big to see around. They also played for the Chiefs for a while. Every time I've watched any sports, think I am a jinx, the team I root for loses.

Mary Ann, so happy to see how good you are doing & know you will have a fan club before you get out of there. Glad the food tasted good today, doubt if a few pounds will hurt. Maybe Tom could bring Kendrick (the therapy cat) in for a visit. Have you ever had a harness on him?  We tried every type possible on old Lauren Kat but she could slip out & get away. Have not even tried with Tom & Tiger. Hard to tell how he will act when you get home. One time when we had to leave our German Shepherd in a kennel to visit Cas' mother, dog was so mad at us when we picked her up a week later she wouldn't have anything to do with us for a whole day. When I put her out back to go potty she sat there with her back to the house & barked at the empty field. When she forgave us she all but ate us up! 

Last I checked the temp was 72°.. not your normal Feb 2 temps. Hear we are to have an early spring, my poor rose bush has fat buds of leaves all up & down the stalks.... and they are not going to like the freezing weather to come starting tomorrow.

Lloyd, I do think I would send that "friend" a registered letter telling him his stuff will be setting out for the trash pick up unless he gets it first! If he has gone past the time the judge gave him to get it, you could also charge him rent for the space it takes up & for having to pay someone to haul it out of your basement..... I am not a nice person when thinking, but not so sure I'd have the guts to actually do what I say.  Might be best for your heart to NOT think about it at all.

I need a nap, going to heat some salmon I baked last week & have some mixed veggies that steamed in the bag in the microwave. They aren't too bad with a big chunk of butter while hot.

I just wrote a long message in Norm's, hit the mouse on the chair arm to get the cursor where I could see it, lost the post.  I won't try to duplicate that!

I had a nice supper, but they're so shorthanded on a Sunday night, no one could come to cut the meat so I picked it up and ate it by hand.  The rest of the meal was so-so.  The meal at noon was meatloaf, broccoli and cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy.  That was good.  Apple pie for dessert.

Shirley, I've worked to get those pounds off so I do not want to put them back on.  I am too short for my weight.

Amy, I find I miss the cat more than I thought.  I mentioned a harness but Tom said he'd hate to be the one to put it on him.  Kendrick does not like to be handled.  When Annie moved out when we'd had the cat about a year, we went to visit Annie and Kendrick did not remember me and had nothing to do with me.  I don't worry now because when I am home, I will be the one who feeds him and he'll warm up to me.

Before I lose this, I'll sign off.  I am getting along as well as possible.

Mary Ann

Good morning everyone..

Monday morning again , seems the weeks roll by fast! House hold chores today. May try to put together the skateboard quilt if I can get all the blocks done.


Gloria,we are to get more snow but not till Thur. Of course I have a Dr appointment then.

Mary Ann, our dogs can be with us in the van all day and when we come home and let them out of the van they are so happy to see us. Silly I know.

Jane, where are you??


Better get a move on..

Enjoy your day everyone..
 

Good Morning.  I am just marking my place and saying "Good Morning".. Too early  for anything important to have happened.

Good Morning, Amy !!

It is just so nice to see Mary Ann posting here.  I am sure she will be back with us before very long. They will keep her very busy for the next few days, but I feel like she will do well with her therapy.  She is a strong lady.  I am just so happy that she is doing as well as she is.

it is a sunny morning and supposed to be up in the 60's today.  Always welcome those nice warm days, even tho they will not be lasting very long.

I am feeling a lot better. Almost feel like I am back among the living now. I did do 2 loads of laundry yesterday and that was more than I have done for a while.  Not all put away yet, but there is always today.  Today, I hope to ge tmy hair done, as I missed last Monday.  It sure does need it !!!

Sure hope the good news will continue from Mary Ann and she and all the other friends will have a great day.

Joy

Good morning everyone, once again I slept my 8 hours and feel rested but not feeling much like chatting this morning. Must say though I loved the graphic AMY posted yesterday morning.

PHYLLIS  the sun is shining here for a change and might get up into the mid 40's.

MARY ANN  I seldom ask questions of anyone. I figure if a person wants me to know they will tell me.  The lunch you had yesterday sound so good, something I would enjoy, especially he mashed potatoes and gravy and the dessert. I could add 20 pounds and I might look like more than a bag of bones.

AMY  my daughter would love you avatar, she loved sunflowers and so does my granddaughter in law.

JOY  glad you are feeling much better.

JANE and LLOYD  where are you?


Have a good day.

Joy, you are right, they're keeping me busy, if not busy - occupied.  I wrote most of my activities in Norm's so if anyone is interested, go there to read. I'm getting tired for the day.

Gloria, I am quite open with things and put them in writing, however, if I don't know what you might want to know, I might not tell you.  I do not consider you nosy. 

Now, I'm going to have someone get me to my bed and we'll take it from there.

Mary Ann