Dec. 8-14, 2019 Headache Week, Dh Work Problems, Super Cold, Armoire In, Grace Co-op

Dec. 8-14, 2019 

Headache Week, Super Cold, Armoire, Grace Co-op

English Shepherds are so great for how they live harmoniously with other critters.  Henry's first night in our home was spent laying beside one of our cats!  On the first night!  He really is a very special dog.

Hello Friends!

This was a hard week!  I had surgery on my left hand last Wednesday and then this week was a full week of headaches and migraines.  I didn't make a lot of progress this week.

Home Schooling High School:

After having Thanksgiving break, Dd was back to her lessons again this week.  She is really liking all her classes again this year.  I'm really enjoying reading A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens to her most days.  We really struggled in the fall this year about her finding time for me to read to her, but now we have found a renewed balance in our relationship and have been able to get back to doing Read Alouds again.  I always felt like so much of my Emotional Intelligence came from reading really good literature and have pushed to keep that going.  I'm thankful our season of being out of step is improving and that she is open to literature again.  While we have struggled to do lessons at home, she has continued to thrive with her teachers at her co-op.  She is making great grades and it is all positive on that account.  Things are improving...finally!

Henry on Duty!  Such a great dog!!

Dh's Work:

It was a REALLY weird week for Dh.  One of the upper management people told him he was going to be moved under a different boss, in a different building...no warning, no discussion.  Boy, that was a stunning blow that nearly toppled our hearts.  I was really impressed with how Dh processed it though---he finally came down to the decision to keep moving forward no matter what they did.  These types of things usually crush us, but, he seemed to handle it well.  (In the end, the decision ended up getting rescinded but we didn't know that was how it was going to be during this week.)  You just never know what this world has in store for you but you can only keep moving forward with a good heart.  This has lead me to feel like I probably need to pray for guidance and look for a job.  Dh has carried all our financial responsibility for many years now and since Dd is needing me less perhaps I can find a way to contribute financially also.  Prayers appreciated that I would be guided into something special.

Armoire:

Back in May, I found a beautiful armoire at our local thrift store.  I thought I'd have Dh help me bring it into the bedroom and that would be the end of it.  He decided it needed shelves and two big drawers in the bottom...and a back put in.  Well, eight months later I have the armoire, shelves, drawers, and back in my bedroom!  It is finally all done and we got it in and across the new hardwood flooring without a scratch.  I had to take out my stitches in my left hand to help carry the piece of furniture in and up the stairs into our house, but it worked out.  If we move I think it just might have to stay here...boy, it is a big piece of furniture!  Thankful to my Dh who had to make it even better for me!

Bible Study:

I was able to drive myself to my Monday night church Bible Study, called "Thrive."  I have been able to do most things with my hand being all wrapped up from the carpal tunnel surgery.  I wasn't feeling up to going to my Bible Study Fellowship on Wednesday as my migraine was really bad that day.  Both of my studies are on the book of Acts and I have learned SO much!!!  Wow.

1) My "Thrive" or church Bible Study:

An Unexplainable Life: Recovering the Wonder and Devotion of the Early Church (Acts 1-12) by Erica Wiggenhorn

(In January we will move on to Erica's follow-up book:

 The Unexplainable Church: Reigniting the Mission of the Early Believers (Acts 13-28) )

2) Bible Study Fellowship 

This is an international organization that has all of us doing the same bible study all around the world!  Christians from all various forms of Christianity and branches all studying the Word in a united biblical way.  You can sign up and do the program online.  You can watch the videos and print out your own worksheets to do.  It makes it convenient if you have to miss a class due to snow or migraines!

https://www.bsfinternational.org/

Acts and Letters of the Apostles

Migraines/Headaches:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all bad days. 

Chickens:

Everyone had a good week.  I have been working hard on getting the chickens good things to eat.  One thing I've been doing this fall is mixing in yogurt with our scraps to get some probiotics into their diet.  I was able to free-range them a few times this week, but they had at least 3 days where they had to stay cooped up due to the extra cold temps.

Super Cold:

Oi! We had a few days this week that was super cold.  I am so ready for spring...so are the chickens!  

Dd's Academic Week:

Bible:

Independent Bible Study, Church and Youth Program

Grace Co-op:

Science: Anatomy and Physiology by Apologia

History: American Civil War

Art: Painting Studio

English/Writing: Analytical Writing for Essays and Research Papers (IEW)

Math Tutor: Algebra II (Saxon)

Reader:

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Read Aloud:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Work/Job:

Loving working at the pizza shop 3x per week

Baking:

Dd baked a chocolate cake and Christmas cookies this week.  Unfortunately, all her baking included gluten so I was pretty much tortured all week!!!!  She took most of her cookies into work for them to enjoy, but the ones left on the counter were tormenting me!  She made Heather's 'Candy Cane' cookies.

Cooking:

Dd made a dinner dish for me this week---a casserole of sorts.  It was chicken, carrots, and potatoes layered and baked.  It was very tasty!  It had been months since she has made a dinner and I sure did appreciate the help!

Next Week:

I'm supposed to go back to my surgeon and get my stitches taken out of my left hand...but, I've already done that!  I'm curious how that is going to go over!!  Also, the Winter Solstice is next Saturday!  Then our sunshine will start increasing; which is just the best!

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Dec. 1-7, 2019 Farm, Carpal Tunnel Surgery (left hand), Read Aloud, Buck Beak

Dec. 1-7, 2019

 Farm, Carpal Tunnel Surgery (left hand), Read Aloud, Buck Beak

  

Hello Friends!

Big Week!!!  We started the week in Indiana and ended it back in our home in Michigan.  

Sunday Church with "L" Family:

Dd and I left Dh and Henry back at the family farm in southern Indiana and spent two days with our friends, the "L" family.  We had helped out during the book signing for Heather's book on Saturday and then went to church with them on Sunday.  Heather's husband is a pastor and this was their first Sunday at a new building home.  We were all so excited about their new start!!!

After church we had a delicious lunch with the family; made by Heather's mom!  So awesome!!!!  Then Dd and I had to pack up our car and head north in the snow!  It snowed most of the seven hours drive back home; I think we had four inches.  Dh and Henry beat us home.  Dh said that Henry did really well driving home in the truck!!!  Henry has more space in the truck and that must have helped.  

Bible Study:

I was only able to attend my Monday night Bible study at my church this week b/c my surgery was at the same time as my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) class.  I am really learning so much and appreciate how real my church group is.  

Chores:

Knowing I had my surgery scheduled for Wednesday morning, I worked really hard to clean the house, unpack all the travel cases, do laundry, grocery shopping, clean chicken coop, and waterers...all to get everything set for me not being able to use my hands for a few days.  Even with all my preparations, I had laundry and vacuuming to do by Friday.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery:

It had been almost exactly a month since I had my surgery on my right hand and I still was just getting able to use my right hand and that made it very hard to go back in for surgery on my left hand.  I was really NOT looking forward to repeating all the pain and frustration!  This time it was even worse!!! I was very tempted to cancel the surgery and just live with a numb thingly left hand.  Last time I had one good hand to do things with; this time I was really at a loss of how to get things done with two impaired hands.  In the end, I went ahead and had it done, but it was a mental fight and very difficult to talk myself into doing the right thing.  I sure hope I don't regret having these surgeries!!!  For the first time in my life I have good health insurance and I did feel that if ever there was a time I could afford it; this is that time.  Who knows what our insurance will be next year?!  So, I went ahead and seized the opportunity. 

Lessons Learned:

I did do a better job wrapping my hand and forearm with cold packs non-stop for the first 3-4 days to reduce the swelling I struggled with the time.  But, I had to use my hand a lot more this time because I couldn't do things with just my left hand and needed 'all hands on deck' to make it through the day.  I'm sure that made the healing not as fast and it will take longer for my left hand to start feeling better.

Buck Beak

BuckBeak:

Ok, ready for a crazy story?

About 1 1/2 weeks ago I noticed one of my favorite chickens was missing.  I literally looked for her day after day, walking around our property calling for her.  I finally gave up and figured an owl must have flown off with her, although she is a Buff Orpington and quite enormous!  Then before my surgery, while cleaning out the inner chicken coop, I decided to pull out the big nesting box piece of furniture that was taking up too much room.  I had to fight a chicken that was in the bottom, but I managed to get it out without too much struggle.  I didn't think much about it; I guess I was focused on my upcoming surgery.  Well, the day after my surgery I was down in the inner chicken coop and thought one of the Buff Orpington's looked a lot like Buck Beak....huh? that's odd, I thought...then light bulb!  It took me a minute to figure it out and I'll just spell it out for you----

So, when I *thought* Buck Beak was missing she was actually stuck behind the nest box in a bunch of straw.  She had been stuck for 1 1/2 weeks!!!  When I was "struggling with a hen" that was her!!!  I noticed at the time that when I pulled her out she went right to the waterer and drank and drank and drank for the whole time I was in there!!  Poor Girl!  I made her scrambled eggs and fed her by hand twice a day for two weeks to get her all better and back to a good weight.  I am just SO thankful for the guidance to move that nest box out.  I'd never moved it out before and have no reason why I just decided on a whim that it was taking up too much space!!!  If I would have not had that urging to pull it out then poor Buck Beak would have surely died...and quickly.  I am SO very thankful to have my dear Buck Beak with us!!!! Praise the Lord for guiding me to find and help her.

Ms. Lemon

Dh:

Hunting season and his trips to the farm are done for this year and he had to settle back into normalcy; which is very hard for him to do.  He had a hard, hard week and struggled.

Ortho: Dd

For the first time, Dd had a really bad experience at her ortho appointment.  They hurt her and really shook her up.  

Dd's Academic Work this Week:

Bible:

Dd continues to do her Bible Study by herself and goes to church each week...

Radagast (Silkie Rooster) standing in front of Buck Beak

Read Aloud:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

I am absolutely LOVING reading Dickens, once again, to Dd!  She is finally not fighting me when it's time to read each day.  It has taken us months to navigate this transition.

Reader:

The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank

Grace Co-op Classes

Science:

Anatomy/Physiology by Apologia

Art: Painting Studio

History: American Civil War

Writing/English: Analytical Writing for Essays and Research Papers

Math Tutor:

Algebra II  (Saxon)

Work/Job:

Dd is still LOVING working at the pizza shop!!  She usually works three nights a week.

Next Week:

Hopefully, my left hand will heal and I can get back to moving!  It is hard sitting so much as I try to keep my left hand elevated and cold with ice packs.  I'm just not great at sitting!

.............

Nov. 24-30, 2019 Thanksgiving, Trip to Indiana, Hikes, Heather's Book Signing, H's New Church, Sinus Infection

Nov. 24-30, 2019 

Thanksgiving

HuntingTrip to Indiana, Hikes, Heather's Book Signing, H's New Church, Sinus Infection

There are two cemeteries at the farm, with people that fought in the Civil War

Hello Friends!

I'm still trying to catch up with my blog.  Our lives have changed so much this year I feel like I'm in circling around in the dryer!!!  This certainly is the year of change.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery:

On Nov. 6th, I had my left hand operated on.  The first few weeks were really difficult, but now the pain and swelling are getting better and I am able to do more now.  Next week I have the surgery done on my right hand.  It will be hard to only use my left hand, as it is still recovering.  

Chickens:

This was a banner bad week for my chickens!  I had two chickens die--Anna had been sleepy on Saturday and I carried her down to the coop and placed her under the heat lamp to warm up.  On Sunday morning I went down to let them out and there she was; laying peacefully 'asleep' by the heat lamp.  She looked so sweet, but she was gone.  The second hen was Brenda---the Buff Orpington that I have pulled back from death repeatedly.  During her first year, she became "broody" and I had to hand feed her daily for almost two months.  Then last summer she was sick and I had to go back and give her lots of special attention.  Then she got "fly-strike" and a fly laid eggs on her poopy bottom and hatched a batch of maggots.  It took about three weeks of intense treatment and isolation to get her back in shape and able to rejoin the group.  After all that effort, I got a text from Hailee, while we were in Indiana, that Brenda was found dead the first morning we were away! I seriously spent so much time and effort on that hen!

Indiana:

On Friday of last week (the 22nd), Dh and Dd drove down to the family farm for hunting season.  On Saturday they each shot a deer.  My plan was to drive Henry down to the farm on Wednesday, the only problem is Henry is petrified of being in the car!!!  Hailee has once again agreed to watch our critters for us while we are away.  Hailee is just the best!  My favorite teen that isn't my own!

Driving Lessons for Henry, our dog:

Each day this past week I have taken Henry, our English Shepherd rescue dog, on various short excursions to try and warm him up to the idea of car travel.  Each and every time he pants and drips saliva on the back seat as he paces back and forth.  Luckily, I had talked to our vet and got a bottle of anti-anxiety meds for the seven-hour, plus stops, drive to southern Indiana.  On the day of the trip I had to throw everything at him to stop his pacing and drooling.  He never did put his head down, but the pills did seem to take the edge off.

Hike:

My librarian friend, Lori, invited me to a hike on Monday.  We walked the new trail behind Walgreens with the two new beautiful bridges over the Grand River.  It was a beautiful day for a hike.

Henry and I at one of the cemeteries on the farm

Lobster Fail:

Dh ordered our lobsters for Thanksgiving with his folks, as he does each year, only this year the company had technical issues and didn't ship them out!!!!  

Thanksgiving:

Wednesday, Henry and I battled the gale winds and downpouring rain for five hours before reaching more tranquil terrain on our drive to the farm.  That poor dog!  His first road trip and our little car were being pushed every which way down the highway; it was like being in a tiny plane facing massive turbulence.  In the end, we made it there the night before Thanksgiving.  Giz was able to find a small turkey breast in her freezer for our meal.  We had a really nice meal with Dh's parents.  The five of us really enjoy our special holiday together.  We didn't get to have our normal meal but we did have great company!

Thankfulness:

I've been having teeth problems on my back top left side and figured I must have a root going bad.  I called my dentist in a panic and left a message on his machine and he actually called me back within two hours.  He suggested I start taking antibiotics and he would fit me in on Monday.  The antibiotics helped immediately.  I was so relieved after talking to him and that he would fit me in.  He was willing to see me the next day; only I was in Indiana!!  On Monday when I went in and he took an x-ray he discovered I really had a sinus infection---my tooth was actually fine!!!  The ironic part is that last year I went to my normal doctor with, what I thought was a sinus infection, and found out I needed to go to the dentist....which lead to a root canal!  I keep getting the wrong end!

SO thankful I am fortunate enough to have an amazing dentist!  

Farm:

While at the farm, Henry and I took quite a few walks around to enjoy being there.  Henry took quite nicely to being there!  I had brought his special blankets for him to lay on it my car and then to sleep on at night and he was quite content.

I love the big woods on the family farm

"L Family" Visit:

The day after Thanksgiving I loaded Dd in the car and left Henry with Dh.  Dd and I headed to Indianapolis to spend some time with our dear friends, the "L" family. We were invited to attend two special events: 1)Book signing 2)New Church.  

Dh and I walked around taking pictures of cool trees

Book Signing:

Heather had a book published this fall and was having a book signing on Saturday in Zionsville at the Black Dog Bookstore.  We arrived, Friday, in time to help decorate all the Xmas cookies she had already baked for the book signing.  Dd and I always enjoy decorating cookies!  Then on Saturday morning we loaded everything up and spent about five hours at the little shop.  The event was held in a very small space in the shop and there was also a youth choir that was scheduled at the same time...so, it was a little bit too crowded but there was lots of good cheer to go around!!  I was so glad to get to see my dear friend have a chance to really shine and sign her autograph!

New Church:

Heather's husband is a pastor and they have rented an occupied church all these years, from some denomination that meet on Saturday's and so it is available for Sunday rental.  Finally, the congregation is renting their OWN church now!  We were invited to attend the very first service at the new church!  If things work out they will eventually purchase the building.  It was so great getting to be there for their first service on Sunday.

Dd and "L" family:

The "L" family is as close as I get to having family and Dd is right on board with that!  Her favorite thing in life is going to visit the "L" family!  She played video games, took all the kids to Culvers to eat, they watched the first Avenger's movie again, and the YouTube episodes on How It Should Have Ended, and thumb wars, and a Star Wars spin-off show, and they made pumpkin rolls from scratch.  They all just have so much fun together---R is 19, A is 17, J is 15, D is 13, L is 11? Dd started off being friends with R, then moved to A, then for the past 4 years she has been most warmly received by J,D, and L...so that is who she spends most of her time with!  Dd just loves these guys!!!  The family she always wished she had been born into!  It's a good thing I love them too!!

Next Week:

Carpal Tunnel surgery on my right hand....so very NOT fun.
............

Nov. 17-23, 2019 Dd&Dh Opening Weekend Deer Hunting (2 Deer), Stitches Out Right Hand, Driving Henry Practice

Nov. 17-23, 2019 

Dd&Dh Opening Weekend Deer Hunting (2 Deer), Stitches Out Right Hand, Driving Henry Practice

Hello Friends!

Dh and Dd drove to Indiana on Friday, so I had some time alone with the critters this week (and next).  I can always find lots to do and keep busy.

Carpal Tunnel Surgery:

I had surgery (Carpal Tunnel) on my right hand on Nov. 6th and then this week I finally had my stitches out!  I could feel the biting tug with those stitches in so getting them out was a blessing.  They were cut out on Monday; which led to a much better week for my right hand.  Now I have two weeks until my left hand has surgery.  Unlike this time I will have not one bad or weak hand but two weak or injured hands to somehow deal with!

Church:
Usually, I have been going to church alone, but this Sunday (17th) Dd went with me.  She prefers to go to the Saturday night service with her boyfriend.  He has to work on Sunday and can't go on Sunday morning.  It was a real treat to have company this week.  We left our old church on a Wednesday and was at our new church by Sunday and are still going there.  Although Dd and I have accepted the change, Dh still can't quite make himself come with me.  It is still quite a wound in our hearts, but I'm trying to roll with life's punches.



Bible Study:
I am enjoying my two bible studies---one with my church, on Monday nights, studying Acts and another one with Bible Study Fellowship on Wednesday mornings, studying Acts.  I am really learning a lot!!!!  

Impeachment:
I spent way too much time watching the Impeachment Hearings on tv this week.  It is just so incomprehensible that our country is where it is today. I try hard to not say anything political on my blog, so I'll just note that the hearings were this week and how I am spending WAY too much time reading the news and being concerned about how our country is progressing.



Giz:
It was a hard, hard week for Giz.  She was sick and ended up in the hospital this week.  They caught her infection right before she went to sepsis---thankful the antibiotic treatments were able to fix her up yet again.  She was only in the hospital 2 1/2 days.



Driving Henry:
Next week I will have to drive Henry down to the family farm in southern Indiana and he has intense anxiety about getting in a car, much less driving!  I took him on little short drives most days this week to try and help him get used to being in our car.  He didn't improve...



Dh and Dd to Farm to Hunt:
They arrived at the farm on Friday night and each shot a deer by the end of the day on Saturday!  Last weekend Dh had hunted with his friend and they didn't get anything.  Apparently, Dd is helpful!



Chickens:
We had pretty good weather this week and so I got to free-range the chickens on most days!!!  I'm so glad they have had the chance to eat grass and dig for bugs so much more this fall/winter than last fall/winter.  



Next Week:
Thanksgiving!  Henry and I will drive down and join Dh and Dd at the farm.

..........