Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Feb. 10-16, 2016 Root Infection, Black Hen, Snow, Power Returned, End Eye Drops

Feb. 10-16, 2016 
Root Infection, Black Hen, Snow, Power Returned, End Eye Drops



Hello Friends!
Happy Valentine's Day
A rough week.  It feels like the past year has been exceptionally difficult, and this is coming from someone that has a lot of hard times.  When I am stressed or upset I clench my jaws really tightly at night especially and with the loss of my aunt and the decision about whether or not I could go really stressed me out. 




 I ended up getting some sort of wicked infection up in the roof of my mouth from an old root canal root going bad; I won't find out exactly what is wrong until my appointment with the specialist next week.  I guess old root canals can still cause problems; I had no clue.  I poured out my heart about this decision to travel or not with my Sunday School ladies group and asked them to pray for me to make the right decision. 


Church: Thankful for Fellowship of Kindness 
Speaking of my Sunday School church group; man, are they amazing.  You know, I received two Valentine's Day cards are they were both from that group.  One of the cards was from LouAnn, and my heart aches to say this, but, she wrote and sent me a card when her husband is struggling with cancer.  What kind of astonishing Christian is that?!?!  It just blows my mind.  I am beyond blessed to have such a mind blowing Sunday School group of ladies.  I honestly don't even have the social skills to know how to respond to such nice people and am *often* at a loss at what to do and what to say.  I'm so blessed to have an opportunity to learn from them.  So, no matter how many little things keep going wrong right now, I know I am a child of God and actively being blessed by these women.  And, they are also teaching my Dd in Youth Group and helping me raise another child of God---priceless.





 By Tuesday my teeth were killing me.  Wednesday I drove through un-plowed roads to get to a doctor to get checked.  The doctor said it was an infected tooth, not sinus, and put me on penicillin.  She also told me to call my dentist as soon as I got back home; which I did, but, they couldn't fit me in until Friday.  I laid in agony Wednesday and Thursday, in bed, while the antibiotics started working.  I hate spending a whole day in bed, much less two days in bed.  I did have enough "umph" to do the morning chores for my chickens and Dd and Dh did the nighttime ones.   Luckily I felt good enough to drive myself to the dentist on Friday.  It is amazing how much antibiotics can help take out the pain from infections; I've had this problem before and am thankful for the decrease in pain.  The dentist on Friday took two X-rays and told me within three minutes that I needed to see a specialist and called to schedule me in with him.  Unfortunately, the specialist isn't open until next Thursday...talk about hoop after hoop after hoop.  And waiting to have your root canal re-opened and cleaned out while it is all swollen and surrounded with puss isn't something you want to dwell on day after day; I'd rather just get it over with, if possible!


Can you make out all the deer tracks throughout the snow?  It is amazing to see in person.

Decision: Funeral
Last week I was lamenting whether or not I should or could fly out to be at my aunt's funeral.  I'm relieved I didn't buy tickets immediately because I wouldn't have been able to go.  After losing our power, we were on our generator most of last week and had two more ice storms headed our way for this week as well as a winter storm headed to Boston on the day we would have flown there, so logistically it just felt like a bad idea.  Dd offered to stay home alone and take care of the animals while Dh and I went, but I didn't feel right leaving her alone when ice storms were heading our way.  When our power goes out we have to 'roll' our extremely heavy generator from our outbuilding to the far side of our house; which isn't easy!  Then there is the re-filling it with gas every 6 -8 hours---not easy.  Also, since we live up a big hill with a long winding driveway we have to snow blow the drive throughout the week.  All of that, plus animal care would really be a big job for her since she doesn't normally have to do much.  THEN my mouth went crazy on Tuesday and I was glad I hadn't bought the plane tickets.  There is no way I could have gone in the amount of pain I was in.  I really wish I could have gone, but things just all went backward this week.


Black Hen:
My sick black hen died, after about a month of slowly getting worse.  I've only had one other chicken die on me before and she had something wrong with a lodged egg I think.  This poor girl was struggling for weeks now and wouldn't take any help from me so I was pretty helpless in getting her to improve.  I've been able to hand feed and pay special attention to languishing birds, in the past, and bring them back up to thriving.  I've taken pride in how well I've cared for my chickens and feel awful she got so sick, worse I feel relieved she isn't struggling anymore.  I wish I knew how to administer antibiotics; I'm sure she just needed a little help to get over the illness, which I think was pneumonia.  Maybe somewhere along the way, I will be able to acquire more knowledge and be able to care better for them in the future when they get sick.



Power Back:
Monday at 3:30 pm we finally had our power returned.  The chickens got to get back to their normal cooked rice!  



It made me happy to be able to cook for them again too!  It was great warming the house back up past 61 degrees!  I know many people across the U.S. were really cold compared to us, we have a pretty big generator that allowed us to do more than just 50 degrees.






Snow:
Tuesday was back to major snow again, those ice storms behind us, and I was back on snowblowing duty both in the morning and in the evening.  The snow was so heavy and wet it took me almost 2 hours each time I went out, but I have to keep the driveway clear for Dh to get back home each night.


This Red Squirrel crawled INSIDE my sunflower feeder to eat!


Broke Snowblower:
Friday Dd had to snow blow as I was under the weather and don't you know; it broke!  We had to manually shovel our really long driveway to get our van back up to our house and to clear the path so Dh could get up it when he came home.  It was a very challenging job as under the snow was ice.  Dd and I both tried and tried to drive the van up the hill but we couldn't get any traction and had to reverse and go back down.  




After getting shovels and digging down through the ice to dirt and rocks we were able to get the van up the hill.  It does make me appreciate the snowblower and the Subaru!  Our van just wasn't made for driving on snow or ice.  We really need a second auto that can drive in the snow.  Dd and I have been home without a usable car for most of the past month, now that Dh is back at work and needs the best car for the long commute.  Hopefully, at some point, we can figure something out so we can have two cars that drive in the winter.  When Dh finally got home he was able to fix it!  Thankful!

Dd's Felt Bird:
Dd gave me the felt bird she started last week as a kindness for my sadness for the death of my aunt.  I am always impressed with how carefully and beautifully she makes things, her bird is the prettiest bird so far this year.



Dh's Eye Drops:
Dh had another appointment with his eye doctor and he had his last day of eye drops on Friday!!!  I'm so glad he is finally winding down all his work towards keeping his eye.  Next week when he goes back he doesn't have to see the doctor, just the nurses, who will check his eye pressure to make sure he is doing fine without the drops.  




My Bible study currently is Beth Moore's book and Bible Study, both titled To Live Is Christ.  The odd thing, they aren't connected at all?!  I'm almost done with the book but just started the workbook/bible study.  Our Ladies Sunday School has been doing Entrusted by Beth Moore; which is on Paul and the book of 2 Timothy.  So, this Bible study is a bit redundant and I've ordered a new study for me by Priscilla Shirer called: Armor of God that I should receive next week.




Dd's Academic Progress:

Bible:
Church, Sunday School, Youth Program and daily Word of Life Teen Bible study.  She has ordered another Bible study: 
Awaken: 90 Days with the God who Speaks by Priscilla Shirer



Volunteering:
Story Time at the library: 1 1/2 hours
No Olympians due to bad weather again this week.



Physical Exercise:
Treadmill x 2 this week



Grace Classes: 
Cultural Geography (BJU)
Algebra I (Saxon)
Spanish I (BJU)
Introductory Logic
Exploring Economics by Ray Notgrass


I love searching for where the deer bed at night, this picture has two spots where deer slept, but you might find it difficult to make it out in picture format.


Fun Reading:
The 100: Book One by Kass Morgan: In Process
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: In Process
(We re-watched Pride and Prejudice this week, the one with Keira Knightly...love it!)



Next Week:
I'll be having my appointment with the oral surgeon about my infected root.  I'm praying it goes alright and they can fix whatever is wrong and infected; without too much pain and agony.  I had to return our two audio's (My Antonia and Jane Eyre) to the library because they were due back, but we will be getting them back again and can hopefully get closer to their conclusion.  I hate not finishing a book once started!!  I'm also hoping this week the weather won't be as bad as it has been, I need a break from snow blowing and shoveling, especially with this infection bringing me down.

..........

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

My Reading: A Girl of Limberlost and Book Girl Thoughts

My Readings:

A Girl of Limberlost and Book Girl Thoughts




A Girl of Limberlost
by Gene Stratton-Porter

My dear friend, Heather L., has told me repeatedly over the years to read A Girl of Limberlost, but, it never felt like the right time.  Finally, this winter was the perfect time to read this story. 


I'm not sure if I ordered it or if Dd just happened to check it out and bring it home, but alas, there was a library copy in our dining room!


My other dear friend, Chelle, had recently mailed me a copy of Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson that recommended reading A Girl of LimberlostBook Girl is a book that talks about books that Sarah and her friends have read over the years and shares the most valued books with the reader, along with synopsis of what the books are about.

So thankful for Heather and Chelle---my friends that share good book ideas with me!!!!!


 It is always interesting how you can get pelleted by the same idea until you do what you're supposed to do!  


I quickly figured out why Heather thought I would like it---a girl named Elnora, with a deceased father, and a mother that acts like she doesn't exist, is drawn to nature and being outside.  



At least that is what the first half of the book is about; somewhere around the middle of the book there is a theme shift and a young man comes into the story and kind of hijacks the story I could relate to and becomes more of a love story. 





 I was quite taken with this book.  I love how nature was the balm and solution for many of her problems.  How often I've found time outside to help me through the difficulties and trials of life.  Also, there just aren't a lot of books about children being raised by parents that seem bothered by the inconvenience of their child, at least not in this non-violent and ambivalent way. 





There just aren't a lot of books about children being raised by parents that seem bothered by the inconvenience of their child, at least not in this non-violent and ambivalent way. I've read stories of parents yelling, fighting, hitting their children but not so many stories of parents that go about their lives living as if there weren't children in the other room.  Elnora's mother goes about her life, sharing the same house, but completely ambivalent to the existence of her daughter and how she spends her days.  They are strangers.  This quiet existence isn't often portrayed.


Ironically, the story is set in Indiana and ends while they are in Grand Rapids---which is what I've done the last 20 years!


Elnora, finds her own way without the help of any family or parenting...that is until the middle of the book when the story has a mid-life crisis and everything changes.  A man arrives at their home in the woods and Elnora's life, and our story, changes.



I really liked and related to the first half of the book and was disappointed the story wasn't concluded in the trajectory it had started in; as if Anne of Green Gables moved away from Prince Edward Island after a year a two to live with a young family in Chicago.  It does all work out in the end, they go through some near death experiences and tribulation to happily arrive at a perfect happily-ever-after ending.   I do love those neat and tidy endings, but I did so enjoy the Elnora in the beginning of the book---out in the woods collecting moths and solving her own problems with the help of a little boy and the kind neighbors beside her.  



 The story felt a little hijacked, although it was an interesting new story that had interfered with the story that had begun in the beginning!  I did like how Elnora's passion for nature and collecting insects is what drew her boyfriend in and continued as a thread throughout the story.  She didn't stop being who she was because she fell in love, he just joined into her life and shared them with her.  She stayed true to herself and her life, just with a man at the end of it; considering the book was published in 1909, that was very progressive.  I love how she stayed who she was throughout the book; no conforming herself to fit the grooves of the man she fell in love with.  She is such a solid, formed person who knew herself and remained so, and I am confident her character will only grow wiser as she matures.  She handled her trials better than I would have known, and her mother also said the same, so Elnora is a very wise character to begin with.  I guess we all long to be as independent as Elnora is in her self.


I found this book, warts and all, to be nearly impossible to put down.  I was very happy to be with Elnora walking through the woods, looking under leaves for moths and cocoons.  I highly recommend this book, especially for female readers, due to the fact that Elnora sets such a good example of finding her passion and never letting it go.  She problem solves by herself and unites those around her.  In situation after situation, she shows how to respond in a loving and generous way to others.  This good example reminds me of the books that the Lamplighter organization has been reprinting, books that show this generation how to walk through life in a good way.  


Afterward: 
I've recently talked to Heather about this book and she had forgotten about the mother-daughter relationship and said she primarily recommended this book because Elnora, like me, has a great appreciation for nature.   



Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson
I love books that recommend other books; and Book Girl does just that!  I've been pecking away at the recommendations for the past few months and have enjoyed the push to read outside my choices.  Although I do get a feeling that Sarah Clarkson is much more of a romantic than I am!  Some of the suggestions that I've read or perused so far are:


Run With The Horses: A Quest for Life at It's Best 
by Eugene H. Peterson.  
This book on the prophet Jeremiah was very interesting, but wasn't a page turner for me.  Some books just share a deep thought and you want time to process that thought, so you put it down for a few days.  


Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte:
Can you believe I've never read this?!  I'm still listening to it on audio---with the hope that Dd is enjoying it as well.  I'd watched to movies on this story so many times and hadn't been drawn to it's gloomy appearance.  I'm glad I'm finally hearing it, but haven't been completely won over by it. I just keep thinking, why am I not listening to Jane Austen if I am to spending my time on this type of literature?  I miss Jane's humor and sarcasm that comes along with these types of stories!  
New Seeds of ContemplationMiddlemarch, and Eat This Book are three other book recommendations that I've been pecking at---but, not wholly taken in by yet.  


Bible Study:
Right now I am working on a new Beth Moore Bible Study:
To Live Is Christ, as well as reading a 'stand alone' book by her titled: To Live Is Christ.  I assumed that the book and the Bible Study were connected and would work together, but they don't connect.  I'm enjoying both, but disappointed that they don't work together.

Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer:
Just started and LOVING it.  Wow, can Priscilla really light a fire and increase the desire I have to grow and learn.  I'm hoping this study, like the others I've done by her, will really fill my tool box and help me to become a more powerful prayer warrior.  She is one of my favorite bible study authors.

Seamless by Angie Smith:
I just finished this about a month ago.  I'm really glad I did it, and even Dh enjoyed doing it with me during his two months on disability.  It is an overview of the entire bible, hopping along throughout the book to either help you get to know the entire bible or serve as a refresher to those of us that have been doing in-depth studies on specific books (like me).  It was a really good review and reminded me of things I've not hit upon for years by stopping in books that are often overlooked.  Recommend, but also should point out the first 1/6 of the book was a bit hard to get into.  Once I got past the first hump it was downhill from there!


Wisdom From God
Bible Study with Dh, it is the one the older adults are using at church right now.  I'm not that impressed with it.


Don't forget to take time to spend with your Bible; refill your cup!  Accept the love and encouragement we need and is freely given.
......

Sunday, February 17, 2019

Feb. 3-9, 2019 Loss, Power Outages, Epic Weather, Generator, Felt Birds

Feb. 3-9, 2019 
Loss, Power Outages, Epic Weather, Generator, Felt Birds


Generator saved us again!

Hello, Friends!
  This was a really hard week, in a few different ways; the loss of our electrical power for five days and the loss of my aunt. My wonderful, kind, loving aunt passed away at 92 and I grapple with the idea of whether I can fly to her service in Boston while all sorts of crazy epic winter hit us in Grand Rapids and there in New England.  I've only kept in contact with her, my mom, and occasionally my brother, so my extended family is a short list.  Out of the family I've had, even not meeting her until I was in college, she was so very nice to me and made such an impression on me.  I've been changed for the better having known her.  She showed me how a parent can care, adore, cherish, and enjoy having children and seeing them as the blessing they are--something I didn't see with my immediate family.  I will always miss her and keep her cherished memory in my heart.  




Weather: Generator

It was a pretty crazy weather week--Sunday was fairly nice; sunny and warm.  Then on Wednesday, the crazy ice hit us hard.  It usually a blessing to live in the woods, surrounded by trees; but, this week it was downright scary hearing trees falling all around us.  



Our neighbor's house was hit by a tree and they were without electricity an extra day longer than we were.  It was scary having huge trees so fragile and brittle; thankful we didn't have any damage.  We did lose our electricity on Thursday morning at 9:30 and didn't get it back until late Monday afternoon around 4:00 pm.  What a long five days! 



Chickens:
My Black Hen is still sick.  She continues to be impossible to pamper and refuses to be hand-fed.  I've not had a chicken that is so resistant to help.  I'd been cooking rice and adding healthy things to the mixture each day, sometimes 3x a day, to help keep them healthy and then we lost our electricity this week and had to rely on limited power use with the generator.  This week their food was less exemplary but was glad I could keep their heat lamp for them. 


Migraines and Botox:
This week I had my second round of shots in my head, neck, and shoulders with Botox; which is supposed to take down the number of migraines I get each month.  This time I had my doctor give the shots instead of a student like I had my first time.  I'd love to say he did a better job, but actually, the student was way better.  



I had raised 'eggs' on my scalp where he injected me.  It hurt to even lay my head down on my pillow at night!  He was a brute comparatively; I'm still having pains where he gave the shots in my neck and shoulders but my head finally healed.  



I am going to see if I can figure out how to get a different person to administer the shots next time.  I had a headache and migraine Sunday and Monday, but after the shots, I had the week off from that pain.  I still can't decide if the shots are helping.



Felt Birds:
I worked on my felt birds this week.  I managed to complete three by the end of the week.  One of them turned out a bit odd so I undid it and changed it, but that took the same amount of time as doing a fourth one.  I'm trying a design I saw online and I'm not sure I like it.  The mini-goldfinches I made in December aren't very good either.  It's been a weird year for my felt birds.  I'm hoping to get a few good ones made soon.



Dd Felt Bird:
Dd started working on felt bird this week, but she is keeping it in hiding for now.  I can't wait to see it.  She always does such a good job.
Bird One--you can see the differences most by looking at their differing beaks.



A Girl of Limberlost:
I finished reading A Girl of Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter.  What a good book!  I'm writing up a post on it.
Bird Two



Dh Work Transition:
This was Dh's second week back at work and he is struggling with working with so many people with different ideas on how to get things done.  It was a really hard week for him.
Bird Three



Dh Eye:
Dh had an appt. with Dr. Gindzin again this week.  His eye is healing really well.  He only has one week left of doing eye drops left!!!  



Dd's Academic Progress:

Bible:
Church, Sunday School, Youth program and personal Bible Study:
Week 20 on her Word of Life Bible Study



Youth Program
Dh watched the Super Bowl together and Dd went to the Youth Group party at Judy's house.  I bet she had more fun with all the other kids and fun adults; I know they had a lot more fun food!


Volunteering:
Nursery at church: 1 hour
Both Olympians and her Library (Story Time) were canceled this week b/c of the awful weather, so Dd didn't get a chance to volunteer at either event.  We haven't had a Wednesday night Olypians group in a month now; so much awful weather to contend with.


Treadmill/ P.E.:
3x this week; until our power went out on Thursday morning. She has been waking up and doing her treadmill workout first thing in the mornings.


Cultural Geography (BJU)
Algebra I (Saxon)
Spanish I (BJU)
Introductory Logic
Exploring Economics by Ray Notgrass


Fun Reading:
The 100: Book One by Kass Morgan: In Process
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: In Process


Art:
Making a Felt Bird of her own design


Next Week:
Will our power come back on soon?  Will I go to Boston?  Will Dd's have her Grace co-op classes? 
.............