Vacation's nearly over. The signs of our leaving appeared today in the form of the U-Haul truck that Ken and I had to fetch from a location about 20-30 miles away from Russellville. The office was quite a sight - more like a tiny, dirty garage, filled with dust, junk, and debris. I couldn't have worked in it; I would have had to scour that thing from top to bottom before I'd even try! As it was, the gal working there offered me a seat. No thanks, standing seemed a safer option. Soon I discovered that maybe even outside in the heat and humidity might be better as first one, then two, then three wasps started circling the room!
The gal, too, though pleasant, didn't know what she was doing. Ken eventually had to help her work her computer so we could get out of there. We inspected the truck, Ken got in, I took the van and we escaped!
Back at the farm, the men started loading up furniture and what not, while Ken's grandmother and I determined what was to go. The really nice stuff is staying with us (an antique china cabinet, a buffet and a beautiful table, along with some nice linens and china). Some things will be going to the 4H Rabbit Club Garage sale in August. It's a win-win because it helps the grandparents get things out of the garage (which makes Mack happy, so I guess that's an extra win) and it helps 4H, too!
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
On the road again - ugh! Ken is driving the truck (I won't do it), and I've got the van. Analiese is going with her dad, Jonathan is coming with me. We bought a little styrofoam cooler to put in the cab of the truck so that they'll have cold drinks.
We reluctantly said our goodbyes to the grandparents and Uncle Mack and Aunt Laura. We've been spoiled and loved up and down these last few days, but there's stuff to do at home and we gotta get there to do it!
It was pretty straight forward driving (Did you know there's an Altus, Arkansas? That would have made for a lovely short trip!) - the 40 until OKC, the 240 for a teeny bit, and then the 44 all the way to Lawton. From there - shoot on home! I had a transponder in the van, so the tolls were a breeze to get through in Oklahoma, but Ken had to stop and pay with the U-Haul. Did we beat them home? Nope, other way around, as I stopped in Lawton on the outskirts to let Jonathan drive the van up to Altus. It was his first high-speed driving, but the road is pretty clear with few cars, so it was a good strip of road to let him practice on. He was a little nervous of the speed at first, but settled into it well. I had him stop at Fox building supply just inside of town and I drove the short way to our house where...all was well.
Exhausted though we were, we still had to unload the truck (we had to return it the next morning). A young man from church came over to help Ken and Jonathan get the heaviest stuff out - namely the furniture. The china cabinet went perfectly where I wanted it, so did the dining set. The buffet ended up being longer than I anticipated and, with some finagling of furniture arrangement, went into the living room.
But we're home! Tired, with a lot of sorting and putting away left to do, but gratefully, safely home.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
It feels like I had been moving again. Boxes, paper, sorting through things. I do NOT like moving! But Ken and I managed to arrange china in the cabinet, linens, vases and candles in the buffet, set up the new table and figure out what was going to the garage sale, and what was going to the garage sale.
Oh, and I have to go shopping. There is no milk in the house and we have to figure out what we're going to eat the rest of the week. Ken went with me. We dropped Jonathan off to mow someone's lawn (saw a cardinal!), then went to Walmart. We had to get Jonathan a new mattress; he's been without one for a couple of months now, sleeping on the floor or the sofa. But he isn't sleeping well, so we bit the bullet and got him a new one.
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Time for the doctor. He won't renew my "happy pills" unless I go see him every three months. If I was smart, I'd have gone before vacation. I forgot, but luckily didn't run out of pills.
The old insurance dies by the end of next month, so Ken urged me (read: bugged the heck out of me) to go fasting so the doctor could have bloodwork done. He did, but after all the waiting, the doctor, more waiting, and the blood tests, I had a killer headache. I grabbed something to eat, picked up Jonathan from another mowing job, and went to Walmart to get my meds, including a new allergy medication the doctor wants me to try. Not exactly the cheapest thing, I hope it works. Then maybe we could get some for Jonathan, too. Between the two of us, we go through lots of kleenex!
Analiese had 4H Sewing today. There are only two months until the county fair, and Miss Mitsy wants her to get her current project (shorts) done in time for the fair. Jonathan goes into Lawton later today for Institute at the Stake Center. Fortunately, he can get a ride with his Institute teacher/our home teacher.
Tragedy met Jonathan when he came home. He went out to the garage to feed and water the rabbits (we took them outside again because of my allergies) and - Twilight was dead! I feel partially responsible. Not just my allergies, which have twisted several aspects of my life, but also because I saw him panting when I went to get Analiese from Sewing. I called Jonathan and told him the rabbits needed ice bottles, but they probably needed more. He didn't look when he gave them the ice, and I didn't bother to check later on, but the heat killed our poor little black bunny. Jonathan wept, he does have a soft spot, and I woke Ken to take care of Twilight while we brought Alice in. She was shaking from heat exhaustion (I recognized it from Fluffernutter), and I wiped her down with a cool, damp towel for a while. She recovered quickly, though, and kept pushing the towel away. Still, my poor boy went to bed brokenhearted.
Friday, July 24, 2015
Another major bummer today - the doctor's office called with my lab results - high triglycerides (you try and spell it!). "Have you been eating many starches and drinking sugary beverages?" I was on vacation, what do you think? So I had to go to Walmart to get another new prescription, emptying out my piggy bank in the process. There are days that I think it is cheaper to be dead!
So now the diet will have to alter as well. I've known it for a while, just been dragging my feet (who really wants to give up fats and sugars?). But the changes will effect the family, too. Because having junk in the house is bad for me, and improving their diet isn't a bad idea.
Dinner? I had Cheerios and a banana with almond milk. Later on I treated myself to a pickle. Pickles are cleared for consumption. Good thing I like them. I will try hard not to be depressed. Ken will get to eat the leftover piece of cake we brought home from Arkansas that I had planned on tomorrow. Rats. The Carbohydrate Devil has been struck down!
Saturday, July 25, 2015
I got up at 4:30 this morning. No, it was not practice for Seminary starting next week (which would be 5:30, by the way). Instead, I took Analiese to the church so she could go to the temple with the Youth to do baptisms. I dropped her off with the girls and leaders, and went home to sleep for a couple more hours!
I think mosquitoes are dirty, rotten, cheating liars! Only out in the early morning and evening? Not so! I was with Jonathan while he was cleaning someone's pool. I was in the shade - because no one in their right mind is out in the sun during the mid-day here! By the time we reached home, I had four bites! In Arkansas I was on a farm nestled in the foothills of the Ozarks, surrounded by 20 acres of woodland, and not a single bug disturbed me (well, there were some mud-daubers, but they left me alone)! I do NOT appreciate mosquitoes (sorry God).
We had ham again tonight for dinner, a 9-pounder provided by Ken's grandparents. I made funeral potatoes to go with them (of course!). The missionaries were supposed to come for dinner, but were back too late from a meeting 2 hours away, so I saved them some in foil containers. I ate some...even though my new diet says I shouldn't. But everyone else will eat the ham and Jonathan will polish off the potatoes.
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Pretty quiet Sunday. Normal stuff at church, and I didn't have to do any fill-ins. I did bring my sketchnote stuff to RS for the Super Saturday sign-ups. I don't know who'll sign up, but the RS President and her counselor were enthusiastic (they're nice people).
Jonathan wore a suit from his great-grandfather today. Well, he posed for this picture with the coat on, but didn't wear that to church. Not in this heat!
Time to really start thinking of Seminary! Next week is my inservice and next Sunday I have orientation for the students and their families. I have to get things together, and have been working on stuff a little at a time since we got home. I need to get the bulletin board finished and put together the notebooks. On my way back from the inservice Saturday, I think I need to make a couple of stops at Hobby Lobby and Sam's Club.
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