Jan. 19-26, 2006

Here it is another week and I don't know where last week went. I guess I will just dive in and see what I can get done.

I joined Joe on a trip to the Veteran's Clinic in Bainbridge on a follow up appointment for his shoulder, which was scheduled for, or at least I thought, at 12:30pm! I wanted to help him remember what he went for and it worked fine. When we got there, we were told that his appointment was at 2:30pm so we WAITED! As I thought back to the phone conversation, perhaps I did not hear the gentleman correctly. My hearing is not the greatest. I brought a lunch and as Joe's diabetes acts up and he made short order of it at about 1:00pm. We were called in at 2:30pm. It is a busy place and we are thankful that he can get the help he needs. They scheduled another appointment at the Sam Stratton VA Hospital, Albany, for two other appointments, which we hope will take care of the problems he has.

Debbie Flanagan, a good friend, lives in Sidney, so I called to see if she would be home and guess what? She was. We spun over to find her looking GREAT. She has a new DOO and it looks great. She has not had to wear oxygen for several weeks and has lost 60 lbs since April on a Christian Diet Plan. Her Son, Greg, who graduated this summer, is working and doing well. We stayed just long enough to get the lowdown and then headed out, but promised that we would visit again.

The next stop was Franklin, where Joe's daughter, Missy, and her twin 2 year-old girls were waiting. She had invited us to dinner, but things go messed up. Her hubby wanted her to bring the girls to him in Oneonta as weather was getting bad. That changed the dinner plans. The girls were as disappointed as we were. We didn't get a chance to have Missy's Chicken Cacciatore. We visited for a while and then left when she did. When we got to Joe's, the yard and deck was a sheet of ice-hand and hand we nearly went down. Once safely in the house, now about 6:00pm, Joe and I jointed our efforts and dinner-breaded chicken breast, baked butternut squash and sautéed parsleys potatoes. It was good.

Wednesday was gloomy and raining hard when I left for work. The building was locked when I arrived so I stood on the porch and waited. A few minutes later someone came and headed for the District Attorney's office so I followed her. I told her that the door was locked and asked if I could enter there so that I could get in my office. "No problems" was the answer.

I unlocked the door and went through, closing the door behind me. I found myself in a dark hallway and a locked door behind me. I felt my way along the corridor. I must admit I was shaken. My hands found a doorway and it was open. Glad to find it, but not thinking I opened it. Could it be my door? It wasn't. I stepped in and then my foot went down. This is not my door I thought when my other foot went down. I felt my way back out and got to the hallway and now, my eyes became adjusted and I found a light switch and was surprised to see where I was.... I had nearly fallen down the cellar stairs! Thanks you God!

The next morning was exciting, because the Verizon technician was coming to fix the phone service, which has been good for weeks. It had gotten to the point that the static was so bad, no one could be heard. I was glad when he said it would be fixed today and he would be working on it here and possibly at the central office. Patchy kept tabs on him, as I kept busy inside. It wasn't too long until he returned saying that he believed the problem was in the central office and it should be taken care of by day's end. I thanked him and he left. Later on he called and said he believed that it was fixed and I could actually hear him....

About 1:00pm, "Tex" Seamen, Otsego County's Veteran's Director came by to help Joe with getting his medical records from the US Marine's. He brought info for him and stayed to show him how he could go on line for info too. He will send a form for him to fill out and mail. Joe and he share the same interest in guns and ammo and their service hitches. Perhaps now we can find out what can be done for him, as he was discharged with a loss of hearing. If you are a veteran with a problem, call Tex at 547-4334.

One of our Amaryllis has grown to 20 some inches with thick green leaves, but no bud. The other still has a short 11/2-inch shoot. I decided to call Mohegan Flowers in Cooperstown and those gals know what is what. I was told that neither will bloom again and that I should not water it and put it in the cellar and let it rest. It could be put outside in the summer. In November I was to repot it with new potting soil in a lager pot and I would have another beautiful bloom. Thanks! Outside my winter pansies are in full bloom!

I have mentioned the many sightings of deer in fields and near the road's edge. Two of our friends, have hit deer recently. Dr. Neil Haymes 's wife hit one, cause $3000 worth of damage. Doug, a longtime friend of Joe's, was lucky in that there was little damage to the car and the deer ran off. BEWARE!

My sympathy goes out to Archie Hotaling and his family who lost a loving wife/Mother/Grandmother. . .I found out too late to attend services and felt so bad. Lillian and Arch were friends and customers of our kitchen and I remember some good times. Saturday morning I hung out a load of wash and it was warm, blue and beautiful. When I came home from a quick chore, I found most of it hanging by one clothespin and the rest strewn on the ground round about. The skies had changed to dismal and the wind was wild. Upon traveling through Mt. Vision, I saw a huge limb had blown down just missing the corner of the house. THANK GOD!

Thought for the Week: A man too often shows his worst side to his better half. .