Thursday, February 28, 2013

Blessed Event!

In just a few hours I will be Grandpa JE again.  I am leaving after I write this to head out to the city to sit in the waiting room to await the arrival of grandson #3, (grandchild #4.)  I got a text from my son to tell me that there's no rush, but that if things sped up, he would call me and tell me to hurry it along a bit.  I was present at the hospital for the other 3 babes, so I must weather the snow and wintry weather and be there for this one, too.  After all, this is a part of  my heritage happening here.  And there is nothing that brings more joy to a family than the addition of another member.  So, off I go, book and handwork in tow, to wait!  Blessings abound around here today, (and everyday.)  I will post details about my new grandson later!  Maybe, even a picture!

Peace,
JE

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

An "Oh Crap," Day

Just when thing seem to be going well, BAM!  Things can go to hell in a hurry.  Today is one of those days.
What started out as a fun morning, breakfast with an old high school chum, and then back to  the house for a nap and some quality crochet time, turned into an Oh Crap time instead.  Not even three years ago, I had a new roof put on my kitchen.  It was expensive, but supposedly wouldn't have to be replaced in my lifetime. Something like a 20 year warranty.  Well, after raining all day yesterday, high winds and more rain and some snow, it is leaking.  So, that warranted a call to the guy who installed it.  He's expected here later on today to assess the damage and cure the problem, but my kitchen ceiling has still another trouble spot that will take extensive repairs.  I have been saving money all along to redo my kitchen, put in new ceiling and floor covering.  I am certainly glad that I hadn't done that yet, though it is on my "to-do" list for spring.
Also, before I left for Texas, at my last dental visit, my good Dr. Toothman told me that I needed to have a crown put on a lower back molar.  It is mostly filling and he said that I needed to do that before it fractured.  Well, I had used up my limit of dental insurance for 2012, so I thought I would do it when I got back and the new insurance year was in effect.  Today, I bit into a jelly bean.  A purple one, and I don't even like them very well, and felt something hard in my mouth along with the super soft jelly bean goo.  Well, the molar had fractured, and I lost a huge (read felt like a boulder here) piece of tooth and filling.  So, I called the dentist and he will see what he can do to either repair or pull (the refer to it as extract...ugh) on Monday next.  So, all in all it's been a "no good, very bad, day, so far.  And it's only 3:00 PM.  What else can happen?  I think I will stay in the house and pray for the best for the rest of the day.

Peace, (please)
JE

*NOTE:  The roof guys are here and up there with caulking guns and goop.  My new roof wasn't leaking.  It seems that a piece of fascia board or something was loose and needed caulking and etc.  Maybe that will stop the rainwater.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Home!

After almost a month with my family in Texas, I am home.  It's nice to be back in the thick of things here, but leaving my Texas family is always a bittersweet time.  Lots of hugs and a few tears at the Amtrak station, but then onward and upward.
The trip home was uneventful.  I actually was able to sleep on the train this time which was nice.  I missed the stops in Little Rock and Poplar Bluff altogether.  Wow!  Slept right through them. 
My daughter was on time and so was the train upon arrival.  Well, the train was a few minutes behind schedule because a track switch was malfunctioning and we had to stop in sight of the station for a few minutes while the railroad gurus manually "flipped the switch." 
My stay in Texas was delightful.  I spent lots of time in the warm sun basking on my brother's outdoor deck.  I drank a lot of beer and wine and had lots of good, healthy meals.  My sister-in-law is an excellent cook, so I never went hungry.  I got to visit some very interesting places, and visit with some friends.  I visited the local bakery for kolaches on a regular basis, and was always treated like family.  There's just something about the people there that makes them seem a lot more friendly than other places.  Could it be Texas hospitality??  Even the cashiers at Walmart and Kroger acted like they were glad to see us whenever we were there.
Already I am looking forward to the next time I visit there.  It will probably be in the fall since I just don't thing I am ready to face the Texas summers.  When the local weather station fries an egg on the sidewalk, it's just too hot for me.

Peace,

JE