Weekend work, Grandpa, car troubles

 

Although I was not feeling well over the weekend, I worked over seven hours on the new duck enclosure. Instead of an 8 x 12 enclosure, the new enclosure will be 16 x 16. I went through two sets of clothing Saturday because every time I came in to get a drink and cool down, I had to change my shirt and pants. Each couple hours, I had to get out of the heat, and I could not sit anywhere in the house in my sweat-soaked cloths. Besides, the seventy-five-degree setting we keep on the A/C right now feels chilly when you come in from over one-hundred-degree temperatures and are soaking wet to boot. So, when I changed my shirt and pants, I hung the wet clothing outside to dry off – which happened by the time I needed to change again. It was only after I came in for a nap that I noticed that the ambient temperature, was 106°, with the “feels like” temperature at 112°.

I got a good way along on the construction of the outside walls and the roof of the enclosure, but I did not get as much done as I would have liked to. Working by myself with twelve-foot pieces of lumber and fourteen-foot pieces of metal is challenging. It was nice to have almost all the materials on hand to build what I did get assembled but I went through my supply of lumber very quickly. In fact, I eventually had to quit because I ran out of the special screws I needed to attach the metal to the roof and walls. I will still have sixteen pieces of metal left from what I bought from Norman of the materials he recovered from his house in Abilene. The lumber and metal were a direct answer to prayer so I got to praise the Lord with each piece I added to the structure.

Earlier in the day Saturday we also got a period of rain. All in all, we got one third of an inch. Not enough to make a real difference when we are almost ten inches behind in our annual rainfall. We were happy for the rainfall, and it did give me time to break from work and go with Mama on a grocery store run, once I got into dry clothing, but the benefits of that rainfall had evaporated by early afternoon. Hopefully, some of the moisture managed to penetrate the ground versus being totally evaporated, but it is difficult to tell. Everything is so dry and brown that it will take much more moisture to urge things back to life. We go through this every year; it just started a little early this year.

I did not get to go to church yesterday, and I really miss it when I do not get to go. Mama did get to attend the services without me. Even though I got to watch the service online it is not the same. Hopefully, by Wednesday I will be better, but still may not go. We will be having Vacation Bible School through Thursday night this week. Unless I feel much better and have gotten rid of the cough troubling me, I will not expose anyone to that cough. Just in case.

Mama, Grandma and Grandpa were out today for appointments for Grandpa. This appointment was with a neurologist that the hospital requested he follow up with. I am not sure what needed to be done, but the obligation was met by Grandpa. This neurologist is concerned about the neuropathy Grandpa has in his feet and hands. Especially his feet. According to Mama, the doctor as able to push a needle into Grandpa’s feet without Grandpa being able to feel it. I am not sur they made the doctor aware but it has been that way for a considerable time. That is one of the issues Grandpa has in walking. Since he cannot feel his feet at all, it is difficult to know if he has placed them properly for each step. I am certain more tests will be required to satisfy the neurologist. Will a battery of tests produce any benefit? That is the question.

In the same excursion, they went to WinCo and Sam’s. I am glad Grandpa was up to the time shopping because we needed a few items and Mama and I like to get our little chores done in Denton while we are there versus spending the gas to make a special trip. Besides, Grandpa needed the exercise in a climate-controlled environment instead of doing his walking outside in the triple digit temperatures. Because of the heat, he fatigues quickly when he ventures outside here.

Yesterday on her way to church, Mama called to tell me she was turning the car around because of the panel lights flashing on the dash. When she got to the house, she left the vehicle running so I could see exactly what she was talking about. I shut off the engine and restarted it without issue. I started looking in the fuse box for any obvious clues. We have been constantly troubled by one fuse that will burn out at random intervals. Because it happens so routinely, I have several of those fuses on hand. That fuse was burned out – as expected – but it does not usually cause the issue we were seeing. I replaced that fuse while Mama headed back to church in the truck.

Well, today they drove the Sequoia to Denton for the appointments, lunch, and shopping stops. It did fine. I am not at all sure what the issue may have been, or if we will see it again (hopefully not!), but for now, it is gone. Whether or not it is resolved, remains to be seen.