Packing changes, what to carry, success, eating – or not

I had to change some plans last night when I learned that we have a very brief layover in Houston on our way to Honduras. The thought of each of us towing a carry-on bag, our personal item and Mama with her walker. her C-PAP, her carry-on bag and her personal item, did not conjure up a very good image in my mind. The fact that all our bags are stuffed to the point of bursting added to my concerns. So, I added a checked bad to the mix. The cost of a second checked bag is not prohibitive; not nearly the cost of an overweight bag. Eliminating the one carry-on will make it a bit easier for all of us – especially Mama. In the rearrangement, I will keep my carry-on bag and Mama’s items will go into the second checked bag. That will ease our load as we sprint to make our connection in Houston. Hopefully, Mama’s walker will be a clue to airport staff that we could use the extra help in that transit. Mama will make the final packing changes this morning. By this evening, all the bags should be loaded in the Sequoia; ready for an early morning departure to the airport.

We all consolidated wallets and purses for the trip. Leaving behind all the extraneous items we carry on our person for no apparent reason. When I was taking credit and debit cards out of my walled to pare it down, I was asking myself why I have some of those items with me in the first place. Items like, my Chico Library card. My OSHA 10and 30 Instructor’s Card. My Ag and Timber registration Card. I set aside my Costco card, my Sam’s card, both of my debit cards, my AAA card, several store rewards cards, etc. I am thinking about not putting several of those items back into my wallet upon my return. For the moment, they are all in a spare wallet in our safe. That way I know where to find everything when I do get back.

I was able to find the one piece of information I needed to make the wire transfer for the purchase of our home in Lawton. I finally nailed down the month I would have received that information and searched through my sent emails looking for some correspondence in that time frame. In that search I came across a note I sent to the bank when I was having trouble getting logged into their secure remote portal. In that correspondence, I came across the email with all the remote access instructions – including my PIN for wire transfers. Praise the Lord! I was thinking worst case scenario, they would have to snail mail me a new PIN and we would close in December. That did not have to happen. So, we will close on the 26^th as originally planned. Mama and I are praying that the house is not in need of too much repair and that we will be able to sell it quickly.

I was nauseated all day yesterday. Not to the point of throwing up, but still uncomfortable. So, at the dinner last night, I ate very little. I do not feel as queasy this morning. So perhaps the worst is over. Mama and Victoria were both complaining about being too full as we rode home last night. I did not have that complaint. Perhaps being a little on the sick side was not a bad thing. Too bad that is what it takes to make me eat a proper amount of food. One of the concerns I have about this trip is what we will eat – or rather, how much we will eat. For some reason, when we eat out (actually paying for food) we are far too temped to overeat. I do not know how often we will go out for meals, but there is always the tendency to indulge. Just to make it worth the price of the meal and the tip.  Doing so here in our customary setting can be upsetting to our bellies. Doing so on foreign soil can be catastrophic intestinally. Mama and I will have to be very careful. We will enjoy what we can and avoid the tendency to over indulge in any area. It is not like this will be our one-and-only trip to Honduras.

It will be nice to find out what we can really look forward to the next time we go.

Simple things, big plans, dinner

As soon as I got home last night, Mama and I went out to see if we could clip the hooves of one of our nanny goats. Dolly, the goat in question, has been limping for a couple weeks so the procedure to trim her hooves was long overdue. But, with my aching back and Mama’s bum leg, we have put it off – until last night. I had determined a few weeks ago to try a tool I have that is not intended for goat pedicures. It is intended for pulling nails, but it worked beautifully for job we were doing. All eight toes were cut in about ten minutes. Goats have split hooves – two on each foot. There is no way to hurry the process. Dolly fought us the entire time, so I would not have been able to get the trimming done without Mama’s help. She brought her little garden stool with her to sit on while she helped restrain Dolly. Once we were done, Dolly scrambled up and ran a few steps away from us. Then, realizing she could run again, she took off for the sheer delight of it. we were glad to have that done. Encouraged that we could accomplish such a simple but necessary thing.

After we ate a small meal, Mama and Victoria went to Lowe’s to order our stove. We decided on installing an electric range instead of the gas range we originally wanted. Since neither the cooktop nor the double ovens are functioning properly, we need to replace both. A range is the cheaper way to go – and Mama found one she really likes for a price that I can agree with. While they were gone, I looked through all the files I could find related to our real estate business to find paperwork that contained my PIN number for wire transfers through the bank we are using for the business. Thought I searched high and low, I could not find what I was looking for. Hopefully, this morning I can get the bank officers to help me out. We need to get the money into the title company account by tomorrow to be able to close next Monday. This is our first run at doing business this way, so I expected some hiccups, but the timing could not be worse. Hopefully, we will be able to get the transfer done on time. If not, we will deal with it when we get back. Another one of those simple things that somehow get complicated in the process of life. By the way, Victoria and Mama came home and informed me that they were successful in ordering the range – as well as a new dishwasher.

Cori called later in the evening so she, Mama and Victoria could go over a first pass at an itinerary for our time in Honduras. They are more concerned about getting activities slated for days of the week than getting specific times set aside for any particular activity. I think we got the ten days pretty well booked in that one conversation. Whether or not we get to follow through on those plans remains to be seen – but we have a plan. Since Nate and Cori are still responsible as missionaries in the work there, there are several overlapping events that could affect our plans. We will adapt as needed. Bags are packed and sitting ready. Stuffed is a more appropriate term. Three checked suitcases; all weighing just under 50 pounds. Three carry on suitcases and three personal items. We are getting excited about the trip; regardless of what the itinerary ends up being. But even though we are excited, I cannot imagine the excitement at our children’s home in Honduras.

Tonight, we have our Thanksgiving dinner at church. Victoria got a coworker to change shifts with her, so she could attend the dinner. It is always a good time – and a lot of good food. I am getting to the age where I cannot enjoy much of the food these dinners provide, but I certainly enjoy the fellowship. Not being able to eat much is not a bad thing. The food lasts about a day in my system. The memories last a lifetime in my heart.

I’ll choose the memories…they are easier to digest.

How many days? So much to do!

There is a good deal of discussion going on among our grandchildren as to how many days remain before Victoria, Grammy and I arrive in Honduras. From our way of reasoning, there are at least three, perhaps four days between now, Monday, and then, Thursday; depending on how you count today. If today is not part of the count, then we will arrive on the third day from today. However, since we are already in today (their reasoning) we can skip today in the count. That is a foregone conclusion. But even that does not seem to be enough. So, what they have done is skip the day of arrival in the count. In their minds there are only two days left in the count. That works in their minds because the date of our arrival is a zero (0) day. It does not count. We would do the same. Three - Monday. Two – Tuesday. One – Wednesday. Zero – Thursday. Since today is already here. It does not count. That leaves only Tuesday and Wednesday. Two days. And their count stands at two days as of this morning. I am certainly glad that Mama and I have all three days (whether they count or not) to get everything done before we leave. We need all that time.

Mama and I are going to be very busy as we continue to prepare for the trip. Today we are getting the paperwork sent to the title company in Lawton for the purchase of the house we bid on at auction in September. Mama will be contacting the bank to get the money transferred to the title company as I overnight the paperwork to them. Also, on the docket today, contacting Roger – our mechanic – to see if he is available to get some work done on the truck while we are out of the country; making some calls to see if we can get an additional bale of hay for the cattle wo they will not run out of feed while we are gone; finalizing arrangements with the Wycoff’s to make sure they know what is need of them at the farm. Saturday afternoon I set out the second of the last two bales of hay I bought, and they will eat their way through that one by the end of next week – if not sooner. Just about the time we are due to arrive home. So, it would be a good idea to have a bale on hand to set out in case that ends up how the timing works out. The less work I can put on our backup farmhands the better.

Tuesday, we have our Thanksgiving service at the church. So, Mama wants that afternoon for baking and preparing dishes for that meal. Our pastor is getting briskets and turkeys smoked for that celebration. That is always a highlight of the meal, but the rest of the church will provide all the fixings and desserts. I am not sure what Mama plans for our addition to the meal, but she will spend a major portion of the day Tuesday getting those items ready. Early on Tuesday Mama will have to go to Muenster to get feed. Like with the hay for the cows, we want to be sure we have enough to feed the animals in our absence and enough to continue to feed when we get back. The Wycoff’s will take over the farm chores on Thanksgiving Day. We do not want them to worry over whether they will have enough feed to make the ten days they will be covering for us.

Wednesday is our final packing day. We are pretty much ready right now, but we have reserved that evening to get the final packing done. Also, on Wednesday, Mama and I will run the truck to Bowie, so Roger can work on it – if we find out he is available to do so. Since our church service is on Tuesday night, we have all evening Wednesday to get ourselves prepared to make our run to the airport Thursday morning. So far, we have three bags to check. They each, miraculously, weigh under fifty pounds. Each of us will take a carry on and a personal item. All of which will be loaded to the max. Fortunately, those bags are not weighed.

Whether or not the days count in our grandchildren’s reckoning of time, Mama and I need each of them to get all our chores done.

Beginnings, portrait, party

I got an encrypted email last night containing the paperwork required for us to settle on the house we bought in Lawton. This is a first for me and Mama. It is a beginning. The great part of getting the paperwork is that we will be able to close on the property before we leave the country. Mama and I have been wondering how we would be able to work that out – and it turns out (as it usually does) that we did not have to worry. Mama and I will get the documents signed and the wire transfer made early next week. And the house will officially become our property. We will start the turnaround clock on 26^th of November. So far, I have resisted the temptation to buy another house, but there are so many opportunities that it is hard to watch the auctions go by without taking any action. Especially since our real estate agent got five houses at the last auction he attended. Just last week I got registered for Tax Deed sales in a dozen counties in Texas and I have started receiving the email notices about houses being auctioned off in two of those counties. So, it would seem that here will be plenty to keep Mama and I busy as we develop this into a full-time business. This first confirmed sale makes it feel more like a real business rather than an investment plan. As Glenn said to us after the auction when we actually won the bid on this house, “Here we go.”

Mama texted me a portrait of me that was drawn by 5-year-old Eliza. I do not know the occasion for the drawing; if it was a class assignment of just a fleeting moment of cognition. It is a drawing of me as song leader. As I lead the singing, I often watch the faces of the children and try to catch their eye. I look to see if they are struggling with reading the words to the hymn as we are singing and suggest help for those who seem lost on how to follow along. Those of us who are used to singing hymns do not realize that anyone completely new to a hymnal does not know to progress from stanza to stanza as we sing. Line by line. Verse by verse. They get lost trying to read the first block of text – which are the beginning lines to each verse. I enjoy leading the singing but often wonder if there is a better song leader in the congregation who has just not felt like stepping forward yet. Aliza’s simple drawing is a reminder that I am being watched. A reminder that I am an influence in the church. That is both very sweet and very humbling.

Mama is home today working on a cake for a birthday party this evening. Norman, Trace and Krystal’s oldest is the recipient of the party. She is trying to do a Star Wars theme. It will be interesting to see how it turns out. Neither Mama not I are artistically gifted. I should have a picture Monday – if I am allowed to take a picture. Regardless of how the presentation of the cake comes out, I am sure it will taste great. Norman is excited about the party but he is more excited about coming to the farm. A week or so ago, he volunteered to help clean the chicken coop. And he did a very good job when he was helping Mama.

I am going home for lunch today. Mama, along with preparing for the party, schedules a vet appointment for Champ – out tiny buckling. He is going to be emasculated at the appointment. Not a happy event for him, but it will allow me and Mama to keep him with his mommy and female cousins without the worry of inter breeding. Also, it will allow us to keep him for a longer time (age wise) than if he were left a buck. It will be an interesting lunchbreak.

When I told my coworkers why I could not join them for lunch, they enjoyed the mental image it conjured up in their minds. When I explained that, as a fainting goat, he would be easy to catch because eventually he will stiffen up and faint, they enjoyed that thought even more.

Class, Mama follow up

I taught class yesterday. It was a good class. Very diverse in expertise, experience and geography. We had clients from California, Oregon, Michigan, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. We had some local folks as well, but I do not remember such a widespread or far flung group attending in a single class before. The whole atmosphere of the class was great throughout the day. One of those rare pleasures of teaching in this industry. One particular gentleman was a Polish immigrant who had come to the US for college and decided to stay here. He was at or close to my age. His accent was so thick that I was required to restate the questions he asked – and he asked quite a few – so some in the class could follow the thought as I answered his question. He appeared to be used to the required English to English translation.

It reminded me of a time when I was working R&D in West Virginia. We had a delegation of Japanese engineers come to the plant for a series of trial runs for a catalyst they had developed. There were six in the party and they always entered the control room in the same order – most senior to most junior. It was the most junior engineer who was responsible to ask the questions of whoever was operating the reactor for them. It was our set of four days and the person we had on the console was the epitome of a West Virginia redneck. On Monday morning, the operator was asked a question by the speaker of the group and he very unabashedly said to the speaker, “I can’t understand a word you are saying.” That retort thoroughly embarrassed and confused the translator. So, I restated the question to the operator. “Oh”, he said, and proceeded to answer the question. We repeated the process for the next half hour only the question would be asked of me, I would repeat the same words (English to English) to the operator who would then answer the question. Clearly it was frustrating the entire delegation. They came back for reports on the operation several times that day and we repeated the process. When I reported to work on Tuesday morning, I was reassigned to the reactor the Japanese delegation was interested in. It came as no surprise to me, but the delegation was very obviously relieved to see me at the console when they entered that morning – especially the interpreter for the group. Oddly enough, the question and answer sessions lasted considerably longer.

Tuesday Mama and I went to McAlester, OK to see a surgeon there that specializes in knee replacements. He came highly recommended by Kim Cantrell’s dad – who had his knee replaced by this surgeon. We were warned that he was a very direct individual. Mama had been able to make the appointment unexpectedly soon – as far as scheduling a doctor’s appointment is concerned. She had planned to make the trip with Kim Cantrell to the appointment but that did not work out. So, I volunteered to take her. McAlester is three hours away, so it was an all-day trip including the visit with the doctor.

The surgeon had x-rays taken that afternoon so that he could get the views of the knee he required. We brought the MRI disks with us and he reviewed those as we talked. His opinion was that the replacement parts are in the right spots. The surgery looks like it was successful. Thought some doctors like to put the joint in tightly – which can affect movement – it did not appear to him that that was the case. However, assessing the external scar on Mama’s leg was a clear to him that she may be very heavily scarred internally. The surgery our doctor is suggesting, in this surgeon’s opinion, is a reasonable approach at this point in her recovery process. However, he cautioned her to quit allowing herself to avoid the pain – significant at times – or she would lose even the 80° of bend she now has. His expression was “blood, sweat and tears”. If she does not make herself endure the pain required to bend the joint on at least an hourly basis, she will not get the range of motion she wants. It is going to hurt. It is going to hurt badly. It is going to hurt for a long time. Enduring the pain is the key to succeeding in manipulating the joint. Mama is not fully on board with that prognosis. Hopefully, she will enlist in that self-determined program soon. Otherwise, we will see very poor results which will follow her the rest of her life.

Please pray for her.

Veteran’s Day, a leak, a saint, a baby

To all veterans and active military, first responders and law enforcement; Thank you for your service. Our world would not be the same without your service to us and your sacrifice for us.

I got the privilege of working on a waterline leak for most of the day Saturday. I noticed the leak on Thursday evening as I was feeding the cattle. So, I turned off the water to that hydrant (at the garden) which shut off the water to the chicken coop. That made it a challenge to get water to the chickens through the end of the week, but I could not allow the leak to continue. Mostly because it causes the well to run too much but also to contain the mess I would have to deal with when I started the repairs. It was cool Saturday so in most ways it was pleasant to be outside working. The digging, the bending the straining to separate the line and the straining to put new fittings in the line all took their toll on my back. The problem is that I have fixed this particular leak twice before. With that in mind, I went to the hardware store and bought the fittings to make a metal tee to replace the failed plastic tee. That required cutting the line to accommodate the new, larger tee.

During an afternoon break to attend a funeral, I bought upgraded band clamps to fit the line to the new fitting. All that effort and I was not able to fix the leak. What I realized too late in the day was that the plastic line was cold enough to stiffen it to the point that I could not tighten the clamps enough to compress it to the fitting – which allowed it to continue leaking. I ended up covering the exposed line with feed sacks and metal sheeting yesterday afternoon in the hope of keeping it from freezing during the next couple night when the forecast temperature it 25°F. For us at this time of year, that is very cold. I am not sure if the line will survive the cold without bursting, but on the good side, it is not filled with water – because it is leaking. That leak may actually save me from having to replace the exposed line. We will see Thursday or Friday how things fared. For now, I must wait until the temperatures rise to try again.

Saturday afternoon Mama and I went to a funeral for a saint from our church that passed away last Thursday. She was the mother of our pastor’s wife. Our pastor’s mother-in-law. She was a dear, dear person. She taught the 4 year-old Sunday School class until she was no longer able to do so; giving up her class at the age or 83. She continued to go soul winning and bus calling until the age or 88 and when she could not get about well enough to continue that, she started visiting in the nursing homes in our area. She continued that until she was 92. She died at the age of 95. She was always faithful to church; missing only when she was unable due to health issues. She was a joy to all who knew her. She finished her course in that joy and even out last memories of her will be fond ones. The church was full for the funeral. We could truly rejoice knowing a saint had gone home. She was one of those people who evidenced what a pleasure it is to live a life devoted to the Lord. She will be missed.

Last week also a baby was born to the daughter of one of the members of our church. That birth was a premature birth and the baby had some complications at birth. The mother and baby are still in the hospital as the doctors del with helping the child overcome those complications. Our pastor asked yesterday morning that all who would gather at the altar for a special time of prayer for the baby. He asked me to lead that prayer and I was happy to do so. Having just gone through the loss of Becky’s child, the anguish of such a moment is still fresh in my heart. Last night the pastor announced that the baby had taken a turn for the better. The doctors ware amazed at the sudden improvement. We, as a congregation, were amazed also. It is always wonderful when God answers prayer. It is wonderful to simple to know that he hears our prayers. We will continue to life the baby up in prayer, but for now the child appears to be on the road to recovery.

Whether He had healed or not, we need to realize we serve a great God.

Talking shop, holiday planning, Victoria

Mama called me yesterday afternoon to tell me that she had accepted a dinner invitation for that evening. It was spur of the moment, but I did not mind. We had the O’Conner family over to the farm several months ago and they have been talking about having us over to their house for several months now. It was a fun evening. They have been going to church with us for a couple years not and we enjoy talking with them when after services. Their younger two children sing in the choir and participate in all the youth activities. They, like us, have lived in multiple places in the United States and have a wealth of stories to tell and the sense of humor to present those tales in an enjoyable manner. The parents – who are just younger than me and Mama – are delightful people. Simple souls. Hard working and consciences. No pretense. Their children reflect that character.

We had a fun evening. Only their youngest daughter was there for the meal. She is graduating High School next year. Mama and I told anecdotal stories of our children and our travels and they reciprocated. We laughed a lot – at ourselves and each other. Mama and I left about 8:30, before the three older boys had gotten in from their work. Right most of the work they do requires an extensive amount of travel. The dad and mom of the family are looking for something else to do with their lives and monies, so we talked a good bit about the real estate business Mama and I are getting into. They were both very interested in partnering with us at some point in the near future. They would be an asset because of their extensive background in construction – especially roofing and siding. Just like the realtor we are working with in Lawton, experience provides insights into remodeling possibilities I cannot come up with on my own. We can use those insights as we pursue this business. Mama and I will have to get sharpened up on setting up such business deals in order to involve more people in the purchase and sale of real estate. This family, like the Burns family, would be great long-term partners.

Work continues to chug along as one issue after another resolves itself without any intervention on my part. I do at times feel shut out of things in which I could be an asset to my employer, but I manage to find enough to do day by day to participate in a productive flow in the overall workload. I tell myself they are withholding work assignments in order to allow me to stay close to home for Mama’s sake. And that may actually be the case. No one has said so, but I like to give them the benefit of the doubt. At work we are gearing up for the holidays. Parties and office gatherings are planned through the end of the year. Everyone seems excited about the festivities. I have to admit that the company goes all out to put on a Christmas party. Mama and I will probably attend this year since it is so early in the month of December. Actually, the party falls on the weekend after we return from Honduras. Mama and I are more focused on our trip to Honduras than on any local activities, but we will go along to get along.

Victoria was planning a trip to Brittany’s this weekend. She is off today and was intending on leaving this morning but when she came in last night, she as not sounding very good. She was not coughing but was hoarse and congested. I would imagine the trip is off, but she, Mama and Brittany will work that out amongst themselves. The twins are finally better. They went through a lengthy battle with fevers and congestion but seem to be on the mend right now. I am not sure Brittany would like to invite any potential infectant into the house that could interrupt the continued good health of the little ones. Especially since Victoria is really there to cuddle and smooch on the girls. It is not like she would look on from a safe distance as the twins went through their daily routine. If Victoria does not make this trip, we will see the girls over the Christmas holidays.

That just seems so long away to Mama and Victoria.