Back Home.....

My trip to NC was pleasant and my mother and I got a lot accomplished.......not necessarily what I'd intended to do, but things that needed to be done anyway.  It was a beautiful drive up.  When I took her home in March, we thought we'd missed the dogwoods, but they are now in full bloom along with the azaleas.  It really is a lovely time of year and all of the color made the trip enjoyable.

As soon as I got there on Tuesday, I got busy putting together a vacuum cleaner and replacing brackets for venetian blinds. Wednesday we ran errands and did some shopping.  Once home, I gave her a perm, which turned out pretty well as you can see.

Thursday was a doctor day.  We went to Albemarle for her eye appointment and this was the first time in months that she didn't have to have a shot in her eye.  The fluid/blood seems to have stopped or dried up.  She has an appointment in 6 weeks and if it stays as is, she will be dismissed for a longer period of time.

We then found the doctor she liked and signed up as a patient again.  When I took her records to Carolina Primary Care upon her return, they said Dr. Obiaja was no longer with them.  We then learned that he was still in town, just with another group.  So we did all of the paperwork to release records, sign up as a patient and then finally see him, which took most of the afternoon.  My mother has been having a sharp pain in her back so we had to go to the hospital for x-rays.  It took so long that we thought we were going to be late to greet my cousin and his wife (Larry & Mona), who were going to bring pizza for dinner.  We wound up having only about 30 minutes to collect ourselves before they arrived........but they were lifesavers as neither of us felt like dealing with dinner after the day we had.  It was nice to see them and catch up.

A little local lore.......one of the things we wanted to do was pick up a bottle of Red Oil.  Red Oil is an antiseptic formula that was developed  and used extensively in textile, furniture factories and the like......in a time long ago when industries and jobs flourished in this area, when we actually produced products instead of just smoke and mirrors.  It's used for healing and taking away the soreness of cuts, scrapes, etc. without the sting of something like alcohol.  It can be used on bug bites.....almost anything.  Read the history HERE.  What the story doesn't tell you is the colloquialism used to describe Red Oil, which is Jesus Oil.......so you know it must be good!!  Finding just the right term or phrase to describe an item or a situation seems to be a Southern "thang" and Jesus Oil has always been one that tickled my fancy.

The coming week is the feast part of my feast-or-famine social cycle.  There are several lunches scheduled, as well as my Living Liberally group and rabies clinics for my kitties.  Since I can only handle two kitties at a time, there will be several trips to get all three vaccinated......but it's a good deal and I'm happy to do it.  I've also volunteered at Palmetto Animal League and am going to have to work that in.  I've wanted to volunteer for something for a long time, but felt that my schedule was too unpredictable for me to be useful. But, I went to PAL to see if they could help rescue some animals for a shelter near my mother, since I was going up that way and could bring some animals back with me.  It was a very sad story when someone discovered that they were taking animals to the local dump or land fill, shooting them and covering them up.  The shelter is under investigation, but still intent on euthanizing the animals.  This time a vet is doing it and someone from the shelter put out a plea to other shelters who might have room for them.  As it turned out, PAL had already taken 4 of them and had no additional room.  So, that wasn't productive; but, I talked to the director and she was fine with my helping whenever I can. 

That's it for now.  Hope all is well where you are.

April: Bits and Pieces

My visit to Savannah was hardly over before the faux-Spring gave way to five days of cold, rainy, dark weather. It was good for "in house' activities, but not so good for walking or doing anything outside..This week we've gotten back into the 70s and low 80s, so it's good to be outside again.

Just saw a good Netflix movie - Get Low - with Robert Duvall and Sissy Spacek.  It was totally captivating and based on a true story.  As I watched it I wondered why it went unnoticed.......possibly because it was just an interesting human interest story (based on true events), with no guns (well, hardly any!), crashes, etc..  Movie preferences are very subjective and I'm sure it would not appeal to everyone, but if you like those actors, you will likely enjoy the story and the performances.

For my own peace of mind, I had to find the name of the "mystery bush" mentioned in the March 22nd post.  It's the Chinese Fringe, which should be easy to remember as the bloom actually looks like fringe.  I think that visual image will help me remember the name from this point forward (though it didn't the first time)!

Have been meaning to mention to Aramcons that Paula J., who lives in Spain, does great volunteer work with an animal rescue group.  You can check out their website HERE and, if you peruse the section of volunteers (The Team, Volunteers Photo Album), you will spot Paula, though you may have to look twice as she has short hair now.  I follow them (and my local Palmetto Animal League) on Facebook.  In Facebook lingo, I'm a "lurker".....following friends and groups, but rarely divulging my own doings (after all, if I did that, what would I write here!!).  To make it even easier, I have this handy, dandy app on Firefox that keeps me informed of all postings for "friends" and groups.  So I see so many beautiful, homeless animals that these groups rescue.  While it breaks my heart in one sense, it makes me especially appreciative of those like Paula you help make their lives easier.  Those who have had pets know the purity of their spirit and devotion......qualities that are hard to find in people.  Domesticated animals have given up the essence of their being to become our companions, and they love us unconditionally.......in the real sense of the term.  Again, something that you don't get from people.  Even most severely abused animals will trust people again if shown the slightest kindness. It's easy to see why some people are so devoted to their pets......and so difficult to understand how anyone could abuse them. 

Not a lot else to report.  Am off to NC on Tuesday and hoping to be back on Friday, assuming I find all in good shape there.  Keep your fingers crossed.

It All Seems to Happen at Once.....

It's been a couple of weeks of being on my own again and they've been very busy.  First, I've just tried to get the house back in shape and my routines back to "normal".  Some days have been busy and productive, others have been the opposite.  The highlight of it all was meeting up with Jan and her friends, Katie and Frank, in Savannah.  They were there only a couple of days and I met them on Saturday, their only full day in town.  I got up and out early and met them in the dining room as they were finishing breakfast.  From there, we walked every square in the historic district (22, I believe).  I've probably been to all of them at one time or another, but not all of them at once and on foot......but with my walking routine, I really enjoyed the casual pace.  The weather was perfect and both the pedestrian and automobile traffic was light......it was great.  We had a light lunch at Forsyth Park before walking back to the hotel.  Then, Katie and Frank headed for some shopping and Jan and I went for a glass of wine and some catch-up time.  Armacons know that there's no greater fun than getting up with another Aramcon!!  We then met up for an early dinner at Vic's on the River, after which I went home and they headed for Atlanta the following day. Our time was short but lots of fun and I'm glad they let me crash the day.  It was great to see Jan again and I enjoyed meeting Katie and Frank, who were delightful.  (I meant to ask the waitress at dinner to take a photo of all of us and I totally forgot.)

Lest you think all is calm, you have to know that my mother had no sooner gotten home than her cat bit her on the hand.  He is toxic and her hand became red, infected and swollen.  She wouldn't go to the doctor when I asked her....it was only after her neighbor called me and left a message on my phone that her hand was really bad and I should call her and tell her to go to the doctor - as though I hadn't already done that....or that she would listen to anything I might have to say.  Once I told her that Rob had called me, she did go to the doctor.  He then prescribed an antibiotic that I'd never heard of and it made her nauseous and gave her diarrhea.  So, when I called her on Sunday (after enjoying my day in Savannah with friends), I learned of the problem with the antibiotic!!  On Monday she called the doctor and he prescribed a different antibiotic....and did I mention that, in the meantime, her cat bit her on the other hand!!  God bless my cousin Bill and his wife Betty, who came by my mother's the weekend I took her home and visited her again today......as well as my cousin Dennis, who called us both over the last few weeks.  Their keeping tabs on my mother, especially, and me means a lot.  Bill and Betty stopped by my mother's today, brought her strawberries and chocolate cake, checked out her vacuum cleaner, and other things.....all of which means a great deal to us both.

As mentioned last time, a real treat of the previous weekend was the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden.  Below you will find my many photos depicting a delightful experience that happened in a very serendipitous way.  I had seen Mr Fryar on 60 Minutes and heard him on NPR several times.....and every time I pass through Bishopville on my way to my  mother's I think of trying to find his garden.  It so happened that the one time I actually had the opportunity to do it, there was a new sign (sponsored by Coke Cola) pointing the way.  It was a Sunday and I didn't want to be intrusive, but as the Fryars were returning from church they invited me to look around and take as many photos as I liked.  I was the only one there, so I savored the moment.  Mr. Fryar came out and chatted a bit, answered questions and so on.  When he purchased the property, it was a corn field.....nothing but corn. His first goal was to win the local "Yard of the Month", which he eventually did.....the first black person to do so.  He had a vision of what he wanted to do, but no topiary training or knowledge of what he could or couldn't do.  Many of the plants were nursery discards with which he worked magic.  The good news is that he is now getting recognition and support.  The Garden Conservancy is going to maintain his garden when he is no longer able to do so, and he now has an assistant or apprentice to help him.  So, it's one of those things that will be preserved, which is a good, but I think I saw it at the perfect time while Mr. Fryar is still the driving force. It was a treat to have some time with him. (One of the interesting features in the topiary garden is a bottle tree, which is occasionally still seen in these parts. Slaves from the Congo in Africa brought the idea of the traditional bottle trees – live trees with colored bottles on the ends of branches – into this country. Bottle trees protected homes from evil spirits by trapping spirits inside the bottle, where they could do no harm.  Recently, the bottle tree has seen new life as a tree-like metal structure with a steady base and branches, where colored bottles are placed.  Mr. Fryar used the traditional style.)

From Home and Garden online:
"Pearl Fryar just wanted to win a local yard contest when he began artfully trimming his bushes in 1984. He wound up creating a horticultural phenomenon.
As an amateur garden artist with no training, Pearl spent years crafting a stunning topiary garden, pruning his way to international fame. What started with a few plants became a 3-acre masterpiece that attracted visitors from all over and put his tiny hometown of Bishopville, South Carolina, on the map.
Pearl, now 70, has grown 400 species of plants and made 150 topiaries, many of which began as salvaged seedlings from a local nursery. He's also expanded beyond the confines of his own property, creating living sculptures all over Bishopville."

For a better description than I can give, see this short article.

Mr. Fryar has made a very positive statement in his community and has a foundation to provide educational opportunities for young people.  He shares his knowledge by teaching at various local colleges, writing for gardening magazines, and is a sought after inspirational speaker. 

From White to Red....

No, we're not talking wine, we're talking the color progression of spring. A few windy days "deflowered" the Bradford Pears and their white blossoms were blown away and replaced by tender, green leaves. Overnight, the street looked like there had been a light snow but, thank goodness, it was only the delicate blooms from the trees. So, the white of the Bradford Pear has been replaced by the "red" of the mystery bush, which is abundant in the neighborhood. My mother liked it so well that I found out what it was and bought her one........but I've since forgotten the name. It comes in all shapes and sizes, trimmed or untrimmed. It really is beautiful and I've enjoyed seeing it's many faces. I hope you enjoy it, too.

I made it back safely from NC and am sure both my mother and I are happy to be on our own for a while.  It may be a little too optimistic, but I felt better about leaving her, and her ability to cope, than I have in a long time.  There seemed to be improvement with her GERD after leaving off a glass of juice first thing in the morning!!  I've been after her for months to give it a try.  She did it one day while here, but when I took her home I made a special plea for her to try several things for one week, one of which was to leave off the juice.  In a couple of days, she was much better.  I'm sure she's surprised as anything I say is to be taken with a grain of salt at best, foolish at worst.  My standard line is that I'm a freak of nature.....the only person who has ever lived 64 years and learned nothing!!  Anyway, I'm glad she's better and I hope she can maintain and enjoy the summer.


The trip back was unusually pleasant.  It's March Madness so I listened to UNC play and defeat Washington.  UNC has a young team and they were so rough that  I couldn't stand to watch them at the start of the season.  Just as that game was ending, I arrived in Bishopville, SC, which is the home of the Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden.  Mr. Fryar has been covered on 60 Minutes as well as NPR on several occasions.  The garden is actually his (extended) yard, which he began in the 80s, with no topiary experience.  Many of the plants he salvaged from nursery throwaways.  In any case, I'd been meaning to find it but we always have a car load of kitties and it's never convenient.  This time there was actually a new sign pointing the way.  It was a Sunday so I didn't expect to be able to really view it, but as I was at the little information stand a car pulled up....it was Mr. & Mrs. Fryar returning from church.  I began to apologize for bothering them on a Sunday afternoon, when they invited me to pull my car into the driveway and look around, take as many photos as I liked.  So, I had the run of the garden.  After a little while, Mr. Fryar came out and chatted for a while, answered questions, etc.  It was a beautiful day and a totally enjoyable experience....the kind that just makes a day.  As you would expect, I have lots of photos......just not yet organized.  You'll see them as soon as they're ready.


Monday was a flurry of activity to get things back to normal.  Since one of my mother's cats sprays my house, I have to cover two sofas, take up all throw rugs, take plants off the floor (he eats them), and generally rearrange my house (as well as always have cleaning supplies at the ready).  Monday was devoted to putting the house back together.  Today I reseeded my front yard......at least I hope I have!  This isn't something I know anything about, but I did read up on it......if that counts.  It's the cheaper alternative to having it re-sodded, so keep your fingers crossed!  On both days I worked in a walk just to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather and time of year.....though everything does have a yellow tinge.

Spring is in the Air...

The Bradford Pear trees are providing the first burst of color of spring and the days are feeling much milder, in the 60s and 70s. It's great to be outside and I couldn't resist taking these photos on my neighborhood walk.

Things seem to have leveled out a bit, which didn't happen a minute too soon. That is not to imply that all is well with the world. With the horrible earthquake and tsunami in Japan, probable slaughter in Libya, and who knows what is happening in Bahrain and Egypt - haven't heard a word about them in ages. Our news media can only focus on the one event of the moment, everything else slides into oblivion. No wonder we, as a nation, can't deal with two concepts at the same time! I continue to tune in to Al Jazeera online as much as I can and found it interesting that Hillary Clinton complimented them, in a backhanded kind of way, by saying something to the affect that you may not like all they do but they are better than the rest!

Allan and I went to Japan once and I also stopped over on my own.  We had a wonderful time and the people were so generous and the culture so interesting.  Whatever the job, they were so devoted to doing it well that no stone was left unturned.  It got to the point that we thought twice before asking for anything because we didn't know the extent to which they would go to make it happen.  They are a gracious, strong people and they will recover from this devastation, but it is difficult to imagine what life is like for them at the moment. It's just heartbreaking to see and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

We are leaving Wednesday to take my mother back to NC.  If the truth be known, I think we are both dubious of it.  In any case, it is going to happen.  Tuesday I have several appointments and will be out of the house much of the day so Monday was our day to get organized for the trip.......but for some reason we undertook a huge yard project.  Well, when we started we didn't realize it would be so big, we were just going to "trim some low hanging branches".  The more we trimmed the more there was to trim....and we were rewarded by everything looking better and better.  So, hours later and four (4) car loads for debris to the dump, the job was complete.  That's the type of thing my mother enjoys doing and she was active all afternoon (though it's 9:30AM the following day and she's still in bed!).  The weather was so nice and the encouragement so motivating that I enjoyed it, scratches, sore muscles and all.

Today (Tuesday) has been busy and full.  I had a dental appointment that was surrounded by all of the things necessary to move my mother back to NC (setting up the cat crate in the car, packing her things, double checking that all is included, etc.).  It's now 8:30PM and all is done...except anything I need to do for myself!  That will happen as soon as I post this entry. 

My fun diversion was my Living Liberally group.  It was my friend Gayle's last meeting before her move, which was highlighted by our first gathering outside on the deck of the restaurant with a great view of the water and the sunset.....our first real "rite of Spring".  It was great, though bittersweet. We are losing another young person from our group and it's sad to see her go and to lose that enthusiasm and freshness.  My suggestion was that we institute a new policy that before the young ones from our group leave they have to provide a comparable replacement!  

More when I get back.....

What They Never Tell You......

My senior moments have become so frequent and there have been so many "balls in the air" that I've neglected to mention some of the other delights of growing older.  Then, I happened to run across a convenient list of what one can expect.  So, imagine that I'm David Letterman and here goes the "Top 7 Things Nobody Tells You About Aging"

• #7   Your Feet Are Gnarly  (Yep!)
• #6   Your Hands Are Veiny and Spotted   (Not too bad, but getting there)
• #5   Your Teeth Become More Prominent   (I just hope they don't fall out!.)
• #4   Your Nose and Ears Seem to Be Growing   (Oh, great.....Just what I need!!)
• #3   Your Eyebrows Become Sparse  (Unless I draw them on, you don't know I have them anyway.)
• #2   The Hair on Your Head Starts to Thin  (Don't even want to think about it)
• And last but not least, #1  You Start to See More Hair on Your Face  (Yikes!)

That brings me to chin hair, the second of which I recently tweezed from the side of my face.  The first one I just fobbed off as a "once in a lifetime" oddity.  With the second one, I'm wondering if I'm soon to have a future as the bearded lady with Barnum and Bailey!

As if that isn't frightening enough, I'm now a redhead!  Over the summer, the chemicals on my hair lightened up to a nice color, but over the winter the gray began to take over.  So, I finally decided to do my semi-annual "coloring".  The shade was advertised as "dark golden blond" - not so!  The color guide on the box is never accurate so I really wasn't expecting that, but I also wasn't expecting red! I haven't made my way in life based on my good looks so I really could care less. I just know that it's such a contrast to the underlying gray that it will look very messy as it grows out. Blond worked out well because the gray just kind of blended in. My mother likes it because it's close (without the red tones) to my "natural" color.....when I was much younger, but it's too strong for someone my age.

Can't believe I just spent that much time talking about hair color.....

So much for the trials and tribulations of growing old.  Let's talk about something really important - Charlie Sheen!

 

On a more serious note, Pamela in California sent some interesting and useful information on how to pump gasoline......useful tips for getting more for your money.  You can get the info HERE.