Thursday, January 31, 2013

Wednesday January 30th 2013

I have been off the computer for quite awhile.  I went in for surgery on Monday January 21st and I may have written about that but I can’t remember. Oh well, since then I have had a touch of the Texas Crud and just been feeling all my 69 years of age.  Didn’t stop me from tearing out our kitchen though.  I am going to put in a couple of pictures of the progress….

Starting date was Jan 23rd 2013…

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The above pictures were all on the same day and I will tell you by the end of the day I thought that I would drop.  I guess from the Texas Crud and the residual effects of the anesthetic and starting this morning at 8AM I guess I should be tired.  I was amazed though that we got all this done and if it hadn’t been for Joe and Don I definitely wouldn’t have gotten it done.

We had a chili supper tonight at the club house and it was excellent.  Mary and Joe put it on and it was great.

Next day Joe started putting down the tiles.  They are “peal and stick” and we are putting down glue to make sure they stick.  Made a mistake back home!

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They put the tile down in one day and it looks like a professional job.  I haven’t got the patience to do it and get it down as straight and neat as it looks now!

We took Sunday off and Monday I had Don help put the refrigerator back in it’s spot. The carpeting can go back into place and the dining table can go back where it belongs.  Our place is very small and with everything in the living room we don’t have much living space, empty kitchen!  Maybe I made a mistake, I think we started this venture on Friday, not sure but I think that it was on Friday January 25th and not on Wednesday.  I think I was still recuperating from the surgery.

Well, sometime this week we starting putting cabinets back in, not much for cabinets but they are going back in again…

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Joe is marking the sink hole.  We spent most of the day getting the cabinet front straight and cutting the hole for the sink.  We got the base cut and put back in then started cutting the cement board for the counter top.  Joe’s wife Mary, is going to tile the counters.  She loves doing that kind of stuff.  Mary, Cheryl and Linda will go pick up the tile so they will probably start on it this weekend.  The cement board does not cut good.  We don’t have the right cutting tools for it.  I have an appointment with the doctor this afternoon so on the way home we will stop and pick up some blades to cut cement.

The doctors visit was something else.  We got there early, I don’t like to be late.  My appointment was for 3:15PM and it was almost 6PM before I got to see him and during most of this time I was freezing.  I got my stitches out and we got to the car and turned on the heater.  We were both cold.  Stopped at Home Depot and I regret almost every time I go in there, they don’t have much help and seems the ones they do have don’t know much.  Lowe’s seems to be much better but I still prefer Menard’s.  We got what we needed and stopped at McDonald’s for a burger and headed home.  It was still warm in the house but it is supposed to get pretty cool tonight.  Well guess that covers part of the last eight or ten days… Night Y’all…

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Monday January 21st 2013

Well, I had the alarm set for 3:30AM but was awake so I got up a little early, took my shower and took Sparky out.  I figure we will have to leave around 4:15AM to get there by 5AM.  We made it in plenty of time.  Don was up and waiting so we got on the road a little early.  Not much traffic at that time of the morning and the parking lot was empty.

Got in and got my paperwork and also had to pay my deductible which really surprised me.  They said I would have to pay the 20% before surgery and it was $147.  I had myself all worked up thinking I would probably have to pay about $1500.  That was a nice surprise. 

Linda didn’t go with us, she shouldn’t be around people I guess and getting up that early and staying up probably wouldn’t be good for her.

They took me back to the prep area and Don went along.  Not sure if they thought we were a couple or not.  The doctor knew because he had met Linda.

I was first in line for surgery, well, second, but the lady before me needed an X-ray so I got in first.  It was kind of funny, I thought I was going to have a local but they put me out.  Woke up in recovery and I think Don was there but I was out of it for quite awhile. 

They got me a glass of water and then a cup of coffee.  I drank the water fine but the coffee I couldn’t drink, it just didn’t taste good.

On the drive home my mouth got dry so I had a mint and that tasted terrible.  Linda was up when I got home and I was supposed to have a prescription at Wal Mart so Don said he would take me down later.  I think it is supposed to be pain medicine.  Well, it doesn’t hurt.  Went for the prescription late though and they didn’t have it so I figure I will take ibuprofen for the pain if it starts hurting.

Felt strange most of the day.  Sometimes I felt great and other times I would get dizzy and sleepy.  I have been finding the things for the EKG that I guess they forgot to take off.  Found three of them so far.  Linda found the last one.

By evening I was feeling pretty good, went over to Don and Cheryl’s for a little while then came back and watched TV.  No pictures, haven’t even had the camera with me so maybe later I will start taking pictures again.

I am tired tonight so I will say…Night Y’all.

Sunday January 20th 2013

Linda is still under the weather so I went to church alone.  Pastor Adrian has some really good sermons.  Rosalie has a good Sunday School class also.

Stopped at Wal Mart on the way home for a few things.  We have a little supper going on Tuesday evening at the club house.   Mary is making chili and others are bringing desert.   Linda is going to make a pistachio pie and if she doesn’t feel good I am going to make a sour orange pie.  Doesn’t take much to fix one of them and they are pretty good.  Kind of tastes like orange cheese cake.

It has turned out to be a very nice day.  Getting up into the seventies and sunny.

I made some chicken noodle soup for Linda, well, I’m eating it to. It really isn’t soup, more like chicken and noodles but it tastes pretty good and might be good for both of us.

I am going to go to bed early tonight since I have to be up around 3;30AM to go to the hospital.  Can’t eat or drink after midnight either so guess I will sign of and say Night Y’all…

Saturday January 19th 2013

Not a lot going on today, Linda is still feeling bad so we will take it easy.

Most of the day was spent just relaxing and doing nothing.  Watched some TV….(I’m writing this on the 22nd and I can’t remember what we did)  I do know that our time is going fast here and it won’t be long before we will be heading home for the summer.  So far it has been pretty decent but still cool.  Not as cool as up north but still a little chilly!

Going to make this a short one so, Night Y’all…

Friday January 18th 2013

I am still waiting for a call from the hospital or Doctor Gillermo to go in for the paper work or whatever needs to be done.

It  is still cold out but the days have been warming up very nicely! 

Finally got the call so we went to the doctors office picked up the form and went to the hospital.  The hospital is really spread out and I didn’t have any idea where I was supposed to go so I went in the main part and they took me by golf cart to the building I was supposed to be in.  Not sure how long this would take but I guess it has to be done.

After the paperwork I had to wait quite awhile because I think they were at lunch.  I got blood work, and EKG and blood pressure, then they asked me all the same questions again about previous surgeries Etc.  Once I got started it didn’t take long, probably about a half hour. The EKG was really fast, I was surprised about that.

Linda waited in the car with Sparky.  It got pretty warm but I think they did OK.  To bad there wasn’t a place in the shade.  We went straight home and I think Linda went back to bed. She is still feeling under the weather.

I got a call from the hospital about the time I am supposed to be there.  I was surprised when they said 5AM.  That is pretty early but the doctor likes to get everything done early.  I think the surgery is supposed to be around 6 or 6:30AM.  The more I go through this the more apprehensive I get.  Not scared about the surgery but the bill I will get afterward.  For two small Cysts (Bren corrected my spelling, thanks Bren) I think it is going to be very expensive.  Seems like they are doing a lot more than is actually necessary.  Guess I will just have to be surprised.

Not much going on the rest of the day.  Don said he would take me to the hospital even at that hour of the morning.  I sure appreciate all they do for us.  I think I could probably drive but I’m not sure they are just going to give me a local anesthetic  or actually put me under, I think they are just going to surprise meSmile.

Going to take it easy the rest of the day, or night….Night Y’all…

Friday, January 18, 2013

Thursday January 17th 2013

Cold again this morning.  The furnace even came on this morning.  I think the temperature was around forty but it is supposed to warm up today.

I had to call Conn Furniture today, they were supposed to come and fix the oven but I guess they forgot.  They said they could come on Monday but they seem to have a hard time understanding that I have surgery Monday and we won’t be here.  They finally made it for Tuesday.

Linda is still hacking and coughing so I am sure she will stay in bed for most of the day.

I played games on the computer most of the day and that made the time go really fast.

I was surprised that it got really nice outside!  Almost made it to seventy  degrees!  It was almost eighty in here.  I had the stove going, I fixed some chicken breast, Linda seasoned it and made it into kind of a burrito.  WOW that was good!  I think I liked it better than the fajita stuff that she fixes and that is really good.

Got a picture of the sunset today, it is another beautiful sunset.  Seems like we get both sunrise and sunset a lot…

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I didn’t notice it when I took the picture but Linda says the cloud looks like a jet, can you find it???

Nice relaxing night tonight.   Night Y’all….

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Wednesday January 16th 2013

I go to the doctor today, Linda is sick, I figure I will go by myself but Linda got up and went with me.  I fixed her a cup of tea with cinnamon and honey and hopefully she will feel OK for the time we are gone.

I got to the doctor ahead of schedule so I turned in my paper work and paid my $50 for the visit.  This is getting expensive!  As we were sitting there waiting I checked the bank and the $50 has already been taken from our banking account!  It has only been about ten minutes.  They get there money fast!

The doctor said the cists will have to come off, they will just get infected   again.  I thought they would do it in the office but I have to go to the hospital and I can imagine what that is going to cost.  My guess will be that I will probably have to pay around $500, hopefully I will be pleasantly surprised and it will be less.

Linda is really not feeling well.  I will have to go to the hospital later this week to get tests done.  I think they are going overboard with this but I imagine they want to be covered all the way around and the insurance will pay for a lot and they want their part (plus?).

I fixed a sour orange pie.  Doesn’t sound good does it?  Well, I also made the crust and that wasn’t the best, I made it like a biscuit and it tasted good but not like a crust.  The filling was pretty good though.  I haven’t made one of these pies for probably twelve years and I couldn’t remember how to make it but it turned out pretty good, gave some to Don and Cheryl and they gave me a crust so with the left over filling I added a few ingredients and made another one.  I think it may be a little better with the graham cracker crust, definitely better that the one I made!

Linda has slept most of the day, I keep turning the heat up and tonight I have the temperature in here around seventy two degrees which for here is pretty warm and the furnace does run a lot.  I figure it will cost about forty or fifty dollars for heat this month if it doesn’t warm up. We are comfortable though.

I took a picture of a stick bug (Preying Mantis) the other day..

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I didn’t look real close at it but now I’m not sure which is the head.  Looks like the bottom has a mouth but the top has feelers!  Not a bug person for sure.

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Another beautiful sunrise, looks like a may have moved the camera a little!

Time to say Night Y’all…

Tuesday January 15th 2013

Well, it has been very cool and cloudy, got a little rain which is needed. I am glad I started the furnace, sure is nice to be warm!

I go to the doctor tomorrow to check on my cist.  It has shrunk a lot and doesn’t hurt anymore, I guess the antibiotic has done it’s job.  I have been covering it with  a band aide that has an antibiotic in it.  I think that has

helped also.

Well, I missed a paragraph here, Linda bought a new pair of boots and I am putting a picture in here of them, they are really pretty!

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I thought about getting a pair, not like those, but I just have a hard time spending money like that and I don’t even know if I would like them or not. I think I will wait, maybe someone will have a pair they don’t want.  My idea of spending money would be to buy a pair of good shoes with leather soles.  Oh well, I may end up with a pair sometime.  People say they are good for dancing, I wouldn’t know.

When we got home we, or Linda, went to bed and slept for awhile.  Her cough isn’t getting any better.

We stuck around home the rest of the day and tried to keep taking fluids.  The honey and cinnamon thing that LaVon had in her blog works.  I tried it and my cough went away and now I’m feeling pretty good!  I’ve been fixing it for Linda but so far she still has her cough.  We will keep trying and hopefully this won’t last to long.

Time to say Night Y’all….

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Monday January 14th 2012

Now I know I have a problem, well, it may be me but I can’t get the blog posted from here using my phone. I am actually using the campground internet which is almost unheard of because it really doesn’t work very good.

I am going to try to put a few things in here because I know that I’ve missed a bunch of days.  Kind of busy but I think most of it is procrastinatingSmile

I’m not real sure of what we have done the last few days.  I think Saturday we went with Don and Cheryl to Lowe’s to look at some stuff for the counter top.  Didn’t buy much except a couple of valves for the kitchen sink.   Got some ideas for the counter top and the floor, now all we have to do is get wood etc. and tear out all the floor and cabinets and do some repair work.  Maybe next week.

Charlie called and they are at Lake Pointe and we will try to go up to see them sometime soon.

Sunday was church, Linda didn’t go but the service was good.  We took it easy the rest of the day.  I know we did something else but I can’t remember what it was.

Monday was Peter Piper Pizza day.  There sure was a large crowd there today.  We also went to dance practice in the morning.  I think we are getting a little better, we didn’t fall down todaySmile.  We haven’t fallen down, yet, but Linda gets dizzy and I think if I let go of her she may fall down and that isn’t good.  There were a lot of people there today and during one of the breaks a lady was teaching another man the Cupid Shuffle which is a line dance, well, after the break he asked us not to line dance, I kind of think that was a reprimand!  The Cupid Shuffle is one of the most popular line dances down here because it is so easy and it really looks neat to see about two hundred people on the dance floor all dancing in lines the same way, love it!

Linda has been going to the  Ladies Happy Hour.   There are probably around eight or ten ladies that get together and just have a good time.  She will probably have it here one of these days.  Cindy is the one that gets it started and Daryl and Cindy will be staying a month this time.  I think this is probably the longest that they have stayed.  I could be wrong though.

Well, that is about all  I can remember.  My cist has shrunk considerably. I was a mess for awhile and kind of sore but by the time I go to the doctor on Wednesday is should be down to almost normal, if a cist can be normal.  I will be glad to be rid of them.

Time to say Night Y’all….

Friday January 11th 2013

Had to get up early this morning to get the breakfast started for the clubhouse.  Linda is going to make sausage gravy and I am going to make the biscuits.  We had a lot of problems with the oven, but I figured out the problem.  The service man is going to come back, sometime, and fix it but he doesn’t know yet what the problem is but should be an easy fix.

The breakfast went over quite well, I think there were twenty nine people there and we ran out of gravy and the biscuits weren’t the greatest but maybe next time they will be better.

We did the cleanup, with help, and went back home and we took a nap, well, with all the coughing, we tried.

We took it easy the rest of the day and tried to get our strength back.  Hopefully a good nights sleep will help!  Night Y’all..

Thursday January 10th 2013

OK I’m having a little problem with my computer or something, not sure what is going on.

I have gotten a tickle in my throat, doesn’t hurt but it is very aggravating! I think I will probably come down with the Texas Crud.  So far though I don’t feel to bad.

We went to Fiesta Village this morning for some dance lessons. It was interesting, different from the other lessons we have taken.  She is starting us on what I call Trail Dancing.  The one she taught us seems kind of easy.

We took it easy this afternoon and then tonight we are going to go to Mission Bell for the dance tonight.  They have a pretty good band and we get to dance quite a bit. We had a pretty good time.

It is about all for today, we have to fix breakfast tomorrow, so, Night Y’all…

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Wednesday January 9th 2013

OK I know that it has been a few days since I’ve written in the blog.  Not sure what I’ve been doing but the time sure is flying.  I was just thinking that we have been here almost two months now and our time is almost half gone!  Somewhere around the end of March we will be heading back.

I can’t remember much of what we did all those days so I will try to put in a few things.  I know we made a pot of chili and it was excellent.  We are starting to have a problem with our oven.  It lights but won’t stay lit.  I called the place where we bought it and they are going to send out a repairman Monday or Tuesday to look at it. Well, he came yesterday and he is going to have to come back, he couldn’t get it to work.  He wanted to say it was our problem but when he couldn’t get it to work either, well, he is going to get a couple of new parts and I can almost guarantee it won’t work then either, but I could be wrong.

We went to church Sunday, had a good service and then in the afternoon, or evening we went to a dance at a place called Riverside, it’s on the Rio Grande River.  We didn’t really care for the band or the dance hall but the outside was not bad looking, got a picture of Linda and the Rio Grande…..

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The river is a lot wider than I thought or remembered.  It isn’t a real clean river either.

Sparky found a new friend, Jasmine…

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Well, Sparky likes her, not sure she likes him very well.  This is Don and Cheryl’s cat.

Went to a jam (?) on Monday night.  A long time resident here and his son played.  His son, Billy, played lead for a group called Shenandoah and he is a good singer and a great guitar player…

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Billy’s father’s name is Bob and  I think he may have done a lot of entertaining.  They both have CDs, Linda bought a couple.

Let me see, I went to the doctor yesterday I think.  I have a cist on my throat that is infected so I go to a surgeon next Wednesday for a consultation and hopefully they can remove it on Thursday, it is getting kind of sore and ugly.  We are having a little trouble getting medicine but it isn’t because of the pharmacy, but the communication between the Dr and the pharmacy.  The doctor back in Sikeston won’t refill Linda’s prescription without seeing her, hum, she is a thousand miles away and he knew we were leaving and he did see her about two months before we left.  Oh well, probably have to see another doctor down here.

We took on another job here, we are going to make breakfast twice a month at the club house.  Shouldn’t be  to bad, there are seventeen signed up for it.  I am going to make the biscuits and Linda is going to make the gravy.  We had biscuits and gravy a couple of weeks ago and it was free so this time the will pay dearly for itSmile..  In two weeks we will have pancakes and sausage.

OK, I have probably missed a lot but at least I’m doing something now.

Oh, we went to a jam at the club house tonight.  Two guitars and a fiddle player.  Actually they were pretty good.  They sing the old songs, most of them I haven’t heard before but it was good, not a good turn out though.

Time to say Night Y’all…

Friday, January 4, 2013

Thursday January 3rd 2013

Well, I think it is about as cold as it gets this morning.  It must be in the high 30s or low forties and the wind is blowing and it is cloudy and rainy.

I saw Joe outside and went over to talk to him for a minute.  Bad news, he lost his electricity last night!  That is bad!  It is cold!  No heat!  He finally got ahold of Bob and there is a breaker box across the street and all he needed to do was reset it.  Voila!  Got electricity again!

Linda and I went to dance class this morning, had a good time and learned a few new things that we were doing wrong.

We went to Wal Mart after the lesson and picked up another blanket for the bed so we can stay warm at night.  I think it will help

I made cookies this afternoon.  Sure warms up the house with the oven going.  I made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.  Kind of a new recipe which I didn’t have all the stuff for it.  We didn’t bring any vanilla with us so I use a couple of scoops of ice cream, it’s vanilla!  I wasn’t impressed with the cookies, Linda said she likes them though so I guess it is OK.

We went to Mission Bell to dance tonight.  Joe and Mary went with us. Joe wasn’t feeling to good but perked up later.

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This is the bowl that Brenna got me for Christmas.  Nice big bowl but I think I may have cracked it.  I will use it as long as it stays together.

We got home around 10:30PM.  I am tired and need to go to bed.  Not much else to report for today so Night Y’all…

Wednesday January 2nd 2013

  Cold and rainy this morning, not a nice warm sunny day for sure.

I made Linda some Jalapeno bread this morning, didn’t turn out good at all. Not sure if I did something wrong or if the yeast wasn’t very good.  Tastes OK but sure didn’t rise!

Going over to help Dan again today.  Still have another desk to put together. I made a mistake on yesterday’s blog, we put a desk together yesterday and the day before we put together the entertainment center, I know everyone really cares about this but if I need to know I can look it up laterSmile.

We had a hard time putting the desk together. Should have been easier since we did one just like it yesterday, wrong, they do a really poor job of marking the different  pieces.  We have to measure and check each piece to see if it is the right one.  We usually have to take them off and put them somewhere else.  Oh well, we did get it done.  Linda was expecting me home early but didn’t happen.  Dan took me to lunch at Der Wiernerschnitsel. Not sure if that is how it is spelled but it was good.

Tonight is movie night!  We watched “Expendables Two”  It is an action movie with Stallone, Norris and a bunch of other heavies, actually it was pretty funny.  We enjoyed it.  We stayed until 9PM talking with Don and Cheryl.  It was a good evening.  We took Sparky over and he really enjoyed himself.  I think Don kind of likes him.  Sparky sure likes to go over there.

Well, not much else going on today so I will say Night Y’all.

January 1st 2013

Well I think I have the date right, better than yesterdays, had December 21st instead of the 31st, can’t believe I would do something like that.

Well we had a good time last night over at Don and Cheryl’s.  I don’t think I put a picture in but I will now.  We heard lots of fireworks last night. They really celebrate New Years with fireworks and “guns”.  Not to happy with the guns but this is South Texas.

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This is the group. In the back is Don, Joel, Joe and Mary, in the front Linda and Cheryl.  Had a lot of fun last night.

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Had us a feast of Subway sandwiches and a lot of other goodies, and of course, our Mexican Train game.

Well today I am helping Dan again.  He has two desks to put together.  When I got there they were unloading a truck and they got an entertainment center so we put that together.  I think that was today.  Took us a long time to get it done and it was really heavy, not very high, but very heavy.

I was a little late getting home, we had some problems getting it together.

Not much going on tonight, it is pretty chilly and our furnace doesn’t work, but it isn’t bad in here, we use a little ceramic heater that does a great job and looks like it doesn’t us a lot of electricity.

We are taking it easy tonight, watch a little TV and to bed…Night Y’all..

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Monday December 31st 2012

The last day of the year, tomorrow I will have to remember to write 2013, Probably take a month to remember it is a new year.

Dan asked me to help him again this morning so we took his truck over to his new place to unload it and as we pulled in the driveway, he just looked kind of, well, defeated, and I said don’t tell me you don’t have the keys, and he said I don’t have the keys.  We headed back to the park and when we got there he decided it was to late to run back over so we went for pizza.  We took our car because he had “stuff” in the back of his truck.

Had a good time at Peter Piper Pizza, not my favorite pizza but a good place to meet.

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There was a pretty good crowd there, probably 25 or 30, I didn’t count.

After lunch Dan and I went to the new place, with a key, and unloaded the truck and during this time an entertainment center was delivered.  Well, he decided that since it was already on the floor we may as well get it done and out of the way.  Turned out to be a very long process.  We finished it about 5:30PM and we were supposed to go over to Don and Cheryl’s at six. I hurried on home, Dan and Laurel are staying at there new place tonight.

I didn’t plan on staying to late at Don and Cheryl’s, I don’t mind missing the New Year coming in.  Well, we played Mexican Train and had a great time.  Jack and Mary were there and I did get a picture…

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I set the time and Don sat up the camera, he did a very good job, got us all in the picture!

Well, Jack didn’t want to stay until midnight either but we were having so much fun and the time went so fast it was 11:40PM and we didn’t realize the time had gone by so fast so we all made it until midnight and guess what?????  We played a complete game of Mexican Train.  I don’t think I have every played a complete game from double twelve down to double one!

Guess who won???  The scorekeeper!  Me!  No I didn’t cheat even though some may think I do that kind of thing Smile, I would never do anything like that.

Well, we broke up and went on home around 12:15AM New Years Day.  Time to get some sleep.  Linda stayed up, not me…Night Y’all….

Sunday December 30th 2012

It is !a very chilly day today, even Sparky didn’t want to get up!

Linda isn’t feeling well so she isn’t going to church.  I started a roast this morning and put it on low so we could eat at noon.

Church was good except that it was cold.  I had my heavy coat on and I about froze.  Don was just wearing a T-shirt!  Cheryl said she froze during the whole service as did a bunch of other people.

The roast was done when I got home, in fact a little over done.  Linda was still not feeling well so she went back to bed and I put some potatoes in the oven to bake.  When they were done I figured I would just let her sleep. When she got up we ate, I fixed some corn and had a salad with the roast, it really tasted good.

We pretty much took it easy the rest of the day.  I played games on the computer and watched a little TV and that was about it.  Exciting huh?

Guess that is about all, Night Y’all….