MONDAY, MAY 04, 2009 - MOTHER'S DAY CAME EARLY

YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES, YES!!!

HOW MANY CAN REMEMBER NOT HAVING INSIDE PLUMBING?

WELL, FORTUNATELY, I CAN NOT REMEMBER THE LONG TRIPS OUT TO THE OUTHOUSE MYSELF!!

HOWEVER, I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER THAN ANY OTHER WOMAN ON THIS EARTH FOR THIS PART OF MY MOTHER'S DAY!! AND, YOU KNOW, I AM REALLY ONLY MOTHER TO MY "FURBABY", MIPREZIOUS DEE DEE MARKHAM II, AND TO MAXWELL AS HE NEEDS SOME ONE TO GIVE HIM DIRECTION IN HIS LIFE!! I TRULY DO NOT LIKE TO TALK ABOUT UNPLEASANT THINGS, SO LETS JUST SAY MAX SEEMS TO HAVE CROWNED ME "MAY QUEEN" FOR MOTHER'S DAY AND MY DAY OF TURNING OVER ANOTHER YEAR THE END OF THE MONTH!!

We had quite another "Episode", about two weeks ago, with the Doctor and my Oral Surgeon, both informing us again another area located in the roof of my mouth and the gum on the right side of my mouth looked "very suspicious", in addition to very bad looking shape, size and color!! And, as things just happened to work out the Surgeon suggested that due to my history of complications, my current health status, along with the 50 miles of travel difficulties, coupled with his strong "unsettling suspicions" that he was willing and hoped that I was willing and that I would agree to immediate emergency surgery!! He was also trying to get me to agree to signing an open Consent Form and give him full consent to leave the extent of this Surgery up to the Surgeon's discretion to to do what ever was necessary according to what he was discovering as he got into the procedure and could get a better vision and thoughts of what needed to be done!! Some how I just gave in and could have cared less, as I had been in excruciating pain since about 7:00 p.m. the evening before and it was going on 11:00 a.m. the following morning!! Max did not say much to me as they took me away to the Surgical Center, but I caught a glimpse of him tearing up!! This is very unusual for Max!!

I do not like to discuss unpleasant things, but I think a whole world of "B.S." hit Max at that very moment and it seems like he is actually trying to make up for a whole lot that can never be redone or "made up" for!! But, I think he is actually trying in many ways!!

I opted for anesthetic that kept me awake during the oral surgery this time as the Surgeon promised me it would not take a real long time and he swore I would feel nothing!! And, best of all, he promised no hospital this time!! And, although I would not have wanted to been awake for the original three hour plus surgery, this one had been "bearable"!! As we left the Surgical Center, Max stopped my wheelchair and asked if he could take me to "Hobby Lobby"!! Well, even half still out on drugs, I could not believe what I was hearing!! And, I told Max that no I did not care to go to "Hobby Lobby"!! Max said he wanted to do our "happy dance" all the way to the van!! However, that came to a very abrupt HALT, as I said I had heard of a new "Super Joann's and I did want to go there!! Max reluctantly agreed to go, but for not remembering a thing inside of that store I still managed to bring out $75 worth of things!! Max said I just told him want I wanted and then he said it was up to him to try and decifer what kind, which one and how much or how many!! It seems "we" did fairly well, as I simply had only wanted about one yard of braid and ended up with six different ones all the same color that amounted to six yards of it!! Only time will tell for sure with this!!

Max took me to the local town across the river annual Dutch Day's Celebration very early on Friday morning as he had to be in Iowa City later that afternoon. He also took me out to breakfast!! We had just enough time to get through the local Humane Society, from our own town, annual plant sale at this Dutch Day Celebration!! The gals were so glad to see us again they let us get an early look and first choice of all the plants. I think we got twelve at this booth!!

Max left for Iowa City with a friend with the promise from me that I would stay put in my stitching nest and not move unless a neighbor came over!! I was fine and like a teenager with the house finally left to me alone for the first time!! What does he think I did the seven months he was completely away? Dah!! Of course, he does not even want this remotely discussed!!

Max came home so excited and had a large package that he said was a gift for me!!

I opened it and it was a fancy fishing rod and reel. Oh yeah, Max this is for me, how can I thank you enough!! Well, after spotting a even much nicer, and top of the line, rod and reel in the kitchen, I suddenly realized why I had suddenly received a new fishing pole that I have not been near since before May, 2002!!

We had taken a ride Thursday evening, I believe, down south of town about 12 miles where we used to cabin all summer!! Our cabin was long gone and over a few years back!! But, it was nice to see the old grounds, etc. and see all the changes and things!! Eunice was with us and I did hear her say with her and Marion's trucks it would be no trouble at all, but had no idea what they had been discussing!! Thus, overall, I presumed we were going to start back fishing from some public banks and piers!! Eunice does have a fishing boat, but I absolutely will not go out on any small boats any more!!

Saturday came and Max and I actually went back across the river to Dutch Days again. I got dozens of more plants from a couple who sell from Nashua, Iowa. They were fantastic beauties. Then, I found a gold tea pot and tea cup set of wire pierced earrings as I was looking for some early style "chandelier" type earrings of just beads!! And, I got five new pair of my all time favorite "topless" shoes!! Eunice finally returned from another of her Chicago expeditions late today and I had to part with one pair for her, however, after reconnecting with the gal who sells them, I do not think I will have any trouble getting all I want from now on.

And, I have absolutely craved some home made taffy that had it origin here in Clinton. There is a family of sisters, all who never married, who all wear crazy hats all the time, have made it for years and took it on the road to fairs and different celebrations in surrounding areas!! You can mix or match, Vanilla, Black Walnut, Strawberry, Chocolate, Banana, Blueberry, Watermelon, Peppermint, Extreme Cinnamon, Butter Pecan, Anise Black Licorice, Apple or Raspberry!!

You can get a 65 piece box or a 180 piece family bucket. Again, it was a reconnection with the sisters!! And, they asked how many strawberry today? And, I had to say, could I have just one!! They looked at each other like I was talking "pig latin" or some thing!! I told them "NO teeth" and I had to be sure I could "gum" it!! All assured me I could, and immediately started packing up an extra large family bucket for me!! And, by the time, they had stuffed it to the brim, I had already devoured that first piece!! I spent the rest of the time on the grounds reaching in for one handful after another!! Finally, had to have one of those hand squeezed lemon lemonade shakeups as we found our way back to the car!! I had thought we would have been in and out so I had opted for my transport chair!! I could barely pry myself out of that darned thing and then when Max hit the lift it would turn in and out, but not come down at all!! I have always had that in the back of my mind as a possible happening and now that was no longer just a remote possibility!! Max has still done nothing about getting it fixed or even reading the trouble shooting tips in the instruction book as that is against his complete constitution!!

Until my shoulder went with the "calcified arithitis" I had incredible upper body strength, but I sure do not have it any longer!! It was a real challenge to crawl back into the van!!

Well, no one slept well here on Saturday night as I think we all had hit "the wall" of being so overly tired!! We had one of Eunice's Maintenance men scheduled to be at our home at 9:00 a.m. Sunday morning as he was going to try and do some thing about me continuing to fall off my "beloved" throne and hitting me head on the porcelain and steel tub edge!! Eunice was out of town and some how this guy just decided he could not make it here!! He also found he could not even call to tell us this until about noon and I believe it was Max who run him down at this time!! Thus, Max had taken me out for breakfast at 6:45 a.m. that morning and so now we were just sitting not knowing exactly what to do!! Thus, we concocketed a makeshift step into the van that got me in and out of it!! Thus, we took Miprezious out to do some drive through shopping at the bigger places that sold plants!! They overall were getting quite picked over and Mother's Day is not even here yet!! We are not like the big cities that get nice new shipments for this day!!

We ended up getting me my own little tiny wagon where I can put my personal little planting things as I always love to put single pots of annuals out among the white marble chips and maintain them all summer. With my new ramp, I can easily do this, especially with all my things rolling right behind me!! We ended up getting a whole lot more perrenials and annuals again!! I have mapped out a beautiful pie shaped piece of bare land that will make the most excellent rose garden to rebegin one again!! Max bought a chimchanga clay fire place!! He also says he is going to bring out all my fountain and pond things again and put them up under my picture window!! I have a huge, life sized, pink flamingo that flaps it wings and moves and is made up of hundreds of little pink LED lights!! I fear putting it out in the yard as I know the kids will have it marked the first night and it will be gone the first evening we forget to bring it inside!! Now, how to rearrange the living room just a bit to put this flamingo in the picture window some how!!

And, what better to end the perfect weekend, I received a call that we have got a special cabin down by the other cabins that people stay in all summer till early winter some times!! We have this cabin, which has a handicap ramp built right on it for the week of Memorial day and for the week of Labor Day!! Eunice is planning on going with us!! This should prove "interesting"!! There is a wonderful loft in this cabin, but it requires climbing straight up a wooden rung ladder!! I could not have done it in "my real good days" and do not have a prayer of it now!! However, given the appropriate incentive, Max and Eunice, I may learn to shimmy right up that darn ladder just for sanctuary if no other reason!!

It will be a whole lot of work, especially for that first week, but it will be so much fun again!! I can't wait to go and am practically marking the days off until it is time. Monday, May 26 and away we go!! I swear it is going to take several trips just to get our things all moved in and then out!! I always say, well at least there will always be less when we would be readying to go home year after year, but it seems like there is always tons more. Just my medical equipment will be an entire load by itself!! But, perhaps this is the place to open that Hooveround up and see if it really can go 40 MPH as the delivery man tried to tell me!! Cabin people seem to drink around the camp fire each night and get stupid!! I should easily be able to find a fine volunteer!!

But, I am sure you are all thinking what is this toilet pictured at the top of this Blog!! IT IS MY TOILET!! MY ADA APPROVED OFFICIAL TOILET!! NO MORE FALLS FROM THE THRONE FOR ME!! NO MORE HAND RAILS AND/OR SEAT BELTS!! THIS IS A HAPPY, HAPPY WOMAN WITH THE BEST MOTHER'S DAY GIFT EVER!! I now can appreciate what it felt like to have the first indoor plumbing some what!! This just can not last, but I think Max is re-creating the "12 Days of Christmas" as well as Christmas Eve and Christmas Day he "missed"!!

I am not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I do know what Wednesday is going to bring!! I got a long awaited telephone call today that informed me confirmation of the next SAL that Kathy and I are doing!! We decided NO previews on this one and we both should be finished at the same time on this one!! I think every one will agree these will be the cutest and most unique yet!!

I needed a "teeny, tiny, and little" break from my secret project!! Thus, I have spent the last two evenings on just one of the 25 stitches by 25 stitches squares of the Just Nan "Floral Fifteen"!! I can not get even a good start!! I swear the linen is the very worst I have ever seen, but then I am no expert by any means!! Kathy keeps telling me to reorder the linen and it will fall into place, but you all no my "never say never" philosophy!! Of course, how many have ever remotely even seen my "Nature's Gifts To Us"? I found this in the ruins of "That Room" while trying to get more magazines pulled from that room!! As far as I can find this piece is from 1982!! It is stitched well, and just needs a single butterfly in that bottom left empty box, but I can not stand to even look at it!!

I am truly looking forward to the rest of my week!! I have been so frustrated with each day for day's now, but when I put it all into perspective, I really have nothing, but blessings, especially that 2003 Model Home Depot ADA Approved Elongated Toilet!!

But, there is a down side!! Just to get Eunice's gander up, her Maintainance Man and Max put the old toilet out facing her property and are planting it up with her favorite flowers!! Looks like Eunice and I both have some target shooting to accomplish this week also!!

Love and Hugs!!

Deborah