NANCY'S SURGERY
Today we got up at 3:30 to be at the hospital at 5:30 to be first in surgery. Nancy's son John and his wife Carol drove us in their van. Due to a goof they rescheduled her for 10 a.m. surgery and she was complete by noon. Her doctor said that she did as well as with her first hip surgery but had two anaesthesia procedures so she is still very groggy. Like last time she had some nausea problems. The nurse gave her a shot that took care of the nausea and made her very sleepy. Her daughter, Vicky drove me home and when we left at 7 she was sleeping.
We had a good relaxing day yesterday started with coffee and donuts with the Hightowers, did a little last minute shopping at Walmart and ate at an excellent chinese buffet, the China Cafe in Granbury. We got a good nap before checking our email. John and Carol came in from Oklahoma and hadn't eaten so we went to Montana's for a late night repast. Nancy and I split an appetizer to keep them company and got a good night's sleep. I got a new cell phone Tuesday and used it for the alarm clock. I think we both woke about every hour wondering if the alarm would work. It has been a long day but I feel pretty good.
Kathy called on my way home to tell me to turn on the TV to watch A&M play my alma mater, OSU. I am watching that as I try to review my email.
Thanks to everyone for their prayers for the successful surgery.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
TRIP TO STRAWN
Friday we spent the morning visiting Nancy's doctor's office and the hospital to get ready for her hip replacement surgery September 30. We got finished about 11:45 and drove to Strawn, TX to eat at Mary's Cafe. I had heard about this legendary restaurant for years. A couple in our SS class ate there recently and we said we were going to see it. We got there about 1 and it was crowded. People were leaving and more coming in. We found a table way back in the building. The waitresses were very effecient and the menu was a lot more than I expected. I had always heard about their chicken-fried steaks and we ordered the small ones.
There were a lot of people eating a lot of food. Almost everyone did like us and took food home in a carry-out box. We drove through a heavy rain between Ranger and Eastland, but it was clear in Cisco where we bought some groceries.
Last night I woke about 4 a.m. and heard the rain falling. Then when we got up it was still raining. We had rain until 10 when I went to the mail box. My electronic gauge said 2 inches but my large rain gauge had 2.5" in it. What made my day was the water was running through the creek. I have been waiting all year to see that.
We planned to mow today but I needed to spend the day working on the September Flame and finally got it printed this evening. Monday is the day to mow and the grass is growing due to all the rain.
Friday we spent the morning visiting Nancy's doctor's office and the hospital to get ready for her hip replacement surgery September 30. We got finished about 11:45 and drove to Strawn, TX to eat at Mary's Cafe. I had heard about this legendary restaurant for years. A couple in our SS class ate there recently and we said we were going to see it. We got there about 1 and it was crowded. People were leaving and more coming in. We found a table way back in the building. The waitresses were very effecient and the menu was a lot more than I expected. I had always heard about their chicken-fried steaks and we ordered the small ones.
There were a lot of people eating a lot of food. Almost everyone did like us and took food home in a carry-out box. We drove through a heavy rain between Ranger and Eastland, but it was clear in Cisco where we bought some groceries.
Last night I woke about 4 a.m. and heard the rain falling. Then when we got up it was still raining. We had rain until 10 when I went to the mail box. My electronic gauge said 2 inches but my large rain gauge had 2.5" in it. What made my day was the water was running through the creek. I have been waiting all year to see that.
We planned to mow today but I needed to spend the day working on the September Flame and finally got it printed this evening. Monday is the day to mow and the grass is growing due to all the rain.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
FIVE DOLLAR BILL
I went to my barber Tuesday and told him I wanted my beard to look like the face on the five dollar bill. He took one out and looked at while he trimmed away my mustace and hair on my lower lip. So now I feel a lot better and my daughter will probably approve. I should look a little younger in her eyes. The down side was that this morning for the first time in three months I had to use my razor. Someone came into the barbershop and told me I needed to buy a black high hat. That may be going a little too far.
I went to my barber Tuesday and told him I wanted my beard to look like the face on the five dollar bill. He took one out and looked at while he trimmed away my mustace and hair on my lower lip. So now I feel a lot better and my daughter will probably approve. I should look a little younger in her eyes. The down side was that this morning for the first time in three months I had to use my razor. Someone came into the barbershop and told me I needed to buy a black high hat. That may be going a little too far.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
BEARD DISGUISE
After I posted the blog on my birthday I received a call from my #1 grandson, Jim, wishing me a happy birthday.
Sunday we decided to attend the First United Methodist Church in Granbury where my friend of 52 years, Chuck Herndon, is a member. After church I walked up to him and he had no idea who was behind the beard. His wife, Pat, did recognize me. I introduced them to Nancy. They are going on a mission trip for the church to New Mexico next week. They go every year. They invited us to the church hamburger dinner, but we had already decided to drive to New York Hill Restruant. Their special was a 12 oz rib eye like we had the day before in Salado. We split another one and added 10 grilled shrimp that we split. I am going to have to diet this week. My rain gauges had over 3 inches of rain in them. The lawn looks great.
Monday I went to the Library Board meeting to hear about one of our Cross Plains friends who had a seizure Saturday, but was in good shape Sunday and wanted to go back to work Monday. They did say she couldn't drive a car for 6 months. We also were told about a gift from the estate of one of our board members of a complete collection of Hummel figurines and plates. We will try to price them so that we can help the Library the most. If anyone is interested call the Library.
Monday afternoon we drove to Abilene where I signed the contract for the tombstone. We then shopped for a new kitchen faucet to replace the one that is dripping. Nancy had me add an instant hot water faucet like she has at Granbury so that she can get an instant cup of tea. Now all I have to do is get them installed. Lydia came to clean and cleaned out the stuff under the sink so that we can get it done.
Today I went to Kiwanis and the Sears repairman came to the house and cleaned out the plugged drain line so it ought to work for another 30 years. He also put a screw in the handle on the fridge in the Halsell House so every thing is cool. We drove back to Granbury this afternoon.
After I posted the blog on my birthday I received a call from my #1 grandson, Jim, wishing me a happy birthday.
Sunday we decided to attend the First United Methodist Church in Granbury where my friend of 52 years, Chuck Herndon, is a member. After church I walked up to him and he had no idea who was behind the beard. His wife, Pat, did recognize me. I introduced them to Nancy. They are going on a mission trip for the church to New Mexico next week. They go every year. They invited us to the church hamburger dinner, but we had already decided to drive to New York Hill Restruant. Their special was a 12 oz rib eye like we had the day before in Salado. We split another one and added 10 grilled shrimp that we split. I am going to have to diet this week. My rain gauges had over 3 inches of rain in them. The lawn looks great.
Monday I went to the Library Board meeting to hear about one of our Cross Plains friends who had a seizure Saturday, but was in good shape Sunday and wanted to go back to work Monday. They did say she couldn't drive a car for 6 months. We also were told about a gift from the estate of one of our board members of a complete collection of Hummel figurines and plates. We will try to price them so that we can help the Library the most. If anyone is interested call the Library.
Monday afternoon we drove to Abilene where I signed the contract for the tombstone. We then shopped for a new kitchen faucet to replace the one that is dripping. Nancy had me add an instant hot water faucet like she has at Granbury so that she can get an instant cup of tea. Now all I have to do is get them installed. Lydia came to clean and cleaned out the stuff under the sink so that we can get it done.
Today I went to Kiwanis and the Sears repairman came to the house and cleaned out the plugged drain line so it ought to work for another 30 years. He also put a screw in the handle on the fridge in the Halsell House so every thing is cool. We drove back to Granbury this afternoon.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
GREAT BIRTHDAY
Today has been a great birthday. I have spent the week in Granbury. Thursday Nancy and I were treated to lunch at the Fire Oak Grill in Weatherford by two people from UT-Arlington. Dr. Larry Chonko, who is a chair professor of Business Ethics, and Julie Brown who is a fund-raiser for UTA Business College met with us to explain the new course they are creating for Freshmen business students to introduce them to business planning and ethics in business. They will have the students divide into teams to prepare a business plan for some area that they have some knowledge about. They will present a written proposal that will be sent to business people to evaluate. The business consultants then will come to campus for an oral presentation and to evaluate the students work from a business perspective with their feedback. This is the type of program that I used at A&M for the capstone design course in Aero and the design courses I taught in graduate interdisciplinary classes. They want to recruit a couple of hundred business people to assist. They may even invite us after our meeting, or not.
We left from there to drive to Salado where Nancy had reserved a room for us to celebrate my birthday by having dinner today at the famous Stagecoach Inn. When we got there Thursday night we discovered that all of Bell County had suffered a devastating flash flood with Salado being especially hard hit. Over 65 homes were flooded and the hotel was full with persons escaping from the their homes. We drove across the river and saw the trees that had been uprooted and devastation all along the bank. However the little mermaid statue was still there but the park around it was gone. Water had gotten into the basement level of the Inn and knocked out their ice cream machine and some other equipment.
We spent the three days looking at the shops in Salado and buying very little, but Nancy bought me a map of Callahan County from a shop that had a lot of old maps. Then today she bought a picture frame to put it in. At the Stagecoach Inn for lunch we really enjoyed splitting a 12 oz. rib-eye steak capped by a chocolate pecan pie with a dip of ice cream with chocolate-cherry syrup with one candle burning in the middle of the pie. One great meal.
I got my usual birthday phone calls. First this morning Val called from College Station where she and Vanessa are going to use Kathy and Keith's football tickets for the game tonight. K and K are having the grand opening of a new location for Window World in Austin and couldn't make the game. Kathy called me and Mark called later after we got back to Granbury. This morning my brother Walt called from Marietta, GA. I told him about Nancy talking me into walking shorts and sandals. He said he had done that 5 years ago. I asked him if he had a beard like mine and he said no that he had shaved his head. I haven't gone that far yet. My bother Robert called both yesterday and today he called while I was driving. He was a highway engineer in charge of safety and when I told him I was driving he said he would call back later because he didn't want me to use my cell phone while driving. I got some nice email greetings and will probably have a bunch of cards since I haven't read my mail this week. We are planning to attend the Granbury Methodist Church tomorrow on our way back to CP.
I have losing another battle with raccoons here in Granbury. I bought a squirrel-proof bird feeder for Nancy's back yard and it has been knocked off of the holder three times now. Once they drug it back into the woods. I haven't seen the coon but know that the squirrels didn't do it. Nancy also has a fox in her back yard. It is more silver colored than the ones at my house. At home the other day I saw an unusual event when there were 5 hummingbirds all drinking together at the feeder in the back. Normally no more than one can feed. They must have been all family.
I am looking forward to seeing how much rain registered at home. Nancy had 4 inches Thursday morning and another inch when we got back today. I looked at the radar and it is raining south of Cross Plains tonight and may move my way. We will see.
I am also looking forward to hearing the stories from the five women in our church at CP who went to Glenn Beck's Honor Day celebration 8/28 in Washington. Three were in my SS class. Mark gave me Beck's latest book The Overton Window for my birthday and I finished it in Salado. It is a novel a lot like a Clancy novel but really scary because it could very possible considering the current events in our country. Like Beck says he hopes that it won't happen. He didn't say that God could change things but that is my only hope. I started another book that really looks good called Ultimate Proof of Creation. It explains how both evolutionists and creationists can look at the same scientific data and come to different conclusions due to their starting world views. I am looking forward to reading it.
Today has been a great birthday. I have spent the week in Granbury. Thursday Nancy and I were treated to lunch at the Fire Oak Grill in Weatherford by two people from UT-Arlington. Dr. Larry Chonko, who is a chair professor of Business Ethics, and Julie Brown who is a fund-raiser for UTA Business College met with us to explain the new course they are creating for Freshmen business students to introduce them to business planning and ethics in business. They will have the students divide into teams to prepare a business plan for some area that they have some knowledge about. They will present a written proposal that will be sent to business people to evaluate. The business consultants then will come to campus for an oral presentation and to evaluate the students work from a business perspective with their feedback. This is the type of program that I used at A&M for the capstone design course in Aero and the design courses I taught in graduate interdisciplinary classes. They want to recruit a couple of hundred business people to assist. They may even invite us after our meeting, or not.
We left from there to drive to Salado where Nancy had reserved a room for us to celebrate my birthday by having dinner today at the famous Stagecoach Inn. When we got there Thursday night we discovered that all of Bell County had suffered a devastating flash flood with Salado being especially hard hit. Over 65 homes were flooded and the hotel was full with persons escaping from the their homes. We drove across the river and saw the trees that had been uprooted and devastation all along the bank. However the little mermaid statue was still there but the park around it was gone. Water had gotten into the basement level of the Inn and knocked out their ice cream machine and some other equipment.
We spent the three days looking at the shops in Salado and buying very little, but Nancy bought me a map of Callahan County from a shop that had a lot of old maps. Then today she bought a picture frame to put it in. At the Stagecoach Inn for lunch we really enjoyed splitting a 12 oz. rib-eye steak capped by a chocolate pecan pie with a dip of ice cream with chocolate-cherry syrup with one candle burning in the middle of the pie. One great meal.
I got my usual birthday phone calls. First this morning Val called from College Station where she and Vanessa are going to use Kathy and Keith's football tickets for the game tonight. K and K are having the grand opening of a new location for Window World in Austin and couldn't make the game. Kathy called me and Mark called later after we got back to Granbury. This morning my brother Walt called from Marietta, GA. I told him about Nancy talking me into walking shorts and sandals. He said he had done that 5 years ago. I asked him if he had a beard like mine and he said no that he had shaved his head. I haven't gone that far yet. My bother Robert called both yesterday and today he called while I was driving. He was a highway engineer in charge of safety and when I told him I was driving he said he would call back later because he didn't want me to use my cell phone while driving. I got some nice email greetings and will probably have a bunch of cards since I haven't read my mail this week. We are planning to attend the Granbury Methodist Church tomorrow on our way back to CP.
I have losing another battle with raccoons here in Granbury. I bought a squirrel-proof bird feeder for Nancy's back yard and it has been knocked off of the holder three times now. Once they drug it back into the woods. I haven't seen the coon but know that the squirrels didn't do it. Nancy also has a fox in her back yard. It is more silver colored than the ones at my house. At home the other day I saw an unusual event when there were 5 hummingbirds all drinking together at the feeder in the back. Normally no more than one can feed. They must have been all family.
I am looking forward to seeing how much rain registered at home. Nancy had 4 inches Thursday morning and another inch when we got back today. I looked at the radar and it is raining south of Cross Plains tonight and may move my way. We will see.
I am also looking forward to hearing the stories from the five women in our church at CP who went to Glenn Beck's Honor Day celebration 8/28 in Washington. Three were in my SS class. Mark gave me Beck's latest book The Overton Window for my birthday and I finished it in Salado. It is a novel a lot like a Clancy novel but really scary because it could very possible considering the current events in our country. Like Beck says he hopes that it won't happen. He didn't say that God could change things but that is my only hope. I started another book that really looks good called Ultimate Proof of Creation. It explains how both evolutionists and creationists can look at the same scientific data and come to different conclusions due to their starting world views. I am looking forward to reading it.
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