A Long Night

Hey, Y'all,

Sometimes you just have a long night to get through and last night was one of those. I watched one of my favorite television shows at 9 p.m. - "Monk" which is in its last season, and part of "Psych", and decided to turn it off when about 15 minutes were left. I knew I could catch it in reruns later.

Gramps has a bad cold and is still snorting and blowing his dripping nose, and I am trying very hard to keep from catching it. I gave him some cough depressant to help him sleep without being bothered with coughing. Well, apparently he was sleeping too well to wake up to use the bathroom, and we wound up changing his sweat pants that he sleeps in three times. I was changing his damp bed at about 3 a.m. this morning. Bless his heart. Consequently, I was sitting up for awhile after 3 and reading for awhile, because I just couldn't go back to sleep. The night time nurse said they would just do all our laundry including the sheets I had removed from the bed.

I finally went back to bed about 4 a.m. and got up about 6:20 and cleaned up and got dressed. I changed the huge band aid on my incision and cleaned it with the anti-bacterial wound care liquid and a sterile q-tip. It is looking good and very close to being closed.

The other day while on the front porch, I began talking with a gentleman and he told me he had driven over a million miles while he was a policeman in Morristown. I told him I have probably driven close to that in the forty three years I have been driving, with all the times I have driven to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Virginia, Arkansas, and a few other places, plus the driving to work and home and just around the local area. Then we began talking about swimming, and he told me he had been in the Navy Seabees during the Second World War and he had to be able to swim in order to serve there. He served in the Pacific Theatre of Operations and I told him my two oldest brothers had served in the Pacific as well. We had a very interesting conversation. I think he is in his 80's.

Another gentleman that I have talked with several times grew up in New Market, and graduated from New Market High School in 1946, just five years before I did, and of course, had the same teachers I had when I was going there. In fact, my two daughters had a couple of the same teachers when they went to Jefferson High School 15 -20 years later. Of course, the teachers were close to retirement when they had them.

I get an opportunity when I sit outside on the front porch to talk to the other residents here and hear some really interesting stories. Everyone here has a story to tell, you know, and I hope to hear a lot of them before we leave in three weeks.

I am reading a very interesting book, loaned to me by my friend, Phyllis, who came to visit me the other day. It is called "The Time Traveler's Wife" and a movie was made from it which has come out recently. I have not seen the movie and probably won't until I can rent it. We don't go to the movie theatre any more because of the expense.
Speaking of expenses, I have not even thought of the expenses I have incurred over the summer with hospitals and doctors. I have gotten a couple of statements, but no bills yet. GULP! ha.

One of the things that many of the residents here look forward to is mealtime, and I was thinking about how sad it is to only have mealtime to look forward to. Of course, they have other things to enjoy such as playing bingo, going places, and programs of music and church services and Bible study. However, I know there are some who do none or very few of those things. Many of the residents are only temporary for reasons of recovery from illness such as I am. We are thoroughly enjoying our time here at Terrace Estates and seem to be fitting in very well. We appreciate all the kindnesses and good care we are receiving while here. Someone, I don't know who, placed an Autumn decoration on our door. Thank you, whoever you are! How very thoughtful of you!

Well, this is about all for today. This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Love to all of you. Bye for now. More later.