Farewell to a dear friend

Since before Betty and I were married, we have come to this beautiful little house to visit her parents.  We have many wonderful memories associated with the house, with the people who live here and with the magnificent landscape.

One summer, Popo had an ongoing battle going with the racoons trying to raid the bird feeder outside the kitchen window.  He wrapped the pole with an innertube dressed with sharp nails.  The critters just used Popo's invention as a ladder.  He tried a number of things that did not work, but he finally succeeded when he put an inverted cone of sheet metal with sharp cuts along the edge.  That worked. 
 

Popo decided that he could no longer live here alone. Reluctantly, he made arrangements to sell his little home in the canon and come live with Betty and I.  The buyer has graciously invited us to come up from time to time and see the changes that are being made.
 
It has been exciting to see the house updated and fixed up, but it has been really hard on Popo.  The familiar little home that he as lived in for the last forty eight years has lost it's familiarity.  It has hurt him to lose the little nooks and crannies that have been home to him.

The house is now ready to be rented and today we took a final tour. 

Many years ago, a relative covered the old stone fireplace with a paneling facade.  The facade was neither plumb nor square, nor was the gas fireplace.  It was installed without an effort to make it square since the facade was so crooked.  The fireplace is now level and it has a new face.  Slate tiles that form a nice square fireplace and hearth adorn the living room.

Popo was proud of the old gold carpet that had been installed forty years earlier.  The floor is now laminate and is beautiful.  The window coverings have been brought up to date.

The kitchen had kitchen carpeting.  It was beginning to break down and was hard to keep clean.  The kitchen now has a new tile flashing and new tile floors.

The kitchen stove was added when Grace was alive, but the oven never worked correctly.  The stove now works correctly and is ready for someone to make some Christmas cookies.

The master bedroom has had some changes.  The floor of the master bedroom is the original floor, but has been finished.

The windows in this room were tiny and cold.  They have been replaced with modern windows that make the room warmer.

This is probably the two rooms that have seen the most change.  The logs in this room were the original cabin.  On one side was Grace's utility room and the dryer.  Both the washer and the dryer are now in the bathroom.  The supports in this new room are aspens that the buyer worked into supports.  I like the change in this room.


Although I like the changes that have been made to Popo's old home, I can understand the pain that he feels.  It's not his any more and we cannot go back to visit.  I suppose that's the way life is.  Changes happen and we can never go back.   We have to look forward toward tomorrow.

Cranky Old Man

What do you see nurses? 
What do you see?
What are you thinking 
When you're looking at me?

A cranky old man, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit with faraway eyes
Who dribbles his food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"

Who seems not to notice the things that you do.
And forever is losing a sock or shoe?
Who, resisting or not lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse. You're not looking at me.
I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
 
I'm a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters who love one another.
A young boy of Sixteen with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now a lover he'll meet.

A groom soon at twenty my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows  that I promised to keep.
At twenty-five, now  I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
 
A man of thirty my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.
At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my woman is beside me to see I don't mourn.

At fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children, my loved one and me.
 
Dark days are upon me, my wife is now dead.
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own.
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man and nature is cruel.
It's jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass, a young man still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys.  I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years, all too few gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people open and see
Not a cranky old man! Look closer see me!!

Anonymous

The Waldo Canon Fire

The Waldo Canon fire is burning near where we live.  Waldo Canon is a very popular site for local hikers.  We have watched the fire grow from 150 acres to 2500.  It went from a single, impressive column of smoke to a horizon filled with flames and smoke.

As the evacuations were announced.  Cedar Heights was the first evacuation.  It's to the west of us and although we can see it from our home it seemed to be a ways away.  The next set of evacuations included the street we live and I went into a panic.  We scurried around gathering things and headed to my Father in law's home.  He lives in a wooded canon about five miles from our house.  As we listened to the news more closely, we felt that it would be safe to return home as the evacuation area is north of where we live. 

We are safe at home, and have a new perspective.  An experience like this makes me realize that we need to be better prepared for emergencies.  We need to have our 72 hour kit ready and where we can grab it quickly.  We also need to have a better plan for preparing to leave our home in an emergency.

We are unsure of what the next few days will bring, but we now have a plan in place can rest better.

An Opportunity to Serve

 When Betty's dad came out of the hospital this last time, he came to our home because he was so weak.  We're in the process of moving over and making room for his things.

I've watched family members care for loved ones, but I am seeing this with a new pair of eyes.  Mom cared for Ward for the years that they were together.  She did that faithfully.  I also admire Don and Gloria for their care of Gloria's mother.   More recently, I watched as David cared for Marti. They have been good examples for me to follow.

Although I love my father-in-law, I have felt overwhelmed at the changes that will need to take place in our lifestyle.  One of the big changes for me has been the change in our television viewing.  It has gone from excessive to almost none.  That might be a good change.  I think I've always been like some other members of my family.  I enjoy going all the time.   Since he has come to stay with us, I haven't been out of the house even one time.  That is a hard one for me. 

We've had a lot of people coming and visiting.  That has been nice, and it has been difficult.  It's always good to see old friends, the it would be nicer under different circumstances.  Pete's voice comes and goes so it has been difficult for him to carry on a conversation.  It's also been a bit difficult because we have been in the process of reconfiguring things to match our new situation.

I was really grateful when my friend Joe came over and taught Betty and I to lift and turn Dad correctly so that we don't hurt ourselves.  I am also grateful for his wife, Wendy who took time with Betty to help her understand things that we need to do to care for him and for ourselves as we experience a new challenge.

Pete and the Gray Mare

Pete, Thelma and Kenyon were on their way to school in the Mormon colonies in northern Mexico.  Thelma was the youngest.  She was in first grade,  Pete was in second grade and Kenyon was in the third grade.  The were traveling in a buggy pulled by the old gray mare.  They started to cross a deep ravine, but when they got to the bottom of the ravine, the mare balked.  Kenyon was in the back of the buggy reading a book and Thelma was at a loss as to what should be done.

Pete decided to take matters into hand and get the buggy moving.  He scouted around in the bottom of the ravine and found some rotting railroad ties.  He laid the ties and some kindling in a pile below the stubborn old mare.  A match was lit and soon there was a blazing fire below the reticent animal.  As the flames reached the mare's belly and the hair began to burn, she took off like a bolt of lightening.  Pete was left in the bottom of the ravine as Thelma squealed away in a cloud of dust.

A long walk home gave Pete time to think about what he had done.  There was a little bit of dread about the consequences, but the thought of the mare's bare belly made him giggle with delight.

When he got home, Kenyon had indignantly told Grandpa what Pete had done.  Grandpa merely turned his head and chuckled at Pete's ingenuity.

Betty and the Iron Maiden

A week ago, Betty came home from the hospital after a total knee replacement. She's been walking around the house on her walker and has been working with nurses, ocupational therapists and physical therapists here at home. Part of her therapy is to use a CPM (Continuous Passive Motion) machine. We have affectionately named it The Iron Maiden as each time she gets comfortable, we get to increase the setting. She's using the cpm two hours at a time and is looking forward to the time that she no longer will need to use it.

Notice the ice pack on her knee.  It's an inexpensive icepack you can buy at any grocery store.  We've never gotten so much mileage out of one bag of frozen peas.