It feels like winter and spring are fighting for control. Last week we had a few days where we could go without a coat or jacket. Then a front blew through bringing cold weather. I saw on Brian and Debbie Freeland’s blog where they got snow. We didn’t get any here. Now it’s starting to warm up again.
THERAPY. Aunt Mar was moved from the hospital to NHC (a nursing home in Springfield) a week ago today. She is there to receive therapy for a couple of weeks before going home. She is doing well and looking good, but is pretty tired from her workout. Aunt Mar was a little disappointed that she would be at NHC for so long (she was planning to be home within a week). We are just thankful that she is getting this therapy and has home to look forward to.
AUNT HELEN. While I admire Aunt Mar’s determination through this latest fall, I must say that I admire my Aunt Helen’s attitude. Aunt Helen is my father’s younger sister. Since I write about her so infrequently I will briefly recap her story. Right after Ben’s first birthday (this would be in 2001) she had a a knee replacement replaced. In the course of all this she contracted a staph infection. Things have gone from bad to worse and she has been in assisted living for several years. Her left leg has no knee joint now. When she is up she’s pretty much restricted to a wheelchair.
We have not seen Aunt Helen as much as I would have liked over the years. She normally lives about halfway to Gallatin and most of our activities take us the other direction. Whenever we do see Aunt Helen she is so positive which is amazing considering how many years she’s been in this shape. This isn’t to say that her condition hasn’t gotten her down, but she tries her best to fight back by looking on the bright side.
Just before Aunt Mar fell Aunt Helen came down with pneumonia and went to the hospital. She is currently across the hall from Aunt Mar at NHC as she regains strength to go back to her home. It has been a real treat to see her on a regular basis again. She cuts up with everyone who comes into her room. I was talking with her the other day when a nurse came through and asked Aunt Helen if there was anything she needed. With a twinkle in her eye Aunt Helen said, “Why no! Is there anything I can do for you?”
I hope this kind of strength is in me if I ever need it.
SCIENCE FAIR. Jenna has gone from one project to another. We are now in the middle of a science fair investigation to find out which battery is the best. We picked up three of those battery powered lights designed to be put in places like closets that have no lighting. Saturday and Sunday we popped different bands of batteries in these and let the lights burn until the batteries ran down. We checked the voltage on the circuit every half hour. So far the Duracell brand has been the longest lasting, however, all but one brand lasted between four hours and four and a half hours.
OFF TO THE RACES. Since the first of the year we’ve been building pinewood derby cars at church on Wednesday nights as part of RAs (this is a missions organization for young boys). We’ve had about 25 boys involved. We held our church-wide race last night. By chance Ben and Nate were paired to race in the first round. Ben had the misfortune of losing to his little brother. I think he would have taken this pretty well except that he was teased pretty hard about it. The tournament is double elimination so he wasn’t put out right then, but that doesn’t make losing to little brother any easier. When we got home all his feelings came gushing out.
Ben wasn’t the only basket case I had on my hands. All the boys in first grade and up get to race their cars in the Associational (County) race in a couple of weeks. Nate is really miffed because he is in kindergarten and this leaves him out. So here Ben is upset that he lost to Nate and Nate is upset that his racing career is over this year. What a dilemma!
Joe
