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4/8/2007 HAPPY EASTERWhat an interesting and productive day! Happy Easter to everyone! It's been quite a full day for me... I'm finally feeling a bit better. I'm still coughing a lot, but my chest is not in so much pain anymore. I actually had energy today, for the first time in over a week, and it's a good thing I did because B threw his back out last night.
Poor guy... he's used to being able to do anything. He's always been so strong and when he was drinking, no matter how much he abused his body, he didn't feel a thing. Now that he's sober he feels the pain in his knees (he's had several surgeries on them... he played football when he was younger, and blew out both his knees because he wouldn't listen when they told him to rest.. he worked on them anyway)... he feels the aches and pains in all his joints from abusing his body for so many years, and he feels it when he overdoes it at work. He doesn't complain though. I hear him grunting and groaning some times, but I don't mention it any more because when I ask how he is he always says "fine" or "I'm ok"... he doesn't like for me to know he's human, I guess.
This morning I got up early and got all dressed up because I'd made plans to take B's Grandma to her church for Easter Sunday. She hasn't been going since before Grandpa died... she'd spent every second with him that she could, and then after he was gone I think she went through a very depressed time. I'd invite her to go to lunch and she'd sound happy about it and want to go, but invariably, before the time came to go she would call me and cancel. She want's to stay near her son, B's Dad, who is dying of colon cancer.
He's been almost completely bed ridden for almost a year now, and he's always been the "favorite" son... so kind and decent. He'd always taken care of his family.. cooked for them and cleaned house... made sure everyone had what they needed. He's always been there, and now that he's ill, he's unable to do much of anything anymore, but he still takes care of everyone emotionally as much as he can, and he never complains of the pain he's in... though he's not on any drugs for the pain or anything. He refused any kind of treatment over three years ago... the doctors told him he only had 6 months to live, and he figured he'd rather be at home with his loved ones than undergoing all kinds of tests and treatment all the time.
Grandma was ready to go when I got there and I walked her to the car. She was dressed so nicely in a black dress with yellow flowers on it and a yellow jacket to go over it. Her hair was all pretty and had just recently been cut (that's something she worries about... her hair). Because of the bone deep sore on the arch of one of her feet she wore black velvet slipper type sock-shoes, which she was self conscious about, but which actually looked really nice and matched her dress.
I had on a floor length white linen dress with short sleeves. It's just a straight down dress with a scooped neck... nothing fancy, but I felt "springy" in it. I had to wear a sweater over it because it's been so cold here lately, but I have one that's kind of fancy with little purple embroidered flowers up both sides of the button front and around the collar, and it's short sleeved too, so just putting it on and not buttoning it up looked nice. I didn't wear a lot of makeup because Grandma's church is a "Holiness" church and they're very conservative and strict.
We arrived early and sat in the back row... everyone who came in saw Grandma immediately and stopped to say hello and how happy they were to see her. She was beaming! Her face was so pretty with her smile from ear to ear and her eyes just sparkling with joy. She'd told me that she had never stayed away from church for so long before in her life, and she was just so "proud" to be there today. I was happy for her. I took the opportunity to tell her that I'd take her any time she wanted to go, and that I thought it would be good for her to get back to going regularly. She really does enjoy the fellowship. There's a new preacher in her church and she'd not heard him before. I was glad when she told me she really liked him and his energy.
Grandma's church is one where everyone prays out loud at the same time... I have a difficult time with that because I can't even hear myself think at that time... and I'm not one to pray out loud in front of others, so I can't join in... not even in my head because of all the other people raising their hands and praying out loud. I can appreciate their faith, and the ways they have, but I have a difficult time joining in. Prayer to me... personal prayer... is a personal thing between God and me. They did have one where the preacher prayed and asked everyone to bow their heads, and that I could understand better. There was a little skit where a few of the younger people acted out a song about Jesus rising from the dead, and there were lots of songs praising and thanking Jesus for dying to save the rest of us. The preacher gave an energetic sermon and the parishoners chimed in with "Hallelujah!", "Glory Be!", "That's right brother!", "Amen!", and "Praise Jesus!" throughout it. All in all, it was enjoyable... mostly because Grandma enjoyed it so much (she was one of the ones chiming in).
We left just before the last prayer so we could avoid the rush... Grandma has a difficult time walking and I think she's self conscious about it... going down the steps at the front entry was interesting... Grandma sideways taking one step at a time and clutching the railing... me just one step in front of her to her side to make sure she didn't tumble down the stairs... at least I could catch her if she missed a step.
We went to buy fish dinners for her and her three sons, and stopped off to get some bisquits and chicken for B and I. After dropping Grandma off at her house I went back to the office (home for now) and B and I ate together... poor B was having such a difficult time with his back! We watched the Majors Golf tounament at the same time, and I am so glad that the guy who won it did so... he's so happy and proud... it was very touching to watch. We also watched the Braves and Mets play baseball, and for B's sake I'm glad the Braves won... but I couldn't help but cheer for the Mets... after all, I AM from New York... plus it was fun to tease B.
I went to Home Depot and bought a bell for the office... wireless... YAY! My boss left me the money to do that as many times it's almost impossible to hear people knocking at the front door from the back room where B and I stay. I also got other things the office needed... a new 9V battery for the smoke detector (dang thing's been beeeeeping periodically for three days now... B and I are almost driven mad by it)... some flourescent lights for the dropped ceiling lights (we've been living for the last week with barely enough light to see ourselves in the bathroom... poor B couldn't shave very well), and some flood light bulbs for the four lights outside the building that shine down on our signs. Those haven't been replaced since they went out... oh... about 3 months ago or so I guess. Of course, my bosses knew they were out, but no one did anything about it. I got tired of it being so dark outside all the time and finally bought the bulbs today, and when I got "home", I put them in myself.
It's been quite a while since I was up on top of a 12' ladder... whew! I did it though. Plus I put the bulbs in the bathroom ceiling, and the battery in the smoke detector, and installed the bell. I'm just so handy dandy, aren't I? I feel like I've had a very productive day... compared to this last 10 days or so when I could barely do anything because of my cold.
I also stopped off at Petsmart and got a training "clicker" for Elvis. It's working too... I started with getting him to come to me... no matter what he was doing, and then taught him to "stay"... he's working on that one, but getting much better at it than he was. I bought him some training snacks too, and he's in love with them. We spent a little bit of time on the training, and I think it's made him happy... he was such a content puppy tonight... all lovey dovey with B, snuggling up to him and giving him puppy breath kisses on his beard. B was happy too.
I was thrilled today to get so many phone calls from friends and family. My sister and one of my nephews called, and we talked a little bit... I always love that. I called my dad and wished him a Happy Easter and I could hear in his voice he was pleased about it.. he was on his way out the door to church so we didn't talk long, but it was enough. My Aunt Merce called me too, and we talked just a little while... I always miss her... hopefully we'll get to see eachother soon as she's living in Florida now... a lot closer to Georgia than Puerto Rico is, that's for sure! I spoke to my mom too... though that wasn't for Easter... just to catch up. We talked for a long time which was great as I haven't spoken to her in a while... not a long conversation anyway. My friend Kelly called and we chatted a while... I couldn't believe how much is going on in her life that I didn't know about... it's only been about four days since we last talked. My other friend Teresa called too, as did her little girl Skye, and that was also a nice conversation. Skye told me all about her Easter Egg hunt and what she got.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Easter! At least the sun was out, even though the air was chilly the sun on my head was very warm. The sky was a beautiful blue and people seemed to be in good spirits everywhere I went. Definitely an enjoyable day! Comments (11)
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