Betty’s Week
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By Betty Shearer
This has been another up and down weather week. On our grocery shopping day, which we do middle of the afternoon, the temp was near 70 degrees. I, as usual, sit in the van and watch the other shoppers come and go. After a few minutes I had to open my door and let the spring-like breeze flow through – was really nice to enjoy the fresh air.
Jimmie took longer than usual in the store and I wondered why, as the customers were fewer than usual. Her problem was a few calls that had to be answered.
With predicted colder weather and Super Bowl weekend I feared the store would be really full. While there I noted a huge candy red Ford F-250 on one side, a hunter green massive truck on the other, and a silver Ford Limited in front of me. All were occupied by men, so the husbands must have had the shopping chore for the big weekend. That’s one thing I had to do, except when only less than three items were needed and Ed would run in.
These men must have been experts, because they needed those huge trucks to carry the packed carts they rolled out.
After that wonderful warm day, the temperature dropped into freezing digits and some snow flakes were predicted. We only saw a few tiny flakes early in the morning. However, Carolyn and Bo at their home in Courtland (about five miles to the north) called to tell us it was snowing pretty good. We almost needed binoculars to see our few flakes. Rance came over Sunday from his home in Oxford and reported a heavier fall, but he said it didn’t last long there either.
Brother-in-law Bill celebrated another birthday Friday, the 11th, and I remembered that was the date our snow started falling last year during the big winter storm.
I was in the house for about 10 days when we iced over, and fluid started building up. I thought it was just swelling from a fall I had taken earlier in the month on Feb. 6.
Bill and Jimmie came over, made it up my hill, and took me to see Cinnamon. She immediately sent me to the emergency room in Oxford, where testing confirmed I had fluid. The fluid contained cancer cells and my cancer journey began. Not a pleasant memory. Hopefully, it will end soon. I have the third infusion of the maintenance drug tomorrow.
I have a new job – mouse patrol. With the cold weather comes little field mice in out of the cold. Sitting in my recliner I see the back of the sofa, where the little critters have found a warm hiding place. Once in a while they poke their little heads out, and I call Jimmie and she brings sticky pads. So far we’ve caught a few. I certainly prefer mice over lizards.
I have very few mice back at my house, but always have lots of lizards. Even though my mobility has been hampered with chemo, if a lizard poked its head out, I would be on the carport in short order to escape – I simply can’t stand them.
Food has finally started to taste good again. Bo and Carolyn were to cook us ham and dumplings last week, but due to the bad weather it was rescheduled for Monday night. They were so good that I ate two big bowls. I also got to keep the left overs and ate two more suppers from those. Jimmie and Bill had to get by with hamburgers and lasagna, which also looked tasty.
Missed great-niece Caroline and Cade over the weekend. Caroline stayed home to experience her first squirrel hunt. She sent pictures of her and her host, her pastor and his daughter; and her friend; along with a row of squirrels displayed across the back of the pickup. The girls were decked out in their camouflage, topped with orange vests.
I also learned that Cade was being disciplined due to bad behavior in school. He’s such a cute kid, with only one problem – he likes to talk. We’ve decided that he just needs a roll of duct tape for his mouth during school hours to become a model student.
My treatment is going pretty good, even though the maintenance drug side effects seem to be worse for me than chemo. However, if it does the job I won’t complain. Tomorrow (the 15th) I go for the final infusion in this series. Hopefully there will be an improvement. Thanks for all the cards, notes, calls, visits, and especially your prayers.
