The Third Boy

 Saturday, May 18, 2013

We have a new baby belonging to us. My daughter and husband have produced a beautiful baby boy. 

Again.

Christian Bennett, born 9:08 PM, May 16, 2013, 7# 15 oz., 21 1/4" long, lots of dark hair.

Here's a photo of the other two boys at our house. 

Watering trees or pretending to. 

Unability

 Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Well, it happened.

I knew it would, I was just waiting. 

We went to the high school art show in the art museum and I was asked to leave my water bottle at the door. Now, i can't go much more than three minutes without a sip of water or else my mouth gets very uncomfortable. It dries up so my tongue sticks to the inside of my mouth, people can't understand what I say, it hurts and after awhile I start to cough. So, I told her I don't have saliva and I need it. She replied it was the insurance company's policy. 

I felt bad, and I didn't respond very well. It also meant I either didn't go look at the show, or I walked back through two rooms every 5 minutes to take a drink. Which is what I did, until I found all of Lynette's items, and then I went back and sat down with my water bottle until the rest were finished. 

Then, I remembered I had given myself a talking to about this very subject awhile back. There would be times and places that would be inconvenient for me to carry a water bottle. And that would be okay. There are some things that you cannot do when you are "disable. I agree that "we the people" should accommodate those with differing ablilities so they can enjoy a reasonably normal life. But, there are still things than cannot be accommodated. A person in a wheel chair does not need to climb a mountain. Water and art work don't mix. I can live with that, but I didn't want to on Friday. 

April 30, 2023--What I didn't know at this time, that I know now, is how well a body adapts to changed circumstances. I need water oftener, 10 years later, than I did before cancer, but it isn't the end of the world if I don't carry it with me everywhere. It doesn't affect me as severely and I've gotten used to it. 

6 comments:

The Chairman's Wife said...

Common sense isn't always so common. Wish you wouldn't have to go through experiences like this after all you've been through already! Thanks for sharing. 

Bonita Sue said...

That was a well written insight into you "new normal." I feel bad for you having to make choices like that. It's easy to forget how many ways you life has been impacted. I liked the part about the "talking to" though, and I realize I need to exercise that option in some of my own situations sometimes, especially when I get a little self-centered! I remember Grandma K's saying, "You're not the only pebble on the beach--there's a Little Rock down in Arkansas somewhere. 

May 1, 2013 at 5:19 PM

Mimi/Susan said...

Perhaps a small flask tucked in a belt cell phone holder, with plastic tubing that can be sipped on discreetly? Time ot think outside of the box so that you can enjoy public events Show us a picture of what you come up with! Good luck.

May 1, 2013 at 8:40 PM

The J's said...

Kind of just want to "dislike" this...I'm sure it won't be the last, but hopefully it won't be something that happens too often. :( You need some kind of "water pills"...like Susan said, get creative. 

May 2, 2013 at 9:30 AM

Darcie said...

I think I agree with Susan, not that you want to be dishonest, but if you know yourself that you will be as careful as you can be, and respect things, maybe the policy of  "what no one knows will not hurt them." So many new things for you to think about and deal with. 

May 2, 2013 at 8:37 PM

Renee said...

Once again, you are so sensible in your outlook. I could learn a lot from you! I love you can write it down and express these experiences so well. Does it help at all to chew gum?

May 3, 2013 at 9:27 PM

Chickenless Chicken Pie

Friday, April 26, 2013

I made a beautiful chicken pot pie last night. I used Pioneer Woman's pie crust recipe, which I hesitate to use since tij is so close to my mom's recipe, with different proportions and I have been using hers long before I knew about PW. But, hers was easy to find, since the cookbook was on my counter and easier to reduce since I didn't have enough better to make a whole batch. 

I wanted it all ready to bake for tomorrow night, since I will have grandboys this morning while Lorene has an ultrasound, and my folks are coming today to help work outside, (and will probably expect me to, also), and I really should look at the status of my business checking account, and I will be tired.

Getting it ready was all well and good, I like to have supper ready ahead of time, BUT, as I was talking to Jim on the phone last night (he's out of town", I had one those "OH, NO" moments.

I forgot to put the chicken in!!!

I spent so much time carefully mixing the filling, chopping and precooking the vegetables, wondering how long I should wait for it to cool before putting the top on, (not long enough, obviously,) that I never took the chicken out of the fridge.

And, of course, I had the top crust lying on the counter, rolled to the perfect thickness, almost a circle, bigger than the pie pan, and it rolled over my rolling pin beautifully, not sticking to the counter, placed on the pan so there was crust evenly sticking out around the edges, (not half on like so many times). I fork printed it all around and put it in the fridge. 

Now, what am I supposed to do? Jim does not want to eat vegetable pie. I do not have enough butter to make more crust, neither do I want to. i can't take it off and reroll it, it will have filling stuck to the bottom. 

Stay tuned, something will be done. I'm just not sure what at 6:22 am.

Beautiful Pie

I decided to cut around the top crust and lifted it out in one piece. This was easier because it was cold and sat overnight.

Chopped Chicken--Finally

I sprinkled it on top and mixed it in slightly.

Then I laid the top curst back on and it looks almost as good as it did before. 

I would like to blame is episode on chemo and radiation brain, but I'm not sure. I've done things like this before.

3 comments:

The J's said...

Ooohh my! I suppose you could have just heated the chicken up and served it on the side to mix in with the pie--but looks like you solved it nicely! Thanks for the chuckle this morning. ;)

April 26, 2013 at 8:39 AM

Unknown said...

On one of the nicer days the first of this spring we were over at Nish and Jim's for grilled hamburgers for supper. We got to talking about how nice the hamburgers were and such, when Laura got a funny look on her face and looked down at her bun. She had put the dressing, lettuce, pickles, etc., but had noj hamburger, and had already eaten part of her bun.

April 26, 2013 at 9:07 AM

Renee said..

Oh, this is a good one, and it so could have happened in my kitchen! But, mine never look Taste-of-Home worthy like yours do! Yummy!

April 29, 2013 at 12:07 PM

April's Hair

 Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Part of me wishes I would have planned to take photos of my head every month so I could watch my hair grow. It doesn't grow fast enough, because right now it is the ,'stand up all over my head' or 'wet it down flat stage', but can't be depended on to do either one all at one time. Anyway, I will likely get enough photso during the 5 or so years it will take to get my hair anywhere approaching the length it once was. Here is April's.

As you can see, part of my hair is wanting to curl, but not all of it, which is part of the reason my hair is annoyingly difficult to do anything to do much with except comb it as flat as I can. The left side tends to grow toward the back; the right, straight down; the top and crown would rather stand up and in the back, one half wants to curl and the other is so thin you can see my scalp. It's the funniest hair I have ever seen.

(on me anyway)

Oh, well, hair grows, and I'm glad I have something so trivial to complain about.

6  comments:

Oleva said...

Well, you have the prospects or yours coming back in----I don't!! Ugh.

But for a different reason! Mine is really getting thin on top. Thankfully, I haven't gone thru what you have or are, to lose it. 

We sure enjoyed your SIL for two times for spec. mtg. visits. She is sure tolerant or she would refuse to come here!!!!!!

Sure like the pictures of you and Jim.

Thanks for sharing, Always wondering about you!

Love, C. and O.

April 17, 2013 at 2:23 PM

The J's said...

Just think of all the different looks & hairstyles you can sport while it grows out! lol!!! Great picture! (cute shrug, too...I heard about it) :)

April 17, 2013 at 3:25 PM

Raimie said...

Dear Auntie,

I love April's hair! You are looking vibrant and I personally like the wispy curls. Yes, you will have plenty of time for photos and experimenting now! :) That thought makes me smile. 

Love, 

Messy hair and no excuse in NE

April 17, 2013 at 6:13 PM

Mrs. MacOlsson said...

I love the little curls. April's hair is looking pretty good from here!

April 18. 2013 at 2:25 AM

Darcie said...

It's sort of a fun thing to see what your hair is like naturally, I like the curls, too!!

April 18. 2013 at 8:00 PM

Anita said...

It's like you're your mom! You know--unruly baby hair! And pretty cute!

April 30, 2013 at 3:0 AM

What We've Been Up To

 Monday, April 8, 2023

Spring is here!

Or as much as it can be in April here. My daffodils and hyacinths are blooming and snow is forecast for tomorrow. The nice weather is giving me spring fever, so I went downstairs to clean up around my summer plants and took a few outside on the deck, right next to the door, so I can take them in again tonight. I feel like I want to be outside taking care of last year's garden trash, but I still have laundry in the washer and dryer, and dishes in the dishwasher.

Jim is gone for the week on an our of town job, so Lynette and I could live in complete squalor until Friday afternoon and only do fun things. Except,  really don't like that, I want a better example of house keeping for her to see, besides she has to work and has loads of art homework to do. 

Jim is gone for the week on an out of town job, 

I've been celebrating my birthday for weeks now. Sunday, we finally had my "birthday dinner" at Red Lobster, I had crab fettuccini, and discovered that my throat is not ready for garlic mashed potatoes. The crab was good though. 

I got this absolutely darling yarn bowl in the mail from my sister-in-law, and promptly put it to use with the yarn Jim gave me for my birthday. It was just the thing for all that ribbony, fluffy and easily tangled up yarn. I love it!

I didn't take many photos of the boys while I was sick, and sometime I want to chronicle those boys' development last year, but here they are on a recent visit to Gramma's house. These boys have more fun with balloons. Barry just throws his in the air and chuckles. Zane likes to have one blown up and let go before tying and laughs watching it spin around the room. After an adult blows one up, Zane can blow it up himself. 

Papa's Boys

I picked up Barry for the first time since I was sick this week. I'm so glad I can really enjoy these boys.

Spring Jonquils

April 8, 2023--Not very good photos of the boys. I'm glad I have any. 

4 comments:

Dan & Cyndie said...

Love seeing the pre-cancer normalness returning to you life, my dear friend!!!

And yes, we are having typical "spring" weather for Nebraska aren't we?! :)

April 9. 2013 at 7:47 AM

Dorothy said...

Oh, Shelley, I just kind of got a lump in my throat reading this...it is so so so nice that you are getting to enjoy the "normal" life joys once again. UP here, we are remembering your visit a year ago, when you had a sinus headache that just wouldn't go away. Ashley and I keep saying how wonderful it is that the future is hidden from us. We're trying to get spring too, but we definitely haven't had as much success as you. No jonquils anywhere in sight. So, yesterday we went through the Como Conservatory (remember that?) and got our eyes full of spring flowers again. 

April 9, 2013 at 7:52 AM

The J's said...

Ah! love those spring flowers--& the pot is darling! :)

We've had green shoots coming up for a while now, but they'll be delayed now with this cold & snow that returned. 

April 9, 2013 at 10:09 AM

Darcie said...

Well. 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY' friend...don't know how I missed wishing you it earlier. 

Enjoy your spring like days! :-)

April 9, 2013j at 11:09 AM

Back to Our Regular Programming

 Thursday, March 21, 2013

I see two schools of thought when it comes to blogging. The day to day chat of daily life, or the thought-provoking posts meant to inspire. It is too difficult to post the thought-provoking kind all the time, although some people seem to be able to produce that sort of thing in the daily life post. I blog mainly because I want to. 

I want to chronicle my life and if thought provoking pops out, so be it. 

Actually, I like to read about daily lives. It's interesting how other people life and what they do. 

I said in mu last post that I wouldn't be writing any more cancer posts. That doesn't mean I won't ever mention it again. Cancer has been and the results are a part of my life. My life, my way of life has been changed forever and my posts will reflect that. But, it doesn't dominate my life and my way of thinking anymore. It's still up there in my thinking, but not dominating. 

Here I get ready to talk about ordinary life, and I can't remember much of what happened in March. Since when is life to go so fast when you are ill?  I went to the theater booster meeting and volunteered for treasurer and the scholarship committee. This is the first meeting I've been to all year. I've been grocery shopping by myself. I bought  bunch of new yarn and finished a couple of afghans. I have m tax stuff in to the accountant. I've washed loads of clothes, cleaned house, knitted crocheted, read, cooked, done office work for Jim, fed the cats and kept the fire buring. Oh, and dishes, too. I've not hounded my daughter enough to practice the piano. We've been out to eat, had mother/daughter shopping and eating, in short, just normal stuff and I'm enjoying it. (Well, maybe not the laundry and dishes.) No wonder the time goes fast. 

Here are a few pictures of things in March. 

Lynette and I were busy in the kitchen

Flower topped lemon meringue pies, by Lynette

Mini cheesecakes and dipped strawberries

My first coconut cream pie. Jim loves it. 

Cool t-shirt, made by Lynette with bleach.

6 comments:

The Chairman's Wife said...

I like regular programming of ordinary days. Your pie looks wonderful. If you lived closer I would come have a piece.!

March 21. 2013 at 8:50 AM

Renee said...

Ordinary, normal...it's my favorite way of life...! Lynette's tee shirt is fabulous! She could start her own line of Tees! I didn't know bleach could be so artistic.!!!

March 21, 2013 at 2:05 PM

The J's said...

Lovely post. I was just thinking about the blogging issue earlier today. I was missing what the aspect of ""just blogging"--recording the ordinary days of earlier months. I really appreciate those who do. I enjoy reading them. Facebook swallows up a lot of that, and FB as much as I enjoy it, is simply not the same. 

March 21, 2013 at 10:15 PM

Anita said...

That is a great t-shirt!

March 22, 2013 at 9:34 AM

Darcie said...

That pie looks SOOO good, and would wind down my evening perfectly...but alas, I will have to visually enjoy it. 

LOVE ordinary days...more of those days than the others.

March 22, 2013j at 7:50 PM

Oleva said..

So glad you are "able" to move on, tho I'm sure there si more to "it" than you are saying or meets the eye!!! Sure appreciate all you shore, just wish it was the pie, too :) We are looking forward to having your SIL times 2 next week. Feel very privileged!!!! Haven't seem a pix of those cute grandsons for a long time !!?

Love,

Carl and Oleva

March 26, 2013 at 9:12 AM

There IS a Photo, Really!

 Monday, March 4, 2013

Like I promised, here is my picture, the way I looked on Sunday morning. I really wanted to have this picture earlier, but everyone else is so busy I had a hard time getting it taken. If my photographers that live here weren't busy, I was in my pajamas. Or I looked tired. Or something. 

My hair is long enough now it is over the tips of my ears, and long enough to give me bedhead It is a little fluffy and very soft. 

And there is something new about me. Can you tell?

13 comments:

The J's said...

VERY cute! You look fantastic! Looking forward to seeing you this weekend!

March 4, 2013 at 3:46 PM

Lynisha Weeda said...

New glasses?

March 4, 2013 at 3:50 PM

Brenda said...

Really nice pictures!! I really studied those pictures and all I can think is like Lynisha. 

Maybe new glasses!?

March 4. 2013 at 3:56 PM

Renee said...

Oh yes, definitely new glasses and they are lovely. Great and wonderful photos of you, I like your white jacket!!!

March 4, 2013 at 4:03 PM

The Chairman's Wife said...

You look like you're in your 30's! Love your smile and you updates!

March 4. 2013 at 4:12 PM

Dorothy said...

GLASSES!! Love 'em! Super good choice for you, and I hope they work just dandy on those poor eyes that have taken a "hit" too.

I, like others, love the normalcy of reading Shelley blogs!

Love, Dodie

March 4, 2013 at 4:53 PM

Brenda said...

I vote new glasses! You look so cute! Makes me smile!

March 4. 2013 at 6:51 PM

John and Sandy Linder said...

You are looing great and I like your outfit!

March 4, 2013 at 9:44 PM

Janis said...

It's so good to check in and see your updates again. And your smiling face! :) Keep up the good work!

March 4, 2013 at 11:14 PM

Anita said...

Very nice! Love the shirt with your eyes!!

March 5, 2013 at 6:45 AM

Sharon said...

Looking good dear lady and I love the glasses, too!! Take care! :)

March 5, 2013 at 2:06 PM

Raimie said...

Dear auntie, 

Your glasses are very nice and it's good to see your smiling face today! Having a sweet and smiling outlook it such a big part of the healing process, isn't it? Proud of you, auntie!

love, 

Raimie

March 5, 2013 at 8:57 PM

Lanae said...

You look fantastic!

March 10, 2013 at 4:10 PM