Time flies when you're having fun...or so they say.

Where has the time gone since the fifth? I can tell you that it has not been an uneventful twelve days. We have prepared for company from California; we have enjoyed our company from California and yesterday we said "Hasta la vista!" to our friends from California. These folks come out every other summer just prior to the big Renaissance Conference in July. The conference is in the east (usually Orlando) every other year and the "Inlet Rats" gather here for four or five of days before the conference and then all drive down to the meeting together. This summer it was so great for Papa to really be able to enjoy the company. They were all so solicitous of him (and of me, oddly enough) and each spent time talking to him, even 12 year old Curtis. We were even able to get Kenny out to go over to "Cedar Hill Landing" for supper one night and over to Jessie's for the kids to get together. (Savannah and Corrie Parkhouse met in Orlando two years ago and became fast friends and email buddies.)

I think it was good for Papa but also tiring. Last night, the first night without company was not a very good night (not sure there is any correlation whatsoever.) He has begun to have some low back pain which radiates around the hip area to the front of his thighs and settles in that muscle just above the knee. As a result we have decreased the dosage and increased the frequency of his methadone to see if that helps. He woke up 5 or 6 times last night; at 3:15 I caught him climbing out of the bed on the side where there is no bedrail. He was beating on the wall to get my attention since he had no bell on that side of the bed and no wheelchair in sight. He wanted me to make sure I got the knife out of the bed. When I said, "The what???" He looked at me and said, "There's no knife, is there? I guess I dreamed it. Oh well, I'll go pee while you're here!" I had to laugh, but I still fussed at him for climbing out of the bed and taking a chance on falling instead of calling me. He just shrugged and got in the wheelchair that I finally pushed into the room. After getting in the wheelchair, he just looked at me. I said, "What?" He said, "Aw Ginny, I love you. I'm waiting for you to smile." What am I to do? Just love him, I guess. Finally at 6:00, he asked me what I was doing; I told him I was trying to get some sleep. He said, "well, if you are not going to get up, I guess I'll go back to bed too." (As if he ever gets up at 6 AM.) I did manage another hour of sleep before he decided he might as well get up at 7:30. Needless to say, after doing six loads of laundry yesterday and getting up 6 times last night, I have been a zombie today. I think he and I are both looking forward to bed tonight.

We are changing nurses again. Our delightful Colleen has been transferred to admissions by Hospice so Ginger Lawrimore is our new nurse. One thing is for sure, everyone at Mercy Hospice is very professional, very loving and extremely helpful to all of us. Yesterday afternoon Loren, the chaplain, came over for a visit. He and Papa just hit it off so well. He was in Iraq as a chaplain and Papa loves to talk about his WWII experiences. He sent to Conway for a set of DVD's by the History Channel, America at War. It starts with the Revolutionary War and goes to the Iraq War. Loren is coming back next week or the week after and watch the first one with him. Kenny is really looking forward to his next visit. Loren is so wonderful with him. He has managed to get Kenny to open up and talk about Hyrtha's death and his own perhaps approaching more quickly than we might wish. He has a great talent for focusing both on the here and now and on what's ahead and how Kenny feels about it and what trepidations he may have. It is so comforting for us to have someone else also talking to him about spiritual matters.

It is hard to believe that summer is almost half over. I just got my tomato plants transplanted in my new "upside down patio garden". I was somewhat chagrinned to read that I could expect tomatoes about 60 days after transplanting them. Well, we'll have tomatoes in late August and September. However, the other day I rejoiced to discover I have 7 or 8 tomatoes forming now! I am so excited. I feel so accomplished finally being able to frow tomatoes, peppers, mint, rosemary, parsley and sweet basil and not have to leave the house. I have the planter on the landing on the other side of the "elevator" where I can easily reach it and water and fertilize it without having to go down the stairs. Wow! Such energy. I am sure you are all greatly impressed. Anyway, Kenny and I are anxioussly awaiting some home grown tomatoes and peppers.

Thanks to all of you for being such faithful readers. I will try to do better in the coming days. Sweet dreams.