by Sharon O | Mar 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
The month of March is almost over and wow it’s been quite the month.
Weather issues caused lots of problems around our area as cold ice storms surrounded us.
Many homes and businesses had lot’s of tree damage with branches broken to the ground.
We had to remove a large tree in our back yard because it was seriously damaged.
We had to clean up and estimate how much was done to the yard.
I use the word ‘we’ very loosely my husband and his brother did the work, I watched from the patio window.
Our plans for a new tree will happen sometime, as soon as the root ball from the old one dies.
We have had birthdays and I even sewed a quilt for a grandson, each grand child gets a quilt on their 13th birthday.
I am looking forward to spring days where sunshine is mostly what we see.
The daffodils and hyacinths are blooming and a sneak peak of spring is arriving.
Soon it will be Easter and I am not sure what we are going to do.
In years past we had family gatherings and meals shared, but this year is very different.
I have been making a mental list of things that need to get done around the house.
It seems I am a very good procrastinator and what is pending… still is.
Each little project takes time and energy.
I am beginning to do more focusing on my writing too, there is so much more that I can do.
It seems like each day moves into the next day and soon the month is almost over one more time.
I guess that’s what happens when we get older and life is just a continuation of the last month.
I am enjoying our home and I am enjoying our time together.
Retirement is nice.
The month is almost over and I am looking forward to better days ahead.
by Sharon O | Mar 15, 2021 | Uncategorized
Three years and six days after our son was born we were expecting our second child.
It was to be a surprise and we didn’t find out ‘who’ was joining us till the birth.
Our son was very excited to be a big brother, but also very determined to not have his birthday crashed.
I didn’t have normal labor with him, it was rushed and hard, so with this second baby I was aware of contractions but not to a point of concern.
I had gone to a doctor’s appointment that day and had an ultrasound picture in my purse.
The baby was breech, head up, and very comfortable. The doctor said, ‘snug as as a bug can be.’
We were invited to a birthday party of my husband’s brother and we visited, and had cake and ice cream.
I remember heading home in the car and feeling a bit uncomfortable but not too bad.
By nature I have a high pain tolerance so for me it has to be HORRIBLE in order for me to complain.
We watched some TV and put our son to bed.
I ended up in bed and as the night progressed the pains progressed.
I finally woke my husband up and said, “can you time this?”
I was having very regular very strong labor.
We called grandma and she came in the dark of the night.
We got into the car and headed for the hospital.
By that time I was pushing and really having a difficult time.
Of course the baby was facing the wrong way and as soon as we got to the hospital, they realized it was urgent.
I was rushed into surgery, a C-section as my husband was out waiting to sit beside me.
It was again a rushed time of anesthesia and Iv’s but thank God they could give me a block.
It was urgent with a breech baby to get the surgery done.
At 5:13am we were parents again after about 8 hours of mild to hard labor.
Three years and six days after our son was born we were blessed with a daughter.
She had dark hair and olive complexion. She had a round head and was beautiful.
Tiny, too all of 5 pounds. We named her Sarah.
Three years and six days after our son was born, we were parents again.
.
by Sharon O | Mar 10, 2021 | Uncategorized
We were young and didn’t really know what we were doing 46 years ago.
The day our son was born.
I remember the hospital experience like it was yesterday.
The doctor chose to induce on our due date, because I was very small and the baby could have been bigger.
So we arrived at the hospital, I was set up with Iv’s and all the things they do to get labor started.
Morning came and nothing happened, lunch arrived and still not much happening, then the afternoon nurse arrived.
I call her the nurse with little compassion or caring.
She looked at me and said, “well you are not doing much let’s get this going so you can have this baby by dinner.”
This was around 3:30 when her shift started.
She turned the pit drip up that was in my Iv and labor began.
Hard and fast. Swift and scary. Monitor’s and needles surrounded me, and my doctor insisted on a block.
I really didn’t need it but when you are 20 and you have no clue what to expect, you let your doctor choose.
God was with us during this process.
Hard labor was in the room with us and I was more and more uncomfortable.
In order for the block to be given, the doctor had me roll into a ball on the bed on my side and the nurse assisted him.
I can honestly say it did not work. They waited too late.
I was pushing my first born baby out and they were trying to numb me.
The labor room was fast and furious.
My husband had to change in the broom closet because they were not ready for me to be so quick.
At 5:35 pm Our son was born. In time for dinner.
My legs were completely numb and I felt most of the dramatic birth other than the intense pain.
It was a very surreal moment because I was numb, and I was in shock because it happened so fast.
When they asked me if I wanted to eat I was just not up to it at the time.
We were young and we didn’t really know what we were doing, the day our 6 pound baby boy was born.
Christopher… You have always been our joy, our pride and our son who grew up to be a dad to three of your own boy’s.
by Sharon O | Feb 28, 2021 | Uncategorized
As we head into a new month I am reminded of this year so far.
It has been very interesting and very challenging at times.
March brings daylight savings time, so the days will be longer and the night won’t come so early.
It also brings many birthdays in our family.
I finished a quilt for a grandson and that should be done and delivered for his 13th birthday.
Every grand child gets a quilt from grandma on their 13th birthday.
I figure it’s a milestone and beginning of teen years.
There is one more grand child to sew for and he is only 10.
I see my oncologist hopefully for a good and encouraging appointment.
The journey of breast cancer has been life altering and I have to adjust to the new ‘team of doctors’.
Hoping the weather will be good and not so many rainy days or heavy winds.
Our tree in the backyard had to come down.
Such a sad and different look for the backyard. but it had to be removed. It was unsafe.
Spring cleaning will be on the calendar, it’s time for deep cleaning.
My cat keeps getting sick on the carpet and I just do my best to keep it cleaned up.
We are going to go down to the beach and spend time in our trailer and relaxing.
That will be a nice change and a small getaway.
I had to get a new cell phone and then in that process I got locked out of it, so I wait to use it fully.
I am feeling like my patience is being tested.
I will not complain I will just wait it out and hope for a good result.
By next Sunday I should be able to set a new password on my phone and use it the way it should be used.
As we head into a new month, I am looking forward to some easier days a head.
by Sharon O | Feb 21, 2021 | Uncategorized
The month of February started out pretty normal and then we had an ice storm.
Not your normal kind of ice storm, this was after a few days of snow that was too wet to enjoy.
Then we got a deep freeze.
It was very thick and very cold for our area.
It snowed but with the snow there was ice, so I still couldn’t walk in the snow.
Our backyard had a beautiful shade tree that we enjoyed in the summer.
Notice I said, “had”… yeah it broke in three places and it is in the process of being removed.
I am sad about that but determined to find a nice small leave maple to put in it’s place.
The power was out from Friday night to Wednesday.
The house temp plunged to low 40’s and my husband finally got our trailer in our driveway.
We had batteries running the furnace which was a blessing, the house had hot water because it’s gas.
At first I didn’t know we could shower or wash dishes, couldn’t use the dishwasher but they could be rinsed.
Found out with a gas water heater, you can still use the water and it’s hot.
That was a blessing.
We dressed in layers, with wool socks and heavy coats.
I worried about our neighbors who are seniors and maybe not so able to get warm.
We cooked in our trailer or we bought take out meals.
We were not able to go to our grand daughter’s 17th birthday party.
It was too icy to travel so we tried to see them a few days later.
There are still many homes around that have no power.
The linemen are amazing and it is a job that is full of danger and fatigue.
I cannot imagine the pressure those guys had on them to ‘fix it’.
We see the damage all around us, almost every block has trees that have broken.
It will take weeks to get it all cleaned up.
We even have a huge pile of tree branches to take somewhere.
We had to take everything out of our refrigerator and throw it away, and most of our frozen items we took to family.
I think now that we have heat, we have power, we have somewhat of a normal life now.
I will forever remember and be grateful for this season of testing.
The month of February started out normal until it changed dramatically.
