Back in Texas

Well, I know I'm back in Texas. It was nearly 90 degrees at 7:30 this morning. Hot enough, yet?

Work has been a zoo...or a three-ring-circus...or a war zone. Depending on what mood I'm in to dwell upon it (usually the latter). If one of the nurses had taken my blood pressure Friday afternoon, they probably would have rushed me to the hospital. And then put me on hospice.

I love the nurses I work with, but sometimes it's a little much. I came back from New Hampshire with a cold. When I was blowing my nose yesterday, one of the nurses turned to me and asked, "Is it clear?" At first I didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Did she want to land a plane in the office? Then I realized. "Oh! Yeah." "Good." So I guess I'm well on my way to recovery....

Of course, meanwhile I burned my neck with my curling iron on Sunday. At least it doesn't really show. And last night I got nailed in the right eye with a tennis ball. Guess I did what my dad told me NEVER to do and took my eyes off the ball. The coach asked me if I wanted any ice but as I could still see, of course I did not. I'm a Sturm. Unless there's a bone sticking out, I'm good. I finished the evening, went home and put some ice on it, rubbed it good with some Arnica and called a friend to ask how I'd look with a black eye. The good news is I don't bruise easily, so it's not black. The bad news is it is tender and causing quite a headache today. (Or was that our marketer that made her weekly appearance and flattered me - and everyone - until it made me sick?)

Now I'm on lunch. Suffered the heat to go to the post office and stopped by the library to check out some books on chili recipes. (Chili cook-off anyone? I'm not entering, but a friend is.) Will post this and then get back to work. It's not a zoo at this moment, but my to-do list is long and the piles on my desk would love to be sorted and put in their proper places. Not to mention all the charting that needs to get accomplished. But the billing is done and ready to go first thing Thursday morning. And that is the most important thing, right? Otherwise, I don't get paid for the three-ring-circus I perform in...

Oh! And by the way. Walking dogs is not a part of hospice services. However, it is perfectly okay to will your dog to your hospice nurse upon your death.

New Hampshire!!!!

Where do I even begin about my trip to New Hampshire? The beauty? Funny how even the simplicity of green grass can be beautiful, for somehow Texas brown just doesn’t do anything for the senses. Not to mention the woodlands, the rolling hills, the old houses, the breathtaking blue of the sky, cool breezes. Why did God bless New England with loveliness and Texas with nothing?

Or how about the people? Allyson and her five WONDERFUL children! I walked into her home Thursday afternoon and she said, “Melissa, it’s like you never left!” And it felt that way in her home as we chatted, and I ran around outside with the kids, and read books until my throat was dry, and made beds, and swept floors and everything Allyson’s life as a wife and mother is so full of. And I tried not to envy her…and cried when I had to leave.

Of course there was the purpose of the entire trip: Charity’s wedding. God gave her and Mason a lovely day for a beautiful, simple outdoor wedding. The reception suited Charity and all her artistic personality perfectly. As Allyson’s little girl Violet told me, “This is so much fun! I want to go to another wedding!” And she was right…even though I joined in with the exhaustion of the rest of my honorary family after dashing around helping with decorations, and fetching mirrors and shoes, and cleaning up and putting away.

And so much more! Ice cream, and dinner with an old friend, and a very surprising and special gift bestowed upon me, and even a trip with Violet to a dollhouse shop! As I flew in, I felt I had come home. I know that geography. I know the winding roads. I find rest in the slowness of it, compared to the break-necking speed in which Texans live their lives. I didn’t want to return to 100 degree temperatures or the four walls of an office piled high with papers and a computer that demands my every waking moment. And yet, despite the fact that New Hampshire will ever be home, changes have come. Some ties have disappeared. Others will ever pull strong. As for Texas…well, I had to return. For one reason. And that’s just the way my life is – the life God has blessed me with. Truly.

A lovely New England brook.

Just one of the homes I would love to live in…

Charity and Mason’s wedding.

The five most wonderful children in the world: Seth (age 3), Silas (age 1), Violet (age 5), Laurel (2 months) and Caleb (age 7)

Busy, Busy, Busy

Well, I hardly have time to write these few lines. For I'm dashing about the office, making sure everything is in order before I leave for NH in the morning. And then I go home to dash about and make sure I've got things packed, and cleaned, and eaten...all those things one does before heading on a week vacation.

But I'm not complaining. It will be a wonderful trip. Beautiful, cool, green, hilly New Hampshire! Great friends, the five most wonderful children in the world, a wedding to attend, ice cream to eat. I've packed jeans and sweatshirts - no work clothes and no flip-flops! For all of that, I'll dash around with busyness any day!

Down on the Farm

This week Haley has been gone, housesitting at a place like no where I've ever housesat before. I've done all kinds of housesitting with many kinds of animals: cats, bloodhounds, dachsunds. But not camels, zebras and buffalo. Yes, you heard me right. I said camels, zebras and buffalo.

Plus I'm not sure how many cats (at least a dozen - probably more), six dogs, lots of cows, several horses and lamas. No, she's not feeding all of these. But she is enjoying them.

She invited me out, so I arrived on the 180 acre property yesterday evening. I got here later than planned thanks to Friday evening traffic, so I didn't have a chance to explore. (Nor did I have the energy after the work day I just suffered...) So all I did was go for a good swim, learning that a couple of the dogs enjoy swimming also. Thankfully they did not join me in the hot tub! After that, I quickly learned there is nothing to watch on over 300 channels of entertainment. I then stretched out on the couch to read, where I was immediately joined by two or three cats.

Today I tried to kill myself on a 4-wheeler. Just kidding. But I did have loads of fun for nearly an hour riding all over the front pasture with as much speed as I dared. I also explored several other acres of property, disturbed some cows that were not all that thrilled to see me and took lots of pictures. When all was said and done, I decided that if I ever have money I want land and a 4-wheeler. It was so awesome!

So, you're wondering, are there really camels, and zebras, and buffalo? Yes. And it's odd. I told a friend last night I knew they were out here, but it wasn't real until I actually saw them. I go out to the pool and there's a camel. A real camel. (And there are actually three, one of which is pregnant.) And you look off in the distance and there are zebras. Two of them. One even came towards to barn for some hay. The buffalo weren't all that surprising. This is Texas. You see them occasionally. But are those ever massive creatures! The head hanging in the living room has got to weigh as much as I do. And they must have a dozen of the living ones.

I'll post a few pictures below just so you can get an idea of the experience. Sorry I haven't any good ones of the zebras. I'm waiting and watching to see if they come closer to the house today to get a picture or two before I leave. But you'll get to see one of the camels!

The house. It sits off about a half mile into the property down a gravel road.

The larger pond (which will show how dry it is in Texas) is in the front part of the property.

The 4-wheeler. Way cool!

One of the camels, which I fed and pet.

Dollhouse Update

I’m not sure any of my readers are looking forward to with bated anticipation the updates on my dollhouse. But then I don’t have a whole slew of readers, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

It’s been a while since I’ve done any updates or pictures on the house, but I didn’t think even my not-so-devoted readers would care to see a picture of small dollhouse pieces cut out and sanded. And then another picture of small dollhouse pieces cut out and sanded. And then yet another…you get the idea.

I think I’ve got about a dozen stacks of pieces, all of which go on the exterior of the house for trim, sorted in piles of where each is located on the house. Each are carefully marked in colored marker what they are. And the colored marker refers to what color I need to paint them. On Saturday, I painted all the green pieces. And I’m glad I chose green. For if I had chosen red, I would still be painting…

On Saturday, I also organized my work room a little bit. I put the sheets of pieces I haven’t yet used (or probably am not going to use as I make this house my own) in one stack. I was able to put away one table. I piled all my small pieces on their own papers to make sure the kitchen bay window doesn’t get mixed up with the front bay window (and so forth). As far as the building of the house, organizing doesn’t do much. But it makes me feel a lot better to have everything in proper order.

Until I get back from New Hampshire, I doubt I’ll get a whole lot more done on the house. Hopefully some more painting this week, but you never know. I’d love to have it done (well, “livable”) by the end of the summer. But we’ll see about that, too!

Windows, doors, sashes, trims…and this is only the start!

A Funny Thing Happened...

Thankfully life is full of amusing moments. Otherwise, I would be far too serious. Which I probably am already, but I try to lighten up now and then. Sometimes. Maybe if I didn’t get bogged down in details, I would make my life easier. But, just so you know, I don’t think many people would file me under serious. I can be lighthearted, laugh some and smile a lot.

This week funny things happened. Don’t they always? For instance, a very good friend gave me toothpaste. (Yes, you read that right: toothpaste.)

“Is this a hint?”

“No! No. It’s just the best toothpaste, and I bought extra so you can shine up that beautiful smile.”

Nice compliment. But meanwhile, Haley was in the car watching this exchange and pantomiming receiving a gift which you open, disappointment and wonder crosses your face, and then you throw it over your shoulder in disgust. I don’t know…maybe I should keep and treasure it as a very special moment in my life.

Later this week, our marketer came into the office and told me about a potential patient who had called earlier in the day. She just wanted to let me know the hurdles that need to be leapt over to put the woman on hospice.

“This is the second patient this week with obstacles in the way. And both of them are dying to be on hospice.”

I looked at her for a moment and then laughed. “Um, Melinda, I’m not sure that’s the way you want to put that.”

“What? Oh! Well, I don’t know,” she said with a laugh, “could be a good slogan: Dying to be on Hospice.”