A Continuing Saga

On August 27,  2021, I ordered some personal items from the Internet.  On September 15, 2021, I blogged Beware about the order that I had not yet received. On September 26, 2021 the credit card company informed me that a dispute had been opened and my account had been adjusted by taking the $45.96 off my account. They let me know they would let me know how the dispute proceeded.

A few weeks later I heard from the credit card company telling me they were still investigating and it looked that what I had ordered had originated in Hong Kong! 

It is now early in October and I have not heard a thing from the Hong Kong company. I did hear from the credit card company letting me know they were still investigating. On October 29, 2021,  the credit card company sent me a large envelope informing me that the dispute had been settled and the charge would be returned to my account. Also, if I wanted to continue with the dispute I needed to write to the credit card company and show them my attempts to reach the Hong Kong company and any correspondence I had with the company.

I called the credit card company and told them I had not received my items. In the information I was sent it showed that the item was delivered to Sebastian, Florida on October 5, 2021. Well, someone in Florida was enjoying my bras! Even though the information came from the credit card company I wonder if they even read the information.  I e-mailed the credit card company and asked that they continue with the dispute and also sent them a hard copy. They informed me that they will reinstate the dispute. At this point, I do not want the items I ordered. All I want is to have my money deleted from my account and in order to solve this mystery, I shall wait to find out what happened to my order so I can end this saga of my missing items!

A Final Goodbye

We met at Meeker Jr. High School and became friends. We would walk to school together, we played sports and were on an Intramural team for three years, (volleyball, basketball, soccer), she lived about a block from me, we belonged to the Sodality at Our Lady of Peace Church, we could eat a pint of White House ice cream each, went to catechism classes eating a dill pickle, sun flower seeds or sucking on a lemon. (The Victory Knoll nuns did not like that at all!) We loved drinking Green Rivers, attending dances at the State Armory, working in a laundry folding sheets at our very first job that her grandfather found for us. We both belonged to Pep Club and would need to be on the field to practice at 6 a.m. and we attended all the games. We played hooky from school once or maybe twice, went on picnics sitting in the back of a truck, (no seat belt required then) and I was a bridesmaid in her wedding, she came to my wedding and we saw each other off and on for the next seventy years. I remember her home being filled with family as they came over for Sunday brunch every week to feast on beans, potatoes, green chili, and homemade tortillas. Every 4th of July I traveled to Greeley for the parade and spend time with her either at a local park or at her home.

Then, sadly, on October 13, 2021, she sighed her last breath. Her funeral mass was at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Greeley, Colorado on October 22. The cantor was a young woman with a beautiful voice and she sang many hymns to Our Blessed Mother. As I entered the church a lone saxophone player sent low notes vibrating through the whole church. Seeing the five daughters in the front row made me cry. They were such a close family and the daughters had watched over their Mom after their Dad passed away. I knew it would be difficult for them because losing a mother, who loves her children unconditionally, is hard. I remember it took me five years to get over losing my mother and after five years I could finally mention her name without bursting into tears.

The family had chosen to wear the color purple so at a glance I knew who was part of the family! The casket was a deep blue with silver handles, there were bouquets of flowers given by friends and family, the priest gave a homily about how she was now in heaven and watching over us, a granddaughter gave a touching eulogy and then it was time to go to the Sunset Memorial Gardens to say our final goodbyes.

What I remember are lots of flowers, purple and white balloons, being handed a rose to place on the casket, the priest leading us in prayer and giving each daughter a crucifix as a remembrance, Mexican music being played that I figured were my friend's favorite songs. And then came the emotional goodbyes by the five daughters as they cried over the casket and I heard, "Mama why did you leave us, I don't know what I am going to do without you, Mama I love you, Oh, Mom, I don't want to say goodbye." They hugged the blue casket, they placed flowers on top, and their laments continued. Their faces were contorted in their pain and I could feel their agony. Some of the grandchildren sang along with music and it surprised me that they knew enough Spanish to sing along! After all, it was another generation.

In the obituary I had been mentioned along with two other friends. One of the friends was there and she and I remembered our youth and our school days. She recently lost her husband and son and she told me, "I know all about grief." 

I was surprised that many of the grandchildren knew me and knew my name. Yet, there are so many, I know I will never remember all their names.

The reception was a time to see my friend's siblings and meet their families. How proud my friend would be as she looked down from heaven at her family. At eighty-three she had done much in her life and raised a wonderful and beautiful family. How proud I felt to have been friends with her for such a long time. Even when there were times when years went by without seeing each other, when we did get together it was as if no time had passed.

Goodbye my friend, memories of us together will keep you alive for me. 

Rest in Peace, my friend.

"Even the best of friends cannot 

attend each other's funeral."

Kehlog Albran

Painful Losses

💕💕💕💕

One of my best friends was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and is in the last stages of the disease. She can no longer walk or talk. When I visit it is like playing charades and I never know if she knows me or understands me.  She has a lot to say though I do not understand her murmurings. Because I know what a vibrant and humorous person she used to be, it is painful to see her in her present condition. She is at Cherrelyn Health Care in Littleton, Colorado. She is three days older than I am and it makes me worry about my own health.

When I visit her it takes me about forty minutes from my home in Arvada. The last time I visited her I was not able to see her because of a Covid 19 outbreak and no one was allowed to visit. A post from her daughter let me know my friend tested positive for Covid. Is that fair? When the the restrictions are lifted I wonder what condition she will be in because I think visitors are good for her and at this time no one is allowed to visit or appointment times need to be set up. After being with her I spend my drive home depressed and sad. Our friendship has lasted for forty-three years, though now I am the only one who remembers our times together.

"Alzheimer's is a barren disease,

as empty and lifeless as a desert.

It is a thief of hearts, souls, memories."

Nicholas Sparks

💕💕💕💕

I received a text from a friend's daughter from Greeley, Colorado about 52 miles from Denver. Her mother has been my friend for over seventy years, My friend went into the hospital and developed Sepsis. The last message I received from the daughter is that my friend is in Comfort Care. Not knowing what Comfort Care was all about I looked it up and was shocked and surprised because in order to be in the program, there is knowledge that the person may only have six months to live. Here is another friend who is near my age and may be reaching the end of her life.

It seems that Comfort Care takes care of a patient by controlling the symptoms, pain, and allowing the patient to have quality of life as she nears the end of her life. I burst into tears when the daughter told me that her mother was waiting to see Chas, her husband, who passed away a few years ago. I have traveled to Greeley to be with her on the death of her husband, her daughter and her son. We began our friendship when we were in Junior High School.

This morning, October 13, 2021, I received a text from her daughter letting me know that my friend had passed away at 12:30 a.m. Even though I knew that being in Comfort Care could be near the end, I hoped that maybe she would recover and I would be able to visit with her one more time. It wasn't too be and the call made me sad. I seem to be spending today remembering and crying.

"Losing a friend often makes people

feel lonely and deserted. Aristophanes

reminds us that they're only a few steps

ahead along the road we all walk."

Aristophanes, Philosopher 

A Testing Time

When I got hearing aids I decided that the true test of how well they worked would be spending time with my family. For the past three years they had hinted that maybe I should have my hearing tested. When I could no longer hear the turning signal in my car, and other people in my car could, I decided to go in for a hearing test. I went to two places and both places told me I was a good candidate for hearing aids. Now I have them and it appears that I hear my family better. Though sometimes, with my hear aids on, I still have to ask, "what did you say?"

While visiting my family I told them about my friend who has Alzheimer's and suddenly when I said or did something not quite right, I wondered if they thought there was something wrong with me. One day my daughter and I went to the store and while she waited in the car, I ran in to the store. When I came out I could not find the car. First of all, I am not sure what her car looks like other than it is brown. I headed to a brown car that looked like hers even though I knew that was not where we had parked. As I neared the car I noticed the seats had zebra coverings. I stood and looked around and then went to my right, hoping I would recognize her car. And then I saw her waving her arms above her head. She knew I had misplaced the car!

Though not remembering where I parked the car has happened to me at home, I eventually find it but this time I felt that if she was keeping score; maybe thinking that something was wrong with my brain! We laughed about the episode yet it still worried me. After all, even though my knees hurt, and she knows that, my brain is something she can't see so I wonder if she mentally puts a mark in the air. I joke that since I live alone I can do all sorts of crazy things and no one will know but when one is around other family members, they can tell when something is not right. My daughter said I probably feel that way because of the situation with my friend with Alzheimer's. Later that evening she suggested I give her the names of some of my friends in Colorado. Did she want to check with them to see if  I was doing goofy things?

Today we got on the subject of older people and how they act and she said she watched a PBS documentary called Fast Forward about how young people are fitted with clothing and gadgets to make them feel like an older person. I watched the show and enjoyed it because it has a lot of information. Mostly about how, who and when should someone take over and help an older person. Most of the people helping who wore the aging outfits were the children of the older persons. It sure made me think!

My baby picture does not show my brain but I can guarantee it is brand new without a lot of memories! A picture taken recently has a brain filled with lots of stuff so naturally I will find it harder to remember things! That's my theory and I am sticking to it!

Some of the things I do I can see my daughter raise an eyebrow. When I heard that my friends were getting together to work on decorating small gourds, she suggested I work on a small gourd in California and then Facetime with them while they work on theirs.  I worked on a gourd, with her help and supplies, and called one friend to see if she could get everyone on Facebook. My friend's remark, "It's tomorrow when we are getting together," made me feel weird and thought here's another thing that will make my daughter wonder about my mental health! Another thing that bothers me is the use of a cell phone. I marvel at how they  continue trying to find an answer on their iPhone until they find an answer. I get stuck on passwords...none of what I think should work, don't work.

My whole family in California is computer savvy and as they help me with my iPhone making me feel awkward and embarrassed. When I mentioned it to my daughter she laughed and said, "Someday I will be in the same situation and my kids will have to probably have to help me." The remark made me feel better.

I am now home. There is no one watching what I do. If I forget something, I am the only one that realizes that I do not remember as well as I did when I was younger. And that in itself is a good thing! The one consolation I have is that the majority of my friends also remark on things they forget and it sounds as if we are all in the same boat!

"Memory was a curse, yes, he thought,

but it was also the greatest gift,

because if you lost your memory

you lost everything."

Alice Rice

Craft Day

While I visited my daughter in California, I worked on a gourd because my friends in Colorado were also meeting and working on coloring gourds. I wanted to also work on a gourd so my daughter found one for me to work on it. She suggested that my friends and I could benefit by honing our motor skills by doing small craft projects. I mentioned this to my friends and today we worked on decorating small jars with fall leaves. I learned the word decoupage and found the idea of smearing something with a white glue like substance after sticking the leaves on the jars an interesting way to decorate. After the leaves were glued on and the white decoupage put on top of the leaves the white would evaporate and then another coat of the white stuff would be put on. Eventually the leaves will look beautiful.

I looked through the Internet to see what decoupage was all about and was surprised at the beauty of some of the work. I guess that because I am not a crafts person I had never known what decoupage was all about. Seeing chairs, dishes, boxes, bottles, rocks, bird houses,  tables, vases, picture frames, etc. it is amazing what creative people can do!

One friend did not feel like working on decorating the glass jars and she sat and colored in a large coloring book. She said it relaxed her so maybe at another gathering we will all color in coloring books to relax! As we worked we chatted about different subjects and I found our conversation to be interesting, even when a hot discussion on almond milk and the environment took place! 

I had prepared Posole (a Mexican dish with meat and hominy) and the hostess made cornbread. The Gin and Tonics were a big hit before beginning our art work!  Since I did not decoupage but used leaf stickers, I left with my cute little jar feeling good about our gathering. 

"Making a mess 

to make something beautiful,

is good for the soul!"

E. Moscoso

A Priest Like No Other

This morning, October 10, 2021, I did not go to mass at my parish but instead went to the Shrine of St. Anne. I enjoy Fr. Sean who makes me laugh with some of his remarks or antics. Waiting for mass to begin I noticed that there was a different priest who would be celebrating mass. A brief pang of disappointment swept over me and as I looked at the priest I guessed he was Hispanic. He had brown hair and a dark beard but as he reached the altar and said, "My name is Fr. McMillan and I am retired priest who is taking Father Sean's place this weekend I knew he wasn't Hispanic. His voice was loud and strong and he did not look old enough to be retired. I wondered why he was retired.

The Gospel was the one about how difficult it would be for a rich man to enter into heaven. "It would be as difficult as a camel entering through the eye of the needle." My whole life I always thought it meant that having money and not helping the poor, the rich man would not be able to enter heaven! Fr. McMillan explained that in time the Gospel was written it did not literally mean the eye of a sewing needle. 

During those ancient times, cities were built with high stone walls for protection from enemies and the gate door was so large that animals and carts could enter. But, after sundown the gate was locked and no one could get in unless they entered through a smaller door cut into the large gate. Any one arriving late, would knock and in order for the camel to enter it would go down on its knees to crawl through the small door. When the priest, got on his hands and knees pretending to be a camel, I had to laugh. Never have I seen a priest pantomime what he was saying by actually doing it as he crawled across the front of the altar! It did clear up the Gospel and what was meant by the "eye of the needle." Strange that it has taken this long for me to understand the reading of the Gospel of Mathew 19:24!

Another different action the priest did was at the consecration when he held up the host and the chalice, he did it with one arm extended. It reminded me of the Black power salute and made me wonder if it was proper protocol. Mass ended without any other diversions!

"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel

to pass through the eye of a needle than for

one who is rich to enter the kingdom of God."

Mathew 19:24

A Perfect Day

 Who would have known that Thursday, October 7, 2021, would turn out to be a perfect day? Four friends met at eight-thirty in the morning to begin the ride to Rocky Mountain National Park via Longmont, Lyons, and Estes Park. The driver, who we have named Our Tour Guide is full of trivia about the different areas we passed. She knows the names of flowers, trees, houses, barns, lakes, roads and areas! The car reverberates with talking and laughing.

Arriving at the entrance of Estes Park we had a fellow take our picture at the popular location where it seemed everybody was doing a photo shoot!

We expected to see herds of elk near the Visitor's Center but saw one stag with his harem under a tree not too far from the Center.

Our journey proceeded and our driver had all the permits necessary to enter the park. She took Fall River Road and even though I had been on the road before, it was as if I was seeing the area for the first time. She knew all about the Alluvial Fan Falls and we enjoyed an interesting history lesson. The mountain side is covered with all sorts of different shaped rocks that are the remains of a flood. She told us that there is a path to hike up to the falls. 

I looked the Alluvial Fan up on the internet and was surprised that when Lawn Lake Dam burst 300 million gallons of water overflowed and reached the town of Estes. The water surged down Roaring River forming walls up to thirty feet high. Trees, large boulders, gravel, sand and other debris were carried in the flood that happened on July 15, 1982.  I do not remember reading about this flood.

The Big Thompson flood was caused by 12-14 inches of rain in four hours in 1976. We had friends worried because we usually went to Estes Park every weekend but on the weekend of the flood we had traveled to Leadville leaving friends frightened that we had been caught in the flood! In 2013 there was another flood and this surprised me and made be realize why there are signs posted to move to higher ground if their is a flood warning!

While on Fall River Road we saw stopped cars on the road to allow a huge moose to cross the street. On the opposite side was his family; mom and two young moose! What a thrill to see moose so close. Along the road there were patches of beautiful yellow and gold trees among the green Evergreen trees. Everything was emphasized by the bright blue sky and fuzzy white clouds. We saw a doe with two younger deer and one stared at us making me wonder what thoughts run through its mind as it saw cars with people staring back at him!

Since Trail Ridge Road was open, we decided to drive to the top to the Alpine Visitor Center. What spectacular views and scary drops were enjoyed as we traveled up higher and higher. Someone made a comment that "we were on top of the world!" Our  Tour Guide informed us that Trail Ridge Road is the only continuous paved road in America. When we arrived at the summit it was cold and not a one of us wanted to hike the short trail that would take us to 12,003 feet.  Instead we entered the warm gift shop where we had our pick of jillions of souvenirs. Van Gogh's Starry Nights seems to be popular!

We were ready to get some lunch but the restaurant was closed. We purchased some snacks and headed back down to Estes Park. 

Noticing some fences around the meadows we wondered why there were fences in certain parts of the area. Internet: Two hundred and six acres of elk and vegetation management to keep the elk out yet allow smaller animals to enter in the sixteen inch gap at the bottom of the fence. 

We stopped at the Big Horn Restaurant for a late lunch, had our picture taken, and as we drove through down town Estes, elk were all over and some calmly strolled across the street! We then headed to the Colorado Cherry Company between Lyons and Estes Park. What a fun place to visit! Every kind of fruit pie ($20 each), ice cream, sandwiches, jerky, jams, jellies, wine, candy, juice, and many other things to eat. Two in our group purchased a slice of cherry pie with the added touch of a little dough heart on top, one  purchased ice cream and I tasted the pies with an extra spoon! We all enjoyed the delicious cherry juice.

   

We returned home via a back road and our driver told us she always comes the back way to miss traffic on Wadsworth. After ten hours of enjoying our travels, we picked up our cars at her house. Our tour guide laughed and said, "Well, I got you home before dark!" My thought was, well, just barely! We were tired travelers yet happy at having such a wonderful and perfect day! 

"I learn something every

time I go into the mountains!"

Michael Kennedy

A Favorite Feast Day

 The Catholic church has many feast days and one of my favorite is St. Francis of Assisi. He is usually in a picture surrounded by animals and birds. Spirit of Christ Catholic Community celebrates his feast day by having a blessing of the animals. This year it was on Sunday, October 3 even though his actual feast day is October 4. St. Francis was a philosopher, mystic (pursuing a truth or understanding beyond those experienced with human experience) and teacher.  He founded the men's Order of Friars and the Woman's Order of St. Clare.

I have always loved his prayer, Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon;, where there is doubt, faith;, where there is despair, hope;, where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console, to be understood, as to understand, to be loved as to love, for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Aside from the prayer he is known as an animal lover and when they have the blessing of the animals at our church I am there to take pictures. I have seen some of the pets grow older since I began taking pictures in 2014. One dog, I was told, is fourteen years old.

This year there were many dogs, three cats, one turtle, and one gerbil. Holy water was sprinkled on each one by Deacon Joe and whether the beasties knew what was going on they enjoyed and trusted their owners. Some barking and lots of sniffing but they all got along! Below are some of the animals!

"A righteous man cares

for the needs of animals."

Proverbs 12-10

A Stinky Visitor

 We were returning from visiting my granddaughter in Long Beach, California, and as we arrived home we could smell a pungent odor. "Smells like skunk," someone said. I said that I had heard that marihuana also gives the same kind of odor. We opened the front door and we smelled something burning. My daughter ran into her art room thinking she had left her glue gun on, but said, "Nope, it's not that." We wandered from room to room trying to determine where the smell was coming from and then my son-in-law went outside to where the two dogs were trying to get into the house. The dogs were not the usual feisty animals we were used to seeing but seemed to be disoriented and tired. Their eyes looked watery and swollen. The smell almost smelled like gasoline making us think that maybe someone had thrown gasoline on them. At that point everyone was guessing what could have happened to the two doggies.

My daughter got on Google and read about a skunk spraying a dog and sure enough, all the symptoms were there. A smell like asphalt, puffy and watering eyes, plus a strong skunk smell. She got on the Internet and read: Mix one quart hydrogen peroxide, 1/4 cup baking soda, and two teaspoons dish soap. Carefully wash the dog's face and areas the spray may have reached. Luckily they had all the ingredient to prepare the solution and together they began washing the dog's faces. Both dogs were then put into the shower and shampooed with a special dog shampoo. After their bath they were wrapped in towels and the dog beds were moved into my daughter's art room. The dogs looked sad and tired as they calmly fell asleep.

I noticed that my eyes felt irritated and I developed a headache. It amazed me at how strong a skunk's spray can be and how far the smell spreads. All I could think of was that the poor doggie's had gotten it straight in the face. Someone said, "It's the same as tear gas!"

Most of the windows were opened, an air purifier was turned on and all ceiling fans circulated the air, hopefully sending the foul smell outside!

The next morning my daughter told me that the skunk smell was still pretty strong around the back porch but other than that everything seemed normal. The dogs had not suffered any after effects and seemed fine. She told me that when she buried her nose in the dog's fur she could still smell a faint odor of skunk. 

Since my vacation had come to an end, I packed and was taken to the airport. My daughter told me she went to PetSmart and purchased a special shampoo and planned to give the dogs another washing. I thought, that finally, the skunk saga had ended!

Arriving home I opened the suitcase and got a whiff of skunk. Sure enough, everything hanging in the closet in my room in California and things on top of the dresser also got the smell sticking to them. To think that the smell traveled through the airport, on the train, in my car and home!  Even though it was late, I decided to do two loads of laundry to erase all traces of the skunk smell. I washed the suitcase with soap and water and sprayed it with Lysol. I threw my backpack and purse and everything I had taken to California into the washing machine. This morning I have not gotten one bit of skunk smell and that is a good thing!

After a wonderful time spent with my family, it ended with a smelly adventure and I hope I never have to go through that sort of excitement again!

"I sniffed a skunks butt

and he did not like it!"

Quote by a dog.

Comfortable in California

Visiting my family makes me feel so good and comfortable. Not quite as good as being in my own home but almost. Seeing them and hearing what they have been doing is interesting and enjoyable. In the past, before I had a sore knee, I could help them out by taking the dogs for their walk, doing something around the house, or borrowing a car to run errands.  Now that I am older, it is just fun to sit and listen to what they have to say. I love the way the dogs place a paw on my leg when they want to be petted. Luna, the nine year old, now places her head near my thigh and will not move until I pet her. Finn, gets in between Luna and my hand and forces me to pet him.

I arrived on Sunday and my older granddaughter picked me up in her Fiat. It is a cute, small electric car and she loves it. She likes that she saves money on gas and can park easily. My other granddaughter drives a Prius and loves the mileage she gets on her car. On Monday there was a birthday party scheduled for Luna and we had Pozole with radishes, onion, cilantro, cabbage; guacamole tostadas and ice-cream for dessert. Luna and Finn both got a hot dog and Luna's was decorated with a candle. It was fun wearing party hats and singing Happy Birthday while having a self-timed picture of the whole family!

On Wednesday we drove to Long Beach to see the new apartment where my granddaughter and her friend live. We ate dinner and I was impressed at how beautiful the area near the ocean is and loved the location. It was fun meeting Danni, a black and white Border Collie who they are fostering. She resembles Luna and Finn and is very gentle and sweet.

After sitting around the newly decorated apartment, we talked and enjoyed spending time in the apartment. We left after taking a selfie of my family and did not know what was waiting for us at home. Read Stinky Visitor in my recent blog!

Even though my visit was short, I felt that we spent quality time when we were together. While everyone was at work, I relaxed, played on the computer, watched television or sat by the pool and read. When the workers arrived home then we would spend time together! Of course, if I felt like talking there was always Luna or Finn!

I enjoy visiting my family in California and wish I could do it more often. With Covid 19 and variables it probably isn't good to travel too often yet the holidays are coming up and my thoughts are drifting towards seeing my family again!

"I may not always be with you

but when we are apart

remember you will be with me

right inside my heart,"

Marc Wambolt