A rainy day, a clear mind

3/7/06 Friday
I am up early. It is raining outside and the noise of the water leaking in wasn’t going to let me go back to sleep. We told the landlord about this and they sent someone out to look at it but it required a roofer coming out so nothing has happened. So I got up and made sure a towel was in place to catch the water and went back to bed. Drip! Drip! Drip! OK, I’m up. Time to put on a pot of coffee. Cherie is up now and hitting the shower. I showed her the pictures we took at the park yesterday evening. Unfortunately I dropped the camera so I will have to find a Kodak service center to get it fixed. It works, just not quite right. I want to record the forest waking up so took pictures of some of the first buds. The ones of the wild roses didn’t come out because of the camera’s malfunctioning.

Going to the park is always a highlight of the day for us. Cherie’s old ankle injury has been aggravated by being on her feet allot at work. In addition to that she is having increased pain in her hands from opening and closing bottles all day. (She works in a lab that tests what they call closures, which are bottle caps)

As we walked we both couldn’t help but think about how much we will miss the forests if we go to Texas. It used to be “when” we went to Texas but now we are uncertain how this will all play out. We talked, we walked, and we enjoyed being in love. At one point Cherie looked at me and said “We are going to have a good life” and I agreed, telling her “Yes honey, and that’s because we choose to. We will make our life good”.

There is much on my mind. On top of the list is the fight with NPI to get Wayne moved to safer quarters. Yesterday was a good day. There were no slow downs at all. I got tired but fatigue is a part of the brain injury and will always be an issue. This morning I will meet Jeff for our regular Friday morning breakfast at the Waffle House. After that I take Barb and whoever else she gets up to the Pilgrim Church for the “Feed Your Neighbor” food program. Then I think I will go to Wayne’s and get a copy of the letter he got from NPI telling him they won’t move him.
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I met with Jeff and we talked about several things. He had read the last few entries of the blog but didn’t go to far back. He asked me about my brother and the inheritance issues. I explained that we weren’t sure how things would work out but I pretty much had to get a lawyer just to make sure I had some representation down in Texas.


Jeff and I also discussed some of the theological issues I have, some of which he shared. We got on that when I asked him if he had heard of the “Judas Gospel”. That is a subject that brings up many things. Is the whole Bible the God breathed, Holy Spirit inspired, word for word “Word of God”? That is a common doctrine for the evangelical church and one I can’t agree with. I told Jeff that anything the hand of man touches is tainted. The Bible we have now is the one picked out and sometimes rewritten by early church fathers in what was already a divided religious movement.

I told Jeff about how some authors were using blogs and the internet to publish and get recognition for their books. “Just imagine a book that when you go from chapter to chapter plays songs specifically geared for that particular section. You can listen to it softly play in the background as you read. Add to that pictures and perhaps even some animation and you have a powerful tool to convey your message and the emotions you, as the author, wish to evoke.

This is one of the areas I wish to explore and develop. It is one of the dreams I have, one I wish to make accessible by creating an environment at the farm that will allow me to work and be creative without allot of disturbance. Dreams usually only come true with hard work. There is much to be done at the farm if indeed we are able to get there.

As you can see the farm had been allowed to die during the decade since my grandfather died and my grandmother grew unable to keep it up. We want to bring it back to life and not just restore it to where my grandparents had built it but go farther.


In my mind we will continue the love story of Lee and Rudy. This was their dream that they built together. It will be our dream also where we would like to enjoy the remainder of our lives together as they did. That's providing this estate thing settles well.

Fred called and asked me to pick up a newspaper for him and I actually remembered to do so when I went to get gas.
Getting gas was a holding my breath experience. I went to Kroger because we get .30 off because of purchasing over $550 last month. Unfortunately the nearest Kroger with a gas pump was not near. I had waited as long as I could to get gas but yesterday Fred had me drive over fifty miles so it was pretty low. I drove nice and slow, coasting and trying to time lights where I wouldn’t have to stop to get the best mileage I could. It was below E and the dash was flashing it’s warning and beeping at me. The tank holds sixteen gallons and I put in 15.4. pretty close but I made it. $37.00 of gas, most of it spent for the people I help. Last month I put $112.00 worth of gas in the car. Thirty two of that Fred paid for when I had asked him to because our budget was tight. He would put more in but I told him “no” because I feel that is only right because he lets me use his Caddy anytime I want for personal use.

Right now I am at the Pilgrim Church. I picked up Barb and two others, Dee and another lady named Barb. They are inside now and waiting. There is a line so it may be a while and there may not be much left.

Sharon just called. Her parents got a collect call from the jail last night. They were smart enough not to take it but there is little doubt that the low life who beat Sharon up was calling to try and intimidate Sharon through them. I told Sharon that I need to write some letters for her to the prosecutor’s office as well as Congress woman Marcy Kaptur. Marcy is very involved with the crime victims program and I am confident will get involved.

Wayne also called as I sat here in the parking lot waiting for Barb and the rest to get their food. He asked if I could take him to get his laundry today. It will be a busy day so I pray I stay sharp. I am running a 7 on the Bob scale. Yesterday was great because I had no slow downs at all. There are times I can go a few days without one and there are days I have several and pretty much lose the whole day. That and the migraines come and go as they please, making life uncertain and unpredictable. Despite that I seem to be able to help several and that helps me feel better about myself. I will miss fighting for the rights and well being of others when we go to Texas. I suppose I will still stay in contact and do what I can long distance if we move to Texas. (I really hate having to use the word “if” regarding moving to Texas.) Odds are I will get involved helping someone in Texas. Who knows what will happen but my life continues to be an adventure with Cherie and I both waiting to see what is waiting for us around the next corner.

I picked up Wayne and took him to the laundrymat. While he did his laundry I worked on the letter for both him and Sharon. It will take a while for me to get them right and I will need to consult with Sharon on her’s.

Here's a picture of Wayne with David Lander, the star who played Squiggy in Laverne and Shirley. This was at a fundraiser for Multiple Sclerosis I took Wayne to. It helps him deal with his MS to get out and get involved.

I went and picked up a subway sandwich for Wayne and helped him finish his laundry. I visited with him a while after I took him home. He has been going through some bad depression and was contemplating suicide after hearing he would not be able to move out of cracktown. Wayne told me that someone was again trying to get into his apartment through the bathroom window which is next to the outside stairs. After staying with him a while and trying to cheer him up I came on home. Fred had called to tell me to just walk in and place the newspaper I bought on his table where he would leave fifty cents. He had not slept last night because Jackie, the crackhead upstairs, had been singing and dancing around all night.

Here is Sharon in the apartment we helped her move to.

Called Sharon and it appears that I will not have to write the letter. When the prosecutor learned of the phone call to Sharon’s parents he got on the ball. He learned that the detective handling the case had disclosed not only Sharon’s parents phone number but their address as well. The prosecutor went to the judge and had an order made and sent to the county sheriff, who runs the jail, stating that if there were anymore calls the defendant would be placed in solitary confinement. The prosecutor said that the detective would have some answering to do when he got back from vacation.

I called the law firm I talked with yesterday. Myra, the receptionist I had talked with, told me that Scott had asked her to give me the number of another attorney. This is the third referral I have been sent to. Evidently things are stirring up in Midland’s economy so all the lawyers are swamped. The attorney they referred me to is an independent one who is not as overwhelmed. That works better for me anyway cause I don’t particularly care to be one of a hundred cases someone is having to juggle.

Called Patrick, the attorney, a few minutes ago. He answered the phone himself so for the first time I talked to a lawyer instead of a receptionist or intern. I like the guy and though he was just walking out the door he was able to give me more information than I have had to date. I will scan and send him a copy of the will right now. He will call and we will discuss things after he has had a chance to review it. Progress at last.

It is 5:50. I am running out of steam and have been walking through the lightheaded thing for about an hour now. Don’t have time for a slow down but I never do so I will keep going no matter what. Sharon called and asked if Julia Bates the chief prosecutor is related to Judge Bates. I told her I don’t really know but it wouldn’t surprise me. She said that Judge Bates is the one hearing the case of the guy who beat her. I don’t know who he is related to but I know he has a reputation for being a tough judge. Sharon liked to hear that.

Cherie just came home. She stopped by Sam’s Club and picked up one of their roasted chickens for dinner. I am going to take a break now.

The attorney from Midland called. We talked for a short while and he said he would call Monday after he reviewed the will. He had some interesting observations concerning what Mr. McGilvray told me. I will write more on this after I talk to my attorney Monday. That is all for the day.