Saturdays happenings

6/3/06 Saturday
Not a bad morning. I woke up with a headache but the brain is running at a 7 on the Bob scale. Cherie is cheerful and not as perturbed by family matters as she was yesterday. I fixed the latch on her antique China cabinet she got from her grandmother on the Clevenz side of the family. I’ll do some adjusting to it when we get to Texas and I have a woodshop again. In the process of fixing it I decided to organize her tool box, which had years of screws, nails, and whatnot, thrown in it haphazardly.

I called Denise to see if she would like to go to the park today. She was accepted in the medical waver program and someone is coming over at 5:30 to do the paperwork. I’m not sure what the medical waver program is though I believe it is part of Medicaid. I should learn more about it to see if it is something Wayne can apply for. Anyway, we will call over there at 6:30 to see if she is done and if so will go pick her up. She has a wheelchair so we will be able to take her back to where we often see the deer. That would bless her to no end as it was the pictures of the deer I showed her that got her excited about going. Hope they are out when we go. That’s why we will go at 7:00 because the deer come out towards the evening.

We’re going to take Wayne to see the X men movie now. I called Allen and invited him but the 2:55 showing is “Too early” for him.
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6/4/06 Sunday
I am pretty tired this morning. Carman kitty came in at 7:00 and told us we had to wake up. There was no arguing with him, after all he does rule this house, or at least thinks so. Well we did what he said so I guess he does, at least this morning. I have much to write concerning yesterday. Probably will do that a little later. It was a great day with many blessings.

Loved the movie. Getting there was not real fun for Cherie as I was running late. That is a subtle way of saying I drove the way I did prior to the coma and Cherie hung an and said “Oh God” allot. I called Wayne as we drove so he would be ready. Pulling up we loaded him in the car and I said “Fasten your seat belt”. I really like having to get someplace fast. It makes my blood flow and clears my brain as I calculate and time my way through traffic and the lights. Brings back memories of the good old days. Wayne didn’t mind it but Cherie was glad when we got to the theatre.

X-Men 2 I thought was better than the first movie. I loved how it touched on social issues like prejudice, racism, how power corrupts, jealously, but ultimately the hard decisions that we sometimes must face. The hard ones that have to do with what is best for another person who’s personal issues are a danger to themselves and others. When your love combats what you know must be done. When life and death is in your hands.

After the movie we took Wayne home. He was very happy to get out of the house and do something other than go to a grocery store. I had to buy him a candy bar because his blood sugar was going bad. When I found out he had not eaten since breakfast I gave him a Bob lecture. That would be a nice way of saying I reamed him a new asshole. It is an old subject that he doesn’t seem to get. As a diabetic diet is vitally important and I have been trying to get him to set up a routine involving eating regular healthy food by the clock.

Cherie and I went home for a short time for we will pick up Denise at 7:00. Pulling in her drive I see her wheelchair sitting in the driveway and an old man, whom I presumed was Denise’s dad, working on an iron. Cherie and I both got out of the car and I introduced myself to the man. He told me his name but I promptly forgot it. He was Denise’s dad. After we said a few words he went and got Denise.

This was the first time Cherie and Denise have met. They seemed to click right away. “I need to use you” Denise said as she held on to Cherie’s arm for the walk to the car. They both laughed about how that sounds. Denise’s dad loaded the wheelchair in the car and we were off to the park. I parked at the handicap space at the end of the parking lot because that way I wouldn’t have to take the wheelchair down the steps.

Denise was excited about this trip. I wasn’t sure how her wheel chair would work on the paths. They are paved for a short distance on the route I planned to take but after that it is gravel and dirt. Fortunately it had rained the day before and that seemed to pack the clay down.

There are always flowers at Swan Creek and every time we go it seems like different plants are blooming. We brought Cherie’s camera as I had to send the digital back to the shop because they didn’t fix it right. We took lots of pictures so when I get them developed I will post them on the blog. That will take a few days so sorry guys.


I had waited till 7:00 to pick up Denise because I know the deer come out later in the day, closer to sundown. There were no deer at first, only mosquitoes. Next time we will take some bug spray. We walked and talked with Denise enjoying every minute.

There were a few rabbits that were stirring and we would stop and point them out when Denise didn’t see them. When we got to the creek Denise told us how she used to enjoy fishing with animation as she demonstrated how she would cast and reel in a catch. “I would pull and crank on it till I finally got em in and he was only this big” Denise said, holding her fingers about two inches apart.

Things were going well and the wheelchair was no problem to push so we took the long route around the field, stopping to savor the sights as we went. Coming to the boardwalk we went to the landing Cherie and I always enjoy stopping at. Denise insisted on getting out of the wheelchair asking if I wouldn’t get upset of mind. I can tell from this that her parents always give her a hard time about these things, always babying her and being over protective. She has told me how this bothers her before. I always encourage this kind of independence. She had a smoke while we enjoyed the view and generally talked.

When we headed back to the trail Denise said to me “I’d like to push you in the wheel chair”. That sounded like it would be good for Denise, making her feel better about things and instilling confidence. Besides that it would be fun for all of us and it was. Denise had no problem doing that as she could hold on to the chair. I would steady things with my hands on the wheels and helped steer some.

We were disappointed at not seeing any deer but when we got back to the trail I heard Cherie exclaim “Look, there’s a deer”. Sure enough, clear across the field, close to where we had just been, we could see an orange splotch of a deer. Actually we had seen a young buck before that but he was laying down in the woods where it was dark and hard to see. We retraced our steps to get close to where the deer had been. Now it wasn’t there. Cherie has incredible sharp eyes and spotted a buck laying down in the bush. All we could see was it’s ears and every now and then it’s nose as it raised it’s head up to sniff the breeze.

Denise stood up to see better and we watched and waited, hoping it would get up. It didn’t so I quietly walked a few feet towards it with the hope this would cause it to stand up but not run away. That didn’t work so I went back to the others. That’s when I heard ole eagle eyed Cherie say “There’s another one”. Sure enough there was and looking we spied another one with it. They were up and feeding so we went around the corner to get closer. Now Denise was thrilled or maybe enthralled would be a better word. We watched patiently. I could tell Denise was getting tired but she had no intention of quitting now.

The first buck now stood up and began grazing. The sun was getting very low so it was time now. I took Denise back around to where we had been looking at the first buck so we could get closer. That worked out pretty damn good. As he grazed he kept getting closer and closer. The other two grazed in our direction also. The first buck got to within about ten feet from us, occasionally looking at us but not at all worried. We could talk and slap mosquito’s with out bothering them at all. Too Cool. Took lots of pictures which y’all will see in a few days when I get the film developed. Man I miss the digital camera.

When all was said and done it was a great time. On the way back home I spied the ice cream stand Cherie and I visit so suggested we stop for ice cream. That was well received so I swung on in. Denise wanted to pay for the ice cream and at first I resisted, insisting it was my treat. Then I realized how good it would make Denise feel so I relented. We sat at a table and I wish I could convey how good this whole time was. Denise gushed with gratitude and her joy was ours. It is so good folks to help others. I encourage all of you to do so or, realizing many of you already do so to do it more. Not only does it bless them but you also. One of the things that helps others who are down is for them to reach out for others in need. It is a form of therapy that is powerful. I would like to get Allen out of his hole to do that.

Anyway I am tired. It is 1:13 Monday morning so I will call it a night.