Beginning of Fall!

Today was windy, rainy and cool.  I could feel fall in the air. 

I walked 10 miles at the lake this morning.  I got a late start, after 9:00.  The first 6 miles were windy but not bad. As I headed around the dam side of the lake on the north side the wind was picking up with some gust about 40 mph.  I was having to lean forward to walk and it was blowing me around. The last mile it was raining & had dropped in temp about 10 degrees. I was glad to get to the car.  Only 2 wks until the walk.

Ricki called to day to tell me she was shopping at Chico's and asked what size I bought there. I told her about 1 1/2. She was so proud of herself because she was able to buy 1's.  Hooray for her!!!! I am so proud of her. She is so much happier now because she is feeling good, looking good and moving back to OKC.  It's about time.

I guess I better lose some weight!

I went to Affair of the Heart on Friday and walked 7 huge buildings and found a new purse & some fall stuff.  I really enjoyed looking at everything. Lots of people because the schools were out for fall break.

Mother isn't feeling very good.  She is very sore but doesn't take the aleve regular because she is afraid it will constipate her. Getting in and out of bed is the hardest because of the soreness.  She did get home health care again and that helps.  The nurse came last Thurs. and will come again on Monday.  I'm going to get her some prunes to help with the constipation. 

Ricki and John will be coming next week to bring a load of furniture to put in the cottage on the Epworth campus where John will be living until they get a house. Tom & Judy will stay with him until they get a house to live in.  Hopefully Tom & Judy will be finding one in our neighborhood. 

I'm starting to plan for Thanksgiving.  Usually we go to Kenna's for Thanksgiving. With Ricki & Lori's families in transition we are going to have Thanksgiving at my house or the clubhouse. Lori is moving to Washington State.  Not sure if it will be Thursday or Friday.  Saturday is out because OU and OSU play in Stillwater and several are going to that game. Stacy and Dave are coming to OKC the Saturday before Thankgiving and will stay a week.

November will be a busy month but looking forward to it.

Mom's Challenge

Ricki and John left on Monday.  Ricki left early to get back to work and John after he finished with his negotiations on his new job.  He signed the contract!!!

Over the weekend we went to Kingfisher and toured Ray's new house that they will be moving into in about a week.  Ricki and John took us all (Noakes, Belcher's & mom) out to Mexican dinner on Saturday night. Sunday we went around to the Parade of Homes with Ray & Lacy while John & Ricki were looking for a new house. Sunday evening was their reception with the Board of Directors and it went very well. As they left the reception they gave John their job offer for him to review overnight.  No sleep for him that night!

Monday evening about 6:00, I got a call from Mom that she needed my help. She had stumped her foot on something and it had knocked her off balance and she fell backwards on her hips, back and head. She had fallen in the Dining Room and the staff had already called the ambulance & for me to meet her at Mercy. We were in the emergency room until 12:15.  They did a CT scan and Xrays. She had no fractures but the ER doc found a small dot on the head scan. He thought she should spend the night and have another CT scan in the morning to compare the spots.

Tuesday morning another scan was done and the spot had dissolved. She could go home.  I wasn't able to check her out until 6 pm on Tuesday.  Doctors don't do anything fast.

She was feeling fine with no constant pain but her muscles were sore from the shock of the fall. When she moved she was wincing.  She got better as the day went on.  Really glad that nothing was hurt in the head. She has had several bad falls and hit her head.  She must really have a hard head. 

Glad your OK mom!

My Secret is Revealed!

Drum roll please!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ricki and John are moving to Oklahoma City, soon.  I can't believe it.  

John has just been offered the job of CEO at Epworth Villa, a retirement community only a 1/2 mile from our house.  Couldn't be more perfect.  

I have never lived in the same town with Ricki & am looking so forward to it.  Mother is ecstatic. She really had a hard time last summer when I left for the summer and Kenna needed to spend a lot of her time in OKC helping her.  This way Ricki will be here helping when I am away. 

John & Ricki have been here this weekend for a reception with the Board of Directors.  They wanted to meet Ricki to see if she was on board with this move, too. John will meet with the Board again tomorrow for contract negotiations.  He will probably start work around December 1st.  Ricki will stay in Olathe to work, sell the house and for Chris to finish the semester. Hopefully the house will sell fast and they will be able to come soon.  

Tom and Judy (John's parents) will be coming too. I was ready for all of them to move into our neighborhood but Ricki & John need a bigger house.  Tom & Judy may move into our neighborhood if they find one they like. 

We spent the afternoon looking at houses in the Parade of Homes. They would like for Ray(Ricki's son) to build a house for them in this area of town.  We will see if it works out.  

They have a lot to settle and plan in the next few months.

Ricki looks so good.  She has now lost 101 lbs.  She says she has twenty more lbs that she wants to lose. She is amazing!! The training for our walk in November has helped her a lot.  She has skinny legs.  

I Have a Secret!!!

I am so excited!  For the last couple of weeks something in my life has been in the works and I have found out that it is going to happen. I can't believe it!  You'll have to wait a few more days to find out what it is.  What could it be?

• I am getting a new puppy?
• Morgan is going to college at OU?
• We are moving full-time to Ruidoso?
• Mother is going to move in with us?
• Lori is moving to Washington State?
• Ricki is moving to OKC?
• Don is getting a new pickup?
• I was offered a job I couldn't refuse?
• We are going on a month cruise?
• Kenna is retiring from teaching?

I AM SO EXCITED!!!  MORE TO COME SOON...

Susan G Komen training update

I sent this letter out to my donors tonight. Just a summary of my training.

I just wanted to update you on my training and upcoming walk in Dallas on November 5, 6, & 7th. You along with 37 other donors made it possible for me to take this journey by raising $2740.

At the end of May, I started my training and continued it through the summer while we were in Ruidoso, NM, and now back in Oklahoma City. The cooler weather and mountains helped with my training. I usually walked at least 4 days a week & played pickleball at least 4 days a week. My highest mileage so far is 17 miles with the next day being 13 miles. I have 3 more weeks of training for the walk and will be walking an 18 mile day during that time. My body has held up well so far except for a few blisters. I have walked at least 525 miles so far in the training and have more to walk. Hope this old body holds up!

I know this sounds like a struggle but it is nothing compared to the struggle women and men go up against when they are diagnosed with breast cancer. This is my way of supporting those men and women. My sister, Ricki and I are walking for our mom, Jodean Martin, a cancer survivor. I would like to walk for someone you know that is a survivor, died from breast cancer or is dealing with it now. Please send me their name in the next few days. I want to recognize them at the walk & walk for them also.

I will update you again after my walk. I am looking forward to this experience you have given me. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers.

These are some pictures I took while I was walking at Hefner lake this morning.

We are getting a good thunderstorm tonight and cooling down this week.

I finally got everything unpacked and put up in its correct places.

• Don and I went and played pickleball with the group at the Sante Fe club.  They have about 4 or 5 that play.  We are trying to recruit some others in our neighborhood to start playing. 
• I got my hair colored and cut after 4 months.  It feels so good. 
• Walked 15 last Wed, 6 on Friday, 10 today. No new blisters.
• We had a neighborhood breakfast on Saturday and one of the neighbors had everyone over for happy hour that evening.  
• Visited with Mom on Saturday and we cleaned out her closet changing summer clothes out to winter clothes.
• Reserved airline ticket for the Dallas walk.  Ricki and I are going to Kenna's on Wed the 3rd and coming back Monday the 8th. 
• Shopped at Mistletoe Market(Junior League) on Friday.
• Abby hurt her back again on Saturday.  Tired to call Vet in Capitan but haven't heard back yet. I don't think it is as bad as before but she is in pain.  We are giving her aspirin. 
• Thena took her new husband home from hospital with a new stint and he is recovering well.
• Don started working out again and his wounds are healing from the scooter accident.

Back in OKC

Headed back to OKC on Wednesday, September 29th and after 111/2 hrs & lots of potty stops we pulled into our neighborhood to a house that was still standing.  That is always something that I worry about. Unpacked the car and went to bed tired.

So much to do!

Thursday - starting putting some things away, went to Sam's and Target to restock the kitchen,went to Mom's in the afternoon.  We were really glad to see each other, caught up on news and family, & cleaned up the computer some.  So glad to be back & be able and keep an eye on her.

Friday - walked 6.3 miles along Lake Hefner. Unpacked suitcases. Bought two new pairs of tennis shoes for walk. Worked in the yard (backyard was a mess) too many weeds and grass in the flowerbeds.

Before cleanup

After cleanup

Proof that I was working

Grass & weeds that I pulled out

Bachelor Buttons before I trimmed them. They had lots of blooms earlier in the summer

Saturday - walked at Hefner lake in new shoes for 16 miles(needed to do 18). Walked completely around which is 10 miles and then back to Stars & Stripes Park.  Don met me there with a sandwich. This made for a good break and then I turned around and walked back to the car.  I could feel the blisters growing so I quite when I got to the car. I got 3 new blisters and didn't walk the 15 that I needed to do today.

Bobby & Roger from Ruidoso called & told us that Thena's new husband (Elree Gandy) had a heart attack yesterday and they airlifted him to Lubbock. She called again today and said he hadn't had a heart attack but he was having a problem when a stint that had been put in earlier. They took it out and replaced with a new one. I can't believe her luck with husbands. Hope he recovers soon. I think they are going home on Tuesday.

I've got a couple of pictures from Ruidoso I wanted to show.  The first one is the rug I bought at the garage sale and it needed a home in my cabin.  The other one is an old large satellite disk that was painted like a basket.  It actually looks like a large basket.  It is in front of an art gallery.  Very pretty.

Sunday - got in a short walk but started talking to a neighbor and time got away.  Got all the weeds from the backyard put in trash for pickup in the morning. Flowerbeds need some more work in them still.

Don & I went over to Mom's & he cleaned up her computer. 

I found a place to play pickleball. The guy (Don Stanek) returned my email and invited me to play tomorrow.  It is at the Sante Fe Club where we use to play tennis.  Hope they are good players.

Lows tonight are suppose to be in the low 40's maybe could be a frost. Then later in the week turning hot again.