A WARNING ABOUT GARDEN SNAKES !

I cannot claim credit for this and I have no idea where it originated but I thought that some of you would appreciate it. It is a bit long but I think worth the read.

Garter Snakes (Thamnophissirtalis)Garden Grass Snakes also known as Garter Snakes (Thamnophissirtalis) can be dangerous. Yes, grass snakes, not rattlesnakes.
Here’s why: A couple in Sweetwater, Texas, had a lot of potted plants. During a recent cold spell, the wife was bringing a lot of them indoors to protect them from a possible freeze.
It turned out that a little green garden grass snake was hidden in one of the plants and when it had warmed up, it slithered out and the wife saw it go under the sofa.
She let out a very loud scream! The husband (who was taking a shower) ran out into the living room naked to see what the problem was. She told him there was a snake under the sofa. He got down on the floor on his hands and knees to look for it.
About that time the family dog came and cold-nosed him on the behind. He thought the snake had bitten him, so he screamed and fell over on the floor. His wife thought he had a heart attack, so she covered him up, told him to lie still and called an ambulance.
The attendants rushed in, wouldn’t listen to his protests and loaded him on the stretcher and started carrying him out.
About that time the snake came out from under the sofa and the Emergency Medical Technician saw it and dropped his end of the stretcher. That’s when the man broke his leg and why he is still in the hospital.
The wife still had the problem of the snake in the house, so she called on a neighbour man.
He volunteered to capture the snake. He armed himself with a rolled-up newspaper and began poking under the couch. Soon he decided it was gone and told the woman, who sat down on the sofa in relief.
But while relaxing, her hand dangled in between the cushions, where she felt the snake wriggling around. She screamed and fainted, the snake rushed back under the sofa.
The neighbor man, seeing her lying there passed out, tried to use CPR to revive her.
The neighbor’s wife, who had just returned from shopping at the grocery store, saw her husband’s mouth on the woman’s mouth and slammed her husband in the back of the head with a bag of canned goods, knocking him out and cutting his scalp to a point where it needed stitches.
The noise woke the woman from her dead faint and she saw her neighbor lying on the floor with his wife bending over him, so she assumed that he had been bitten by the snake. She went to the kitchen and got a small bottle of whiskey, and began pouring it down the man’s throat.
By now the police had arrived. They saw the unconscious man, smelled the whiskey, and assumed that a drunken fight had occurred. They were about to arrest them all, when the women tried to explain how it all happened over a little green snake.
The police called an ambulance, which took away the neighbor and his sobbing wife.
The little snake again crawled out from under the sofa. One of the policemen drew his gun and fired at it.
He missed the snake and hit the leg of the end table. The table fell over and the lamp on it shattered and as the bulb broke it started a fire in the drapes. The other policeman tried to beat out the flames, and fell through the window into the yard on top of the family dog who, startled, jumped out and raced into the street, where an oncoming car swerved to avoid it and smashed into the parked police car.
Meanwhile, the burning drapes, were seen by the neighbors who called the fire department.
The firemen had started raising the fire truck ladder when they were halfway down the street.
The rising ladder tore out the overhead wires and put out the electricity and disconnected the telephones in a ten-square city block area (but they did get the house fire out).
Time passed! Both men were discharged from the hospital, the house was repaired, the dog came home, the police acquired a new car, and all was right with their world.
A while later they were watching TV and the weatherman announced a cold snap for that night. The wife asked her husband if he thought they should bring in their plants for the night.

That’s when he shot her!

Mums Clothesline

Remembering Mum’s Clothesline

(This was sent to me as an e-mail, I have no ideal who the original writer was but I thought it was so good I just had to share,  Thank You whoever you are. )

There is one thing that’s left out. We had a long wooden pole (clothes pole) that was used to push
the clotheslines up so that longer items (sheets/pants/etc.) didn’t brush the ground and get dirty.
You have to be a “certain age” to appreciate this one….
(But you YOUNGER ones can read about “The GOOD old’ days”!!)
I can hear my mother now…..

THE BASIC RULES FOR CLOTHESLINES:
(If you don’t even know what clotheslines are, better skip this.)
1. You had to hang the socks by the toes… NOT the top.
2. You hung pants by the BOTTOM/cuffs… NOT the waistbands.
3. You had to WASH the clothesline(s) before hanging any clothes – walk the entire length of each line with a damp cloth around the lines.
4. You had to hang the clothes in a certain order, and always hang “whites” with “whites,” and hang them first.
5. You NEVER hung a shirt by the shoulders – always by the tail! What would the neighbours think?
6. Wash day on a Monday! NEVER hang clothes on the weekend, or on Sunday, for Heaven’s sake!
7. Hang the sheets and towels on the OUTSIDE lines so you could hide your “unmentionables” in the middle (perverts & busybodies, y’know!)
8. It didn’t matter if it was sub-zero weather… clothes would “freeze-dry.”
9. ALWAYS gather the clothes pins when taking down dry clothes! Pins left on the lines were “tacky”!
10. If you were efficient, you would line the clothes up so that each item did not need two clothes pins, but shared one of the clothes pins with the next washed item.
11. Clothes off of the line before dinner time, neatly folded in the clothes basket, and ready to be ironed.
12. IRONED???!! Well, that’s a whole OTHER subject!

And now a POEM …

A clothesline was a news forecast,
To neighbours passing by,
There were no secrets you could keep,
When clothes were hung to dry.
It also was a friendly link,
For neighbours always knew
If company had stopped on by,
To spend a night or two.
For then you’d see the “fancy sheets”,
And towels upon the line;
You’d see the “company table cloths”,
With intricate designs.
The line announced a baby’s birth,
From folks who lived inside,
As brand new infant clothes were hung,
So carefully with pride!
The ages of the children could,
So readily be known
By watching how the sizes changed,
You’d know how much they’d grown!
It also told when illness struck,
As extra sheets were hung;
Then nightclothes, and a bathrobe too,
Haphazardly were strung.
It also said, “On vacation now”,
When lines hung limp and bare.
It told, “We’re back!” when full lines sagged,
With not an inch to spare!
New folks in town were scorned upon,
If wash was dingy and grey,
As neighbours carefully raised their brows,
And looked the other way.
But clotheslines now are of the past,
For dryers make work much less.
Now what goes on inside a home,
Is anybody’s guess!
I really miss that way of life,
It was a friendly sign
When neighbours knew each other best…
By what hung out on that line !

MY DIABETES UPDATE

Today I had my 6month check up to see how my diabetes was doing.  I must admit that I do not like going to any medical establishment at all, and I am one of these people who ALWAYS have higher blood pressure when it is taken, so when the Doctor said that my BP was up, I smugly produced my home readings for the past 3 weeks to prove that I am one of the hundreds that have “white coat syndrome”.   The next thing was “well your cholesterol has definitely come down (from 7 to 5.5) but we would still like you to consider going on Statins”  My answer to this was a resounding NO, I know of too many people (my Husband included) who had big problems once they started on those, and I do not intend to be another one of them!  In any case seeing as it was on the way down anyway why should I need medication. As you have probably gathered I am very anti-drugs unless my life depended on them of course, I must be a Doctors worse nightmare !

We then got to my blood sugar levels and I am pleased to say that he considered that my Diabetes was very well controlled, so well in fact that he has put the insulin down yet again,(I had already reduced the dose twice on my own initiative since coming out of hospital) I am really pleased about that as I have had several times when it has been so low I had HAD to have chocolate, or sweets, or high energy drinks to bring myself up to an acceptable level, I always had to have a drink and biscuits before going to bed otherwise I would drop too low in the night.  Luckily I am one of those people who get warning signals when too low, so I have managed very well, but obviously with a lower insulin dose, I should not have to keep having to “eat up to it”.

All in all the Doctor was well pleased, and said that generally my health was very good, I can alter my insulin if and when I feel it necessary and I have no need to see him again until my next check which can be 8months this time –YAY !!!

So to sum up I am pleased to report that I am living with my diabetes very well.  Ideas have changed very much in the last few years, I remember 40 odd years ago when my Mum was told she had diabetes, she had to weigh practically everything she ate and had to count her carbohydrates at every meal.  Now we are told that, within reason ,we can eat what we like, but EVERYTHING in moderation.

With the nicer weather coming up I am looking forward to some lovely walks and with a bit of luck a nice holiday somewhere.

VISIT TO CHIROPODIST

Technorati Tags: Chiropodist,health,humour,ingrown toenail

This afternoon I had the dreaded visit to have my ingrown toenail seen to. I was not looking forward to it at all, but anyone who has had one will know how painful they are.    I hobbled into the surgery and the first hurdle was having to climb two flights of stairs.  On meeting the chiropodist I was stunned to recognise him as a farmer who used to live in our village !  I had a  grin to myself as I had a mental image of him grabbing my foot and clamping it between his knees as though I was one of his cattle or horses !!  However the grin did not last for long once I was settled on the couch with my poor painful toe exposed to the gaze of the expert !!  I have to admit that I sat there as rigid as a tree trunk, trying not to look at the array of evil looking implements lined up alongside my throbbing toe !!  I do believe I lost a good pint in perspiration and gritted my teeth so hard that they are now about an inch deeper into my jaw than they used to be !!   I must admit though that the relief was fantastic once the offending nail was cut away from my skin, how on earth can a small piece of nail cause such pain ?  I almost skipped down the stairs and practically danced back to the car.

Now my toe is sore, but I have just got to bathe it in salt water to help the healing, but I can cope with that !!

Catching Up

I was asked today if I was still doing my blog, and have to admit that I have been sadly lacking in writing anything.  I have not even got a decent excuse except pure laziness !

After all the drama’s of last year, the worries with my Dad and his dementia, the trauma of watching him suffer and his eventual passing,  plus my own problems with shingles and diabetes I found that I seemed to come to a mental standstill.    I have not even commented much on blogs that I have followed, although I have kept up with you all in the most part.

It has taken quite a long time to come to realise that Dad is no longer here. Because he was in the stage of his illness that he was in, it had not been possible for some time to telephone him or even have a proper conversation with him when we saw him, so sometimes even now, 6 months later, it still seems as though he is still in the Nursing Home.  When we visit my Sister, it feels really strange not to go on and visit Dad, but it is getting easier.

I am coming to terms with having Diabetes, initially I was shocked and angry.  I had been suffering  with Shingles for months, and had been back to the surgery several times and just been given different painkillers, my weight had dropped by a stone and a half and I was so weak I could barely function, as I explained in a previous blog I was taking every high energy drink I could lay my hands on and pushed my glucose levels to a dangerous level, which resulted in me eventually being admitted into hospital and being diagnosed with Diabetes.

However the anger has now passed and I have settled into having to inject myself twice a day, and make sure I eat at regular times.   I am slowing regaining the weight that I had lost but have still not fully regained my strength.  I guess it will take time.

My problem at this moment is an ingrowing toenail !!! believe me it is no joke — they are very painful !!!

I have an appointment to see the chiropodist on Thursday — I am not looking forward to it !

ANOTHER NEW YEAR

Why is it that we all have such high hopes that when the clock strikes midnight on the last day of the year everything will magically be different ?   Deep inside we know that nothing will change, the people that we have lost will not be coming back, the people that are suffering through some terrible tragedy will still be suffering, we will still feel utter helplessness because we cannot help the people we love through their pain. We know that we will still be in fear of  losing our jobs, health or security, but still we stand , glass in hand, waiting for that final strike of the clock and then we all put on bright faces and wish all who will listen “HAPPY NEW YEAR”.

So although this is how I feel at the present time I still want to wish all my family, friends and cyber friends, all the very best for 2012 and I really hope that things WILL be better next year xx

Technorati Tags: New Year,Health,Happiness,Hopes

Coming back to “me”

I has been quite a few months since I last blogged, I don’t really know why but for some reason I have not been able to raise any enthusiasm .  As you know a lot of my writing had been about my Dads dementia and our struggle with it, and also my own health problems with Shingles and my eventual admittance to hospital, where it was discovered that I had also developed Diabetes.  My last blog related  to the funeral of Dad.

When Dad died, strangely enough I could not cry, mainly I suppose because his last months were so hard for all of us, especially him, that really it was almost a relief when he did die.  The funeral was hard, but again I only shed a few tears. However a week after the funeral my Daughters dog Barney (who we referred  to as our “time share” pet) also died and I absolutely went to pieces and could not stop crying. My Daughter was inconsolable and I so felt her pain, we had had our Barney for thirteen and a half years and he was a dog with so much personality that he has left a huge hole in our lives.

         

I think that after all else that had happened over the last few years that this had been the final straw.   I don’t know what happened to me really but I have had no real interest in anything at all.  My physical health has improved and my diabetes is well under control but I just cannot be bothered to do anything.  I have always loved the computer, and read other peoples blogs and Face book avidly but got to the stage where I only checked e-mails and looked at Face book on my i-pod touch but did not really interact to any extent.  I love reading, but have not touched a book in months, I only go out when necessary and have not had a really good walk since before I got ill.    I really have not been “myself” at all.

However, on Tuesday of this week, the cottage right next door to us caught fire, and for many hours we were banned from our house because there was a real danger that the fire would spread to us.  We had many anxious hours before the Fire-fighters were happy for us to go back home.  Sadly the beautiful thatched cottage could not be saved, but they did manage to stop the fire from spreading to us.

Funnily enough this experience seems to have snapped me out of my “dark place” as it has made me realise that things could have been so much worse and we could have lost everything.   So I am now determined that I have got to get myself going again and enjoy what life has to offer. I do realise that I have a long way to go, but I have now at least got the will to try !  This is a start !    I have already written an account of the fire on Face book, and fully intend to catch up on what all my “Word Press Friends” have been doing (think that may take some time !!) .

So I am hoping that my old “cyber friends” have not forgotten me and will welcome “Me” back.

A Final Farewell.

On Thursday we held Dad’s funeral.  It was obviously a very emotional and painful day, but we all knew in our hearts that at last Dad is at peace and hopefully reunited with our dear Mum. We are very lucky that there are four of us sisters, and the support that we have given each other is immeasurable, we were always told as children that we were to share everything and help each other as much as we could, and as far as possible we have always done this, I can only speak for myself but I do know that without the love and support of my sisters, life would have been a lot harder than it has been.  I thank both Mum and Dad for instilling such an important lesson in each of us.  I sincerely hope that it is a quality that we in turn have passed on to our children.

I cannot say whether it is co-incidence or the evidence we so desperately wanted, but when my sister got home after being with dad when he died,  a bible had fallen on the floor opened on the following passage :

FINAL GREETING.  Finally brothers Goodbye. Aim for perfection. listen to my appeal, be of one mind. live in peace,and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the Saints send their greetings.    May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

I am not all that religious, but Dad was , so we had that scripture included in his funeral service.  I hope that you approve Dad.

So now a new chapter has started for all of us, it is quite frightening to realise that we are suddenly the oldest generation in our family group.  I just hope that  the lessons we have been taught will help us to cope.

Goodbye Dad.  You can rest assured that you and Mum will be forever in our hearts.   xxxx

Goodbye Dad

Our Dad passed away very peacefully in the early hours of  Wednesday July 6th. Both he and Mum were firm believers in an afterlife, so we pray that they are now reunited.   Till we meet again xx

Visit to Dad

Yesterday was our Dad’s 88th Birthday.  We arrived at the Nursing Home to a really lovely surprise, the last few months Dad has been in a really bad place in his mind, and spent most of his time, shouting and hitting out and obviously very distressed. however yesterday he was the best he has been for many months. He still did not really know who we were, but seemed to know that we were people he knew.  He was very placid and talked quite a bit, ok maybe it was not exactly a proper conversation, more rambling talk, but it was so much better than the awful ranting’s that we had come to expect.  He joined in when we sang “happy birthday” to him, and asked whose birthday it was, when we told him it was his and he was eighty eight he replied “eight ? am I that old already?” which made us laugh.   We gave him his cards, which he seemed to  be really  pleased with, he picked them up several times and looked at them, asking  whose birthday it was !  My  Sister’s other half, went out and bought Dad a choc ice, and he actually ate it all, and even held it and fed himself – we were thrilled as mostly he is fed. We left after a couple of hours feeling as though we had been given a birthday gift !

Of course we are aware that it could have just been a temporary improvement, but just to see him calm, even just for a little while was a real bonus, we are praying though that the Dementia has moved to a different phase and the awful tormented time has gone.