We've always had a leaking problem in the basement. When they widened the road, they elevated it and changed the drainage. Everything flows toward the house. We put a drainage ditch across the front. It sometimes gets overwhelmed in a strong storm. We put a French drain along the west side and changed the flow to carry runoff away from the house. That stopped the west wall from leaking.
But ultimately we need to change the slope of the front yard, to get the water away from the house regardless of wind, rain direction, or amount of water.
Then, once we have a dry basement, we can move on to the final project of putting a third bedroom and perhaps a bath downstairs. It has a flimsy, panel framed bedroom and storage room that look like crud. We'll see if we have the money to complete this step.
The good news is that this house is much smaller than the 211 one we remodeled and flipped. And the upstairs has hardwood floors in the living room, hall and two bedrooms. So that will save some $$. (Unless they're all messed up...)
Tom has been after me to write my funeral preferences and my personal history. I think I should do them... even if I live another 25 years. As the week went by, I felt increasingly awful. I couldn't sleep laying down. I couldn't eat. I felt best when I just didn't eat anything. Once I ate, I was nauseated.
Somehow, Bessie, the under grown cow was left behind. We thought she'd stay penned in the pond pasture... no. On Monday, a call from a neighbor to the west announced the escape artist. So she got to live in the barn stall until Wednesday morning when she was hauled off for hamburger. So, we no longer have the plaintive mew of a lonely cow, fresh manure to step in, or an obsticle to prevent Tom from bush hogging the pasture.
We had a realtor meet us out there to check it out and on Wednesday. He asked how I was doing, and I really felt particularly crummy. He was so sweet. He asked if he could pray with us and offered a lovely prayer that I would have strength and support from my family around me. Then I drove to Richard's for an energy healing. As he gave it, I felt the love of the Lord so strongly, tears just streamed down my face. Whatever the future, I KNOW the Lord loves me!
Wednesday night, as I was sitting in a chair trying to figure out why I felt so miserable, I decided I must be getting a bowel blockage. Why else would I only have burps and nausea? I was have some poop going through... but maybe it was getting worse and worse? If I went in for surgery... what would happen to my Sunday lesson? To kids coming to visit? I decided to write my funeral arrangements... and a response to an email from the missionaries who recruited us to the ANM mission... just in case I was in the hospital.
Thursday I called the surgeon's office. They were so nice. Asked questions, trusted my answers... and ordered a CT scan by 3 on Thursday. I had an 8am appointment on Friday to hear results. The good news was no blockage. But there were 2 quarts of fluid in the abdominal cavity that should not be there. I was SO anxious to have it removed. I thought for sure I'd suddenly feel much better. There was a huge yard sale across the street from the Dr's office. I figured I could be miserable anywhere, so I stayed in the car while Tom went in to find treasures of: A back-up juicer, a needed rug and a broom. Unfortunately it still didn't kill all the time between the Dr. Apt and the hospital procedure, so we headed home for a half hour..
They removed the fluid about 10am, but, alas, I still felt wretched with tremendous pain in the abdomen. It has slowly diminished over the next few days. By Saturday my weight had dropped to 137... lower than I wanted. I'm trying to eat more and more nutritious foods to build up strength and weight.
On a fun note, Dan McClellan got a record player for Tom. It looks old fashioned but has some nice features. We have been listening to his old record collection most every morning and enjoying old favorites. This week we listened to Rudyard Kipping's stories of "How the Elephant Got It's Long Nose" and "How the Camel Got It's Hump." as well as Tiajuana Brass and Mozart. Next week, maybe "Tubby the Tuba."
Sunday in the opening prayer, Bro. Maple prayed that those people who were in pain or afflicted would have their pain taken from them, even if it was only temporarily. I thought, yes, I want that. And immediately my pain was gone. I just started crying. I felt the love of the Lord and his attention to one of the sparrows of the field. After a bit some of the pain returned, but the drop to no pain was so instantaneous it was an absolute miracle.
Today I taught the lesson in Relief Society about ministering to ourselves so we can minister to others. I had a very supportive class that offered great insights and moving comments. I think I was successful in getting the three critical points across: God loves us in our imperfect state (See Genesis 1) We are good. He feels our pains (Alma 7:11-12) and so as we lift the burdens of others and choose happiness, we help the Savior feel those joyful emotions as well. And all things are spiritual to God, so how do we do mundane, temporal things in a spiritual way? We discussed asking ourselves: How would a Godly Woman [wash dishes, go shopping, haul kids around.] It's a question worth contemplating.
Today we were called as Ward Missionaries. I think this will be a fun calling. We love our sister missionaries and have been trying to support them. We went out this afternoon to visit a young couple and have a follow-up visit Thursday night. We also have a man who's come to church 3-4 times we will visit... who lives way out in the boonies... on Wednesday. I pray the Lord sustains my health for this. Back-up plan, Tom meets the sisters at the homes.
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