Gwennaford's Journal

[mom]

Gwennaford, I wish I were close enough to give you a break, but I am so glad the dialysis nurse is giving you a break, will you be able to do some things for you while Neil is at dialysis.  I pray that you get the rest you need, and I know God will give you the strength to get through.  Don't be afraid to ask those who have said they want to help specific things that you need help with.  Sometimes people don't know until we ask, what they can do to help.    lots of hugs going your way.

[Gwennaford]

AW - Connie & Mom - you're so sweet.  I reread what I wrote earlier today and I sounded very rude and ungrateful.  There are dozens of kind & caring people who, unsolicited, have done many nice things for us out of their generosity and friendship with Neil.  I guess I was just put out that when there is a minor emergency like needing an urgent ride to the doctor (nobody more than 4 miles away), or trip to the pharmacy (3/4 mile) there's nobody to jump in - you can't even PAY someone to help.  Connie got it right.  It seems like they head for the hills when you ask.  

Connie, that's the same thing I was doing with Neil in the hospital the past 3 weeks.  He had the C-diff bacteria, so his mess was virulently contagious.  I had the linen cart, too, but one thing that was good about it (if you can call it good) is that the hospital supplied big boxes of plastic gloves and gowns that cover you from neck to toes.  So I didn't have to take a shower every time I cleaned up after him, but I did have to use the bleach solution to scrub down the whole room - doors, facings, light switches, hand railings, drawers, tables, all the bathroom fixtures, the bedside commode and all its parts.  Even the dirty linen bags had to go into those heavy-duty red trash bags so nobody would come in contact with them.  So it was pretty much an hour of cleanup every time.  Eight times in one 24-hour period was the most he ever had, thank God.  I did have to scrub myself down thoroughly at least once a day in the shower and Thank GOD for Michelle who carried my dirty clothes home & sanitized them in hot water ever day or so.  She kept me in clean clothes & personal supplies.  I'm so sorry that you lost your Chuck.  I knew it was fairly recent, but I didn't know what kind of cancer he had.  I'm so sorry for your loss.  You are a good woman and I truly appreciate your sharing your experiences with me.  

Well, I had a wonderful day today.  I came home from his first appointment while he went on to the next one.  I had a quick nap, made the tuna salad for lunch, invited my Mary Kay lady over for a quick consultation, bought some supplies from her, chatted for a while & put my feet up for another half hour before he got home.  Now that he has rested for an hour, he wants to take everyone out to dinner at Sweet Tomatoes.  SO>>> the circus is back in town this evening!  

[heretotheend]

Gwen I am so glad to see you back on these boards........I am just in my 3rd month with  LDL and loving it....I love reading your journal as you always  have something of interest or funny to tell.....glad that Neil is home from the hospital..

God bless,
Cookie

[t-rock]

Gwenn:

Stay strong, phenomenal woman.  You are doing so much for us, I wish we could do something for you.  Moral support, you have it here. 

Take care.

Tiss

[mrsj]

Gwen, I'm so glad you were graced with some "me" time.  I'm impressed with how you used it too!
Also your Tuna Stuffed Tomato Salad sounded deelish.
God bless and hugs,
mrsj

[cm in tn]

Gwen
So  glad you had a little me time if it was only for few minutes.You got to take care of your self cause if you get down who will fill your shoes?
I want to think Chuck had that c -diff he was highly contagious and doc wore gowns  and mask also. the aids could come in but all had to wear gowns gloves and mask lots of that was due to him not having a white ct from chemo.We never know what cross we will have to bear while here on earth.But God wont put more on us than we can carry.but some times we wonder don't we?

our world was rocked my husband never been sick got hurting in back really bad.But thought nothing cause we own transmission shop and always has back trouble from lifting.So so bad he couldn't take the pain and funny thing he had he's yrly check up month before all was fine.Any how went to doc and drew blood said you got less than 3 Mt's to live with out chemo!!!!!!!! So with Leukemia you have to stay in hospital for mth come home for mth then back another mth for second rd chemo.But of course that mth ran into 7 wks got thing  that you just dont live from.Then finally went into remission after 6 mts Doc wanted to do stem cell and freeze his bone marrow but he said he had been through so much and cou dnt take any thing else right now.But the cancer came back in 6 mths so we had bone marrow transplant had to get out side donor no match with sisters.All went well got infections of all kind but was cancer free then he got what they call craft verse's host disease, thats where your body rejects the bone marrow yes they gave him every kind of antiviral serum but nothing stopped it.Then he passed away!!!!!

He made it through alot of things that a normal person wouldn't live through, and should have died back mts early but he would pull through the doc's was amazed so as you have heard you not going til die til its your time.I know for a fact cause he over came things that he should have died,Do i wonder why yes and still do.The lost is still fresh and it will be 5 yrs in Oct.I haven't started dating not really interested in that now its hard when you.ve had the best.I do thank God I was able to take care of him an d the yrs we spent together.Life is short say what you want to today to your loved ones cause you might not have a tommorrow!!!!

Sorry i meant to cheer you up but got to having me a pity party.No really i just have walked in your shoes and know the pain and fears you are facing my friend.I will continue to pray for you two.So go set out in the sun/I think the sunshine heals all aliments.I love the warmth on your face as you look toward the sky and say a prayer.Hang in there girl.

                                                                          Love u Connie

[Gwennaford]

We went to Sweet Tomatoes last night for dinner and had a great time.  Two for one coupons, too!  Can't get much better than that.  I was disappointed they didn't have any good soups.  All 8 were totally bland & filled with soggy bloated noodles or soggy bloated rice.  So I gorged on salad.  Finally got more on my two plates than I could finish!  But we didn't get home until after 9 PM and I was to tired from being up since 5AM that I fell asleep almost immediately.  THAT was not a good idea, with such a full stomach -- I tossed & turned and had cold greasy sweats all night trying to digest all that salad and toppings.

DON'T READ THE REST OF THIS -- It's really depressing and self-serving and unworthy to be posted on the board.  I would save it in my private files, but I think some people have the mistaken impression of me as some kind of impervious superwoman.  So I'm only posting it to prove that I'm as full of warts as everyone else.

I wore my new Mary Kay makeup out to dinner and, judging from the tiny thumbnail shots of me in my compact mirror, I thought I must look fabulous.  THEN I got a look at myself under the fluorescents in the giant bathroom mirror -- AAAGGHHH!  I didn't recognize the, tense, haggard, wrinkled old woman glaring back at me from that wheelchair.  That couldn't have been me.  I was actually feeling pretty good and was shocked at the toll all the stress is putting on my face and my poor body.  I looked like one of those sad elderly ladies who doesn't have anyone to tell them that they are wearing too much makeup and have given themselves a bad hair dye job.  I need to make another appointment with my Mary Kay lady -- ha ha.  She makes a LOT of money telling people how fabulous they are, how wonderful they look, and how impressed she is with how they present themselves.

Connie, reading yours and Chuck's story is actually helping me, so I'm glad to read whatever you want to share.  Neil has recovered and gone back to work so many times the doctors are astonished at how strong he is.  We're just waiting through this one, too.  That was exactly how Neil's C-diff was diagnosed.  They went looking for the reason for his extremely high white count.  The hospital staff said it's common for people with suppressed immune systems who go on strong antibiotics.  The home nurses said C-diff is rampant in most hospitals and already sick patients frequently contract it there.  Who knows -- the point is, as you already know, that the hospital nurses and techs don't have time to do a good job keeping up with patients like our men.  I felt bad that about half of them resented me being there - acted like I was trying to do their job or something.  Believe me -- I wouldn't have their job.  The only good thing about what they do is that they get to do home for half of the day and get away from all the sickness.  A home caregiver seldom is able to get away from it.  

I frequently "got into it" with nurses who insisted on doing their own thing to him regardless of his needs or wishes.  I had to walk a fine line to make sure he received adequate care without getting myself kicked out of the hospital.  Once I literally slapped away a nurse's hand when she insisted on repeatedly going after him wearing latex gloves.  He has a severe latex allergy and every time heedless staff has started trying to grind away at his raw and damaged tissues wearing those gloves he has suffered for weeks with inflamed, raw and bleeding skin in all the areas they were grabbing.  I was horrified how many of them refused to wash their hands and change their gloves - they kept insisting the gloves were only to protect THEM, not the patients and that they weren't touching the patient with the gloves.  We stripped the room of all latex, posted giant signs all over the place, and there was a giant metal chest full of latex-free materials they were supposed to use, IN THE ROOM, but many of them - including doctors and senior hospital administrators - were oblivious to all the precautions and would, out of habit, automatically pull latex gloves out of their pockets before examining him.  When I didn't catch them in time, well there was a whole new crop of raw bleeding flesh that he and I would have to deal with.  And PAINFUL - my SWEET LORD - hasn't he suffered enough yet ? ! ?  I didn't even know that it was necessary for the patients to request LATEX-FREE FOLEY CATHETERS, for heaven's sake.  During one memorable hospital stay a certain part of his anatomy turned a dark firey red and swelled up to the size of a canteloupe and had to be supported with pillows, the weight of it was so excruciatingly painful to him.    

I had my me pity party last week.  This week I'm just working up a good (bad) fit of anger.  I have to beg the Lord to help snap me out of it and give me peace, because getting mad doesn't do any good and just makes me (and Neil) miserable.

Sorry for unloading on you, gang, but I think I got it out of my system for now.

[cm in tn]

HEY GIRL ITS CALLED COPING AND MAYBE A LITTLE ANGER!Sorry didn't see caps on wasn't shouting.You do all the screaming crying you got to do to cope its a hard road to travel.Thats the way they acted at hospital but hey they couldn't be in there all the time to clean Chuck and do all the little things they needed and couldn't do for them selves.I would say the Doc's and nurse"s were good bout wearing gloves they had to. be to protect him  from germs from other Pt's and of course he was on cancer only floor.So every one was dealing with same health issues.

Glad you had a fun nite.I know bout eating to much before bed time.I got to get back on LDL.
Don't you hate it when you think girl you looking good tonite then you go to ladies room and wow that ain't what i looked likewhen i left home.Must have been when the fresh air hit this face.LOL/Now they can fix the make up I love Mary Kay all i wear cream to powder.Now i would be worried bout you hon if you didn;t show stress lines and worry lines.Sickness can age you fast, worry,stress.Why can't we just live in plastic bubble safe from all harm??????

Girl its so hot here in tn.Really humid and cloudy now had lot of rain but it makes it hotter when sun comes out.

Better run dont got no where to go, but need to leave you to your thoughts. I'll leave you be for a spell.

Hey one more thing then I promise I'll let you go.Did I tell you i been canning??yes madam this be my first time.I put up green beans,spag sauce, beets, corn,pickles bnb and kosher pickles ,salsa.I recken i didn't leave nothing out.been keeping late hrs with Mr Mason, I can see right through him tho.He's bean keeping me out to 1:30 thats am last few nites.But after all he is a well rounded fella!!!!So you see i bean real busy they looks pretty sitting on shelves all full to the brim.Oh i did i froze some okra may not be fit to eat when thaw out but ain't out nothing but freezer bag.I just washed the okra and towel dried sliced it and froze it.My son planted garden at my house.No i didn't do all that.You thought I was energizer bunny for shore.

Well going this time .Take care girl.Reach around and give your self big old pat on back cause u need it!!!!

                                                                              PICKING_N_GRINNING

[tprouty]

Gwen, I am so glad to see you getting some breathing space!

I remember after we went through one stressful thing after another for way toooooo long. We took some photos to do a Christmas card, and I looked at my pictures and said, "That is NOT me!" Got so disgusted and depressed I didn't even do Christmas cards that year. All the stress, worry, anxiety, sleepless nights, etc, had made me look old, unhappy, and NOT LIKE ME! Take heart, though, your spirit to rebound will take over, and a lot of those stress signs will fade. I know you're a happy, cheerful person inside, with a mountain of faith, and those characteristics will shine out and erase the stress and anxiety. It sure is a shock to really see the results of all that trouble sitting right out there for everyone to see, though! Yech!!

Don't sweat about feeling mad at some of the stupid people you've had to deal with. It's part of processing the whole situation. This is a great place to unload! Even some of the best people -- medical and otherwise -- who are knowledgeable and normally helpful -- just don't get it sometimes. That's when you wish a taste for them of what you're experiencing. I can still remember feeling mad enough to spit nails at some people who were supposed to be helping (actually, I can still get really mad when I remember!). Or reeling from unthinking comments. You're definitely not alone!

Again, so glad for you for some recovery time! Wish I were closer -- I'd be happy to run errands for/with you.

Connie -- My hat's off to you after all that canning and preserving! You are awesome, woman!

Take care!
Terri

[Gwennaford]

I'm still not doing something right. When I want to insert a face, I click on it and then click on the place where I want it and nothing happens. Maybe I'm not holding my mouth right. Debbie

Hi Debbie (dbbwrrn) -- Nice to meet you! I wanted to tell you that when I first joined LDL I had enormous problems with anything involving pictures -- smileys, avatars, gallery photos, and especially troublesome to me was that I could not stream any of the video media on the website home page, so I couldn't see the clips of Roger, Anita & Mary from TV for the first year, no matter which flash player I tried to use.

I TRIED to download every kind of flash player I could find with no luck. The problem turned out to be that my DH, the computer SECURITY NAZI, was constantly bumping up my internet security profiles. He had my security profiles so tight that one day I couldn't even open & read my email. I tried to access a perfectly ordinary recipe website and the PARENTAL CONTROLS blocked my access. Since the computer I started on was his in the beginning I did not have administrator rights to change the profiles. I thought I had solved that problem by buying my own laptop computer - BUT NO ! ! He go into it and downloaded a $300 security suite he purchased to protect me from myself and my ignorance about the dangers of internet browsing.

I tried temporarily removing the fire walls, etc. It took a while of experimenting and I finally had to completely uninstall all the aftermarket security he had installed on my 'puter. Now I just use the medium to medium-high level provided with the Microsoft operating system I'm running. Every once in a while I get warnings that my computer may be susceptible to viruses, etc. but I figure - what's the use of having the stupid thing if you can't even use it? It's like permanently hiding the car keys so nobody can ever drive it. I keep my important files backed up on little 2-gigabyte thumb drives and if the hard drive melts down someday - OH WELL! By then the new computers will be even cheaper. Just like the fancy new TV's they come down in price every year!

[Honeygram]

Hey, Gwen,

I can't visit as often as I like--can't get my paperwork done then.  I just thought I would drop in to see how you were doing and say Hi.  You help so many, me included. 

Honeygram

[Gwennaford]

Terri & Connie . . .  THANK YOU for all the comforting words.  Gives me hope for the future -- in THIS world, anyway.  THANK GOD that mine & Neil's future in the next world is secure ! ! !

Neil is feeling stronger and a little more connect these days.   He now spends the day running around in his power chair, getting under foot, thinking up projects & activities that distract from and complicate his care, and cause more work for everyone.  I'm glad he's getting some mental exercise, but I tell you - he's wearing me OUT with all his mental and physical leaping around from one place to another.  His new thing is he wants to be jumping in the car every five minutes & getting people to take him places.  And he's not satisfied with 6 to 10 trips to his medical procedures every week.  He also wants to take a long ride afterwards with little incidental stops along the way & THEN treating everyone to a big meal in a restaurant, which involves four big people & two big wheelchairs crammed into his little SUV, with all the associated loading & unloading & reloading at every destination.  He's like a big ole giant FLEA -- not really causing any real harm, but just irritating enough to make you wanna go jump in the lake!  Poor Michelle bears the brunt of this, driving & providing the physical labor.  She's teaching Joe how to help her.  They are being good sports about it, but you better believe they ARE looking forward to getting out of Dodge when his school starts on the 24th in Sarasota.  When Neil starts all that disjointed jumping from one thing to another, Michelle makes me smile by doing her best George W. Bush drawl, "My fellow Americans, I come to you today to .... oh, LOOK ... a KITTY ! "  ROFL ! ! !

... Jumping in the lake now ... mmm ... AAHHHH ... lying back in a giant tractor tube, floating around in deep, cool green water ... a thermal jug of iced tea tucked in beside me ...watching the changing cloud pictures ... Grilled Lemon Herb Chicken and a big tub of Mediterranean Garbanzo Salad waiting in the cooler on shore....  ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ  


Michelle & Joe were home today to babysit, so I marinated & grilled both Mojo and Chipotle Lime chicken breasts for lunch.  That's what I ate with some thinned down corn chowder & broccoli.  I made rice for Joe.  Michelle is on a kick of eating only Ramen noodles.  YUCK -- so much fat & salt.  I despair for my children's health.  Both of them live on sugary Mt. Dew and AMP energy drinks and both of them have more than 100 pounds to lose.

After lunch I shut myself in my room & watched Nights in Rodanthe on Netflix DVD this afternoon.  I enjoyed it, but I warn you not to watch it if you are prone to getting depressed.  The end was very shocking.  I had myself a good long cry, fell asleep & woke up with my man and my dog curled up in bed beside me.  It's rare for Her Majesty the Princess to grace me with her royal presence like that.  It's almost as if she sensed my mood and wanted to comfort me.  Now my eyes are burning, my head hurts & my sinuses feel like they are permanently clogged up from all that crying, but emotionally I feel better & my body is refreshed from the nap.

TTYL -- Loves, Gwen

[Gwennaford]

Don't you hate it when you think girl you looking good tonite then you go to ladies room and wow that ain't what i looked likewhen i left home.Must have been when the fresh air hit this face.LOL
                                                                             PICKING_N_GRINNING

Connie -- You crack me UP girl ! ! !  I am SO glad you are back as a regular.  Terri was gone from the boards for a while, too.  It's good to have you both back & checking in on me.  I'm very very impressed with your canning.  I never canned, but my mom would sometimes can whole picked okra.  I still love it when I can find it in the stores.  Your okra will be great frozen, either sliced or whole. That's the way I buy it for my gumbo. You should try the recipe: http://www.letsdolunch.com/boards/http: ... 877#p39877 Just don't stir it too much after adding the okra, or it could get slimy.  When I make it I keep the sausage & shrimp separate so I can either eat it for breakfast or dinner or add the protein to order at lunch.



AGAIN -- I can't say it enough -- THANK YOU ALL for you kind words and caring support.

Loves, Gwennaford

[Jazmyn]

Gwen I recently watched that movie too..and cried til I thought I wouldn't be able to stop. Ah well, sometimes we just need that cleansing effect of a good cry..but MY GOODNESS! I loved the movie..but yeah grab your box of kleenex ladies!

Sending you warm hugs Gwen! So nice to have you here on the boards again 

~Jazmyn 

PS. Thanks for schloopin' through my journal the other day 

[Gwennaford]

Jaz, I also schlooped up your schloop recipe while I was there - - THANKS!  My folks had a recipe like your schloop that they made fairly often & called it "goulash".  Except it had elbow macaroni instead of beans.  I like the beans better!  I'm looking forward to making it.  I have a turkey breast I think I'll grind some of it for the meat.

[Jazmyn]

Yes yes the famous Goulash..I am a good Minnesota girl born into a family of Goulash-ers! That was always a staple at family get togethers in town or at the lake. BUT it had to be eaten with peanut butter on bread    Maybe that is why I like it so much, reminds me of fun times...comfort food...but without the pasta and peanut butter bread. Let me know how your turkey schloop comes out 

Gwen!
~Jazmyn 

[cm in tn]

Hello Girl

So glad you seem to be having a better day.Say any day better than what we been through!
Thats to funny bout Neil wanting to adventure maybe he just wants to feel like a normal person again and go where ever his heart contends.But I know its hard on the ones helping him to get around.I can see it now i'll race you to the door.as you both leave black skid marks on pavement.
Michelle is a jewel for sure to help you out like that.Thats love for sure.

I didnt work yesterday AT MY JOB but at home canning made 6 pts pickled okra wed nite but they didnt seal so had to hot water bath them for 10 min i hope they wont be slimmy and lippy lol.I guess i didnt have my vinger mixture hot enough to seal.The recipe doesnt call for hot water bath just pack in jars and boil the vinger mixture and pour over the okra.They got to set for 2 weeks.I cant wait.In mean time will can more okra in case this picked okra is hummy.Think i will leave garlic and hot peppers out of next batch in stores they dont have those thing in their jars.Made 20 more pts salasa so that puts me at 36 pts but it wont take long for my bunch to eat it.I hope i get some of it.Hey i may hide me some now that would be mean right ????Well let me think on that...........I did and i may just do that hide me bout 10 jars i'll share the rest with my kids.TTEEEHHHEE *evil*


Its still hot here in them hills.But sun shore is pretty!Girl i/am here but only chating here and there i'am sure not on Ldl .......But i got to recomit as soon as i stop eaten butter milk corn bread and fried okra>>>>>>>>Summer bounty bout over!!!!!!!!!

We have alot of swine flu in our county!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Guess cause we started back to school 2 wks ago>they have canceled the football game for 2-nite cause severeal players have it.Surprise they not closed school!!!!!!We havent even started the flu season yet thats sad.

Gonna run you still in mt thoughts and always in my prayers!!!!!

                                                                                                        Love CONNIE

[Gwennaford]

Yes yes the famous Goulash..I am a good Minnesota girl born into a family of Goulash-ers! That was always a staple at family get togethers in town or at the lake. BUT it had to be eaten with peanut butter on bread  *scyth*  Maybe that is why I like it so much, reminds me of fun times...comfort food...but without the pasta and peanut butter bread. Let me know how your turkey schloop comes out  :thumbsup:

*hug* Gwen!
~Jazmyn  *love*

Jaz, we ate our goulash with white bread & margarine, about 1/2-inch thick.  eeewwwwww....GROSS! ! !  As a kid, peanut butter sandwiches were eaten as a meal with about a 1/2-inch of mayonnaise.  As a grownup I added bananas to the PB&M's.  They helped hold all the mayo on the bread.  ::sick::

Connie -- Save me some of that picked okra with the garlic & hot peppers.  YUM YUM!  Down here the Mt. Olive brand of pickles has a hot pickled okra that has cloves of garlic in it.  It is pretty good, but not the same as your home canned, I'm sure.  I can't eat enough of the store-bought to satisfy me because they are made with SO much salt.  Your recipe is probably a lot more reasonable.  OH >> I don't feel a bit guilty about hiding some of my wonderful LDL treats from the family.  I would make them whatever LDL foods they wanted, but they refuse to eat LDL.  I'm sorry, but they DON'T get to eat all their trash AND eat up all my healthy goodies, too.  They would literally leave me nothing healthy to eat, all the while griping about "that diet food c**p".  But they are wonderful in other ways, so you gotta take the good with the bad - RIGHT!  

HA HA -- we DO have wheelchair races in the street, but that's not where he leaves the skid marks.    
 ! ! ! SORRY ! ! !  I could NOT resist.  :blush:

I can't believe they started school that early, as hot as it is.  I guess most schools have A/C now, although Kathie said her schoolroom doesn't, poor girl.  I HOPE she meant they just haven't turned it on yet.  I remember when the school custodian would put a giant 5-foot box fan in the hallway during the first month & the last month before school was out.  My aunt Reba had one of those in her Mom & Pop grocery store in the Ozarks.  I used to go to sleep on the floor in front of that fan during hot summer afternoons, and wake up freezing when an afternoon thundershower had blown in.  AHHH, memories - we will enjoy them.  Can you imagine taking a long nap on a bare concrete floor now, at our age ? ? ?  GADZOOKS! - I would be so crippled they would have to pick me up with a crane & take me straight to the emergency room!  ha ha

[Gwennaford]

BTW - Connie - Hodgson Mill makes a stone ground 100% corn meal that you could try in the Banzo Biscuit recipe using garbanzos instead of white flour to make your buttermilk corn bread.  Roger Troy does not advocate the use of corn meal, but it would ease you through the transition back to LDL.  Also I don't see anything wrong with breading your okra with it, to and frying it in LDL acceptible vegetable oil or olive oil.  You are a good cook, I'm sure you can easily find a way to convert your favorite home-style dishes to the LDL way of life.  SO GET YOURSELF BACK ON A HEALTHY EATING PLAN BEFORE YOUR BODY GETS SICK AND TURNS ON YOU LIKE MINE DID ! ! !  YOU CAN DO IT, GIRL -- 

[Gwennaford]

I was just lurking in Jazmyn's journal --oops, forgot to say HI.  SORRY  :blush:

Speaking of gifts from Heaven, this morning an electrician showed up and replaced my kitchen light fixtures.  All four fluorescent fixtures have been burned out for almost a year -- not just the bulbs, the whole thing.  So I've been talking about enjoying the "ambient lighting" provided by the table lamps sitting on the cabinets.  But honestly, cooking in the relative darkness was getting to be a problem for everyone.

So, anyway, a man that works with Neil showed up in a tool belt & carrying a big box of stuff and a ladder & said FLAME ON! Then the kitchen lit up like close encounters of the third kind.  YAY!  He wouldn't take any money.  He said "Dave donated the transformers & bulbs, I'm donating the labor and James donated the kick in the butt to get us over here today."

PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW . . . !  

PSST... Hey, God ?  Speaking of blessings from Heaven. . . One or more of the heating elements is burned out in the water heater. . . If you can throw any altruistic plumbers into the mix, we would appreciate it!  In the meantime, I'm just grateful that the ground water comes into the house at about 90 degrees.  Not great for drinking, but not bad for bathing.  Gotta heat it in the microwave to wash dishes, though, or put some bleach into the dishwasher (and the clothes washer, too).  Just SO grateful I don't have to beat the clothes on a rock!  LOL