Well Friday was a run errands day as we headed into Sparta. I'm still dealing with this chest congestion and hoarseness of voice but I'm able to get out an about. I'm hoping it's just from all the pollen in the air and the fact when I mowed last week that I breathed in a bunch from the tall grass, oh well. I seem to be strong up to a point so we headed up the mountain around mid-morning after a breakfast of leftover pancakes and sausages. We saw Billy on top and spoke with him briefly before moving on across the mountain. It was really hot up there, probably a good 10-15 degrees warmer as that is out in the open, luckily we are in the shade until later in the day.
We had a good hike and made it up the back steep trail with only a couple of rest stops. Finally starting to get our mountain legs once again. I loaded up the truck with garbage for the dump then we got ready to head to town. We stopped and picked up my leaf blower from in town as I had it repaired from the effects of ethanol in the gas. My lines had disintegrated inside the tank. Now I know to completely drain the tank and the engine when leaving it for the winter; that was a 26 buck learning mistake. We headed out to the landfill which is just outside of town to dispose of our garbage much of which I use to burn and table scraps which I use to compose; but since we are here for just a short time I decided not bother this year, oh well the gardens will lay fallow.
It was lunch time so we headed to Subway for a footlong we shared and some chips. It had been awhile since we last had basically one of their salads on a bun with some deli meat. It was delicious to say the least. We next visited the local library which has moved from in town to the outskirts and into a beautiful renovated old building and so much larger. We picked up some "honor" books which means you don't have to check them out but return when able. We aren't sure when we will get back or when we will leave for Florida with GG's situation. We each got two books and then I located Bobby's book the THE GREAT DARKENING which is book one in the trilogy of the Epic of Haven on the shelf. We took a picture to show his book in the library.
We headed for the new grocery called Grants which took over after Lowe's moved out. We saw some of the same folks who worked there with Lowe's and we noticed their meats are very fresh looking and reasonable. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts were 99 cents a pound what a good buy but we passed as we aren't sure what our situation is with GG. Speaking of GG she has been introduced to some puree foods which she abhors. Eric is doing his best to get her to eat by mouth so they can remove the feeding but she is refusing except for a couple of spoonfuls. They did do another procedure on her drain tubes which we are hoping will help with getting the fluids out of her swollen body but it still is a day to day situation. Eric is in Miami until Wednesday so we maybe heading back on Tuesday at the earliest, unless they get her into a rehab place which from my perspective doesn't look great; with tubes everywhere and she is unable to even stand now without help. Her muscles have atrophied to the point she can't even pull with her arms to roll over.
We took off around 3'ish to finally get in a visit with our "mountain mom" Helen. She looked terrific for nearly 90 and still lives alone and drives everywhere. She filled us in on her brother Joe who is a year older and is now having some life changing health issues. Seems he will not be living alone again and may not be living in his place near her but over near his daughters place in Tennessee. He always had such beautiful flowers and veggie gardens and just loved working out in his yards mowing and weed eating. We are sad for him as I know he hates to lose his independence. We had a good visit sharing all that is happening with us. We are sorry we missed having Bobby and family come by to see Helen as she was one of the first people beside family to hold both Bobby and Amy in her arms. She truly has been a family member for years and we love her so and she too has been told by her son Rick she maybe moving back to Florida for the winter as age creeps up on us all.
Well friend Kimberly and her daughter Rachel, husband Brandon and grand daughter Miyah came by for a visit around 7'ish. Kimberly isn't doing well with all of her health issues and is scheduled for surgeries in the next couple of weeks on her back and throat. Eddie who is still paralyzed is in the VA hospital in Richmond, Va and isn't doing well after the three year anniversary of his accident. Brandon is in the police academy in Mt. Airy as he wants to go into law enforcement and Rachel is pregnant with their second child. Miyah is two and very inquisitive and runs the show. Nancy made salsas and cheese dip which Kimberly just loves and put her order in for and they visited until nearly 10'ish.
Well it wasn't long after they left I hit the showers and tuned into the Ray's game on the internet, they loss in heartbreaker in the 10th inning after leading the whole game. They are still in contention in their division with a lot of baseball to be played in the season, LATER
