Another Week, Another Dollar, and Another Problem

The week started well with a calm and restful Sunday. Since it was the fifth Sunday of the month, Gerald and I were scheduled in the extended teaching care during the morning worship service, and Katie Cutsinger, an adorable teenager who has a wonderful way with preschoolers, was helping us. We had six children in our charge, and three caretakers were not too many.

Toby does not usually get to come to our church because his mother works as a nurse at the Veterans Hospital on Sundays, but that was her day off. We have missed him. Toby is already recognizing words and starting to read even though this is the year he will start kindergarten.  When he saw Gerald, he ran and hugged his legs. He smiled at me but Gerald got the hug. Men are especially welcome in child care in today’s world because so many children are being reared by single mothers. When I worked in family literacy, I asked any of the men repairmen to please stop and talk to the children in the preschool room, who were being taught while their parents were in GED class.

Our son-in-law Brian stopped by for a little while Sunday afternoon, but otherwise it was a day without visitors. He was down looking at crops and conversing with his friend Phil Anderson, who has already started harvesting corn. Brian’s crop will be ready for harvest soon. The extremely hot weather is expected to cut yields. Rains came but in such fast fashion that much water was lost in run off. We need rain badly right now, and a couple of eighth-inch showers this week have been welcome but not adequate.

With the lack of rain, the cantaloupe and tomatoes are almost gone, but Gerald is still bringing in some okra every other day and an occasional watermelon and zucchini. He planted turnips a week or so ago in an empty place in the garden. So we have something yet to watch grow.

A couple of meals each fall with turnips satisfy me. In addition, however I like to serve them for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner even though Gerald and I will be the only ones eating them. They just seem an appropriate vegetable at those feasts at the farm. We haven’t had a turnip patch the last few years, but we acquired plenty at church from Charles Graves who shared his excess. Gerald’s brother Garry was planting a patch on their home farm the other day, just like Dad Glasco always did, so Gerald caught Garry’s enthusiasm and accepted some of his seed for this project.

After the good start to the week, I ran into Katherine’s yesterday morning to see how their weekend had gone. Then I learned the latest problem. During the night she had broken out in shingles. She immediately called the doctor and the drug store delivered a couple meds yesterday afternoon to take along with the many she already takes. Now everyone is wearing gloves. Aides who have had chicken pox are concerned about shingles. Aides who have not had chicken pox yet have that worry. I had the preventive shot a couple years ago, but I understand it does not always work. Despite this new misery and hard hurdle, Katherine seemed in remarkably good spirits today. Another week and another problem is a common occurrence in her life. Those of us with good health do not know how blessed we are.