Blog Archives

Age and Experience

1/21/2018

Age brings experience….and sometimes experiences age us. Lately my age and experiences have brought laughter.

Over the Christmas break I was in a local thrift store shopping with about 12 young ladies from my congregation. We were in the store buying tablecloths and curtains which we plan to make into aprons for an upcoming Pioneer Trek expedition.   The girls, ages 17-15, were chatting animatedly as they followed me to the checkout counter.

“Did you bring all your granddaughters shopping with you today?” the friendly clerk asked me.

Did I mention that Grace, my daughter, was on of the “granddaughters” as was the (very youthful looking) 30 year-old adult leader of the youth group?

We’ve had beautiful spring weather here this week and the warm temperatures, coupled with the fact that my bike has a flat tire, compelled me to exercise outside on foot.   Pain and the surgeon’s advice prevent me from running but I find that I can do what I affectionately call my “accelerated senior shuffle”.   Leaning forward, I pump my arms, and move my legs in motions similar to those of ambling elderly people but at about three times the pace.   Even speed walkers pass me and I look painfully awkward but it does raise my heartbeat which in turn raises my spirits.

Monday morning I was swiftly shuffling uphill on a side street near our home. Zorro (the dog….I do not leash him when I go “running”) raced ahead of me.   As I rounded the corner a sweet teenage girl, about 13-14 years old, whom I had never before seen, ran up behind me.

“Can I help you catch your dog?” she asked kindly.

When I declined her offer, she asked again, “Are you sure?”

I can just imagine her charitable thoughts as she saw what she assumed was a grey-haired grandma futilely attempting to catch her deserting dog.

About a month ago a kindly receptionist, thinking I was leaking, empathized with me by telling me that her father “has that problem too”.

I do not need Depends. I do not need help chasing a runaway pet. And I do not have teenage granddaughters. Yet.

I do have a need for laughter though.   And my age-related experiences are good for that.

Hopefully they make you laugh too.

Love,
Teresa

0 Comments

Gravity Is Real

1/14/2018

0 Comments

Learning comes in many forms.   For my OPA students, learning this week looked white and felt cold.   We experienced heat transfer--conduction makes one’s hand feel cold when inserted in a snowbank, experimented with reduced friction--cross country skiing is all about the glide, and practiced intersecting gravity and momentum in new and occasionally contorted ways.

The following excerpts from student writings tell the story.

“I learned that eventually you will get the hang of cross country skiing. I learned that if you work together as a team that you can achieve what you are working towards achieving. I also learned that gravity is real because I tell on my butt a lot at first and it really hurt.   Thank you.”

Gravity is real!!

“I learned to wear good clothes like snow boots and not Converse like I wore.”

Certainly a valuable life lesson!!

“I learned that you shouldn’t land on your hands when you fall because you’ll probably hurt your wrist. I also learned what lichen looks like and that it grows more on the higher areas of a tree.”

I am “lichen” what she learned. :)

“I learned that when you fall, move out of the path so someone doesn’t fall on you.”

Another good life lesson.

“I learned that snowshoes are not magical slippers.”

True that!

“Thanks for the field trip and the fun experiences. [I learned] 1. I don’t have good balance, 2. We can save people in avalanches, 3. It was really hot.”

Wear layers….and avoid steep slopes.

“I learned that cross country skiing is NOT easy, snowshoeing is very fun, and that lichen grows towards the middle-top of trees.”

Nice summary.

“I had a lot of fun and would do this again next year.”

Me too!!!

[NOTE: Photos are published with written consent from students and/or parents.]

0 Comments

Pocket Pets and Bird Tales

1/7/2018

0 Comments

“Mom,” Grace said to me anxiously (VERY ANXIOUSLY), “Babbs’ foot is hurt.”

Yep. It was. An examination revealed a swelling, a gash just about the joint, and some drainage.   More significant than the gash and goo, however, was the fact that the bird was not putting any weight on her foot.   She perched precariously on Grace’s shoulder, the injured limb tucked in against her feathered breast.

I was not particularly worried about the bird.   Over the years I have seen many animals recover from lame legs. Given time, injuries heal and mobility returns.   Wash the wound, watch and wait.

Though I was not worried about the bird, I was worried about Grace.   She and Babbs have a bond that defies explanation.   Animals have souls.   Babbs has a soul. (There are members of the family who swear she has a dark soul….)   And she and Grace are definitely soul mates.   No question.   The bird loves Grace and Grace loves the bird.

When Grace is gone from the house and a car enters the driveway, Babbs squawks (it is not an attractive sound), until the someone (whomever it is) enters the house.   If it is Grace, she coos contentedly.   If it is anyone else, she complains crankily.

When a non-Grace person approaches Babbs, chances are good the person will get bit. Babbs aggressively chases me around the kitchen, attacking my feet for no apparent reason.    She attacks others’ feet as well. I have even seen her attack Zorro’s (the dog) paws.   Occasionally Babbs will consent to perch on someone other than Grace but she never lets anyone else touch her feathers. She steps haughtily onto a finger and perches regally on a shoulder but heaven help anyone who tries to touch her...anyone besides Grace, that is.    Not only does she seek Grace as a perching place, she bows her head to Grace, soliciting a neck scratch, eats food from Grace’s mouth and allows Grace to pick her up by grasping her body overhand, Grace’s hand on her back and wings.   Unbelievable.

When Grace was in meltdown mode on the couch, Babbs attacked the people trying to give her a blessing. When Grace was lying sick on the floor, blanket over her entire body, Babbs stood at the head of Grace’s covered head and sang to her.    Just sang.   For 20 minutes. Amazing.

The bonds between humans and animals are real and the bond between Grace and Babbs is really strong. Grace was really concerned about Babbs and I was concerned for Grace so, much more to appease Grace than to care for the bird that bites me, I sought medical advice.

Sharon and her husband Matt are both veterinarians.   They also raise, rear, and recover injured birds of prey.   And they are wonderful, warm, and generous people.   Hoping that I would not be imposing on our friendship too much and expecting a “watch and wait” response, I texted Sharon, asking for input.

Her reply: “Definitely get her in to see a vet before Monday. I know tomorrow is Sunday but this cannot wait. Call AVC in the morning.”    [AVC stands for Advanced Veterinary Care; it is an emergency animal hospital in Salt Lake City.]

YIKES!!!

Grace and I made plans to skip church and go to Salt Lake City Sunday morning. Lance and I made plans to take out a second mortgage to pay for a visit to the animal emergency room.

I was imagining how my farmer ancestors would turn in their graves if they knew that I was prepared to spend money on an animal that had no hope of turning a profit when another text from Sharon came in. “Matt said to bring it to our animal hospital [in Ogden] at 9 a.m. tomorrow and he can start it on antibiotics and pain meds, then Monday you can take it into the bird specialists.”

Oh my lands! My heart filled with love for these fabulous people who were willing to go out of their way to help me love my daughter and help my daughter love her bird.

Sunday morning was snowy and cold.   True to his word, Matt left his warm home to open his cool office and look at our bird.    Matt is a tall, austere-looking man of not-many-words...with a level of kindness and compassion that more than surpasses his significant height.   With large and gentle hands he examined Babbs, determined that she needed an X-ray, and, after phoning to make sure the doctor he knew could help us was on call, recommended we go to AVC in Salt Lake City.   “They are equipped there to treat pocket pets,” he told us.

“How would you like me to pay you?” I asked. “Would credit card or cash be better?” He waved me off, refusing payment.   Thank you Matt.   Sincerely.

Forty-five minutes later we arrived at AVC and sat in the lobby for an hour waiting our turn to be seen.   While there I heard the receptionist tell one pet owner the bill was “only $585 instead of the $800 we estimated” and say to another pet owner “That will be $1,235 please.”   YIKES and YIKES!   I prayed for a bill under $1000 and tried not to think of those farmer forefathers of mine whose pioneer practicality I was certain I was offending.   I was not there for the bird.   I was there for the girl.   And money spent our the girl would be money well spent.   Still, I prayed the bill would be less than a house payment.

While Dr. Seshadri examined Babbs he said, “I have been on the phone with two avian specialists and they told me the problem could be caused a tumor--cockatiels are prone to ovarian cancer, it could be a traumatic injury, or it could be Bumblefoot.   In all three scenarios she would need treatment I cannot give her here. And, to treat her properly, they will have to put her under.   So, unless you object, I see no reason to put her under for X-rays today when she will just have to be put under again tomorrow when you see them.   No sense charging you twice for anesthetizing her.”   Agreed.   So Dr. Seshadri gave her 16 units of meloxicam (0.05 mg/ml) and sent us on our way.

I grabbed my credit card and headed to the front desk.   “There will be no charge of today’s visit,” I was told. No charge???   NO CHARGE????    When does one visit an emergency room, animal or otherwise, see a doctor, receive medicine, and walk away with no charge?   When?   One would think NEVER but on December 17, 2017 we did.

Angels are among us.   That day we saw two doctors, one of whom opened his office just for us and another who administered medication, and neither charged us.   Angels indeed.    .Thank you and thank you.

{NOTE: Monday Lance and Grace took Babbs to see the avian specialist. He decided she did not need x-rays after all, gave her ointment and more meds, and sent them home.   The bill was less than a house payment and Babbs has fully recovered. She is back to chasing me around the kitchen.]