Oops! I should be doing a lot of things right now, but I'm not. I am actually catching up with a few Stream Friends. I haven't visited with them and they hadn't been by as well, so that's just about it. Oh I'm half way watching the news. The temp will be in the 100's today with no sign of rain. I think tanker trucks need to head north and dip into the Mississippi River to ease their flooding and bring the water back to Texas to ease our drought. Sounds like a plan to me.

Being serious though, my thoughts and prayers go out to those folks whose homes have been ravaged by the flood waters. Our son went through that almost 10 years ago. He was so proud of his new, small mobile home. Unfortunately the Colorado River wasn't so kind to him. It crested over 40 feet and some decided to occupy his mobile home. Just a foot of flood water did so much damage, it was considered a total loss. The mold was unrelenting and within days it was unbelievable. Luckily there were warnings, so we were able to help him get most of his belongings out and we raised the furniture up that was too heavy for us to get out by ourselves. As soon as the flood waters receded, he and a friend did get the furniture out before it was ruined by mold and smelly odors. That was another thing, the smell. It's like nothing else.

Floods, fires, drought, and so on and so forth. A couple of fires started outside of the small town our daughter lives in, only 35 miles from us. Luckily they were contained, but sad to see the burned parts. This part of Texas area is called the Lost Pines, so there are trees everywhere and if a fire gets hold, I even hate to think what it would be like. It's scary, especially with no rain for quite sometime.

Well, I better get off my bottom and get going doing some things that need to be doing and pronto.

Everyone out there on the Stream, please take care and those of your loved ones.

God Bless,
Karen

Today we had a "Pay It Forward" kind-of-day. If you have never seen the movie, Pay It Forward, then you may not know what I mean by that. It's a wonderful movie and I think everyone should see it if they haven't yet.

My husband and I had driven to the small town, 30 miles from the town we live outside of, today to babysit our two grandchildren while our daughter went to the dentist.

Before going over to their house, we stopped to get some gas. We had half a tank, but the gas is a little cheaper in their town. When I was about to put my debit card in, a very nice gentleman, who was filling up on the opposite side, came around and asked if he, referring to my husband in the passenger seat, was a Viet Nam vet. He saw the bumper sticker on our vehicle. We also have handicap tags and a lift for his three wheel scooter on the back of our vehicle. The bumper sticker doesn't say anything, but is recognizable by the stripes.

"Yes, he is," I answered.

He smiled and said, "Please, let me buy your gas for him as a thank you for his service."

Well, I know I probably stood there with my mouth open for a moment.

"Yes," I replied, "that would be wonderful."

He put his card in and told me to fill it up, no matter how much it cost. I told him we had half a tank, but it still was $40.00 by the time I filled up the rest.

He said, "Now I don't want you to tell him until you have gone."

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Just call me a Good Samaritan."

"God Bless You," I said.

"Oh, He has blessed me all of my life," he answered.



The gentleman was a kind soul. Earth Angels I call them.

He also didn't realize how much that gas has helped us out until the next money comes our way next month. We live 65 miles from the VA clinic my husband has to go to for his medical needs. Tomorrow is one of those days and sometimes he has two to three appointments a week. He will have to give blood tomorrow and see two different doctors.

When we are blessed with some extra money, the gentleman of today's kindness will definitely be "Paid Forward" to someone else who will be in need sometime, somewhere in the future.

DEAR LORD, CHUCK AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR SENDING THE GOOD SAMARITAN TO US AT THE RIGHT TIME AND IN THE RIGHT PLACE. GOD BLESS THIS EXTRAORDINARY KIND SOUL. MAY WE HONOR HIS DEED BY "PAYING IT FORWARD" IN THE NEAR FUTURE. OUR DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, THERE ARE TIMES LIKE THESE THAT WE KNOW FOR CERTAIN YOU ARE ALWAYS THERE WHEN YOU ARE NEEDED. WHAT A JOY TO HAVE YOU IN OUR HEARTS.

AMEN



KAREN

I received this from my cousin via email. There was not an author, so I will have to say written by someone with a wonderful sense of humor. Whoever it is, I give them full credit.



It is important for men to remember that, as women grow older, it becomes harder for them to maintain the same quality of housekeeping as when they were younger. When you notice this, try not to yell at them. Some are oversensitive, and there's nothing worse than an oversensitive woman. My name is Jeff. Let me relate how I handled the situation with my wife, Susie.


Since I retired several years ago, it has become necessary for Susie to get a full-time job along with her part-time job, both for extra income and for the health benefits that we need. Shortly after she started working, I noticed she was beginning to show her age.



I usually get home from the country club about the same time she gets home from work. Although she knows how hungry I am, she almost always says she has to rest for half an hour or so before she starts dinner. I don't yell at her. Instead, I tell her to take her time and just wake me when she gets dinner on the table. I generally have lunch in the Men's Grill at the club so eating out is not reasonable. I'm ready for some home-cooked grub when I hit that door.



She used to do the dishes as soon as we finished eating. But now it's not unusual for them to sit on the table for several hours after dinner. I do what I can by diplomatically reminding her several times each evening that they won't clean themselves. I know she really appreciates this, as it does seem to motivate her to get them done before she goes to bed.



I think another symptom of aging is complaining. For example, she will say that it is difficult for her to find time to pay the monthly bills during her lunch hour. But, boys, we take 'em for better or worse so I just smile and offer encouragement. I tell her to stretch it out over 2 or even 3 days. That way she won't have to rush so much. I also remind her that missing lunch completely now and then wouldn't hurt her any (if you know what I mean). I like to think tact is one of my strong points.



When doing simple jobs, she seems to think she needs more rest periods. She had to take a break when she was only half finished mowing the yard. I try not to make a scene. I'm a fair man. I tell her to fix herself a nice, big, cold glass of freshly squeezed lemonade and just sit for a while. And, as long as she is making one for herself, she may as well make one for me too.



I know that I probably look like a saint in the way I support Susie. I'm not saying that showing this much consideration is easy. Many men will find it difficult. Some will find it impossible! Nobody knows better than I do how frustrating women get as they get older.



However, guys, even if you just use a little more tact and less criticism of your aging wife because of this article, I will consider that writing it was well worthwhile. After all, we are put on this earth to help each other.



Sincerely, Jeff





EDITOR'S NOTE:

Jeff died suddenly on March 1 of a perforated rectum. The police report says he was found with a Calloway extra long 50-inch Big Bertha Driver II golf club jammed up his rear end, with barely 5 inches of grip showing and a sledge hammer laying nearby.



His wife Susie was arrested and charged with murder. The all-woman jury took only 15 minutes to find her Not Guilty, accepting her defense that Jeff somehow, without looking, accidentally sat down on his golf club.

I have spent hundreds of hours volunteering in our local ER, but today we found ourselves on the other side of the curtain I guess you could say. Well not me, but my husband got sick this morning and we spent 6 hours in the ER trying to get to the bottom of his seizure. Everything looked ok and they did do a complete work up on him, except his seizure meds are once again messed up. He hadn't had a full blown seizure for 15 years.

Anyway we are at home and hopefully the meds are going to take care of the situation. I was supposed to volunteer this evening in fact and after over a month of being out because of hubby's health problems, looks like I will have to wait a little bit longer. I should have thought ahead of time and worn my volunteer outfit and while we were waiting the six hours I could have been doing my volunteer duties and gotten 6 hours in. Of course, that was the last thing on my mind early this morning.

I pray all are well.

Blessings,
Karen

Our grandchildren are all experiencing different things in their young lives.

I'll start with our youngest granddaughter. She is almost 4 months old and finally went to sleep all by herself without being rocked and didn't wake up during a lightning, thunder and hail storm. What a good girl and her parents are smiling a lot, or I think they are, since they live in Georgia and we are in Texas.

Our 2 1/2 year old grandson, in Texas, but 8 hours from us, is sensing some changes within his household. Mommy and Daddy are packing for their big move to Virginia on the 22nd. I think he is a little confused about this, so is spending his last days in Texas by laying in his baby cradle swing while Mommy and Daddy are having FUN going through everything, deciding what goes and what to get rid of.

Our 6 1/2 year-old granddaughter and her 2 1/2 year-old brother are taking swimming lessons for the next two weeks. They live about 35 miles from us. At least we know they won't be moving to another state. Granddaughter had to start with four-year-olds and has already accomplished everything in two days that usually takes two weeks. We are so proud!

Little brother is with 2 and 3 year olds. Yesterday he refused to kick and held onto Mama for dear life. So no trip to McDonald's as a reward afterward. But today was very different. He held onto the side of the pool and kicked. Mama was so proud of him and so are we. McDonald's here they come! Bribery does work!

The hardest thing about being a grandparent is not living in the same town or same state, and the price of gas is so outrageous it is too expensive to visit them on a regular basis. I bet the politicians have no problem visiting their grandchildren. Talk about a sad state of affairs.

We have talked about putting a side car on my hubby's three wheeler scooter and drive the 6 miles into town-too bad we don't own a horse or we'd probably go that way as well. Third option would be to sell out and buy a little house within walking distance of grocery store, bank and post office. Or we can just stay home and go into town once a week. Hard since we have a post office box our mail comes into. Plus all of the doctor appointments hubby has at the VA clinic he goes to is 1 1/2 hours from us.

Somebody better do something about the gas prices since it is going to affect tourist season. Sad people are losing their jobs in droves because of the gas prices. There were warnings about this was going to happen years ago, but someone wasn't listening. Now that same someone is hollering about more drilling in the good old USA, which wouldn't do us any good right now, but if they had decided to do that a few years back, things might be different. And how much do the ones who make these decisions make? Just wondering, because I bet THEY get to visit THEIR grandchildren anytime they want to see them.

Karen