"The politicians were talking themselves red, white, and blue in the face." - Clare Boothe Luce

Pt. 3

It's early Sunday morning. I've had b'fast (eggs and BACON), fed the dog, showered, and caught up on the news since I went to bed.
I'm sorry for all the people in the Carolinas and the trouble they're facing. But I want to thank them for giving the news broadcasters something else to talk about.

My sciatica (?) is giving me some serious trouble so I didn't get as much done yesterday as I'd planned. The goats have a new bale of alfalfa and of straw plus a bag of grain in the storage area, and vehicles have all been shuffled to new temporary positions. It's supposed to rain off and on for a few days so I moved the trailer into Barnette, Sally under the canopy, and the Blazer in its normal spot outside the back door. That makes it a lot easier to get to the truck bed trailer I use to make feed store and dump runs.

I have the trailer box and lids done and ready for priming. I thought I'd do that yesterday afternoon but just didn't have it in me. I've decided it may be time to call the dr.

I also talked to Pam. She says she's really tired but otherwise fine. The cardiologist has her on a blood thinner to prevent clotting around the stent and a cholesterol med to further reduce her already decent numbers. When I had my blockage -> stent my cholesterol was at 105, a very good level. But they told me because I was a high risk patient I had to get down to 60! Yep, meds is the only way to do that. If Pam's cardiologist (she'll see one when she gets home) says the same thing she'll also be on cholesterol meds the rest of her life.

Her followup appointment is Tuesday afternoon. Assuming she calls afterward to tell me she's cleared to travel I'll immediately book flights for me down/back and for her. I really miss her, and because her extended absence has been because of a heart attack it will be especially good to see her in the flesh.

I don't know yet if I can get back-to-back flights. Ideally (I think) I'd get off a plane in Phx, and meet Pam at a gate for a return flight. Maybe the same plane?? I'd rather not spend a night there, NOT because it wouldn't be great to hug my kids and THANK them for their attentive care, but it would make things easier here. If the turn around were short enough I wouldn't have to get the dog boarded and *might* not even need to get the kid across the road to feed the goats. It's a two and a half hour flight so that's possible.

Google asked me this morning if I wanted to learn more about their new search engine and the fresh layout.
No, I want my old one back. I also want my old Gmail format back.
Nope, not an option. "We know what's best for you, so you'll just have to accept it."

As a result of a conversation I had with Josh while in AZ I've changed my diet a wee bit. Mostly I just greatly reduced the amount of sugar I consume. That means no dessert, no individual serving packets of oatmeal (with brown sugar added), no second b'fast bowl of cereal, and no waffles with syrup. I'm also resisting the occasional lure of a donut or candy bar.
Down six pounds in two weeks. And no exercise in a week because of my hip. I'm eager to get back to running and the gym.

I saw a headline on USA Today.com that urged people to boycott the upcoming Pacquiao v. Mayweather fight because "It's about greed." 
Doh! What pro athlete is any different. Were it not for greed no sports agent would have a job. And how, Mr. Sports Commentator, is your contract any different? Did you turn down a higher offer so you wouldn't be working for the money??
Hypocrisy.

I have to pay attention in church today. Beginning this week I'm writing the questions our 40+ small groups will use at their gatherings, questions based on the pastor's sermon. I'm going with pen and notebook. Brett's beginning a series from Romans 8, arguably one of the most content-dense chapters in the Bible. Should be interesting.
I'm not sure sitting that long is going to work. I may stand in the back. That will make him wonder!

How many times have I read and taught, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a helper fit for him" (Gen. 2:18). Thousands of times? And each time my thoughts were on the second sentence about God's creation of the perfect compliment to Adam's need. That sentence has taken on added weight because of the societal discussion of gay marriage and same-sex relationships.
I never really thought much about the first sentence re. Adam's being alone.

Did Adam feel alone? Was he lonely? Did he look at the animals and realize that only he was a One, without anyone like him to talk with, walk with, and just be with?

You can guess why my mind has gone to that first sentence this week. Pam has been gone for 7-10 days before, both to AZ to visit the kids and to MI to visit her mom. She's going to MI early next month for a week. But this time, when her medical condition was still serious I had to consider the possibility that she might not be coming home, but instead going Home. And that would mean that, like Adam, I would be alone. And I don't care if it's weird; even now that the heart issues are resolved I still find myself feeling (not thinking) alone in a deeper sense than in the past. My head knows it's all going to be OK but that message hasn't yet reached my gut.

So my stomach feels the same as the sky here looks right now, gray and gloomy.
I am NOT good at being alone in the Gen. 2 sense. I don't know how I'd manage if I were suddenly without my "fit for him" partner. I'm afraid I'd sink into depression and fight the urge to mask or fix my aloneness with a solution that only created a worse problem.

So I told Pam last night that I have to die first. She seemed less than thrilled with that conclusion but that's her problem.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'd break.

OK, time to go feed the goats, get dressed for church, and then head to Starbucks. I've got some research to do that is best done with a decent internet connection.