Shopping, Shopping, And More Shopping!

Hello, Everybody! Okay, okay, we WENT shopping--not just one day, but both Saturday and Sunday! Yeah, yeah, go ahead. Call us shopaholics! At least we went to church on Sunday morning. Yesterday, we did go to the new JC Penney store on the other side of town. It is far away from where we live, but we went the back way. We went over TransMountain Road. That way, we can pretend that we have really been out of town, and we are returning. Is that crazy or what? We first went to Penney's and then we had lunch at Chick-Fil-A. We sat in a parking lot and ate lunch, complete with a glass of Chardonnay! (Hee, hee.)



After that we went to Hobby Lobby, where we enjoyed seeing what new seasonal things they have and what is on sale. Next, we went to the brand new Super Target! We don't have one of those on our side of town. We enjoyed adding new wines to our collection. This new super store has a beautiful grocery section. We were very much impressed! If there were one on the West Side of town, we would probably never have to go to Walmart ever again!!



Well, then we decided that we had better get back to our side of town. We remembered that our brand new outlet mall is planning to have a grand opening soon, and we thought that we might be able to drive around the area to see what stores are going to be there. So instead of turning off TransMountain to head home, we went straight and turned into the Outlet Mall. Well, there was a line of cars and a Security Officer stopping each one. Some were allowed to go on and others had to U-turn and leave. When it was our turn, Ellen rolled down the window and the conversation went something like this . . . .
Security: Good afternoon, Ladies.
Us: Hello! We thought maybe we could drive around just to see what stores
were going in.
Security: (laughing!) Not today, Ladies.
Us: When are they going to open?
Security: They have said Oct. 11th, but I don't think it is going to happen.
Us: So, we can't go in? Do we have to be one of the cars that makes a
U-turn?
Security: You two are really Shopaholics aren't you?!
Us: Guess so. Oh well, we'll be back. Have a good afternoon!!

And so we made the U-turn and headed home. Maybe we'll try again next weekend!!

Have a great Monday! Until next time. . . . . . .

HAPPY WEEKEND!

Hello, Everybody! We love the weekends! Saturdays are usually just nice catch-up days for us. Today, a new JC Penney store opens on the far east side of town. We may or may not get out there today. It's the crowd that would stop us from making that trip.

We are getting very excited about going to Reno. Paula told us yesterday that it snowed there. It didn't stick, but it was fun for the kids. Ellen checks the weather page daily and keeps us informed of the temperature changes.

This past week at school, we screened most of the fifth graders. They were a nice age to screen. Our school is on a courtesy campaign, and it was so nice to hear, "Yes, ma'am," "Please," and "Thank you!" Now if parents will just follow through. . . . . . . . .

Next week, we will finish one last section of fifth graders; then, we will proceed with the little first graders. They are such cuties. We will screen them for height, weight, AN, vision and hearing. It takes more time to do the little ones because it is a new experience for them and they are not exactly sure of what to do.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Ellen has been busy getting information out to the faculty and staff regarding this disease. We are collecting the Yoplait Tops to send in. The company will donate 10 cents for each top they receive. We also put up a poster on one of the walls in the office. Staff was asked to take a pink sheet of paper for each person they know that has had breast cancer, and put the person's first name and then glue it to the poster. Within the first two days, the poster was filled!! We hope all of you are aware of how prevalent this disease is and that you are age -appropriate screened. Our motto this month is "Think Pink"!

Have a great weekend! We'll let you know what kind of "trouble" we manage to get into today and tomorrow!! Until next time. . . . . .

OH, NO! HAIL! NOT HERE!

Hello, Everybody! No, this picture below is not of hail damage. It is a picture of our hibiscus plants before they got the hail damage on Friday evening. This plant is one at Ellen's house. In the picture above of this same plant, the bloom is on the ground!! How sad! We have kept our hibiscus plants beautifully, and in one sad storm, they are injured. We really felt awful about it.

Here is one of the plants at Sharon's house. The leaves have been badly injured.

Here is a picture of the moss rose. It was a beautiful plant, but you can even tell that it was bruised by the hail storm.

We just wanted to show you how our beautiful plants were hurt. And we are both very sad about that. Also injured were both of our patio chair covers that were brand new!! There were holes in them. We usually can't complain about the weather in El Paso, but this past weekend was bizarre.

Until next time . . . .. . . . .....

SCHOOL DAZE!

Hello, Everybody! We finally decided we had better make an entry for our blog, or you all would forget our address. We so enjoy reading the blogs that we read. It is just wonderful to realize that others write about their lives from great distances, and we are able to bring it right into our homes.



We had a pretty good, but terribly busy week! We have begun the screening process for school. We screen the Kinders, First Graders, Third Graders, Fifth Graders, and those new to our school. We check their height, weight, vision, hearing, and Acanthosis Nigricans. The AN screening is done for early detection of diabetes. You would be surprised at the number of children we are able to help in elementary school. We have a number of resources to help them get glasses, hearing aids, or anything else that can be done for them at the elementary level.



Sharon just loves to volunteer in the nurse's office. Kids are just special people. We also fix lots of things. Sometimes, Ellen gets called the doctor lady by the little ones. They are just precious. We continue to have special needs students, but even our little girls with spina bifida are thriving on their own, thanks to Ellen who has taught them how to take care of themselves with minimal help in the bathroom. Our little kinders must bring an extra set of clothing to keep in their backpacks, so they will be prepared for any little accident that comes their way. In addition, she gives daily meds for those children who need them, and gives counsel to teachers, administrators, parents, and members of the staff; plus, she must make entries into the computer charting all of these procedures. Have I mentioned taking care of all of the students who are sent to the nurse's office? They must bring a pass with them from the teachers, but some people do not realize that they could take care of paper cuts with a supply of band-aids. Sometimes I don't know how they expect one woman to do all of this, but she does! There is much more, but I am sure that you get the idea! School nurses need help! (Sorry to get carried away!)

We have always believed that part of the excitement of taking a trip is in the anticipation of getting ready to leave. On November 7 we will be heading to the airport (yes, AIRPORT) to catch a plane to Reno. Sharon's daughter and son-in-law live near South Lake Tahoe. Neither of us has flown in several years. BUT WE ARE READY!! The plane tickets are purchased and the rental car is ordered. We have a small SUV reserved just in case the weather is bad; although, Joe has told us that if the weather is bad, neither of us has any business driving! (Don't worry, Joe, you know that we are big chickens when it comes to bad weather!) Ellen has her dramamine and Sharon has some medication from the doctor to keep her calm and anxiety level low. Now we just have to make sure we have nice warm clothes because it has already SNOWED on the mountains in Tahoe! As this month goes along, we will share some of our preparations for this trip. Neither of us has been to this part of the country, so we are looking forward to a few fun filled days!

The next giant hurdle is to get through security at the airport without setting off alarms. Ellen has a card proclaiming to the world that she is sporting a titanium knee. Yes, she sets off alarms! (Hee, hee.)

Have a great weekend! Until next time. . . . . .

A HODGE PODGE!

It's fixed! Hooray! It didn't take too long for the repairman to fix the refrigerator, and then he tackled the washing machine! It, too, was repaired; plus, the best part is that the transmission was under warranty! Hip, hip, HOORAY! Now I have to see someone about taking up the carpet in the kitchen and laundry room and putting down kitchen tile. Normally, Ellen and I would love to take this on as a weekend project, BUT . . . . . . . both of our doctors would nix that idea. Neither of us has any business doing that any more. Too bad!!


Time is really flying by these days. We have just finished the first four weeks of school. We had a really busy week, and even squeezed three classes into our screening schedule. We usually begin the screening process with the third graders because that is where we seem to find more students beginning to have vision problems. They are reading lots more. Just this week we discovered a child who couldn't even see the very top line on the eye chart!! Turns out that he had glasses, but they did very little correction. His mom will take him to get new lenses. We have made several other referrals. It is lots of fun and very rewarding to know that you have helped a child along his life path.

On Friday this week, Sharon received notice that her insurance was not going to cover all of her physical therapy because it has been deemed "medically unnecessary!" WHAT?? They were the ones who approved the therapy for four weeks! If they think I am not going to appeal, they are funny!

Weather is finally beginning to cool down here. Sharon's daughter sent us a picture of the first snow in the mountains of her back yard. SNOW! We are going there in November, and can't wait to see both Paula and Jason in their new schools. We also are looking forward to meeting their respective staffs. We both went out and bought a piece of new luggage for out trip. Sharon has now filled the prescription the doctor gave her to help her get on a plane. (We will let you know how that goes!)

Ellen's daughter, Nichole, has a birthday on Sunday. She will be 28!! Her "birthday box" was mailed on Tuesday, Sept. 4. It was sent Global Priority. Would you believe she hasn't received it yet?? :( Next year, Ellen is going to send it in JULY!! Maybe then Nichole will have her birthday presents on time. Poor baby....Happy Birthday, Nichole!

We hope everyone is having a good weekend. Until next time. . . . . . .....

She Did What? Plus A Graduation!

Hello, Everybody! Yes, she RAN! There is this mother at school that Ellen has been trying to contact. The mother has been avoiding her just as much as our dear Nursie-Pooh has been trying to see or talk to her. Sharon was sitting at the computer entering data. When she looked up, she couldn't believe her eyes. There she was RUNNING on that brand new knee! Yes, RUNNING! Oh, my!

Well, she caught up with that mother, and finally got the shot record that she has been trying to get for so long. Can you believe that she ran? It was absolutely amazing!



We had quite a weekend! On Saturday morning, Sharon's husband caught a plane for Chicago heading for his 50th high school reunion in Detroit! We were planning a trip to the symphony, but before that we took a nap. Ellen decided to go home to get herself ready for the evening. When she went around the cornerof the den into the kitchen, she hollered something. Sharon got up to go see what it was. The refrigerator water line was leaking and had been for at least an hour. There was water everywhere! The kitchen carpet was soaked! What a MESS! Sharon finally got the water line to the fridge shut off. We went through every towel in the house.

We just had to quit in order to get ready for the first symphony concert of the season.



The symphony was absolutely fantastic. The guest artist was a pianist, and it was amazing to hear how she interpreted the Rachmaninoff Concerto No. 2 for Piano and Orchestra! We were instantly put in a totally different mood. We both needed that. The orchestra was excellent. The symphony season is going to be exhilarating!



Today was the last therapy session for Sharon. It was sort of sad to say good-bye to those physical therapists who have done such a wonderful job for her shoulder.

They gave her a certificate proclaiming her graduation from therapy. Yea!



Well, that was what our weekend was like! We hope you enjoyed yours.

Until next time. . . . . . . . . .

Only Three Sessions Remain and Finally Some Heat Relief!

Hello, Everybody! We hope all is well with you and your family. Sharon has been talking about her physical therapist, and what a wonderful young woman she is. She thought you might like to see what she looks like. (Valerie is the one on the right holding Mr. Bone's hand!)

Mr. Bones is particularly helpful to use with patients to gain a better understanding of why we hurt if things are strained, stretched, or otherwise out of joint.

Sharon has really enjoyed these therapy sessions. It is remarkable just how much improved she is.

To change the subject---we finally have some relief from this terrible heat. It has rained a bunch. The temperatures have dropped making it seem like fall. Believe us, it is a welcome change. Yesterday evening the skies opened up and down came over an inch of rain! Ellen had been at school for Open House for grades K-2 and made it home just before the downpour began!

We all remember what we were doing on Sept. 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers were attacked. God bless all the families who lost their loved ones on that terrible day. Fly your American Flag today and celebrate the freedoms which are ours!

Until next time. . . . .

Gun's Up, Red Raiders!

Hello, Everybody. I certainly hope you have a fantastic weekend. Today, we were both glad that it was Friday. When Sharon went to therapy this morning, there was a gorgeous Texas Tech flag at the sign in desk. It turns out that the main therapist of this little place is a Texas Tech fan. It was funny. We both had our "guns up" all the time. Ellen flies a Texas Tech flag on game day, also. It is just nice to support your team, no matter who it is. Therapy continues to go well for Sharon. She has been able to do some things lately that she hasn't been able to do for a while.

I took my camera to school today and got this shot of one of our little friends from Polk. This is Katelyn with her very special paraprofessional, Miss Connie. She takes care of our little Katelyn and our Paulina. You will notice that the smile is such a special smile. She has the most beautiful attitude about life. Her motto of life is, " I can do it myself." And wow, she can. She is only in first grade, but she is a firecracker. I can hardly keep up with her. She has magnificient muscles in her arms. She is amazing. We love her a lot.

Here is another one of our special friends. She is Katelyn's friend, Lauren. They are in the same homeroom at school. They are just the smartest little ones.
Here is another of our special little friends at Polk. Her name is Paulina. She, too, is a precious little girl who just needs a little help from her friends. Just look at that beautiful smile.
You can tell that we both love kids. And, we love to work with them.

Have a great weekend. Until next time. . . . . . . . . .

Happy September Days!

Hello, again! Sharon just wanted to share a picture of this beautiful flower arrangement sent by her daughter and son-in-law, Paula and Jason. Aren't they gorgeous? She loves beautiful flowers, and these were a lovely surprise. Thank you, Jase and Paulita!

We are planning a trip to Lake Tahoe in November. It will take that long for Sharon to get herself psyched up to get on an airplane. She hates to fly, and it has been a very long time since she has flown. Ellen will take care of her, and we will just have to pray for good weather. We also need to check out our closets for warm clothes. It is already cool in the Lake Tahoe-Reno area. What is November going to be like??? Brrrrrr..... Don't get us wrong, it will be a wonderful change!

School continues to go well for everyone. If this heat will just give up, we all would appreciate it. Ellen continues to amaze all around her because she is on her feet almost all day with NO PAIN ! She is something else. Some of the teachers have been coming into the office to ask about her surgery. Are there a few more out there who are contemplating total knee replacements??

Have a great day! Until next time . . .. ....

Has It Already Been A Year?

Hello, Everybody, it is difficult for me to believe, but it is true. My mom, Ferne Ellyn George Vise, passed away on this Earth on September 3, 2006. The Gates of Heaven opened up, and I can just see her as she was welcomed by all of those who had gone before her. This first picture is of my mom. I am not exactly sure just how old she was, but I think she was about eighteen or nineteen years old. I love looking at this picture because she is all dolled up. Just look at those curls, and that hat ! God rest her soul.
Tonight as I am writing this, I am reminded just how much she loved life. She was a wonderful thoughtful lady who taught us kids how to behave. In my adult years, when she would call me 'ornery', she would say, "You must have gotten that from your daddy because you didn't get it from me." We got lots of good things from her. I can only hope that caring about others, and being thoughtful are among those things.

When I want to know what I am going to look like in a few years, all I have to do is look at the picture below. My prayer is that I can be as beautiful on the inside as she was. Tonight, Ellen and I were watching Extreme Makeover, Home Edition. That was one of Mother's favorite shows. I just burst out crying. The tears just flowed out of me. (Poor Ellen.) She knew why, though, and after we went through a few tissues, we were both okay. It has been awhile since I have had a really good cry. I guess I needed that.

My sister, Janice, took care of my mom when she was no longer able to take care of herself. I bless my sister's heart every day because I know that she had the hardest job of all. She not only took care of Mother in life, but she took care of her after she passed away. It isn't easy being the oldest child, but she was wonderful to do all of that along with her husband, Jim. We gave her a great send off, and sang her all the way to Heaven. I miss my mom.

Until next time . . . . . .. . .