Good things are happening.. we are encouraged.  When we got the call from Wendell's doctor that his diabetes was out of control, I knew there was something more than that wrong.  For he was eating everything I was eating and my blood sugars were normal and his were flying high.. ridiculously high.  So I called for a new endocrinologist .. his other one moved to Chicago.  They started out by saying that the earliest appointment would be some time in January 2012.. ugh.  I explained his dilemma to her and she agreed he needed seen sooner than that, and then gave him a cancelled appointment for today.  They told me the average time to get his old charts has been weeks..but to try to get them if we could before his visit.  So I called his PCP for records.. she called me back within an hour and told me I could pick them up, and that she'd been able to retrieve his old records from his endocrinologist also, those that were said to take weeks to obtain.  I had everything ready for today 2 hours after I'd called for the appointment.
It was such an encouraging appointment.  The one thing that the PA caught right away was that hubby was and has been giving himself his insulin in his anterior thigh multiple times per day for years, and all that tissue is scarred and useless for absorption of insulin.  
Bottom line.. split the insulin dosage into 3 equal doses per day and change the injection site.   
Lunch glucose was 113
Supper was a beautiful normal 87
Looks like it's working just fine.  AMEN and thank YOU LORD!!!!! 

Sister trip part 2

It seemed to take us forever to find Hankey Church Cemetery. 

The GPS would work a lot better if I used the right city for the location.  Duh.. but we finally got there.

This Hankey Cemetery in Murrysville PA.  These markers belong

to family.. my mother's family.  Michael and Catherine Best. 

Michael's father Wilhelm Best was our immigrant ancestor.

Michael fought in the Revolutionary War

Many stones, including those of the Bests, are damaged by acid rain.

Interesting marker, no one we knew.. but it has a hand on the

front with a finger pointing Heavenward.

Another interesting marker looks like a tree trunk.  Some of

these folks names sound familiar.. I think this one was Ludwig or

Ludwick.. it just rings a bell..

Sister trip

What a great day Jane and I had on Tuesday.  It was a fun "sister trip" to our old home town New Kensington.  Jane needed some work done on some shoes, so we decided to expand our trip and visit the Plum Creek Cemetery and also the Hankey Church Cemetery.  Lunch was great!  Thanks, Jane, for a wonderful day.



Leila Grace Binder was my mother's sister. 

She married Edward Binder and died of colon cancer-

she was only 50 yr old when she left this world.  I don't know

where Uncle Ed is buried, but I don't think here at Plum Creek.

Right next to Aunt Gracie's marker is one for their baby daughter,

Beryl Jean who died at 1 day old.  Very heartbreaking.

This marker is also for my mother's sister, Vida Marie Leah, and

her husband, Joseph Leah. 

Ruth Hartge Menk was married to my mother's cousin,

David John Menk.

Clyde Menk was only 23 when he died.  He was a very

troubled soul and took his own life.

Ninnie Connor Menk was David and Clyde's mother,

and the sister to my grandmother Best, (my mother's mother)

And Yes, her name was Ninnie.

Clyde Menk was Aunt Ninnie's husband.

Uncle Georgie, my mother's brother was injured severely

during WW2.  He never married.

This is the marker for my maternal grandparents, Clarence and Mamie Best.



It's been a few days since my last post.. in that time, I have weighed in and lost a total of 22# - YIPPEE!
Charlie has brought me a watermelon that weighs 50#
I bought 2 bags of MacIntosh apples and have made a beautiful apple pie tonite.. YUMMEE!!!
It's raining.. looks like it's mighty heavy in Beaver Falls.. I saw a note from LS that said they could actually tube down the street!  That's a good bit of water.
Wendell is now scheduled to see the new endocrinologist on Wednesday.  They originally said there were no open appts till Jan 2012.. and then when I explained his blood sugars were dangerously high, she put him in a spot where someone cancelled.  Everything fell into place like clockwork- Thank you Lord for watching over us and providing for us yet again.
Looking forward to the Valentines visit this weekend.. spaghetti is on the menu for Friday night. 

The east wind doth blow



and it's cold- don't you know..


A day to stay warm here- inside.


I'll put soup on to cook,


Curl up with a book,


Or watch leaves, out the window, collide..

Alas, if our children lose the crown of life, it will be but a small consolation that they have won the laurels of literature or art. Many who ought to know better think themselves superlatively blessed in their children if they become rich, if they marry well, if they strike out into profitable enterprises in trade, or if they attain eminence in the profession which they have espoused. Their parents will go to their beds rejoicing, and awake perfectly satisfied, though their boys are hastening down to hell, if they are also making money by the bushel. They have no greater joy than that their children are having their portion in this life, and laying up treasure where rust corrupts it. Though neither their sons nor daughters show my signs of the new birth, give no evidence of being rich towards God, manifest no traces of electing love or redeeming grace, or the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, yet there are parents who are content with their condition.


From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled "The Parent's and Pastor's Joy," delivered December 21, 1873

Wonder what I did wrong?  I actually had a quart and a pint of peaches that didn't seal..  I suppose I shouldn't even care, these are only 2 of the hundreds of jars that I've canned this year.  It's okay.  We shall have peaches for breakfast for the next 4-5 days!  Yum!
Wendell bought supper last night and dessert too.. he stopped at DQ and got a quart of vanilla ice cream with the idea that we'd top it with some of that peach jam ... it was delicious.

I really enjoy canning season.. though my family would probably say it's never ending for me.. but at the end of summer when all the produce comes in, it's time to hit the canner hard.  I'm so thankful we have all kinds of ways to preserve foods.

Today was a canning day and I'm so exhausted.  Wendell offered to make the trip to Long John Silverfish to get supper .. what a guy!  Or maybe he realizes he was going to get a sandwich if he didn't do something quick.. :)

Today I started with about a half bushel of tomatoes that Charlie left here 2 days ago.  Yesterday was shopping day, and they held very nicely.  9 quarts of stewed tomatoes and 4 pints.. Wendell and I want the pints, but these other tomatoes go to JJ and Keith.  Charlie says he has enough for this season, but more tomatoes are coming.  If they arrive here, I'll can juice.

I bought concord grapes yesterday at the Freedom Market near us.  This morning I made them into jelly- 10  half pints and 2 half pints of sugar free.  There was still juice left, so I made 2 pints more of the sugar free stuff.  Sure tasted good on the spoon .. mmmmmm

I also bought our 3rd half bushel of peaches yesterday.  They are just so amazingly delicious.  So I made 3 pints and 6 quarter pints of SF peach jam for us.  With so many peaches remaining, I processed 19 pints of SF peach slices and 2 quarts.  WOW!  It is no wonder my feet and back ache.

Canning is great- I highly recommend it.  In the winter, we'll not have to run to the store every week for supplies.. it's right on the pantry shelf.  I'm looking for a shelf unit, by the way- somewhere to put all the canned stuff.

I think the sense of accomplishment is the best part of canning.  I stand back and look at the bounty of delicious foods that are now safe to put on the shelves.. and smile.

Next will be more grapes and APPLES!!!!!   Apple butter, applesauce, and dried apples are fabulous!!  I want to try canning apples for pie making- SF, of course!  

Gotta take a rest....