MR. & MRS.

GOLDEN YEARS + 5!!!!!

Perfect Wedding Gift---

4 steak knives for him & 1 red paring knife & 1 CASE tomato knife for her!

RIGHT NEIGHBORLY

Pansy Pot. A neighborly gift.
The best part is my "green thumb" neighbor's understanding of my deficiency in this area.
Master Gardener extraordinaire. She believes in "helping," not shaming, the less inclined.
So....when the temps were due to drop, I got a text that it would be okay to take them in out of the elements, even hard rains. When the deadheading was needed, I received the info on the best place for pinching. Now that's a good neighbor.
Pansies for the Patio. A right neighborly gift for sure.

Growing up in a small town, Daddy had a way of recognizing those on our block who were "right neighborly." In fact, he's the originator of the term for me. Christine and Pappy, who love me as a grand daughter, were "RIGHT NEIGHBORLY in all caps! (Galatians 5:14)
Daddy also spoke of "old" Dr. Dade being "right neighborly." I suppose sometimes it's more difficult for the elderly to be "right neighborly" when a 6 year old girl picks, without permission, their beautiful King Alfred daffodils because she wanted to give them to her mother who had always admired them. Being said little girl, I was required by Daddy to "march" right over to the Dades' home and apologize, that was more than the neighborly thing to do, it was the right thing to do. (Exodus 20:5)

Dragging my feet, literally, and pleading "right" motives was not an acceptable excuse.
I marched. (Matthew 19:19)

Dr. Dade accepted my apology and said the right thing to do would be to let him know when I needed flowers for my mother and he would help me choose the right ones from his yard. (Romans 13:8)

That was above and beyond being right neighborly!

GOD-PLACED

3/17/11

Date--3/15/11-3/16/11

Place-- Jennie Stuart Memorial Hospital Hopkinsville, KY

Room 503--At Daddy’s bedside.

There’s no place else I’d rather be today.

Does he know me? No. Can he tell me his name ? No.

Is there hope for a better tomorrow---yes, but never the way it once was.

Highlights: (This is where the focus needs to be.)

Surrounded by family

Daddy’s answers to questions when speech isn’t garbled

Louise asks, “What can I do for you?” Daddy answers, “Politics.”

I ask if he wants more jello. Daddy answers, “Sales have fallen off.” I wonder if that means he thinks we can’t afford more jello.

Laughter---not at him but with each other

Time alone with him through the night

12 “wet” changes between 9 p.m. & 6 a.m. ---often included gown, pads, sheets & sometimes blanket---that’s positive, because “wet” is preferable. (Medicare won’t pay if he gets an infection, so doc doesn’t want a catheter—oh, the insurance “adjustments” of our red tape world.)

Reading Psalms aloud to him. Reminding him that Psalm 121 was Mama Davenport’s favorite. He ate lunch at her house every Wednesday for years and years. Daddy loves a big lunch---always has. Still does.

“Code Red” doors slamming and lights flashing didn’t scare him as the “drill” took place. I, on the other hand, didn’t have a clue what was going on and was nervous.

2 a.m. – 3 a.m.---jello picnic. I became his new best friend when I commandeered some cherry jello from the code locked room. Waitresses at Roundie’s, Daddy’s later years lunch-time haunt, knew to always bring him the “daily flavor” jello after his meal so he could really savor it.

Help from nurses though tremendously short-staffed. Daddy’s first un-garbled and coherent response to nurses question, “Why do you keep kicking off the covers? Are you hot?” Daddy’s response, “I don’t like it.” His answer made sense. It was clear & we could understand all four words. I could have done back flips. What a biggie----a great answer, from a man who never, (rarely) complains.

Daddy’s smiles. He doesn’t know where he is or who he is but he’s not in pain.

So-o-o God-placed. There was no place else I’d rather be!

‘honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 19:19)