Tuesday, May 7

At last, we enjoyed a sunny, balmy day, after record-breaking cold weather.

We were up at 7:30, and after breakfast, I did stair stepping, resistance bands, and weights exercises. Hubbie accompanied Mother to our house earlier than usual, because the plumber arrived to replace the pipes.

Turned out to be quite a job, since there were several huge roots that had to be cut into pieces before they could be pulled out. But he was able to finally successfully replace the pipes. We hope that there will no longer be any problems with Mother's plumbing now.

I didn't accomplish much once I was ready for the day, except snapping pictures of the greeting cards Mother and I made, and then posting them to my social network page..

Mother and I were scheduled for haircut appointment at 11:30., and we arrived at the beauty shop early enough to get in on a conversation between my hairdresser and a woman getting her hair done. The woman related a story about  her grown daughter inadvertently locking the house keys inside the house, and then driving away.  The woman, clad only in her Sponge Bob PJ's  immediately discovered the house was locked, so she went running and screaming after her daughter. Well, the daughter did not stop, and the woman had to eventually break a window to get inside her house.

She also launched into stories about having been married three times...first to a man who was killed when a tractor tipped over, pinning him underneath; then to a man who committed suicide when he shot himself to death; and finally to a man who turned out to be gay. She divorced this one, after which he was diagnosed with terminal colon cancer. She offered too much information about this, stating that the affected area has been sewn up, and he is equipped with a colostomy bag, effectively ending his sex life. This lady is in her mid-50s, and works at the hospital, though I don't know if she's a nurse.

After she left, we were at a loss for words, except to say none of us would probably be so bold as to air our dirty laundry in public like that. We had to admit she was entertaining, though.

Back home, I heated the remainder of the Dragon Soup for Mother's lunch, and fixed scrambled eggs with cheese and diced baked potato left from last night's supper, for Hubbie and me. Had cottage cheese, and slices of French bread with the meal.

Didn't do a lot after that until it was time to go to the medical clinic for a 2:15 appointment. I wanted my doctor to take a look at a place on my arm to make sure it was nothing more than a bug bite. The spot came up about two weeks ago, and it itched, so I thought it might be a bug bite, but when it didn't go away after so long, even after I treated it with Epsom Salts, and antibiotic cream, I wondered if it might be something more serious.

The doctor confirmed that it is likely a bug bite. She didn't see anything cancerous about it. She said to treat it with hydro cortisone cream, and apply a band aid. I thought leaving the wound uncovered would allow it to dry up, but she said it still has some infection in it, and so covering it is the best treatment.

If the place does not go away in another two weeks, she wants to see it again, and decide if  a biopsy is warranted. As it is, she said to biopsy the infected area would risk spreading the infection. I commented that a month seemed like a long time for something to heal, and she said healing in older people takes longer. I could have lived without that comment. I should have asked her how long it takes to heal wounded pride after a comment like that.

I feel a little silly bothering her with nothing more than a bug bite, but she said it's wise to get these things checked out, since skin cancer is on the rise. I guess I was anxious about it, because one of the ladies at water aerobics is being treated for a cancer on her leg.

I took my camera when I went to the clinic, and on the way home, I stopped at a field of red clover to take a few shots. I also snapped pics of other wildflowers in that area. At home, I went into the yard to snap pics of the beautiful azalea shrubs, and other colorful plants. Then I posted the photos to my social network page.

While I was gone to the clinic, Mother made two more sympathy cards Later, Mother and I prepared a supper of baked parsley chicken, rice, Lima beans, and French bread. After supper, Hubbie accompanied Mother to her house, and then we watched TV...."Castle," and two episodes of "Mrs. Bradley Mysteries."