Feeling Slow In The Head

I have been wanting to write in here for three days but my head has been feeling pretty stupid.  We have been getting lots of rain and when it rains it raises my intracranial pressure and I get headaches and it feels like my shunt isn't working.  Then I feel stupid and I get writer's block.  I am going to try and write anyway.  I am getting very tired of the rain.  I live in an area that is very grey and rainy.  It is not uncommon for us to have rain at some point in the day for a month or have a cloudy few months at a time.  It is cloudy ol' Pennsylvania.  I do love it here, though.  It is calm and serene.  The people are very nice and the nature is fantastic.  You can hop in the car and you are just a mile (or a few) away from a library, store, movie theater, campus, bowling alley, book store, you name it!  It is your own fault if you get bored here!  There are also places to escape here.  There are many parks.  There are mountains,cows, sheep, pigs, trees to sit under and Amish not too far away.  Boy do I love visiting the Amish!  They are so friendly and they love to talk and laugh and they can make you realize what is really important in life!  Our family has an Amish couple that are our friends that owns a craft store.  They are so humble.  They are in their 70's and have a bunch of grown children.  Eli and Katie are their names.  Eli owns a horse named Sparky and when we visit them I like to go out and talk to ol' Sparky.  He has a really nice stall outside that he lives in and Eli made him a neat place to stay near a chicken coop where he can look out a window all day long.  Eli loves Sparky.  He only takes him out when they need to take out the buggy for a ride.  He spends alot of time outside brushing Sparky and talking to him.  His face lights up when you ask him about this beloved horse.  It is so dear.  I own a quilt that I have on my living room couch that Katie made.  Whenever I look at that quilt I think of her and their way of life.  One day we were at her house and we were eating some goodies as they ALWAYS offer us food and drink.  We were drinking Mountain Dew.  Katie was saying how much she and her family loved Mountain Dew.  I told her it was because of the sugar and thecaffeine.  She said, "It has caffeine in it?";  I said, "Oh my, yes, much more than coffee does!"; and she just howled out laughing and said, "Oh, that is why we like it so much then!"  It is interesting how many people think that the Amish are standoffish.  They are not at all.  They just like to have their way of life.  They do not want to be influenced by the "Englishers".  They are always pleasant to us Englishers, though.  One big fallacy about the Amish is that they are somehow ignorant, also.  The young children actually know German and English by the time they are in grade school.  And yes, they do not allow their picture to be taken.  They are very, very humble.  I notice as I talk to them that they are the same as any of us -- same worries, fears, conversation, humor, etc.  They place you at ease immediately.

I saw my sister, Therese, this week.  She is sister number 1.  I have four sisters - Therese, Krissy, Grace, and Deirdre  Therese came to my apartment today.  I hadn't seen her in probably six years or so.  It was really nice seeing her.  She and her husband and three children live in Maryland.  I also visited with her husband and one of her sons today.  I hadn't seen them in an even longer time.  I discovered that Therese and I like alot of the same artsy things - beading, quilting, fabrics, crocheting, nature.  It was really exciting talking to her about these things.  My kitty cat, Honey, also loved her.  I think Honey knew that she was my sister as she went right up to her and Honey NEVER does that.  Honey is skittish with anybody who is new.  All the females in my family have a very, very similar deep, melodic voice and Honey seems to know who is related to me and who isn't.  She took to my Mom right away as well as to Krissy and my sisters Deirdre and Grace.  She has not taken to any other stranger except after many visits.  I find this amazing.  Cats have an extra sense, I guess.  Oh, she doesn't like men very much.  I don't know why this is.  I think they walk harder and have a booming voice that she doesn't like.  I have led a quiet existence for the four years that I have had her.  I have been sick most of the time and have crept around and have been very pleasant to her and have had very little company.  She is used to my tip-toeing around.  So when there is alot of commotion she gets upset.  She is used to my pleasant dispotition and my quiet living.

I was thinking today about how wonderful Krissy's John is!  He has done so much for me and I wanted to thank him personally in my journal.  He has done so much for me over the past six years or so and he is a super person and I am so proud to call him my friend!  Whenever I have been sick or needed someone he has always been there, and for that I am so truly thankful!  Thanks, John, I will always love you!

I am signing off now....my head hurts....take care all!!