THURSDAY RUNAROUND

I have to quit going to town everyday. I found when I had to stay with Lou that my gas bill really dropped but I have been to town every day this week with a side trip to Baird and a planned trip to Abilene tomorrow.

Today I planned to walk a couple of miles before the mail ran but even though I left early I got to the mailbox the same time as the mailman. He had to get through early today to make an appointment with the doctor who will do radiation therapy on his prostate cancer.

I found that I had missed sending one of the forms to TRS and it needed notarizing so I had to go back to CP. Jane Bonner is a decorator and had put up a display of photos of the church fire and I told her she didn't have the Cross and Flame photo that I like so she asked me to print it for her. I took it to town thinking I would catch her with the ladies group that clean the church every Thursday. But when I got there at 11:15 they had already gone to their weekly lunch after working. So I got the form notarized at the bank and joined them in their tete-a-tete. The pastor and his wife also came late. I always wondered what they talked about and it was interesting to listen. I did feel a little out of place. And I ate too much. The special for today was the Hiway 36 plate and it was a lot of food. Steak and an enchilada with rice, beans and a salad. I am not going to lose weight this way.

Tomorrow I am going to Abilene to a reception for Dr. Doris Miller who is retiring after 16 years as an English prof at McMurry. She also pastors a Methodist church at Hamby. I thought I would treat myself at the China Kitchen again before the 1 p.m. reception where I will have dessert and continue to blow my diet.

I tried to dig in my flower bed for a few minutes and that was all it took to have my back object violently. I do need to start working outside and getting more exercise. Typing on a keyboard just doesn't develop a lot of physical stamina.

There was an interesting book review in the WSJ today of a book by an SMU prof on what it takes to be happy. He argues you can be both happy and productive.

I continue to hear from more friends. Got an email from Rev. Tom Wood who was sponsored by our church in the ministry and has been at Itasca since. Good to hear from him.

SOME PAPER WORK PROGRESS

This isn't a food blog like Judy Alter's but this morning I had French toast made with Kathy's beer batter bread that she had left on the counter. It is real healthy full grain and soaked up the egg covering very well. I couldn't eat all of it so I now have fatter fox. I told Kathy that I am getting fat eating the leftovers in the fridge for lunch. I try to balance by cutting back at supper with a little wine, a little nuts, a couple of dark chocolate candies and an apple. I couldn't buy any seedless red grapes and am running out of last weeks.

I called the Teacher Retirement System April 10 to report Lou's death. They said that they would send me a packet of material. I called 10 days later and they said it took 3 weeks. I called on the 28 and they said it had been mailed on the 24. Today it finally came. I had spent $9900 on the funeral thinking the lump sum payment would be $10,000. It is BUT they take out 20% for taxes. Argh. But my children said that they would help during the stress time. It will all work out in a couple of months.

I guess you could say that it rained today. It drizzled enough to drip off the roof, but I haven't even looked at a guage because we didn't get enough to measure. There is still a remote chance a rain storm will come through tonight but the radar looks like it will be well north of here.

The birds like this weather. I had to make more hummingbird water this afternoon. The front feeder was empty.

I drove to town to get the TRS papers notarized and in the mail. I stopped to pay for the Thank You ad in the Review and Vanda said that she would pay for it because she hadn't done anything for Lou. She loved Lou because Lou encouraged her writing and complimented her on running the paper. I also again pitched the Library's suggestion that she celebrate the paper's 100th anniversary by running Robert E. Howard's cowboy stories. Both to emulate the serials that newspapers used to run and to educate CP on the cowboy story side of Howard. There is local antimosity against the Barbarian aspect of Howard which is seen as more on the witchcraft side. They don't know about his other work. I checked out a library book on the humorous cowboy stories and took it to her to look at.

I continue to get supporting cards and letters. Our former pastor, Hubert Austin, who started our endowment fund celebrated his 80th birthday and Lou's memory by mailing a check for the endowment fund.

Thanks to all of my family and all of our friends for your prayers and support.

ANOTHER BOOK FOR LOU

This is Molcie's literary corner so I have to report on another book for Lou that came in the mail. The book didn't come. I received a notice that Pat and Shay Bennett have given a book to the Abilene Public Library in Lou's memory. The book is First Settlers of the Republic of Texas, Volume 1 compiled by Carolyn R. Ericson adn Frances Ingmire. The book will be placed in the library's genealogy collection. I know that Lou is very pleased to have another book written by Texas women in her memory.

Today I got a history lesson on the history of Cross Plains at Kiwanis. Former Kiwanian Donnel Clark gave an excellent history of the town from its beginning to the advent of the railroad and where the terminal was located. It was dubbed the Peanut Express because it ran from DeLeon to CP and back every day. He told where the oil wells were located in town. There were 5 grocery stores and three pharmacies each with a doctor in residence. Dr. Howard, REH's father obtained all of his medical education by correspondence. Don told a lot of interesting facts about the town's history.

I left a little early to go to the courthouse to file the papers to have Lou's will probated using the muniment of probate papers. It cost me $257 to file with the clerk but Social Security said yesterday I would get a final payment of $250 from them. Not breakeven but close.

I started the Robert Conley book but it is what I would consider recreational reading. I haven't found time to read very far. I have too much stuff to read every day and spend way too much time on the computer. But people keep asking me to post to the blog so here it is.

THUNDER, LIGHTNING AND WIND

But there was very little rain. The storm came in during the night with a lot of noise and I hoped a lot of rain. They got 3" in San Angelo but I had about 0.1" last night and it rained all morning for another 0.1". They are promising more chances of rain the next several days but I don't see anything on the wide radar.

I spent the day doing the laundry which wasn't much but spent way too much time trying to open a new ML account on-line. I spent a lot of time waiting for techinical help and when I about had it ready a couple of seconds of power outage knocked me off line and I lost all of the entries. Tonight I gave up on the joint account and finally finished a single account, I think.

The Social Security called right on time and completed the application for their $250 final payment. That worked easily anyhow.

Cami from Hendrick Hospice came to complete her memorial booklet. I did a little editing and gave her a lot of photos off the fridge door that she will scan in the document and return. Her husband in in the USAF and they are moving to England for 4 years and she hopes to see Great Britain and all of Europe. At least the Rangers swept Baltimore today and come back home tomorrow, worn out.

I also spent some time writing thank you's to all the gifts to the CP Library and appreciate all the gifts in Lou's memories and the prayers for me.

WAITING FOR THE STORM

Rex Gaggino called and said that they are under a Tornado watch but haven't seen a drop of water. We are under a tornado watch and the radar shows a shower but it hasn't rained a drop here either. I told Rex to pray harder and he said he was doing an Indian rain dance along with praying.

Kathy and I went to SS and church this morning. At SS we got to listen to a real teacher. Rev. Dr. Woody is teaching my class and started on Galatians today. I related to the first few verses where Paul complains about the church teaching a false gospel. I consider evolution to be the current false gospel being taught. I told the Bishop I was going to share my passion with him and sent an email on the subject today. We got out of church very early and I took Kathy to eat the buffet at Mexico City restaurant. We were home by 12:30 and Kathy got on the road a little after 1.

I finished glueing the envelopes and stamping the Canada address so I am ready to mail a big stack of thank-you's.

I got bad news at church. H. D. Weaver's new wife lived in Henrietta and told me the local newspaper had the story that Bill Glassford died last week. He was married to Jodie who was Lou's roommate in an apartment when we got married in Levelland. Bill and Jodie later married. He worked on the newspaper in Levelland and Morton and then bought the Henrietta paper where they retired. He remained active in the Methodist church. There were 5 or 6 couples in our Levelland SS class who got married in '49. I wrote a note to Jodie in mutual sympathy.

I got my column written and my email to the Bishop so I have had a productive day. I woke up at 4 this morning and kept writing things in my head so I was glad to get some of it done.

See what all of your prayers are doing for me. Keeping me going and in good shape. Thanks.

SATURDAY WORKDAY

Today Kathy worked like a Trojan on addressing and writing thank-you notes. I even helped and put the stamps on. Kathy made me a great lunch from the freezer with a great variety of food. I was able to get to the church to meet the Bishop who is trying to visit every church in his conference and spends 30 minutes at each one. He slipped his schedule at our church getting there a little late and staying more than planned. He carried his Sheppard staff and looked very authoritative. He is a good speaker and charged us with challenging young people to enter the ministry. I have got to start taking my camera. I forgot both last night and today and noone else had one. I really needed a photo of that Shephard's staff.

I spent my time finishing the April issue of the Flame for the church. I hope I got everything in. Kathy proofread it for me and helped a lot.

Now tomorrow I need to do a lot more thank yous and work in writing a column for the Livestock Weekly.

FRIDAY EVENTS

The mail brought a couple of insurance change of beneficiary forms and it was a strange feeling to come to the box that said married or single and after 59 years of answering married I had to put single. There is a lot of paper work to this part of the business. I also wrote the Texas Commission on Ethics to request not having to fill out the form required for the regents (or any appointed officer of the state) that requires a lot of work because I had to list all the companies we owned stock in and all of the offices I held and is a pain to fill out.

This afternoon I took items to the Library garage sale scheduled for tomorrow, mailed letters and changed the checking account and cashed my Taylor Electric checks. I came back home to change in to my Sunday go to meeting suit to go to the Lay dinner for the Brownwood Conference in Comanche. Jane Bonner drove the preacher John Woody, Patsy Harelik and me. The speaker was our new Bishop Mike Lowry. I introduced myself to him as the grandfather of Valerie Wilcox who was in his church in San Antonio and he remembered her. Speaking of Valerie, she was given a surprise flight to San Diego to attend a bachelorette party by Kayla who is getting married. She will fly out again May 22 to be a bridesmaid. Kayla reads the blog so I need to mention her.

Kathy and I got to the house about the same time. She spent her Fiesta holiday from school catching up on some of her work at home before driving to Halsell Hill.

Wildlife update: I saw one turkey wander through the yard. But I have decided that we won't have any barn swallows this year. We have had them every year we have been here but last year there were some at the Halsell house but this year there are none. I miss them even though they make a mess nesting on the outside flood lights and under the eaves. We used to watch the young hang on the side of the nests before they got the courage to make that first flight. The hummingbirds are back as are the redwing blackbirds. I haven't seen a cowbird yet. And I haven't gotten a chance to take a shot at the feral hog. Kathy just reported that the skunks and raccoons are fussing at each other out back. I can't hear them but she always does when she is here.

BUSY THURSDAY

First I want to post an email and photos from Ashley about Muster Tuesday:

Softly Call the Muster...

This last Tuesday, Ross and I attended Muster in Fort Worth to honor Grandmother. Here are a few photos from that time. We saw Melissa, Larry and Nicole Lebahn and met some of Aunt Kathy's old drill team friends. It was a precious blessing and honor to answer "here" proudly for Grandmother. I think that it would be a blessing to submit her name to the College Station Muster list next year and attend as a family. We love you guys!

Love,

Ross and Ashley

I also got an email from Charley Korbell that they attended the Junction Muster where they lit a candle and answered here for Lou.

I started the day with French toast after getting up at 6. (I still haven't settled down on a getting up time like I was used to.) I met the mail to get the death certificates and they came. Ann Curtis was delivering the mail and told me the second opinion by a Dallas doctor confirmed that her husband Bobby should treat his newly developing prostate cancer with radiation as was the first opinion. It is good to have confirming oncology opinions.

I then headed for the Taylor Electric Coop Annual meeting. It was their 70th anniversary and over 1000 were there. Because I had other business and it was crowded, I picked up my two checks and saved them 84 cents postage, picked up the goody bag and had some good stuff. I then went to Chase bank to change that account, then to Merrill-Lynch to roll over Lou's IRA to mine and set up a new cash account because the old one was in her name.

I then went to Office Max to buy ink jets to prepare for printing the Flame this weekend and realized that I was near AT&T so I stopped to cancel Lou's cell phone and he recommended I change to a Senior account with 200 minutes since I had never used more than 100 in a month. It is less than half the family plan we were under and because I won't have Lou's income I need to cut back like that.

I then got my Chinese food fix at China Kitchen who still only charge $4.88 plus 80 cents for tea. Best bargain in town and good food. I recycled at HEB and drove to Social Security where they set me up for a telephone interview Monday. I drove to Baird but Judge Corn was going to school for county judges in Abilene and will have to wait until next week to probate the will.

I looked at my wildlife camera chip and old black feral hog is back in the picture. I watched for him as it got dark but he didn't show up for me to get another shot at him. I am surprised that he doesn't bring family with him.

Today I got a sympathy card from my secretary back in 1978 when I worked in the Dean of Engineering office at A&M. It has been about 30 years and one blessing of the funeral notice is hearing from old friends.

Thank all of you for your prayers and kindnesses.

WEDNESDAY WORK DAY

This morning I decided to work outside before it got too hot. I used the pickup to load up the brush pile in the front yard with some other dead branches, hauled them to my brush pile and picked up compost and the mail. I put the compost on the roses and crepe myrtle after adding some dry molasses to it.

Mark sent me a photo of Mary Kathryn at her award dinner with her orchid lei.

Tomorrow I will go to the annual meeting of the Taylor County Electrical Coop to pick up my two checks for the two houses. I probably won't stay for the BBQ but plan to eat Chinese in Abilene. The Funeral Home said that I should get the death certificates in the mail tomorrow so I will wait for the mail to run and if they do come I will spend the afternoon at the SS office, Merrill-Lynch and Chase bank taking care of business.

I continue to get mail each day telling of more gifts in Lou's name. I really appreciate all of the remembrances for her.

I keep getting asked how I am and I now understand God's peace that passes all understanding. I am completely at peace with knowing that Lou is not in pain and at peace in a better place. I am sleeping well and trying to get into a normal routine. I plan to try to work outside some each day. There are a lot of projects that need doing. And I have a lot of church projects. Thanks for your prayers, they may have added to my peace.

NORMAL TUESDAY

This is Lydia's day to clean the house and it was a mess after all of the people that came by the house after the funeral. The house was in good shape due to the cleaning by my family members. But we did have a lot of garbage that Lydia also collects for me.

I walked to the mailbox after I took the fish food I bought the other day to the pond and fed the fish who do not appear. I haven't seen those high dollar koi or even the cheap goldfish since we put them in.

I had answered all the gifts to the CP Library that they gave me Sunday last night and mailed them with all the thank you's that Kathy had left and I had added my notes to. I left the 32 MINUTES IN HELL book and a bunch of magazines at the Library.

Kiwanis had an interesting speaker. He trains Marine Reserves at the Marine detachment located at Dyess AFB. He has been stationed in Abilene doing recruitment and training for 9 years and has a ranch operation over in Coleman County on a family place. He raises bucking bulls and will finish his 20 years with the service and plans to go back to school to take a Master's in Bucking Bull genetics which is now being offered at A&M. I couldn't believe they have a masters in that specific an area but they do. He told about his experience with the CP Volunteer Fire Department and his work training volunteers for that work. He told about some of the recent fires including the one over in Eastland County that took out 12,000 acres.

I bought a few groceries some fruit and paper plates because I have a fridge and freezer full of food and need to slack off on the eating. My weight is still up but I have gotten all the desserts eaten and should do better. I then went by Lawrence Farm and Ranch Supply to restock my wildlife food.

When I got home I printed out wildlife photos and receipts from Lawrence to attach to my annual report to the Appraisal District which is due before April 30.

Tonight Ashley and Ross participated in the Aggie Muster in Fort Worth where Lou's name was read during the Silver Taps portion. I am glad that they could be there.

MORE ACCOLADES FOR LOU

One of the greatest recognitions that Lou has received was reported to me in a letter from Ann Stuart that the Woman's Collection in the TWU Library will be named in her memory. A plaque will identify Lou and her career accomplishments will be prepared for permanent display on the second floor of the Library near the Collection. They will also prepare a display case which will have a permanent, rotating exhibit of her work.

I reported earlier that the Cross Plains Library is naming the writer's award given each year to the best stories written by CP students the Lou Rodenberger Award. She judged this contest for the first eight years and as the board stated she set the high standards for the contest.

I will miss the Aggie Muster in Fort Worth but Ashley and Ross will attend because they will read Lou's name during the ceremony and Ashley can answer for her.

Here at Halsell Hill the weather is beautiful and I reset the wildlife camera after I found the deer feeder had a bent flange on the rotating feeder that stopped it from rotating. It has to be a raccoon messing with it, but I haven't gotten one on camera.

I am working on writing thank yous but have a long way to go. The contributions in Lou's memory are building up in all of the many venues that she supported. I am working on the gifts to the CP Library right now. I appreciate all the cards and emails in support of me. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

FULL WEEKEND

I continue to get great support from my family. Kathy and her daughter Val came with their long time friend Carol Thormer Friday night. So I had a great breakfast Saturday morning and am gaining weight from all of this great food that is coming in. I wanted to take the crippled laptop with the new hard drive that wouldn't boot back to Best Buy. Before I left I found a XP disk. I asked BB if they would boot the hard disk. They said they would charge $130 to do that. I asked if the XP disk would boot it and they said it would.

So we wandered through Books a Million and I told myself that I didn't need any books until I read the ones I have, but I found a new paperback by Robert Conley in the Westerns and stumbled across a book called 23 MINUTES IN HELL by Bill Wiese. I have been interested in Life after Life stories since reading that book when it came out years ago as well as the follow up book REFLECTIONS ON LIFE AFTER LIFE that had near death stories about people who didn't believe in God and found themselves in the outer darkness area and didn't go to the light described by those who do believe. Those stories helped me realize that Lou is in a much better place than with her pain here.

Of course Conley's book will be a relaxing book about a crude sheriff. When we left the mall we drove to Doug Hodel's photography studio in Burro Alley. He was there and showed us the great photos that he has taken. He is a good friend of Louann who has shared her photos from Alaska and called him while we were there.

We then had lunch at Olive Garden which is a favorite restaurant of Valerie and I hadn't celebrated her 30th birthday with her. We then went to Pets Mart where I bought another 10 koi and added 10 12 cent goldfish to feed the Great Blue Heron in my pond. The mail brought some enzymes to treat the algae in the pond. After the 1.2" of rain the pond was more full but far from running over.

This morning Val went to SS with me. The teacher was on vacation so we had a conversation about all sorts of things. I got blessed out for not posting to the blog yesterday so I am putting off my reading to post tonight.

Kathy had started working on the thank you notes to the many, many people that have given flowers and attended the funeral and then this afternoon when I went to the Library to celebrate all the volunteers I got a large envelope with records of all the gifts that have come in to the Library in memory of Lou. The FUMC treasurer said they have had a lot of memorial gifts but I don't have those names to thank yet. I do appreciate all of the outpouring of love for Lou and will get responses out someday. I am also recieving a lot of cards here. I thank all of you for your love and support.

MK IS COOK CHILDREN'S VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR

She was honored last night as the Volunteer of the year for Helping Hands with less than five years and another award for serving 1000 hours as a volunteer. The affair was held at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth with a Hawaiian theme. MK had an orchid lei flown in from Hawaii. Mark wore a Hawaiian shirt but I wore my best suit and bolo. I also wore my $95 shirt that MK gave me. She paid $12.50 for it and during the award ceremony was touted as buying things for Cook for a dollar that everyone else paid $10 for. I took Lou's 80th Anniversary quilt that MK made and they showed it during the presentation. John and Brenda and Ashley and Ross were guests at her table along with me and her mother and Mark.

Mark just sent me sunrise photos that he took the morning of Lou's funeral.

APRIL 15 TAX DAY

Although it seemed like six months I realized today that Lou was placed in hospice March 9 and died on April 9, one month. My prayer for her was that she be totally healed or if that was not God's will that she not suffer long and I feel that my prayers were answered.

I wish I knew how to copy a PDF document into the blog. Today I got the proposed notice on the award by TT Univ Press on The Lou Halsell Rodenberger Book Prize. It has the language I quoted before.

I continue to get emails and today had about 12 sympathy cards from friends everywhere. When I walked to get the mail this morning I stopped at the front gate to replace a fallen blue bird box and this big SUV drove right past me without seeing me. I saw that it was Carol Bennett driving. So as I walked toward the house here she comes with Wallace. She stops and hands me a big plastic container of turkey soup that she had made this morning and they had to go to a knee doctor's appointment in Abilene so they stopped by.

I decided to make a recylcing run to the WalMart stop in Abilene and I had a trunk full of everything. I took the opportunity to buy fish food although I haven't seen a fish for months. I know that they are still some under there that will be breeding and replenishing the pond soon. The aggravating raccoons were on the front porch about 2 a.m. messing with the lily plant and banging buckets. But I got a pretty good night's sleep.

I have spent a few hours cutting and pasting emails into one document to give to the family. I now have to edit all the stuff that gets picked up in the formatting. I notice the blog has an icon that removes all formatting from an entry. I need that for the document. Tonight I got to see both the Texas Rangers and Dallas Mavericks win games, unless the Rangers blow a 15-4 lead in the 7th. Tomorrow I will spend the night at Mark's house to attend the Cook Children's Volunteer Dinner where Mary Kathryn will be recognized for her work.

I appreciate being in everyone's prayers, but I am doing very well. Just adjusting to a new routine. With Lou the last four weeks every day was a different routine.

RECAP

I have been encouraged to continue the blog and will for a while. I have no idea how many read it even though I have tried 4 times to install a counter. I am blog illiterate.

As I reported in the blog on Wednesday April 8 Lou was having trouble with a cough but spent most of the day in a coma type sleep. I told Mark and he and Mary Kathryn came out that night. Before they got here Mark had called Robin the hospice nurse who was off that day but came about 7 and worked very hard to get Lou over the coughing spell. She seemed to have something in her throat. Robin administered some drops that were supposed to dry the throat and applied a patch under her ear that was supposed to dry the throat but would take 12-24 hours to absorb. Lou didn't show excessive pain but Robin administered several doses of liquid morphine and explained to me that I could give it as often as needed. Finally about 8:30 Lou quit coughing and dropped into a deep sleep but with a labored breathing with a rasp. Mark and MK came and Robin explained what she had done. We all went to bed and I slept through the night but could hear the rasp. I got up about 7:15 and shaved. When I came out of the bathroom the rasping had stopped and I saw that her breathing had stopped. Mark came by the door and said that he heard her when he took the dog out and when he came back in he didn't hear her. He checked her and confirmed my diagnosis. We called Hospice and Debbie the night duty nurse said she would come immediately.

Before she got here Lydia Williams came by to see if I needed help as she had helped me the previous two mornings. She was distraught and hugged us. Debbie came and used a stethescope and blood pressure to confirm the death officially at 8:35. She talked to the funeral home and Bob Harrell came. Mark and I walked to the mailbox to get the mail and Bob was here when we came back. Mark helped him load Lou into his vehicle. He asked me if I had an obituary and I said I had one started. He told me that if they got it that day that they could get it to the newspapers for the next day and asked me to email it to them. We scheduled a meeting with the pastor and family at the funeral home for 1:30. Kathy and Keith were on their way from San Antonio. I updated the obit and emailed it. They returned it with minor changes and I approved that for the papers. Deb Harrell was handling their computer and asked if I needed the cost from the newspapers and I said no. I asked for Abilene Reporter-News, Fort Worth Star Telegram, Denton Record-Chronicle and the Bryan Eagle. She was able to get a response from all but Bryan by the time we met at 1:30. That was when she informed me that the FWST cost was $1001. And to repeat it Sunday would be the same price, so I only ran it once. The other papers ran 3-500 except for the Cross Plains Review who would be free but wouldn't run until next Wednesday. Noone could take the order in Bryan until the next day so it didn't run there until the morning of the funeral on Saturday. MK's brother Robert picked up his paper as he left so we got a copy that day.

Back to the internet operation, when I sent the obit to the funeral home I also sent it to all of my family and friends mailing list and posted it on the blog. When it got revised I had to send it out again. The next day I realized that Lou had a lot of names on her email that I didn't have so I mailed it to them.

Immediately we got emails of sympathy from and enoromous range of people from writers and students, regents, and friends. All of the organizations sent the information to their members. Texas Institute of Letters, West Texas Historical Association and the Texas Folklore Society was holding its 100th Anniversary meeting that weekend in Nacogdoches where it was announced and a memorial conducted.

I want to post a poem that Susan Miller wrote:

News

What's different
about this morning?

A verdin's feather clings
to velvet mesquite thorn,
bean pods rain upon the deck
and rustle as they bounce
and settle. A pair of gilded flickers
squawks in the palm crown, noisy
in their breakfasting.
The orchid blooms all faded
overnight.

A black-chinned hummingbird
has taken residence
among the pale-pink oleander
and crimson bottle brush;
sulfur-yellow butterflies
play tag above verbena beds, mating
on the wing; and yesterday,
you tell me,
Molcie died.

Underneath
my window
one scented white gardenia
opens.

MONDAY MORNING AFTER EASTER

I am being encouraged to continue the blog. It will be a lot more mundane without Lou to talk about. My great daughter and her family have stayed this morning to do the washing and restore the furniture to order. I now have my queen bed back in the bedroom thanks to Keith, Jon-Marc, Val and Ness. All but Ness left this morning and Ness left after eating lunch. Kathy is staying over to tomorrow to help work on the mailing list for thank you's.

I returned to normalcy this morning by attending the Library Board meeting. I left a little early to take a couple of photos of Lou to the Cross Plains Review office to use with her obit that will be published in this week's paper. I then went to the bank and paid off the loan for the septic system using some of the money from the tax refund. I bought groceries and the bill was a lot smaller now that I am only buying for one.

Tomorrow I will take the will to the County judge for his disposition. It isn't probated but he does something legal.

I will try to document more of the last few days later as I decompress. Your emails and blessings have been greatly appreciated.

EASTER RESURRECTION

Easter this year was doubly meaningful to me because on Maundy Thursday Lou went to be with her risen savior and we celebrated Christ's resurrection today. He went before her so that she would not have to wait three days as He did. There may be some theologians that will refute my argument, but I stand by my thinking.

Later I will provide more information and try to add some of the many, many responses that have been sent both to Lou's and my email. She helped and encouraged so many people that were her students and acquaintances and never dissed any of her colleagues. Her teaching colleague Rev. Dr. Bob Monk did a great job with the funeral service but he had to follow talks by grandkids Ashley Pagenkopf and Jim Wilcox who related family stories. Rev. Monk related McMurry stories. The ourpouring of love from the Methodist church members, relatives and friends who came from all over Texas and Oklahoma was overpowering.

I debated whether to continue the blog but right now I will continue it for a while.

Again thank all of you for your prayers.

LOU'S DEATH

Obituary

Dr. Lou H. Rodenberger died peacefully April 9 at her home north of Cross Plains. Her funeral is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday April 11 at the First United Methodist Church in Cross Plains. The service will be conducted by Rev. Dr. Robert Monk and Rev. John Woody.

Dr. Molcie Lou Halsell Rodenberger was born September 21, 1926 in Okra, TX to Austin Carl and Mabel Falls Halsell. She attended schools at the many schools where her parents taught in West Central Texas. She started high school in Cross Plains but graduated from Anson as Valedictorian. At age 16 she entered Texas State College for Women graduating with a BS degree in Journalism in 1943. She worked for the Kerrville Times before becoming the English and Journalism teacher at Levelland High School in 1947. There she met and married Charles A. Rodenberger Sept. 3, 1949.

When Texas A&M admitted women she became one of the first graduate students obtaining her Masters and PhD degrees in English. She was honored as an outstanding graduate student teacher. In 1982 they moved to Abilene where she taught English at Cooper High School for two years. She then moved to the home they built north of Cross Plains where she commuted to teach first at Cisco Junior College then taught for 12 years at McMurry University where she retired as Professor Emeritus and was honored twice as the outstanding faculty member.

As an author she published a number of books primarily on Texas Women Writers. Her latest book published by Texas Tech University Press was a biography of the West Texas author Jane Rushing who worked at the Abilene Reporter-News and wrote in Lubbock. Her best selling book was Quotable Texas Women co-authored with Susie Flatau and published by State House Press. With co-author Dr. Sylvia Grider she wrote Texas Women Writers and Let’s Hear It: Short Stories by Texas Women published by Texas A&M Press. She published many essays and articles with her story of Tom Lea published in the Round Up winning the Stirrup Award in 2007 and an article in 2008 winning the 2009 Award from the Western Writers of America. Texas Tech University Press has established an award in her name for the best manuscript written by or about a woman whose writing illuminates Texas history, culture, and letters, especially in West Texas and the border region.

Dr. Rodenberger is a regent of Texas Woman’s University where she was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award. She served on the TWU Foundation and was active in the Texas Womens Library at TWU. She is a fellow of the Texas State Historical Association, served as President and awarded a Fellow of the Texas Folklore Society, served as President and awarded one of the first fellows of the West Texas Historical Society and was a director of Western Writers of America. She was a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and served as director. She served on the executive committee of the Western Literature Association.
She was a member of the Cross Plains First United Methodist Church and a supporter of the Cross Plains Public Library and Project Pride.

She is survived by her husband Dr. Charles A. Rodenberger, Baird, TX, daughter Kathryn Sue Wilcox and husband Keith of San Antonio, son Mark Rodenberger and wife Mary Kathryn of Weatherford, TX, granddaughters Valerie Wilcox of San Antonio, Vanessa Wilcox of Lubbock, Ashley Pagenkopf and husband Ross of Fort Worth, grandsons Jim Wilcox and wife Mandi of Devine, TX and Jon-Marc Wilcox of San Antonio as well as great-grandsons Christopher and Brent Wilcox of Devine. Her sister Sue Neal and husband Ike of Cross Plains. She has many nephews and nieces and former students and friends.

Burial will be in Admiral Cemetery where her parents are buried.

SLEEPY DAY

Lou had a somewhat restless night last night. She has a congestion in her throat that the nurse says sounds a lot worse than it is. It would come and go and cause her to cough quite a bit. Then today she went to sleep with an occasional cough and slept all day except when the nurse aide came to bathe her. The substitute nurse came at the same time around noon when Sue also came and said Lou's vitals were good except oxygen level was dropping.

She slept hard all afternoon and when she roused a little she didn't seem able to focus her eyes or to understand what we were saying. Then late this afternoon nurse Robin who was taking a day off came to see her and Lou roused and even spoke a word or two. Robin gave her a lot of morphine and because the oxygen level was dropping she hooked up the oxygen machine, so we now have almost as much noise in the bedroom as you would have in a hospital room, but they don't come in and wake you up to take tests.

Robin stayed until Lou's coughing ceased and her breathing is deep. This is towards the last stage of life and we don't know how long she will continue. Mark and MK are coming to spend tonight and Kathy will come in tomorrow night as soon as she can leave her job. Looks like a ton of people will be here this weekend.

Everyone asks about me. I got some sleep last night and even nodded this afternoon. I have had the radio on FM97.1 playing country music kinda quiet like and I think Lou approved of that.

Thank all of you for your prayers.

GOOD MORNING ROUGH AFTERNOON

Lou slept all night, woke up long enough to take a pain pill but said she wasn't hurting about 8 and slept until noon. That was after Lydia came to clean house and started the day helping me change Lou's diaper. We almost used all of the first package yesterday and this morning. Then people started coming. Krissi, the hospice nurse who bathes Lou came and complemented us on the good job of cleaning Lou. She changed the bed clothing, Lou's gown, and bathed her.

About 2 p.m. Sue and Ike brought her daughter Amanda from Dallas, who is a Pilates teacher and has her own business. She serves as personal trainer to the Basses in Fort Worth. Lou said doesn't she look beautiful and a lot younger than her years. She takes after Sue who doesn't look her age at all. Mandi had an iphone and took photos that she said she would send me when she got home to her computer and I will try to post them on the blog.

The hospice nurse came at 3 and said Lou's vitals were good. I had phone calls from both children morning and evening. My brother Robert called from Antlers, OK to check on us. Lou has been feeling blah as she does every evening but has been more possessive. She objects when I go to the kitchen to clean the dirty dishes and left her for 5 minutes. At 8 I gave her her bed time pills for pain and sleeping. It was a chore getting her to drink water to wash them down. I have to thank Lydia who saw her having difficulty drinking this morning and called her husband to bring some sippy cups she uses for her grandchildren. One of them is what Lou is now using and learning how to drink from.

We have had many offers of help from everyone and appreciate all the help. Thank all of you for your prayers.

ANOTHER BUSY MONDAY

I had a lot of help today. Mark and Mary Kathryn stayed over one day and I really used them, especially MK. Mark was able to work for Lockheed as a telecommuter today. Lou slept well last night and I got some sleep. We gave her a laxative pill last night because of the constipation caused by the strong pain pills. The laxative worked today. It started about 11 a.m. when MK and I found a big mess to clean up. We had done a pretty good job and were about half through when the wonderful hospice nurse assistant who bathes Lou came and finished up for us. Then this afternoon we learned how to change three more that weren't too bad. Then Mark and MK went home and I had to call on those who said they would come anytime to help. Lydia is due to clean house tomorrow but she came about 8 to help. It is great to have such good friends on call.

This afternoon Dr. Rev. Bob Monk, who retired from teaching Methodism (he writes textbooks on the subject) came and visited with Lou and then met with Mark and MK and me. He has agreed to do Lou's funeral whenever that time comes and we had a good discussion. Isn't the name Monk a great name for a preacher! He was director of the Wesley Foundation at A&M from '52 to '58 and I was chairman of the board of that foundation for about 15 years from '65. Later he held the job of director of all Wesley Foundations in Texas. This is the Methodist outreach on college campuses. He was a prof with Lou at McMurry so we have a long relationship with him.

Thank all of you for your emails and prayers. I have put an away notice on Lou's email because she just isn't up to reading and answering it.

CLARIFICATION OF THE TTPRESS AWARD

I garbled the report on the award to be named for Lou and Judith Keeling, editor-in-chief sent me this clarification of the award:

Just one slight correction re the award. There’s no monetary award yet. We will seek funding, but can begin by offering an advance and a guaranteed paperback edition. The draft (not final) description of the award is for the best manuscript on or by a woman whose writing illuminates Texas history, culture, and letters, especially in West Texas and the border region.

Lou agreed to the reading for the award.

He will kill me for publishing this but this email came from Jeff Singleton:

The intro could have been worse, I guess. You could have mentioned that we met in an English class - poetry no less.

After my maybe 12 minutes of writing I read it and my immediate reaction was “ugh what an awful poem.” But it conveyed what I was trying to say to Lou so I sent it – for her to read, with, due to its ugliness, no fear that it would find print in any form certainly not such that her literary friends and comrades might see it.

It was my first ever attempt at poetry and gained me new respect for the work of poets. The first two stanzas seem to come easily, the third takes some teeth gritting and after that I don’t know because I pretty much gave up. If ever I attempt another I promise to allocate more time, gather a Thesaurus first, and try to work in some rhymes and iambics and pentameters or whatever after I look them up.

At my age I should know better than to indite amongst the literati.

If it gave you a good moment then I’m glad. I have only a few million more to go to balance out all those you have given me.

I am not a member of the literati like Lou but I thought it was one of the best poems I have read. At the last TIL meeting we attended we listened to some poetry from the literati that wasn't half as good. Charles

BUSY WEEKEND

I have been fortunate to have my children here to help with Lou. For the last two nights Kathy has slept next to Lou to let me catch up a little on my sleep. Friday night Lou woke at 3 a.m. and stayed awake so Kathy didn't get a lot of sleep. Last night she woke at 3 again but went back to sleep till morning. She has a great deal of pain and needs morphine pills to get relief. Today she has been awake most of the day and in pain but enjoys joking with her visitors. Her sister Sue and Ike have spent the afternoon.

We have had many emails appreciating the poem that Jeff Singleton wrote. He has aspirations as a writer and I told him he could make it as a poet but it doesn't pay well. I got a phone call from Bill Neal reporting from the West Texas Historical Association meeting this weekend in Lubbock. Last year Lou was inducted as one of the first class of Fellows and hasn't missed a meeting until this one. Bill reported that they had all signed a card to Lou and we should be getting it Monday.

This morning Mark, Mary Kathryn and I went to church while Kathy stayed with Lou. It was Palm Sunday but they also had a special service blessing the Prayer Shawls that have just been made. One was for Lou and I brought it home to her and she really appreciated it. Of course the great value was the many prayers for Lou during the knitting of the shawl.

I just got an email from Laurie in France who said her group of eight have been praying for Lou so we have world-wide prayers.

This afternoon Ashley and her nurse husband Ross came and Ross gave me some good advice about how to help turn Lou in bed. For the past two days a special hospice nurse has come to bathe and change the bed linens for Lou. That has been a wonderful blessing. I was impressed by the efficient and effective way that she can change the bed linens and Lou's garments all in one activity. That is greatly appreciated.

Thank all of you for your prayers.

TRIBUTE TO LOU FROM JEFF SINGLETON



Jeff was one of the first Aggie students that Lou met as a graduate student at A&M and we came to be friends with him and his family. He has really met all of the famous persons in this poem.

More Honors for Lou

I met a Prince of Saudia Arabia
And a Princess of Sweden too
Both were elegant and regal
But not as much as Lou

So I wondered who
In my long years I’ve met
Could compare to Lou
That I would never forget

US Presidents four as I recall
And Senators about two dozen in all
Congressmen maybe fifty or so
And governors at least six, another next fall

Willie and Waylon and Hank and Loretta
Seemed memorable at the moment
As did Aikman and Staubach and Montana
But for what not for who I lament

Sure, a couple hours more with Michner would stick
And if the handshake with Fehrnback
Had extended to coffee and talk
Those two might make the list for me to call back

Some rich guys like Perot and Hicks and Jones
A gaggle of Generals and industry giants
All studies in ego and drive
But forgettable all if they weren’t alive

So it is good that Lou gets more honors now
She can stand in her stirrups and take yet another bow
I am proud to know her and call her my friend
Smarter, more talented, more beautiful inside and out
On my list of unforgettables there is only one in the end

But with all fairness and due respect
To those mentioned and those I missed
There’s only one Angel on the list.
I love you Lou

ENTERING BEDFAST STAGE

Last night Lou took a lot of pain medicine before going to bed. She took the sleeping pill as she went to bed. It has been keeping her asleep until 4 but last night she woke at 12:55 and spent 20 minutes on the bedside commode. Then at 3, 4, 6 and 7 and each time would sleep and move in very slow motion trying to urinate but not being successful. The last time she couldn't stand up but I got her in bed barely. I shaved and dressed and called the hospice nurse who came at 9:30 after talking the Highway Patrol out of a ticket. She told Lou that she needed a catheter and immediately drained almost a pint of fluid. She showed me how to take care of her in bed and promised another nurse would come tomorrow to help bathe and take care of her.

She told Lou she could have anything she wanted to eat. She could even have ice cream for breakfast and that is what Lou ordered and ate. She then went to sleep. I woke her to talk to her cousin Claudia Buster. When I went to get the mail, Lydia Williams came in with her grandson that Lou said she wanted to meet. He wasn't too cooperative but Lou got to see him and he had a ball walking on the terrace and going up the outside stairs. Lou was sleeping when they left and slept until 3 p.m. when she said she wanted to get up into the wheel chair and go to the table. She wanted toast with apricot jam and a boiled egg. When she got there she would eat a bite, sleep a bit and eat another. She did drink a chocolate Ensure that Sylvia had recommended and seemed to like it. Her sister Sue and Ike came and helped me take Lou to her recliner where she is sleeping now. I will be glad to have Mark here to help me get her to bed tonight.

Kathy is on her way and Mark and Mary Kathryn just called and said that they would be here tonight also.

Please keep Lou in your prayers as we approach each stage.

MORE HONORS FOR LOU

When we got the mail this morning, Lou was pleased to see the front page story about her winning her second Stirrup award. Then later Judith Keeling, executive editor of the Texas Tech Press called to tell Lou that the Press is establishing a new literary award named for her that will be awarded to a woman who writes a book about Texas and/or West Texas that is considered the best will win the award that will have a monetary award and I don't know the details. She said that Fran Vick, Phyllis Bridges and Joyce Roach have agreed to judge the entries and the award will be every two years, if I got that much right. We will have to wait for the official announcement, but Lou was very pleased to hear about the award.

Today the hospice nurse came with more pills and stuff. While she was here stocking the pill box our preacher Rev. John Woody and his wife Mryna visited. This afternoon the turkeys returned and Lou got to see them. They are still strutting their stuff. And the deer came by to let her know that they are still there.

Lou is not walking anymore and has difficulty standing and turning around from the wheel chair. However she is sleeping very well due to the sleeping pill and for the last two nights she has slept until 4 and then 6 and has gone back to sleep until after 8. That gives me a great night's sleep and lets me get up at 8 dress and shave and get ready for her. She is using the bedside commode with difficulty in standing up and turning around. The air bed gives her a good night's sleep.

Kathy will come tomorrow night for the weekend and Mark will come again Saturday.

thank you for your prayers.

A MEMORABLE APRIL FOOL'S DAY

Today will be one to remember. It started with a good night's sleep because Lou had a sleeping pill that the nurse brought yesterday and was sleeping on a hospital air bed with her feet elevated. I felt 200% better and Lou slept till 9 and woke up hungry. Yesterday I bought a loaf of cinnamon bread so I made cinnamon french toast and Lou loved it. While we were eating breakfast we saw nature at work. I put up a new thistle feeder a couple of weeks ago and the finch have found it. This morning one finch had bad luck when feeding on that feeder and a blue darter hawk flew right toward us, caught the unsuspecting finch and flew back to the cedar row where he lives. He didn't tell the finch April Fool!.

Then Mark took a days leave from Lockheed and brought Mary Kathryn to visit. Of course MK made lunch and even though Lou had just had brunch she couldn't turn down MK's cooking.

Then two male angels from the church showed up. Angels are not always female. Yesterday Susan Hunter volunteered her husband Roy and her brother Larry Killgo to help move furniture. I thought maybe I could sleep on our bed with Lou's hospital bed next to it, but it was really crowded. With Mark's help they moved the queen bed up to the bedroom. Mark and I moved one twin bed out into the alcove in the library. Roy and Larry moved the other one down to our bedrom next to Lou's. Then we discussed the feral hog situation. Larry was in charge of varmit control in New Mexico before he retired and moved to the Cross Plains area. They reported seeing as many as 100 animals on their place here. They use traps. Larry told me that shooting at the hog will run him off because they remember being shot at and don't come back.

Then Sue and Ike came to visit and ate supper. MK made quesidillas with twice-baked potatos. Lou needed a couple of pain killers to get through the afternoon and had difficulty walking back to her chair the last time. Mark showed me how the wheel chair works and we got it off the back porch and I told Lou that I would be her rickshaw driver to help her get around if she wanted some help. When she went to bed at 9 she let me wheel her to bed on the wheel chair. She did walk to the commode but was very shaky. She let me set up the bedside commode but we will see if she uses it.

She also missed her clock last night so I found a power strip and now she has the clock where she can see it. Tonight Lou wanted a Hershey's chocolate so I gave her a Kiss. She loved it. I give her a lot of other kisses and hugs for everyone who told me to give Lou a hug and a kiss.

Thanks for all of your prayers.