We really have no news to report. We are very busy with our Mission (which ends in January) and other Church activities. We are almost looking forward to cold weather because keeping our yard mowed and trimmed is taking more of our time, energy and money than we like.
In addition to the time spent on Mission activities, Howell has been deeply involved in his computer (BIG SURPRISE!) and Sally has been playing with a few of her crafts (another BIG SURPRISE) namely butterflies, beads and crocheting.
She learned a new craft at R.S. this month and has been busy making Christmas gifts.
She has also developed a back pain that has gone on too long, so today, she will be seeing the Dr. to see if a remedy can be found.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
House sitting
We recently did a tour of house sitting for almost 2 weeks. It really seemed more like a month because of what came with the house, 6 dogs!!! And no 2 of them were from the same family.
A good friend of Sally's was going with her grown children and grandchildren to Myrtle Beach, SC, and she asked Sally to house sit. Sally said "sure" but then she found out about the dogs that her kids would be leaving there too. But we agreed to give it a try anyway.
The first few days were the hardest as we were getting used to them and them to us and to each other. Several wanted to sleep on our bed at night, but we finally got them relocated except for our own. It was hard enough sleeping on a water bed without coping with more than 1 dog.
For a few days we kept having to clean up "accidents" but we soon got all of them used to going outside. Of course we had to go outside quite often too which we didn't care to do because of the heat. But that was better than having to clean up accidents.
However on the bright side, we were able to enjoy a huge screen TV and go swimming whenever we wanted. That was great. But now that's it's all over, I'll take our little TV any day over taking care of 6 dogs all at once.
Howell
A good friend of Sally's was going with her grown children and grandchildren to Myrtle Beach, SC, and she asked Sally to house sit. Sally said "sure" but then she found out about the dogs that her kids would be leaving there too. But we agreed to give it a try anyway.
The first few days were the hardest as we were getting used to them and them to us and to each other. Several wanted to sleep on our bed at night, but we finally got them relocated except for our own. It was hard enough sleeping on a water bed without coping with more than 1 dog.
For a few days we kept having to clean up "accidents" but we soon got all of them used to going outside. Of course we had to go outside quite often too which we didn't care to do because of the heat. But that was better than having to clean up accidents.
However on the bright side, we were able to enjoy a huge screen TV and go swimming whenever we wanted. That was great. But now that's it's all over, I'll take our little TV any day over taking care of 6 dogs all at once.
Howell
Hen pecked
Recently Howell responded to and e-mail from me that asked “If you saw me in the back seat of a police car, what would you think I had been arrested for?” His answer was, “Husband Abuse”. Last evening we shared that laugh with a house guest.
Now I love my husband but he is a procrastinator. Last Saturday I told him that I had cleaned the oven of our cooking stove except for the back wall which I could not reach without a lot of difficulty. I asked him if he would please wipe it off and he agreed to do so.
It still was not done on Sunday but being the Sabbath, I said nothing. On Monday I asked him several times throughout the day if he had finished the oven and he would snap his fingers and reply that he would do it as soon as he finished what he was doing.
Finally, I gave up in frustration and got down on my knees, stuck my head inside the oven and wiped it out myself. Then I couldn't get up and had to crawl across the floor to a chair for help in doing so. Howell realized what I had done, he apologized and told me that the next time I should keep reminding him to do what he agreed to do. I replied that if it came to a choice between nagging him and doing the job myself, I would rather just do it myself.
Early in our marriage he had volunteered to put away the clean dishes after I had cleaned the kitchen. He never remembers, so later that same evening I told him that they were ready. An hour or more later while we were talking and visiting with our house guest, I realized the dishes were still waiting. I turned to him, held one finger in front of his face and in a firm voice said “I am only going to tell you this one more time!”
At that, he jumped out of his chair, said he was sorry, ran into the kitchen and began to put the dishes away. I look at my friend and saw the most incredulous look on her face and shock in her voice as she said “How do you make him put the dishes away?” Only then did I realize how my threat to my “Abused Husband” sounded.
Sally
Friday, May 15, 2009
Surgery
I didn't mean to scare you, but Sally just had surgery on the second eye. They've removed cataracts from both eyes now and she's doing great. Now, instead of looking for her glasses, she takes them off and can see better than could before with them. Cool, huh?
We're both doing fine except that it's been a little warm and muggy, but what the heck, we can't have perfect weather all of the time. We've been busy with our several callings and enjoying it immensely.
Regards to all,
Howell
We're both doing fine except that it's been a little warm and muggy, but what the heck, we can't have perfect weather all of the time. We've been busy with our several callings and enjoying it immensely.
Regards to all,
Howell
Friday, May 1, 2009
Church in the country
Yes, you're seeing goats and a donkey. And yes, we are out in the country, but we love it.
Our new chapel
We're really enjoying our new building. It will accommodate 2 wards very comfortably. At the moment we're a medium sized ward but we're working on getting a Spanish speaking branch started.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Update by Mrs. Payne
I just read what Mr. Payne thought he could get away with because I was sick. Ornery? I'll show him "Ornery"!
Actually, after some sparing back and forth after I read his entry we had a good laugh. That's the way most of our disagreements go.
I have seen a lot of change in Howell since we married. He is no longer part "Hermit". We generally do activities together but I haven't been successful in teaching him to load the dishwasher. He laughs readily and often now and seems more like the Howell I knew "Way Back When".
We are busy with our Mission work, my food storage activities, Howell's Ward Website calling and all of our Church meetings but we are very happy.
One other health note. It seems that my diabetes has been at work on my cataracts and they have gotten much worse this past year. Therefore, I will have the one in my left eye removed on Wed. 4/29 and the one in my right eye removed on 5/13. They tell me the recovery is almost always speedy and the bonus is that I will no longer have to wear glasses except possibly for reading.
Howell seems very healthy but is gaining weight. Except as it effects his health, I don't care. I love him no matter how he looks.
Actually, after some sparing back and forth after I read his entry we had a good laugh. That's the way most of our disagreements go.
I have seen a lot of change in Howell since we married. He is no longer part "Hermit". We generally do activities together but I haven't been successful in teaching him to load the dishwasher. He laughs readily and often now and seems more like the Howell I knew "Way Back When".
We are busy with our Mission work, my food storage activities, Howell's Ward Website calling and all of our Church meetings but we are very happy.
One other health note. It seems that my diabetes has been at work on my cataracts and they have gotten much worse this past year. Therefore, I will have the one in my left eye removed on Wed. 4/29 and the one in my right eye removed on 5/13. They tell me the recovery is almost always speedy and the bonus is that I will no longer have to wear glasses except possibly for reading.
Howell seems very healthy but is gaining weight. Except as it effects his health, I don't care. I love him no matter how he looks.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Newspaper Story
Sweethearts reunited after 51 years apart
"Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires," so said 16th century writer Francois de La Rochefoucauld.
Fifty-one years of absence had not extinguished the feelings felt between Sally Smith Campbell and Howell S. Payne. The two rekindled their romance and are to be married in the
The couple met at a church dance for singles in 1956 in the
Today, neither remembers the cause of their "falling out" at the time but he was transferred to another naval base and communications were lost.
Mr. Payne completed his naval service and entered
Meanwhile, Sally had finished high school and began working as an accounting clerk. In 1984, she joined the accounting department for the San Diego Padres baseball team. She worked as a bookkeeper until retiring in 1994.
She married and had two children. After almost 37 years of marriage Sally and her husband divorced and she relocated in
About the same time she and Howell renewed acquaintances through a class reunion website. "We shared the same political views, jokes and lots of other things," Sally noted. "Our communication was intermittent though."
Sally became Glenda’s "Secret Pal" sending her little gifts, cards and handmade items from all over the country to lift her spirits during her illness. "It really made a difference in Glenda’s outlook," recalls Mr. Payne. However, Glenda passed away July 7, 2008.
"I was inspired to call Sally," Howell said. "We talked for several hours each night over the next 10 days."
Their first face to face meeting in more than 51 years took place Aug. 6 when he drove about 600 miles from
Their honeymoon will be spent introducing one another to children and extended family at several cities across the country. "We’ve come full circle," they both agreed.
Better now, Thank you
Thanks to the many inquiries as to my health. I have recovered completely from the surgery although I did have a bad allergic reaction to some meds. But that too is gone and we are both on our feet and running.
I have two Church callings (jobs) besides the Mission Howell and I are doing together. One is Ward Food Storage Specialist and one is Family Search Specialist. Both of these callings are very rewarding but keep me very busy. I am grateful that Howell is willing to pitch in and help. Both of these callings would be impossible to fulfill alone.
Our lives are really full and we are grateful. We feel useful and needed and for old folks I think that's a good thing.
Again, thanks for all the good wishes (especially from Aileena), they made me well all the sooner.
Sally
I have two Church callings (jobs) besides the Mission Howell and I are doing together. One is Ward Food Storage Specialist and one is Family Search Specialist. Both of these callings are very rewarding but keep me very busy. I am grateful that Howell is willing to pitch in and help. Both of these callings would be impossible to fulfill alone.
Our lives are really full and we are grateful. We feel useful and needed and for old folks I think that's a good thing.
Again, thanks for all the good wishes (especially from Aileena), they made me well all the sooner.
Sally
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Update
I thought Sally was going to bring you up to date but I guess she had something else in mind.
Anyway, she's feeling a lot better. She gets tired very quickly, but what should you expect after major surgery? However, she finished cleaning up the kitchen and got us some lunch. But after that we were both so tired we took a nap. Now she's doing pretty well, has a little pain but is getting back to her ornery self, which means she's feeling half way between good and better. (Watch out for flying objects! Just kidding.)
On another note, I went to a meeting at the Stake Center in Gilmer last evening. The speaker was one of the Area Presidents and he discussed missionary work. He outlined what everyone should be doing from the Stake President down to the Ward Mission Leader as outlined by Elder L. Tom Perry. A lot of great information. Then this morning in Correlation Meeting we began implementing it.
Well gotta go,
Hasta la vista,
Howell
Anyway, she's feeling a lot better. She gets tired very quickly, but what should you expect after major surgery? However, she finished cleaning up the kitchen and got us some lunch. But after that we were both so tired we took a nap. Now she's doing pretty well, has a little pain but is getting back to her ornery self, which means she's feeling half way between good and better. (Watch out for flying objects! Just kidding.)
On another note, I went to a meeting at the Stake Center in Gilmer last evening. The speaker was one of the Area Presidents and he discussed missionary work. He outlined what everyone should be doing from the Stake President down to the Ward Mission Leader as outlined by Elder L. Tom Perry. A lot of great information. Then this morning in Correlation Meeting we began implementing it.
Well gotta go,
Hasta la vista,
Howell
A note to one and all. Some of you are aware that I experienced a medical emergency last Sunday. Others are not. The following is intended to inform both groups so if you have heard this before, just ignore it.
While getting ready for church last Sunday morning I suddenly got what I would describe as a stomach ache that got worse and worse as time went on. Howell and I had eaten dinner with a friend Sat. evening at a Chinese restaurant and thought perhaps that I had some food poisoning. After finding that neither of the others were feeling ill and considering the fact that my stomach was hurting more and more, I agreed to go to the emergency room with Howell.
Soon after seeing the Dr. on call I was told that I had a mass of some sort above and to my left side of my belly button. Further, this hospital (remember we live in the country) had no surgeon on call and I needed to go to Tyler (about 100 miles South of here) because this mass was the cause of my pain.
It seems they told Howell and honestly, they may have told me, that they thought the mass was a hernia. In any case I wasn't in Tyler long before I was whisked off to surgery.
Howell has covered my hospital stay pretty well so I will leave that tale to him. Besides, I slept through most of it.
Do be sure to see the blog though and find out how I almost got my gall bladder out while I was there.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Back home
Yesterday went quite well. Sally had a pretty good day considering. She slept a lot which is good. About 4 pm a close friend brought in a bunch of KFC, so we had a very nice treat. She slept pretty good last night but she got up in the middle of the night feeling hungry and so she had a snack and then played on the computer for awhile and then went back to bed.
This morning she gave me a little scare though. I guess at first I must have been half awake myself as I didn't realize something was wrong. The phone rang and Sally answered it, or at least I thought she did, but she didn't say anything. I heard some clicks so I thought it was one of those recordings that have you press buttons to answer questions. But after awhile there was nothing so I got up to see what was happening. She still had the phone to her ear but wasn't saying anything. I tried to pull the phone from her hand but she wouldn't let me and she even held up her other hand signaling to let her be. So I figured a recording was still playing. A little later she hung up the phone, although only putting it partly on on the cradle. Shortly the phone rang again but she didn't answer it so I got up to answer it which is when I discovered it was only half way in the cradle. The caller wanted to speak to Sally, so I tried to wake her. Then is when I became really concerned. She was incoherent! When I asked her a question, all she would say was "what?" I couldn't figure out what was wrong so I called the doctor who said she was probably low on blood sugar. Duh!!! So I gave her some glucose tablets. After awhile she started responding and then ate some breakfast and then took the blood sugar test which was normal again. She's sleeping again now, but I'm going to keep closer track of her blood sugar from now on.
Keep in touch for more exciting episodes!
Howell
This morning she gave me a little scare though. I guess at first I must have been half awake myself as I didn't realize something was wrong. The phone rang and Sally answered it, or at least I thought she did, but she didn't say anything. I heard some clicks so I thought it was one of those recordings that have you press buttons to answer questions. But after awhile there was nothing so I got up to see what was happening. She still had the phone to her ear but wasn't saying anything. I tried to pull the phone from her hand but she wouldn't let me and she even held up her other hand signaling to let her be. So I figured a recording was still playing. A little later she hung up the phone, although only putting it partly on on the cradle. Shortly the phone rang again but she didn't answer it so I got up to answer it which is when I discovered it was only half way in the cradle. The caller wanted to speak to Sally, so I tried to wake her. Then is when I became really concerned. She was incoherent! When I asked her a question, all she would say was "what?" I couldn't figure out what was wrong so I called the doctor who said she was probably low on blood sugar. Duh!!! So I gave her some glucose tablets. After awhile she started responding and then ate some breakfast and then took the blood sugar test which was normal again. She's sleeping again now, but I'm going to keep closer track of her blood sugar from now on.
Keep in touch for more exciting episodes!
Howell
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Hospital 3
Well, actually I didn't spend much time at the hospital today. When I got there Sally asked "where have you been?" She had been trying to reach me but probably each time she called my cell was out of bars. Anyway, she got ready to go home and that's exactly what we did. I didn't even get a chance to sit down, but then what's another hour and a half of sitting?
We're home now and have rested a little. She's feeling a lot better, but still walks like a drunk. We have to go back next Monday for a check up, but other than we're pretty much on our own.
Many, many thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.
And I don't think she would mind a few short phone calls.
Howell
We're home now and have rested a little. She's feeling a lot better, but still walks like a drunk. We have to go back next Monday for a check up, but other than we're pretty much on our own.
Many, many thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.
And I don't think she would mind a few short phone calls.
Howell
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Hospital 2
She's feeling better today and the doctor said that if she had a BM he might let her go home tomorrow. We'll just have to wait and see.
However, she had a funny experience today. A tall, grey haired man in scrubs came in and started talking to her about her gall bladder and said that they would have to operate. At the time Sally was a little groggy and said okay. He said something about not being a good doctor if he didn't make her hurt a little so he punched her in the stomach, which is where her hernia operation was, so of course it hurt, then he left. A few minutes later her real doctor came in and she related the experience to him. He left to check it out. Can you imagine how the other doctor felt when he discovered he had been in the wrong room!
However, she had a funny experience today. A tall, grey haired man in scrubs came in and started talking to her about her gall bladder and said that they would have to operate. At the time Sally was a little groggy and said okay. He said something about not being a good doctor if he didn't make her hurt a little so he punched her in the stomach, which is where her hernia operation was, so of course it hurt, then he left. A few minutes later her real doctor came in and she related the experience to him. He left to check it out. Can you imagine how the other doctor felt when he discovered he had been in the wrong room!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Hospital
Sunday morning, March 15th, after breakfast, Sally was hurting pretty bad and it just wouldn't go away. So I took her to the Emergency Room here at the Mt Vernon hospital. The doctor said he thought she had a hernia and transferred her to the hospital in Tyler where a surgeon was on duty. (She may have gotten the hernia by lifting a case of food at the cannery.) Tyler is about a one and a half hours drive from Mt Vernon.
After she got settled the surgeon came in and discussed the findings from the Xrays, etc. and arranged to perform the surgery. Then she was taken to the OR and a few hours later brought back to her room. The doctor said everything went well and that he was glad that we came in as quickly as we did because the hernia wasn't strangulated yet but it would have been if we had waited much longer which could have caused other problems too.
This took all day and I was plenty tired by the time I got home about 11 pm.
Today, Monday, when I got here she was a little groggy but she said that the doctor had been in and told her it would be a few days before she could go home depending on how well she recovers.
I've spent a lot of time today working on this blog and, you got it, that's what I'm doing right now. I think I'll go home a little earlier tonight.
Coco, our dog, sure misses Sally. He just mopes around and runs to the door whenever he hears a noise that might be her. Too bad he can't understand when I tell him she won't be home for a few days. He understands a lot but I guess that's a little much.
After she got settled the surgeon came in and discussed the findings from the Xrays, etc. and arranged to perform the surgery. Then she was taken to the OR and a few hours later brought back to her room. The doctor said everything went well and that he was glad that we came in as quickly as we did because the hernia wasn't strangulated yet but it would have been if we had waited much longer which could have caused other problems too.
This took all day and I was plenty tired by the time I got home about 11 pm.
Today, Monday, when I got here she was a little groggy but she said that the doctor had been in and told her it would be a few days before she could go home depending on how well she recovers.
I've spent a lot of time today working on this blog and, you got it, that's what I'm doing right now. I think I'll go home a little earlier tonight.
Coco, our dog, sure misses Sally. He just mopes around and runs to the door whenever he hears a noise that might be her. Too bad he can't understand when I tell him she won't be home for a few days. He understands a lot but I guess that's a little much.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Serving Together
Since we are both retired we have lots of time to do whatever we want to do. Fortunately, we both want to serve in our church. At present we are serving a full time mission in our Mount Pleasant Ward. This involves calling, writing and visiting some of our less active members among other things.
In addition, we each have other callings in the Ward. Howell is the Website Administrator and spends many happy hours keeping it up to date. Sally is the Food Storage Specialist. This involves informing, teaching and sometimes nagging other members about the reason they need to have their own food storage.
As part of this calling we organize monthly trips to our regional cannery in Carrollton, TX. This project has been very popular and many of our members as well as a few non-members have availed themselves of the opportunity to increase their food storage. Howell is a true helpmate in this endeavor as he prepares a spreadsheet of all of the orders and calculates how much food will be canned.
In addition, we each have other callings in the Ward. Howell is the Website Administrator and spends many happy hours keeping it up to date. Sally is the Food Storage Specialist. This involves informing, teaching and sometimes nagging other members about the reason they need to have their own food storage.
As part of this calling we organize monthly trips to our regional cannery in Carrollton, TX. This project has been very popular and many of our members as well as a few non-members have availed themselves of the opportunity to increase their food storage. Howell is a true helpmate in this endeavor as he prepares a spreadsheet of all of the orders and calculates how much food will be canned.
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