Quiet Time

We shuffled away to the cabin this weekend and it was just what we needed to just relax.  We've had a trying time at work lately as the economy has finally hit our business.  Of course it is always slow this time of year and doesn't pick up till around April 15, tax day.  People will decide they can spend again.  I enjoyed spending the weekend just visiting with friends and taking in the wonderful fresh air.  The sun finally made an appearance and it truly lifted my disposition this weekend.  I so needed that.  This is going to be a big week as Daddy will be home and I'm really anxious.  We have a few more tweeking things to do but it is basically finished and ready to go.  Here are a few pic's I took to just play with the camera...enjoy...

Finished, I Think

Yesterday I went to Daddy's and did cleanup and some final touches to the house. Basically it is done except for some paint cans and putting some cookbooks on a shelf. Whew! He will be home next weekend.

Before - Living Room

After

Before..............Kitchen

After

Before - (Daddy's)

After...

Before - Guest Bedroom (Mine & Sis)

After

Before - Back Porch - (Bro's Bedroom)

After (sort of)

Before - Laundry Room/Pantry

After

It's pretty exciting and I hope he loves it.  The next pic's should be of his amazed face and the tears.

Sick One

He is a sick little boy.  Yesterday I came home from lunch and was not greeted at the door like usual.  Little Clayton was still in his bed looking at me, not budging.  I went over to pet him, his ears were back and I could see his business.  ICK, sorry but this is gross, it was pussy and looked bad.  I knew he had been shaking the night before so I immediately called the vet.  I took him in and the vet washed out his um, thing, took his temp and got a sample.  He has a UTI, urinary tract infection.  What in the world would cause this but the vet said sometimes they just get them.  Oh, poor little guy.  After one dose of antibiotic last night he was feeling so much better.  Thank goodness. 

I also got a call from my dear friend asking if I could possibly take her for her radiation treatment.  I felt so bad that I couldn't be of service but it was the same time as the vet appointment and The Hubby had to go to the funeral of the friend that I was supposed to go too.  I just couldn't do it.  Still feel bad but what do you do. 

I'm also torn as tomorrow I'm supposed to go to the orthopedic hand specialist at 2:40 pm.  Well, I was supposed to take off to the lake after working at Daddy's and doing payroll.  I think I will reschedule for next week and besides it is much better.  I have got to get some time to get the house ready as Daddy will be home the next weekend.  We have to finish tweeking it, like vacuum, dust, restocking his food shelves, you know tweeking.  The back of my car is full of family pictures that I have cleaned and re-framed and need to be re-set.  My aunt, Daddy's sister emailed me about having a welcome home family get-together there on Sunday (Mar 7) and said go ahead and plan it.  Well, I think she took offense to that.  I'm sorry but I'm kind of tired of the whole thing and doing it all and I want someone else to take the lead there.  I think I'm also not wanting anyone to eat in the house.  I know I'm being a poop.  I guess I'll do the chicken-in-a-bucket thing and just get it done.  Crap.  I really can't wait till I get to see his face.  It's very exciting.  Today I am off to see the final room done, the laundry room.  I haven't had a look yet and it was probably the worst.  The Hubby replaced all his hoses on the gas dryer and washing machine and he said the lines were leaking gas.  That is where that smell was from.  It's so exciting when you walk in the door and smell fresh.  I will post a big one sometime when he comes home all the new and old. 

I know I'm rambling but that is what is going on in my head and I just spill on the keyboard here.  Hope you can follow the chaos from my brain today.  I've not even included stuff going on at the office...EGADS!!!  (Bring on the sunshine and the work please.)

Ouchy!

Do you see anything here that should or would hurt?  Well it does, trust me.  I am a right handed person and this is my left hand.  I can do a multitude of things fairly well with my left hand like writing and painting sometimes but it is not my primary appendage at all.  For a few days now I have had a pain around the wrist area straight down from the pinkie finger and a little swelling like a ganglion cyst kind of thing.  In fact, I do have carpel tunnel syndrome in the right hand and probably in the left as I have have been having a lot of numbness at night when I sleep lately.  A few days ago I felt a kind of bulging on the wrist and pushed very hard to sort of pop it.  Probably not a good idea.  When I was a kid I used to get the ganglion cyst on my right wrist and mother would take a butter knife and hit it really hard with the handle end of the knife to pop it.  OUCH!!!!!!  It would work though.  She was kind of old school and, well, old school worked but look at me now.  Yesterday the left hand was in so much pain that I couldn't even toss my hair back over my shoulder without nearly blacking out from the pain, I'm not kidding.  I can't believe how much it hurts but it is very sporadic.  Sometimes it doesn't hurt at and then EGADS!!!!!  Well, I had to finally call the doc and go in.  Of course I knew he was an internist and would have to refer and that is exactly what is happening now.  I am now waiting to get a call to set up an appointment with a hand guy and then we'll see.  I may get a splint (have had one before), a steriod shot or even surgery.  Daddy's has had surgery and I've had the steriod shots in my feet before for plantar fasciitis and let me tell you steriod shots in the feet!!!!!!  I scraped paint off the podiatrist wall with those!  Again, OUCHY!  So we'll see what happens.  It is better and I bet by the time I finally get into the "specialist" it will heal all by itself and it will be a mute point!

Losses

This week has been a week of losses.  Not close people to me but people I know and like very much.  First is the loss of a friend and neighbor at the cabin retreat area.  He had gone on a vacation with his partner and came down with pnemonia suddenly about 8 or 9 days ago in Costa Rica.  They flew home and he spent several days on a ventilator (know how that is) but never recovered.  So very sad.  He was 61 years old and as I fast approach that age I find it very young.  Today I got the news on facebook that a guy, my age passed away.  He was much loved in his community and I was very fond of him.  His parents were friends of my parents and my mother used to watch his little girl.  He had lymphoma several years ago and had been in remission but it came back suddenly and took him too soon.  He was also in my father's Boy Scout troop and was good friends of my brother.  Just not good.  I also lost a classmate last week from cancer.  GOOD GRIEF!  I don't like this.  I actually bought a large fistfull of sympathy cards today.  That is just not right but I fear that is probably going to happen more often as I get older, AND I'M A YOUNG PERSON!!!!!  I know that my mother-in-law goes to funerals nearly every day, she's 81 years old.  I don't look forward to adding this part to my life you know!  Come on now lets have some good news now.  Bad, dreary weather and now this...Sun where are you.  Make me happy please. 

Just gotta

I just gotta post something today even if I don't have a thing to say.  I am just dry as a bone with thoughts lately, although I'm hoping that the sun that has been peeking through yesterday and today will help my mood.  I'm just not happy lately and I know it is the dark and dreary cold days.  I got the results from blood tests from my physical and wouldn't it figure that the only low levels in my entire body is Vitamin D.  Could have guessed that.  So yesterday I rode around in my car with the sun roof open and the heat on and today I will probably do the same.  I need to soak up all the Vitamin D I can get. 

Last night was yet another boring night of dance class.  That has me down too.  I don't know if I can tolerate doing this every Wednesday night with The Hubby.  It's kind of fun but an hour and a half into the two hour evening and I'm just done.  The Hubby made fun of me who works out and then poops out but he just doesn't get it.  It's not so much my body, well it is, but it is mental too.  I'm just tired.  Up at 5 am and hard workout then I'm ready to wind down after a long day, not two hours of dance.  Sometimes I just want to cry because I don't want to go and I can get a tad testy with him.  I'm sorry but it is just how I feel.  I am being forced into feeding his obscession and it is not mine.  He then brought up the Spring Swing Fling thingy and I flat out told him NO!  I'm not going!  I said one night a week and that is it!  He wants to go to workshops but I DO NOT!  I hopefully will be able to stand my ground on this!  Do I sound mean?  I mean I've been there for him for 34 years in work and play and I'm kind of done.  I want to feed my oscession and that is painting, for which I have not had time to pick up a brush, except for class for two weeks.  I am not happy about that. 

Sorry this is a ramble but that is just how I roll lately so go with it.  Toodles all...off to lunch with an old friend!  Remember, I'm over 50 (53) and it's all about me now! 

What's That in My Mail Bag

Friday afternoon I heard the mailman drop the mail through the mail slot and clunk in the basket.  I waited a bit before I went in and gathered it up to give it a look see.  Sorting through my mail and some of Daddy's, I found a selection of catalogs that were rubber-banded together.  At the bottom of the stack was this.  Looks interesting and since I don't take or read Sports Illustrated my curosity was peaked.  The name on the label was a previous owner, I think a son,

 but what caught my attention...

was the date at the to of the magazine...February 7, 1966!  What in the world.  Right time of year to be delivered, just a few years late...43 years to be exact...

Where was this thing.  Did the post office move a machine and find this or something.  What a perplexing thing to find in your mail.  It purposely was put with my catalogs because it was in the rubber band.  Just makes you scratch your head.

Overload

Yes I feel a bit of overload, mentally I think.  This weekend we hightailed it to the cabin for some nice R&R and the annual board meeting of the homeowners association (yuck).  The usual running crowd was on a cruise (I'm jealous) so the social life was very low key.  Friday evening we settled in for a nice sleep after The Hubby took Clayton on a run to wear him out.  Unfortunatly that did work out as well as usual.  Clayton was antsy and just couldn't get comfortable in bed.  I laid in bed myself trying to nod off and cursing the jittery dog when I rolled over and realized that the wiggling was not Clayton, who was fast asleep by my backside, but The Hubby who was twitching.  His muscles were just jumping all over the place trying to relax.  I know he does this most nights but Friday was the worst he's been in awhile.  That is usually a sign of stress and tensness for him which made sense because work has been horrible.  We are usually slow this time of year but this year, with the slow down in the economy it is even slower than usual.  It's odd though as he usually shows his stress in different ways and I really didn't notice this time.  Anyway, back to the night of uneasy rest.  We finally all drifted off quietly when I was awakened about 2 a.m. to The Hubby sitting on the end of the bed on my side rifling through my purse with his little LED flashlight.  I said, "What are you doing?"  He replied, "Your phone battery is dying and it's beeping."  I reminded him that I turned the thing off when we got off the main road when we arrived so it could not be that.  He put my purse back and climbed back into bed mumbling he thought he heard beeping.  Yes dear, just go back to sleep.  Strange night. 

I have to back up a bit to Friday.  I finally was able to meet with my dear friend that is dealing with cancer to exchange our Christmas.  We are usually late in this endeavor.  I had painted her the picture of the wine glasses and strawberries and was anxious to give it to her.  She was supposed to start Chemo on Monday (today) and I wanted her to have a happy place to look at and remember.  She was very pleased with it.  It is so hard seeing her go through this stuff.  I'm very worried and really don't know what all is happening with her.  Just all so out there as I've not had anyone close to me with cancer before (I lie, my grandfather had lung cancer but I was very young), and this is not the only person I know lately.  There are two people at our cabin area dealing with different kinds of cancer.  This is a whole new place for me to be and it weighs on my mind a lot. 

Yesterday morning it turned bitter cold again and I was surprised to see all the beautiful snow.  Huge, HUGE flakes and thankfully they didn't stick.  I was not going to be happy if the snow yet again canceled a family dinner.  I don't know if you can tell but there were gigantic flakes here.

We came back to town and hurridly cleaned up the house because I called for an impromtu dinner with The Hubby's family.  One of the nephews and his family were finally going to be in town since they missed Christmas and I wanted us all to finally have a family time.  I called to Olive Garden and ordered lasagna and spaghetti for 15, picked it up and had a great meal.  It is very easy when you don't have time to cook.  I was a bit terse with The Hubby's older brother who wanted to pay for part of the dinner but I and insisted No.  He said that he wanted to because it was mostly his family there.  I guess I took it wrong and spouted off, "Hey, I've been Mrs. The Hubby for more years than I was maiden name."  He just kind of laughed and asked if I was sure.  I guess I took it wrong because I've been ticked off at him for a bit.  I love him dearly but may not ever forgive him for not rushing to be here when his brother, my husband was in the hospital and on a vent for 3 days.  I know The Hubby was going to be fine but I needed the support and he was not there.  Okay, I will calm down now. 

This morning the old Jazzercise girls met for coffee and I gave up my cardio to meet, besides I woke up with a horrible headache and just now have made it disappear.  I hate that.  Tonight I go out with another group of girls we call The Birthday Club for dinner and friendship.  Yes, I think I am blessed with very good friends. 

This week will also be full of work, dental work, nails, hair and more work on Daddy's.  The Hubby could not stand it and decided to pull the washer and dryer, paint and patch the laundry room, the last room that needed work.  It was nasty.  The concrete floor will have to be painted too.  It has been in the past and looks awful.  So the whole house is going to be done just in time for Daddy to come home.  They begin the drive home on March 4.  Can't wait.  So Friday and/or Saturday will be yet another work day. 

I guess that is a lot of info but I feel that I've been missing a bit and I apologize if I have not commented on my fellow bloggers but my reader is messed up and I'm slowly trying to find a read.  Take care all and I will keep posted!

In My Head

I finished the fishing pic of Daddy.  Enjoy


I'm sorry if the posts are slim lately but I've been a bit in my head.  A few posts ago I mentioned cancer and friend in the same post and it has been weighing heavy on my mind.  My dear friend has had a terrifying diagnosis of cervical cancer and it is bad.  She has had problems for awhile and finally went to the doctor.  On Monday she starts chemo then I believe radiation then I guess the next step would be a hysterectomy or partial.  I'm really not too sure of the whole thing as I'm only getting tidbits of info from her.  She has pulled even more so than usual within herself and her family.  I hope she can feel that I will be there for her whenever she calls.  I want to help her all I can.  All of this has put me into a funk and depression and the stupid weather doesn't help all of it.  I'm worried but will be there to support her whenever she needs me. 

Not What We Thought

Thursday night while at the Tulsa Blogger Meetup B and I received a call from The Hubby that A had taken a spill at her rock climbing place and hurt her foot.  She was told it was a severe sprain but she was concerned that it was worse.

Unfortunately she was in the process of changing her health insurance over and had canceled one but not started the other...(Slap head here!)

The Hubby told her NOT to take the ambulance but have someone else take here to the emergency room. 

Yesterday she went to some kind of a foot/orthopedic doc and they did another x-ray.  Low and behold there was a break.

This is her right foot, her driving foot.  This will put a a hamper on her work as she drives to students homes and teaches piano.  I think she will, after a couple of weeks, be able to take the boot off and drive to and fro.  She is terrified that the Tears For Fears tour to Austrialia and other may be out of the question for her but since it is April I think she will be able to go.  Poor kiddo.  Now we are in the process of beginning the new health insurance.  Too bad this won't be covered but we will get by.  It is an expensive lesson I must say but it is life, live and learn.  Frankly I'm tired of The Hubby saying things like "I told you so."  He is driving me crazy with this stuff but it is what it is and can't be changed.  Life goes on, day by day.  She will heal and in 6 months will be back on to life as she knows it and so will I.

House update

Another Saturday was spent at Daddy's revamping and cleaning.  It is almost done.  He will be on his way home a bit earlier than expected, March 4 so we have to get cracking on the finish.  It is looking very amazing and I think he will be very pleased.  His niece will drive home with him and stay with him while here so I've got her bed all fixed up and ready to go. 

The first picture is of the porch/room and it is really looking great.  We will move the deep freeze out there along with the kitchen shelf thing that will hold the multitude of Momma's cookbooks.   The living room is just bright and light with the addition of can lights thanks to The Hubby.  Of course the bed is an addition of part of a trundle bed we had in storage.  I have made it up with soft Pottery Barn bedding and is ready for his niece.  The kitchen I think is done.  Clean the floor and put the rugs down and it is finished.  I can't believe all we have done at the house.  It makes me feel really good to know that Daddy will have a nice new bachelor pad to live out his life and a comfortable life.  I can not wait to see his face when he walks in the door.  I'm sure he will cry and so will I.  I hope it is not too overwhelming for him. 

Tulsa Blog Meet Up

What fun we all had.  The call was put out and it was answered by about 50 Tulsa area bloggers to meet last night.  Of course I didn't bring my camera so no pictures will be here to show what a blast it was.   B went with me and I was glad she had the chance to smooz a bit to promote her craft show in June.  As we were walking in Joe Momma's Pizza the first person I met was Cindy from Cindy's Clipboard.  We were glad to share a table with her and get to know the person behind the blog. 

Some others in attendance: Tasha Does Tulsa, the brains behind the shindig; Kellyology, my friend and traveling buddy (remember BlogHer'09); Redneck Diva; Have Spork, Will Travel who I met last year just after I won a potholder on her blog; and The Southern Mama who I have met before.  These are just a few I can remember and there were many. 

While there B's phone beeped she had a message and mine didn't show a call for me even though I had one from The Hubby.  It seems that A, the California girl, had a little accident.  She was indoor rock climbing and took a fall.  The fun of the evening was cut short as we waited to hear whether she had broken her foot or sprained it.  The news is good, only a severe sprain with a jacked-up hip, probably from jamming it.  You know that kid has the toughest feet.  When she was in grade school she was talked into jumping from a 2nd story stairway onto pillows which led to severe bruising the bottoms of both of her feet.  She is a tough cookie, thank God.  It's hard to have her so far away and injured.

Happy 101

My blogging friend at Yogi's Den gave me a Happiness Blogging Award.  I'm so very honored and it has come just in the nick of time as I've been dry as a bone with words and ideas lately.  It also gives me a reason not to be sad as I've had some sad news from a friend who is now battling cancer. 
 
Anyway, I am supposed to list ten things I love and then pass the award on to ten other bloggers.  Hope I can make this work...bear with me ya'll...

1. The Hubby
2. My girls
3. My family (Daddy, Bro, Sis, MIL, BIL's, SIL's...etc...)
4. My dear, dear friends
5. My life
6. Painting
7. Clayton, our little four-legged companion
8. Our past four-legged friends that gave us unconditional love
9. My bloggy world
10. Leaves, flowers, trees, rivers, animals, food, air, sky, stars, moon, sun, you know, the universe

Redneck Diva
Chronicles of a Country Girl
Decisionally Challenged
Ramblin's
Sheezkrafty
Cindy's Clipboard
Kellology
Carmasez
Musings
Flea's World

This, That and the Other Thing

Being snowed in I spent much of the time catching up on blog reading and painting. I started a couple more paintings, one I will share here. I spent nearly three hours on Sunday afternoon totally engrossed in working on it.  Today is yet another class and a chance to work more on Daddy Fishing. 

Yesterday B wasn't well so I caught up at the office invoicing and shuffling papers much of the day.  Tomorrow I need to pay a multitude of bills, mine, work and Daddy's.  I think he is getting anxious to come home and I think his niece is going to be driving home with him.  I'm excited to meet her and show her around our little town.  Daddy informed me yesterday he wants to take her to Molly's Landing for prime rib.  Unfortunately I think he has forgotten that they don't have prime rib.  I sent him the link to see for himself.  While healing at home yesterday B found a picture of Momma and sent it to me. This how Momma looked the spring before we lost her.  Again I will step onto the soap box....See the oxygen tank and hose in her nose.  Well, STOP SMOKING NOW!  She was a die hard smoker and only quit when she broke three ribs coughing a few years before this picture.  Stepping down now!

Actually this pic is of both the MIL and my momma but I cropped out the MIL. Not that I don't like her, it's just not a good pic of her. Oh well, I'll share too. I love my MIL dearly.

Sheezkrafty

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