I'm Speechless

I am really speechless about this.  What in the world.  I WOULD NEVER get this for my daughters, EVER. 

Breast Milk Baby Doll

What do you think?

Baby Speak

Inane Thoughts

A look into what is going on in my noggin.

Up at 5.  Out of the house by 5:30 for workout.  "Ouch, ouch, ouch...it's all worth it."

Back in the car and try to get a new book on CD out of the package for the 10 minute drive home.  Rats, the first disc is stuck to the paper information booklet.  Rats, paper stuck.  I can't put that in my drive.  Oh well, it's to music this morning. 

Cool, "Insane in the membrane, insane in the membrane...", Insane Clown Posse.  Rock out a bit.  Rain, rain, rain...Man, I have got to get shopping.  Got to find a cocktail dress for the Mirror Ball Gala.  How am I going to wear my hair, my makeup...Nirvana..."no I don't have a gun, no I don't have a gun...", Maybe I'll wear the hair up, no down and fluffy, "no I don't have a gun, no I don't have a gun...".  Wish that guy would not drive so darn slow.  Pass.  Turning into the driveway, "dang the rain, I have to get my paper, brrrrrr." 

Dumpster Diving

I am back.  I took a few days off from posting and I feel much better.  Trying to post every day and live my life at this moment is taxing.  I also apologize for not visiting my friend blogs and commenting.  I promise I'll be there shortly.  I've just had a hard time focusing my mind on anything I read and want to give everyone my full attention.  Now on to the topic of this post...

Dumpster Diving...just look what The Hubby found while throwing our trash in the dumpster as we were leaving the cabin.  He usually peers in with Clayton because sometimes there will be ferrel cats or possums sleeping and Clayton loves to see them.  This is what he found.  It is from a celebratory cake of some kind as the back says something about a bakery.  I just HAD to have it.  Don't you agree. 

The weekend was chilly and called for fires in the fireplace and it was so dreary.  What happened to our spring.  Harri and I went to town on Saturday to get some stuff for Saturday evenings steak dinners at T&P's cabin and while pushing the shopping cart around Walmart I came upon peony tubers and day lilies.  I've been wanting to plant some but just could not remember to get them so perfect timing.  I hope they survive as I immediately put them in the ground when we got home with The Hubby's assistance.  We also decided that I am going to get some more clematis plants.  The ones we have are just loaded with buds and we have enough room for more.  Slowly but surely our little cottage garden should be beautiful.  Toodles all and I will be around soon. 

Seven Words

Describe the thing you love most in seven words.

Family

Love

Companionship

Laughter

Stability

Strength

Compassion

Friendship

Daddy and My Life

I'm not even sure how to title this post but of course it is about Daddy.  Yesterday I was determined to get up early and head to his hospital room to catch the doctor.  I was sitting in the chair while Daddy snored right at 6:10 and there I sat until 8:10 when he finally graced the doorway.  Poor Daddy was not feeling well and was in and out of it.  He's not as good as Monday.  The doc was the assistant in the operating room but I like him!  He said that they would be moving Daddy to a special care hospital which happened late yesterday afternoon.  He felt around on Daddy's legs and he's starting to get a pressure wound on his calf because he has yet to get up out of bed.  Not good.  Eating is an issue too as he only wants to drink his Ensure's.  On Monday he was eating his muffin and banana.  Now he's got back up problems which they fix with other things which causes messy problems which causes them to move him which causes him pain which puts him in the shape he is in now.  I'm tired this morning already. 

To top off the day, I had called to refill 3 of my prescriptions and thought I had better go inside to pick them up instead of the drive thru.  I know I messed up on the Allegra as it is now over the counter so I needed to have a chat, but I needed my thyroid meds as I have 3 pills left.  The pharmacy tech said that my doctor office DENIED the refills.  ALL THREE OF THEM!  What is the deal.  It has NOT been over a year since I have seen my doctor and they gave no reason for the denial.  Oh my gosh, now I have to deal with the incompetents in his office today.  I need a vacation!  I did get to paint in class today...whew.

Getting Boring

I'm going to try and not write anything about Daddy, hips, or construction on this post.  It is getting boring, even for me, so I choose to write about something else.  Here we go...hmmm, well, this may be hard as that is all my life has been lately.

Oh, B&B are celebrating their 3rd wedding anniversary! 

Happy Anniversary you two.

Little Clayton really has a great life, don't you think!

The Waiting Game

It is 8:15 am and I'm waiting in Daddy's room. I rushed through my cardio this morning only doing 30 minutes but a mile and a half. I wanted to be sure to catch Daddy's doctor. I got here at 7:30 and am waiting. The head nurse came on and we said something about waiting for the doc. She liked up from the IV thingy and said, Oh, he's already been here at 6:30. Well crap. All my rushing for nothing. So we wait till tomorrow and try again. I would like to know what would be the next step in this process. Good thing I get to make the hair appointment instead of canceling. The gray is way outta hand.

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Room Addition Update

Not sure what I want to write about the Daddy and hip stuff so just some more pictures of the room addition:

Looking in to where the old bathroom WAS.  All framed in.

My new closet...he's got one on the other side.

Our new view from the doors.  There will be a new patio where we can move the hot tub.

What a mess.  Hope they get this cleaned up soon.

Surgery

Surgery is done.  He was to be there at 1 for a 2:30 surgery.  They take him in at 3:30 and we are told that it will be probably 3-4 hours.  Sis and go and eat (Bro is home very sick).  We come back at 5:15.  Sis leaves at 6, I stay and not 5 minutes later the doctor comes in to brief me.  It is not good.  They got the hip out that was cemented in and he said it was a mess.  The bone is soft from the infection and cracked a bit but when the infection is cleared they will be able to put the hip back in.  Then the doc had the nerve to say to me, "I wish he had come to me first."  I said, "I thought he did come to you first."  He said no.  I beg to differ.  Oh well, what is done is done and now we move on.  He said that he will have to probably go to skilled nursing care for three months because he can put NO weight on the hip/leg and will be wheelchair bound.  Daddy lives alone.  This is going to be a nightmare.  Finally, at 7:30 I go to the nurse station and ask if Daddy is out of recovery.  They say no but he has a room and I can go there.  They said recover can be 2-2/12 hours...the doctor said an hour and a half.  So I sit in his room till about 8:20 when they finally wheel him in.  Poor Daddy.  He is in pain, confused and doesn't know what they did exactly.  I told him we would discuss it tomorrow.  My stomach hurts.

Down the Drain

Yesterday was a day of picking out sink fixtures, toilets and drains.  Are we having fun yet!  Hey, these things are not cheap, my goodness.

NOTE:  Today is Daddy's surgery.

Collateral Damage

As I was getting ready for the day to the usual tune of hammers and saws yesterday I noticed sounds a bit louder and the house shaking more.  They are in the process now of doing the demo on the old bathroom and this is the resulting collateral damage to my guest room wall.  The pictures had to immediately removed and the paint chips off the bed and some of my clothes as my "closet" has moved in there. 

It's not just one but quite a few dings and dents and what can happen doing remodel.  It won't be the last wall we have to redo but the master bedroom will take a hit too when then install the pocket doors.  Oh drat!   

Oh Banana's

Do you like banana's?  I am not fond of the things but occasionally I can choke one down, like this morning.  Fruit in general, I really have a hard time getting into my diet.  It is a daily struggle on that front.  I like oranges and apples and LOVE pears, but even those will go bad in my house.  Fruit is just not something I reach for, but I'm trying.  It's funny that there is not a lot of food I don't like, but fruit is not my fav.  I don't like plain milk and I'm not a fan of chocolate either.  I know, kind of weird but it can sit in my house for months and I won't touch it.  My issue is snackie foods, like chips.  I kind of gravitate to saltier things so they aren't in my house.  I have changed my eating habits so much in the past few years and even more so since January.  The weight may not be flying off my body but it will eventually and I'm so much healthier than I ever have been in my life.  I avoid fast food places like the plague but enjoy eating out so I choose a bit more expensive places so I can get salmon or steak and veggies.  I have a HUGE issues with any party or get together that involves appetizers.  My bad, bad weakness for sure so a lot of weekend nights are hard on me.  I can't avoid them so I sometimes bring things I can eat.  Doesn't always work but I try. 

Oh, as I am typing I hear the saws and hammers starting up this morning.  The progress is continuing on the addition.  Sunday night caused a horrible mess with the rain and poor little Clayton has been a muddy mess.  Pictures later in the week.  Toodles all!

Monday and Rain

I was back on the treadmill this morning and boy do my legs feel it.  It's all good and will just propel me to more weight loss, I hope. 

Last night I drifted off to sleep just after the weather report and I could have sworn he said light showers and then they would be out of here.  I was awakened about 11:30 to the sound of torrential rain, thunder and lightening, the sounds magnified because we have a plywood door over the bathroom entrance to the outside.  I knew The Hubby was going to beside himself because he spent a good part of Sunday digging dirt and cleaning out debris from the trenches around the new addition where the french drain is.  We are waiting for the brick mason to come and do the foundation part and brick.  What a horrible muddy mess.  I realized The Hubby was not in bed so got up to find him in front of the computer checking out the National Weather Service website.  When we finally settled back into bed I couldn't go to sleep.  The rain had originally invaded my dreams and now it was keeping me awake.  I was worrying about it all.  I was also thinking about the race and my Daddy and the surgery.  So much on my mind that I didn't stop tossing and turning till about 2 am.  Drat!  I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get up, but no problem.  I thought about staying in bed but knew I had too much to do this week.  Sometimes I think sleep just gets in the way of the stuff I want and have to do.  Do you ever get that feeling?  It's funny that when you are young you crave that sleep, but as I get older I don't need it quite as much and sometimes an hour or so and I'm good for a long time.  Oh well, onward with the day and the week as we move to the next phase of Daddy's journey through hip replacement HELL. 

St. Patrick's Day Race

The day came and although not technically St. Patrick's Day it was to celebrate and for a good cause, Special Olympics.  The band was a playin'

and we were amassin'...

The gun was ready to fire then...BANG

We're off.

The crew ready to run.  Me, son-in-law, B, A&A, and me wee daughter B...

Huh, just noticed we had adjoining numbers.

The sweet couple getting ready to celebrate 3 years of wedded bliss. 

Now the story.  I took off running or lightly jogging with the huge 2600 mass crowd and kept it up for a short bit before the shins started SCREAMING at me.  I hadn't even gone half a mile and I was ready to quit, quit I tell you.  I knew that B&B and A&A would take off and leave me, I didn't mind.  I'm usually at the back of the pack because of my short stride and slow pace.  I was passed by person after person and soon on the other side of the street I saw B&B as they were heading down towards the finish.  I had a long way to go yet.  I was a bit scared when one guy passed me wearing a portable oxygen candula thing.  Great.  I pushed through the pain by walking most of the first half of the race and suddenly just before the turn around part it stopped.  I decided that I would round the orange cone and begin the run part. 

I kept up my steady plodding and soon I could see the finish banner and hear my family yelling! 

I heard B&B yelling that I was going to beat my time.  I looked down the way and saw a huge clock ticking the time away.

It said 58. something seconds and I was so close.  The best I've done on the 5K on the treadmill was 60.57 and I was about to beat it.  I don't know the exact finish time, but I know it was 58 or 59 something.

WOW!  I did it and I feel such an accomplishment. 

Race Day

This will be a quick note.  Today is the St. Patrick's Day race and my first 5K.  My tummy is a bit hinky but it's mainly dealing with crowds and whether I'm standing in the right place.  Did we park in the right place so we don't get towed.  Do I look okay, not too fat.  Yadda, yadda, yadda.  My head can really take a toll on me.  Hopefully I will have pic's tomorrow.

Daddy is to have surgery to take his new hip out on Thursday.  Don't know what this path of healing will be like for him but it was inevitable.  Later gator's.

Porta Potty

Look what has appeared in our front yard...a porta potty!  It was inevitable.

This was the doorway into the bathroom and our from our bedroom...

now look what has happened!

That gold rimmed door was the shower door that I used just a few days ago.

My beautiful backyard is now a construction zone for sure.

We decided that the full length mirror might ought to be saved and the one huge one over the sink.  Just look what the paint color used to be throughout the house...orange sherbert!

Responsibilties and Parents

  Last week B and I went to one of the Borders that is closing in town and I gravitated to the audio books.  I love listening while I tool around town in my car.  I found this one called Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah.  Not sure why I was drawn to it except the cover art.  I am finding a correlation to my real life as I listen to the thing.  It is about two sisters who have a horrible relationship with their Russian born mother.  The mother, so far, is a very, very cold person and makes it difficult for the girls to relate to her.  Their father, who both girls have a wonderful relationship with is the buffer and glue between them all.  When he dies they are forced to deal with their relationships with the mother.  So far that is just about as far as I have gotten in the book, halfway, but the part I find that identifies with my life is the girls dealing with an aged parent.  The mother is showing signs of dementia, or so they think and is not able to take care of herself, again, or so they think.  This part of the book comes as my siblings and I are facing the health and living problems with my father. 

Tuesday Daddy had yet another minor surgery and they have found that the "infection" has gone clear to the new hip area.  The infection is probably the result of his pneumonia last year.  This probably means more surgery, no driving for a very long time, and his increased dependance on us three.  Daddy actually made the comment about having the feeling of helplessness and dependence.  It has got to be so very scary.  I can't even imagine going from being a big tough guy to totally reliant on others.  He needs us to take him to the doctor, get his meds, his food, his everything.  Plus he lives alone and is incredibly lonely.  I feel so bad for him.  He actually made a statement about thinking about one of those retirement communities.  It made me really contemplate that as an option but I'm not sure if he could afford it.  It would be nice to have him around people.  I think it would help a lot but probably not just yet.  It will probably be an inevitable thing. 

It was weird yesterday but as my brother and I were getting him dressed to go home I too his bicep to help him lift up and pull his pants on and was amazed how strong his arms still are.  Wow, lots of strong muscle.  I think it helps that he is really in very good condition and eats very well.  He's still my very strong Daddy that I used to love to watch. 

Bridge

Signed yet another.

{Weight loss report - down 5 pounds}

(Happy Birthday Momma)

Time Tag

Yesterday I picked up the official packet for the race on Saturday.  I didn't realize there would be a time tag that you attach to your shoe.  I will really be official.  So exciting and I'm ready for it.  Last week I logged about 13 miles (99% treadmill) and this week I'm off to a good start.  Yesterday 3 miles and today 2 miles.  Tomorrow will be iffy as I may have to stay the night with Daddy and miss workout, but I will have dance I guess.  Tonight I am supposed to weigh in but that kind of depends on if I have to stay with Daddy.  Since the nephew is in school there will be no one to watch him.  I'm sure he will be okay but not taking chances. 

Raining here so the workers are a no show.  They may show up this afternoon if the rain stops but it is nice an quiet here right now. 

The wood pile is for the sub-floor and the plastic is the vapor barrier.  We are choosing post and beam construction for a crawl space.  The Hubby prefers and the house is 99% crawl.  (The pictures are grainy as I took them through the bathroom window.  It is rainy and muddy out there!)

Head Jumble

I've waited all day long to post here because I have hit a brick wall with ideas but I've also got a ton on my my mind and can't seem to sort them out.  First, today, I picked up the race packet and I'm trying to be focused and excited on the goal next Saturday.  It is a reality and I'm a bit anxious and excited. 

Tomorrow, Daddy will yet again have an outpatient surgery to take more of a part of the abscess wound to get it to heal better and see what is going on.  I'm not really worried about the thing, I just want him to heal so he can get back to movin' and groovin'. 

Finally, construction is going full force.  I promise to have more pictures by the end of the week as we move forward.  There have been workmen in my backyard for a couple of weeks now and I love watching the progress.  The Hubby and I have completely cleaned out the closets and bathroom area of the master bath in preparation of the demo to begin by the end of the week!  It's perfect timing for spring since we will be living with a nailed up doorway to the great outdoors soon and I don't want another snow.  This morning I started taking my showers in the guest bath and realized that my cute little sheer curtain was not enough and had to find some board to cover the window.  It's probably high enough from the ground but I don't feel comfortable with men marching back and forth while I'm in my natural state.  Little Clayton is feeling sort of like a prisoner because his automatic doggie door has been turned off.  He has escaped a couple of times and is enamoured with the piles of dirt and holes in the side fence.  We have to escort him outdoors and are constantly keeping him close because when the door opens he's on a dead run to the side yard.  He's gotten tar on his poor feet, rolled in something they dug up and came in with the red dirt all over his fur. 

Well, what do you know I did have a bit to relate.  Later my friends and stay tuned.

A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

The sun is streaming through my room this morning and I'm just pecking away at the keys of my laptop here to find something to write about.  I love sunshine!  The warmth alone is fabulous.  I close my eyes and face directly into the beam through the window and know I'm soaking up the vitamin D and warmth.  I could sit here all day long and enjoy it like a cat taking a sun bath.  Hey, maybe I should roll around on the carpet. 

Seriously folks, it is Sunday morning and we are home this weekend.  We went briefly to the cabin and enjoyed a wonderful dinner with friends Friday night but came back to go to the flea market and hang at home.  Sometimes you just have too.  The Hubby is at this moment clearing out his closet.  Trying to find places to put all his stuff because we were told by the contractor that the current bathroom/closets would be gone by the end of the week.  The sledge hammer will begin to demolish what we have known these past 5 years and we will move into the new phase of construction!  I'm very excited for sure.  It is moving along so much faster than we anticipated and I'm very happy about that. 

Later on today I will start the walk/jog stuff in the neighborhood, when it warms up a bit.  Next weekend is the 5K and I find I am not ready.  Oh, a 5K is easy for me on the treadmill but put me on asphalt and my shins start screaming.  I tried the other night and laid in bed later thinking I must be crazy.  I was trying to find ways to back out of the 5K.  What have I gotten myself into.  I know I can do it but I live in fear that they will tell me that you can ONLY run, no walking allowed.  It is the weird I know but that is me.  I'm sure it will be fine but I'm a bit scared and that little bit of fear of the unknown is what has held me back in a lot of stuff in my life.  I just have to have faith it will be alright and forge ahead.  I can't shut mysef in the house and stuff my head under a blanket.  Life is life and full steam ahead.  Do you think it is working?  Am I talking myself into be okay?  I certainly hope so.  Onward all!  To Life!  Head'em up, move'em out!  Move along little doggies!  No pain, no gain! 

King of the Hill

King of the Hill, he's checking out all the progress and making sure it's done right! 

I guess there is no turning back now.  Hopefully it won't rain till they get a floor or cover.  We could have a swimming pool if not careful. 

You've Got A Friend

I'm sure you have read here many, many times my rants about a friend.  A friend like Gail, like my Momma or like Lucy and Ethel.  I have been searching for that kind of friendship since 2006 when Gail and Mom passed away and guess what, I think I've found it, unexpectedly.  It is not exactly Lucy and Ethel but it is fun and I am happy.  In my art class that I started 2 years ago (I think), during one of the conversations that goes on all the time, I met a lady sitting next to me, Sheila.  Sheila is a phenomenal artist and absolutely runs rings around me art wise and life wise.  Sheila and I found out that we live across the street from pne another.  What!  How awesomely exciting!  Sheila is 72 years old and I just love her to death.  I joined an art organization that she belongs to, Alpha Rho Tau (ART) and we go to meetings together.  She calls me and asks about my father or sister or family or about anything we have talked about in class.  She is doing Weight Watchers too, so when she knows I weigh in she calls to check on my progress.  Who would have thought.  She and her hubby had us over for dinner one night so I need to have them over too.  She is a wonderful friend and I get a friend and mother figure all rolled into one.  Granted I can't talk to her about sex and stuff but she is a great ear and thinks about me a lot.  I am happy. 

It's A Wonderful Life

My life is wonderful, yes it is wonderful but sometimes I am sad, I am there today.  Can't help it, just am.  Daddy will have another (minor) surgery next Tuesday and the planets almost aligned to allow me to go to art class then head to the hospital just in time but alas a glitch happened and that won't happen.  Will make it up on Thursday, I hope. 

This morning I was excited to go to my massage and facial since I missed the last month one because of the winter blizzard we had.   I skipped running, makeup and the blow dryer to make it on time, ready to have the knots worked out.  Ouch, a new massage therapist and this was agonizingly painful.  I am not sure that I like that.  We will see tomorrow if I'm bruised.  That is NOT what I want for a relaxing massage.  The massage done I put on the tiny robe and house shoes for the move to the facial room but was told that my girl was delayed at her doctors office.  She told them to offer a mini facial when and IF she could get there or reschedule.  She was upset because she knew that I had been through the ringer with the previous massage therapist that kept flaking out on my every month for 4 months straight.  I was very nice and said that was no problem and that we could just reschedule for next week but inside I was very upset and wanted to cry right then and there.  I was already upset by an incident from last night so my tears were on the verge. 

Last night a bunch of my friends met a good 30 minutes (in rush hour) from my house for dinner.  Five of us live in the same area of town, yet there I drove there all by myself while they shared rides.  Hmmm, this is my problem but I was a bit, a lot left out.  Just saying. 

Peeling Potatoes with Mary Ann

I'm Still Here

I'm here.  For a brief moment today I thought I would shut this thing down.  After thinking about it all day long I have decided that I would edit some of my previous blog posts (delete them) and continue on.  I love writing here and that is the most important thing here for me.  I started this blog to help me get through a very tough time with the loss of my best friend Gail and my momma.  What has happened is that I have gained lots of friends across the world and I'm not willing to give that up.  So my friends I'm still here.  It's funny though that I find I'm having to curtail what I write about, nothing about marriage, family, kids, well what else is there.  We shall find out won't we.  No on to what has happened in the past couple of days.

First, I took Daddy to the doc yesterday and he will have another surgery on his hip next Tuesday.  They will take a much larger hunk of flesh off and hopefully it will heal.  I think he needs to do a bit more walking around to get the blood flow better, but that is MY opinion.  He will be fine and he is ready to get it done. 

Next, is the weight loss battle.  I am so upset tonight with the damn scale.  I hate that I have to live by it with weighing in at Weight Watchers.  How many weeks have I been trying to do this thing and I'm only down a little over 2 pounds.  I keep bouncing up and down with tenths of points and it is very frustrating.  I have amped up the exercise!  Last Friday I did 3.2 miles on the treadmill.  Saturday I walked about 1.6 miles with Harri.  Yesterday I did 3.2 miles on the treadmill and today I did 2 miles.  Tonight I went to weigh in and was up again!  I wanted to just throw my purse and keys against the wall.  I am working as hard as I can.  I know that I'm not logging the food like I was but when you eat pretty much the same thing every day I get tired of doing it.  I have got to knuckle down with that again.  I'm in smaller jeans and feeling so good so that damn dial should be going down, down, down. 

Construction update:

The pouring of the stem walls.