Ettiquette 101

I have a question for you.  Do you write thank you notes?  Do you send out graduation invites, wedding announcements, birth announcements, birthday cards, etc?  Do you expect them?  I've written about writing letters before as I love to write and continue to write to friends and my pen pal for nearly 40 years.  Somewhere in my upbringing I learned from my grandmother the importance and proper way of these things.  Granny taught me how to set a proper table and how to iron your pillow cases and sheets.  I was taught manners; no elbows on the table, napkin in your lap, you know all the right things.  Somehow a close member of my family did not embrace those lessons.  This family member has NEVER sent a thank you note or birthday card out in their life and now I find out that they are not going to send out graduation notices for the graduating senior in their family.  Let me tell you something, I send birthday cards to their children every year, with cash included, and one year when I had not gotten around to it I received a phone call wondering where it was, with the money!  What in the world happened here.  We were raised together.  I don't understand, and you know I am very, very tempted NOT to send a congratulatory card and "money" to the senior but that would not be fair to the child.  I questioned why and the family member just said they didn't want to but and the announcements were too expensive.  I think it is sheer laziness and not showing the proper stuff to the child.  For goodness sake you can make your own and at least send them to immediate family.  Am I missing this or are all of these lessons not important anymore!

Tornados

Last night Oklahoma rode out the beginning of the tornado season.  Unfortunately 2 people lost their lives in a small community called Tushka and I believe 3 in Arkansas.  So very sad.  It was scary but for the first time in my LIFE I was not nervous.  I have always said that if a tornado hit our house they would find me on the toilet.  My stomach would usually be in absolute knots, but last night I was unusually calm.  I have finally overcome my fear I guess.  Takes a bit of age.

Woke up to the news too of the tornado's in the soap opera world again.  As I have said before, daytime television is changing forever.  They have canceled All My Children and One Life To Live.  Not only is it a sad day for a lot of people that watch but think about all the people who are losing their jobs.  Some of the actors have done nothing else in their careers.  In fact there are a couple of young actors who are adults and have spent their entire acting chops on soap operas.  Now we will have cooking shows and something we have so little of, talk shows.  Speaking of television, Miss Ree Drummond, Pioneer Woman will have her own cooking show on The Food Network.  Duh, I knew this was coming even though she denied it a bit.  It was just obvious and should be a good show. 

Hot Guy

Got you there didn't I.  We'll get to the Hot Guy in a minute but first I have to share a couple of things.  In my spare time.....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...sorry, had to laugh at that but I do try to find the spare time.  Anyway, I finished the latest painting, called Sitting in the Creek, I think.  Actually, it is my great uncle, Big Dan and my oldest B when she was a mere babe.  Think I will have to keep this one too. 

Then I started this one at home for the 5x5 show May 5.  I've been wanting to do eggs, I like it so far... 

Now to Hot Guy.  Construction has been moving kind of slow as the brick guy is 76 years old but a master at his craft.  Plus we were waiting for the door and window to be made and delivered.  The window is over the toilet area but the area directly across from the doorway there is going to be glass block and should be done, hopefully this week.   

Door and window arrived this morning... 

what's that...Hot Guy with pony tail, my kind of guy...

nice...wait a minute what's that on his face...

oh my goodness it's a tattoo.  Hot Guy just lost a lot of points with me.

The Move

Yesterday they moved Daddy, via ambulance to the nursing home.  We were told that the move would take place at 1 then 4pm.  I came to wait with Daddy after my art class about 3.  We waited and waited and about 6:10 the ambulance arrived.  Daddy didn't eat his dinner because he was so anxious.  I was watching the clock because The Hubby and I were set to take a private dance lesson at 7 to prepare for the gala dance on Saturday night.  I knew The Hubby would be madder than a hornet if I missed the lesson so I was anxious too.  Finally he was on his way to the nursing home where Bro was waiting for his arrival.  We tag-teamed the whole ordeal.  This morning I slept in because doggone it I'm tired, my back hurts and my feet hurt.  Yesterday was a very long day.  Now, today, I need to ready myself to visit Daddy in the nursing home that Momma took her last breath in.  Not real sure how I will handle that but I have to.  So this post is short but informative.  Later all and I promise when all this crap is on the back burner I will get back to more interesting posts. 

A Usual Monday

Last week was rough with the Daddy stuff and today didn't start out much better.  I think I'm not coming out of my bedroom on Monday's anymore.  The week starts bad and just seems to stay bad.  Fortunately, today ended up a bit better.  I'm not sure if I relayed it here but Daddy lost one of his hearing aids last week in the hospital.  Oh man, and the darn things are $3500 each!  He was so angry and was bound and determined to make the hospital pay.  In the middle of the night he took it out when the whistling started as the battery was gone.  He laid it on his table side tray and when he woke the next morning it was gone.  Today I showed up at his room and he was fit to be tied that he hadn't heard anything about his move to the skilled nursing care facility.  We were told it would probably be today but in the end it was not to be.  We now know that because he is on two intravenous antibiotics that most facilities won't take him.  Great.  He is climbing the walls with boredom.  I can't imagine laying in the same bed day after day for a couple of months, and he has his mind.  I could understand if he was senile or not in his right mind but he has his mind in a broken body.  He is so depressed and my heart breaks but it can't be helped.  One bright note happened and I had to call him with the good news, the hearing aid.  No, we didn't find it but I talked to the hospital and yes they will reimburse the loss.  We have to go ahead and buy the new one and bring them the bill and they will pay!  The best part is that he had some loss/prevention thing on it at the hearing aid place and to replace it will be $200!  I had to call him and let him know!  It was awesome and made him have some hope.  If we can get him through the next month and a half he will get his new hip, heal and be HOME! 

Verbena

Daddy and Good Food

Again I apologize for not being here much but, well, you know.  This week has been a whirlwind and after visiting a few nursing homes on Monday and finally making a decision of where would be the best place for Daddy, well the best laid plans can be changed.  We found out that Daddy will go to the same place Momma was when she died and we are okay with it but I so wish the social worker had let me know that it was just about the ONLY place where he could go with a wound-vac.  All that stress and work for nothing.  Really.  Anyway, Daddy totally understands and is ready.  This morning as I went in to see him the first thing he told me is that he lost one of his hearing aids.  Great, $3500, just great.  Guess we'll be yelling a lot for awhile. 

Tonight we went to dinner with my dear friend, C and her hubby Dr. H.  We decided to try a new restaurant called Go West.  I must tell you it was absolutely delicious.  I was going to have pictures but my camera phone was dead and C's email pic's have not hit my inbox yet.  The food is described as Cowboy  Cuisine but let me tell you it was far from Cowboy Cuisine, it was YUMMY Cuisine!  We shared an appetizer of Brisket Taquitos, to die for.  For dinner I had a beef tenderloin on mushroon enchiladas

that was perfect and then various desserts were shared:  Chocolate Diablo (ancho chile infused cake w/peanut butter mousse), Mango-Coco Tacos in a almond cookie shell, and The Hubby and I shared, excuse me while I wipe the drool..., Fried Apple Pie w/vanilla ice cream.  That was the best dessert I have had in ages and was NOT on my diet.  The place was just packed and a MUST to visit if you are in the area. 

Our Little Guy

Clayton - King of the Hill

Our little man at the dinner table.  He gets to watch dinner and then gets a treat.  If we don't let him sit and watch he barks and barks and barks.  This seems to appease him.  Can we say spoiled but we love him so much.

Nursing Home?

I woke this morning at the usual 5 am for workout but I think I should have gone back to bed after I stopped the toilet up.  That should have been the first clue that I needed to RUN, run far away from my life.  After my usual 3 miles on the treadmill I was back to get ready for the day.  I had to meet my cousin at Daddy's house so she could clean the dreaded germs away.  I left her doing her thing and then was on the hunt for a skilled nursing facility for Daddy by the end of the week.  If you have never done this for a parent, get ready.  It is a reality for our aging parents and we could soon be there too depending our your age.  The first one had a lot of good stars according to http://www.medicare.gov/ and the fancy little booklet the hospital gave me.  I walked into the doors and the first thing was the smell.  I couldn't put my finger on it but it was a sweet, bleachy smell.  I was struck by the sight of all the wheelchairs and women.  The place was stuffed with women.  The lady giving me the tour said the last male in residence just moved out (not sure what that meant).  All women and all women in wheelchairs...uh...I don't think so.  I left feeling a bit defeated and the cold blowing wind didn't help my mood.  Off to yet another place that was only a couple of years old and from the outside looked nice.  It was nice inside too, as soon as I was able to find the stupid door.  Apparantly, I was trying to get into the wrong door at the front of the building, according to the angry staff that let me in.  Small stumble.  On with the tour and I was much more impressed.  This was place was fairly new, not stuffed.  Come to think of it I only saw ladies there too, hmmmmm.  The halls had a guinea pig in a cage and a very large bird cage filled with parakeets.  Loved that.  The rooms were very nice and the good thing is they probably would have a bed by the end of the week, just in time.  Back to his house to check on the cleaning and then it was off to the hospital to see Daddy.

I walked into his room and the first thing out of Daddy's mouth was that he and "Josh", his re-hab guy had been talking and they think he should come to my house and stay in the guest room.  What!  I had to explain to Daddy that my guest room is my closet right now.  We are in major construction and his moving in is just not possible.  Besides that he will need tons of care and I am gone a lot.   Just not possible.  Then he started talking about have fulltime, live-in care.  He CANNOT afford that.  I know he is getting depressed by this but it can't be helped and it is TEMPORARY.  I don't want to knock him down but it is just not happening.  I felt trapped sitting in my chair, not wanting to face those pleading eyes.  Oh my GOD!  What am I going to do.  It was all I could do to not run from that room and keep running.  He doesn't understand that he has a catheter, IV drip line, and a huge wound in his leg and NO HIP!  Plus he has to have physical therapy, everyday.  I was finally able to leave and walked out trying not to cry as I called my brother.  I needed help and he was there for me.  I have to be strong and as I left I told Daddy, again, that it would be temporary and that it was the only option.  This day is only Monday.  I'm not sure I want to be around the rest of the week but I must do what I must do.  Here's to Tuesday!

Productive Sunday

Cocktail Dress

Yesterday I was on the hunt for a cocktail dress and shoes. The dress thing is not much of a problem but the shoes, whoooo...not my bag I can tell ya. I am not a fan of any kind of shoes and have so many problems with my feet over the years that I was scared. I was successful in the hunt for dresses, in fact I found two of them. But, the trip into Dillards shoe department sent me into absolute terror.  I stood looking at the thousands of shoes and was in a panic.  Which way do I turn.  What is the right shoe.  What is the right shoe for me...What, Where, Who, HELP, I tweeted!

I actually stepped my little tootsies into some pretty tall shoes that made me feel I was going to teeter over but they were oh so cute and tempting.  I knew they would not do for me as dancing is on the menu of the night I am planning on attending.  We are attending the DVIS (Domestic Violence Intervention Services) Mirror Ball in April and there will be lots of dancing so I have to think of that.  I found these although my friend C said they were more for suits but they work for me.  I was glad I was successful.

Pictures will soon follow from the gala.

Hip, Hip, Hooray

Wednesday I had a physical at the doctors office, blood drawn, step on the scale, EKG, chit-chat, paperwork, blood pressure taken...all the usual stuff.  First of all was the scale, the dreaded scale.  Well, what-da-ya-know, it hadn't budged since the last time I had been there, last fall.  Drat, drat, drat.  All the treadmill work, eating so differently, no fast food and the damn thing was the same.  Some of my clothes are so loose on me and people are really able to see the difference in my face, yet that scale!  Of course the next step, blood pressure, was up.  Figures.  Dr. TL asked if anything was going on.  Ha-Ha-Ha.  Well, here we go...I proceeded to tell him I was of course upset by the scale but he reminded me of the conversation we've had so many times, that I have changed so much in my diet and lifestyle, that muscle weighs more than fat and DON'T WORRY.  Okay, okay.  Then I told him about the stuff going on with Daddy and he said well, that will surely do it.  Then he wanted to do the BP again and we started to talk about my painting, he paints too, well, what-da-ya-know the BP started going down.  Whew.  He did suggest that I get a BP cuff but I really don't want to admit to any of that you know.  We will see how the blood work goes, think my thyroid may need to adjusted.

Friday was to be a day off of work but it certainly was not a day off from life.  I went to visit Daddy and he looked horrible.  He said he had a tummy ache but really it was a bit of constipation and that puts him in a funk.  He has been kind of nasty to the staff because he is bored and does not feel well.  While there the case worker on staff came in to talk to me.  They want to release him April 11.  Okay, then where does he go and she again mentioned him going home.  WHOA...hold on there partner, that is not going to happen.  First of all he has NO HIP and his leg is 5 inches shorter than the other one.  Second is that he is on an IV drip.  She understood pretty quick that he has to go to a skilled nursing care facility.  Really I thought that was where he was now.  So now we are in that world again, like mother.  Shiver, bad memories.  I contacted the siblings and they are quite okay with whatever I decide.  Oh man, I don't want to do this but I guess I'm there, again.  Last night was searches on http://www.medicare.gov/ about nursing facilities close to us and the siblings so we can all visit him often.  Daddy understands that this is a necessary step in his healing even though he wants to go home very bad.  I have to be a bit stern with him, in a nice way about how this is going to have happen and that if he gets more mobile and heals quick then he will get the new hip and be home before you know it.  I can tell you now I am going to REALLY think hard if a doctor EVER wants to replace my hip at this point. 

Life Moves Forward

Life has calmed down now, finally, at least in my head.  As I was driving home from my 3 mile trek on the treadmill this morning I had a good feeling.  I've been in such a tizzy with all the stuff going on lately that I just couldn't calm down.  Daddy is doing well, although bored in his hospital bed, but I know he is healing and safe, and that is what counts.  Right now we don't have to mess around with any of the crap that was going on.  I have someone to clean his house next week, bought the appropiate cleaning supplies, and am now in charge of paying his bills, again.  The mail has been forwarded and the paper stopped.  All is good in that department.  I now have more pressing things to think about, like shopping for a cocktail dress for a charity gala/dance in a couple of weeks.  I am dreading the process and looking for the right shoes that won't kill my feet.  Hopefully, this weekend I will be successful in that endeavour.  (I hate shoe shopping, and shoes for that matter!)  The sun is going to shine this weekend along with warmer weather and I am a happy girl.  I can't wait to do a little painting and be creative again.  With all that has been on my mind I have not had a desire to blog or paint or even read.  I am ready now. 

Room addition has been a bit slow, real slow so not much to report.  The brick is slowly moving up the new walls but not fast enough for me but the weather has played a part in that, rain and cold.  Next week the new french doors will be here and be installed and then the brick guy will begin the glass block window.  Woo-Hoo, enclosed!  The heat/air guy has been busy this week getting the old system tied in and now we get a rough-in of plumbing and electrical, then walls!!!!!  The Hubby and I have already purchased the split-system heat/air thing, for just in case the old is not enough to handle.  We've purchased the fixtures, meaning faucets, shower heads.  On Wednesday we looked at washer and dryer sets and believe will get the Electrolux ones.  I told him, color-wise, ANYTHING but white.  He has a white Avalanche, I have a white Jeep, all of our company vans are white and I'm just sick of it.  I want color, maybe green like these, without the pedestals.  I saw a jade granite floor the other day and fell in love.  Maybe for the counter tops.  Now it is the fun stuff.  I'm excited. 

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!