Friday, October 5, 2007
October is here.....
Boy September was a busy month I cannot believe it is over already. Took a trip to LV, celebrated 3 birthdays, mine, sisters and mom's. Now it is already a week into October. The leaves here have begun to change already and I find I need to have the yard raked weekly. It is still warm , in the 80's but very cool mornings. We've also reached a mildstone, the puppy Coco is now house broken and gets to sleep in the room with us. Yes she does wake us up at 4 am to go outside, but I am getting myself in shape for March when my daughter has her baby. She has decreed I come to Va to be with her for 3 weeks post partum. It has been years since I had to do that, the other set of grands are in their teens and twenties. I feel like I have to start all over again but I am excited......
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Vegas Weekend
Took a long weekend , went to Vegas. We stayed off the strip the first night, it was the weekend of the VMA awards and rooms were going for $300. So we ( my sister and I) stayed at the La Quinta Inn, while my daughter and her hubby stayed at the Platinum Hotel. It is a non-smoking Spa and Hotel no Casino. The second night we ( sister & I) moved to the Monte Carlo, room rates had dropped to $99 on Sunday & Monday night. Now they had a Casino. Funny though I was not in a real gambling mood . Sunday night my son-in-law had tickets to see "Monty Python's Spamalot". He has a classmate from high school, who is the lead actress ( The Lady in the Lake), in this production, so we had good seats and got to meet her after the show. It was at the Wynn. We did gamble at the Wynn and it was nice. Not a lot of folks, a few smokers and the slots were paying off. I won two nice jackpots on the dollar machine. Back at the Monte Carlo I won some more and so did sister. On Monday we headed to Henderson,NV while my son-in-law worked the Travel Agency Trade Show. He works for a company that supplies software to the airline/travel agency industry. The 3 ladies got a much needed manicure & pedicure. It was lunch time now and we found a great seafood bar & grill and had wonderful lunch. My daughter found a Target Greatland and we had to stop there. I found a Sonic and we had to stop there. For they uninitiated Sonic is a drive in soda/burger place found mainly in the southeast. We returned in time to rest and head out to a community called Red Rock. My son-in-laws friend ( who lives there) had recommended a restaurant the "Kona Grille" and a new Casino that had been built out there. It was about 30 minutes from the strip. The food was great, it had a Hawaiian flavor mixed with oriental and the location of the grille was in one of those trendy shopping malls with boutique stores. The Casino was about 10 minutes from there. Again it was very nice, new shops and restaurants, with a few smokers and loose slots. In fact sister won 400 quarters on a bad machine after it had been repaired. It hit 2x- 7 -x5, which paid off 400 quarters, she was happy . Then back at the Monte Carlo I played a little more with $92 I had cashed out the night before, but left it there. Tuesday morning it was time to leave. I left with a nice taste in my mouth I think I will go back again.
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Bed Bugs
OK so we get back from the relaxing weekend in Memphis and by Tuesday I am feeling my undies rubbing on what I thought was a mole. This i am use to because I am a mole laden person, I inherited the gene from GM28. So by Wed. PM this is no longer a mole problem I discover several red bit marks on my neither regions most namely on the inner aspect of my thigh, lower butt cheeks and belly and knee ( 5 ) bites in all. Now I am wondering where they came from. Hubby thinks I got them at work. By Thursday I am reduced to wearing a skirt and thongs to work. This is no longer funny, but becoming a major problem. Thursday night I have chills and a fever of 102. I call my boss that night to tell her I will not be in to work. I sleep with fever and chills , pain in all the bites but worse in my inner thigh, it burns and stings. No itching here. At 8 am I call and make an appointment with he doctor , see him at 10:00 he thinks it is a tick or flea. I think not. Any way he gives me an antibiotic prescription, has blood drawn for Lyme titer and I am on my way with the assurance I will feel better in 24-48 hrs. In the mean time I can barley sit on one hip let alone on my butt. So I have been bed ridden for 48 hrs. Those bites have turned into what the doctor calls deep cellulitis. The one on my inner thigh has made me bed ridden mainly because I cannot sit on my butt. Today being Saturday have been on antibiotics for 2 days and these thing are coming to a head, the one on my thigh has begun to ooze, the one on my belly is ready to pop as is the one on the inner aspect of my knee.
OK I feel better I have shared this adventure with the world. I remain convinced it was bed bugs since I have never had this type of reaction to fleas, ticks or mesquitoes.
OK I feel better I have shared this adventure with the world. I remain convinced it was bed bugs since I have never had this type of reaction to fleas, ticks or mesquitoes.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
My Weekend
Just got back from a relaxing weekend in Memphis. Hubby has been dying to see the stage production of the Lion King, somehow we always managed to be in the wrong city while it was playing. So when it was announced it was coming to Memphis he quickly got tickets. The stage production was beautiful. So many costumes so many changes. I told someone you have to have a great imagination to appreciate this play. We were lucky and got aisle seats. As the characters marched down the aisles to the stage you could almost feel you were on the Savannah. All the actors were so graceful, their roles suited them well. I particularly like the giraffes and the panther. The actors were the epitome of grace while portraying these animals. And the young boy and girl who played Simba & Nola what a treat to see such young actors at their best.
We also made the requisite trip to Beale street. It has changed, so much commercialism you miss the flavor of the old Beale street. We went to the Peabody Place mall first and found out the Issac Hayes restaurant we like was closed, no customers to keep it going. In fact several venues were closed, making it look like the malls at home. I guess the merchants have moved on. So over to Beale street we went. Now it has changed to shops and open venues where alcohol drinks are sold from side windows. Folks were parading up and down the sidewalks looking and being looked at not caring about the music, in fact you do not hear the music that use to make you want to sit and listen. The old WC Handy park is now surrounded by a tall iron gate, no impromptu music here. Everyone is hawking something. If you go in a restaurant there is now a cover charge, if there is music being played. No more Rufus, he died some time ago. I guess folks came into hear the music for free but did not eat. So now you have to pay to hear the music and if you eat so what. We ate at BB Kings place ,the service was slow and the food was average. The crowd was sparse and the drinks were $9 & $10 if you wanted a specialty drink. You got to keep the glass but had to trade it in the gift shop for the glass you got to keep. Another way of getting you to spend money , heard you out the gift shop entrance in hopes you spend some more of your money.
We'd gone to a restaurant at the Peabody but got up and left. The food might have been good but a meal for one cost as much as a whole meal for 2 should have cost. A piece of Salmon with a salad and a potato was $45, that did not include a drink ,which was $10 for a glass of white Zinfandel. If you wanted a small lobster tail it was $65. Well I told hubby for that price we're better off going to Beale street. We'd just bought 3 lbs of King Crab legs at Sam's for $24, so I could not in good conscious spend $45 on my plate.
We also made the requisite trip to Beale street. It has changed, so much commercialism you miss the flavor of the old Beale street. We went to the Peabody Place mall first and found out the Issac Hayes restaurant we like was closed, no customers to keep it going. In fact several venues were closed, making it look like the malls at home. I guess the merchants have moved on. So over to Beale street we went. Now it has changed to shops and open venues where alcohol drinks are sold from side windows. Folks were parading up and down the sidewalks looking and being looked at not caring about the music, in fact you do not hear the music that use to make you want to sit and listen. The old WC Handy park is now surrounded by a tall iron gate, no impromptu music here. Everyone is hawking something. If you go in a restaurant there is now a cover charge, if there is music being played. No more Rufus, he died some time ago. I guess folks came into hear the music for free but did not eat. So now you have to pay to hear the music and if you eat so what. We ate at BB Kings place ,the service was slow and the food was average. The crowd was sparse and the drinks were $9 & $10 if you wanted a specialty drink. You got to keep the glass but had to trade it in the gift shop for the glass you got to keep. Another way of getting you to spend money , heard you out the gift shop entrance in hopes you spend some more of your money.
We'd gone to a restaurant at the Peabody but got up and left. The food might have been good but a meal for one cost as much as a whole meal for 2 should have cost. A piece of Salmon with a salad and a potato was $45, that did not include a drink ,which was $10 for a glass of white Zinfandel. If you wanted a small lobster tail it was $65. Well I told hubby for that price we're better off going to Beale street. We'd just bought 3 lbs of King Crab legs at Sam's for $24, so I could not in good conscious spend $45 on my plate.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Sunday in the South
It is hot here and I mean HOT. The temp on the deck says it is 105 ! I have been up since 8 am. I find I have to get up early to do the laundry on the weekends in the late summer. It is too hot to do it during the shank of the day. I thought I could do it in the evening but it has not cooled off much then either. At 10:00 pm it is still 87 degrees. The A/C has been running non stop for a week.
Mother has improved but is still not up to to much mobility. I had plans yesterday to meet with friends for lunch and needed to take mother to get her glasses fixed, since the frames were bent in her fall Wed. night. I got her moving early so we were out by 10:40 and back by 11:40. I knew it was to be another hot day in the South and it was 103 by noon. I needed to get her in and out before it got to hot. After we finished at the shop we headed to Sonic, my favorite place and her's on Saturday. I got her a Bistro breakfast sandwich and headed home. Dropped her off then off to lunch with the girls.
Karren & Amy were there, Johanne & Sara with baby Micah, and Debbie who recently had fallen and broken her wrist. We caught up on all family news.
That is what is nice about this group we worked together for 15 years, before we were all downsized right out of the job. We know all about each others families and have watched the kids grown up. When we go out that is our topic, what is everyone doing and the kids achievements. We all have different jobs now and no longer see each other daily, it has become a every 6 weeks kind of get together. I am the ring leader I pick the place and set the date and time. They all show up. We do have a few who miss on occasion because of family or financial obligations,but I am always there holding the group together. They all love it and make every effort to be there since we have so much history. It is kind of like a class reunion but on more often.
Today I have chosen to rest and read, there is nothing on TV this time of year. All the shows are re runs of re runs and movies that have been on at least 3 x in the course of the year. Now is a good time to catch up on those books I have stacked by my bed. I do inter space the reading with some computer time. I have discovered you can download free games that give you and hour to test drive them. I like this because I do not get bored with a game I just get to move on to the next one. So far I have played 4 different ones and they are fun. I also blog on 2 sites so that is fun too.
I fixed mother her lunch a little while ago, so I have to go check on her. As I mentioned she will be 89 next month and her energy level seems to be dropping, she stayed in her PJ's today and was not up to doing more than sitting in her lounge chair , reading and watching TV. Gotta Go.....
Mother has improved but is still not up to to much mobility. I had plans yesterday to meet with friends for lunch and needed to take mother to get her glasses fixed, since the frames were bent in her fall Wed. night. I got her moving early so we were out by 10:40 and back by 11:40. I knew it was to be another hot day in the South and it was 103 by noon. I needed to get her in and out before it got to hot. After we finished at the shop we headed to Sonic, my favorite place and her's on Saturday. I got her a Bistro breakfast sandwich and headed home. Dropped her off then off to lunch with the girls.
Karren & Amy were there, Johanne & Sara with baby Micah, and Debbie who recently had fallen and broken her wrist. We caught up on all family news.
That is what is nice about this group we worked together for 15 years, before we were all downsized right out of the job. We know all about each others families and have watched the kids grown up. When we go out that is our topic, what is everyone doing and the kids achievements. We all have different jobs now and no longer see each other daily, it has become a every 6 weeks kind of get together. I am the ring leader I pick the place and set the date and time. They all show up. We do have a few who miss on occasion because of family or financial obligations,but I am always there holding the group together. They all love it and make every effort to be there since we have so much history. It is kind of like a class reunion but on more often.
Today I have chosen to rest and read, there is nothing on TV this time of year. All the shows are re runs of re runs and movies that have been on at least 3 x in the course of the year. Now is a good time to catch up on those books I have stacked by my bed. I do inter space the reading with some computer time. I have discovered you can download free games that give you and hour to test drive them. I like this because I do not get bored with a game I just get to move on to the next one. So far I have played 4 different ones and they are fun. I also blog on 2 sites so that is fun too.
I fixed mother her lunch a little while ago, so I have to go check on her. As I mentioned she will be 89 next month and her energy level seems to be dropping, she stayed in her PJ's today and was not up to doing more than sitting in her lounge chair , reading and watching TV. Gotta Go.....
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Mother and Me
Tonight my daughter told me I was truly living in the sandwich generation...she on one side with her pregnancy questions, concerns and happenings and my mother on the other side with her slide into very old age. I also have a husband who has his own serious health issues. Oh and a dog who has puppy issues. I work full time about an hours drive from home. It is a job that requires I be on the phone from the minute I get there until eight hours later when I leave. So I am talking all days, approving or denying issues that people consider very important to their life and lively hood. To say this is a job with pressures is to say the least. At home I have major pressures too, and this happens everyday. I never get a break from the pressure of work because if I take a day off the pressure is here waiting for me in the form of mother.
Last night she had an episode.....it started with her saying she was dizzy, I took her blood pressure & pulse both were fine. Next it was she had to go to the bathroom, so off she went. She was back in a few minutes telling me she was dizzy, this time she was nauseous. OK back to her room get her in bed, at which time for the next 3 hours it was vomiting and dizzy. In between I am cleaning the kitchen, collecting garbage and trying to get ready for work the next day. Finally I get her settled, I think . I go to her room collect the garbage and leave as I get to the kitchen I hear a thump, I run back to her room , my husband runs down the steps , there lay mother on the floor. She had gotten up to go to the bathroom again gotten dizzy and fallen. We pick her up , get her to the bathroom then back to bed. I give her a bell to ring to call me if she wants to get up. She is very independent and wants to do things herself. I guess it is hard to loose that sense of being able to do for yourself. She never rang it. I asked her why and she said I was able to get up without help. Me I did not sleep well all night because I am was waiting for the bell to ring. My husband wears a CPAP machine to sleep at night and of course last night there was not a tight seal so it squealed off and on all night, that also contributed to my not sleeping well. So today I get up call and cancel all her appointments, make one for the Dr., call in late to work. Get husband to help get her in the car and off to the Dr. we go. It is 10:00 in the morning and 80 degrees a with comparable humidity. I am sweating rivulets of water down my face. I push her in the wheelchair into the Dr waiting area, there we sit for 30 minutes then 30 more minutes in the treatment room. Finally we are free to go home and she wants lunch. It is now 11:45 am and I have to go to Burger King to get her a sandwich. Now we can head home and I can make the 1 hr drive to work. Yes the frenzy is waiting for me since I am now 5 hours late. OK so I do what I can then head home get here in time to cook dinner for her and a light salad supper for me and husband. No the night is not over, she is better wants dessert , watermelon, then she sneaks a piece of chocolate candy, asked me for Cashews ( this is her usual feeling good routine) so I know she is not nauseous any more. I go to my room to rest, she calls me on her cell phone to tell me I need to call her companion to come to take care of her tomorrow because she has diarrhea is weak and needs help. She has no idea how she will feel in the morning but knows she will need help. She fusses at me because I tell her she has diarrhea because of all the above junk food, says she does not have diarrhea daily and something is wrong. I offer to call a GI doctor for her, she is still mad at me . I come in here to write a note to my sister but remember she is mad at me because she says am never there for her. When do I have time ? I am never there for me either. So I write this blog to vent..........
Last night she had an episode.....it started with her saying she was dizzy, I took her blood pressure & pulse both were fine. Next it was she had to go to the bathroom, so off she went. She was back in a few minutes telling me she was dizzy, this time she was nauseous. OK back to her room get her in bed, at which time for the next 3 hours it was vomiting and dizzy. In between I am cleaning the kitchen, collecting garbage and trying to get ready for work the next day. Finally I get her settled, I think . I go to her room collect the garbage and leave as I get to the kitchen I hear a thump, I run back to her room , my husband runs down the steps , there lay mother on the floor. She had gotten up to go to the bathroom again gotten dizzy and fallen. We pick her up , get her to the bathroom then back to bed. I give her a bell to ring to call me if she wants to get up. She is very independent and wants to do things herself. I guess it is hard to loose that sense of being able to do for yourself. She never rang it. I asked her why and she said I was able to get up without help. Me I did not sleep well all night because I am was waiting for the bell to ring. My husband wears a CPAP machine to sleep at night and of course last night there was not a tight seal so it squealed off and on all night, that also contributed to my not sleeping well. So today I get up call and cancel all her appointments, make one for the Dr., call in late to work. Get husband to help get her in the car and off to the Dr. we go. It is 10:00 in the morning and 80 degrees a with comparable humidity. I am sweating rivulets of water down my face. I push her in the wheelchair into the Dr waiting area, there we sit for 30 minutes then 30 more minutes in the treatment room. Finally we are free to go home and she wants lunch. It is now 11:45 am and I have to go to Burger King to get her a sandwich. Now we can head home and I can make the 1 hr drive to work. Yes the frenzy is waiting for me since I am now 5 hours late. OK so I do what I can then head home get here in time to cook dinner for her and a light salad supper for me and husband. No the night is not over, she is better wants dessert , watermelon, then she sneaks a piece of chocolate candy, asked me for Cashews ( this is her usual feeling good routine) so I know she is not nauseous any more. I go to my room to rest, she calls me on her cell phone to tell me I need to call her companion to come to take care of her tomorrow because she has diarrhea is weak and needs help. She has no idea how she will feel in the morning but knows she will need help. She fusses at me because I tell her she has diarrhea because of all the above junk food, says she does not have diarrhea daily and something is wrong. I offer to call a GI doctor for her, she is still mad at me . I come in here to write a note to my sister but remember she is mad at me because she says am never there for her. When do I have time ? I am never there for me either. So I write this blog to vent..........
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Sunday
Sunday...last night I told GMD28 we'd go to church today it was the first Sunday and that is the Sunday she likes best, not for the message, not for the length of the service ( it is long) but because she gets to take Communion, that seems to seal her faith in the lord. I digress, so this morning like most Sunday's she comes down to my bathroom to take her shower at 8:30 am. I usually take this as a sign we are going to church today. I finish reading the paper, get a light breakfast go take a shower and wash my hair. As I finish up I look out and here is GMD28 making her way to the kitchen in her Saturday outfit. I accost her and say "I thought we were going to Church", she answers" well you said you had a headache last night so I did not think we'd go to Church today". Long story short she finished her breakfast and got dressed in time to leave.
When we get to church there is a big travel bus in the parking lot. This is a signal to me we have guest and this will be and exceptionally long service. GMD28 does not seem to notice. We we get in the church there are approximately 50 folks. They have arrived from Columbus,AR (where ever that is) to share the Sunday with us and their young preacher will preach the word.
About an hour into the service GMD28 looks at me and says "where are we", pointing to the bulletin and I tell her the Sermon is next. Another hour goes by and she looks at me and says "I was going to say lets go", I point out to her he is almost finished and we came for communion.
Thirty minutes later we have communion, a perfect time to leave, since we had to go to the alter, but she sits back down. Now it is time for more singing and bible readings. We've been in church 2 hours now, she begins to fidget, I ask what is the problem, "She says "I have to go to the bathroom". I tell her "we will leave as soon as they start to sing. More talking goes on , twenty minutes later the young minister ask his entire congregation who have made the trip to stand up...we make our exit. I practically run out, GMD28 is dragging up the rear her exit is seen. The usher runs to help her , I tell the usher "she has to go to the bathroom", she understands, she has taken GMD28 there before. It has now been 21/2 hrs and you know how GMD28 is about the bathroom we had to drive right home no stopping for a meal. Yes they were serving a meal after church but we had no plans to stay.......
When we get to church there is a big travel bus in the parking lot. This is a signal to me we have guest and this will be and exceptionally long service. GMD28 does not seem to notice. We we get in the church there are approximately 50 folks. They have arrived from Columbus,AR (where ever that is) to share the Sunday with us and their young preacher will preach the word.
About an hour into the service GMD28 looks at me and says "where are we", pointing to the bulletin and I tell her the Sermon is next. Another hour goes by and she looks at me and says "I was going to say lets go", I point out to her he is almost finished and we came for communion.
Thirty minutes later we have communion, a perfect time to leave, since we had to go to the alter, but she sits back down. Now it is time for more singing and bible readings. We've been in church 2 hours now, she begins to fidget, I ask what is the problem, "She says "I have to go to the bathroom". I tell her "we will leave as soon as they start to sing. More talking goes on , twenty minutes later the young minister ask his entire congregation who have made the trip to stand up...we make our exit. I practically run out, GMD28 is dragging up the rear her exit is seen. The usher runs to help her , I tell the usher "she has to go to the bathroom", she understands, she has taken GMD28 there before. It has now been 21/2 hrs and you know how GMD28 is about the bathroom we had to drive right home no stopping for a meal. Yes they were serving a meal after church but we had no plans to stay.......
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