Tuesday, July 19, 2011

A view from the pool

It was a wonderful evening for a swim.


































184 comments:

Carol said...

It was such a nice evening that I decided to go take a swim. I took these pics from in the pool with my Iphone. My Iphone has seen it's better days but I'm waiting for a new model to come out so I can buy the older model for cheaper.

Do you see my Fiddler? She has two other friends but they are shy. One is an orange kitty. She was really pityful looking and I thought she might be dying from something but after a few weeks of good feeding, she fattened up and looks real healthy.

Carol said...

The second pic is my old, old, old, majestic Live Oak tree. It's probably over 200 years old and loams over my house. One insurance co said they would not write me insurance unless I cut that tree down. I said no thanks, that tree was here way before I was and will be here way after I'm gone.

It was just about sitting on my roof during the 100+ mph winds of Rita and didn't put any damage on my roof. My roof was in better shape than most other people's. I love that tree.

Anonymous said...

Carol, honestly I don't know how you can leave
that place...it is so lovely & relaxing...

And I do see Fiddler...Couldn't Maggie & Fiddler hang out together when you are at work...you know I don't believe in cats roaming outside...between predators, people &
bugs...

Carol said...

Coreen..I can't sit in my living room and watch the water and nature there. In the winter and summer I can sit in a temp controlled environment here and still enjoy the view.

I put in that pool so I could have the ambiance of the water not necessarily to swim but it's too miserably hot to even sit outside.

It's only a hop..skip and jump away and this evening I caught that short window of oportunity to go enjoy the pool. It was around 7p but that's usually not a great time to get over there to swim. I'm usually fixing dinner or eating at that time.

Anonymous said...

Just watched my Lionel nightly rant...he was
on the Murdoch shaving foam in the face story...he says hmmm maybe a setup to make
the old man look sympathetic...when it goes
up on his page, I'll have to snag it for you
Carol...Lionel's a trip...makes me smile at his
take on things...

Anonymous said...

I know your river is peaceful too...guess it just comes down to how much work you have to do
to maintain both...& not kill yourself in the process...

Anonymous said...

Oh & my guys lost tonight 3-2...the only good
thing was the red sox lost too...so yankees
remain 1-1/2 games behind...

Now its time to start paying attention....September will be here fast...10 games left to play with the red sox....

jan said...

Carol, love your pictures. Your pool looks soooo inviting. I love your big oak tree and other trees too. I too saw fiddler. She looks like she is thriving.

It sounds like both places fill your soul- they sort of complement each other.

jan said...

We just watched a movie I had taped. We get some movie channels called Encore. They have some very interesting movies. This one was made in Australia and Toni Collette was the lead. The name of the movie was Japanese Story. It was an interesting movie and had a strange and tragic twist at the end. Yet, I liked it. I like foreign movies. They don't follow the usual Hollywood formula.

Carol said...

In the last pic..behind all that greenery in the background is a tall cypress fence. I leave all that folage for the bunnies to live in. The plants covering the fence includes honeysuckle..wild roses.. grape vines..wisteria...

jan said...

I finished my autobio. It was actually sort of easy to write.

Carol said...

Tragic ending Jan...I'll skip it. There's enough of that in the real world.

jan said...

Your pool looks so pretty Carol. Do you have someone who comes out to maintain it?

jan said...

I hear you Carol. I prefer my tragedy in fiction -either books or movies. When they have the real stuff on TV, I turn it off.

Carol said...

Your autobio was easy to write?? Was it just about your experience with your dream interpretation?

Carol said...

Coreen..I'm curious about the pie in the face thing. Can you explain?

jan said...

The autobio was 10 dbl space pages - it was about my life - as I see it. I just hit the high points. How does one write about 70 years??? The guidelines also asked to write about changes in my spirituality over the last 10 years and what experience I had with dream work, what feeds my soul and what I plan to do with the dream work training. That is it in a nutshell.

Carol said...

Jan..I invested in that expensive pool cover last year that an elephant can walk over. Fortunately we don't have many elephants in the neighborhood. Then I left it on until all the trees did all their shedding. And I still have my pool man who is taking care of the pool for free even though his ex-girlfriend moved out. He has use of the pool and the boat in exchange.

It's too hot for me to want to go fishing so he can use the boat or take his kid fishing anytime he wants. It's the barter system.

I've been keeping up with the yards better than I've been keeping up with cleaning the inside of my place here.

I'm not sure how long I will be able to maintain both places. It does help to get me off of my butt. The drought we had made it easier to keep up with but now we seem to be back to the usual summertime rain pattern even though the weather map still lists us as a severe drought area.

Carol said...

Dang Jan..I couldn't write about yesterday in 10 pages.

Carol said...

Today went to court with Sf and had that interdiction hearing. Went well.

Yesterday..there was another crisis at the AL facility. SF wanted to sit outside on the porch to watch the electrical storm and they didn't want him to. They tried to make him come in and he wouldn't. They threatened to kick him out. Yeah..like that would bother him. That's what he's shooting for.

He use to drive his tractor and ride his horse with lightening striking all around him all the time and he's lived to be 82 years old. I told them if he wants to challenge danger..just let him..he wasn't holding a lightening rod. They wouldn't give on that issue. The people who run that joint are as obnoxious as SF.

Carol said...

Tonight Joy and Nancy were wondering if there is more evil in our world or is it that there's more media to talk about it. They thought that it might be the that there's more media to talk about it. I don't! I think there's way more evil lurking around and it comes in packages that one wouldn't expect.

Like I said..the number of nice looking young women who are committing horrible crimes is growing rapidly. Drugs are a big part of the problem.

jan said...

I agree with Joy and Nancy that there is more media. There has always been evil in the world. Much of the evil has been over religious differences.

Nazi Germany was about as evil as they come. People have forgotten what evil was done - 6 million jews were killed, infants and children were treated no differently, the were sent to gas chambers just like their parents. Our own government killed called indians savages and they were killed routinely. If the government wanted indian land, they just relocated indians to land that no one else wanted. Black slaves were thought of as less than dogs and look what horrible evil was done to them. Yes, Carol - and who spoke up then for these people in our own country.

jan said...

I do agree that drugs has had a big effect on young women and crimes they are now committing.

Carol said...

Jan, I'm sure there were those people who spoke up and those who said I don't want to talk about it because it was too stressful. Just like it is today.

jan said...

I pick my battles Carol. I have used my influence when and where it is important to me and I think I can make a difference.

jan said...

We each have our issues that are important to us.

Carol said...

I was just responding to your.." and who spoke up then for these people in our own country"

Jan, I can't name any of those people who did but I know there were people who did. It wasn't meant as any insult to anyone. Wasn't part of the purpose of WW II to fight the Nazi's. There were people who gave life and limb to fight those murderers.

And the poor Native Americans just got some casinos but I have contributed to that cause over the years.




Often all I have that I can contribute is my voice and when I have strong feelings about an issue, I sound off about it. May not make any difference but maybe it will every now and again, in some small way.

Carol said...

Jan, what's your opinion on the new breast feeding baby doll. The little girl puts on some harness and the doll nurses, even makes a sucking sound. I think it was developed in Spain but is coming to the US if not already here. It has stirred some controversy.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,537261,00.html

Carol said...

I don't have a problem with it. I think I pretended to breast feed some of my baby dolls. If parents are uncomfortable, they don't have to buy it for their kids.

Carol said...

If you want to feel icky, go to this website and put in your name, city and state and look what comes up.

http://www.spokeo.com/

Carol said...

One of my friends did it and it even gave a picture of her house. Mine didn't and has some inaccurate info but some was accurate.

jan said...

I don't have a problem with the BF dolls.

I did the spokeo web site and you are right - it is scary!

Carol said...

Dr. Drew is interviewing Bristol Palin tomorrow for the hour. I like her better than her mom..I think.

Carol said...

Of course Bristol only got all her opportunities because of mama.

Carol said...

Roseanne's Nuts is on tonight, Lifetime at 8c. She's a little crude but maybe good for a laugh.

Carol said...

I was watching the news about that young boy who blugeoned his parents to death. Don't worry Jan, I won't watch the trial. I'm wondering if he spent much time playing those video games.

I had this college kid stay with me off and on for almost two years a while back. He was the nephew of a friend on mine and his family lived in a little back woods town a good ways north of here, too far to drive back and forth to college. Actually it wasn't a town, just the back woods.

He was a quiet shy guy and had several scholarships for college. He spent day and night, when not in class, either watching movies or playing video games. I could tell that he couldn't really differentiate between fantasy and reality. He would talk to me about something he saw in a movie like it was something he saw on the news.

I kept on him to get out, make some friends and get away from the TV and those crazy games. He finally took my advice, made some friends, joined a fraternity, got drunk all the time, got a DUI and dropped out of school. I really did him a favor, didn't I.

But it does have a happy ending. His aunt told me that several years after he got all of that out of his system, he did go back to school, majored and graduated in nursing and is now married.

One day I asked him what he wanted for a career. He didn't have a clue. He went to get one of those careers for dummys books. Later he told me he decided he wanted to be an architect. I said, oh great, do you like to draw. He said "no". I said do you like to design houses. He said "no". I then asked, why do you want to be an architect? He said because his book said that he could work at home. I told him that I didn't think that was exactly a great reason to choose a career.

I was a total failure as a short term parent of a teenager. No wonder Maggie likes to hang out under tables and beds.

Carol said...

He did become a nurse so maybe I did, in some small way, have a positive influence on him.

Carol said...

Coreen, I guess you are now holding your breath while watching your boys. They are looking good....so far...

Carol said...

And a woman is found naked, hanging, with her hands and feet bound..and they say it may be a potential suicide. Am I asleep and dreaming Jan and what does this dream mean???

jan said...

You never know with kids Carol. Sounds like you must have had an influence on that kid that stayed with you.

jan said...

We finally got some rain. It thundered and rained off and on for several hours. Not a hard rain but a soft slower rain. It was a good one. I hope this is the beginning of our monsoon season. In July and August we have nice afternoon rains.

jan said...

We watched a movie I had taped tonight with Robin Williams and John Travolta- pretty funny. I am ready for bed.

jan said...

Can't sleep. Woke up at 2:30 am. It may be the change in barometric pressure.

Carol, talked to Steve last night. His oldest starts college in a month. Steve is working on his doctorate in higher educ. He also works in their small univ in his community in the finanacial aid dept. He has his hands full. His wife has MS and she has gone steadily downhill in past year. She is in a wheel chair full time and now has difficulty sitting up in chair. She is also incont. and in adult diapers. The 2 girls help care for her. they are 18 & 14 now. I worry about S as he has put on a lot of weight in past 10 years. MS is terrible disease.

jan said...

"I was a total failure as a short term parent of a teenager"

Carol, Reading your statement here, makes me wonder how one can measure success as a parent - and when would you measure success - when you get them from one stage to another, when they are 21 or when they become parents themselves? I think it is impossible to measure success as a parent. Just a ponder.

Carol said...

I guess we will find out today if there will be any football. If there is..the first game for the Saints is going to be Green Bay.

Carol said...

Didn't see you slip in Jan.

Steve must take after you with all that education.

Carol said...

Yes that is a awful disease. It consumes all the family. It's very sad. How long has she had the disease?

Got to get ready for work.

jan said...

I am staying home from work today. My contract is not ready yet - so why go to work??? It is a bummer when I can't sleep. Usually it is pretty cool but I think it got hot last night in our room and that is why I didn't sleep. I read something about that recently.

Carol, my DIL has had MS since age 23. She is now 48. She had been diagnosed when she and Ste married. But she was totally functional then. She had the most progression of symptoms after she gave birth to their 2 daughters.

jan said...

I think Steve is trying to keep up with his dad. Bob got his PhD too - just a couple of years after me. Bob started out as a chemist and then went into labor management relations. He now has his own business doing arbitration. Steve started out in Chemistry and changed to business so he could finish sooner. He loves working in a university. I guess that part is taking after me. Bob prefers work in a business setting. Bob taught business and management courses in a university for several years but didn't like teaching that much. He is a good arbitrator. He has a lot of patience -more than the average person and he does not get emotional.

jan said...

I have seen pictures of Mary's granddaughter on Facebook. She is a little doll.

Carol said...

Jan, I can see Bob being a great arbitrator. I was going to ask what kind of work he does. Steve took after both of you guys. He is lucky to have both of you as parents and role models.

It's so sad that their children have had to be caregivers. I remember that you've invited them to your place for a break and the one who did come felt so uncomfortable being away that she went home early. I wonder if their mother ever encourages them to take some time away from her or is she very dependent on both of them, all the time?

My mom was fairly healthy but she hated it when I went on vacations because I think she had to worry not knowing what I was doing. Anytime I was taking off for a trip she would do something to ruin it for me unless she was going too. The one I particularly remember is when I was going skiing and she said she thought she had a blood clot in her leg and may die before I came home. I knew what she was up to, and still went but I did worry and feel guilty.

jan said...

Wow Carol, I did not know your mother did that to you. Yes, the girl's mother does that all the time. In fact, when 14 y/o GD went home early last year it was b/c mom was ill. She recovered quickly after her child got home. I feel so badly for DIL b/c I know it is horrible for her but she does play a big guilt trip on the girls and St.

B and T do just fine but they also had lots of my family who cared for them. S has had some depression and had a hard time deciding what he wants to do in life. Bob would never let him go stay with my family summers like B and T did so he did not have those extended family relationships. One of the things S loved about his wife is her family. She has a huge extended family and they are all very close. That was a big attraction for S.

jan said...

That is kind of you to say we were good parents and role models. There were things I could have done better.

Carol said...

Gees Jan, you might not have been perfect???

Carol said...

You raised three boys who didn't spend one single night in jail..didn't you?

Carol said...

Even one nightin jail would have been close to perfect.

Carol said...

Does anyone in the family monitor this blog?

Carol said...

Illnesses and accidents can have secondary gain. Never at a conscious level.

Even when I took my tumble down the stairs here I thought...what might my body be trying to get from that accident..maybe a little break?? Well body, it didn't work out very well. One week in the hospital with the most devastating pain I've ever experienced and then I crawled back to my desk and have not been the same person since.

Carol said...

That may sound awful and I expect I would get a quite a bit of arguement against my theory but I've seen so much evidence of it over my 40 years in health care and even studying family and friends..and myself. Some of my theories I should probably keep to myself.

jan said...

Carol, as far as I know, none of my family are on here.

jan said...

Carol, If you mean the theory of secondary gain. I remember talking about that in a course with Ms. Culpepper.

jan said...

John is taping "the Blues Brothers" one of his favorite movies.

Carol said...

I'm watching Dr Drew's interview with Bristol Palin and don't care for the way he handled it at all. Lost some respect for him tonight.

First he wanted to make Bristol the victim of her losing her virginity. She was 17, chose to lie to her family, got drunk, had sex and got pregnant. Dr Drew seemed to make that all Levy's fault. The guy didn't rape her. Bristol didn't let herself off the hook.

Then he asks her to tell him something that no one else knows about her family. Made him sound like a gossipy old lady.

And I really don't think teenagers are going to hear this or read her book and say, oh, I won't let that happen to me. Teenagers don't usually learn from other's teenager's mistakes. IMO

I may not be a big fan of Sarah, the politician, but I think that Sarah sounds like she was a pretty good mama.

Tonight, I liked Bristol much more than I liked Dr Drew.

Carol said...

Sorry about the game tonight Coreen.

Carol said...

I've been seriously pondering retiring from my job. I'm not really ready to retire and be home all the time. I don't want to work in the "free world" because I like working in corrections but I don't think I can continue to put up with the abuse I have to take with this job anymore.

I've really tried to find a way to change things but it would take quiting to make it happen or just walking away to take the time..totally away.. that I need. If I did that..I'd leave my peeps..both my patients and my nurses in a bind. Even if they tried to go it alone, I'd end up being legally responsible for whatever decisions they might make that they aren't qualified to make. None of those options are suitable to me.

It is definitely my fault that I allowed the situation to get this way from day one. Sometimes we want to be superwoman and then when superwoman frazzles out it's too late to change anything. I've done this over and over in my career and have not learned from my past mistakes.

Much of the anger you might have noticed in me lately is related to the frustrations I have at work and my not knowing what in the heck to do about it.

Carol said...

Jan..I understood how you felt when you were pondering retiring. Our identities are so wrapped up in our careers. At least you are a wife..a mother and a grandmother. I've got a neurotic dog who lives under whatever she can find to hide under.

Carol said...

One of the nurses told me that her husband was going to be on call in a couple of weeks and she wanted to go do something. I suggested we go to New Orleans for a long weekend. I need to make the reservations in a hurry. And I'm not going to be on call either.

jan said...

Do it Carol. Sometimes the only way you can get away from work is to leave town.

jan said...

Carol, I wanted to get away from full time work. I have the best of both worlds now. I can work some but have time to come home and have lunch which I do and maybe get in a little nap. Also, to some extent I can choose my time of day to work. I also like "easing" out of work too. going from full time to part time.

jan said...

Carol, I would suggest looking for another job. Just explore some possibilities.

Carol said...

Octomom was on Joy's show last night. She did everything but admit that she made a huge mistake having those 14 children. She's paying for it big time now. I couldn't get thru one day of her life. I really felt sorry for her.

Anonymous said...

We managed to get through yesterday's 3hs, today may be worse but hopefully shortlived...

As with all severe weather events, the media
is non-stop reminding you of the conditions, as if you don't already know, its hot,its oppressively humid, its miserable & hopefully common sense prevails (though not always for some & that doesn't change)...give it a rest with the under the 'heat dome', its weather, it will do what it does than change...& meantime, life goes on in spite of....

Anonymous said...

Carol, most difficult to make a decision to change one's life....I keep toying with the idea of closing my office, each year I keep saying, just one more year...as with you not sure what I would replace it with...

Fortunately for me however, I do not have the outside pressures you experience in your work
environment...essentially I control what happens & don't have anyone looking over my shoulder or to answer too, which at this point I would find impossible to deal with...

For now, my office remains open, but haven't ruled out the idea of shutting the door...And yes your profession does in many ways define you...it seems just considering what to do is sometimes more difficult than actually just making the decision...

Several of my friends (lawyers) are also considering just how much longer they want to
keep it up....no consensus, but I think we are
leaning more & more towards retiring from the
game...

jan said...

Coreen, thanks for sharing your thoughts on retirement. I am a "few" years older than you and Carol and began thinking about retirement about age 65 or so. I worked as long as I did because I needed to shore up my retirement benefits a little more. I have enough income now to meet my needs. But I do enjoy the work I am doing now. I feel I am doing something that benefits the community too.

It is a big decision to retire, but I do think we all have to consider what it is that we "get up in the morning for." I enjoyed taking some sewing classes last year for the 2 1/2 months I did not work. When I signed on for the part time job I decided I would do it as long as I enjoyed what I was doing and came home feeling good about it. When that feeling ceases, I will quit. Of course there are some days when it is not great, but I wait those days out and see if better days develop and they always have. The bottom line is I love meeting with families and checking out these kids to be sure they are meeting developmental milestones. It has been a hobby of mine to watch little kids where ever I happen to be and now I get paid for it.

jan said...

I did get tired of teaching classes and being responsible for students and gladly gave that up. I think we do change what we enjoy doing (in our work life) as we grow older.

Carol, you have enjoyed much of your work with the inmates but it does sound like it has become overwhelming in recent years. It is ok to check out some other employment areas. You are so talented and I am sure you are an excellent NP.

jan said...

Coreen, sorry to hear about your most oppressive weather. Like you, I don't get too upset over the weather as I know it will change.

Carol, I too heard that Octomom was having a hard time living her life with all those children. I think she had these last ones to get some attention. I read where she often would just go in the bathroom and lock the door to get away from it all. Now this woman has some real problems.

jan said...

We took my 22 year old grandson out for dinner last night. He is the one that will finish his degree in accounting in Dec. He is working for a non profit org that raises money for families of kids with cancer. It was so interesting to hear him talk about his work. It is a foundation that raises money for families and helps them with various expenses related to care of their children with cancer. He has been helping them with their accounting issues. He told us about a woman calling him about her elec bill and he told her it had been paid and he said she cried and told him over and over "thank you" and it really touched him. I am so proud of him. He is such a nice and good person and it was good for me to hear him talk about how it feels to do something positive for other people. We were taking him out to thank him for finding information for me about applying for the tax ID and how to do my taxes for that.

jan said...

Well, I need to go downtown to the City of Alb and apply for a business license. I want to go before it gets too hot.

Carol said...

Well, it doesn't help for me to bitch about the heat, it's a reality here for at least 5 months out of the year. Even though it doesn't help, I still do it.

Carol said...

It's not that I'm ready to retire but I'm ready to put my foot down about several things and that's what I have to be ready for. It will be up to the Universe to determine what ends up happening. I'll assume whatever happens it what is meant to be.

I'm caught between three rock/hard places with three different agendas. The fact that I let this go on for so long will make it very difficult to change. Like I said, it is my fault.

I don't have any decent retirement salary to live on, I'll have to live on what I managed to sock away and what the economic conditions didn't steal from me. At least I don't have any big debts. I don't qualify for SS for several more years if it's still there.

Fortunately I don't have a shopping problem. Can't think of a thing I want except groceries and I do need to back off on those.

Carol said...

I've got that colonoscopy Monday. Sunday is only clear liquids and then I start that colon wash that afternoon. Not looking forward to that. It's why I've put it off for over 20 years.

I am kinda looking forward to having a squeaky clean colon. And after it's clean, I'm going to try to keep it that way.

Have any of you ever had a colonoscopy? I'm going to guess you haven't Coreen.

jan said...

I had one 3 years ago Carol and it was not bad at all. The worst part is drinking all the golightly. I had to have someone bring me to the clinic and pick me up afterward. Do you have someone to take you?

jan said...

Carol, I have left jobs several times but have always been willing to move. I realize that you have your homes there and that is not an option for you.

jan said...

It is scary to be in your position Carol. I have been there too. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you.

jan said...

I suggest you start this weekend eating very lightly and maybe just liquids on Sat. Some people don't get their colon cleaned well enough with just one day of liquids. John is one of those.

Carol said...

Yes Jan, I have someone to bring me and pick me up. My friend has to stay and wait also.

And Jan, I don't want to look for or start a new job. Those days are over.

Carol said...

For some reason, today does not feel like a Friday.

Carol said...

Jan, did your GS pay that lady's electric bill? Boy, he wouldn't want to pay an electric bill from down in these parts. My electric bill at the house, with only a frig, the little pool pump and the AC turned up where it doesn't have to come on as much was almost $150. Even the hot water heater is still off. I do run the electric clothes dryer an hour a week.

Carol said...

My pre-fast plan was slightly different than what you suggest. I'm planning on pigging out. I'm thawing a fillet mignon right now. One day of fasting and that roto router solution will just have to do it's job.

jan said...

Carol, I understand about no new jobs.

It was the foundation that GS is work for that paid the bill. He paid the bill but with the foundation's money.

Enjoy your steak. When you are drinking the sol'n, after about the 1st 16 oz or so you might as well just stay on the toilet.

jan said...

My elec bill this month was $240. Next month will prob be worse.

jan said...

We had another rainfall. Not as good as the one 2 nights ago, but it was rain. Our monsoon is here. Horrayyyy!

jan said...

John has had 3 colonscopies. He thinks they are fun. He loves the drugs.

Carol said...

Jan, what does John find fun in unconsciousness?

Carol said...

I hope I'm asleep..

Carol said...

I've been hotel shopping in NO. Haven't done that in quite a while. Where did you stay in NO?

Carol said...

We had so little rain this year that I enjoy those days also.

Carol said...

Jan, the Doc doing my colonoscopy uses a little different prep. Mix 228G of Miralax in 64 oz of any clear liquid. She said she used green tea so that's what I got. And 4 Ducolax tabs.

I did the Golytely last time and couldn't get past 1/2 the jug but by that time it looked the same coming out as going in. Couldn't swallow one more drop. It's a gallon of liquid.

Carol said...

Talked with big sis last night. It was her birthday yesterday. While the rest of us are roasting..Seattle has had only about 78 minutes of summer this year. They define summer as a temp over 80.

Anonymous said...

Gee interesting discussion, but it only reinforces what everyone says, yuck...& yes Carol, you are so right, still haven't
had the courage to submit to this procedure, though I know full well I should...

I have to close my eyes just to get routine
blood tests once a year....& that really doesn't hurt at all...just have no good feeling
about anything medically related...

Meantime, we got through the 2 worse days...Friday Bpt tied the record at 103...& so far no electricity outages here...thankful
for small favors...

jan said...

Yes, the golightly is a gallon of liquid. I managed to get it down, but the last 1/2 is hard to finish.

the drugs they give during the colonoscopy put me out, but not John. He remembers everything.

jan said...

I kept putting the proc off for several years. I was 66 or 67 when I had my first (and) only one. They do recommend the first at age 50. I had 3 little polyps they removed. It really is not bad.

jan said...

I don't remember the name of the hotel in NO Carol. The cruise line made the reservation. It is the one where they picked us up the next morning for the cruise.

jan said...

I could have lived in Seattle. I hate the hot weather and I love rain. Hard to believe I live here. I do like living close to my oldest sons. We moved here in early 1980's and Bill moved here with his wife after college and Terry married a girl from here and returned after Air Force. I do like the fact that there are few bugs and you can sit outside in the evening most days and it is pleasant and no flies or mosquitos.

Carol said...

I knew it Coreen. I don't want to do it either.

Jan, John remembered it? I don't want to do that either.

Carol said...

I think today is Solar's birthday. Happy Birthday Solar! What ya doing special today?

Carol said...

Just read Scottiman's blog. He's learning to embrace his inner child. I think most people can related to his dream.

What do you do to embrace that inner child? I'd have to say that leaving my house and moving to my camp would certainly qualify. I may embrace my inner child too much.

Carol said...

Pretty young white woman gets away with "whatever" while this poor black woman pays dearly. Yes..I just love our criminal justice system.

Now this WAS an unfortunate accident...

Grieving Mother Faces 36 Months In Jail For Jaywalking After Son Is Killed By Hit-And-Run Driver

jan said...

Happy Birthday Solar. Hope it is a great one for you!

BTW, I have 2 grandchildren whose birthdays are today. ONe is 22 and the other 14.

jan said...

I enjoyed reading the Great Scot's post today. Wonder if he might like to join our dream group when we get it going!!! He lives close. Sounds like a great dream. I think his interpretation of his dream was "right on."

jan said...

Yes Carol, Life is not fair. I think it is awful that they are charging her with jaywalking. I agree with the writer of the author that the city needs to look at issues related to the bus stop to prevent that from happening again.

It is so sad the the poorest in our communities are treated the worst by public servants.

jan said...

"writer of the author" LOL -I obviously didn't read what I wrote before hitting "post comment."

Who the F*** cares!

jan said...

Carol, Hope you are doing ok with your prep for colonoscopy. Have not seen you on here for a while.

jan said...

Terrible thing that happened in Norway - most of the ones killed were teens who were camping. Sounds like the shooter may be like the guy in tucson.

jan said...

I have worked most of last 2 days on a t-shirt quilt for a GS. I think I am a little bored with t-shirt quilts. I have one more GS who has brought shirts. I will make for other Grand children if they bring shirts but not advertising to them any more.

Carol said...

Well..I started my prep at 3:30p..wanted to get it over with and by 5:30p..my colon was squeaky clean. The worst part is drinking that much fluid. I thought I would explode. I'll never touch another drop of gatoraid. Now I'm starving.

Carol said...

Jan..I think that Scottiman might be interested in your dreamwork and he is close by.

Carol said...

When I was reading his post this morning..I had the same thought.

jan said...

Carol, what time is your proc?

Carol said...

6:15 Jan and I'm pooped this morning..in more ways than one.... The prep I had was the Miralax..14 daily doses in 64 ounces of fluid and it included 4 Dulcolax tablets just before you take the Miralax. When I read that those pills work in 6 to 12 hours and I was talking them in the late afternoon..that disturbed me.

I've never needed a laxative and my body was not happy with that laxative overdose.

Carol said...

Jan..that guy who killed all those young people in Norway was very attractive..looked more like a movie star. It just goes to show that crazy evil people can come in pretty attractive packages.

jan said...

Yes, Carol and isn't it interesting how we seem to trust people who are attractive. We think evil people are unattractive.

I am thinking about you Carol. It is 8:45 here and so I bet you are finished with your procedure now. Hope you did ok. Write when you are feeling like it and tell us how it went.

jan said...

Talked to my sister yesterday. They brought her husband home on Sat. She said she is having to administer his tube feedings. She said she had a "meltdown" when they told her they were bringing him home. He refuses to have anything to do with his care. He is getting up to the bathroom but refuses to do any other getting out of his chair. He is on about 12 meds and she has to crush them up and put in his stomach tube. Her daughter is an RN and taught her how to do the feedings - she has to withdraw the residual and now knows how to do all that.

I have never done tube feedings on adults but have on infants in the hosp.

The postive thing about the tube feedings is they are calculated for his diabetic diet and his blood suger has now been normal for several days. So he has not needed insulin.

jan said...

My sis told me that as soon as she develops a routine she will be ok.

Interesting, they have been married 35 years. he has been verbally abusive on and off. Now she has to take care of him. He can only speak in a whisper so can't be too verbally abusive now. But he still is sometimes. About 10 years ago she left him and filed for divorce (because of the above issue) and he called her every day begging her to come back. She finally went back. Now she says she wishes she had not gone back.

jan said...

My sis and I have never been good judges of men and married the wrong kind more times than I want to talk about. Research shows a woman's selection of men in relationships has a lot to do with the relationship with their fathers. We both had terrible relationships with our dad. I made peace with my dad before he died, but my sister did not.

jan said...

I had a little difficulty sleeping last night just thinking about my sis. I woke up about 1 am thinking about her. I finally told myself, "you have to go to work tomorrow - so just quit thinking" It worked, I went back to sleep and woke at 6:30. Interesting!

jan said...

The guy who did the shooting in Norway is a Christian and hates Muslims. Just goes to show that any kind of religious extremism is dangerous. where are you Solar. We could have a good discussion about that.

Anonymous said...

Carol, hope the procedure is over & no problems...just today there is a yahoo lead
piece about having a colonoscopy & removing polyps, if there....

my friends who have gone all say that the procedure itself was not a problem, they were
in a state that here they call 'twilight', not
out partially alert...but the cleansing is pretty awful...

Anonymous said...

Jan, wish I could offer some solace about your
feelings with regard to your sister's dilemma, family relationships are often difficult at best, if not downright hostile...

As far as the husband, no possibility of him
being sent to a nursing home, either short term
or long...depending on the state of his health...

Not sure I could ever be a caregiver as many women in particular wind up being for a husband...have 2 friends with husbands who are
chronically ill with no future recovery, only
deterioration to continue...& they go above & beyond in their caregiving...both guys are currently mobile, not invalid but their future
is not rosy...& they are only 60ish...

Not sure guys in general have the ability/desire/determination to provide such care to a wife, but maybe just haven't heard of
any guy doing what I see many women wind up doing...

Carol said...

Jan, It's over and I absolutely hate being a patient. Working in healthcare makes it more difficult to change roles. I'm very uncomfortable being the one in the bed.

The worst part was that dang prep and I knew it would be. I was real groggy when I woke up after the procedure and still am. I don't know what Johns sees enjoyable about that. They told the friend who brought me that I had one polyp and one diverticulum. I didn't hear it but they will send me something later in the mail. Yawn.

Carol said...

I don't understand why people choose spouses who share some of the worst characteristics of their mothers or fathers. It may be their destiny to learn something from that type of relationship and until they do..they keep it going. Your making peace with pop was a good thing.

Carol said...

Some people are attracted to nurses because they think we enjoy being caregivers. Not me. And if you remember it was mom who picked my career and it did pay off for her. She planned well ahead.

Most of my careers in nursing were not directly involved in physically providing care. That was one good thing about a career in nursing, there are so many options available. I chose careers involving the evaluating, diagnosing, educating or overseeing care.

jan said...

Carol, glad your CO is over. I hear you. I hate being a patient too. I take really good care of myself (most of time) so I don't have to be a patient. Still, I know it is inevitable at times.

Coreen, thanks for the kind words and experiences of your friends. My sister has her own health issues. She has a a disease called Crohns and has had 3 surgeries on her intestines (a lot of it is gone) and she has a colostomy bag. She has to hook herself up to bags of IV fluids with proteins and fats 5 nights a week (8 hrs a night) just to keep her wt at 90-100 lbs. Without this she would not be here today. She has so little gut to absorb anything she eats by mouth. She takes care of herself and her colostomy bag too. Never asked anyone to do this for her. She goes every Mon. to hosp to get her "port" checked and they put a new needle (or something) into the port. She drives herself there. She is so danged independent and has always done all this on her own. She is a skinny little 68 year old that I call an "energizer bunny".

The thing is when she gets stressed she starts losing more weight and this is stressing her.

I don't know why she or the 2 kids don't put him in a nursing home. I think that would be the best solution. This could kill her if she does not have time to take care of her own health needs. Can you tell I am pissed.

jan said...

Ditto Carol, I don't want to take care of anyone either. John and I were talking about that this morning. I would take care of him if he needs it and I know he would take care of me. We are talking about Plan B - however.

jan said...

Carol, sounds like your colon is in good shape. At 60, only one polyp and diverticulum is not bad.

jan said...

Like I said earlier, I love watching little kids and how they are developing and growing. But I don't offer to babysit any of mine any more. Just too hard.

Carol said...

Coreen, I was totally out for the procedure. They turned me on my side, put something in the IV and the next thing I knew..it was over. I remember nothing. Since I don't drink, I'm pretty sensitive to sedation. People with a high tolerance to alcohol will also require more sedation.

Now it's your turn. I've known a few people with color cancer and it was not an easy death. A colonoscopy is a better alternative. You do like your milk and high calcium helps prevent CC.

Carol said...

I just talked to my friend who carried me to my procedure this morning and my GI doc told her my colon looked really good and that I must eat lots of fiber. I do. Nice to know something about this old bode looks good.

Carol said...

I guess my occasional fat filet mignon hasn't done any damage yet. Of course, Maggie does share it with me. She gets almost half. She insists. If I don't give her enough, she taps me on my arm to remind me that it's her turn for a bite.

Anonymous said...

I am all too familiar with the consequences Carol...you may not remember that I told you
of losing my aunt (who put me through law school,who helped raise me, who I worked for in her business before becoming an attorney, who was very close, & who as it turned out provided exceedingly well for us) in February from cc that had already spread to her stomach...time from the unexeplained anemia in her blood findings, the colonoscopy, the colon surgery & losing her battle was a total of 3 months & the last month was just awful, the last 2 weeks in the hospital w/o drs being able to determine why she was so bad, they kept saying they thought she should not be in such severe pain, constant repeated tests that explained nothing, ultimate surgey which revealed it had spread from her colon (though naturally the surgeon after the initial colon surgery said he 'thought' he had gotten all...she chose not to go through chemo treatment & we brought her home, & she passed away a day later...my mom is still depressed as a result, she lost her best friend, my mom (85) is 5 years older than she was & cannot believe that from being healthy, vibrant, my aunt failed so rapidly...

Anonymous said...

I am pleased for you that the test revealed you are well...

not sure I can get up the courage to have it done, think about it, but so far can't do it...

I'm still trying to get up the courage to have
a tiny skintag growth removed from the soft part under my eye...just can't make the appt
& I know it doesn't really hurt...but...

Anonymous said...

And Jan, your sister certainly has strength & courage...one of the friends I mentioned...her
husband had cc surgery about 5 years ago, he
had a bag for about a year (which he had them
reverse as soon as they could) & during the
entire time he had that bag, he could not
change it himself, she had to do it...he just
said he couldn't....she did it, he got through it but continues to struggle with parkinsons
& now another finding of cancer, this time multiple myeloma, so she will indeed be the caregiver for the forseeable future...

Carol said...

Coreen, I thought that might have been what your aunt died of but wasn't sure. That makes your getting the test done even more important.

Anonymous said...

Ok enough from me about such gloom & doom life
events...

While you were 'out' Carol, the NFL is back on, they all kissed & made up, so ....are you ready for some football...

Meanwhile my guys are 3 games behind the hated
red sox, still not a happy camper...they play the Seattle Mariners tonite in the Stadium...

Carol said...

Sorry about your boys Coreen. How many games left? Maybe they're saving it for what really counts.

Don't know much about what's going on with my team yet. Guess we'll all have to wait until they start practicing. I do know they play the Packers first.

jan said...

Carol, so glad to hear you have a healthy colon.

jan said...

Coreen, so sorry to hear your favorite aunt died of such a terrible cancer. So sad when someone is in such pain. She meant a lot to you.

jan said...

Ahhh football. Maybe I should try getting interested. After all, you both have watched Idol with me.

Carol said...

Jan..my interest in FB is very limited..to my Saints. And the playoffs if one of our teams is involved and it's a group activity.

Carol said...

Just read that Cenk Uygur is out at MSNBC and I think he's going to be replaced by Al Sharpton. I really liked Cenk. I can barely tolerate Sharpton when he's a guest. Can't believe they are going to give him his own hour. Good thing I've pretty much quit watching most of that cra-.

Carol said...

Anyone here familiar with Amy Winehouse? I've heard her name but wasn't familiar with her music. I went to Youtube to check it out and didn't know any of it.

It's interesting that she joins a group of musicians who..like her..died at age 27. Janis Joplin..Jimmy Hendrix..Jim Morrison also died at age 27 and they call those who have.. members of the 27 Club. The club has quite a few members who were musicians..about 45 listed in Wikipedia. I wonder what makes age 27 so vulnerable for musicians?

I'd like to hear Glynis McCants..the numerologist.. take a guess.

jan said...

I have heard reports of Winehouse for about a year, mostly related to her addictions. I have not heard her music.

Interesting about the age thing - 27. I had not heard that before. I will look that up.

jan said...

I looked up the thing about 27 club. I was wondering how old Karen Carpenter was when she died - she was 32 - She died in Feb 1983. I was devastated by her death. I loved her and her brother, Richard's, music.

jan said...

interesting about musicians too. I have a girlhood friend who was married to a jazz musician. He played the trumpet in a jazz group. He died of colon cancer when he was in his 50's. He had a history of drug and alcohol addiction. This was the 2nd marriage for my friend. I think they were married about 15 years and were married when he died. He also taught music in a community college. My friend acted as his manager and arranged for his jazz group to play for events.

Carol said...

Ya know Jan..I think some people just can't accept their good. It's too much for them to handle.

It's been a theory of mine for a while now.. as I observe and ponder life..that many who suffer serious substance abuse problems..whether alcohol or drugs..are people who are significantly gifted/talented in some way and don't know what to do with that gift/talent..they can't handle their good. With significant talent comes significant responsibility and substance abuse lets them off the hook for wasting their talent.

jan said...

One thing about musicians is that they don't live a "normal" life. They are often up most of night and sleep during the day. They don't have the structure in their lives like most middle class Americans. They don't go to "work" every day. I wonder if the lack of structure may put them at risk for substance use and abuse. A big part of this also is that the peer group of musicians use and abuse substances - and we are all very much influenced by our peer group. Many artists have also been addicted to substances. I think it is part of the artistic temperament to be at risk for addiction.

jan said...

My friend who was married to the musician shared his lifestyle his last 10 years of staying up most of night and sleeping most of daytime hours. She also began to drink alcohol much more than when she was younger. Interestingly, after he died, she joined the Mormon church. Mormons abstain from alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. She got rid of her "bar" in her home and was an abstainer afterward.

Carol said...

I agree Jan about the musician and artist lifestyle but I was talking about all people who become abusive of drugs and alcohol. Some, for a while, have the usual jobs and fit into the standard lifestyle of 9 to 5. Substance abuse effects more than just the musicians. I have just noticed that many who get caught up with substance abuse are people who are creative and are unusually interesting people.

I even remember that years ago Lynn W said that she noticed that so many people with drug and alcohol problems were some of the most interesting people.

Carol said...

I've been hearing this news about the Warren Jeffs trial getting ready to start. There are some horrible things being revealed about that FLDS church were abuse of women, child abuse and pedophelia are part of the normal lifestyle. I can't believe that kind of stuff is going on in this country.

Some woman who escaped that lifesyle said that this stuff has been going on in Colorado City, Arizona for many years and the politicians, McCain for one, have done nothing about it.

And the law ought to go after the women as well as the men in these communities.

Carol said...

And Amy Winehouse's sales have gone up 1800% since she died. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to kill her and make it look like an accidental overdose. In her current state, she was more valuable dead than alive.

Carol said...

What's even worse about that FLDS church, all the extra wives those men have are considered single moms and are eligible for welfare, food stamps and free medical care. Not only have we tolerated this behavior, we're financing it.

jan said...

So Carol, you are going to jail a woman who was forced into a marriage with a 45 year old man when she was 12 or 13 and had no way to escape it?? She has grown up in this culture and knows no other lifestyle, and has been brainwashed into believing that the outside world would cause her pain and death.

I completely agree with you that the officials in the states that allow this (Texas and Arizona and Utah) should have prosecuted these men years ago. It still goes on. Talk about the guy who kidnapped Jaycee Dugard. These men are almost as bad.

Carol said...

And this has been going on for many decades and not much done about it. That's a tragidy!

jan said...

Carol, these men are outlaws in the LDS Church - they are not accepted in the LDS church. These polygamous men who take child brides are not members of the LDS church.

jan said...

We have law-abiding LDS members in NM and in Montana. An LDS member built our house in Montana. They do not allow polygamy in the church.

Carol said...

Those men are just as bad Jan. Texas has done more than other states. They were talking about how these women and men are doing something like waterboarding their babies to stop them from crying and to teach them to have no emotion.

There are many, maybe most criminals who are victims of child abuse and do we give them a pass because of it? No. If you take out all the people in jail who have been victims of abuse, you have some pretty empty jails.

Carol said...

People, who want to, can't escape because some of the towns where these communities exist, have police who are members of the community. I wasn't aware of this problem. Some guy who has been investigating this for 25+ years says he's been screaming about this for years and it's just finally getting into the news. Maybe this time something will be done.

jan said...

Carol, I have seen it in the news in the past 10 years or so (at least here). It is just that the law in these areas have done nothing.

jan said...

When Jeffers was arrested several years ago, this was in the national news. It is surfacing again because he is now on trial.

jan said...

Not Jeffers but Warren Jeffs. He is a bad bad man.

jan said...

Jeffs is essentially guilty of child trafficking and rape. These communities are not part of the LDS church but seem to have been protected by some states - like you said Carol, police and the law have protected them or at least turned their heads the other way.

There is a show on TV called "Sister Wives" that is about LDS polygamy.

Carol said...

One of the women speaking out now, Flora Jessop, was raised in one of these communities and managed to escape. She was abused by her own father starting at age 8. She believes that some of these women do need to be prosecuted to teach these women that this is not right. They should be protecting their children. And believe me, jail would be a far cry better than living in one of those communities.

These communities are just a hot bed of pedophiles, hiding behind "religion" with their women supporting their crime.

Carol said...

People need to be outraged by this and we need to stop turning our heads and allowing things like this to happen in the good old USA.

Carol said...

80 percent of these cults are on welfare and we are worried about our debt ceiling and where we can save money????

Carol said...

Go get them Jan, you're closer.

Carol said...

I hope HLN focuses on this problem and leaves Casey Anthony alone. I sent an email to them begging them to shut up about CA. They are just helping her market her evil.

jan said...

I would suggest prosecuting the men and training and educating the women to take care of themselves and their children.

You have opened my eyes to one thing Carol, I have been watching these cults on news for years and did not think about them getting public assistance.

Carol, you will be pissed when you know that some of the families we assist in my job are undocumented. Their babies are born here so the babies are on medicaid.

Carol said...

That doesn't bother me Jan as long as their not pervs.

Carol said...

Those kids are better off on Medicaid then just going to the local ER for care. ER's don't provide adequate care for any chronic problems because the policy of an ER is "treat them and street them". And it's high dollar care.

I've even been pondering how I feel about drug testing those on welfare. They are talking about doing that here in La. If they are going to do it..then they need to advertise it well ahead of starting that program and stress that they will lose those benefits if they test positive.

It might sound like a good idea to many but I don't see how it will even work. What are they going to do if women with a bunch of children end up testing positive??

I'm not heartless Jan.

Carol said...

But in those cults..if we are going to financially support those people..we also have the right to go in and investigate what going on in there. We shouldn't be supporting a pedophile society.

Carol said...

Actually Jan..I think I've advocated more for the downtrodden than most people even realize they exist.

jan said...

On a lighter note, I have been watching America's got Talent. I do not watch it consistently but there is nothing else on I am interested in and could not get into a movie tonight. This guy just jumped 36 feet into a small rubber pool with 12 inches of water. He lands on his belly. He is in his 50's.

jan said...

Carol, I never thought you were heartless.

jan said...

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