Coreen..here are some pics of the farm. These aren't the best pics but I took them while driving down the road. Our land has one mile of road frontage.
There are two ponds on the property. One is kinda marshy and the other more of an open pond. Both are used to water the cows. They also make a nice place for waterfowl to land.
Also deer like to hang out but we don't let anyone hunt because with cows there..some people just can't tell the difference.
A friend of mine said they had the same problem so they painted the word COW on their cows so people could tell the difference.
This is the property that has been in our family for over 60 years. My grampy..uncle and dad bought it just after he got out of the service. He was in the Army Air Corp during WWII. Fortunately he was stationed in South America. He was a navigator. I think the mission of his group was to take aerial pictures.
I've worked cows and rode the range out there many times with Pa. Pa's land is a ways west of ours but he loved this piece of property. He called it the little Ponderosa.
There were about 1100 acres when it was owned by the three different families. When we divided it up..it was pretty overgrown.
Pa cleaned it up and kept it up and put the two ponds in. Both he and I had cows out there.
It's grown many crops over the years. It has a rice, soybean, wheat and maybe.. Milo base on it.
The year of that spectacular meteor shower back in Nov of 2001 I talked two of my best friends into dragging my camper out there.
I BBQed some baby back ribs..made some tater salad and we spent all night laying on a blanket watching those meteors streak across the starlite sky. It was a fantastic horizon to horizon show.
Jan..I don't particularly care for DST either. I guess work will be calling me with that dude's BS at 4a instead of 5 in the morning.
I have my nurses check his BS before each meal and call me. I'm trying to get it regulated. His BS is on the roof right now and I'm slowly bringing it down. God only knows how long it's been up there. He didn't check it at home..so typical of my peeps. I have to get it down without putting him in hypoglycemia.
I picked up some good patient diabetes ed stuff at my conference. The American Diabetes Assoc had a booth.
One of the diabetes drug cos even made me a personalized wall poster. I could pick what I wanted to put on it and they made it while I waited. I stressed the diet and complication aspects of diabetes. I do want to scare them into better compliance. It actually works for some of them.
I can't prove it but if I can even get a few of my peeps to improve their blood sugar control..I can help them achieve more quality and quantity of life and save the taxpayers mucho dinero. One case of renal failure can cost millions. You can thank me now or later.
Coreen..we CAN make a difference. Look at what's happening to old Rush. As of yesterday..at least 50 cos had pulled their advertisements and other were in the process.
"On Thursday, Limbaugh's program was practically devoid of paid advertisements, according to reports. Of the 86 spots that aired, 77 were "free public service announcements donated by the Ad Council." Seven ads were from companies "in the process of pulling their spots."
Sounds like it was a delightful place to grow up...But lots of work to be done all the time...I know I could never be a farmer?...
Actually I have a friend who's son has had a small herd of milking cows & has been trying to be a farmer, but he is not the owner of any land & only leased it, unfortunately each time he has thought he had a secure place, it fell apart, he has had to sell off his cows & is not sure if he can ever really do what he loves...
Too bad you weren't closer, he's a good guy & loves the life, though I'm told it is very hard & is a 24/7, 365 day job...
This land is connected to Pa's?...Is that where the house is?...
Yes, Grew up with Motown music... That was what we listened to....
probably have a whole bunch of the music played on those PBS specials on cds, even some old real records!! up in the attic...
Being so close to NYC, we heard R&R music all day/night...
The likes of Cousin Brucie, (I think he still appears on PBS often...Bruce Morrow, & has a radio show on sirius/xm...Murray the K, even Alan Freed (though he was at the tail end of his career) all were on NY radio way back when...
so yes that is what I grew up with, still love it...there are a couple of 'oldie's' radio stations still around...& xm has separate 50s,60s, 70s, motown,elvis & frank sinatra channels (they have a Bruce Springsteen channel too)...so I can still listen to it in the car...
Coreen, that's my sisters and my land, not Pa's. He did take care of it and kept some of his cows o. It. I think it takes one acre to support one cow..or more.
About Rush's show...not sure I agree with the huffpo spin...until baseball season starts I listen to abc talk radio at the office & the bits & pieces I hear of Rush show, since the dustup, have not noticed a big dropoff in ads...but not sure I am really paying close attention...there are a lot of ads during all the breaks on all the talk radio shows...
Carol I do not agree with the concerted effort to have him removed from the radio...I don't care if he has a show or not...just as I don't care about Bill Maher, et al having a forum...as far as I'm concerned if you don't like what they say...don't listen, don't pay to hear/see them, etc... but not interested in driving them away...
My objection was & still is...the liberals & their media allies failure & refusal to call out their 'own' who are equally boorish, despicable, vile, venomous (whatever adjective you want to use) in their denigration of women as a matter of course, & yet wring their hands, gin up a boycott & scream at what the likes of limbaugh says, to me that is rank hypocrisy, what I have come to think of when I think of current so-called liberals...
that is why I liked that Kirsten Power called the liberal media out, yet the so-called, 'enlightened' libs, dismissed her outright, suggesting (no saying) that her opinion was less valid because she works for fox/ny post...just shows me how disengenuous the 'we have the high road & are the good guys' (well in their own minds anyway) really are...for the most part nary a word against their side's behavior...& for those few who may have opened their mouth, did so in the mildest of rebukes...
& yes I know Bill Maher did speak out against boycotting rush...I meant to watch the rerun of his hbo show to see what he said the other night, but still haven't...
I remember that you mentioned that this is your family's property, was just wondering how close it was to Pa's & if there were any structures (houses, barns) on it...
I am thinking that the house you grew up in was on Pa's land?....
Oh and don't even think of calling me 'fat'...since those of us who live in the Bpt/Norwalk/Stamford, CT region are among the skinniest in the country... Skinniest & fattest u.s. cities revealed
Coreen..it's about 40 or so miles from our property to Pa's. I'm just guessing..not sure. Maybe farther to drive.
It was getting expensive for Pa to have the cows on our property but he needed the room/grass/hay.
On the property..there's a cow pen for working cows. The fields are fenced off so that cows can be separated and moved from field to field for grass.
I bought an old camper trailer to put out there to use as a cow poke house. Pa had electricity..water..septic..hooked up to it. I think storms finally took their toll on it.
Sis actually spent from about age 1-4 living out there. Daddy was going to try his hand at farming. Mom..a city girl from Chicago..wasn't too cool with that.
She described their house as two rooms and a path. They had an outhouse and used a large wash tub to bathe in. Mom said they had running water..she had to run out to get it from the well and bring it in.
The remains of that old place are still out in the woods..at least they used to be.
Mom had some funny stories about their life out there. They weren't particularly funny at the time. She finally had enough when she found a snake in the top of a closet. She took the next train back to Chicago. Daddy gave up that career and went to Chicago to get her back.
He ended up going to college and getting an accounting degree.
Coreen..the only purpose that Rush serves is to let us know that there are true demons in the world. I've listened to him.
When I had to drive about 40 miles each way to work..when I worked a a state prison..I would listen to him every now and again. I wanted to hear someone talking.
As much as I wanted to listen..I couldn't tolerate his evil for more than a short time. He said the most evil things. He would cackle when he did. I shutter to think of some of the things he said.
I really don't think that kind of evil needs to get air time. Now..by comparison..I like Bill O'Reilly. He's witty..intelligent and makes sense at times.
As far as Bill Maher..I don't have any use for him either. He's a creep. I dropped HBO years ago because of him.
And as for obesity..my town is surrounded by the most obese cities. I'm sure we fit in. Good food..good fun. I told you that we prefer quality over quantity of life here.
I'm overweight..a little To calculate your desired body weight..add 100 to 5 times the number of inches you are over 5 feet. That's for someone with average frame..indicated by wrist circumference. If large you can add 10-15%. If small you subtract same.
That make my desired body weight about 145. I weighed about 148 this AM..naked.
You can also use a BMI chart.
I'm OK now but may be off the chart by the time sis leaves.
If you look at the horizon in pic #1 you'll see some trees. That's where our north border fence is. The property beyond it is my cousin's.
One weekend day Pa..my friend Ann and I were riding through those woods back there. The woods were real tight. You had to be careful because the horse didn't take into consideration your knee caps hanging off both sides when squeezing thru a narrow space between trees. If you weren't careful..you could lose a knee cap.
The horse also didn't take into consideration that your head was higher than his/her head and you could easily lose your head to a low branch.
Well..we were moseying thru the woods and Pa's dogs were running along side. One of the dogs stirred up a hornets nest and all of a sudden there were hornets flying everywhere. The horses didn't take a cotton to those hornets and started bucking. I took the occasion on one of my horse's upward movements to dismount. When the horse came down..I just moved sideways and landed on my feet on the ground. I hit the ground running..headed out and away from those hornets.
My friend yelled.."what should I do?" I told her.."I'd get off if I were you." Bucking in those tight spaces is bad for all body parts.
Pa's horse rolled with him. Glad I took the occasion to get off. Pa hollered for us to grab our horses. Yeah..sure. Kinda hard to do when I'm running full force away from danger. I yelled back.."every species for himself" and continued to haul ass.
Pa..good sport as he was..went back and gathered up the horses. I think the dogs caught up with us some time later. When ya got hornets chasing your ass..you can easily outrun a dog. Well..I used to be able to.
I keep flashing back with some of the fond memories I have spending time with Pa. Not having to watch him in misery anymore lets those fond memories flood back.
I know he's back on his horse again..doing what he likes to do best.
Even though Pa and mom didn't get along too well later in their lives..he went downhill fast when she left this world. Nothing was the same for me either. Being out there was just too sad for me.
I always thought that it would be hard to lose my mama and it was. I didn't even think I could survive it. Watching her die slowly did make it a little easier to let her go.
We just had another frog strangler come thru here. Dropped over an inch of rain and I just saw on the news that there's a tornado warning just east of here. Since it's past us..we're outta of danger. Glad that the tree house didn't have to deal with a tornado.
Maggie handled the bad weather better than usual. With two of us here she felt more comfortable.
Maybe Maggie was more comfortable with the bad weather because sis was excited about having some lightning and thunder. They get lots of misty rain up her way but no frog stranglers with lightning and thunder.
She said when they have that rare occasion where they have that kind of weather..she drives down to some place in her hood to watch it. When she gets to her viewing area..there's other people already there to do the same thing.
Carol, when my mother died, I wondered if I would ever get over her death. She died Jan 21, '84. It took me years before I could think of her without tearing up.
I hope you don't get any more tornado warnings. I grew up with those and when we are in Ok or Ark. and we get those, I admit I don't pay much attention. I have never seen a tornado, but have had them so close. One hit Little Rock when I lived there, only about 5 miles away. I hit in some old LR neighborhoods. One supermarket there was completely destroyed. It hit during the day and I was at work at the med center and was teaching a class.
Yes Jan..our mothers are darned important. I think the reason I never left here is because of mom. Hell..I know she's the reason. Might even be part of the reason I'm single.
Guilt was a pretty powerful tool for mom. That's why I called her a Jewish mom. I couldn't even take a vacation without her pulling something to try to keep me home but it didn't work there..thank God.
I remember once when I was going skiing. Just as I was leaving for the airport..she casually says.."I think I have a blood clot in my leg..I might be dead before you get back". Gees.
Hey..I'm a nurse..her doing also. There was no swelling in her leg so I knew I was probably safe to get away for at least a week.
One of the reasons mom and sis didn't get along so well is that sis did leave the nest..and her last roost was as far as she could get without falling into the ocean.
I even pondered whether mom developed her cancer to get us to all rally around her. We were busy with our own lives and not out there quite as much..at least I was.
If she did make a deal..it worked. When she first got the cancer I was going out there after work almost everyday. Then..when it got worse..things worked out where I dumped my job and essentially moved out there. She might even have arranged to have all that crap fall on my head that lead to me quitting working for that old bastard doc.
I did get a part time position..actually driving from my house... the opposite way 40 miles.
But mom had twin..nephew and I out there with her most of the time. She was pleased with that. Nephew and I competed in the cooking department but he was 10 times the slob that I was. I ended up getting a little neater just for survival.
Nephew and his mama..twin..left everything they touched or opened right where they opened it. I knew all the ingredients in what nephew cooked because they were all still on the counter..with the lids..and one still stuck to and dripping from the can opener.
If nephew cooked anything with flour or grease..there was a trail of it out to the front yard. I knew before coming in the house what was for supper.
Another thing..nephew sat in a chair in the living room..near where mama's bed was. That was his perch. That chair was surrounded by just about everything he needed for survival. Most of the dishes he ate and drank from where there too.
I held out picking them up until I ran out of glasses and plates in the kitchen. I understood him because as a kid..I kept of few of those things under my bed. Only thing was..nephew wasn't a kid anymore but he was still mama's baby boy.
Mom insisted on having a beef hotlink..sliced tomatoes..and cottage cheese for lunch just about everyday. I'd mentioned before that nephew and I would compete over who could make the most creative presentation of that fare.
It doesn't sound like a meal that would lend itself to much creativity but it did. We could even use the way we added some mustard to the plate for effect. Should have done a picture book on the subject.
It was also the first time Pa and I locked horns. When he came in from his work in the evening..he got his paper and sat down at the counter bar in the middle of the kitchen. Under that chair was a pile of dirt that came off his boots.
He'd read the paper and wait for his dinner to be served. We'd get him his water..his silver..then put his plate down in front of him. After he ate..we picked up his plate.
Near the end..when I was totally exhausted from taking care of the fly..driving home to take care of my house..driving 60 miles the other way to work several times a week..I tried to get Pa to just serve his own plate. All he had to do was turn around on his stool and rake the food from the pots on the stove into his plate..not a complicated task.
At that point I was getting as stubborn as he was. He resisted and I held out. He beat me at the stubborn game. He refused to do it and just drove down to the fast stop burger joint and got a hamburger. Now that's stubborn. All that driving to avoid a little turn of his stool and a little raking???
Mom..who so often took me for granted..really learned to appreciate me. She's watch me running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. She saw how exhausted I was. She wasn't talking much by then. I think she did that on purpose because she could be mean at times and she didn't want to run anyone off.
Mom thanked me for everything I did. And sometimes.. when she was watching me..she'd say..you're a good girl Carol. That may have been the only thing she said all day. It meant a lot to me.
This blog has made a good place for therapy. And it's a whole lot cheaper.
I talked to Jan yesterday. Sis and I were driving all around town looking for a DVD of the 1st season of Downton Abbey. We found the 2nd season but thought that it may be important to start with season one. Never did find it.
I called Jan to ask if she thought it was real important to start with the 1st season. She said she didn't.
I also told Jan that I used the blog for therapy. Even if y'all didn't have anything else to say that day..one of you needed to act like a therapist and say..."yes..go on."
Carol, You are a good daughter. I love that your mom told you often that "you are a good girl." I know she must have really appreciated all you did for her that year.
I did not understand what you were saying about "twin"
Well..I went to bed fairly early..before The Daily Show came on but woke up a few minutes ago. It's this dang cough. I have bronchitis or sinusitis or something..probably from too many life changes all in a short time.
It involves a croupy cough and stuff running down the back of my throat..trying to drown me. I have to cough to keep it from drowning me.
I'm doing all the holistic stuff..the sinus douches..vitamin C..some organic hot tea drink..got that from the vitamin store that sis has gone to almost every other day. Also my steroid nasal spray. That's where big pharm meets holistic.
Somewhere in my nursing education I was taught that I was suppose to be non-judgmental. Hey..maybe it was in Sunday school. I'm quite sure there was content about that in Sunday school.
Well..I failed that concept. Sorry..I do try but fall short. I often don't even try with this job especially when I think I need to be stressing some life changes that may put some of my peeps on a better path.
But sometimes..I'm just being a little snitty. Maybe I'm having a bad day or maybe I'm actually pissed off at the crime. I was yesterday. I was also not feeling too good with this croup I have.
I started my clinic with the women..I've already told you that they aren't my favs. There were 8 of them. I know it's going to be a tough day when I start out with 8 women.
Again..all of these women were white..and looked like sorority girls. It's gets me confused. I wonder if I'm back teaching again.
One of my women had an accent. I asked.."where are you from". She said "Russia." She spoke pretty good English..better than me..as you can see.
She was a Fed and they don't list the crime on the rap sheet. They can be a killer and I wouldn't know. I don't like that.
Not even the security people... who bring them in.. know. I guess if it is really serious they'd put something on to suggest that???
Actually once I had this young guy who killed his best friend and tried to kill another one. Nothing on his sheet to suggest that. Just said Federal detainer. I asked him..he told me..I passed it on.
Oh..the reason he did it is because he smoked that fake pot stuff. Just woke up and bludgeoned his best friend in the head. Then tried to do same to another friend. He was contrite. He was also recently out from one of the wars. Maybe similar to that guy who went nuts and killed those people in Afghanistan. Maybe he smoked some of that shit.
Well..I got off my original subject. Happens alot. Back to my Russian girl. I asked why she was in jail. It was something that involved stealing money and also involved her boyfriend and also involved $40 thou.
I got kinda pissed and made a comment that I didn't think that was exactly what we meant when we let people into our country to chase the American dream. I said it for all of us Americans.
I saw one of my nurses..who was ease dropping..smile. A little of me felt bad about saying it..not!
Carol, RSV is going around and is especially hard on people with suppressed immune systems. You have or are getting bronchitis too. You better take it easy. Be careful with taking OTC's. I suggest lots of warm liquids and ibuprofen to ease symptoms. You probably should not be at work. Highly contagious. A lot of our little kids in our child care centers are out with it right now. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
Went to work with very little sleep. I figured out this evening, after playing the Daily Show and Colbert for sis, that I saw both of them. That meant that I was still awake at 11p. I woke up in a coughing frenzy at about 1:30 and didn't get back to sleep until after 2:30 and then only because I sat straight up against the wall.
I took an antihistmine..the drowsy kind.. but still couldn't recline without a flood going down the back of my throat. I did OK when I sat up so I propped my pillows against the wall and finally fell asleep.
Sis woke me up at 5:15. She heard my alarm going off. I must have been knocking it off without waking up. After the 3rd time, sis came into the room. She thought I was awake since I was sitting straight up. She was wrong..I was in a sitting coma. She did wake me up.
That means I got about 4 and 3/4 hours a sleep..probably about par for the last month.
Yes Jan..it's bronchitis. I think it is allergy induced. We've had so much rain that we probably are loaded with mold spores. I think I have a problem with them.
Carol, sorry you have this. I had it or something like it a couple of months ago. the coughing was the worst. what finally helped my coughing was vicks vaporub. I put it on my chest and throat and warmed some washcloths or small towels and put over the vicks. I read somewhere where putting vicks on your feet helps too. Also, make yourself some hot tea.
I musta not been the only one feeling crappy today since almost all the nurses were cranky.
This afternoon we had a young black woman cause a serious ruckus. She was trying to manipulate. I'm sure with the kind of behavior she displayed..she has been very successful in the past in manipulating people... most likely her family.
She had been sitting out with some other women in the waiting room and just started going off. It started with crying but the more attention she attracted..the worse she got.
She had several security guard's and our psych director's attention when I went out to check on her. When I got there..her behavior escalated. She was trying to get another phone call to terrorize her mom into bailing her out.
She was acting so out of control that security had to restrain her in a restraint chair for her own and everyone else's protection. Four good sized guards were having trouble getting her strapped in the chair. She was worse than a bucking bronco.
I was trying to talk to her but standing behind one of the guards..who wasn't involved in trying to restrain her. I just had a bad feeling.
When I thought they had her secured in the chair, I moved out from behind the guard. Just when I did..she got one hand and a leg out of the restraints and threw a karate kick at me. It came within 4 inches of striking me. If she would have made contact..she would have cut me in half.
The entire show was just a manipulation to get another phone call to her mom. The psych director did get in touch with her mom to find out if she was going to bail her out. We were all praying she was. If it wasn't illegal..I'd have paid to get her out. Would have been well worth it.
Her mom said she was trying to get the money together. Shortly after the psych director told the wild woman what her mom said..she calmed down and promised to behave.
BTW..she is a 20y/o woman. She goes to some technical school and said she was close to getting some certificate in accounting. She wasn't crazy..just a..too old to be.. mega-brat.
I had told sis to pick me up at 3 and by the time that young woman settled down..it was almost 3:30. I was finished by then and oozed out of the building. Phew.
I'll have to give it to our security guys today. They used some powerful restraint not to have tased or pepper sprayed that woman. She was begging for it and she was in total control of her outrageous behavior. Good thing they don't let me carry spray. She might have been hot and spicy if they did.
Sis has been watching Downton Abbey. She watches one episode each night. I haven't really paid much attention to it. It does make nice background noise..usually what I have TV on for anyway..90% of the time.
I did perk up when one character mentioned he had mitral valve prolapse. I asked sis what time period were they in. She said it was around 1916. My guess was that that pathology of the mitral valve probably wasn't identified until much later. Wasn't sure.
I looked it up in Wiki..and sure enough.."The condition was first described by John Brereton Barlow in 1966" I guess they didn't fact check the show.
yes, I had trouble laying down. I had to prop myself up on 2 pillows. I did not sleep very well when I had it.
I also heard one character say something that was a contemporary saying. Someone should have picked up this stuff. I do not remember who has the valve prolapse.
Carol, your job some pretty high risks. I worked part time in a private psych/addiction hospital while in Austin. We had some training in how to handle hi risk situations. Do you get any training like that.
I don't know about you guys but I am having a hard time getting used to the time change. I have been sleepy all day. I did an orientation for a group of nurs students at Early Head Start today and they were yawning to beat the band. I let them go early.
We have the little white dog this week. Her family is in Colo. visiting the GD in hosp - and GS with 2 babies. Little dog does not like to out to pee or poop alone. She wants someone to go with her. I don't like to just stand out back, so I take her for walks for her to do her business. We just got back from a walk.
Guess what? Guess who? Woke up choking. It's almost been 4 hours.
Jan.. seems I remember you having this every year. I haven't in years. Last time I did..it was like an after affect of having had the flu. Can't remember how long ago that's been. Think that could have been back in the early 90 or before.
I didn't have the flu. Now there are others who I work with that get this stuff quite often. Not me.
There are some raunchy commercials on at this wee hour.
Jan..I've always been hard on the media when they try to insult my intelligence. I know that very few people would even catch some of that kind of stuff. I just so happen to look up from my computer when this guy said "I have mitral valve prolapse and have a pan systolic murmur." May not be an exact quote.
I asked sis..is he a cardiologist or something? First of all..no one who wasn't a cardiologist would even talk that way. Come on now..."a pan systolic murmur?" I taught physical assessment for 20 years and wouldn't use that kind of lingo.
There have been some fun bills introduced by female congresswoman involving Viagra. Something even called the "spilled sperm amendment." Things are getting sad but entertaining.
When I got home this afternoon..I called back to the joint. I wanted to thank one of the supervisors for his calm control of the situation today.
He used to work on the other side. He changed shifts and I hadn't worked around him in a while. He's a very quiet guy but takes control.
I had the guy's dad as a prof in undergrad school..I think in microbiology. You might have also. That was many moons ago. Interesting how life goes around.
Several years back..he left to go work for a contractor supplying muscle in Iraq. I think his wife wanted him to do that for the big money. I remember telling him that I thought it would be too much sh-- for a nickel..to keep his head down. He didn't last very long over there..it was too much sh-- for a nickel.
I just made and drank a cup of coffee. I feel better. You may think that's crazy..drinking coffee at 2:30 AM when you can't sleep but coffee has caffeine and caffeine has a substance similar to theophylline..which helps to dilate the bronchus. Tea does also..maybe more.
What I learned having to teach pathophysiology has been very useful..in many different ways.
My physical assessment and pathophysiology knowledge..that came from years of teaching both..have provided me with the very best data base for my NP career.
Most medical people just learned it for the test. It went bye bye shortly after. I had to teach it for years.. so that that knowledge is embedded in my DNA.
I need a nap. I don't have time for a nap..usually not until around 8..then it's too late.
Have an appointment with the bookkeeper today after work..in Pa's hometown. Maybe sis can drive and I can catch a 30 minutes nap? At least I'll be sitting up.
With all the coughing..it's really impossible to get more sleep than I'm getting. I haven't had a nap or more than about 4-5 hours of sleep since sis got here.
I'm taking Friday and Monday off so I can make optimal use of sis before she leaves on Tuesday.
I have had bronchitis most years since I have been here. It is no accident. I work with little kids and students who come to class sick because they have little kids and Carol you know how nursing school is - if you miss more than one clinical experience here, you can actually fail the course. I did not have bronchitis often before I moved here. When I was director of the ADN program, I seldom was sick.
Sorry to hear that you are still under the weather Carol...not sure what your cough is from...hope it clears up...but you do know there is something you can cut out that will certainly help (but I won't harp on it...you know full well what it is)....
try to get some rest while sis is still around to help out...
At this time of the year the post nasal drip seasonal changes start for me...
but can't complain since we have had 3 sensational days in a row.. high 60s, sunny, little breeze...
Spring just suddenly popped...so much so that the forest creatures noises started just when the warm weather came & it is so loud...sounds like a jungle out there, everything is waking up...have no idea what the creatures are, I say its tree frogs? & it will be so loud for a couple of weeks, then quiet comes back...
I took all the driveway reflectors down this week...no snow in sight...next I have to open the outside water so I can wash the cars...
OMG - the hometown boy from Westlake LA just sang "when a man loves a woman" and it brought tears to my eyes and goosebumps all over. He is incredible. He had the judges on their feet half-way through and Jennifer kept saying "wow" "wow" I love this boy.
I just voted online for my favs on AI. It was so much easier than on the phone. I just went to google and typed in americanidol.com and each contestant came up and voting is so much easier. One can only vote 50 times.
Carol, you can vote for your homey and don't have to have numbers - when you go into americanidol.com they show the names and pics and you just click on the one you want and they tell you what to do.
Coreen..many at work..both sides of the bars..have something similar to what I have. My stress overload/life change events have made me more vulnerable. Lack of sleep doesn't help.
Jan..I'll be tuning into AI next week when I don't have company. And I think our DWTS starts Monday. I'll have to tape it. Sis leaves Tuesday..then I'll be back to my routine.
And Coreen..most of this is post nasal drip but more like post nasal waterfall. I feel like my sinuses are hooked up to a hose. If I didn't cough..I'd drown.
It really started last week when I was in Houston and kept getting worse. It's only been about 6 days but seems like weeks.
OK this is ridiculous. I can't lay down without drowning..even the slightest tilt back and I gurgle. I can't sleep sitting straight up.
I got tired enough where I tried to lay down and breath thru fluid but I can't do it. The sinus rinses..the steroid nasal sprays..teas..antihistamines and nada.
This really isn't bronchitis..it's in my sinuses. All I have to do to stop the cough..is to sit straight up..even lean forward a little. You would think that sitting up would make it drain more but nooo.
I look like a zombie! I need my sleep.
A cough suppressant wouldn't help..it would only let me drown. I Googled the symptoms and many have the same problem and most haven't found anything to help.
This stuff is not infected looking..it's nice and clear and copious.
One person suggested taking 4 immodium every 4 hours. Said that it could dry up your sinuses like drying up diarrhea. Yeah..and then use dynamite to open your colon later. No thanks. The antihistamine is bad enough for that.
Maybe pseudoephedrine would work but it makes my heart race and I've had several people who got arrested just buying the stuff. I'm sure it was not just one box but some insist that it was. The stuff is used to make meth. And they do watch people who buy it.
Well..I'm not going to work today. I can't function doing important things with just a couple hours of sleep but....I think I may have a clue to what may have started this.
I try to pay attention to little signs from the Universe. Yesterday..I was telling my pharmacist/buddy about this crazy waterfall going on and what all I've tried. I mentioned teas. She asked if I was drinking any Chamomile tea. I said yes. She said to stop..some people have problems with it.
I guess that didn't really hit home with me at the time. I was drinking that tea for about 2 weeks every night..religiously and stopped maybe Friday. This started around then.
This morning I remembered what my pharmacist told me. I looked it up and low and behold..Chamomile is a member of the ragweed family and can be highly allergic in some people. And..when I've had bad problems with allergies in the past..it was in the fall..ragweed season.
When I was younger..I'd end up getting sick almost every year with some serious sinusitis. I'd end up going to a doc..who finally said that I was coming in the same time every year. I didn't realize it.
A friend of mine texted me that another friend..who I worked with for year..died. She didn't know the lady but heard me talk of her. She always reads the obit. I don't.
I was sad. I looked at the obits in the online paper. It was another woman with her exact same name. Phew.
Jan..I just finished watching Joshua on Youtube. I agree he is very good and love that he's my close to hometown boy but I don't think he's the best that's ever been on AI like the judges said.
I don't know his personality like you guys do..just watched a couple of his singing videos.. so there may be some charisma that is influencing your opinion that I'm missing. His voice has a little of a screaming quality that turns me off.. just a little. I'll still vote for him.
Heard that his hometown..a small town across the bridge..got together in a big church in town to watch him. They put him on a big screen.
Carol, I don't think Joshua's church is pentecostal. There are many smaller churches that use names like his. Pentecostal is a pretty large group and they only call themselves Pentecostal.
I don't know why Joshua's voice appeals to me but it does. Unfortunately, 3 girls were in the bottom three. I don't know if a girl has a chance on AI any more.
Jan.. it's not made out of ragweed..it's in the ragweed family.
It does seem to be an extreme allergy and I'm not sure what else I might be allergic to. I am grabbing at straws here.
Just choked myself awake. I found this neat large bolster thing I bought for my quest room for reading. Sis reminded me of it. I can sit straight up with it.
I think I might have gotten a little over 4 hours of sleep. That's progress...double the night before. Not enough though.
Jan...the reason I though Penticostal is because when I Google that church name..one of them... in Georgia had Penticostal in the name. ie "House of Prayer Pentecostal Holiness Church - Midtown, GA Patch"
Yes..the fact that they were watching Joshua on a big screen TV did throw me off because usually.. around my neck of the woods..the Pentecostals don't watch TV. Maybe they make exceptions for the preacher's son.
Yesterday sis and I did some working on Pa's succession stuff. Spent a good bit of time in the courthouse records. I have to inventory an entire farm...in my spare time mind you. That's another full time job. It's been great to have sis to help but what in the hell am I going to do when she leaves???..in 4 days.
It's 82 years of a man's life and his wife..mom's..to a certain extent also.
I was the executrix of mom's estate..most of it was tied up with usufruct to Pa..thank God.. and recently I was reminded that I divided up an entire 1100 acre farm for three families. I was the trustee for that also. I guess I blanked that out of my memory. It seemed like a previous life. No one else gave me credit for that shit either..but ya think that at least I would have remembered that.
I think one of the reasons I never moved anywhere is because I didn't even want to try to go thru all my crap.
I should have an honorary degree in executrixology...but I..CRS. You ever heard of that? can't remember sh--. I guess we repress what was seriously stressful in our lives.
Actually it was because everyone else didn't want to do it so they just let dumbass Carol do it. And I probably thought that I would be better at it.
Most of my life I was already working at least a job and a half and going to grad school also. Can you understand why I needed to be hyperthyroid?? I think that problem may be back also and one of the reasons I'm not sleeping..don't have time to stop my mind from running 24/7. Sis is my secretary right now. She's good at it..but secretary is taking a LOA.
And do you know what Carol got for all that extra work??? Nada..except a big pain in the ass and everyone involved on my ass. So anyone reading this shi- lay off..I'm peddling as fast as I can.
I had my appointment with the podiatrist yesterday..to help me figure out why I'm still crippled. I'm also still having to crip race.
I've known of this doc for years but never met him. Many of my peeps..nurses at work..use him.
When he first came into the examining room..he smiled real big and said.."thanks for all you have done to help people with diabetes with their feet."
He knew that I had ran that diabetes center years back. And he was appreciative of my efforts to help save people's feet.
He took xrays of both feet and one of those fractures..the one in the area of his expertise..is still broken. I wonder why? Might it be that I have been crip racing on it???
The pain I have that keeps me cripping is because a nerve involved spreads out thru out the bottom of my foot. The other pains..where I don't have fractures..is because of the crip racing.
He liked my new tennis show selection but he said that that one is better for off road travel. I need a different shoe for the regular stuff. He gave me a number of the shoe. He also gave me an insert to put in them. He said.."Merry Christmas" Wasn't sure why..thought maybe I missed Christmas in all my rushing.
What he meant is that he was giving me that ortho insert for FREE. It was his way of showing his appreciation for my past work. He didn't even know me. Dang..finally someone is. That was very special!
He was a very neat guy! He told me that when he was going to school that he had a similar fracture that took forever to heal.
Today..I'm still off. Oh. I'm still running things at work from my Iphony.
We have to go back to the courthouse. Something doesn't add up. I also lost an old folder of my stuff for mom. It has to be at either the lawyer's or the CPA's. Secretary has things too organized for it to be lost here.
I haven't even done my income tax stuff yet. My CPA wants it by now! Well..he's also the CPA who is doing this other stuff so I hope he's patient.
Rumor has it..in the town where Pa lived..that he was worth a fortune. That just goes to show ya how much they really knew about my Pa. He acquired stuff but was usually cash poor. I had to give him loans..from my pitiful salary..to get them by at times.
I saw his income tax returns over the years. They were always in the RED..seriously in the red! The only thing that got him by was those government crop deficiency programs. As far as the family farmer..those programs are a lifesaver. Maybe now..for those farm corps..they are a waste.
I asked him why he continued to farm when he lost so much money every year. He said he didn't know what else to do. It was the only thing he knew..and he really loved it.
Some of the young farmers finally quit their family farms and went to work for industry. Industry couldn't find better workers. Those farm boys worked from sun up to past sun down.. like slaves. They had a strong work ethic like Pa did. The old farmers..like Pa..are a dying breed..and now they have one less.
I even turned most..if not all.. of my cow checks back over to Pa because I knew he needed them more than I did. He brought me the check and I wrote him one. His horses were mostly my horses.
Every time I bought a new riding lawnmower..I gave him my old broken one. He fixed them and still has them. He..and his side kick H..could fix them up and keep them running for years. All the equipment that Pa had or still has..are antiques. Most he sold off for salvage. He told me that all that stuff that didn't run anymore..rusting out in the fields.. was his retirement program.
Ya know..everyone made money from farmers..except the farmer himself. The banks..the equipment sellers..the feed people..the middlemen in the food markets..everyone..but the farmer.
I wanted to organize farmers. I'd sit with Pa and discuss how the farmers should all form a union and demand their fair share. It was a pipe dream.
One year..back when Pat Buchanan was running for president..he came out to the small town where Pa lived. He was visiting a family farm.
There was a reporter from The Economist traveling with Buchanan. Pa was talking to him. Pa told him how many cows he would have to sell to buy a new pickup. He compared it to how many cows he would have had to sell years back to buy a pickup. It was considerably more.
What was really spooky is..my niece..living up in Seattle..picked up that magazine on one of her commutes to work. She was working for Microsoft back then and had a long commute.
She read that article and saw the name of the town where Pa lived and saw his name. She called to tell him about it. He had that magazine laying around the house for years.
Coreen..didn't Craig C have some connection with The Economist for a while?? Yep..just looked and there was a connection between CQ and the Economist. Interesting connections!
I looked online to see if I could access the archives of the Economist magazine. It think it would have been in 2000..not sure. Pat B was running as a Reform Party candidate back then. I couldn't get in without paying. Maybe Craig can???
And Pa never met a field that he didn't want to cultivate. If it had trees on it..it was useless to him. He took pride in cleaning up our property...getting all the scrub bush off..including those pesky tallow trees. They can take over property in a New York minute.
Tallow trees..."This species is considered to be a noxious invader in parts of the southern U.S" (Wiki)
They are a pretty useless tree except for the color they produced when the leaves turn in the fall. Those leaves are beautiful then.
Ya know I told you that mom and Pa didn't get along well in the end. Mom did have an excuse..she had lots of tumors..secreting lots of cortisone. Probably had them for years. I think some of her best moments came in her dying. I watched her and I studied her. She was courageous. Way tougher than me.
Pa had an excuse also..he was an Aspergers. Not a good combination. I loved them both. They both needed me.
Mom wanted to divorce Pa but I talked her out of it. It was selfish of me..but she was not going to live for long and I couldn't see me trying to take care of them both in different places. I think she did understand that. Hope so. I was there for her until the end.
I pretty much left my job to be there. Only worked part time. It worked out because I left that old bastard Doc. I wondered why I had to deal with all that shit at the same time but it but God musta had that as part of the plan.
I wasn't as there for Pa at the end. God didn't work that one out. I had the very hardest job of my life. I told him that. And I did/do need the money. Couldn't retire yet. I do realize that everything does work for a purpose.
Pa and I did lock horns some toward the end. I think he just might have seen me as my mom. I never wanted to see him in that nursing home. You guys know that. I got him in that fine fancy assisted living place but he ruined that.
I really tried to rescue him. He made that impossible. I kept warning him..please don't make me do this! He would almost smile at that. Don't understand it. It was like he was creating a certain karma for himself and I couldn't do anything about it. I wasn't the one who moved him to the nursing home. His doc ordered that.
At the very end..he willed himself to die..like an old Indian. Yes..he did. I saw the soul of an old Indian lying the that bed..dying. He was at peace. I sometimes even wonder if God broke my foot so I couldn't spend as much time watching it happen. You know I always try to analyze why things happen.
Jan..recently mom has visited me in my dreams. Well not real recent..haven't had enough sleep to have any.
When she did visit..she was at an age where she was the happiest and the prettiest. Ole Sylvia Brown said that when we are in heaven we are at a good age...the best age.
They weren't long visits and usually we were going to do some shopping she liked to do or some cooking. They were nice dreams.
My mother was "Assembly of God" when I was very young - I think until I was about 8 or 9 years old. The preacher's wife came to her to get her hair done. Before my mom left the church, the pastor came to my mom's shop and told her she was going to have to close it as her work did not fit the church's dogma (those are not his exact words- except for "closing" the shop. My mother cried and cried because my mom and dad both needed to work to keep food on the table. My dad was Baptist, so after that we all went to the Baptist church. I don't have much use for fundamentalist churches.
I think I hit 6 hours guys..before I coughed myself awake. SIX HOURS. Woo hoo.
What's weird is that I can continue to function on these low hours of sleep.
I was driving home from our outing last night and noticed I would intermittently lose orientation of where we were at. The road would be unfamiliar just for a few seconds. Just moments. But I was aware of it. That's a good thing.
It was night time on the Interstate so that makes it less clear where you are. I'd be more worried if I were on a regular city road and it felt unfamiliar.
Remember the scene in On Golden Pond where the dad..Henry Fonda.. got lost on one of his walks. He came home in a frenzy..all shook up. That's something that scares me. But...my memory beats the hell outta anyone else I know. Huh Coreen??
Yesterday..no matter where I went..I kept running into nurses I know. But..I wasn't sure where from. I do have that problem..always have.
I see so many people..and sometimes I don't want to know where I know them from. As long as I find out they are nurses..I'm safe. Not as likely to be someone from the joint but not always the case. We do have some medical people who come thru.
There is this one medical person that I've been dreading coming back to jail. He's out on bond..big bond. He's a GYN and charged with taking thousands of twat shots of his patient's.
I used him for a Gyn years ago. He may have a shot of my twat in one of his computers but I certainly couldn't identify it. Never really met it. Couldn't identify it in a line up. We never got that acquainted.
Do you think YOU could identify your own twat in a line up?? Maybe Jan could. She's more of a twat expert. Me...I tend to avoid twats.
I'm a family NP. That means I can take care of just about everyone..if I HAVE to. When I worked for that old Doc. I'll call him Doc...the old bastard. I occasionally had to do a pap smear..that is if I couldn't fake having a seizure.
Well this poor lady needed one. I didn't do them often enough to get real comfortable with the equipment. You know those duck bill thingies..they call them speculum. I WAS more comfortable with the metal ones but hardly anyone used them anymore..they used the plastic throw away ones. The ends of those things are kinda sharp.
It takes skill to operate those specula. There are several directions in which they open. Do it wrong and you're in a world of trouble.
Well..I've got the specula..however you spell it..in this lady's vagina. I do the pap smear and now I have to get that thing out. I had opened it where the end.. close to her cervix.. was wide but the end.. close to me.. wasn't. . You might have to be familiar with those things to understand what I'm talking about.
Let me tell you that the way I had it opened..it didn't want to come out. It created a vacuum. All I had to do..I finally learned.. is to open my end a little wider and it would break that vacuum and would slip out easy.
But at the time...I couldn't budge that thing. It was open over her cervix and I couldn't close that end without clipping off the end of her cervix. I couldn't back it up because of a vacuum. I was sweating bullets. I was thinking that I would have to tell that lady that she would have to wear that damn thing home. She was a pretty cool lady and would probably have done it for me.
I did finally get it out..thank God..but I think she might have been bleeding..just a tad. Phew.
From that point on..I had an anxiety attack if I had to do a pap smear. Rather take a beating. Really. But I never forgot that I had to make the entire speculum wide to slip it out easy. Hey..I'm sweating a little now just remembering the episode.
I hate to disillusion you people but at times..the medical profs at the other end of any of that equipment..is inexperienced. You have to start somewhere. I did a lot of praying over the years..that I didn't screw up.
When I was working ER..my first NP job..I did some suturing that I thought should have been done by a plastic surgeon. They would look at me and say..you do it. I did a good job though. I was patient. I got on my magnifying glasses..got real comfortable..and slowly did my sewing things up. I seemed to be a natural at it. I watched other Docs..usually men.. really mess it up.
At times..I had to even rehydrate lips just to be able to put them back together. Usually you never saw the results of your suturing but I did get to at times. Couldn't even tell there had been a laceration. Must have been all the praying I was doing. Thank you God.
I bet you are great at suturing. I had a dream about you doing some suturing a year or so ago. Wish I could remember the details. I will have to look back at the recordings of my dreams and see if I can find it.
Rut rho..maybe he wasn't giving me a tour of my girlie parts..he may have been narrating his video. Well..as long as my face wasn't in the video.
When I went to the GYN..I would pretend I was somewhere else. I'd shut off all other senses. I hated it.
It's been a while since my last exam and my last GYN doc was an old boyfriend. Did you know Stan..the man? I met him thru Katie. I dated him when he was going to med school and I was going to grad school. You must have known him.
I dumped him when he went on a canoe trip with Katie and her sis and brother in law. I was suppose to go but mom was scheduled for a hysterectomy. I was pissed that he went without me. I saw him a couple of times after but each of us were busy with our lives..him in New Orleans..me in Houston.
It doesn't take much for me to feel betrayed. Dump them before they ever have a chance to dump me.
I didn't use him as a GYN until much later. He married an LPN. Got her pregnant.
Sis and I are going to met a cousin that neither of us have seen in years. We're meeting at a seafood restauant down the road. Catch ya later alligator.
Jan..our alma mater..my hometown girls basketball team played in the NCAA college tournament this afternoon. They were seeded 15 playing #2 Kentucky and only lost by 6 points. You would have been proud. I was.
Carol, do you mean McNeese girls BB team. Cool! I am proud. New Mexico men playing Louisville right now. They are ahead too. They are playing in Portland Ore.
Last night's dinner was sooo much fun. I laughed so much. Sis called one of our cousins who I can't remember having seen in many moons. They talked and arranged for us all to meet for dinner last night. Cousin and her husband live about an hour from here.
The last time I'd seen this cousin was at mom's funeral but that was like a bad dream. I was still in shock at that time.
All of our family..aunts..uncles..cousins were so close when we were young... like we were all just one family. I flashed on those good memories last night.
That closeness didn't last. Some family disputes split us apart over the years.
N was the only one who..at least.. sis kept up with all these years.
Well..we did a lot of catching up last night. We covered decades of the good..the bad..and the ugly.
This particular cousin was... IMO.. the most gentle..sensitive..and kind member of our entire family. We found out last night that she had a pacemaker/defibrillator put in a while back.
From what she told me..I couldn't really figure out why she needed that device but now..thinking about it..I realize that she suffered the most heart break over the years so that's probably why she needed one of those devices. It's interesting.
Today..sis's last weekend here for a while..we are going to BBQ baby backs. Twin and one of my friends are coming over. I made my BBQ sauce last night. It has to have time for the flavors to marry.
I haven't BBQed in a while now. The last time is probably documented here but I can't remember when it last was.
My old Old Smokey bit the dust. It's still sitting out on the cement deck but I noticed that the bottom had fallen out. I bought a new one at Wally World the other day.
I told you that I had been looking for this folder of stuff sis and I gathered together since mom died. Everything was in that folder..including my copy of her succession.
I looked for that folder and couldn't find it anywhere. Sis has all my paperwork organized and it wasn't part of it. I last remembered having seen the folder either at the lawyer's office or at the CPA's office but I was sure I didn't leave it at either place. I called both and neither one had it.
I also had it in my living room but couldn't find it there. Sometimes I do shove it under the couch I sit on but I looked really good under there. I was close to panicky about where it could be.
When I lose something important I pray to St Anthony. It always works. I did it several times. It wasn't working this time.
Now..for how this relates to the BBQ pit. I was putting together the new BBQ pit last night in the living room. I was down to the last screw. The darn screw got away from me and rolled off under the couch. Trying to find it..I had to move a couch away. Low and behold..there was that folder I'd been looking for. It was shoved in the corner under the couch and seemed invisible. I had looked under there several times.
If I hadn't dropped that screw..I don't think I would have found that folder for a long time.
Guys...I'm sitting here in severe sleep deprivation.. catching a congested breath..wondering why I thought it was a good idea to BBQ today??? I've lost my effing mind! Time for the guys in the white coats to come for me.
I guess I wanted some BBQ and tater salad but forgot I'm the one who has to do it. That tater salad by itself is a lot of work. It's easier to cook most meals than it is to make that tater salad.
Everyone else who is attending is retired/and or leaving me.
Oh..I'm delegating today. I sent sis to the house to get clothes out of the dryer..feed the cats..to Wally World for stuff we forgot..including some bone in and skin on chicken. I don't even care much for baby backs..too rich. Everyone else loves them.
She also cut up some celery and pickles for the tater salad.
Well..dinner was a success. I was too tired to eat. I'm sitting on the couch..alone..in the living room. Sis and Tomato woman are outside visiting. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet. I can actually lean against the back of the couch without drowning myself today.
I'm just wondering if all that saline sinus douching was causing some of that. I didn't do it at all today.
Twin came late and left early. I sent her home with lots of food. Sis can only eat so much and I haven't had much of an apetite. I'll send a bunch home with TW.
One of the things that has been fun about having sis here is that we have hit a good many of the eating out places around. I don't have anyone to do that with.
It's a very nice day outside..78..feels like 80 but a nice breeze. New Old Smokey got a good workout.
We had little white fluffy dog-cece for the entire week. I have enjoyed her. She is a sweetie, but very needy. She follows me everywhere. I started closing the bathroom door. I really don't like company in the BR. She also wants me to pet her everytime I sit down. She does not sleep in the bedroom with us. John has asthma and he has to use an inhaler when she is here. She is 1/2 poodle and 1/2 bijon. I have heard that poodles do not cause allergies - don't believe it. They do. I have had to take claritin 2X a day since she has been here.
We are going to #1 son's house for dinner tonight. His b'day is tomorrow. Hard to believe I had him 52 years ago. His wife is a doll. She just got back from Montana. Her mom has CA and not doing well. It has metasticized. I told DIL we would like to take them out for dinner, but she said her sons want a home-cooked meal (her home cooked meal). They are good boys but a little spoiled (22 and 26 years old.
I did retire 2 years ago, but I like working a little bit. We could do without the extra money, but I just like staying involved. Maybe I am a little bit nuts.
I don't understand about this sleeping problem. I got about an hour..woke up and then went right back to sleep and slept another 4 and a half hours. Woke up. That's all I wanted. I wasn't disappointed that I woke up. I am ready to wake up. Not ready to get up and go to work..but just wake up and come here. Talk to you guys.
Sometimes I'm exhausted and want more sleep and sometimes I don't want to waste any of my day sleeping. I do worry about those articles I see about the dangers of not enough sleep. I don't read them..just the headlines. Maybe I'm OK as long as I don't believe them. That's sis and my theory. We are what we believe.
I have been on a high since sis got here. Really enjoyed the company. That's not real normal for us. All three of us sisters are a little on the controlling side. We are all used to getting our way. Twin and I have been single and have no one to answer to. Sis pretty much acted single as far as listening to anyone else. Just MHO. She would argue.
I think that I'm a little more flexible than my other sis's. They would argue about that also. We also like to argue. A family tradition that goes way back. I remember listening to the old folks in the family argue. If they started to agree..they switched sides and got right back into it. It's in our DNA. We can't help it.
I liked to argue from an early age. I can even remember when mom and dad had friends over. I was just a kid. I remember one of their friends who was very obnoxious. I know my parents thought so too. I would even argue with this guy until daddy threw me outta the room. That was because I was winning.
I also remember this one guy my parents knew. He would help me with my math homework. Don't remember the details but I overheard him tell my parents that I was very intelligent. That was a shock. I was under the impression that maybe twin and I were semi retarded. We didn't do well in grade school.
Well..like I was saying..I think that I'm more flexible than my sisters. And like I said..they would argue about that.
The evidence to support my argument is that I was kinda..a little..of the favorite of all three of my parents. I used to think that it was my wonderful personality that made me their favorites. But then I realized that it was only because each of my parents could control me to a certain extent. I was more of an ass kisser. I wanted to please them more. It was work...but they did appreciate it.
Each of my other sisters had a way of putting on the brakes when any of the three of our parents wanted to control them. Pa never really did try to control sis or twin. He really didn't try to control me but I wanted to please him also.
Another support of the argument. Our parents expected us all to go to college. Sis went because it was her sincere desire to go. Twin went but dropped out because that was her desire. Me..I went..but didn't really want to. I went to please mom and dad. And I went into nursing to please mom. I am certainly glad that I did go. Sometimes ass kissing does have it's benefits.
Another ponder..I'm wondering if I have a tad of bipolar disorder. As you may have noticed..Coreen has..that I went from extremely depressed before the holidays to pretty elated after sis got here. I noticed also. I also needed more sleep when I was depressed to very little now.
Sis and I went out to our farm yesterday afternoon...the one in the pics here. It was very nice out there. If I were younger..I wouldn't want to get rid of that property but now I can't enjoy it anymore. It does represent lots of good memories for me. Weird thing is..those memories as all with Pa..not the family who actually owned the property. Pa and I rode that range so often..and worked cows.
I remember one time we were out there with the horses on a weekend. We were just out there to ride and look around. Check the cows. We were sitting in his truck..and up came this horrible thunder and lightning storm. I even had a video camera with me.
Pa had a regular sized cab..not a king cab on this truck. He had no use for a king cab. It would get in his way.
With no king cab..we were closely surrounded my windows. That lightning was streaking to the ground..all over. I was petrified. Pa was laughing at me. I couldn't even move to video it. My arms would not move.
The horse were bucking in the trailer. They were scared also. Their bucking was shaking the truck.
Pa just didn't get scared. He'd stay out on a tractor in the lightning. That scared us all. He'd walk on the levies and snakes would drop off in front of him. No fear. Didn't want to harm the snakes either. I walked behind him. I was scared but so were the snakes. Pa scared them off before I got to them.
Another time I had close encounters with snakes is when I had that crawfish pond. I tried to get Pa into crawfish farming. I thought that at least it would be one crop where he could make some money. None of the others were. Hey..I even pondered marijuanna..just a short ponder..for laughs.
Pa wouldn't have done that crawfish pond without me. He was just patronizing me. He agreed but only if I would do it with him.
Those snakes loved to eat crawfish. Our pond was only 8 acres. Pa wanted to start small. I wanted about 40 acres. I had to walk that pond in hip boots.. picking up and emptying traps. I pulled a small boat behind me.
I did this after work..mind you. I worked at the university and lived 40 miles away.
Back to the snakes. The snakes would sun themselves on my traps or would be hiding in the trap. They could slither into the trap from the water. They went in to eat the crawfish but like the crawfish..once they got in..they couldn't get out.
If I picked up that trap with my bare hands..that snake would strike at me. Made my heart skip a beat. Not a pleasant experience. I picked up those traps with a stick..until I saw that there was no snake in it. If there was a snake..that trap went flying thru the air. It landed on it's side..I couldn't see it under the water. I would then trip on it when walking thru the pond.
There was also a nice family of black widow spiders that made a home in my boat. Never had seen one of them before..and not since. I know that I got bit once. I had this whelp on my leg and the worst abdominal muscle cramps ever. I looked up black widow spider bites and those were the symptoms.
Crawfish farming was not in my destiny. Coreen.. I bet you can't even read this. I did acquire quite a few eagle feathers for that experience. Even impressed myself.
I could have provided anyone a good laugh..if they could have seen me out there. Once..when I was dumping a trap..I dumped crawfish into my hip waders. Let me remind you that they have pinchers on them.
Can you imagine me..out in the middle of that pond..jumping around on one leg..trying to get that hip boot off. It was hot and sweaty and that boot was stuck to my leg.
Those crawfish could have pinched me..but they were just as afraid of me as I was of them. Good thing.
I am not looking forward to going back to work. Sis wanted me to take off another day. I told her it would be bad enough just going back after being off for 4 days. I was more tired yesterday than any other day and I got 14 calls from the joint. Some seriously complex people came in. I'm already worn out just thinking about going back today. I think I need a nap.
Wild day today. I'll have to tell you about it later. Too long a story.
DWTS starts tonight and sis asked what time. I take it to mean she wants to watch it or is pretending to. Whichever..I'll happy.
Are we going to live blog tonight Coreen??? Better.
Sis is suppose to take off tomorrow early afternoon and there is some severe weather due about the same time..right in her path. Don't know what will happen. There are winds of up to 50+ also predicted. Yuk.
I see you will have some Connecticut summer days this week Coreen. No..no global warming here. Hmmmm.
I didn't even know it started tonight!!!Just switched...
Yeah global warming right...last winter we had something like 5 feet of snow...
Came home & washed the car & took the plexiglas off the screen doors on the porch...will have to wait til someone is here to take he panels off...they are too heavy for me to handle...
In honor of the 'empress' my favorite song by Gladys Knight & the Pips....& yes whenever I hear this song, it reminds me of only one person...& he is now gone forever... The Best thing that ever happened
And since arrives at my house before yours...from the best weather guy around Geoff Fox...his thoughts on Spring (except I can't see him anymore since first his contract was not renewed by the New Haven channel I watch for local news & then the channel he got a job at in Hartford was removed from my cable...so I get to see his work on facebook...
Yes..you get the first day of spring..first. I'm already wearing it my sinuses. The pollen is out in full force. Even sis is starting to cough. I hope she doesn't go home with some sinus thing.
Everyone around is suffering. I haven't had anything like this since I had the flu years ago. I get a flu shot every year and this wasn't the flu..it's a severe allergy thing.
I did have some Levaquin left from my bout of diverticulitis. I had enough to take half the dose for 10 days. I finally started on it. I hate antibiotics but after 10 days..I was afraid that I was incubating some bugs in there. I wasn't getting any better. I talked it over with my pharmacist and she agreed. She wanted me to do it much earlier.
Coreen..I voted three for Urkle..three for Gladys..three for Katherine..one for Martina and two for Sheri.
I gave Martina one vote because I really think she did well considering she is not feminine and her kind of athleticism doesn't lend itself to dancing..IMO.
I pretty much agree with both of you. Did not vote though. I too think this may be the best 1st night of any season. I like the young guy from Disney. I think he is the one to watch. Also liked the Opera singer. I think Sheree and Martina both did great.
I too am having some bad allergies. I am having a lot of sneezing and nasal runniness and congestion. Just took a claritin - will take a while to work but usually does. Also have a headache - so probably have congestion in my head too. So also took ibuprofen.
I just got home for lunch and to pick up sis to bring her to the airport. The water is already over the road and it hasn't even started to rain yet.
We have the possibility of up to 5-6 inches coming. Just saw that the hydrologic prediction already has the river predicted to rise to close to 7 ft. That's higher than both of the last two recent floods.
Sis's flight has been canceled until this evening so she can help me pack to move back to the house. I called work to tell them I wouldn't get back today.
I'm all moved back in my house..the one on the other end of the long breezeway and it's been pretty breezy here.
When I was packing I almost forgot I had to move the riding mower and my new weed whacker also. I put other stuff up as high as I could get it. We loaded everything up in the truck and trailer and got out in one trip.
I brought sis to the airport. She called a little while ago and her plane isn't going out at all today. Twin lives close to the airport so she's picking her up and she will stay with her tonight. They didn't get to spend much time together.
It will just be the Magster and me tonight. Maggie looks lost. She sat at the window watching for sis..her alpha dog. She will grieve for a little while.
I lost her for a little while. Started getting scared. She had managed to squeeze under one of my couches. She better be careful..she may get stuck.
That weather system seems to be stuck in the same place...most is a little west of me. The really red stuff seems to be breaking up.
Some places..a little northwest of here have already recieved 6-8 inches. I hope that doesn't happen here. So far..not too bad over my area.
Have had headache and nasal congestion for 2 days and 2 nights. Getting tired of this. Took ibuprofen and went to work anyway. I think it is the weather and barometric pressure.
Well..they have just issued a tornado warning for not too far west of here. It includes southeast Texas and extreme southwest La. It's the area where that red stuff has been streaming.
Glad I'm not in the tree house tonight. This place is much sturdier and where I am right now was built in 1928 so it musta been thru a lot of bad weather and survived.
Wise move to the house Carol...you & magster stay safe...
Tried to lock in on the radar, looks like the extreme stuff is pretty close...and the end looks to be around beaumont...but still not sure the direction your weather moves...looks like it goes south to north from the gulf inland...and moves from texas across la...east northeast....
meantime we still have amazing days...72 sunny & they say it is closing in on 80 before the weekend, then the wet weather may get to us...& a drop in the temps..
Just checked back. Was on the phone and watching the weather. It's still over the same area..not too bad here yet.
Last week it wasn't too bad here and just north of Lafayette had about 13 inches. It's like that..it will dump on one area and the areas around will only have an inch or two.
My river still has a prediction of cresting around 6.8 but they may have been thinking we would get alot. It's not over yet..hope it speeds up when the worst gets on top of me.
Heard from neighbor earlier and he said the river wasn't bad then. I told him to keep watch on my place.
I'm gonna sleep on the couch in the living room. I don't have a TV in my bedroom. I want to hear if a weather alarm goes off after I go to sleep so Mag and I can take cover.
All systems were go for a little rest catch up but nooooooooo. I was up most of the night worrying about this weather. I can't catch a break. I'm just going to have to learn to sleep while running.
There are parts of our parish that got over 10 inches of rain. They already had it last night. Unfortunately it close to where Pa's stuff is.
It looks like over my area may have only had 2-4 inches...not sure. The hydrologic prediction for my river moved it's crest up to 7 ft. That's not going to reach that crest until Sunday and stay that way for??
Rain rain go away..come again next year. I'm feeling kinda partial to that drought we had.
I left my TV and laptop on..not great for sleeping but just the sound of the weather was enough to keep me awake.
I heard the new mail sound on my laptop early. It was sis sending an ipad message. It was 1:02 am and read..."I don't remember when I have lived through weather like this" Welcome home sis! They just think they get rain in Seattle!
As much as it seems that the Universe is whacking me around lately..it's just using a newspaper. Like with a dog..it's enough to scare me but not enough to do any permanent damage. I hope.
There has been severe rain fall totals..over 10 inches.. just to the east and to the west of me.. over the last week or so. If that kind of rainfall was over my river area..my camp would be a new underwater attraction.
I moved to my camp..coming up..three years ago. I remember Mag and I packed up our stuff to spend the Easter holidays out there. We went out there on every decent weekend and holiday. That particular holiday..we decided we'd just stay. Loved looking at my river. Slowly I moved the stuff I needed out there.
I've had to move back home three times in the last month or so. I'm wondering if the Universe is telling me to move home and just visit owl camp on weekends and holidays?? Nah.
Just talked to my neighbor/surrogate husband. He said the river is already up to at least 6.6. I called him at work yesterday to warn him. He didn't get his truck out until 1a this morning. He will take his boat back to his truck to go to work.
Last week I bought a new Sears weed whacker. My last one was very good to me. It was 25 to 30 years old and worked like a charm until recently. It was time to give it a break.
When I bought my new one..I gave neighbor my old one. I figured he could make it work again. He said he would fix it and get it back to me. I told him it was his. He and another neighbor had it humming like a kitten after a little work.
I told him not to change the spark plug...that might ruin it. He said they already did and pressure washed it. He said they could even now read the instructions on it and it started with one pull.
I'm glad they got it running. It will come in mighty handy for them. It certainly did for me.
I try to take care of my neighbor so I don't feel bad when I need his help.
Today I learned that Joshua's family does pronounce their last name..Le(debt) not Le(day) as many cajuns pronounce the name.
It's origin is French from the name Le Dé. Some people do not pronounce the French names like they are supposed to pronounce them. This happens more often if the people with these names live outside Louisiana.
Outside Louisiana people want to pronounce Hebert..hee burt instead of how it should be pronounced..ay bear.
Something else interesting I learned several years back is how many of our French names like Thibodeaux got the x on the end of the name.
Someone doing Louisiana research told me that the x got on the end because many of these families were illiterate and when signing in to their church..the name was already written and the family member just put their x after the name. After years of doing this..the x got incorporated in the name.
Ouch you have to watch a fox network channel!!!well it's not fox news so, no harm no foul...
American Idol just doesn' grab me at all...don't like jlo or the ugly I forgot his name (he did a guest shot on 2-1/2 men when charlie was still the star)...I'd rather watch billo then that team...
in the low 60s tonite, but it was cloudy overcast all day so even though it was definitely warm for mid march (about 68-69 today w/o sun) it was dampish...
But tomorrow & Friday are supposed to be spectacular with record breaking temps & sunny...we shall see...
The Saints got some nasty sanctions today for their targeting players for injury. I think it was a little excessive but do understand that something had to be done to make a point. Sniff sniff.
Also I think it was not fair what happened to Tebow. I'm not a big fan of Tebow but he did get his team into the playoffs and now he's bumped for Peyton. I fear that may be a bad decision.
One more good hit to Peyton may take him out forever, I think Peyton is taking a big big risk. If Peyton does go down.. it will be karma for the Broncos..for dissing Tebow. Jan..your boys are Bronco's fans. What do they think about all this?
The early afternoon sports buzz was that the jets made a deal for tebow...but then the evening news said there is a snag about paying something like $5 mill in addition to the player swap, so he may not be coming to NY...
Have no opinion either way about him...for some reason the sports talkers continue to say he is just a nfl qb no matter how much he dazzled last year...but I don't know why they have said that all season...
as far as broncos..they want to win so...they came up with big bucks to see if peyton has anything left...whether he is really physically ok who knows... but obviously he couldn't resist 5 yrs/96 mill...though I don't know if there are conditions in those $$$...what do I always tell you...it's always about the money, never forget that....
as far as your saints, didn't read it all but is the coach out of $8 mill for the season, I think I heard that on the evening news...
Sorry you don't like AI. I do like it. I don't think the judges gave enough constructive criticism in the first shows. they are trying to be too nice. Jimmy -who meets with them when they are practicing gives them the best advice - I think. I am attached to the contestants now. It is going to be hard to vote because I like most of them.
197 comments:
Coreen..here are some pics of the farm. These aren't the best pics but I took them while driving down the road. Our land has one mile of road frontage.
There are two ponds on the property. One is kinda marshy and the other more of an open pond. Both are used to water the cows. They also make a nice place for waterfowl to land.
Also deer like to hang out but we don't let anyone hunt because with cows there..some people just can't tell the difference.
A friend of mine said they had the same problem so they painted the word COW on their cows so people could tell the difference.
This is the property that has been in our family for over 60 years. My grampy..uncle and dad bought it just after he got out of the service. He was in the Army Air Corp during WWII. Fortunately he was stationed in South America. He was a navigator. I think the mission of his group was to take aerial pictures.
I've worked cows and rode the range out there many times with Pa. Pa's land is a ways west of ours but he loved this piece of property. He called it the little Ponderosa.
There were about 1100 acres when it was owned by the three different families. When we divided it up..it was pretty overgrown.
Pa cleaned it up and kept it up and put the two ponds in. Both he and I had cows out there.
It's grown many crops over the years. It has a rice, soybean, wheat and maybe.. Milo base on it.
The year of that spectacular meteor shower back in Nov of 2001 I talked two of my best friends into dragging my camper out there.
I BBQed some baby back ribs..made some tater salad and we spent all night laying on a blanket watching those meteors streak across the starlite sky. It was a fantastic horizon to horizon show.
Jan..sis read and enjoyed the article you linked. She's been to a few of the places that were mentioned.
I feel like my camp..out here on the river..is a thin place.
A few other places that I found thin were..Chichen Itza and Tulum on the Yucatan.
I've been watching Peter, Paul and Mary on PBS. Their doing their annual fund drive. Time to donate.
Now..Patti LaBelle hosts an all-star line up of Motown..getting ready to do some crip dancing.
Great old Motown hits. Can't sit still even if it's just couch dancing.
Don't you like Motown music
Coreen?
Jan..I don't particularly care for DST either. I guess work will be calling me with that dude's BS at 4a instead of 5 in the morning.
I have my nurses check his BS before each meal and call me. I'm trying to get it regulated. His BS is on the roof right now and I'm slowly bringing it down. God only knows how long it's been up there. He didn't check it at home..so typical of my peeps. I have to get it down without putting him in hypoglycemia.
I picked up some good patient diabetes ed stuff at my conference. The American Diabetes Assoc had a booth.
One of the diabetes drug cos even made me a personalized wall poster. I could pick what I wanted to put on it and they made it while I waited. I stressed the diet and complication aspects of diabetes. I do want to scare them into better compliance. It actually works for some of them.
I can't prove it but if I can even get a few of my peeps to improve their blood sugar control..I can help them achieve more quality and quantity of life and save the taxpayers mucho dinero. One case of renal failure can cost millions. You can thank me now or later.
Coreen..we CAN make a difference. Look at what's happening to old Rush. As of yesterday..at least 50 cos had pulled their advertisements and other were in the process.
"On Thursday, Limbaugh's program was practically devoid of paid advertisements, according to reports. Of the 86 spots that aired, 77 were "free public service announcements donated by the Ad Council." Seven ads were from companies "in the process of pulling their spots."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/10/talk-radio-losing-advertisers_n_1336634.html
I'm giddy with hope.
That's a lot of grass Carol...
As far as the eye can see...
Sounds like it was a delightful
place to grow up...But lots of work
to be done all the time...I know I could never be a farmer?...
Actually I have a friend who's son
has had a small herd of milking cows & has been trying to be a farmer, but he is not the owner of
any land & only leased it, unfortunately each time he has thought he had a secure place, it fell apart, he has had to sell off
his cows & is not sure if he can
ever really do what he loves...
Too bad you weren't closer, he's a good guy & loves the life, though I'm told it is very hard & is a 24/7, 365 day job...
This land is connected to Pa's?...Is that where the house is?...
Looks like sis is the only world
traveler...I was in the NY 'thin
place' St. Patrick's a long time
ago though...
And yes I believe you have
your thin place all the time Carol...just step outside your door...
Yes, Grew up with Motown music...
That was what we listened to....
probably have a whole bunch
of the music played on those PBS
specials on cds, even some old
real records!! up in the attic...
Being so close to NYC, we heard
R&R music all day/night...
The likes of Cousin Brucie, (I think he still appears on PBS often...Bruce Morrow, & has a radio show on sirius/xm...Murray the K, even Alan Freed (though he
was at the tail end of his career)
all were on NY radio way back when...
so yes that is what I grew up with,
still love it...there are a couple
of 'oldie's' radio stations still around...& xm has separate 50s,60s,
70s, motown,elvis & frank sinatra
channels (they have a Bruce Springsteen channel too)...so I can still listen to it in the car...
Coreen, that's my sisters and my land, not
Pa's. He did take care of it and kept some of his cows o. It. I think it takes one acre to support one cow..or more.
About Rush's show...not sure I agree with the huffpo spin...until
baseball season starts I listen
to abc talk radio at the office
& the bits & pieces I hear of Rush
show, since the dustup, have not
noticed a big dropoff in ads...but
not sure I am really paying close attention...there are a lot of ads
during all the breaks on all the talk radio shows...
Carol I do not agree with the concerted effort to have him removed from the radio...I don't care if he has a show or not...just as I don't care about
Bill Maher, et al having a forum...as far as I'm concerned if you don't like what they say...don't listen, don't pay to hear/see them, etc...
but not interested in driving them
away...
My objection was & still is...the
liberals & their media allies failure & refusal to call out their
'own' who are equally boorish, despicable, vile, venomous (whatever adjective you want to use) in their denigration of women
as a matter of course, & yet wring their hands, gin up a boycott & scream at what the likes of limbaugh says, to me that is rank hypocrisy, what I have come to think of when I think of current so-called liberals...
that is why I liked that Kirsten Power called the liberal media out, yet the so-called, 'enlightened' libs, dismissed her outright, suggesting (no saying) that her opinion was less valid because she works for fox/ny post...just shows me how disengenuous the 'we have the high road & are the good guys' (well in their own minds anyway) really are...for the most part nary a word against their
side's behavior...& for those few who may have opened their mouth, did so in the mildest of rebukes...
& yes I know Bill Maher did speak
out against boycotting rush...I meant to watch the rerun of his hbo
show to see what he said the other night, but still haven't...
I remember that you mentioned that this is your family's property, was just wondering how close it was to Pa's & if there were any
structures (houses, barns) on it...
I am thinking that the house you grew up in was on Pa's land?....
Retire....
Some food for thought....
Retirees: What they might have done differently
Oh and don't even think of calling me 'fat'...since those of us who live in the Bpt/Norwalk/Stamford, CT region are among the skinniest in the country...
Skinniest & fattest u.s. cities revealed
Got my "...puter" back. I love Apple - just take it to the genius bar at Apple and they fix what is going on right there.
I will read stuff later and comment. Have fam coming for dinner tonight. Lots going on so we all need to catch up.
Coreen..it's about 40 or so miles from our property to Pa's. I'm just guessing..not sure. Maybe farther to drive.
It was getting expensive for Pa to have the cows on our property but he needed the room/grass/hay.
On the property..there's a cow pen for working cows. The fields are fenced off so that cows can be separated and moved from field to field for grass.
I bought an old camper trailer to put out there to use as a cow poke house. Pa had electricity..water..septic..hooked up to it. I think storms finally took their toll on it.
Sis actually spent from about age 1-4 living out there. Daddy was going to try his hand at farming. Mom..a city girl from Chicago..wasn't too cool with that.
She described their house as two rooms and a path. They had an outhouse and used a large wash tub to bathe in. Mom said they had running water..she had to run out to get it from the well and bring it in.
The remains of that old place are still out in the woods..at least they used to be.
Mom had some funny stories about their life out there. They weren't particularly funny at the time. She finally had enough when she found a snake in the top of a closet. She took the next train back to Chicago. Daddy gave up that career and went to Chicago to get her back.
He ended up going to college and getting an accounting degree.
Coreen..the only purpose that Rush serves is to let us know that there are true demons in the world. I've listened to him.
When I had to drive about 40 miles each way to work..when I worked a a state prison..I would listen to him every now and again. I wanted to hear someone talking.
As much as I wanted to listen..I couldn't tolerate his evil for more than a short time. He said the most evil things. He would cackle when he did. I shutter to think of some of the things he said.
I really don't think that kind of evil needs to get air time. Now..by comparison..I like Bill O'Reilly. He's witty..intelligent and makes sense at times.
As far as Bill Maher..I don't have any use for him either. He's a creep. I dropped HBO years ago because of him.
And as for obesity..my town is surrounded by the most obese cities. I'm sure we fit in. Good food..good fun. I told you that we prefer quality over quantity of life here.
I'm overweight..a little To calculate your desired body weight..add 100 to 5 times the number of inches you are over 5 feet. That's for someone with average frame..indicated by wrist circumference. If large you can add 10-15%. If small you subtract same.
That make my desired body weight about 145. I weighed about 148 this AM..naked.
You can also use a BMI chart.
I'm OK now but may be off the chart by the time sis leaves.
Jan..we're watching Downton Abbey. Well..sis is and I'm yakking here..and eating. Sis loves it so far.
And Coreen..I was 23 and out of the house when mom married Pa. Even though I was grown up..I was still a kid at heart..still am.
I spent quite a bit of time staying with mom and Pa...many weekends and holidays.
If you look at the horizon in pic #1 you'll see some trees. That's where our north border fence is. The property beyond it is my cousin's.
One weekend day Pa..my friend Ann and I were riding through those woods back there. The woods were real tight. You had to be careful because the horse didn't take into consideration your knee caps hanging off both sides when squeezing thru a narrow space between trees. If you weren't careful..you could lose a knee cap.
The horse also didn't take into consideration that your head was higher than his/her head and you could easily lose your head to a low branch.
Well..we were moseying thru the woods and Pa's dogs were running along side. One of the dogs stirred up a hornets nest and all of a sudden there were hornets flying everywhere. The horses didn't take a cotton to those hornets and started bucking. I took the occasion on one of my horse's upward movements to dismount. When the horse came down..I just moved sideways and landed on my feet on the ground. I hit the ground running..headed out and away from those hornets.
My friend yelled.."what should I do?" I told her.."I'd get off if I were you." Bucking in those tight spaces is bad for all body parts.
Pa's horse rolled with him. Glad I took the occasion to get off. Pa hollered for us to grab our horses. Yeah..sure. Kinda hard to do when I'm running full force away from danger. I yelled back.."every species for himself" and continued to haul ass.
Pa..good sport as he was..went back and gathered up the horses. I think the dogs caught up with us some time later. When ya got hornets chasing your ass..you can easily outrun a dog. Well..I used to be able to.
True story.
I keep flashing back with some of the fond memories I have spending time with Pa. Not having to watch him in misery anymore lets those fond memories flood back.
I know he's back on his horse again..doing what he likes to do best.
Even though Pa and mom didn't get along too well later in their lives..he went downhill fast when she left this world. Nothing was the same for me either. Being out there was just too sad for me.
I always thought that it would be hard to lose my mama and it was. I didn't even think I could survive it. Watching her die slowly did make it a little easier to let her go.
We just had another frog strangler come thru here. Dropped over an inch of rain and I just saw on the news that there's a tornado warning just east of here. Since it's past us..we're outta of danger. Glad that the tree house didn't have to deal with a tornado.
Maggie handled the bad weather better than usual. With two of us here she felt more comfortable.
Maybe Maggie was more comfortable with the bad weather because sis was excited about having some lightning and thunder. They get lots of misty rain up her way but no frog stranglers with lightning and thunder.
She said when they have that rare occasion where they have that kind of weather..she drives down to some place in her hood to watch it. When she gets to her viewing area..there's other people already there to do the same thing.
Carol, when my mother died, I wondered if I would ever get over her death. She died Jan 21, '84. It took me years before I could think of her without tearing up.
So, Carol you are having so much rain. We each have such different weather patterns - you, your sis, Coreen and me.
I hope you don't get any more tornado warnings. I grew up with those and when we are in Ok or Ark. and we get those, I admit I don't pay much attention. I have never seen a tornado, but have had them so close. One hit Little Rock when I lived there, only about 5 miles away. I hit in some old LR neighborhoods. One supermarket there was completely destroyed. It hit during the day and I was at work at the med center and was teaching a class.
Yes Jan..our mothers are darned important. I think the reason I never left here is because of mom. Hell..I know she's the reason. Might even be part of the reason I'm single.
Guilt was a pretty powerful tool for mom. That's why I called her a Jewish mom. I couldn't even take a vacation without her pulling something to try to keep me home but it didn't work there..thank God.
I remember once when I was going skiing. Just as I was leaving for the airport..she casually says.."I think I have a blood clot in my leg..I might be dead before you get back". Gees.
Hey..I'm a nurse..her doing also. There was no swelling in her leg so I knew I was probably safe to get away for at least a week.
One of the reasons mom and sis didn't get along so well is that sis did leave the nest..and her last roost was as far as she could get without falling into the ocean.
I even pondered whether mom developed her cancer to get us to all rally around her. We were busy with our own lives and not out there quite as much..at least I was.
If she did make a deal..it worked. When she first got the cancer I was going out there after work almost everyday. Then..when it got worse..things worked out where I dumped my job and essentially moved out there. She might even have arranged to have all that crap fall on my head that lead to me quitting working for that old bastard doc.
I did get a part time position..actually driving from my house... the opposite way 40 miles.
But mom had twin..nephew and I out there with her most of the time. She was pleased with that. Nephew and I competed in the cooking department but he was 10 times the slob that I was. I ended up getting a little neater just for survival.
Nephew and his mama..twin..left everything they touched or opened right where they opened it. I knew all the ingredients in what nephew cooked because they were all still on the counter..with the lids..and one still stuck to and dripping from the can opener.
If nephew cooked anything with flour or grease..there was a trail of it out to the front yard. I knew before coming in the house what was for supper.
Another thing..nephew sat in a chair in the living room..near where mama's bed was. That was his perch. That chair was surrounded by just about everything he needed for survival. Most of the dishes he ate and drank from where there too.
I held out picking them up until I ran out of glasses and plates in the kitchen. I understood him because as a kid..I kept of few of those things under my bed. Only thing was..nephew wasn't a kid anymore but he was still mama's baby boy.
Mom insisted on having a beef hotlink..sliced tomatoes..and cottage cheese for lunch just about everyday. I'd mentioned before that nephew and I would compete over who could make the most creative presentation of that fare.
It doesn't sound like a meal that would lend itself to much creativity but it did. We could even use the way we added some mustard to the plate for effect. Should have done a picture book on the subject.
It was also the first time Pa and I locked horns. When he came in from his work in the evening..he got his paper and sat down at the counter bar in the middle of the kitchen. Under that chair was a pile of dirt that came off his boots.
He'd read the paper and wait for his dinner to be served. We'd get him his water..his silver..then put his plate down in front of him. After he ate..we picked up his plate.
Near the end..when I was totally exhausted from taking care of the fly..driving home to take care of my house..driving 60 miles the other way to work several times a week..I tried to get Pa to just serve his own plate. All he had to do was turn around on his stool and rake the food from the pots on the stove into his plate..not a complicated task.
At that point I was getting as stubborn as he was. He resisted and I held out. He beat me at the stubborn game. He refused to do it and just drove down to the fast stop burger joint and got a hamburger. Now that's stubborn. All that driving to avoid a little turn of his stool and a little raking???
Mom..who so often took me for granted..really learned to appreciate me. She's watch me running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. She saw how exhausted I was. She wasn't talking much by then. I think she did that on purpose because she could be mean at times and she didn't want to run anyone off.
Mom thanked me for everything I did. And sometimes.. when she was watching me..she'd say..you're a good girl Carol. That may have been the only thing she said all day. It meant a lot to me.
I'll never regret the time I spent with her.
This blog has made a good place for therapy. And it's a whole lot cheaper.
I talked to Jan yesterday. Sis and I were driving all around town looking for a DVD of the 1st season of Downton Abbey. We found the 2nd season but thought that it may be important to start with season one. Never did find it.
I called Jan to ask if she thought it was real important to start with the 1st season. She said she didn't.
I also told Jan that I used the blog for therapy. Even if y'all didn't have anything else to say that day..one of you needed to act like a therapist and say..."yes..go on."
yes, go on.
Carol, You are a good daughter. I love that your mom told you often that "you are a good girl." I know she must have really appreciated all you did for her that year.
I did not understand what you were saying about "twin"
Jan..I call older sis..sis... and my twin..twin.
LOL, now I understand. I am a little slow.
I kept thinking when I first read this that you were talking about Bob's nephew.
Well..I went to bed fairly early..before The Daily Show came on but woke up a few minutes ago. It's this dang cough. I have bronchitis or sinusitis or something..probably from too many life changes all in a short time.
It involves a croupy cough and stuff running down the back of my throat..trying to drown me. I have to cough to keep it from drowning me.
I'm doing all the holistic stuff..the sinus douches..vitamin C..some organic hot tea drink..got that from the vitamin store that sis has gone to almost every other day. Also my steroid nasal spray. That's where big pharm meets holistic.
Somewhere in my nursing education I was taught that I was suppose to be non-judgmental. Hey..maybe it was in Sunday school. I'm quite sure there was content about that in Sunday school.
Well..I failed that concept. Sorry..I do try but fall short. I often don't even try with this job especially when I think I need to be stressing some life changes that may put some of my peeps on a better path.
But sometimes..I'm just being a little snitty. Maybe I'm having a bad day or maybe I'm actually pissed off at the crime. I was yesterday. I was also not feeling too good with this croup I have.
I started my clinic with the women..I've already told you that they aren't my favs. There were 8 of them. I know it's going to be a tough day when I start out with 8 women.
Again..all of these women were white..and looked like sorority girls. It's gets me confused. I wonder if I'm back teaching again.
One of my women had an accent. I asked.."where are you from". She said "Russia." She spoke pretty good English..better than me..as you can see.
She was a Fed and they don't list the crime on the rap sheet. They can be a killer and I wouldn't know. I don't like that.
Not even the security people... who bring them in.. know. I guess if it is really serious they'd put something on to suggest that???
Actually once I had this young guy who killed his best friend and tried to kill another one. Nothing on his sheet to suggest that. Just said Federal detainer. I asked him..he told me..I passed it on.
Oh..the reason he did it is because he smoked that fake pot stuff. Just woke up and bludgeoned his best friend in the head. Then tried to do same to another friend. He was contrite. He was also recently out from one of the wars. Maybe similar to that guy who went nuts and killed those people in Afghanistan. Maybe he smoked some of that shit.
Well..I got off my original subject. Happens alot. Back to my Russian girl. I asked why she was in jail. It was something that involved stealing money and also involved her boyfriend and also involved $40 thou.
I got kinda pissed and made a comment that I didn't think that was exactly what we meant when we let people into our country to chase the American dream. I said it for all of us Americans.
I saw one of my nurses..who was ease dropping..smile. A little of me felt bad about saying it..not!
Carol, RSV is going around and is especially hard on people with suppressed immune systems. You have or are getting bronchitis too. You better take it easy. Be careful with taking OTC's. I suggest lots of warm liquids and ibuprofen to ease symptoms. You probably should not be at work. Highly contagious. A lot of our little kids in our child care centers are out with it right now. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.
What a day!!!
Went to work with very little sleep. I figured out this evening, after playing the Daily Show and Colbert for sis, that I saw both of them. That meant that I was still awake at 11p. I woke up in a coughing frenzy at about 1:30 and didn't get back to sleep until after 2:30 and then only because I sat straight up against the wall.
I took an antihistmine..the drowsy kind.. but still couldn't recline without a flood going down the back of my throat. I did OK when I sat up so I propped my pillows against the wall and finally fell asleep.
Sis woke me up at 5:15. She heard my alarm going off. I must have been knocking it off without waking up. After the 3rd time, sis came into the room. She thought I was awake since I was sitting straight up. She was wrong..I was in a sitting coma. She did wake me up.
That means I got about 4 and 3/4 hours a sleep..probably about par for the last month.
Yes Jan..it's bronchitis. I think it is allergy induced. We've had so much rain that we probably are loaded with mold spores. I think I have a problem with them.
Carol, sorry you have this. I had it or something like it a couple of months ago. the coughing was the worst. what finally helped my coughing was vicks vaporub. I put it on my chest and throat and warmed some washcloths or small towels and put over the vicks. I read somewhere where putting vicks on your feet helps too. Also, make yourself some hot tea.
I musta not been the only one feeling crappy today since almost all the nurses were cranky.
This afternoon we had a young black woman cause a serious ruckus. She was trying to manipulate. I'm sure with the kind of behavior she displayed..she has been very successful in the past in manipulating people... most likely her family.
She had been sitting out with some other women in the waiting room and just started going off. It started with crying but the more attention she attracted..the worse she got.
She had several security guard's and our psych director's attention when I went out to check on her. When I got there..her behavior escalated. She was trying to get another phone call to terrorize her mom into bailing her out.
She was acting so out of control that security had to restrain her in a restraint chair for her own and everyone else's protection. Four good sized guards were having trouble getting her strapped in the chair. She was worse than a bucking bronco.
I was trying to talk to her but standing behind one of the guards..who wasn't involved in trying to restrain her. I just had a bad feeling.
When I thought they had her secured in the chair, I moved out from behind the guard. Just when I did..she got one hand and a leg out of the restraints and threw a karate kick at me. It came within 4 inches of striking me. If she would have made contact..she would have cut me in half.
The entire show was just a manipulation to get another phone call to her mom. The psych director did get in touch with her mom to find out if she was going to bail her out. We were all praying she was. If it wasn't illegal..I'd have paid to get her out. Would have been well worth it.
Her mom said she was trying to get the money together. Shortly after the psych director told the wild woman what her mom said..she calmed down and promised to behave.
BTW..she is a 20y/o woman. She goes to some technical school and said she was close to getting some certificate in accounting. She wasn't crazy..just a..too old to be.. mega-brat.
I had told sis to pick me up at 3 and by the time that young woman settled down..it was almost 3:30. I was finished by then and oozed out of the building. Phew.
I'll have to give it to our security guys today. They used some powerful restraint not to have tased or pepper sprayed that woman. She was begging for it and she was in total control of her outrageous behavior. Good thing they don't let me carry spray. She might have been hot and spicy if they did.
I checked..and there's no full moon tonight.
Jan..do you have the same problem with laying down when you have your bronchitis?? It's not too bad upright but I can't recline at all.
Sis has been watching Downton Abbey. She watches one episode each night. I haven't really paid much attention to it. It does make nice background noise..usually what I have TV on for anyway..90% of the time.
I did perk up when one character mentioned he had mitral valve prolapse. I asked sis what time period were they in. She said it was around 1916. My guess was that that pathology of the mitral valve probably wasn't identified until much later. Wasn't sure.
I looked it up in Wiki..and sure enough.."The condition was first described by John Brereton Barlow in 1966" I guess they didn't fact check the show.
yes, I had trouble laying down. I had to prop myself up on 2 pillows. I did not sleep very well when I had it.
I also heard one character say something that was a contemporary saying. Someone should have picked up this stuff. I do not remember who has the valve prolapse.
Carol, your job some pretty high risks. I worked part time in a private psych/addiction hospital while in Austin. We had some training in how to handle hi risk situations. Do you get any training like that.
I don't know about you guys but I am having a hard time getting used to the time change. I have been sleepy all day. I did an orientation for a group of nurs students at Early Head Start today and they were yawning to beat the band. I let them go early.
We have the little white dog this week. Her family is in Colo. visiting the GD in hosp - and GS with 2 babies. Little dog does not like to out to pee or poop alone. She wants someone to go with her. I don't like to just stand out back, so I take her for walks for her to do her business. We just got back from a walk.
I read where it takes about a week to adjust to the time change.
Guess what? Guess who? Woke up choking. It's almost been 4 hours.
Jan.. seems I remember you having this every year. I haven't in years. Last time I did..it was like an after affect of having had the flu. Can't remember how long ago that's been. Think that could have been back in the early 90 or before.
I didn't have the flu. Now there are others who I work with that get this stuff quite often. Not me.
There are some raunchy commercials on at this wee hour.
Jan..I've always been hard on the media when they try to insult my intelligence. I know that very few people would even catch some of that kind of stuff. I just so happen to look up from my computer when this guy said "I have mitral valve prolapse and have a pan systolic murmur." May not be an exact quote.
I asked sis..is he a cardiologist or something? First of all..no one who wasn't a cardiologist would even talk that way. Come on now..."a pan systolic murmur?" I taught physical assessment for 20 years and wouldn't use that kind of lingo.
There have been some fun bills introduced by female congresswoman involving Viagra. Something even called the "spilled sperm amendment." Things are getting sad but entertaining.
You know I hate to fight with the fellows.
When I got home this afternoon..I called back to the joint. I wanted to thank one of the supervisors for his calm control of the situation today.
He used to work on the other side. He changed shifts and I hadn't worked around him in a while. He's a very quiet guy but takes control.
I had the guy's dad as a prof in undergrad school..I think in microbiology. You might have also. That was many moons ago. Interesting how life goes around.
Several years back..he left to go work for a contractor supplying muscle in Iraq. I think his wife wanted him to do that for the big money. I remember telling him that I thought it would be too much sh-- for a nickel..to keep his head down. He didn't last very long over there..it was too much sh-- for a nickel.
I just made and drank a cup of coffee. I feel better. You may think that's crazy..drinking coffee at 2:30 AM when you can't sleep but coffee has caffeine and caffeine has a substance similar to theophylline..which helps to dilate the bronchus. Tea does also..maybe more.
What I learned having to teach pathophysiology has been very useful..in many different ways.
My physical assessment and pathophysiology knowledge..that came from years of teaching both..have provided me with the very best data base for my NP career.
Most medical people just learned it for the test. It went bye bye shortly after. I had to teach it for years.. so that that knowledge is embedded in my DNA.
Too early and too tired to link this the way it makes it easy for ya.
Just copy and paste. It's a good way to wake up from a short coma.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/12/ninja-cats-youtube-le-chats-video_n_1340391.html
Ninja Cat
I need a nap. I don't have time for a nap..usually not until around 8..then it's too late.
Have an appointment with the bookkeeper today after work..in Pa's hometown. Maybe sis can drive and I can catch a 30 minutes nap? At least I'll be sitting up.
With all the coughing..it's really impossible to get more sleep than I'm getting. I haven't had a nap or more than about 4-5 hours of sleep since sis got here.
I'm taking Friday and Monday off so I can make optimal use of sis before she leaves on Tuesday.
I have had bronchitis most years since I have been here. It is no accident. I work with little kids and students who come to class sick because they have little kids and Carol you know how nursing school is - if you miss more than one clinical experience here, you can actually fail the course. I did not have bronchitis often before I moved here. When I was director of the ADN program, I seldom was sick.
I find the caffeine in tea is good for a lot of things- congestion, bronchitis, arthritis especially in the early morning.
I can drink a cup of tea when I have a cold and go right back to sleep because it relieves the nasal congestion.
Sorry to hear that you are still under the weather Carol...not sure
what your cough is from...hope it clears up...but you do know there is something you can cut out that will certainly help (but I won't harp on it...you know full well what it is)....
try to get some rest while sis is still around to help out...
At this time of the year the post nasal drip seasonal changes start for me...
but can't complain since we have had 3 sensational days in a row..
high 60s, sunny, little breeze...
Spring just suddenly popped...so much so that the forest creatures noises started just when the warm weather came & it is so loud...sounds like a jungle out there, everything is waking up...have no idea
what the creatures are, I say its
tree frogs? & it will be so loud
for a couple of weeks, then quiet
comes back...
I took all the driveway reflectors
down this week...no snow in sight...next I have to open the outside water so I can wash
the cars...
OMG - the hometown boy from Westlake LA just sang "when a man loves a woman" and it brought tears to my eyes and goosebumps all over. He is incredible. He had the judges on their feet half-way through and Jennifer kept saying "wow" "wow" I love this boy.
They are still pronouncing his last name wrong. Ledet like le debt.
Gosh Coreen, you are sounding poetic talking about spring and the forest creatures and all. Thats great - you sound very happy
I just voted online for my favs on AI. It was so much easier than on the phone. I just went to google and typed in americanidol.com and each contestant came up and voting is so much easier. One can only vote 50 times.
Carol, you can vote for your homey and don't have to have numbers - when you go into americanidol.com they show the names and pics and you just click on the one you want and they tell you what to do.
Coreen..many at work..both sides of the bars..have something similar to what I have. My stress overload/life change events have made me more vulnerable. Lack of sleep doesn't help.
Jan..I'll be tuning into AI next week when I don't have company. And I think our DWTS starts Monday. I'll have to tape it. Sis leaves Tuesday..then I'll be back to my routine.
And Coreen..most of this is post nasal drip but more like post nasal waterfall. I feel like my sinuses are hooked up to a hose. If I didn't cough..I'd drown.
It really started last week when I was in Houston and kept getting worse. It's only been about 6 days but seems like weeks.
OK this is ridiculous. I can't lay down without drowning..even the slightest tilt back and I gurgle. I can't sleep sitting straight up.
I got tired enough where I tried to lay down and breath thru fluid but I can't do it. The sinus rinses..the steroid nasal sprays..teas..antihistamines and nada.
This really isn't bronchitis..it's in my sinuses. All I have to do to stop the cough..is to sit straight up..even lean forward a little. You would think that sitting up would make it drain more but nooo.
I look like a zombie! I need my sleep.
A cough suppressant wouldn't help..it would only let me drown. I Googled the symptoms and many have the same problem and most haven't found anything to help.
This stuff is not infected looking..it's nice and clear and copious.
One person suggested taking 4 immodium every 4 hours. Said that it could dry up your sinuses like drying up diarrhea. Yeah..and then use dynamite to open your colon later. No thanks. The antihistamine is bad enough for that.
Maybe pseudoephedrine would work but it makes my heart race and I've had several people who got arrested just buying the stuff. I'm sure it was not just one box but some insist that it was. The stuff is used to make meth. And they do watch people who buy it.
Well..I'm not going to work today. I can't function doing important things with just a couple hours of sleep but....I think I may have a clue to what may have started this.
I try to pay attention to little signs from the Universe. Yesterday..I was telling my pharmacist/buddy about this crazy waterfall going on and what all I've tried. I mentioned teas. She asked if I was drinking any Chamomile tea. I said yes. She said to stop..some people have problems with it.
I guess that didn't really hit home with me at the time. I was drinking that tea for about 2 weeks every night..religiously and stopped maybe Friday. This started around then.
This morning I remembered what my pharmacist told me. I looked it up and low and behold..Chamomile is a member of the ragweed family and can be highly allergic in some people. And..when I've had bad problems with allergies in the past..it was in the fall..ragweed season.
When I was younger..I'd end up getting sick almost every year with some serious sinusitis. I'd end up going to a doc..who finally said that I was coming in the same time every year. I didn't realize it.
A friend of mine texted me that another friend..who I worked with for year..died. She didn't know the lady but heard me talk of her. She always reads the obit. I don't.
I was sad. I looked at the obits in the online paper. It was another woman with her exact same name. Phew.
Jan..I just finished watching Joshua on Youtube. I agree he is very good and love that he's my close to hometown boy but I don't think he's the best that's ever been on AI like the judges said.
I don't know his personality like you guys do..just watched a couple of his singing videos.. so there may be some charisma that is influencing your opinion that I'm missing. His voice has a little of a screaming quality that turns me off.. just a little. I'll still vote for him.
Heard that his hometown..a small town across the bridge..got together in a big church in town to watch him. They put him on a big screen.
Joshua's dad is a minister and his church is the House of Prayer Holiness Church. I think it may be Pentacostal but then..do they believe in TV??
Jan..I saw that Joshua did make to the next level. Great. Didn't watch it but passed by the channel just at the right time to see him move on.
40 years ago...wow...one of my fav movies...& 70 years for my other...
A day to toast the Godfather and New York
Carol, I don't think Joshua's church is pentecostal. There are many smaller churches that use names like his. Pentecostal is a pretty large group and they only call themselves Pentecostal.
I have no idea what Joshua's church allows.
I don't know why Joshua's voice appeals to me but it does. Unfortunately, 3 girls were in the bottom three. I don't know if a girl has a chance on AI any more.
The girl who went home tonight should have gone home last week.
I predict Heejun will be the next to go home.
Carol, you have what sounds like big time allergies to me. I did not know that chamomile was made out of ragweed. I will not drink any more of that.
Jan.. it's not made out of ragweed..it's in the ragweed family.
It does seem to be an extreme allergy and I'm not sure what else I might be allergic to. I am grabbing at straws here.
Just choked myself awake. I found this neat large bolster thing I bought for my quest room for reading. Sis reminded me of it. I can sit straight up with it.
I think I might have gotten a little over 4 hours of sleep. That's progress...double the night before. Not enough though.
Jan...the reason I though Penticostal is because when I Google that church name..one of them... in Georgia had Penticostal in the name. ie "House of Prayer Pentecostal Holiness Church - Midtown, GA Patch"
Yes..the fact that they were watching Joshua on a big screen TV did throw me off because usually.. around my neck of the woods..the Pentecostals don't watch
TV. Maybe they make exceptions for the preacher's son.
Yesterday sis and I did some working on Pa's succession stuff. Spent a good bit of time in the courthouse records. I have to inventory an entire farm...in my spare time mind you. That's another full time job. It's been great to have sis to help but what in the hell am I going to do when she leaves???..in 4 days.
It's 82 years of a man's life and his wife..mom's..to a certain extent also.
I was the executrix of mom's estate..most of it was tied up with usufruct to Pa..thank God.. and recently I was reminded that I divided up an entire 1100 acre farm for three families. I was the trustee for that also. I guess I blanked that out of my memory. It seemed like a previous life. No one else gave me credit for that shit either..but ya think that at least I would have remembered that.
I think one of the reasons I never moved anywhere is because I didn't even want to try to go thru all my crap.
I should have an honorary degree in executrixology...but I..CRS. You ever heard of that? can't remember sh--. I guess we repress what was seriously stressful in our lives.
Actually it was because everyone else didn't want to do it so they just let dumbass Carol do it. And I probably thought that I would be better at it.
Most of my life I was already working at least a job and a half and going to grad school also. Can you understand why I needed to be hyperthyroid?? I think that problem may be back also and one of the reasons I'm not sleeping..don't have time to stop my mind from running 24/7. Sis is my secretary right now. She's good at it..but secretary is taking a LOA.
And do you know what Carol got for all that extra work??? Nada..except a big pain in the ass and everyone involved on my ass. So anyone reading this shi- lay off..I'm peddling as fast as I can.
I do have good experts hired to help..after I gather all the required info.
I had my appointment with the podiatrist yesterday..to help me figure out why I'm still crippled. I'm also still having to crip race.
I've known of this doc for years but never met him. Many of my peeps..nurses at work..use him.
When he first came into the examining room..he smiled real big and said.."thanks for all you have done to help people with diabetes with their feet."
He knew that I had ran that diabetes center years back. And he was appreciative of my efforts to help save people's feet.
He took xrays of both feet and one of those fractures..the one in the area of his expertise..is still broken. I wonder why? Might it be that I have been crip racing on it???
The pain I have that keeps me cripping is because a nerve involved spreads out thru out the bottom of my foot. The other pains..where I don't have fractures..is because of the crip racing.
He liked my new tennis show selection but he said that that one is better for off road travel. I need a different shoe for the regular stuff. He gave me a number of the shoe. He also gave me an insert to put in them. He said.."Merry Christmas" Wasn't sure why..thought maybe I missed Christmas in all my rushing.
What he meant is that he was giving me that ortho insert for FREE. It was his way of showing his appreciation for my past work. He didn't even know me. Dang..finally someone is. That was very special!
He was a very neat guy! He told me that when he was going to school that he had a similar fracture that took forever to heal.
Today..I'm still off. Oh. I'm still running things at work from my Iphony.
We have to go back to the courthouse. Something doesn't add up. I also lost an old folder of my stuff for mom. It has to be at either the lawyer's or the CPA's. Secretary has things too organized for it to be lost here.
I haven't even done my income tax stuff yet. My CPA wants it by now! Well..he's also the CPA who is doing this other stuff so I hope he's patient.
Rumor has it..in the town where Pa lived..that he was worth a fortune.
That just goes to show ya how much they really knew about my Pa. He acquired stuff but was usually cash poor. I had to give him loans..from my pitiful salary..to get them by at times.
I saw his income tax returns over the years. They were always in the RED..seriously in the red! The only thing that got him by was those government crop deficiency programs. As far as the family farmer..those programs are a lifesaver. Maybe now..for those farm corps..they are a waste.
I asked him why he continued to farm when he lost so much money every year. He said he didn't know what else to do. It was the only thing he knew..and he really loved it.
Some of the young farmers finally quit their family farms and went to work for industry. Industry couldn't find better workers. Those farm boys worked from sun up to past sun down.. like slaves. They had a strong work ethic like Pa did. The old farmers..like Pa..are a dying breed..and now they have one less.
I even turned most..if not all.. of my cow checks back over to Pa because I knew he needed them more than I did. He brought me the check and I wrote him one. His horses were mostly my horses.
Every time I bought a new riding lawnmower..I gave him my old broken one. He fixed them and still has them. He..and his side kick H..could fix them up and keep them running for years. All the equipment that Pa had or still has..are antiques. Most he sold off for salvage. He told me that all that stuff that didn't run anymore..rusting out in the fields.. was his retirement program.
Ya know..everyone made money from farmers..except the farmer himself. The banks..the equipment sellers..the feed people..the middlemen in the food markets..everyone..but the farmer.
I wanted to organize farmers. I'd sit with Pa and discuss how the farmers should all form a union and demand their fair share. It was a pipe dream.
Life is NOT FAIR.
One year..back when Pat Buchanan was running for president..he came out to the small town where Pa lived. He was visiting a family farm.
There was a reporter from The Economist traveling with Buchanan. Pa was talking to him. Pa told him how many cows he would have to sell to buy a new pickup. He compared it to how many cows he would have had to sell years back to buy a pickup. It was considerably more.
What was really spooky is..my niece..living up in Seattle..picked up that magazine on one of her commutes to work. She was working for Microsoft back then and had a long commute.
She read that article and saw the name of the town where Pa lived and saw his name. She called to tell him about it. He had that magazine laying around the house for years.
Coreen..didn't Craig C have some connection with The Economist for a while?? Yep..just looked and there was a connection between CQ and the Economist. Interesting connections!
I looked online to see if I could access the archives of the Economist magazine. It think it would have been in 2000..not sure. Pat B was running as a Reform Party candidate back then. I couldn't get in without paying. Maybe Craig can???
I guess that was Pa's 15 minutes of fame.
And Pa never met a field that he didn't want to cultivate. If it had trees on it..it was useless to him. He took pride in cleaning up our property...getting all the scrub bush off..including those pesky tallow trees. They can take over property in a New York minute.
Tallow trees..."This species is considered to be a noxious invader in parts of the southern U.S" (Wiki)
They are a pretty useless tree except for the color they produced when the leaves turn in the fall. Those leaves are beautiful then.
Ya know I told you that mom and Pa didn't get along well in the end. Mom did have an excuse..she had lots of tumors..secreting lots of cortisone. Probably had them for years. I think some of her best moments came in her dying. I watched her and I studied her. She was courageous. Way tougher than me.
Pa had an excuse also..he was an Aspergers. Not a good combination. I loved them both. They both needed me.
Mom wanted to divorce Pa but I talked her out of it. It was selfish of me..but she was not going to live for long and I couldn't see me trying to take care of them both in different places. I think she did understand that. Hope so. I was there for her until the end.
I pretty much left my job to be there. Only worked part time. It worked out because I left that old bastard Doc. I wondered why I had to deal with all that shit at the same time but it but God musta had that as part of the plan.
I wasn't as there for Pa at the end. God didn't work that one out. I had the very hardest job of my life. I told him that. And I did/do need the money. Couldn't retire yet. I do realize that everything does work for a purpose.
Pa and I did lock horns some toward the end. I think he just might have seen me as my mom. I never wanted to see him in that nursing home. You guys know that. I got him in that fine fancy assisted living place but he ruined that.
I really tried to rescue him. He made that impossible. I kept warning him..please don't make me do this! He would almost smile at that. Don't understand it. It was like he was creating a certain karma for himself and I couldn't do anything about it. I wasn't the one who moved him to the nursing home. His doc ordered that.
At the very end..he willed himself to die..like an old Indian. Yes..he did. I saw the soul of an old Indian lying the that bed..dying. He was at peace. I sometimes even wonder if God broke my foot so I couldn't spend as much time watching it happen. You know I always try to analyze why things happen.
Jan..recently mom has visited me in my dreams. Well not real recent..haven't had enough sleep to have any.
When she did visit..she was at an age where she was the happiest and the prettiest. Ole Sylvia Brown said that when we are in heaven we are at a good age...the best age.
They weren't long visits and usually we were going to do some shopping she liked to do or some cooking. They were nice dreams.
You have to watch the Colbert Report today. It's a rerun of last night's program. It's killer and it's rerun at 9A and 5:30 P today. Don't miss it.
Carol, I believe dreams like you have of your mother visiting you that are pleasant are meant to be comforting in a time of stress or sorrow.
Carol, you do have a bunch of stuff on your plate with working and taking care of your's pa's stuff too.
I was the representative of my dad's estate when he died. It is a job I never want to do again.
Good luck!
My mother was "Assembly of God" when I was very young - I think until I was about 8 or 9 years old. The preacher's wife came to her to get her hair done. Before my mom left the church, the pastor came to my mom's shop and told her she was going to have to close it as her work did not fit the church's dogma (those are not his exact words- except for "closing" the shop. My mother cried and cried because my mom and dad both needed to work to keep food on the table. My dad was Baptist, so after that we all went to the Baptist church. I don't have much use for fundamentalist churches.
I was telling that last story in response to the conversation about where Joshua goes to church.
You doing ok Carol?
Sitting out at Live at the Lakefront. Listening to live music. Perfect weather. Nice night.
Sounds delightful Carol.
I think I hit 6 hours guys..before I coughed myself awake. SIX HOURS. Woo hoo.
What's weird is that I can continue to function on these low hours of sleep.
I was driving home from our outing last night and noticed I would intermittently lose orientation of where we were at. The road would be unfamiliar just for a few seconds. Just moments. But I was aware of it. That's a good thing.
It was night time on the Interstate so that makes it less clear where you are. I'd be more worried if I were on a regular city road and it felt unfamiliar.
Remember the scene in On Golden Pond where the dad..Henry Fonda.. got lost on one of his walks. He came home in a frenzy..all shook up. That's something that scares me. But...my memory beats the hell outta anyone else I know. Huh Coreen??
One Golden Pond is one of my favorite movies...has always been. Reminds me of my camp.
Yesterday..no matter where I went..I kept running into nurses I know. But..I wasn't sure where from. I do have that problem..always have.
I see so many people..and sometimes I don't want to know where I know them from. As long as I find out they are nurses..I'm safe. Not as likely to be someone from the joint but not always the case. We do have some medical people who come thru.
There is this one medical person that I've been dreading coming back to jail. He's out on bond..big bond. He's a GYN and charged with taking thousands of twat shots of his patient's.
I used him for a Gyn years ago. He may have a shot of my twat in one of his computers but I certainly couldn't identify it. Never really met it. Couldn't identify it in a line up. We never got that acquainted.
Do you think YOU could identify your own twat in a line up?? Maybe Jan could. She's more of a twat expert. Me...I tend to avoid twats.
I'm a family NP. That means I can take care of just about everyone..if I HAVE to. When I worked for that old Doc. I'll call him Doc...the old bastard. I occasionally had to do a pap smear..that is if I couldn't fake having a seizure.
Well this poor lady needed one. I didn't do them often enough to get real comfortable with the equipment. You know those duck bill thingies..they call them speculum. I WAS more comfortable with the metal ones but hardly anyone used them anymore..they used the plastic throw away ones. The ends of those things are kinda sharp.
It takes skill to operate those specula. There are several directions in which they open. Do it wrong and you're in a world of trouble.
Well..I've got the specula..however you spell it..in this lady's vagina. I do the pap smear and now I have to get that thing out. I had opened it where the end.. close to her cervix.. was wide but the end.. close to me.. wasn't. . You might have to be familiar with those things to understand what I'm talking about.
Let me tell you that the way I had it opened..it didn't want to come out. It created a vacuum. All I had to do..I finally learned.. is to open my end a little wider and it would break that vacuum and would slip out easy.
But at the time...I couldn't budge that thing. It was open over her cervix and I couldn't close that end without clipping off the end of her cervix. I couldn't back it up because of a vacuum. I was sweating bullets. I was thinking that I would have to tell that lady that she would have to wear that damn thing home. She was a pretty cool lady and would probably have done it for me.
I did finally get it out..thank
God..but I think she might have been bleeding..just a tad. Phew.
From that point on..I had an anxiety attack if I had to do a pap smear. Rather take a beating. Really. But I never forgot that I had to make the entire speculum wide to slip it out easy. Hey..I'm sweating a little now just remembering the episode.
I hate to disillusion you people but at times..the medical profs at the other end of any of that equipment..is inexperienced. You have to start somewhere. I did a lot of praying over the years..that I didn't screw up.
When I was working ER..my first NP job..I did some suturing that I thought should have been done by a plastic surgeon. They would look at me and say..you do it. I did a good job though. I was patient. I got on my magnifying glasses..got real comfortable..and slowly did my sewing things up. I seemed to be a natural at it. I watched other Docs..usually men.. really mess it up.
At times..I had to even rehydrate lips just to be able to put them back together. Usually you never saw the results of your suturing but I did get to at times. Couldn't even tell there had been a laceration. Must have been all the praying I was doing. Thank you God.
Jan..you might be the only one who will get a chuckle outta my speculum story.
Looks like Huckabee is going to be competing with old Rush for some of his radio spots.
What ya think Coreen?? I think that maybe Rush screwed the pooch this time.
Finally, I can post some comments. Could not do it for a while
Carol, I laughed myself silly reading your story about your experience with the disposable speculum.
I bet you are great at suturing. I had a dream about you doing some suturing a year or so ago. Wish I could remember the details. I will have to look back at the recordings of my dreams and see if I can find it.
Do I know the obGyn you are talking about.
Dr. LaFuria. He was my GYN when he first came to town. May not have started here until after you left town.
He was new when I used him. I remember that when he did his exam..it was like he was giving me a tour of my girl parts.
He had computers full of twat shots. He was nice looking back when I used him. Now he's a fat slob.
He's out on bond..I think about a million dollar bond.
Rut rho..maybe he wasn't giving me a tour of my girlie parts..he may have been narrating his video. Well..as long as my face wasn't in the video.
When I went to the GYN..I would pretend I was somewhere else. I'd shut off all other senses. I hated it.
It's been a while since my last exam and my last GYN doc was an old boyfriend. Did you know Stan..the man? I met him thru Katie. I dated him when he was going to med school and I was going to grad school. You must have known him.
I dumped him when he went on a canoe trip with Katie and her sis and brother in law. I was suppose to go but mom was scheduled for a hysterectomy. I was pissed that he went without me. I saw him a couple of times after but each of us were busy with our lives..him in New Orleans..me in Houston.
It doesn't take much for me to feel betrayed. Dump them before they ever have a chance to dump me.
I didn't use him as a GYN until much later. He married an LPN.
Got her pregnant.
Sis and I are going to met a cousin that neither of us have seen in years. We're meeting at a seafood restauant down the road. Catch ya later alligator.
Jan..our alma mater..my hometown girls basketball team played in the NCAA college tournament this afternoon. They were seeded 15 playing #2 Kentucky and only lost by 6 points. You would have been proud. I was.
Carol, do you mean McNeese girls BB team. Cool! I am proud. New Mexico men playing Louisville right now. They are ahead too. They are playing in Portland Ore.
You are right, I do not know the GYN you were talking about. I do remember you dating a doc or a doc in training - Stan - I remember his name too.
Have fun at dinner.
Whatcha doin Coreen?
Last night's dinner was sooo much fun. I laughed so much. Sis called one of our cousins who I can't remember having seen in many moons. They talked and arranged for us all to meet for dinner last night. Cousin and her husband live about an hour from here.
The last time I'd seen this cousin was at mom's funeral but that was like a bad dream. I was still in shock at that time.
All of our family..aunts..uncles..cousins were so close when we were young... like we were all just one family. I flashed on those good memories last night.
That closeness didn't last. Some family disputes split us apart over the years.
N was the only one who..at least.. sis kept up with all these years.
Well..we did a lot of catching up last night. We covered decades of the good..the bad..and the ugly.
This particular cousin was... IMO.. the most gentle..sensitive..and kind member of our entire family. We found out last night that she had a pacemaker/defibrillator put in a while back.
From what she told me..I couldn't really figure out why she needed that device but now..thinking about it..I realize that she suffered the most heart break over the years so that's probably why she needed one of those devices. It's interesting.
Today..sis's last weekend here for a while..we are going to BBQ baby backs. Twin and one of my friends are coming over. I made my BBQ sauce last night. It has to have time for the flavors to marry.
I haven't BBQed in a while now. The last time is probably documented here but I can't remember when it last was.
My old Old Smokey bit the dust. It's still sitting out on the cement deck but I noticed that the bottom had fallen out. I bought a new one at Wally World the other day.
I told you that I had been looking for this folder of stuff sis and I gathered together since mom died. Everything was in that folder..including my copy of her succession.
I looked for that folder and couldn't find it anywhere. Sis has all my paperwork organized and it wasn't part of it. I last remembered having seen the folder either at the lawyer's office or at the CPA's office but I was sure I didn't leave it at either place. I called both and neither one had it.
I also had it in my living room but couldn't find it there. Sometimes I do shove it under the couch I sit on but I looked really good under there. I was close to panicky about where it could be.
When I lose something important I pray to St Anthony. It always works. I did it several times. It wasn't working this time.
Now..for how this relates to the BBQ pit. I was putting together the new BBQ pit last night in the living room. I was down to the last screw. The darn screw got away from me and rolled off under the couch. Trying to find it..I had to move a couch away. Low and behold..there was that folder I'd been looking for. It was shoved in the corner under the couch and seemed invisible. I had looked under there several times.
If I hadn't dropped that screw..I don't think I would have found that folder for a long time.
St Anthony came thru for me again.
I will have to remember St Anthony. How amazing!
Enjoy your time with your sis today.
Yes, Thanks to St. Anthony...
Time has flown by since Sis arrived...& its clear to me that her visit has been a blessing....
Enjoy your BBQ...I am guessing weather has been good since you were at an outdoor concert the other night, as well as dinner out
Guys...I'm sitting here in severe sleep deprivation.. catching a congested breath..wondering why I thought it was a good idea to BBQ today??? I've lost my effing mind! Time for the guys in the white coats to come for me.
I guess I wanted some BBQ and tater salad but forgot I'm the one who has to do it. That tater salad by itself is a lot of work. It's easier to cook most meals than it is to make that tater salad.
Everyone else who is attending is retired/and or leaving me.
I've even gone out to mow this morning. The grass was almost knee high.
Oh..I'm delegating today. I sent sis to the house to get clothes out of the dryer..feed the cats..to Wally World for stuff we forgot..including some bone in and skin on chicken. I don't even care much for baby backs..too rich. Everyone else loves them.
She also cut up some celery and pickles for the tater salad.
Good hearing from you 2...
And is this appropos or what...
Something to ponder Carol...
I am leaning more & more toward
closing my office this year...I think the time has come to let it go...
And again enjoy the day guys...
Early retirement without a fortune
Well..dinner was a success. I was too tired to eat. I'm sitting on the couch..alone..in the living room. Sis and Tomato woman are outside visiting. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet. I can actually lean against the back of the couch without drowning myself today.
I'm just wondering if all that saline sinus douching was causing some of that. I didn't do it at all today.
Twin came late and left early. I sent her home with lots of food. Sis can only eat so much and I haven't had much of an apetite. I'll send a bunch home with TW.
One of the things that has been fun about having sis here is that we have hit a good many of the eating out places around. I don't have anyone to do that with.
It's a very nice day outside..78..feels like 80 but a nice breeze. New Old Smokey got a good workout.
Thanks for the article Coreen. As soon as I can uncross my eyes I'll read it.
Sounds like a great time.
Good to see you coreen. I read the article. One of the lovely things about growing old -er is that we really can do very well with less.
We had little white fluffy dog-cece for the entire week. I have enjoyed her. She is a sweetie, but very needy. She follows me everywhere. I started closing the bathroom door. I really don't like company in the BR. She also wants me to pet her everytime I sit down. She does not sleep in the bedroom with us. John has asthma and he has to use an inhaler when she is here. She is 1/2 poodle and 1/2 bijon. I have heard that poodles do not cause allergies - don't believe it. They do. I have had to take claritin 2X a day since she has been here.
cece's parents will pick her up tonight.
We are going to #1 son's house for dinner tonight. His b'day is tomorrow. Hard to believe I had him 52 years ago. His wife is a doll. She just got back from Montana. Her mom has CA and not doing well. It has metasticized. I told DIL we would like to take them out for dinner, but she said her sons want a home-cooked meal (her home cooked meal). They are good boys but a little spoiled (22 and 26 years old.
I did retire 2 years ago, but I like working a little bit. We could do without the extra money, but I just like staying involved. Maybe I am a little bit nuts.
I don't understand about this sleeping problem. I got about an hour..woke up and then went right back to sleep and slept another 4 and a half hours. Woke up. That's all I wanted. I wasn't disappointed that I woke up. I am ready to wake up. Not ready to get up and go to work..but just wake up and come here. Talk to you guys.
Sometimes I'm exhausted and want more sleep and sometimes I don't want to waste any of my day sleeping. I do worry about those articles I see about the dangers of not enough sleep. I don't read them..just the headlines. Maybe I'm OK as long as I don't believe them. That's sis and my theory. We are what we believe.
I have been on a high since sis got here. Really enjoyed the company. That's not real normal for us. All three of us sisters are a little on the controlling side. We are all used to getting our way. Twin and I have been single and have no one to answer to. Sis pretty much acted single as far as listening to anyone else. Just MHO. She would argue.
I think that I'm a little more flexible than my other sis's. They would argue about that also. We also like to argue. A family tradition that goes way back. I remember listening to the old folks in the family argue. If they started to agree..they switched sides and got right back into it. It's in our DNA. We can't help it.
I liked to argue from an early age. I can even remember when mom and dad had friends over. I was just a kid. I remember one of their friends who was very obnoxious. I know my parents thought so too. I would even argue with this guy until daddy threw me outta the room. That was because I was winning.
I also remember this one guy my parents knew. He would help me with my math homework. Don't remember the details but I overheard him tell my parents that I was very intelligent. That was a shock. I was under the impression that maybe twin and I were semi retarded. We didn't do well in grade school.
Well..like I was saying..I think that I'm more flexible than my sisters. And like I said..they would argue about that.
The evidence to support my argument is that I was kinda..a little..of the favorite of all three of my parents. I used to think that it was my wonderful personality that made me their favorites. But then I realized that it was only because each of my parents could control me to a certain extent. I was more of an ass kisser. I wanted to please them more. It was work...but they did appreciate it.
Each of my other sisters had a way of putting on the brakes when any of the three of our parents wanted to control them. Pa never really did try to control sis or twin. He really didn't try to control me but I wanted to please him also.
Another support of the argument. Our parents expected us all to go to college. Sis went because it was her sincere desire to go. Twin went but dropped out because that was her desire. Me..I went..but didn't really want to. I went to please mom and dad. And I went into nursing to please mom. I am certainly glad that I did go. Sometimes ass kissing does have it's benefits.
Another ponder..I'm wondering if I have a tad of bipolar disorder. As you may have noticed..Coreen has..that I went from extremely depressed before the holidays to pretty elated after sis got here. I noticed also. I also needed more sleep when I was depressed to very little now.
Sis and I went out to our farm yesterday afternoon...the one in the pics here. It was very nice out there. If I were younger..I wouldn't want to get rid of that property but now I can't enjoy it anymore. It does represent lots of good memories for me. Weird thing is..those memories as all with Pa..not the family who actually owned the property. Pa and I rode that range so often..and worked cows.
I remember one time we were out there with the horses on a weekend. We were just out there to ride and look around. Check the cows. We were sitting in his truck..and up came this horrible thunder and lightning storm. I even had a video camera with me.
Pa had a regular sized cab..not a king cab on this truck. He had no use for a king cab. It would get in his way.
With no king cab..we were closely surrounded my windows. That lightning was streaking to the ground..all over. I was petrified. Pa was laughing at me. I couldn't even move to video it. My arms would not move.
The horse were bucking in the trailer. They were scared also. Their bucking was shaking the truck.
Pa just didn't get scared. He'd stay out on a tractor in the lightning. That scared us all. He'd walk on the levies and snakes would drop off in front of him. No fear. Didn't want to harm the snakes either. I walked behind him. I was scared but so were the snakes. Pa scared them off before I got to them.
Another time I had close encounters with snakes is when I had that crawfish pond. I tried to get Pa into crawfish farming. I thought that at least it would be one crop where he could make some money. None of the others were. Hey..I even pondered marijuanna..just a short ponder..for laughs.
Pa wouldn't have done that crawfish pond without me. He was just patronizing me. He agreed but only if I would do it with him.
Those snakes loved to eat crawfish. Our pond was only 8 acres. Pa wanted to start small. I wanted about 40 acres. I had to walk that pond in hip boots.. picking up and emptying traps. I pulled a small boat behind me.
I did this after work..mind you. I worked at the university and lived 40 miles away.
Back to the snakes. The snakes would sun themselves on my traps or would be hiding in the trap. They could slither into the trap from the water. They went in to eat the crawfish but like the crawfish..once they got in..they couldn't get out.
If I picked up that trap with my bare hands..that snake would strike at me. Made my heart skip a beat. Not a pleasant experience. I picked up those traps with a stick..until I saw that there was no snake in it. If there was a snake..that trap went flying thru the air. It landed on it's side..I couldn't see it under the water. I would then trip on it when walking thru the pond.
There was also a nice family of black widow spiders that made a home in my boat. Never had seen one of them before..and not since. I know that I got bit once. I had this whelp on my leg and the worst abdominal muscle cramps ever. I looked up black widow spider bites and those were the symptoms.
Crawfish farming was not in my destiny. Coreen.. I bet you can't even read this. I did acquire quite a few eagle feathers for that experience. Even impressed myself.
I could have provided anyone a good laugh..if they could have seen me out there. Once..when I was dumping a trap..I dumped crawfish into my hip waders. Let me remind you that they have pinchers on them.
Can you imagine me..out in the middle of that pond..jumping around on one leg..trying to get that hip boot off. It was hot and sweaty and that boot was stuck to my leg.
Those crawfish could have pinched me..but they were just as afraid of me as I was of them. Good thing.
I am not looking forward to going back to work. Sis wanted me to take off another day. I told her it would be bad enough just going back after being off for 4 days. I was more tired yesterday than any other day and I got 14 calls from the joint. Some seriously complex people came in. I'm already worn out just thinking about going back today. I think I need a nap.
Wild day today. I'll have to tell you about it later. Too long a story.
DWTS starts tonight and sis asked what time. I take it to mean she wants to watch it or is pretending to. Whichever..I'll happy.
Are we going to live blog tonight Coreen??? Better.
Sis is suppose to take off tomorrow early afternoon and there is some severe weather due about the same time..right in her path. Don't know what will happen. There are winds of up to 50+ also predicted. Yuk.
I see you will have some Connecticut summer days this week Coreen. No..no global warming here. Hmmmm.
Sis went to get the clothes out of the dryer and hasn't gotten back yet. Recording it. I'm waiting for sis to get back to start the show. Dang it.
I didn't even know it started tonight!!!Just switched...
Yeah global warming right...last winter we had something like 5 feet of snow...
Came home & washed the car & took the plexiglas
off the screen doors on the porch...will have to wait til someone is here to take he panels off...they are too heavy for me to handle...
Sheri Shephard...she was so happy
& she moved pretty well, even if she's a bit pudgy...
She may get better as it goes..
I remember her from everybody loves raymond...she was robert's
cop partner....sargeant judy...
Melissa Gilbert...she looked pretty good doing that chacha...
first time out...she may get better...
Sorry though never watched little house on the prairie which is the only claim to fame I can remember for her...
Well looks like this cuban actor ?(I missed his name)
came with his own fandom...screaming women...
And his chacha was pretty good...he has the moves & the looks
so we shall see....
Martina was soft & elegant...needs
a bit more practice...
A complete different view of the
hard hitting tennis champion...& her hairdo was great for her too...
I grew to like her though at first
not so much when she battled & beat Chrissie...
I'm behind Coreen. I just got thru Sheri.
Katherine the opera singer just did a terrific foxtrot...she may be a dark horse...sure has the look
& lots of potential...
She is also very pretty...
I am not looking at your comments yet. We are taping DWTS so we can zap through the commercials. Looking forward to it.
Oh Gladys...you go girl!!.
Love her...she wis truly the empress of soul...always loved her more than aretha...
Martina never looked better. She sure cleans up well. Was that Chris Evert in the audience?
I think Jaleel aka urkel may be the frontrunner...
he's real smooth in this foxtrot...
excellent style & moves...& he grew up to be a good looking guy...
& dancing to one of my favorite
songs...the way you look tonite...
I didn't watch the urkel show either...
Gladys really wowed.
Missed the first hour, but my favs
are Jaleel White, Katherine Jenkins & naturally Gladys Knight...& she's 67!!!
I even voted...had 12 votes & gave them each 3 & then 1 each for
martina, sheri & melissa
This was the best first dances ever!
In honor of the 'empress' my favorite song by Gladys Knight & the Pips....& yes whenever I hear this song, it reminds me of only one person...& he is now gone forever...
The Best thing that ever happened
And since arrives at my house before yours...from the best weather guy around Geoff Fox...his
thoughts on Spring (except I can't see him anymore since first his contract was not renewed by the New Haven channel I watch for local news & then the channel he got a job at in Hartford was removed from my cable...so I get
to see his work on facebook...
Welcome spring...the best season of the year...
Here's to Spring
Yes..you get the first day of spring..first. I'm already wearing it my sinuses. The pollen is out in full force. Even sis is starting to cough. I hope she doesn't go home with some sinus thing.
Everyone around is suffering. I haven't had anything like this since I had the flu years ago. I get a flu shot every year and this wasn't the flu..it's a severe allergy thing.
I did have some Levaquin left from my bout of diverticulitis. I had enough to take half the dose for 10 days. I finally started on it. I hate antibiotics but after 10 days..I was afraid that I was incubating some bugs in there. I wasn't getting any better. I talked it over with my pharmacist and she agreed. She wanted me to do it much earlier.
Coreen..I voted three for Urkle..three for Gladys..three for Katherine..one for Martina and two for Sheri.
I gave Martina one vote because I really think she did well considering she is not feminine and her kind of athleticism doesn't lend itself to dancing..IMO.
I like Sheri because I watch the View.
What was your opinion Jan??
I pretty much agree with both of you. Did not vote though. I too think this may be the best 1st night of any season. I like the young guy from Disney. I think he is the one to watch. Also liked the Opera singer. I think Sheree and Martina both did great.
I too am having some bad allergies. I am having a lot of sneezing and nasal runniness and congestion. Just took a claritin - will take a while to work but usually does. Also have a headache - so probably have congestion in my head too. So also took ibuprofen.
I love the new show, Smash.
We are having strange weather too- one day the hi is 71 and the next it is 42.
Carol, hope your sis has a good trip home.
Still have some bad weather heading this way and right when sis is due to take off. I'm kinda wondering if they might cancel her flight.
I just got home for lunch and to pick up sis to bring her to the airport. The water is already over the road and it hasn't even started to rain yet.
We have the possibility of up to 5-6 inches coming. Just saw that the hydrologic prediction already has the river predicted to rise to close to 7 ft. That's higher than both of the last two recent floods.
Sis's flight has been canceled until this evening so she can help me pack to move back to the house. I called work to tell them I wouldn't get back today.
I'm all moved back in my house..the one on the other end of the long breezeway and it's been pretty breezy here.
When I was packing I almost forgot I had to move the riding mower and my new weed whacker also. I put other stuff up as high as I could get it. We loaded everything up in the truck and trailer and got out in one trip.
I brought sis to the airport. She called a little while ago and her plane isn't going out at all today. Twin lives close to the airport so she's picking her up and she will stay with her tonight. They didn't get to spend much time together.
It will just be the Magster and me tonight. Maggie looks lost. She sat at the window watching for sis..her alpha dog. She will grieve for a little while.
I lost her for a little while. Started getting scared. She had managed to squeeze under one of my couches. She better be careful..she may get stuck.
That weather system seems to be stuck in the same place...most is a little west of me. The really red stuff seems to be breaking up.
Some places..a little northwest of here have already recieved 6-8 inches. I hope that doesn't happen here. So far..not too bad over my area.
Carol, what a day you are having. I am glad you are back in your house.
Have had headache and nasal congestion for 2 days and 2 nights. Getting tired of this. Took ibuprofen and went to work anyway. I think it is the weather and barometric pressure.
Well..they have just issued a tornado warning for not too far west of here. It includes southeast Texas and extreme southwest La. It's the area where that red stuff has been streaming.
Glad I'm not in the tree house tonight. This place is much sturdier and where I am right now was built in 1928 so it musta been thru a lot of bad weather and survived.
Maggie has already taken cover.
Wise move to the house Carol...you & magster stay safe...
Tried to lock in on the radar, looks like the extreme stuff is pretty close...and the end looks to be around beaumont...but still not sure the direction your weather moves...looks like it goes
south to north from the gulf inland...and moves from texas across la...east northeast....
meantime we still have amazing days...72 sunny & they say it is closing in on 80 before the weekend, then the wet weather may get to us...& a drop in the temps..
Sorry Jan...not much works for allergies...I switched to Allegre Allergy since they discontinued Sinutabs...
Just checked back. Was on the phone and watching the weather. It's still over the same area..not too bad here yet.
Last week it wasn't too bad here and just north of Lafayette had about 13 inches. It's like that..it will dump on one area and the areas around will only have an inch or two.
My river still has a prediction of cresting around 6.8 but they may have been thinking we would get alot. It's not over yet..hope it speeds up when the worst gets on top of me.
Heard from neighbor earlier and he said the river wasn't bad then. I told him to keep watch on my place.
So far it almost looks like we're in a rain shadow but there's some bad stuff out in the Gulf that looks like it's heading up this way.
I just took Mags out and it's down to a sprinkle now.
Might be kinda hard to copy and paste this but if you can do it..look at the area around the Texas border. It shows how much rain has fallen.
http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?zoommode=pan&prevzoom=zoom&num=6&frame=0&delay=15&scale=1.000&noclutter=0&ID=LCH&type=NTP&showstorms=0&lat=30.22988129&lon=-93.16670990&label=Lake%20Charles,%20LA&map.x=400&map.y=240&scale=1.000¢erx=400¢ery=240&showlabels=1&rainsnow=0&lightning=0&lerror=20&num_stns_min=2&num_stns_max=9999&avg_off=9999&smooth=0
I couldn't even copy that link.
I'm gonna sleep on the couch in the living room. I don't have a TV in my bedroom. I want to hear if a weather alarm goes off after I go to sleep so Mag and I can take cover.
Carol, hope all goes well with you and Mags tonight.
Ya know that saying..when it rains..it pours??
All systems were go for a little rest catch up but nooooooooo. I was up most of the night worrying about this weather. I can't catch a break. I'm just going to have to learn to sleep while running.
There are parts of our parish that got over 10 inches of rain. They already had it last night. Unfortunately it close to where Pa's stuff is.
It looks like over my area may have only had 2-4 inches...not sure. The hydrologic prediction for my river moved it's crest up to 7 ft. That's not going to reach that crest until Sunday and stay that way for??
Rain rain go away..come again next year. I'm feeling kinda partial to that drought we had.
I left my TV and laptop on..not great for sleeping but just the sound of the weather was enough to keep me awake.
I heard the new mail sound on my laptop early. It was sis sending an ipad message. It was 1:02 am and read..."I don't remember when I have lived through weather like this" Welcome home sis! They just think they get rain in Seattle!
As much as it seems that the Universe is whacking me around lately..it's just using a newspaper. Like with a dog..it's enough to scare me but not enough to do any permanent damage. I hope.
There has been severe rain fall totals..over 10 inches.. just to the east and to the west of me.. over the last week or so. If that kind of rainfall was over my river area..my camp would be a new underwater attraction.
I moved to my camp..coming up..three years ago. I remember Mag and I packed up our stuff to spend the Easter holidays out there. We went out there on every decent weekend and holiday. That particular holiday..we decided we'd just stay. Loved looking at my river. Slowly I moved the stuff I needed out there.
I've had to move back home three times in the last month or so. I'm wondering if the Universe is telling me to move home and just visit owl camp on weekends and holidays?? Nah.
Just talked to my neighbor/surrogate husband. He said the river is already up to at least 6.6. I called him at work yesterday to warn him. He didn't get his truck out until 1a this morning. He will take his boat back to his truck to go to work.
Last week I bought a new Sears weed whacker. My last one was very good to me. It was 25 to 30 years old and worked like a charm until recently. It was time to give it a break.
When I bought my new one..I gave neighbor my old one. I figured he could make it work again. He said he would fix it and get it back to me. I told him it was his. He and another neighbor had it humming like a kitten after a little work.
I told him not to change the spark plug...that might ruin it. He said they already did and pressure washed it. He said they could even now read the instructions on it and it started with one pull.
I'm glad they got it running. It will come in mighty handy for them. It certainly did for me.
I try to take care of my neighbor so I don't feel bad when I need his help.
Today I learned that Joshua's family does pronounce their last name..Le(debt) not Le(day) as many cajuns pronounce the name.
It's origin is French from the name Le Dé. Some people do not pronounce the French names like they are supposed to pronounce them. This happens more often if the people with these names live outside Louisiana.
Outside Louisiana people want to pronounce Hebert..hee burt instead of how it should be pronounced..ay bear.
Something else interesting I learned several years back is how many of our French names like Thibodeaux got the x on the end of the name.
Someone doing Louisiana research told me that the x got on the end because many of these families were illiterate and when signing in to their church..the name was already written and the family member just put their x after the name. After years of doing this..the x got incorporated in the name.
Coreen..you will be warmer there tonight and tomorrow than I will down here.
I'm planning on watching AI tonight. I don't have many channels to choose from but one is Fox.
Ouch you have to watch a fox network channel!!!well it's not fox news so, no harm no foul...
American Idol just doesn' grab me
at all...don't like jlo or the ugly
I forgot his name (he did a guest
shot on 2-1/2 men when charlie was
still the star)...I'd rather watch
billo then that team...
in the low 60s tonite, but it was
cloudy overcast all day so even though it was definitely warm for mid march (about 68-69 today w/o
sun) it was dampish...
But tomorrow & Friday are supposed to be spectacular with record breaking temps & sunny...we shall see...
The Saints got some nasty sanctions today for their targeting players for injury. I think it was a little excessive but do understand that something had to be done to make a point. Sniff sniff.
Also I think it was not fair what happened to Tebow. I'm not a big fan of Tebow but he did get his team into the playoffs and now he's bumped for Peyton. I fear that may be a bad decision.
One more good hit to Peyton may take him out forever, I think Peyton is taking a big big risk. If Peyton does go down.. it will be karma for the Broncos..for dissing Tebow. Jan..your boys are Bronco's fans. What do they think about all this?
The early afternoon sports buzz was that the jets made a deal for
tebow...but then the evening news
said there is a snag about paying something like $5 mill in addition to the player swap, so he may not be coming to NY...
Have no opinion either way about him...for some reason the sports talkers continue to say he is just a nfl qb no matter how much he dazzled last year...but I don't know why they have said that all season...
as far as broncos..they want to win so...they came up with big bucks to see if peyton has anything left...whether he is really physically ok who knows...
but obviously he couldn't resist 5 yrs/96 mill...though I don't know if there are conditions in those $$$...what do I always tell you...it's always about the money, never forget that....
as far as your saints, didn't read it all but is the coach out of $8 mill for the season, I think I heard that on the evening news...
Coreen..I see you have a draft ready. Is it ready to put up? Better now than when I'm in the middle of pondering a comment.
I just put something up for you...
Jump....
Sorry you don't like AI. I do like it. I don't think the judges gave enough constructive criticism in the first shows. they are trying to be too nice. Jimmy -who meets with them when they are practicing gives them the best advice - I think. I am attached to the contestants now. It is going to be hard to vote because I like most of them.
Like you with AI, I just don't care much for football. I am sure my boys and grandkids have an opinion. I will try to find out what they think.
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