We are once more on the road. John is doing a service in Cloudcroft NM in the morning. Hunter, GD, is visiting us so we brought her with us. It has been a fun trip so far. Cloudcroft is about 225 miles from ABQ and much of that is 2 lane highways. We are about 25 miles from White Sands National Monument so visited there this afternoon. On the way to Cloudcroft we stopped at a place called Fire Valley. At one time there must have been some volcanos there- as evidenced by lots of black rocks. We stopped and took pics. So here we all are. Oh yes, Cloudcroft is 8600 ft elevation and the temp this afternoon was high 70's - yet 25 miles away is White Sands (not sure of elevation) and it was 102. We did get out at WS and walked on a board walk. The sand is actually gypsum and does not have same texture as sand on beaches. The gypsum was much finer. Not allowed to take any gypsum out of park.
188 comments:
oops - Valley of Fires. The reason I took a pic of the sign is so I would remember the name of the place. LOL
Hunter and I went to see the movie "Ted" the other night. It was pretty funny.
Great pics Jan. Looks beautiful. Great sky for watching the meteor shower tonight or early in AM. I just sent you a text message about the meteor shower because I wasn't sure if you had your laptop with you. Now I know that you do. Let me know if you got my text since I'm not sure they are going thru.
oops Carol, I will check my phone now.
"This year's display is extra-special because of the planets. Jupiter, Venus, and the crescent Moon are gathering together just as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak. The alignment occurs in the eastern sky before sunrise on the three mornings of highest meteor activity."
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/10aug_perseids/
I read there could be up to 100 meteors an hour and Jan the hours just before sun up are supposed to be the best. Those skies where you are should be just perfect for viewing. Wish I was there. Too many trees here.
But I am setting my clock to go outside before dawn. I'll put on lots of mosquito spray. TW heard on the news that Dallas has over 100 cases of West Nile virus from mosquitoes.
If y'all have a smartphone with you, you can download that free NASA app to count meteors and send the info to NASA. They want our help. Your GD might get a kick out of that.
TW and I were reminiscing about the night we spent out laying on a blanket at our farm watching one of the best Leonid meteor showers, Nov 2001. It's unlike either of us to be that spontaneous and it will never happen again. Not the meteor shower, even though that particular one was a once in a lifetime event with the number of meteors that were seen, but getting TW to lay out on a blanket in a field in the middle of nowhere watching the sky all night. That was an effing miracle. She does say it was one of the most memorable nights of her life.
I have my mosquito spray ready, my alarm clock set for 4 and my coffee pot ready to turn on when I get up. I went out to do a test look up at the sky. I only have an area straight up in the middle that has sky not covered by trees. Thanks to that tornado that shortened one of my pine trees, I have a tad more than I used to.
Ok, I will get up too and watch it. I usually wake up about 3:30 anyway.
I don't have a smart phone. Been thinking of getting one. My phone is 3 years old and it is pretty smart.
I'm up.
Well...I sat outside on my reclining poor chair and saw only one. It was bright and short lived. I made it for close to an hour and that's all I saw. TW was keeping me company on the phone so it wasn't so scary sitting out in the yard in the dark. Then I heard a loud sound out in a very dark area of the yard that sounded like it was a bear tearing down something. No..we don't have any bears so that made it even scarier. I came in.
Maybe they were better near the horizon and I have no horizon available to view here.
Went back out and caught one more.
Another road trip and more of 'Americana'....nice going Jan...
John seems to be a great partner to share your adventures...
Carol, you do get an A for effort...even if you didn't get to see lots of the perseids...
I did not wake up until after dawn -slept so great last night. Hated to miss the meteor shower but enjoyed the good sleep. As I get older, I realize that is one of the more enjoyable times.
Yes Carol. I am proud of you.
We are in Amarillo. Just arrived.
Hi Coreen. I got a couple of great pics of the white sands on the horizon in south NM as we were coming down the mountain out of Cloudcroft. It is so interesting to see this thin line of white that if one did not know better looks like maybe clouds. I will try and post it later on.
Wasn't necessary to get up unless that is a passion of yours Jan. It wasn't that much earlier than I usually get up and I knew I could go back to sleep since it was a day off. I did doze off for a while after. If it would have been an significant event here, I wouldn't have wanted to miss it. I didn't even remember that the shower was on this weekend. TW told me.
I read where some got a great show. I think the urban light pollution that TW had and the limited sky we both had did mess up the view. Can't beat laying on a blanket in a dark field with wall to wall sky for viewing these events. But that was when I was 11 years younger, had a camper to drag out there and it was a meteor event in Nov. It was nice and cool outside then. Will never duplicate that event in my lifetime.
But what would I have given to have the sky you had over there...
What ya think of Cloudcroft Jan? Pretty cool? You might be able to add pics to this post or just start a new one whenever you have enough pics. No problem putting up frequent posts. It's not like we're yakking it up that much anymore. We're too busy or have nothing to say. Kinda both for me.
TW and I went to see Hope Springs yesterday. Cute but it made me sad. I guess it made me focus on the fact that we are all getting old. Have you seen it yet Jan or Coreen? Probably not a movie that GD would want to see.
Last night I finally got into a task that I would have rather taken a beating than do. It was inputting my CEUs on my Certification website. Last time I had to do it on paper.
I was procrastinating. Not only did I not want to do it, I was afraid that I would be very short on hours once I put them all down. It's also not easy with my foggy, 20/400 eye but that has only been an excuse for several months. That may be one reason I am not doing the computer as much.
I spent over 5 hours inputting the data last night and it is much easier online than it was on paper until I got near the end. If I hit the enter key instead of the shift key to capitalize, it would erase the entire input form. I did that a lot at the end.
It is easier for me to type than write and it tallied the hours as I wrote them in. Pretty cool.I can't add long columns either.
I wonder how long this website has been available? Now, it can be done as I get the hours. Even though I was very tired toward the end, I wasn't going to quit until I finished. That was after 10p. When I finished, I had 149.25 hours. I need 150. Whoopee.
You can't imagine what a relief that was. I went to bed last night with a much calmer relaxed mind than I have had in quite a while.
Woo Hoo USA on metal count! Also glad it is over!
Boy has my mailbox been filled up with Republican junk mail. It goes straight to the garbage. I gave 100 bucks to my Buddy Roemer and now they've wasted at least one tree on me. I gave 20 times that for Hillary and don't remember any junk mail after that. I guess the Dems don't believe in waste.
Safe traveling today Jan et al. More pics please.
I was robbed yesterday while at the movie or last night while I slept. Broke into my shop and took my zero turn Snapper. They took my new Craftsman high wheel trimmer off my back porch but I just found it stashed between the shop and my neighbor's fence. Probably planning on coming back for it. I think it was a guy working with my tree man. He has wants and warrants for theft. Turned his name in. I need a bigger gun.
Ouch Carol, is that your lawnmower?...
Sadly that's why I hate having people come to work at my house...just never know...so difficult to trust anyone...
Not sure a bigger gun would help, but go for it....
& yes I know that is not a lib/prog/dem way to think but who cares...self preservation comes first...& invading one's home is something I find loathsome...
Well, at least I have some nice pics of my lawnmower on the blog. It's on my Spring cleaning post. May need if they can't find the thief. You feel real violated when that happens. I went to work for the first half of the day but couldn't stay. I saw this guy who was in for many charges of theft. I had hate in my heart...I'm ashamed to admit.
I talked with the place where I bought my LM and they said Snapper doesn't make those lawnmowers as good as that one is and she won't even carry them anymore. She carries a different brand now. I don't want a new one, mine worked just fine. I loved it. It was like sitting in a Hoveround. It operated with a joystick. It was perfect and I kept it up. All I've ever done was get the oil changed and changed the belt.
I'm glad that tree man was out of town because the last time he came to cut trees, several years ago, a new pressure washer went missing off my back porch here.
It was about the same amount of time from his cutting trees here last time and they left huge dually truck tracks in my yard and boards where they had to dig out. Pretty bold. I was at my camp at the time. He's a good friend of my neighbor at the camp. I called him today to tell him.
Treeman has been in Tennessee but it has to be one of the people he has working for him. I did call him and tell him that. Too much of a coincidence. He just cut that tree up 2 weeks ago. I was real concerned about those guys getting poison ivy. Had them come into the backyard to wash up. I now hope they were eaten up with it.
I talked with tree man a couple of times today. He did call that guy who I suspect. I hope he won't be coming back for a visit. He may not know I work for the Sheriff's dept. I'll certainly have 911 on speed dial and I'm packing heat..maybe not quite as hot as I would like, but they will have a few extra orifices when they leave my yard.
I did mention that they planted my new Weedwacker for a later pick up.
I'm pretty sure it must have been done when I went to the movie. I hope they wouldn't have done it with me home. Maggie kept looking out the window last night and making this low pitched woofing sound, but not like someone was out there. She goes nuts then. She doesn't usually look out that window. She was doing it again this morning and during the day. She must have seen them yesterday. When I took her out yesterday afternoon, she tried to drag me over that way and I dragged her back. She was trying to tell me something. Sorry Lassie girl.
Bummer Carol. I know you hate to lose something that works so well and cannot replace it. Someone came in my garage and stole my 2 sided hoe. I loved that hoe. That was when I didn't have a key to the lock. Now, Terry has put in a good lock for me. I will go buy another hoe now. I need a shovel too so I can do some planting.
The couple who used to live across the street had someone bust down their front door to get his expensive bike. That happened right after there were a group of guys who were hired by their landlord to do some work on the house.
"& yes I know that is not a lib/prog/dem way to think but who cares...self preservation comes first...& invading one's home is something I find loathsome."
I agree Coreen.
I'm officially retired. Whoopee. News story to follow!
Sounds like good news Carol...Know
you have been giving it lots of thought for awhile...
Coreen, right now I feel like it is very good news.
I went for that meeting. I had been preparing myself for what I thought I would have to do. I was ready to call it quits. The meeting was with the head of the contract agency. We started with some small talk then he told me that I would do three days of week at the jail and two days at this work release. That guy doesn't have a clue what I do and furthermore doesn't care. The hospital is just trying to keep those work release patients out of their ER.
I told him that I would still have the same number of patients at the jail in less time and I wouldn't be able to continue call everyday for the jail. He said yes you will. That wasn't even a requirement when I took the job, I just did it to save having our patients sent in to the hospital when I'm off on weekends and holidays. He didn't care. He was strong arming me. I've been getting that treatment from inmates and the administration of the jail for over 7 years and today I was going to end that.
He said if you can't do it, we don't need you. I said then that's the way it will be. It was all over. I felt a huge weight lift. This is the most relaxed I've felt in over 7 years. The only regrets I have is that I sacrificed so much of my physical and mental health for these people. They don't even know me. That sacrifice was my own doing, can't blame anyone else. I can't say that there was a single person I know that didn't tell me that I was a fool for making that sacrifice. Told TW and big sis when I left and they were both very proud. I am also. I finally grew a pair.
Started my nursing career 40 years ago, Sept 1972. Well, two weeks short of 40 years. I think it's been long enough. It's time to learn how to enjoy life before it is too late.
Went this afternoon to see a detective about my robbery. He was a neat guy, older than me and still working. He works only robbery and theft. He said at the moment he had little slow down in his workload and he was going to get on my case. Dang, I didn't expect that kind of action. We hit is off and it was a really enjoyable meeting. I was probably a lot more pleasant to be around. He even told me that he hadn't enjoyed any meeting as much as he enjoyed ours.
No, he's married..for 50 years but he did give me a hug when I left. He told me how interesting and attractive I was. I must even look better now that I've got that load off.
I do have plenty to do to keep me busy. Now I can concentrate on all those tasks I've been neglecting. Do you think I can learn to like housework???
They need to get started on Owl Camp. Now, I'll be around to watch. I'm not sure if my carpenter guy is finished with that job he had to do after doing my roof.
Wow Carol, I am so proud of you! That is amazing. I am so glad you decided not to let them continue taking advantage of you.
I do have to say that I think the detective you are talking about - was "hitting" on you.
And thats a good thing - hitting on you. You still got it girl.
When you're closing in on SS, it sure isn't a bad thing!
I'll have to admit that I have had several moments of anxiety this evening. It's a habit. A thought comes into my mind..you have to check to see if you have something clean to wear in the morning. Then I remember..NO YOU DON'T. Then another thought..isn't there a patient you need to be fretting about? NO THERE ISN'T. Then I thought..you need to go get ready for bed..NO YOU DON'T.
I know that I still have plenty to fret about, I always will, but now I have a whole lot less. Ahhhh.
I told y'all that my treeman has some less than reputable guys working for him and this is the second time I had a tree cut up that a couple weeks later, I was robbed. Maybe that is just a coincidence. Maybe not. I did give the detective the name of one of the guy who has a long rap sheet for robbery and theft.
Then this afternoon one of my neighbor friend's husbands came over to tell me that the neighbor between us, right behind me, has a grandson who just got of prison Friday. He was in prison for theft. Great. I asked the detective if he thought that the guy would be right back to his old habits so soon? He looked him up and he is also a drug abuser. He said most definitely yes. Even the old man, his grandfather, has a reputation for roaming the neighborhood looking at people's stuff. I think he is too old to do that anymore.
My old laptop, the one I love, has several keys that quite working. I don't want to give that laptop up or take it anywhere. My new laptop isn't as nice and it has a mind of it's own. It keeps changing font sizes and jumps me around the page when I can't see I'm touching anything.
I just Googled that keyboard and it's only 23 bucks and they have a video on how to change it. Looks pretty simple. I tried removing the keys and cleaning under them but that didn't work. I think I'll order the keyboard and do the job myself.
With my new unemployed status, I'll be learning to do more, myself.
After a good bit of a day and into the wee hours of the morning I spent pondering, I realized that I wasn't entirely the only one to blame for my trying to overdo this last job but it still was a pattern of mine of. Often lived by the philosophy of...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.
My job was a vision of a recently booted out of the job, CEO of the hospital. Don't know why he was booted. He's the one who came up with the idea of using an NP for the position. He came up with this vision, then found me to try to make it happen. He frequently presented our success to someone in state government. He's the only one I felt like I was working for. It was an experiment of his. I know that is what motivated me to make it work and to make it work I had to do all that I ended up doing. But then again, when I called him to get a little relief, he never really responded with anything other than sympathy. But he did understand what I was up against and what I was having to do.
I did have a pretty good team that we developed over the years. My pharmacist was an excellent partner. Couldn't have done the job without her. Most of the nurses I now had cared a lot but I've watched their health deteriorate significantly. I hope some of them find a way to either retire or find a less stressful job before it is too late.
We are in LR. GD and I went to the movies yesterday. We saw the Dark Knight. It is an exciting movie. But did have a bit of a headache at the end.
Had dinner last night with John's brother and wife. Tonight dinner with John's sis and all the family. Tomorrow we take GD home. Her family lives about 65 miles away. GD can check into her dorm tomorrow. She is looking forward to classes starting again on Mon. Oh to be young again.
Carol, are you retiring for good?
I can compare my feelings of leaving this job to how a woman who is married to an abusive husband feels. You fear the loss of financial support if you leave but you know that if you stay, he could very well kill you. Interesting that I am following that Drew Peterson case right now. If you deeply ponder life's circumstances you will see all the synchronicity that is going on.
I hear you Carol. You must be feeling "relief" at getting out of the job, yet some anxiety as to "what now?"
I think I am Jan. I don't want a job that I can do half ass and I don't have the stamina to do one full ass anymore.
Before retiring most people have some time to consider what it will be like when leaving a job. You did not go through that stage Carol.
Before retiring most people have some time to consider what it will be like when leaving a job. You did not go through that stage Carol.
Lot a bad habits of 40 years are difficult to break. I will have some loss to deal with. You've experienced that and are still fighting it. We want to feel like our lives have meaning and that's not easy to do with house and yard work. Some good fishing time will take my mind off it but this ain't fishing weather.
Jan, I did have that extended vacation a while back. That did give me a little taste of it. I had a hard time going back after that.
I do have a lot on my plate right now that needs my attention. This was the best time to make a break. The planets were aligned for this action.
I had plenty of time to consider retirement before leaving full time work. I had almost 3months after to be fully retired. Then the school called me and asked if I wanted to do 10 hrs a week. I have to admit I jumped at it. I do like working part time.
That sounds great.
One thing that needs my attention is the long grass but I now have no lawnmower. I do want to give my detective time to see if he can find mine before getting another one. It was perfect. It fit me and my garden trailer.
I may want to later do some part-time but I'd be pretty choicy about what kind of work.
Carol, I hope that you do not internalize that you some how failed...your situation was one that could not allow you to continue there much longer...that you managed to do what you did this long is a marvel to me...
I would hazard a guess that you gave much more than you got back...& at some point you needed to step back & protect & care for Carol...
If you decide you want to
do other work at some time in the future, I would suspect that you would be able to find something that meets your needs, if that is what you decide...no need to make that decision right away...but then again you may find that you enjoy the freedom to do whatever, even nothing!!....
Don't want you to think of your decision as an ending, rather turning the page to a new chapter,
which am pretty sure will work out
just fine for you...
I know that I am taking less & less
new work, just doing a few things & keeping my office for now...but I can imagine at some point in the not to distant future that I close the doors...
One of the biggest challenges I had in my job, that I got no credit for, was trying to provide quality care but keep it cost effective. It was a goal that both my pharmacist and I worked hard at trying to achieve. It was a time consuming task and no one but us recognized that..or cared. The people who had to pay the bills were not there to see our efforts, and those who were there and who needed to be involved in making it happen, didn't really have to account for it the problem either.
For example..I get a homeless old guy in who was arrested for vagrancy. He hasn't had a drop of health care in years and has just about everything wrong with him. The wheels of justice move slow because the public defender office is overwhelmed. The court docket is also.
This inmate may not have given a damn about the state of their health out in "the free world", when he/she was camping out under the bridge, but now that they are stuck in jail, they want to make up for that. They were usually in my office shortly after arrest demanding to get everything fixed.
I couldn't just say tough luck buddy but the thought did go thru my head a number of times. If we didn't attend to their needs, he or she would be writing grievances against us to administration. They often did. That is something that did get the attention of the hierarchy. They weren't that concerned about the quality of our care unless someone complained.
We did only deal with things that were life threatening or could cause serious problems if not dealt with. I'm pretty sure we could't have killed these people if we didn't but I couldn't bet on that.
That inmate may have had a low bond but they had nothing in the way of money or no one out there who cared to help. This was a very frequent occurrence, it was time consuming to try to deal with, and it caused me significant grief. None of this was considered in our workload.
Thanks for the support Corrine. I think by now that you guys have figured me out. If not, you missed a good chance to. It's not like I don't lay it all out there. This blog has been a journal for me. I probably throw out there way more than I should but it has been good therapy. What you read is what you get.
The people who really matter to me know that my passions are in the right place even though I'm sure they also have had to endure some significant stress being my friend, even way up there in Connecticut Corrine. I want to thank all those who have stuck beside me. I love you all.
I love you too Carol. I am not good at putting into words my thoughts about you and what you are going through but I do have you in my thoughts and prayers. You are a survivor and I you have good instincts.
Meant to say "I know you have good instincts."
There was this phenomena we used to teach about in nursing called "reality shock". I'm not sure if it is still included in the nursing curriculum. Jan, is it?
Reality shock is when you go into your career all excited, with all this new information, theories and concepts, wide eyed, enthusiastic, and passionate. You think...I'm gonna save the world or at least make it a better place. You soon learn that what they taught you in school doesn't always work out. You can't stick to those rules to the letter. Many, often those who are your bosses, don't give a damn. Someone let the wind outta your sails.
People deal with this is several ways. They can drop out. They can jump from job to job in order to stay in perpetual state of orientation. They may hit the bottle or something worse. The healthy thing to do is to find a safe compromise between the ideal and reality. It sucks.
I spent 40 years in reality shock! Never quite learned how to compromise. I was/am a slow learner.
Carol, I always had a difficult time with a job after I would finish a stint in school. The job I took in Montana was a real bust and the one in Arlington, TX when I finished my PhD was the same way. I finally realized that it was my expectations that were a problem. I expected something from myself and probably from the job that was not realistic. All of my other jobs were fine. I think I finally came to realize that they are all just "jobs" no more, no less. When I went into it doing the best I knew how and this was the key for me- realizing that it is all team work - in the jobs I had - I finally was able to live with myself and be reasonably satisfied in what ever job I had. Well, anyway, that is me. There have always been many differences between us Carol.
And Corrine, you certainly know that this reality shock has invaded just about all aspects of my life. You've certainly tried to help me thru it's influence on my politics by saying..GIVE IT UP SISTER! I think I have come very close to doing that when it comes to politics.
Do they still teach about Reality Shock Jan?
I have come to realize that my job or my career do not define me now. The work I do with early head start families is something in which I feel I can make a little bit of difference for them - maybe. I no longer kid myself that I am that important to anyone I work with or any family I work with. Someone else can come in and take my place anytime. It is something meaningful to me and I make a little money for some extras or to sock away for later. That is about it. I need to have something meaningful to do. If not this, I would probably do some volunteer work of some kind.
Jan, the only difference in me and you was/is that you had a family. You had something that you had to divide you passion with. No one, with a family, can put all their eggs in one basket. Not having that family as something to show as an accomplishment kinda makes one try to do it with a career.
Carol, I don't think they teach the concept of "reality shock" any longer. Most students work in the hospital as "interns" or "externs" now. I think most students are more aware of the realities of the work situation than we were - or maybe not. I run into former students all the time and they experience some of the same stuff we did. Most just keep on going or change jobs if they cannot take it. I think if we had worked in teaching hospitals when we finished school, we would have been much better off.
I agree Carol that having a family changes the way I have looked at my job/career. When I was married to Bob I did not have to work so that made things very different. The years I was single, I knew I had to make my job work. Being married now is different than when I was married to Bob. I realize now that I cannot make someone else responsible for me. I am responsible for me and have to make sure I have something to take care of me.
I got a check from my insurance, about 5 years ago, when I had a little finder bender. Few scratches on my truck and a headlight broken. I got the headlight fixed. Paid more in the next years insurance cost than I got with that check.
I only got 79 bucks and I proceeded to misplace that check. I did finally find it when it was too late to cash it. I do have a tendency to lose things but they are still here since I don't throw anything away, but they are very difficult to find.
I didn't do anything about the check just wrote it off as my bad. I just got a letter in the mail the other day where they found that the check that had never been cashed. It was from that insurance co's abandoned property dept. I was asked to check what had happened to the check. I can now retrieve that 79 bucks. It's kinda more important to me now. LOL
Too funny Carol. I have found several checks through the years that John did not cash. I am one who gets checks into the bank ASAP. I get frustrated with John that he does not do that.
I am too much like my late dad.
Sorry Carol if that last comment (frustrated w/ john) came off as critical of you. We all have our own issues with money. There was a time when I was very young when I did not have enough and missed quite a few meals. So, I definitely have some issues with money. I keep track of every cent. that is just me.
Carol, I value you guys & always hope that we will all somehow have
good things happen...
& yes I do try to advise you to not get too
overwhelmed with the political scene since it is just not worth it...
for most of us, regardless of poliical outcomes we will not only survive, but manage to take care of ourselves, our families, our respective circles of influence...
I don't want you to distance yourself from what's happening only temper it so as not to make yourself crazy....none of them are worth it...
Jan, did you feel a slight bit antsy when you went to see "the movie"? Were you interested in seeing it or were you just going for GD?
Carol, do you mean the movie, Dark Knight... It was a little more action than I usually like. I did want to go see it even if GD was not there, probably because of all the scuttlebutt about it. It actually was a good movie. I liked the previous one too. No, I didn't get antsy but there were times I had to look away from the screen. Those are not my kind of movie, but I did want to see it.
Coreen, I value you too. I like the way you express your thoughts about different topics. I feel the same way about politics and the election at this time. I too feel that no matter how the election comes out we will carry on. I am very interested in the coming election and in what is happening in the world, but often find it difficult to express how I feel, so usually don't say much.
I can assure you that I will vote. It is sad that so many in our country do not vote.
Well, first day of retirement went pretty well. Certainly didn't miss going to work.
I did have a couple of moments when my mind flashed back to the 2574 days I waited for a real vacation, the 2574 days I waited for a little relief from 24/7/365 call, the 8 days I spent trapped in a hot sweaty jail after Rita, sleeping on a prison mat with Maggie tied to my leg, with no AC, no running water, having to poop in a dark room into a hazardous waste bag until I could get the trees cut off the road to my camp and set up camp out there for the next 3 weeks while everyone else at the hospital that hired me was in comfortable hotels out of town. My collaborating physician wouldn't even answer his phone. I was on my own.
And I see the face of that asshole yesterday telling me if I couldn't do more they didn't need me. The man looked like he was possessed by the devil. I'm not exaggerating.
All the days that I cried and prayed. Remembering that made my blood start to boil until I remember...wait.. he did me a favor. Then I'm OK again.
In my 40 years of my career I've never gotten a thank you, an atta girl, a we really appreciate what you've done, from anyone I've worked for. But I have gotten many from my students, my patients and my inmates. I guess that is all that really matters. They were really who I WAS working for.
I goofed off a good bit of the day. That was fun. I did some chores. My camp neighbor surrogate husband guy came over this afternoon and changed the lamps in the flood light on the side of the house where my little shop is. I haven't used that light in close to 20 years. It was way up near the peak of my roof. I told him that he was definitely on the list for the senior citizen commune I was going to have when the time comes. He'd be a very useful member. He was cool with that.
I'm still following the Drew Peterson murder trial. At times it can be a real nail biter. There are still some who think he is innocent, mostly men. There might not be DNA, a video of him killing his third wife, a signed confession.. but with all the circumstantial evidence, I don't see how he gets off. It's such a classic case of domestic violence progressing to murder.
Unfortunately, his being a cop, they failed to investigate it as a crime scene for 4 years.
It's so sad that his now deceased 3rd wife cried for help. told everyone she was going to be killed and no one could save her. So sad.
I do keep up with the political news via the Daily Show and the Colbert Report. They make fun of both sides.
Romney and Biden are the gaffe twins. They do make for some good political comedy.
William Black is kinda in the same place a Elizabeth Warren when it comes to having my respect. When I see his name on a article, I read it.
Romney Takes His Political Inspiration From Europe's Worst Mistakes
Hello from Arkansas. We are in Little Rock. Fortunately the weather in OK and AR has been accommodating. The temps have been in the lo 90's. Hard to believe it is August. We saw my sis and her daughter and family off in tulsa - they moved to Austin TX (or rather Buda TX, a small community 20 miles from Austin. My niece is an RN and was able to get a transfer in her job. Her husb already had a good job in TX. They are renting a large house for now and plan to build one in the next year. It is rather sad for me b/c I have had lots of reasons to go to Tulsa and managed to see her at least 3 or more times a year. Do not have those reasons to go to Austin except to visit her. So probably won't get to see her as often.
We have been visiting John's family for a couple of days. We celebrated his sister's 80th B'day with the family last night. John's bro, sis, son and a niece live. Today we drive to Arkadelphia, AR to take GD back home. She can move into her dorm today. We will see my youngest son and rest of his family. The drive today is only 65 miles. It is good to get off the long road for a time.
Carol, it is a shame you did not get any more appreciation for the job you did, but you know in your heart that you did a lot for the people who needed your great skills.
Had another good day. I had my salt generator for the pool go out on me last week. That pool is a money pit. I just had to have the pump motor and light in the pool replaced. That was over 400 bucks.
A week ago I noticed the water getting a little cloudy. I checked and had no chlorine. I opened the electronic control box and the power lights for the generator were off. I got online and looked up the problem. I found a chat about it. Some men said that this little current generator soldered on the electronic board was most likely bad. Some of the guys did fix it themselves.
I called the pool place, since pool man #1 is in jail and this was beyond the scope of poolman #2. They wanted 95 bucks to come take the board off, I could bring it in and they charge 125 bucks to solder the new part on, if that was the problem, then 95 bucks to come back and put it back together.
I ordered the part from an electronic parts place. It was less than 5 bucks. I talked to the salesman about how difficult it would be to solder on. It sounded very difficult. He told me if I brought it in he would do it for 10 bucks.
I went back home and disconnecting it was way more complicated than I imagined. I took pics with iPhone first. It was complicated and a bitch. I was sweating so hard I could hardly see. I finally got all the wires disconnected.
I brought it to the guy. It took him a little time to re-solder it. That was definitely something I couldn't have done. I gave him all the cash I had..34 bucks. He said I didn't need to do that but I was very grateful.
I came home, looked at my pics on my iPhone and put all the wires, plugs and such back on where they belonged. It was easier than taking them off. I turned her back on and...Whoopee..it works! I saved a fortune! I'm so proud of myself.
Carol, you are great at solving those problems.
Jan, the job was very intimidating but not as intimidating as having to pay what I would have had to pay when my salary has just dropped to what a good car note would be. I can't apply for early ss for 3 months so it's going to be living off my nest egg. I've just dropped to the ranks of the poor. But I'm a much less stressed poor person. I really do feel like that job was killing me. Richer and dead is not a great situation.
And anyway, we are pretty smart gals. It wasn't rocket science even though there were moments when it felt like it was. You know the people who do these jobs aren't smarter than we are. Most of the wires were color coated. I took good pics. One of the hardest things was pulling off the wires that just slipped on over these little metal thingies. They were on tight and I was having to work in small places to pry them off. I was afraid I would mutilate the board. And my 20/400 eye with sweat dripping in it didn't help. LOL.
I'm still so amazed that I figured out what the problem was, was correct with my diagnosis and managed to fix it. I keep running out to see if it is still working. It is!
I'll tell you that the Internet is wonderful. And that guy at the electronics parts place was also. He got a kick out of helping me and this time he was a much younger black guy.
I remember back umpteen years ago, when I worked in ICU, I'd come upon a situation where I needed some contraption that hadn't been invented yet. I'd engineer something out of what I could find to do the job. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Just got a call from the husband of one of my neighbor friends. He told me his wife is in the hospital. She fell and broke her shoulder and collar bone. He is also in the hospital with dehydration. Has diabetes and doesn't take care of it. I was just talking to them this week. He was the one who told me about the guy who lives behind me. One of the suspects.
This neighbor's daughter was my next door neighbor and best friend for years. She and her husband moved to Malaysia and then to Illinois. Like I did with you Jan, I lost touch with her. You know my motto..you leave me, you're out of my life.
I was also very good friends with her daddy. He'd come over almost every afternoon for a bourbon/coke and a poolside chat. I wasn't as close with my friend's mom as I was with her husband and daughter but I do like her. My friend's daddy died of lung cancer about a month after mom did. He was one of the only people I knew that was totally in love with his retirement. He bragged to me everyday that is was Saturday for him. He loved his gardening, yard work and fishing. He taught me a lot about the river. I wish he could see my camp.
No one really likes my neighbor's new husband. I think she married him because she was afraid. Before she married him, she had a stroke and laid on the floor of her bedroom for 3 days before anyone found her. She needed to have someone around.
I kinda worry about the same thing, especially now that I won't have someone looking if I don't show up at work. I do have a pack with TW to make sure I'm OK. We do talk on the phone over a dozen times a day.
With everything that is happening lately, to everyone, I'm starting to think there may be something to that 2012 stuff. If there is, at least I'll have a few good months off work to enjoy. There should be enough cooler weather before that DATE to even get in a little fishing.
I just talked to TW and we decided on at least 3 check in times each day. No excuse but to answer the phone and check in. Can't use taking a nap as an excuse. Will have to make sure my naps don't include those time.
A feel good rescue dog story...with a twist...
& lets you know that there are still lots of good people everywhere...& looks like the social media worked in a good way
to rescue the injured dog...
I am absolutely sure that it would be a unanimous vote here..that the dog absolutely should not be returned to her 'owner'...& the rescuers who cared over & above have every legal right to keep her...
my instincts tell me that the so-called owner who abandoned her will
back off trying to re-claim her & if he doesn't,legally still think
he would lose, since he abandoned her & made no effort to go back to
rescue her...therefore giving up any legal claim to her...
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/injured-dog-rescued-mountain-owner-left-wants-back-205708358--abc-news-topstories.html
Injured dog rescued from mountain
Oh Coreen, I hope that not only does that owner NOT get Missy girl back but has to face animal cruelty charges!
Read the story about Missy. I hope the owner does not get Missy back.
Well, I completed my almost first week of retirement and it was good! I still feel good about it. I hung on at that job because I really thought that it was my mission. I really thought it was what I was supposed to be doing, that that was where the Universe wanted me to be. Looking back now, I think I really had it wrong. I think I had a reading comprehension problem.
I think there was a lesson in it but it may take me some time to really understand what that lesson was. You know you will get stuck with me on that journey.
I've been trying to find pool man # 2 for over a week. The guy was pretty desperate for work but doesn't seem to want to do any. He hasn't responded to my calls or texts. I thought this morning that he should be added to the suspect list. He certainly knew what I had around here and he might think that his vehicle in my driveway wouldn't look suspicious.
I've had time this week to keep up with the Drew Peterson trial. They aren't progressing at a very fast pace. The trial has kinda turned into a circus with his defense attorneys playing the roles of the clowns. They are out doing new's conferences multiple times of the day, going on difficult TV shows, tweeting, blogging and making fools of themselves. It's embarrassing.
I've heard that they aren't getting paid so I guess this is the way they think they are getting something out of it.
Drew has had so much go his way starting with the fact that law enforcement never treated the initial crime scene as a crime scene. Most of them now admit that things were suspicious. Of course Drew was one of the first people at the scene even though he allowed others to be first to find the body. That in itself was suspicious.
So much of the circumstantial evidence they have is not allowed to be presented to the jury. Much of what is, is very out of context. Some of the reasons for not allowing that evidence in is that it is too prejudicial to Drew. Well duh. The poor jury does not know most of the facts. They are at a very big disadvantage.
I went out and bought a new lawnmower yesterday. I had no choice. If I waited any longer I'd need a bushhog.
I went to the same place where I bought my last two lawnmowers. They have always been good to me. They no longer carry the Snapper because they said that it just isn't the same quality that it used to be...like mine was. This mower has a bigger cutting surface than my last one. It has a seat belt and a roll bar. I thought that was strange but after using it for the first time I see why. It goes fast and I almost flipped it because of that roll bar. I didn't have on the seat belt.
I'm not used to something sticking up and I caught it on several things like my huge old satellite dish and a couple of trees that had branches sticking out to the side. I'm used to being able to duck under stuff and run.
My other lawnmower was much easier to maneuver around objects in my yard. I guess I will get used to this one.
I got a Hustler, which was the first to use zero turn. That was what they told me and I just looked it up and they were right.
You may wonder how I'm going to keep someone from stealing my new mower? It's locked in my shop but that didn't stop them before. Now it's locked together with my pressure washer and chained to a huge garden tiller that hasn't been started in 9 years. Getting it separated and out would be too much like a JOB and these aren't people who want to work for a living!
Looks like Hope Solo outted Max as an abuser. There were lots of signs of it, even on the show. I can't see any reason for her to lie about it.
On our way to LR. will be staying for 2 nights with John's brother. Dont know if he has wifi. If you don't hear from me for a couple of days, not to worry. We will be back in OK on Mon night and will have wifi.
If you didn't see Judge Jeanne Pirro on her show on Fox News tonight, you need to see if you can find a video rerun of it. She did an excellent editorial about the Peterson trial and advocating for abused women. I wanted to stand up in my living room and applaud. I'll see if I can find a video of it and link it. I knew she has been covering the trial so I set my DVR to record it.
I had fun today. Went to one of my nurse/friend's house for lunch..BBQ. Her husband does most of their cooking and he is great at it. She had family in from Long Island. She is from New York, maybe the Bronx. Her family is of Sicilian decent. I guess that's how you say it. Her cousin looks like he could be a gangsta..nice looking, friendly one. He was really cool. He did some of the cooking also.
I will miss working with my friend but at least now, when she is off work, I will also be off..and it will be on weekdays when her husband is working and we can play. I can play with both of them but girls just wanna have fun.
If anyone can record programs ahead of time, there is still time to set your recorder to record Judge Jeanne at 3a on Fox News. She's great. She's covering the DP trial and she had on a drowning expert and two of DP's defense attorneys. They are hitting all of the media outlets. I can tell that they even know he did it but they think they can poke enough holes in the prosecution case to get him off. I pray that that doesn't happen.
They way the defense wants to keep this particular jury, I wonder if they think they have a ringer on it. It is a 7 man, 5 woman jury and from what I have read on the blogs, men are more likely to be sympathetic of DP. If I had a boyfriend/husband who was sympathetic of him, I'd be running for the hills.
That 3 am is central time.
Jan, you have an excused absence for up to 2 days. Any longer and you will need a doctor's excuse. OK?
This morning I woke up and remembered that every year when I went to these annual Jail Conferences, I would do an informal survey of some of the equivalent sized facilities in the state to see how many medical people manned their medical departments. It was informal research. What I found was that for a same sized facility there was usually a Dr and one or two NPs. And I did my place all alone. And they wanted to throw in a work release facility to boot???
Most of those other facilities also had a number of registered nurses and a nursing supervisor/director on their medical team. I BEGGED for both. They thought that I should do that job also, after all I am an RN also.
I only had a registered nurse for a very short while and I'm not sure she really even had a licence. I wasn't even involved in hiring her, a warden was. I tried to get rid of her because she scared me so much. They ignored me. I feared for our patient's safety. She finally quit to move. I thanked God. Last I heard, she was working at a meat deli.
Heard on the news this morning that there were 87 mph winds in Albuquerque yesterday. Did you hear from anyone from around home Jan? Does that kind of wind occur often around your parts?
I've been doing a lot of pondering about my career. I have the time now. When you work in health care you work in an environment filled with grief and loss. Only people coming in to have a baby are happy people in a health care setting. Jan, your having worked often in that area saved you from much of that grief and loss even though there can be some in that area also..if things don't go naturally.
All that grief and loss does takes it's toll on a person working in that environment. As a nurse, working in a hospital setting, the nurse usually was the victim of everyone's anger. She/he got it from the patient, the doctors, and the administrators. I think that is why there has always been such a high turnover in the nursing profession.
It was the same in correction's medicine but you not only had the grief/loss that was involved with a medical problem but also the grief/loss that was involved in the inmate's unfortunate incarceration. It was a very toxic environment.
The only place where an inmate can find any refuge in a prison/jail setting is in the medical department..well, most of the time. Our philosophy in nursing is that were are treating human beings and we are taught not to judge.
Many inmates did not recognize that though. Much of their anger was also channeled toward us because no one else would tolerate it. Letting it out on security could be hazardous to their health and then we had to fix that also.
I lost 6 years of paid vacation. That chaps my ass. I did look at my contract and it did say if you don't use it, you lose it. But it wasn't as if I didn't want or try to use it. If I did take a day off, I worked as hard on the phone almost as if I was at work. I don't consider that a vacation.
I begged the man who put me in the job to find someone to relieve me so I could really take off. He sent one NP there for a couple of half days to work with me to learn what I did. She made it for a couple of days and then she just never came back. It wasn't her cup of tea. I wasn't just going to dessert my job to get away. Couldn't do that to my patients or my nurses. This year, I finally said I was going to be off no matter what. I decided I just couldn't worry about what happened if I did anymore.
And in my current grief process, I kinda jumped right to acceptance which is not a natural progression in the grief process. I will be going back to hit the other stages that I missed in the process ie anger and depression, like it or not.
I slept until after 6 a today.
Thank God for the blog. I just talked with my insurance agent. I was able to email her a pic of Mr Lawnmower because I had one from my blog post. I wouldn't have had a pic otherwise.
I should be finding out soon of I am in good hands with Allstate.
We are back in Catoosa ok. We have business here tomorrow and then on Thurs we fly from here to Nc.
Good to be back with friends
I don't know how hospital nurses do it. It is the most difficult job.
Watching Dr Oz. He has a medium on. It is pretty interesting.
Well Jan, was Dr. Oz impressed with the medium? Was it one of the famous ones?
Y'all have a good trip to NC. I know you are looking forward to that trip. Glad you don't have to drive.
Today, it felt like there was a hint of fall in the air. It was still hot but the humidity was lower and the low is supposed to be 69. That's unheard of in August. Wouldn't hurt my feelings to have an early fall. My pool temp, due to the rain we've had lately is down to 87 pleasant degrees.
I also found this afternoon that my small Craftsman's air compressor is missing. Needed it to air up a tire.
Dang it. I have so much stuff that it may take a while to realize just what all is missing.
I'm pretty sure I even had written my name on it.
Coreen, I'm surprised you didn't already link this story. You are, after all, our sport's editor.
No, I wouldn't expect a Huff Post story but you have lots of sports sources.
John and I are happy to be on our own again. Being with family has been good. It is nice to have some peace and quiet. We got into quite a heated discussion last night with John's family. We were pretty evenly divided between dems and repubs. I had a hard time sleeping last night - too much of that fight and flight hormone circulating.
Carol, so sorry to hear of all your good yard equipment and tools being stolen. That is disgusting.
I am still a skeptic about mediums. It was good entertainment.
I did hear the Augusta news earler...A long overdue gesture...not sure what it changes in the end though...
Interesting choices, but the cynic wonders why...one a worldwide known woman & minority as well & the other woman...from the financial industry banking/investment banker with her husband...
but in the end it was way past time to open the boys club...if only that...
I know you were following the peterson trial Carol...this a.m.
I immediately thought of you when
Geraldo on his radio show said he thinks peterson may very well walk...that the judge is really
giving the prosecution no leeway, excluding important testimony...Geraldo thinks peterson is guilty hands down...
And about mediums/psychics...I find them fascinating, but have no idea if it could be real...just don't know...
I may have told you before I have a friend who absolutely believes...she had a son who died at a young age from meningitis...she
says she knows for sure he is always near her...has gone to mediums many times & they have given her validation of his presence...
Just about a month ago, her daughter was married in Miami, she had a flower on an empty chair for him (this may be a jewish tradition) & while the outside ceremony was going on, she was standing near her daughter & a butterfly flew near her...which she says has always been the symbol to her of her son's presence...some of her relatives there noticed & acknowledged the coincidence? of that happening...
Coreen, have your friends look at all the Wedding pics to see if there are any orbs in them, especially if they had any flash pics.
When Twin's son got married, there was an orb in one pic of him and his new wife dancing. We were sure it was mom.
I'll mention it to her Carol, she did post quite a few pics on her facebook...
I keep telling her one of these days we will have to go to a psychic...around here a private
reading by one of the more well known is not inexepensive...like several hundred $$...but I wonder if you have to accepting or open or whatever to appreciate the concept...being a skeptic may not help...
I'm told there is a woman on tv
the Long Island Psychic, who was
in Stamford just a couple of weeks ago, but we missed her, can't say I ever saw her show, its on one of reality channels, but not sure which one, maybe tlc... & every time John Edward appears in CT, his
shows are sold out right away...he is based in Long Island too...a reading with him is I think like a $1,000 or so...
Jan, so far it was only my riding lawnmower and my air compressor. They stashed my high wheel weed wacker to come for later. I found it. I might find other things missing later. Now everything is chained together in my locked shop. Not sure I even trust that. We're living in some desperate times now.
My neighbor behind me has a house full of criminals. Son and grandson of the old man. I told you that the grandson just got out of prison the Friday before my stuff went missing on Sunday. Even the old grandfather was notorious for roaming the neighborhood looking at people's stuff. Never heard that he ever stole anything. My neighbor friend who lived on the other side of him couldn't stand him.
He's the one who planted the trees that helped knock down my back fence and then tried to keep me from putting it back up. Remember my revenge with the chainsaw story? The fence is back up but I did find one board, that is hidden behind a lot of vines, down. It would be a good place to crawl through. I need to get it back up but I'm afraid of what critters may be hiding back there.
Coreen, the woman on Dr. Oz today was from NY - and had a TV show. She had short bleached hair (big hair like in the 1960's).
And Coreen, I'm still following the DP trial. They don't have court on Mondays. I follow the In Session Facebook page and another site called Justice Cafe. Both cover the DP trial. I record In Session every day. They are also covering the Hemy Newman trial for the first part of the day. Not interested in that one. It's old news.
http://petersonstory.wordpress.com/2012/08/20/drew-peterson-and-the-blue-towel-attorney-karen-conti-weighs-in/#comments
http://www.facebook.com/InSession
I do wish you guys would have seen Judge Jeanne on Fox News the other night. She has her own show and she was fantastic.
My DIL's mother died a couple of months ago. She said something about a butterfly that was meaningful. Cannot remember what that was about.
I have never had any experiences related to a loved one's death but John and my mother have had those experiences.
True crime is one of my passions. I do not like being the victim of it though.
Hi Carol.
Going to sleep. Had a long day.
So good to be connected again.
Lots of people link butterflies with people who have passed. I link dragonflies.
The night we got those pics of ourselves surrounded by those colorful auras, right after mom died, the first sensation I felt was if there was a butterfly that landed on my arm. I felt a fluttering. It was dark so I didn't see anything. That is why I asked my friend to come take my picture, to see if anything would show up on the pic. Sure enough, something did.
Jan, is that medium the one they call the Long Island medium? I've seen her on TV quite a bit. She is doing a Priceline commercial now.
I am pretty sure it was the Long Island Medium on Oz's show yesterday.
The DP trial should be back on today. Have to go to websites to follow it until about noon. Tru TV is covering a trial that is already over and the guy was convicted back in March. That sucks. They only cover the DP trial for two hours.
There is a lot of criticism of the judge in this case. He keeps ruling evidence not admissible. There are evidently lots of laws to protect the accused. Some evidence is too prejudicial, some too remote, some too obvious, some excluded because a witness can't remember exactly what they were doing at an exact time 5 years ago...just all kinds of dumb laws. I can't remember exactly what I was doing every minute of yesterday so I'd be an awful witness.
The prosecution has made some mistakes but I think they are stressed out about having to try this case with one hand tied behind their backs. The defense has asked for a mistrial just about every hour. Of course they only want one if the mistrial is with prejudice, which means he goes free. They don't want it if they have to start over because I don't think that most of this defense team will be available for a do over.
This defense team is making use of the social media scene. They are on many TV programs, tweeting and blogging. I think that is worrisome. I think Drew could later say that he had an inadequate defense because of it.
This case is horrible advertisement for law enforcement. They ruled Ms Savio's death an accident one hour after they arrived on the scene when even a kid could have seen that it was suspicious.
Drew Peterson was first on the scene even though he let neighbors be the first to find the body. All his behavior on TV back after his 4th wife went missing couldn't have made him look less suspicious.
I think that if this jury uses common sense, they would have a difficult time finding DP not guilty but I do think that having common sense is really rare these days.
And both you medical professionals...what do you make of the Rosie O'Donnell heartache
story...
While she says call 911 if you have symptoms, she didn't & instead took bayer aspirin
& waited to go to a cardiologist the next day...(good luck getting a doctor's appt the next day (especially a specialist)...most people would be sent to the er, not
told to come to the office...
will women do what she did or call 911?...not even sure myself what I would think if I had those symptoms...
I worked with a nurse researcher in Little Rock who did an extensive study of women who have had heart attacks. What Rosie did was very typical of women's reactions to their own heart events.
The Sunday we left Cloudcroft, I was having what I believed were symptoms of reflux. I have had it a lot and took Zantac. We had been at 9000 ft elevation and my GD and I took a walk in which coming back to the house we had to do a pretty exerting walk back up a hill. I was huffing and puffing and I walk 2-3 miles every day. My symptoms of reflux started about 2 hrs later. The symptoms continued most of the day and they usually don't last long. So I took an aspirin -just in case. They did stop once we stopped and I slept that night. I am 99% sure it was reflux.
The symptoms started in church (John was preaching). He had been pretty stressed about preaching and I tend to "absorb" other people's stress.
Haven't yet read the story about Rosie. Did hear she had a heart attack. Women are often not taken seriously or treated appropriately when they have chest pain. I think it is getting better than it used to be. Best bet is to go to the ER and get it checked out. Sudden death is most common with heart attacks with very little damage where recovery is best. But recovery is impossible if you are dead.
Women's who have a HA often don't have the classic symptoms. The pain may mimic indigestion or nausea. Don't take any chances. If an antacid relieves the symptoms, it most likely is indigestion.
The problem with my body Carol is that I have a left bundle branch block so my doc once told me that an EKG on me does not help. An EKG tracing looks bad when it really is not bad.
A left BBB makes the QRS complex look wide but someone who is familiar with EKGs knows that. There are other changes you can see with myocardial ischemia or injury. Those effect fhe ST segment. The wide QRS will only look bad to a novice at reading EKGs. Remember I was a cardiovascular CNS before I was an NP.
I went out to the camp to start cleaning out the kitchen/dinning room so they can start working on it. I barely made a dent in it. I have way more stuff there than here. Since I didn't have a stove/oven, I used all these different cooking thingies. You name, I got one. I could open a small appliance store. I did grab a few things I could use here at the house and some Italian seasoning for some spagetti sauce I was making tonight. I had to quit early because I had my eye appt to measure for my new glass eye..I mean lens. They dilated my eyes and I had a tough time groping my way home. Reading my iPhone was a real bitch.
Prosecution had a good day in the trial today. Heard from this female neuropathologist. One of only 15 in the country. One of the stooges/defense attorneys tried to trip her up. She didn't even teeter. She's the only witness heard from today. Defense is wasting time with all their dumb tactics. The prosecution also got the judge to allow them to hear the testimony of a hitman DP tried to hire to kill Stacy. He ended up not needing him. He saved money by doing it himself. DIY. I'm surprised the judge is allowing it. The judge seems to be pro defense. I'm learning that you wouldn't want to have to deal with cops up around Chicago especially be married to one.
Oops. I'll remove the duplicate comment tomorrow when on my laptop. On iPhone in bed now. Still haven't ordered the new keyboard for my second laptop. Changing that should be a breeze compared to that salt generator panel.
You make me feel better Carol to see someone else does the double comment.
I remember you know the cardiac stuff. If I can ever get one of my EKG strips I will send to you.
I have had some several cardiac tests in past. I have some defects. But my doc says that my heart is good. I think it is because I have been very active all my life.
I love all the cooking appliances.
Jan, I'm a kitchen gadget fanatic. I do want something that is useful though. I didn't even remember all the gadgets I had until I went through my cabinets at the camp yesterday.
Jan, I was diagnosed with WPW, a cardiac conduction defect back when I was in grad school, by a cardiologist in Houston. I now think it was just a manifestation of my undiagnosed hyperthyroidism. That, I ended up having to diagnose myself.
Your BBB is some type of conduction variant/defect. Doesn't have to have a serious meaning, just that the conduction does take a longer route through the ventricles. Did any cardiologist ever tell you what they think caused it?
When I was 50 I had a D & C - because I was having some excessive bleeding related to menopause. They did a baseline EKG before the D & C. When I was recovering from the anesthesia, I was doing fine, then all of a sudden, my heart rate and blood pressure shot up, I started shaking all over. Fortunately I was in the med center - they thought it was blood sugar so gave me some IV glucose with no effect. I had been having some facial itching so they put some benadryl in the IV. That did the trick. I think it was an allergic reaction. Anyway, I think the benadryl put me to sleep. When I woke up I was in Cardiac ICU. I was followed for a couple of years by a cardiologist. They did all the tests for a Heart attack but it was not a heart attack. That was when they told me I now had a LBBB. A couple of weeks later, they did several cardiac tests. They said I have a couple of congenital defects. But essentially, my heart is functioning ok.
Before the surgery, I was in great shape and my blood pressure and heart rate were very low. I wonder if they were too low.
Jan, it's likely that it could have been a reaction to the anesthesia. The stuff didn't agree with me either. During that last surgical procedure to jack up my vertebrae, something happened also. I woke up feeling like death warmed over and they put me thru all these heart tests before I got to leave. I even had one of those chemical stress tests. That was awful. Since I couldn't get on a treadmil, they gave me something to stress my heart and then took pics. Everything was OK. I think I was still hyperthyroid and I think the surgery/anesthesia didn't agree with that. I did finally get that thyroid fixed after that.
I hate to admit it but I fear encounters with the health care system. I love my doc but going into a hospital, scares me silly. Things aren't getting better and the more you know..... Sorry.
I spent a good bit of yesterday still cleaning out the kitchen cabinets...only the lower ones. They are a bottomless pit. I filled and moved box after box and I'm not thru. How in the hell did I acquire so much crap?? I have to find more boxes. I thought that I did quit buying stuff a while back.
Did I throw anything away??? No. Well, I did throw an old electric frying pan away but that's only because I had bought a newer one.
Update on DP trial. Yesterday, the jury heard from the guy who DP asked to find someone to off his wife for him. The guy was someone who worked with DP in one of his moonlighting jobs. He allegedly asked the guy to find someone who would do it.
The defense tried to discredit him because he had some legal problems in his past. Well, I don't think you'd look at church for someone who could find a hitman for ya. One of the guy's past problems was that he had to register as a sex offender for 10 years. When he was 18 he was having a relationship with a 15 year old girl.
I really feel bad for those young guys who have their lives destroyed for getting involved with younger girls when they are also so young. I've seen those kids totally destroyed because of it. A 18 year old boy can look 14 and a 15 year old girl can look and act like one in her 20s. Those laws need to be changed. If it's rape, that's another story.
I agree with your last statement Carol.
We are back in NC. It is so cool here. We are looking forward to sharing dreams. We will be here until Mon. morning.
I got patted down going through security this morning. It has happened more often than not in our last few trips. What am I doing or wearing? I got so rattled after the pat-down, I forgot to get my computer off the conveyor belt. I remembered it before getting on the plane and it was still in the bin when I went back.
John set his alarm at 3 am and we were at the airport by 3:45 for our 6 am flight. He believes in getting there really early. I did sleep on both flights - the one to Atlanta and the one to Asheville. As soon as we were in the air, I was asleep. I feel pretty rested now.
Jan, you are soooo lucky that your laptop was still there. Years ago a friend and I were coming back from
Cancun and she left a 35 mm camera on that belt. She went back and it was gone.
Have a wonderful dream time at your meeting.
This is why I have never moved..besides not ever really wanting to. I'm still trying to empty cabinets at the camp. I worked about 5-6 hours today and I'm getting close to finishing the bottom cabinets. Well..I am a little distracted by watching the tv a little to keep up with the trial and following it on Facebook because they aren't showing it in the morning and sitting out on the deck enjoying the coolish breeze and hummers that are here early. Actually, I'm probably doing more goofing off than unloading cabinets but what the heck, I just retired.
Got a call from a bud at the joint. I almost didn't answer it because I saw where the call was coming from. Then I thought it might be the dectectives with info about the theft so I answered. It was one of my buds there who had a visit from one of the wardens from the prison where I last worked. That place was run like a correctional facility that valued their medical department. My friend was calling to see if I was interested I some part time work. I told her not at this time. I'm still trying to rid myself of this nasty taste in my mouth from this last job and finish preparing the camp for the repair work. They have been calling me off and on to do part time work there ever since I left over 7 years ago. Maybe if I get bored later I'll change my mind. Corrections medicine is not a glamorous job that everyone is dying to do. It just happens to be right up my alley. I'm into a challenge, not glamor.
And the trial...a pastor of a non-denominational church that Stacy Peterson, wife number 4, attended testified today. There was much he was not allowed to tell. The jury can only hear bits and pieces of the facts. Probably not enough to make any sense of them. He had a meeting with Stacy right before she disappeared. She told him that DP was gone in the middle of the night the weekend that his 3rd wife was found dead. He came back in the wee hrs of the morning dressed in black. He took off his clothes, put them and some women's clothes in the washer. Then he told Stacy what she needed to tell the cops if they came calling. Stacy was crying and scared. She disappeared soon after that.
It's a circumstantial case but all the circumstances scream DP did it. This awful judge overseeing the trial is doing his best to keep this jury confused. The rules for what can be presented are ridiculous.
I did my speed mowing again today. It takes longer to unchain all my yard equipment in the shop than it does to mow. My last zero turn made fairly quick work of the yard but this does it in half that time. I'm starting to get used to the totally different stearing mechanism. My last one used a joystick and this one has two handles to maneuver. I didn't run into anything with the rollbar this time.
Boy, am I glad I mowed yesterday. I woke up to the sound a rain. Didn't know what the weather forecast was, haven't really watched the local news. I depend on TW to do that and let me know if and when we need to evacuate or do something. She watches the local news religiously.
Anyone have any pics to post. We are almost outta space here. It's probably my turn but I don't think you want to see pics of boxes of kitchen stuff stacked up. I coulda taken some pics of my new mower but really don't want to advertise that just yet.
Jan, your road trip shoulda been good for more than one post. You're getting a little stingy with your pics girl.
Yesterday, it felt like fall here..well..just a little. It was sooo nice at the camp with the breeze coming off the river. Outside, it's cooler out there than here and it's just a short distance from my house.
I just put my hummer feeders out at the camp yesterday and I did feel bad about that. They say the hummers hit the same place every migration and I'm probably on some of their poop list now. They probably flew thru and said WTF. I'll do better. It's hard to keep up with all the bird needs at both places. I'm bird seed poor. They don't give that stuff away.
And I buy the good bird seed. The best price, and bird seed, I've found is at Sam's. Doesn't have a lot of junk seed in it. It's in a 40 lb bag and not easy to move around. I do have one of those mules/dollies to move heavy stuff. My bags of pool salt also weighs 40 lbs. That seems to be a popular weight for stuff. I'm a little past totting 40 lbs around.
I'm keeping my eye on that tropical storm. Every day they keep scooting the tract models to the west a little. Don't like that. At least I won't have to hold up at the joint this time. That decreases my PTSD just a little. Knowing I'd have to hold up at the joint just added to my distress because they said no dogs and Maggie and I are a team. Where I go..she goes.
I was kinda liking the idea of it hitting the Republican national convention. Forgive me God. I really don't want to hit anyone.
I've now got to put getting my little generator ready on my todo list. It has a flat tire and hasn't been started for 4 years when we were threatened by Ike. It's up on one of the decks of my camp.
TW and I have decided to hold up at her house if we get a hurricane. She doesn't have trees there. I need to get that generator over there.
This morning I found a wet place on the ceiling in my bathroom. There was actually a hole punched thru my roof and I had a roofer come over and replace 5 shingles to fix that. A branch from that huge half tree much have hit the roof after all.
It's poured all morning. The only time it stopped was while the roofer was here and just as he got off the roof a big clamp of thunder hit. Good timing. It took him all of about 15 minutes to do it, I had the shingles because the roof was new after Rita and it still cost 250 bucks.
I finally found a Youtube of Judge Jeanne's editorial on her show last weekend. I knew it would eventually show up on the Net.
Judge Jeanne's editorial
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