OK, I am freakin' out!

Monday, May 29, 2006


It was ok, when my oldest Grandaughter became a teenager. I felt kinda old but that is to be expected. She IS a teenager! It really doesn't feel like that long ago that I was a teenager! (Boy, we can convince ourselves of anything!) All in all, I handled it pretty well!

This girl is literally only 4 pounds from having to legally be in a car seat, she is so small! As she is maturing, some things make themselves quite apparent. Like where did she get those "perky" things anyway! Ok, I looked back at some old pics of her mother and me, yeah ok, I can deal with that, I guess!

I even did ok with her first job interview...and subsequent job. I am not living in a fairy tale world...I know she is growing up! But what I am having trouble handling is this...

Today she went on her first date, alone with a boy! Aghhhh! My daughter is trying to tell me that it is ONLY a movie! Hmphhhh! Has she lost her memory? Only a movie? Ok, it was in the afternoon and their parents dropped them off and picked them up, but, but, but...

Way to go Taylor!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Taylor is our New American Idol!

American Idol update!

Taylor will be the new

‘American Idol’

Odds of winning: 75 percent. Hicks has done better than McPhee throughout the competition, and he did better on Tuesday night as well. While nothing is certain, and there's always the dreaded telephone glitch to worry about, Hicks is in great position to be crowned the next 'American Idol' winner.

This quote is from MSN/NBC! Yippee! I hope they are right! But we did see Chris go home when he should be the clear cut winner tonight. But I still love Taylor! We will find out tonight!

Tonight's the Night!

Tuesday, May 23, 2006




For all those still watching American Idol...this is the last night to see them perform! Who's it gonna be? Taylor or Kat? I'm rooting for Taylor, but truly it could go either way. America goofed up once with Chris so who knows? And I am gonna miss the show tomorrow, but please don't tell me, cuz I will watch it when I get home!

Seems like I am watching more tv this year than I usually do so I am relieved that they are finally getting over for the season. So maybe I will have time for other things...like blogging, and having a life, now that ER is done and Grey's Anatomy, and tommorrow AI will be done, and last night 24 was done. I do have some catching up to do on Lost though! I think I will wait for the series to come out on dvd and watch it all at once again.

Anyway, my vote is for Taylor! I will apoligise to Joe, (my ex) in advance! He has a very hard time with Taylor and can't figure out why women like him! lol! I personally, "heart" Taylor, and that's all there is to it!

Glad it is Monday!

Monday, May 22, 2006

This weekend went by so fast...where did the time go?
just some of the things that we did this weekend...
watched my grandbabies
went to a wedding
went to the reception
watched my daughter's kitty have six adorable little kitties of her own
went to church
went shopping
went to a baptism
went to a wedding shower
worked in the yard
put up rain gutters
worked on the flyer for our local parade
umpteen trips to the store
a couple dozen phone calls
and then all the other normal things
I am getting to old for all this stuff
I have tons to do today, but I am rebelling just a bit!
looks like time is getting away from me...but I have already, eaten breakfast, updated my journal, read my Bible, walked on the treadmill, and worked on my project for the week, and did the dishes...ok, so maybe it is time for lunch and a nap! LOL! Yeah, like that is going to happen! Why do I feel bored with all this to do? Or maybe just restless, and a bit stressed? hmmmmm!

Sometimes you just need to sit back and wait!

Friday, May 19, 2006

Last year, I had been working, after being off for a few years. Well, our four-legged kids were not too pleased about this. Not only did they not get to come in and out of the house at their liesure but they also had to go in the garage when I would go to work. We used to leave them outside, but they love to converse with the neighbor's four-legged kids as well, or anything that moves for that matter, so in the garage they go!

So that I would not have to round them up just before I left I would put them in first and then eat breakfast and pack my lunch. They thought this was so cool, that they would serenade me with a medley of their favorite howls! They harmonize quite well! Two golden retriever mixes and a long hair doxie!

I would tell hubby about it, and, understandably he was quite jealous that he never got to hear them. (not quite sure he believed me) So I have been off since a year ago January and have not been treated to their trio's performance.

Last night, we pulled into the driveway from my Grandson's play (very good, by the way) and hubby starts to turn off the air conditioner and the motor when he exclaims..."What the heck is that?" Up to now I had not heard it. I made him stay in the car and listen. He must have laughed for a full five minutes. We had two performances in one night! Oh the joys of being pet owners!

Anybody wanna make mudpies?

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Ok, I enjoyed the weather but some people in our area definately didn't! CLICK HERE for the story.
The warm temperatures melted the snow pack too rapidly and caused a huge mudslide to fly down the mountain and slam into and through the downstairs garage level of a condo/resort in our local ski area. Thank God there were no injuries or fatalities.

We had been wanting summer to hurry up. Guess you gotta be careful what you ask for!

And it's only Spring?

Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Boy what a hot one...it is reported to be 100 degrees out there! And it's only May folks! Yikes, what will August be like? Hubby got the air conditioner put up in the bedroom window last night...thank you honey! It was so cool in there by the time I went to bed...I am a nite owl, that I had to turn it off...there were icicles on my pillow! It is just a small unit too! We have a tri-level and of course, the bedroom is upstairs, on the west exposure! Our basement level is pretty cool and the main floor is ok with the fans on. We are lucky to have trees to shade part of the back yard.

I am not sure where this day has gone. I was working on stuff for our local parade on June 3rd! Somehow I was elected to be in charge of it for our church, both for our Vacation Bible School, and our Hot Rod Ministry. I love the organizing of it all. Thanks to a little help from my daughter, the flyers are ready to print tomorrow. I had a meeting today with one of my helpers on the decorations for the parade. Woo hoo...it is all coming together!

One of my passions is doing the registration for our VBS program every year. I am also in charge of the publicity. It is really cool from my behind the scenes perspective to watch the kids hearts soften as they learn more about Jesus. But I am not a teacher. Teaching is not my gift, so this area of helping to organize and to keep all the paperwork straight works for me!

It looks like it is cooling off on my deck so I am off to water the flowers. You all have a great day! Enjoy this beautiful evening!

Oh I love the Sunshine!

Monday, May 15, 2006

It is soooo pretty out today! I swept the back deck and planted some little flowers that we got from church for Mother's Day. Had to go do Mom's shopping and picked up some petunia's and marigolds for the planters on the deck. As soon as I cool off a bit I am gonna go plant them too! During the summer we use our deck as another room of our house, eating most of our meals out there too. We have a covered patio/gazebo thing over most of it, and spots to sit around that as well! I just love this time of year!
My daughter brought me over a gorgeous fushia yesterday for Mother's Day! It has the spot of honor in the front of the house. I will have her bring her camera over when it is all in bloom!
Hope you all have a great day!

Who is this lady and where is my Mom?


I am sure from time to time you have come out of your favorite store and asked this question...Just where did I park? That quick little panic rising when you realize you have no idea where you parked and you really have to think to remember even which door you came in! It's really bad if someone is with you and you know you don't want to look stupid! Sometimes I will look for my car and can't seem to find it, and that's when it dawns on me that we are in the other car. I have done that lately as my husband just got a new truck, and when we are out together, we are usually in my car. Well, until he got the truck, that is! I like the truck! Not like his old one that smelled like an ashtray! (well, that's a whole other post)

Getting back to forgetting where you parked...You know how you feel for that split second when you can't find it, and you have looked everywhere that you thought you might have parked it...that fear that something bad has happened, maybe someone stole it, or no...
that couldn't be happenng. It's gotta be here somewhere...What if you felt that unsure all the time? What if you didn't know what had happened? What if you just couldn't find something important that you just had? What if you could no longer remember how simple things operate?
This is what is happening to my Mom. She no longer knows how to work a dishwasher, and recently she has trouble figuring out her microwave most of the time.
My sister was over at my Mom's house and was fixing them both some dinner and she asked Mom where her can opener was and she started looking in all the drawers. She had an electric can opener sitting on the counter top that we bought new when she moved into her new apartment in October. My sister saw the opener and says..."Oh there it is!" And Mom says "Oh is that what that is? Well where did I get that?"

She will call me and when I answer, she will say "Where have you been? I have been calling all morning!" The sad thing is, I have been working on paperwork and projects beside the phone the whole day and there were no calls. Or she will call me on the cell phone and I will ask her why she didn't call me on the home phone, she will get all flustered and tell me that I didn't answer it, or that she did! Sometimes she doesn't even remember that she called me and thinks that I called her.

I have taken her into a nuerologist to test for Alzheimer's or dementia...but he says if she has it, then it is very mild. Her last appointment was about three months ago. I think he should see a marked increase in symptoms or signs of progression of the desease when he sees her again. It's hard cuz it's not like you can really say much to the doctor with Mom there. And of course she wants to be in the middle of everything.

Mom is really afraid she has Alzheimer's because my Gramma, her Mom, had Alzheimer's and died of complications from a stroke. Gramma's was really advanced and she was 84. Mom is 78. She is scared! It is a terrifying disease in which you totally lose all dignity as well as your treasured memories that you have stored away to last you through your life. Mom gets adgitated and frustrated and downright hateful to people around her.

My sister and I have taken over alot of her responsibilities to make life simpler for Mom. She feels it all slipping away at times and either digs in her heels and fights us on stuff or gets so frustrated that she is in tears. It is heartbreaking to watch. My sister balances her checkbook and pays all her bills. I take her to all her doctor appointments and do her grocery shopping for her. We got her moved into a senior apartment complex. She started off very happy there, but now seems to be fighting with the ones she had made friends with at first.

My sister and I go through phases of different feelings. One time we are very understanding and the next time just plain shocked at what she says or does and then there is a new emotion to deal with the next time. I am thankful that we have each other to talk to or I don't know how we would handle it.

The last couple of times I have seen Mom or talked to her I have been so upset with her, and I realized that I was actually mad at her! I have been feeling really bad about this and praying for a new attitude and finally yesterday my Sis and I were talking about it, ( she has already gone through this stage), and she asked me if I was mad because my Mom was gone! Well, talk about smacking you right in the face. The more I have thought about it, the more I tend to think that that is what it is. My Mom is gone and there is this woman here now, that I can't count on, that I can't lean on, that doesn't remember hardly anything of what we shared. And now I have to take care of her! And I don't even know her! She is a pretty negative lady that complains about everyone and everything! And soon she will probably not know me either! How sad is that?

I love you Mom, whereever you are!

Now it is Three!

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

I just got home...and checked my favorite blogs for American Idol results! I am in shock! Chris is gone! I thought he would walk away with it! And I really thought that Kat was the worst in the last couple weeks! Yike! No more hottie rocker! I am crushed! What was America thinking?

Happy Birthday Chris!

Sunday, May 07, 2006

My little adorable giggly redheaded bundle of joy is 30 years old!

It seems like yesterday when I woke up from the anesthesia in recovery to find that I had a son. I thought that I had dreamed it and drifted back to sleep. When I awoke again I was back in my room with one happy husband! That was when I knew it was true.

Allow me to give you some background… Joe and I had been high school sweethearts and married a couple months after I graduated high school. Melanie, our only daughter, was concieved on our honeymoon. We were young, oh sooooo young! I was 17 and Joe was 19 when we got married. So when our only daughter was born, just 9 months and 16 days later we were really not prepared to be a husband and a wife, let alone a Mom and Dad. We adapted to the roles of parents quite easily, and loved our little girl dearly. Unfortunately the husband/wife thing was much harder to do! Joe and I split up when our daughter was two. In fact, we got a divorce. We went through a lot during that time. We found that through all our changing and growing, there was one thing that was not changing, and that was our love for each other. We went back together just before Melanie turned three. Within a month, I was pregnant with Chris! We were so happy to have our family back together again. Being pregnant just made it that much better.

Christopher was such a happy little baby. Always smiling…and his big sis adored him! He was the kind of little guy that made old ladies wanna come up and pinch his cheeks! His dad used to say that he needed a giggle-ectomy!

He had lots of nick names. We started calling him Mr. Christer when he was about two or so. By then he had a baby brother! Another little redhead! Yep, I love ‘em! Jason could not say Christer, sooo it became Critter…and it stuck! He was Critter for years! Jason preferred calling him “Vruv” which was short for his adaptation of Brother. He was Vruv for many years and finally became “Bruv”. Well, atleast he got the “B” in there.

When Chris was trying out for little league, he got named “Red Dog” and of course Jason became “Red Pup” when he started playing.

Now he has another nick name. It is one his little niece gave him. He is affectionately known as “Uncle Boob!”

Chris stole my heart when he was just a little guy…when he said, “Mommy, you are soooooo soft!” How could you not love that? He has always been a kid after my heart!

He indeed is very special. I have a hard time believing that he is thirty years old. And I just have one thing to say…

Isn’t it time for you to get married and give me some giggly little grandbabies? Your sister is threatening to retire, and your brother is always on the road, so it really is up to you!

I love you Chris, and I can not imagine my life without you. You have grown into the kind of person that any parent could be proud of.

I look like a Blowfish!

Friday, May 05, 2006

Ok, I think i have been hangin' out with my daughter too much. She is the queen of strange medical conditions! Wednesday, I had to have her come and take me to urgent care! It is usually the other way around. I don't know how to act when it is me!

Are you ready for this? I have Erysipelas! Yeah, whatever that means! Pictures below!

I got up Tuesday morning, took my shower and was getting ready to go into the church to work on some projects that had to be done by Thursday. My cheeks were red and warm. Looked kinda like a butterfly on my face.

This may be no big deal for most people, and normally it would be for me too, but a few years ago I tested positive for lupus. I am not symtamatic, and I don't want to be. Unfortunately, a butterfly rash on the face is a symptom for lupus, and one I was told to watch for.

As the day progressed so did my rash, and the swelling! This seeme
d to be more than something to do with lupus. This is a good thing , I think! When I got off around four, I called my friend whose dear hubby is a doc. She had me call him and after talking to him we were convinced that it was probably some kind of allergic reaction and that I needed to go into emergency or urgent care. Not my favorite thing...and it is $50 copay! It was just after four by then and I called my doc's office in the off chance that they could get me in at the last minute, which , of course, was not possible. My doc was not even there that day. So after talking with the nurse and repeating my story for the second time...I called my daughter to come take me to urgent care. The doc's office said I may need someone to drive me in case they wanted to give me a shot that would make me drowsy.

So the doc tells me that he thinks it is a skin infection called Erysipelas, and I need to be on antibiotics. Ok, but just to make sure that it is not an allergic reaction he gives me a scrip for Zyrtek too.

Next stop is the pharmacy and when I go to pay, I find out that my co-pay on the Zyrtek is $71.49! I DON'T THINK SO! Ain't that kinda high? So I get the antibiotics and grab some Benedryl $4.79.



These pictures are from one of the medical websites. Yucky, huh?

I woke up this morning, with my vision half blocked from the swelling under my eyes...my face is red and puffy and oh so itchy! My dear sweet daughter said she was sorry I was puffed up like a blowfish. I didn't know weather to laugh or cry. I still had to run into the church to leave my stuff for someone else to do. Bless them! And I returned home,
and slathered on the calamine lotion, took my meds and called it a day! Can I help it if it was only 9:00 in the morning?

Expectations (prognosis)

If appropriate antibiotic therapy is given early, the outcome is favorable. Skin changes may take up to a few weeks to normalize and peeling is common.

In some patients, streptococci may travel to the blood (bacteremia) and additional sites may be involved such as heart valves, joints, and bones.

Complications


Sounds like loads of fun huh? Hey, have a great day! I would say that I'll see ya when everything is rosey again but I think it is just about as rosey as I can take...lol!

Monday Monday...

Monday, May 01, 2006

Zero energy and lots to do...I haven't done anything this morning but read blogs, and talk on the phone! lol! Eating chocolate as we speak so "this too shall pass".

I can't believe that tomorrow is already American Idol again...I still had not commented on last weeks! Ok I am slow this week! Too much going on!
Kellie girl is gone...she is cute as a button and I am sure she will be heard singing country songs for years to come. The show is getting more serious now with only five left!
Personally, I think Elliot is a great singer, but never have I expected him to win.
I love Chris...he definately rocks and I am glad he has been able to show another side to him, as it seems that if you are stuck in one genre, you are not going to make it!
Cat is "Easy on the Eyes" as my dear hubby points out...well, duh! Am I blind? Yes she is beautiful and she can sing. I thought at first she was just another pretty girl going through every week on those merits alone, but folks...she is maturing in her talent as the weeks go by...she could walk away with it!
Paris comes from talent and has had the advantage of being mentored from her gramma. She has been a good student. She is a star! And, I am sure nothing will keep her from this destiny, even if she does not win American Idol. She is only 16...her age may hold her back right now as people say, oh she will grow into her talent, blah blah blah! The girl has more natural talent, and cultered talent than most!
And then there is Taylor. I "heart" Taylor! Unfortunately, I don't expect him to win...but I just gotta love him! He has more character. He does his own thing and I respect that! He just warms my heart to watch and listen to him, when he can be himself. It is hard to fit him in a box like they have to for some of the singing requirements that is part of AI. But I think he will go far! Look forward to seeing alot more of him.
Who is going home this week? Well, that is anybody's guess! If they goof up, at this point, I think they are gone! If everyone has a good week, I think it will be Taylor or possibly Paris!
Good luck to all of you!