Okay, I'll be honest about this.....I thought I'd be finished with cardboard boxes by now, that we'd have Mom moved into the apartment and all squared away, and that we'd be leisurely making plans for an upcoming trip (more about that later).
As it happens, I still have some boxes in my bedroom, unpacked, and we don't have Mom moved in yet. *sigh* Everything is going well in the grand scheme, but at ground level seems to be moving at a snail's pace.
Hopefully we'll make some more progress this weekend. Part of the problem is that Mom keeps cleaning up her "mess" as she packs. Anyone who knows my Mom knows that her idea of a "mess" isn't really a mess. I told her that a little clutter while you're packing and unpacking is just part of the process, but she keeps stopping to clean up. *sigh again* So, I just try to stay out of her way and let her do things her way. I'm sure she won't have as much clean-up to do when she's finished as I had. I just can't watch it. *LOL*
Another part of the problem is getting all our help lined up. Everyone's busy, and getting everyone in the same place at the same time (and factoring in the weird weather) is tricky.
Oh well. It'll all come together. And when it finally does it will be a huge relief!
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
The Cardboard Conundrum
I'll get the negative part of this post out of the way right away. I'm sick of cardboard boxes. SICK, I tell you!
I'm up to the point in the unpacking process of saying to myself, "Why on EARTH did I pack THIS? WHY?" Of course, when I packed these items, there was a perfectly logical reason I packed them. I WANTED them. Now my question is "Do I want this enough to find a place to store it?"
Okay, negativity over. My goal for the week is to get some more boxes unpacked and out of what will soon be Mom's bedroom. I actually made some good progress during a snowy Monday this week, but didn't get to do much of anything last night. Hopefully tonight will be more productive!
Mom's making some progress, getting a lot of unneeded paperwork shredded and out of her way. Jasper went to his new home last Friday, so that was a big relief. Mom's sister Sandy and her husband Wilton have been in for a quick visit the past couple of days, so that's been nice for us. It's the first time they've been able to come visit since Daddy passed away, and it's been great to see them.
Okay, gotta close for now and attack the cardboard mountain. Wish me luck.
I'm up to the point in the unpacking process of saying to myself, "Why on EARTH did I pack THIS? WHY?" Of course, when I packed these items, there was a perfectly logical reason I packed them. I WANTED them. Now my question is "Do I want this enough to find a place to store it?"
Okay, negativity over. My goal for the week is to get some more boxes unpacked and out of what will soon be Mom's bedroom. I actually made some good progress during a snowy Monday this week, but didn't get to do much of anything last night. Hopefully tonight will be more productive!
Mom's making some progress, getting a lot of unneeded paperwork shredded and out of her way. Jasper went to his new home last Friday, so that was a big relief. Mom's sister Sandy and her husband Wilton have been in for a quick visit the past couple of days, so that's been nice for us. It's the first time they've been able to come visit since Daddy passed away, and it's been great to see them.
Okay, gotta close for now and attack the cardboard mountain. Wish me luck.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Moving
Many, many happenings in my little corner of the world! Mom asked if I would be interested in sharing an apartment with her if she sold her house. So, since a three-bedroom unit was coming open in my apartment complex I went ahead and moved last week.
Needless to say, after 10 years in my previous apartment I had accumulated an unbelievable amount of "stuff". A lot of it went to the Haven of Rest and Goodwill, but there was still a mountain of cardboard boxes after I'd finished packing.
Now I'm in the process of UNpacking, but at least I'm moved in. Next we'll start getting Mom packed up and get the house on the market.
Busy, busy, BUSY!
Needless to say, after 10 years in my previous apartment I had accumulated an unbelievable amount of "stuff". A lot of it went to the Haven of Rest and Goodwill, but there was still a mountain of cardboard boxes after I'd finished packing.
Now I'm in the process of UNpacking, but at least I'm moved in. Next we'll start getting Mom packed up and get the house on the market.
Busy, busy, BUSY!
Friday, December 27, 2013
Coping 101
My little corner of the world will never be quite the same. At 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2013, David Curtis Sweeney, my Daddy, succumbed to an aggressive case of lymphoma. We'd received the diagnosis on Thursday evening and hasn't really had time to absorb the enormity of it all before he was gone.
For Daddy's sake, I'm glad he didn't linger. He passed peacefully with Mom holding his left hand and me holding his right. When my turn comes, I hope I'm lucky enough to be wrapped in a comforting blanket of love like the one that surrounded Daddy when he slipped away.
I want to write more about him, and I will. As Mom puts it, "He had a good life, and we had a lot of fun." There are stories to tell, and I will tell them.
But not just yet. First I need to heal a bit more. But the stories will be told soon, I promise. Not today, but soon.
For Daddy's sake, I'm glad he didn't linger. He passed peacefully with Mom holding his left hand and me holding his right. When my turn comes, I hope I'm lucky enough to be wrapped in a comforting blanket of love like the one that surrounded Daddy when he slipped away.
I want to write more about him, and I will. As Mom puts it, "He had a good life, and we had a lot of fun." There are stories to tell, and I will tell them.
But not just yet. First I need to heal a bit more. But the stories will be told soon, I promise. Not today, but soon.
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Things for Which I'm Thankful
It's been over a month since my last update. It's been a very busy time; Daddy has really had a rough time in the past few weeks.
On October 28 he had a radiofrequency ablation performed. It seemed to take care of the extreme nerve pain he'd been suffering in his lower back, but the injection sites were very painful and didn't seem to be improving.
On November 7 I took him to the doctor who treats his rheumatoid arthritis (a regular follow-up for his RA). When Daddy told the doctor that he was still having injection site pain, he asked if Dad was still taking his pain meds as prescribed for his RA. Actually, it had been having such a bad effect on him (drowsy, weak, apathetic) that Mom had weaned him down to half his regular dose. The doctor insisted that he be given the full dose as prescribed.
So, Mom gave him the full dose that day; the following morning he couldn't even transfer himself from the couch to a wheelchair. He fell in the floor, and Mom and I couldn't lift him; he was dead weight. We had to call in friends to help us get him back on the couch. What a nightmare!
On the following Friday (November 15), he and Mom had a lab appointment to have their blood work done for an upcoming regular checkup with their primary care physicians. I took them to the lab (and then to another doctor's appointment for a small skin cancer on Daddy's nose), then we took him back home. He got back on the couch, exhausted, and said he'd take a nap while Mom and I went to run a few quick errands.
When we returned from our rounds, we ate a Chinese take-out lunch and rested a few moments. I planned to come back the next morning to help Mom with cleaning their dog's enclosure and such, so I said I'd go on home and do a bit of household drudgery.
As I reached the end of their driveway, I heard Mom shout my name. I stopped the car and she ran up to the window. Dad's primary care physician had called and said that his lab work showed that he was extremely anemic and to get him to the ER as quickly as possible.
The next three days were a blur of tests and transfusions. We learned that his hemoglobin was down to 7.1 (should be 12). They gave him a total of 3 pints of blood over that weekend. He went through periods of confusion which was really frightening for us all.
Mom stayed at the hospital with him at night; I came home and fell into bed each night then was up and out the door early each morning to go back to the hospital
An EGD revealed that his stomach lining was very irritated (probably from pain meds he's been taking for the past year), he had a hiatal hernia (which we already knew about), he had a small polyp in the top of his small intestine (which didn't seem to be an item for concern), and a couple of spider veins in the small intestine that were probably the source of the blood loss. The gastroenterologist said that he wanted to do a colonoscopy as soon as Daddy's stronger, but that he didn't want to do it while he was so weak.
On Monday afternoon (November 18), they moved him from the hospital to a rehabilitation center. Because of all the inactivity in the past year due to the back pain, his back, arms, and legs had become so weak that he couldn't walk properly any more.
For several days he didn't seem to be making much progress; I feared that he'd simply given up. Then suddenly yesterday was a better day. He'd done well in his physical therapy session and his appetite finally perked up. I'm hopeful that this is the turnaround we've been anticipating.
So Thanksgiving is going to be different in my little world this year. Instead of the usual overabundance of home-cooked goodies, Mom and I will go to the rehabilitation center to have turkey and dressing with Daddy there. Even so, there are many things for which I'm thankful. I have a loving family, good friends, good health, and a sometimes-slightly-insane cat to keep me company. I have a comfortable apartment where I feel cozy and safe. I have my knitting to keep me centered and sane. I have a gorgeous grandson in Australia who likes to laugh with me on Skype.
And Daddy's slowly getting better. Yes, I'm thankful for all these things and a host of other things too numerous to list.
Sometimes life is tough, but there's always something in our lives that deserves a little gratitude. I hope that you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, and take a moment from the turkey and football to give a bit of thanks!
On October 28 he had a radiofrequency ablation performed. It seemed to take care of the extreme nerve pain he'd been suffering in his lower back, but the injection sites were very painful and didn't seem to be improving.
On November 7 I took him to the doctor who treats his rheumatoid arthritis (a regular follow-up for his RA). When Daddy told the doctor that he was still having injection site pain, he asked if Dad was still taking his pain meds as prescribed for his RA. Actually, it had been having such a bad effect on him (drowsy, weak, apathetic) that Mom had weaned him down to half his regular dose. The doctor insisted that he be given the full dose as prescribed.
So, Mom gave him the full dose that day; the following morning he couldn't even transfer himself from the couch to a wheelchair. He fell in the floor, and Mom and I couldn't lift him; he was dead weight. We had to call in friends to help us get him back on the couch. What a nightmare!
On the following Friday (November 15), he and Mom had a lab appointment to have their blood work done for an upcoming regular checkup with their primary care physicians. I took them to the lab (and then to another doctor's appointment for a small skin cancer on Daddy's nose), then we took him back home. He got back on the couch, exhausted, and said he'd take a nap while Mom and I went to run a few quick errands.
When we returned from our rounds, we ate a Chinese take-out lunch and rested a few moments. I planned to come back the next morning to help Mom with cleaning their dog's enclosure and such, so I said I'd go on home and do a bit of household drudgery.
As I reached the end of their driveway, I heard Mom shout my name. I stopped the car and she ran up to the window. Dad's primary care physician had called and said that his lab work showed that he was extremely anemic and to get him to the ER as quickly as possible.
The next three days were a blur of tests and transfusions. We learned that his hemoglobin was down to 7.1 (should be 12). They gave him a total of 3 pints of blood over that weekend. He went through periods of confusion which was really frightening for us all.
Mom stayed at the hospital with him at night; I came home and fell into bed each night then was up and out the door early each morning to go back to the hospital
An EGD revealed that his stomach lining was very irritated (probably from pain meds he's been taking for the past year), he had a hiatal hernia (which we already knew about), he had a small polyp in the top of his small intestine (which didn't seem to be an item for concern), and a couple of spider veins in the small intestine that were probably the source of the blood loss. The gastroenterologist said that he wanted to do a colonoscopy as soon as Daddy's stronger, but that he didn't want to do it while he was so weak.
On Monday afternoon (November 18), they moved him from the hospital to a rehabilitation center. Because of all the inactivity in the past year due to the back pain, his back, arms, and legs had become so weak that he couldn't walk properly any more.
For several days he didn't seem to be making much progress; I feared that he'd simply given up. Then suddenly yesterday was a better day. He'd done well in his physical therapy session and his appetite finally perked up. I'm hopeful that this is the turnaround we've been anticipating.
So Thanksgiving is going to be different in my little world this year. Instead of the usual overabundance of home-cooked goodies, Mom and I will go to the rehabilitation center to have turkey and dressing with Daddy there. Even so, there are many things for which I'm thankful. I have a loving family, good friends, good health, and a sometimes-slightly-insane cat to keep me company. I have a comfortable apartment where I feel cozy and safe. I have my knitting to keep me centered and sane. I have a gorgeous grandson in Australia who likes to laugh with me on Skype.
And Daddy's slowly getting better. Yes, I'm thankful for all these things and a host of other things too numerous to list.
Sometimes life is tough, but there's always something in our lives that deserves a little gratitude. I hope that you all have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving, and take a moment from the turkey and football to give a bit of thanks!
Monday, October 21, 2013
A Busy Week Off
Last week I had a week off from work....well, I should say a week away from the office because I actually got a lot of work done while I was off. :-) A long-neglected walk-in closet got a quick reorganization, and I got some shredding done. (How does all that junk mail pile up so quickly?)
With Daddy still dealing with his back issues (he has a procedure scheduled for next Monday; keep your fingers crossed!) and unable to drive, I spent some time running errands with Mom. Mom actually has a valid driver's license but hasn't actually driven to speak of in several years.
We had a very sad occasion to attend last week. A dear friend of the family, Audrey Taylor, passed away. She'd been very ill for several years, and though we'll miss her we're glad that she's now at peace.
In the neighborhood where I grew up, Taylor's (we never called her "Mrs. Taylor"; it was "Taylor") house was the one where all the neighborhood kids congregated at one time or another. She let us all use her upright piano to practice our lessons. She organized arts and crafts for us in her living room. She made the best seafoam candy I've ever eaten. We made ice cream in her back yard in the summertime and had snowball fights in the front yard in the winter.
She was a large part of the childhood of all the kids who grew up in that neighborhood in that era. We loved her, and we'll miss her. Sleep well, Taylor, you've earned your rest.
With Daddy still dealing with his back issues (he has a procedure scheduled for next Monday; keep your fingers crossed!) and unable to drive, I spent some time running errands with Mom. Mom actually has a valid driver's license but hasn't actually driven to speak of in several years.
We had a very sad occasion to attend last week. A dear friend of the family, Audrey Taylor, passed away. She'd been very ill for several years, and though we'll miss her we're glad that she's now at peace.
In the neighborhood where I grew up, Taylor's (we never called her "Mrs. Taylor"; it was "Taylor") house was the one where all the neighborhood kids congregated at one time or another. She let us all use her upright piano to practice our lessons. She organized arts and crafts for us in her living room. She made the best seafoam candy I've ever eaten. We made ice cream in her back yard in the summertime and had snowball fights in the front yard in the winter.
She was a large part of the childhood of all the kids who grew up in that neighborhood in that era. We loved her, and we'll miss her. Sleep well, Taylor, you've earned your rest.
Thursday, September 05, 2013
An Uninterrupted Lunch, Please
It's been pretty busy in my little corner of the world lately. So, I decided that instead of waiting until I get home and try to find a few minutes for a quick blog post that I'd take my lunch break at the office to make an entry. My office door is closed (and locked), my lunch is spread out on the desk (wheat crackers and hummus), and Pandora is quietly playing in the background (James Horner radio, one of my favorites). Now let's just hope that no one taps on the door or rings my phone for the next few minutes. I can ignore both, but I just hope I have an uninterrupted lunch break today.
My Dad's back is still giving him grief, and now we're dealing with a pain management center to try to get him back on his feet again. He's just worn out with feeling so much pain all the time, and I can't blame him a bit. Been there, done that, y'know? I was very fortunate that back surgery helped my problem. Dad's not been so lucky, I'm afraid. We're hopeful that the procedure he's going through next will be the answer. Keep your fingers crossed!
Lately I've spent any free time with Tilly TabbyCat and my knitting....and trying to keep Tilly out of my knitting. *LOL* For those of you interested in knitting, I'll post more about that on my knitting blog (see link to the right) after I get home tonight, hopefully.
Amazingly, I still don't miss having TV cable service. Sometimes I still miss TiVo, though. I really need to look into some way to have DVR capability without subscribing to a service. All I need is a way to set up to record at a certain time on a certain date. I don't need the search and TV listing service. I don't get enough channels now for that to be a big deal to me. If anyone has any suggestions, drop me an e-mail, okay? And keep in mind that although I've been computing forever, I'm still a novice in a lot of areas. *LOL*
Well, I'd better get back to work now. Isn't it amazing how quickly a 30-minute lunch break can zip by?
Have a great evening, everyone.
My Dad's back is still giving him grief, and now we're dealing with a pain management center to try to get him back on his feet again. He's just worn out with feeling so much pain all the time, and I can't blame him a bit. Been there, done that, y'know? I was very fortunate that back surgery helped my problem. Dad's not been so lucky, I'm afraid. We're hopeful that the procedure he's going through next will be the answer. Keep your fingers crossed!
Lately I've spent any free time with Tilly TabbyCat and my knitting....and trying to keep Tilly out of my knitting. *LOL* For those of you interested in knitting, I'll post more about that on my knitting blog (see link to the right) after I get home tonight, hopefully.
Amazingly, I still don't miss having TV cable service. Sometimes I still miss TiVo, though. I really need to look into some way to have DVR capability without subscribing to a service. All I need is a way to set up to record at a certain time on a certain date. I don't need the search and TV listing service. I don't get enough channels now for that to be a big deal to me. If anyone has any suggestions, drop me an e-mail, okay? And keep in mind that although I've been computing forever, I'm still a novice in a lot of areas. *LOL*
Well, I'd better get back to work now. Isn't it amazing how quickly a 30-minute lunch break can zip by?
Have a great evening, everyone.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Things I Wonder About
Such a busy, busy month it's been! My Aussie family arrived on March 28, which also happened to be my parents' 60th wedding anniversary.
My visitors were able to stay until April 19, and we had a perfectly wonderful time! My sweet six-month-old grandson, Nio, seemed to grow daily while they were here. In three short weeks, he cut a tooth (his second), learned to sit up unsupported, learned to scoot backward, learned that standing up is more fun than sitting down, and began to call me "Nan-Nan". *sigh* I sure miss them!!
I was able to take some time off and worked only 5 days during the time they were here. Of course, I've paid dearly for that since I returned to work Monday but I'll try not to whine too much about that. *LOL*
I'm awfully tired this evening, so this long-overdue blog entry will be regrettably brief. Before I close, though, I find myself wondering about a few things:
My visitors were able to stay until April 19, and we had a perfectly wonderful time! My sweet six-month-old grandson, Nio, seemed to grow daily while they were here. In three short weeks, he cut a tooth (his second), learned to sit up unsupported, learned to scoot backward, learned that standing up is more fun than sitting down, and began to call me "Nan-Nan". *sigh* I sure miss them!!
I was able to take some time off and worked only 5 days during the time they were here. Of course, I've paid dearly for that since I returned to work Monday but I'll try not to whine too much about that. *LOL*
I'm awfully tired this evening, so this long-overdue blog entry will be regrettably brief. Before I close, though, I find myself wondering about a few things:
- Will Nio recognize my voice the next time I speak to him on the phone? (maybe)
- Will I cry if he doesn't? (probably)
- Is my Aussie family having fun on their trip to Fiji? (I hope so)
- Does every owner of a Kindle Fire love theirs as much as I do mine? (probably)
- Will I regret my recent decision to order a set of plum-colored luggage? (I hope not)
- Will I have enough hand-dyed yarn to complete the entrelec beret I'm knitting? (I really, REALLY hope so)
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
It's only TUESDAY??
This has been a long week. A long, ugly week. And this is only Tuesday. *sigh*
Okay, so what's been wrong with this week?
Maybe it won't be such a bad week after all. Keep your fingers crossed.
Okay, so what's been wrong with this week?
- Work stuff that I'll refrain from discussing on the internet, since Big Brother may be watching (for those of you who do not understand that reference, please read the excellent book "1984" by George Orwell).
- Sinus problems that have been dragging on for weeks.
- Exhaustion caused by items 1 and 2 above.
- Nothing tastes right; probably caused by item 2 above.
- I've had a sudden attack of "I hate my hair" syndrome. Not unusual. This happens from time to time.
- I need a snow day.....really, really, REALLY need a snow day. And the best we're going to get are a few snow showers Thursday. Phooey.
- Louise has been in the hospital, but is improving and will hopefully be home very soon.
- Daddy's improving a little more each day.
- I finished knitting a scarf for Mom on Sunday.
- I learned how to crochet one of those Sashay scarves last night from a YouTube video (I've already knitted several, but hadn't learned to crochet one).
- It's been a gray, rainy day. I love gray, rainy days.
- Dessert tonight will be a pear.
- I'm close to finishing another pair of socks. I've nearly finished the heel, and the rest of it is just knitting my way up the leg until I run out of yarn. Good television knitting.
Maybe it won't be such a bad week after all. Keep your fingers crossed.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Update on Daddy
Night before last, Daddy had the worst pain he's had since injuring his back. I suspect that if he'd been taking pain meds regularly after his surgery, this wouldn't have happened. He began taking them on a regular schedule yesterday, and today he was much, much better.
I went to visit him and Mom today and had the opportunity to see his two tiny incisions. Each has one tiny stitch; if the stitches weren't there, I'd have had trouble finding the incisions! I'm always amazed by the advances in medicine.
He's still tired, of course, but his pain level seems to have subsided appreciably. I'm very grateful.
I went to visit him and Mom today and had the opportunity to see his two tiny incisions. Each has one tiny stitch; if the stitches weren't there, I'd have had trouble finding the incisions! I'm always amazed by the advances in medicine.
He's still tired, of course, but his pain level seems to have subsided appreciably. I'm very grateful.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Quite a Week
It's been a very busy, tense week in my little world. On Tuesday, Daddy finally had his long-awaited much-needed back surgery. He had a repair of a compression fracture, and all seems to have gone very well, thank goodness.
The hospital visit, though, was less than stellar. Don't get me wrong; he received excellent care. But he'd been told to arrive on the morning of his surgery at 11:00 a.m. with surgery to begin at 1:00 p.m. As usual, we arrived a little early, around 10:30 a.m. They took him back to the short-stay surgery area right away and put him in a hospital gown. Then they left him on the gurney in a curtained area until AFTER 4:00 P.M.!
Keep in mind that he'd been admitted for back surgery. Then left ON HIS BACK on a gurney for nearly SIX HOURS. Not good. He was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty before they even got him to surgery.
The procedure went beautifully, but because it was so late in the day when they finished it was decided that he should stay overnight for observation. We learned that "overnight" is a relative term. By the time he was released and we'd picked up a prescription for an antibiotic that he was given, it was 2:00 p.m. before we got him home. Nearly a full day after we expected to be able to get him home.
He was tired, irritated, and suffering from nicotine withdrawal by the time we got him out of the hospital, but luckily his pain level was not as severe as he expected.
This afternoon he was doing better, still having a little post-op pain, but much better than yesterday. I can already see an improvement in the way he holds his body, so I'm hopeful that the procedure has actually helped his problem.
What a week. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday!
The hospital visit, though, was less than stellar. Don't get me wrong; he received excellent care. But he'd been told to arrive on the morning of his surgery at 11:00 a.m. with surgery to begin at 1:00 p.m. As usual, we arrived a little early, around 10:30 a.m. They took him back to the short-stay surgery area right away and put him in a hospital gown. Then they left him on the gurney in a curtained area until AFTER 4:00 P.M.!
Keep in mind that he'd been admitted for back surgery. Then left ON HIS BACK on a gurney for nearly SIX HOURS. Not good. He was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty before they even got him to surgery.
The procedure went beautifully, but because it was so late in the day when they finished it was decided that he should stay overnight for observation. We learned that "overnight" is a relative term. By the time he was released and we'd picked up a prescription for an antibiotic that he was given, it was 2:00 p.m. before we got him home. Nearly a full day after we expected to be able to get him home.
He was tired, irritated, and suffering from nicotine withdrawal by the time we got him out of the hospital, but luckily his pain level was not as severe as he expected.
This afternoon he was doing better, still having a little post-op pain, but much better than yesterday. I can already see an improvement in the way he holds his body, so I'm hopeful that the procedure has actually helped his problem.
What a week. I'm glad tomorrow is Friday!
Saturday, February 09, 2013
A Busy Morning
I've been a slug all week. I'm still recovering from a vile sinus infection, so I've been really tired. The stress level at the office was even higher than usual this week, so that added to the fatigue. Last night I actually fell asleep in my recliner and woke just after 4:00 a.m. with a vile migraine and a fever blister. Happy Saturday. *bleah*
I had a lot of housework to do since I was too tired to do much of anything in the evenings after work this week, so I'd made myself a "To-Do" list for today. It was so long it made me tired just to READ it. So, I decided to just take each task on the list one at a time and work in 20/10 increments (20 minutes working/10 minute break). I'd just work until I ran out of steam and quit, no matter where I was on the list.
I did pretty well for about 3 hours, then just ran down. That's okay, though. I checked off several tasks, and maybe after lunch and a little nap I can check off a few more.
For now, though, a bit of knitting and Netflix sounds pretty good. :-)
My Dad finally got a surgery scheduled to repair the compression fracture in his back. He'll have surgery next Tuesday; we're very hopeful that it will help alleviate the pain he's been suffering for the past several months. Keep a good thought! The procedure is interesting, and minimally invasive, so his recovery time should be relatively short. Mom asked the PA how long it would be before Daddy could get on a treadmill, and he said probably a week or so after surgery. I asked Mom if she'd checked to see how long it would be before he could drive, but she'd forgotten that. I suspect Daddy'll be much more anxious to drive than to get on the treadmill. *LOL*
I had a lot of housework to do since I was too tired to do much of anything in the evenings after work this week, so I'd made myself a "To-Do" list for today. It was so long it made me tired just to READ it. So, I decided to just take each task on the list one at a time and work in 20/10 increments (20 minutes working/10 minute break). I'd just work until I ran out of steam and quit, no matter where I was on the list.
I did pretty well for about 3 hours, then just ran down. That's okay, though. I checked off several tasks, and maybe after lunch and a little nap I can check off a few more.
For now, though, a bit of knitting and Netflix sounds pretty good. :-)
My Dad finally got a surgery scheduled to repair the compression fracture in his back. He'll have surgery next Tuesday; we're very hopeful that it will help alleviate the pain he's been suffering for the past several months. Keep a good thought! The procedure is interesting, and minimally invasive, so his recovery time should be relatively short. Mom asked the PA how long it would be before Daddy could get on a treadmill, and he said probably a week or so after surgery. I asked Mom if she'd checked to see how long it would be before he could drive, but she'd forgotten that. I suspect Daddy'll be much more anxious to drive than to get on the treadmill. *LOL*
Monday, January 09, 2012
Difficult Times
We've lost a member of the family. My first cousin Tim had fought a valiant battle against esophageal cancer, but lost his battle last Thursday afternoon. Everyone who knew him remarked that he was one of the kindest people they'd ever known.
Tim was two years younger than me and was the first family member in my generation to pass away. I'm very sad that he wasn't able to beat the cancer, but very glad that he's no longer in pain.
I have to say, difficult times like these really make you rethink what's important in life. Hug someone you love. You never know how many opportunities you might have to let them know how you feel.
Tim was two years younger than me and was the first family member in my generation to pass away. I'm very sad that he wasn't able to beat the cancer, but very glad that he's no longer in pain.
I have to say, difficult times like these really make you rethink what's important in life. Hug someone you love. You never know how many opportunities you might have to let them know how you feel.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
A Good Christmas
I had a good Christmas this year, and I sincerely hope each of you did, too. As is usual, ours was quiet, but really nice. The only family I have nearby are Mom and Dad, and I'm grateful to have them close. Our usual holiday routine is for me to have them over to my apartment on Christmas Eve, then I go to their house on Christmas Day.
On Christmas Eve, I had a little spread prepared: cheese ball, ham ball, barbequed meatballs, ham rolls, cranberry salad, snack mix, lemon pound cake, and pumpkin spice cupcakes. We indulged in holiday goodies, then called Kris in Australia. After we'd had a good telephone visit with her and Louise, we exchanged gifts. It was a lovely evening and we enjoyed spending time together.
On Christmas Day, Mom had prepared a delicious dinner: baby back ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and baked beans. I'd brought rolls and cranberry salad. After dinner we settled down in the living room for a restful afternoon. All in all, a wonderful holiday!
That night, just before midnight, my smoke detector went off. When I hurried to it to find out what was going on, I realized it wasn't the smoke detector, but the carbon monoxide detector (it was a combo unit). I pulled the battery out of it, but it was hard-wired as well. I couldn't figure out how to make it quit screeching except to push the test button each time it went off, so I Googled it. The instruction manual online was no help at all. I called the number of the apartment office, but received a recording. I figured the office would be closed on the 26th for the holiday; with no other ideas, I called the fire department (not 911, but their main number). I explained that I didn't have an emergency, but that I needed some guidance on how to shut off what was an apparently defective carbon monoxide monitor. I further explained that I have no gas appliances, and my apartment is all-electric. The nice gentleman who took my call said that he would talk with his chief, and that someone would call me back very shortly.
Not long after that, I heard a fire truck come into the parking lot. OH, MAN!! Thankfully, they didn't have the siren on, but it still embarrassed me that I'd caused so much commotion over a carbon monoxide monitor!! They were very nice, though, and insisted on using an air quality monitor to be sure there wasn't a problem in the apartment. As I'd suspected, the monitor was malfunctioning. They reset it and put it back in the ceiling. I asked them to show me how to disconnect it in case it went off again. After they left, it took awhile for me to get back to sleep. I must have dozed off around 2:00 am; the monitor went off again at 2:45!! A few brief seconds later, I'd disconnected it, pulled out its backup battery, and dumped it unceremoniously onto the kitchen table.
I'd brought work home from the office to work with on Monday and Tuesday. I was tired Monday from the unexpected excitement the night before, but managed to make good progress on my office work. I rested well Monday night, and got even more work done on Tuesday (yesterday).
When I talked with Kris on Christmas Eve she told me that my gift from them was on its way, but might not arrive until the 27th. Sure enough, UPS delivered it yesterday afternoon: a Keurig coffeemaker!! I'd been promising myself one for some time and was truly thrilled to receive it! Setup was quick and easy, and it works like a dream.
Today I went to lunch with Mom and Dad at their favorite local Italian restaurant. The food was very delicious, and we had a good time. When I left there, I went to Sam's Club and Wal-Mart to pick up a few items I needed and get the oil changed in the car.
And so, I'm now back at home, still full of calzone but happy to have my shopping out of the way. Tomorrow Mom has her second cataract surgery, so we'll all be glad when that's over and done. Her first one went beautifully, so I hope this one goes as well.
So now I think I'll go make myself a hot cocoa in the Keurig and chill out with knitting while watching "Julie and Julia" on TV. It's probably going to be an early night, which suits me fine. :-)
Have a great week, friends!
On Christmas Eve, I had a little spread prepared: cheese ball, ham ball, barbequed meatballs, ham rolls, cranberry salad, snack mix, lemon pound cake, and pumpkin spice cupcakes. We indulged in holiday goodies, then called Kris in Australia. After we'd had a good telephone visit with her and Louise, we exchanged gifts. It was a lovely evening and we enjoyed spending time together.
On Christmas Day, Mom had prepared a delicious dinner: baby back ribs, coleslaw, potato salad, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and baked beans. I'd brought rolls and cranberry salad. After dinner we settled down in the living room for a restful afternoon. All in all, a wonderful holiday!
That night, just before midnight, my smoke detector went off. When I hurried to it to find out what was going on, I realized it wasn't the smoke detector, but the carbon monoxide detector (it was a combo unit). I pulled the battery out of it, but it was hard-wired as well. I couldn't figure out how to make it quit screeching except to push the test button each time it went off, so I Googled it. The instruction manual online was no help at all. I called the number of the apartment office, but received a recording. I figured the office would be closed on the 26th for the holiday; with no other ideas, I called the fire department (not 911, but their main number). I explained that I didn't have an emergency, but that I needed some guidance on how to shut off what was an apparently defective carbon monoxide monitor. I further explained that I have no gas appliances, and my apartment is all-electric. The nice gentleman who took my call said that he would talk with his chief, and that someone would call me back very shortly.
Not long after that, I heard a fire truck come into the parking lot. OH, MAN!! Thankfully, they didn't have the siren on, but it still embarrassed me that I'd caused so much commotion over a carbon monoxide monitor!! They were very nice, though, and insisted on using an air quality monitor to be sure there wasn't a problem in the apartment. As I'd suspected, the monitor was malfunctioning. They reset it and put it back in the ceiling. I asked them to show me how to disconnect it in case it went off again. After they left, it took awhile for me to get back to sleep. I must have dozed off around 2:00 am; the monitor went off again at 2:45!! A few brief seconds later, I'd disconnected it, pulled out its backup battery, and dumped it unceremoniously onto the kitchen table.
I'd brought work home from the office to work with on Monday and Tuesday. I was tired Monday from the unexpected excitement the night before, but managed to make good progress on my office work. I rested well Monday night, and got even more work done on Tuesday (yesterday).
When I talked with Kris on Christmas Eve she told me that my gift from them was on its way, but might not arrive until the 27th. Sure enough, UPS delivered it yesterday afternoon: a Keurig coffeemaker!! I'd been promising myself one for some time and was truly thrilled to receive it! Setup was quick and easy, and it works like a dream.
Today I went to lunch with Mom and Dad at their favorite local Italian restaurant. The food was very delicious, and we had a good time. When I left there, I went to Sam's Club and Wal-Mart to pick up a few items I needed and get the oil changed in the car.
And so, I'm now back at home, still full of calzone but happy to have my shopping out of the way. Tomorrow Mom has her second cataract surgery, so we'll all be glad when that's over and done. Her first one went beautifully, so I hope this one goes as well.
So now I think I'll go make myself a hot cocoa in the Keurig and chill out with knitting while watching "Julie and Julia" on TV. It's probably going to be an early night, which suits me fine. :-)
Have a great week, friends!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Return of the Amaryllis Project
Mom and Dad went to visit friends of ours on Sunday (I was laid low by a migraine that day...*ICK*), and when they returned Mom called to check to see if I was doing okay. While we were talking, she told me that our friends, Jewel and R.C., had given them a Christmas gift to give to me: an amaryllis bulb!
They've given me a bulb each year for the past several years, and I always enjoy watching their progress. In fact, I've saved the bulbs and have them stored safely in my refrigerator to be replanted. I just keep forgetting to replant them!!
In order for them to bloom at the proper time, I believe they must be replanted sometime in October. I'm going to do some research on it and mark my 2012 calendar with the appropriate replant date so that I can have blooms (hopefully) next Christmas!
In the meantime, I've reactivated my "Amaryllis Project" page and will keep you updated on the planting, growth, and bloom of this year's bulb. Mom and Dad will be coming to my home on Christmas Eve, so I'll probably be receiving (and planting) the bulb then. Stay tuned!
They've given me a bulb each year for the past several years, and I always enjoy watching their progress. In fact, I've saved the bulbs and have them stored safely in my refrigerator to be replanted. I just keep forgetting to replant them!!
In order for them to bloom at the proper time, I believe they must be replanted sometime in October. I'm going to do some research on it and mark my 2012 calendar with the appropriate replant date so that I can have blooms (hopefully) next Christmas!
In the meantime, I've reactivated my "Amaryllis Project" page and will keep you updated on the planting, growth, and bloom of this year's bulb. Mom and Dad will be coming to my home on Christmas Eve, so I'll probably be receiving (and planting) the bulb then. Stay tuned!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
'Tis the Season
Busy, busy, BUSY!! Yes, folks, it IS that time of year. Things at the office are still crazy-busy, but I have some time that I must take before the end of the year or lose, so I'm taking it a little at a time. The college closed at noon on Wednesday for the Thanksgiving holiday, so I took the morning off, too. This gave me a 5-day weekend, which was much needed and is being very much enjoyed! :-)
I've really hated my sofa for a long, long time. It was always too big for my small living room, but I'd just never done anything about it. A friend called me to say that she and her husband were replacing a loveseat in their living room. She remembered my moaning about the fact that I should have bought a loveseat instead of a sofa and asked if I'd like to have their loveseat. Hurray!
So, I donated my sofa to a local charity, Haven of Rest, who not only does good work but were very appreciative of my donation and came to pick it up as scheduled on Wednesday morning. I spent the rest of Wednesday chasing a few dust bunnies that had been hiding under the sofa and knitting a bit. I also baked some delicious cinnamon streusel muffins that were almost worth the blister I burned on my finger testing to see if they were done. Yes, I'm that stupid.
My friends delivered my new-to-me loveseat on Thursday morning, and it's the perfect size for my living room! It's olive green microfiber with big cushy cushions, and I couldn't be more pleased! I then made a broccoli casserole (Mom's favorite thing I make) and took that and some of my yummy muffins down to Mom and Dad's to share Thanksgiving dinner with them. They don't care for turkey, so Mom had put two Cornish hens in her rotisserie. The house smelled heavenly when I arrived! Even though we'd discussed several times that she shouldn't cook lots of different dishes, the table was full as always. *LOL* And, as always, everything was delicious!
It was a lovely, restful holiday, enjoyed by us all. Yesterday (Friday) morning, they had planned to visit Dad's Aunt Orpha, who turned 101 this week. I asked if I could tag along for the visit, and they came by to pick me up (I live really near Aunt Orph). She had lots of family visiting for the holiday, and it was so nice to spend time with everyone. We left there just past noon and Daddy suggested stopping at Wendy's for lunch. I had a Baja salad, which was really good.
When we got back to my apartment, Mom was looking at a stereo cabinet I had in my living room that I'd planned on giving to her. I had two racks of DVDs and videotapes that I planned to pare down to one rack, then wanted to move it over to the former location of the stereo cabinet. I'd already removed the stereo (an old one, still in working order, but never ever used anymore) to take to Goodwill. Daddy looked at the cabinet and said, "Frances, where are you going to put that?" She confessed that she had no idea; the cabinet was bigger than she remembered.
She asked if I couldn't just keep it and put my DVDs and videotapes into it. At first, I didn't think I wanted to do that. In fact, I actually made a call to a charity to see if they could come pick up the cabinet and take the stereo, too. But there was no answer in the charity's office. So I pondered; maybe if I could get Daddy to make me a couple more shelves for the unit I could make it work. So I spent the rest of the afternoon moving all my DVDs and videotapes into it. It held a lot more than I anticipated, and I was actually able to put ALL of them into the cabinet! It had glass doors, so it actually looks nicer than the open shelves I originally had everything in. I'll have to unload it when Daddy's ready to build the shelves, but that will come after the holidays.
I was pretty tired after getting all that done, and just hit the recliner for a bit. When I caught my second wind, I dragged my Christmas decorations out of the closet and put up my little fiber optic tree. I set a few Christmassy things around on tabletops and decorating chores were finished.
Today I've been a little draggy (after all it's been a pretty busy few days!), so I've not accomplished as much as I should have. I've done a little laundry and still have a little more to do. I think I'll just concentrate on putting away the totes that my Christmas decorations were stored in, maybe put some veggies in the oven to roast, wrap a few gifts, and knit awhile this afternoon.
Gotta love the holidays.....:-) Hope everyone's having a wonderful weekend!
I've really hated my sofa for a long, long time. It was always too big for my small living room, but I'd just never done anything about it. A friend called me to say that she and her husband were replacing a loveseat in their living room. She remembered my moaning about the fact that I should have bought a loveseat instead of a sofa and asked if I'd like to have their loveseat. Hurray!
So, I donated my sofa to a local charity, Haven of Rest, who not only does good work but were very appreciative of my donation and came to pick it up as scheduled on Wednesday morning. I spent the rest of Wednesday chasing a few dust bunnies that had been hiding under the sofa and knitting a bit. I also baked some delicious cinnamon streusel muffins that were almost worth the blister I burned on my finger testing to see if they were done. Yes, I'm that stupid.
My friends delivered my new-to-me loveseat on Thursday morning, and it's the perfect size for my living room! It's olive green microfiber with big cushy cushions, and I couldn't be more pleased! I then made a broccoli casserole (Mom's favorite thing I make) and took that and some of my yummy muffins down to Mom and Dad's to share Thanksgiving dinner with them. They don't care for turkey, so Mom had put two Cornish hens in her rotisserie. The house smelled heavenly when I arrived! Even though we'd discussed several times that she shouldn't cook lots of different dishes, the table was full as always. *LOL* And, as always, everything was delicious!
It was a lovely, restful holiday, enjoyed by us all. Yesterday (Friday) morning, they had planned to visit Dad's Aunt Orpha, who turned 101 this week. I asked if I could tag along for the visit, and they came by to pick me up (I live really near Aunt Orph). She had lots of family visiting for the holiday, and it was so nice to spend time with everyone. We left there just past noon and Daddy suggested stopping at Wendy's for lunch. I had a Baja salad, which was really good.
When we got back to my apartment, Mom was looking at a stereo cabinet I had in my living room that I'd planned on giving to her. I had two racks of DVDs and videotapes that I planned to pare down to one rack, then wanted to move it over to the former location of the stereo cabinet. I'd already removed the stereo (an old one, still in working order, but never ever used anymore) to take to Goodwill. Daddy looked at the cabinet and said, "Frances, where are you going to put that?" She confessed that she had no idea; the cabinet was bigger than she remembered.
She asked if I couldn't just keep it and put my DVDs and videotapes into it. At first, I didn't think I wanted to do that. In fact, I actually made a call to a charity to see if they could come pick up the cabinet and take the stereo, too. But there was no answer in the charity's office. So I pondered; maybe if I could get Daddy to make me a couple more shelves for the unit I could make it work. So I spent the rest of the afternoon moving all my DVDs and videotapes into it. It held a lot more than I anticipated, and I was actually able to put ALL of them into the cabinet! It had glass doors, so it actually looks nicer than the open shelves I originally had everything in. I'll have to unload it when Daddy's ready to build the shelves, but that will come after the holidays.
I was pretty tired after getting all that done, and just hit the recliner for a bit. When I caught my second wind, I dragged my Christmas decorations out of the closet and put up my little fiber optic tree. I set a few Christmassy things around on tabletops and decorating chores were finished.
Today I've been a little draggy (after all it's been a pretty busy few days!), so I've not accomplished as much as I should have. I've done a little laundry and still have a little more to do. I think I'll just concentrate on putting away the totes that my Christmas decorations were stored in, maybe put some veggies in the oven to roast, wrap a few gifts, and knit awhile this afternoon.
Gotta love the holidays.....:-) Hope everyone's having a wonderful weekend!
Friday, November 04, 2011
16,100 Miles
Google Maps says it's 16,100 miles from my house to the home of my Australian daughters (one daughter by birth, a second daughter by a stroke of very good luck). Tonight, that distance seems unspeakably far.
My daughter Kris is in the hospital. She had to have her thyroid removed a couple of days ago, and her hospital stay turned out to be longer than anticipated because of issues with her calcium level. She called me early this morning (Friday evening her time) with the sad news that one of their beloved cats, Winchester, had been killed.
She was devastated. Not only was she not home (where she thought she'd be by that time), but dear little Winchester was gone.
To make matters worse, tomorrow's her birthday. In fact, it's already her birthday in her time zone, and she's still in the hospital. And very upset about losing Winchester. As she put it in a Facebook post, "Worst birthday ever :*(".
Australia never seemed so far away.
My daughter Kris is in the hospital. She had to have her thyroid removed a couple of days ago, and her hospital stay turned out to be longer than anticipated because of issues with her calcium level. She called me early this morning (Friday evening her time) with the sad news that one of their beloved cats, Winchester, had been killed.
She was devastated. Not only was she not home (where she thought she'd be by that time), but dear little Winchester was gone.
To make matters worse, tomorrow's her birthday. In fact, it's already her birthday in her time zone, and she's still in the hospital. And very upset about losing Winchester. As she put it in a Facebook post, "Worst birthday ever :*(".
Australia never seemed so far away.
Monday, October 17, 2011
My Week Off
Well, my week off didn't work out quite like I'd planned. I mentioned in my last post that I was going to visit Mom and Dad on Sunday. I did, and Mom was not feeling well at all, bless her heart. She had some kind of upper respiratory illness going on that eventually turned into bronchitis that required some steroids and antibiotics to get her cleared up. She was feeling so bad that she napped a lot during my visit, but I was just glad to see her get some rest.
On Monday, I went to the park as I'd planned and spent a lovely afternoon looking around in the nature center and walking the lakeside trail. I walked until I needed a little rest, then sat on a bench and knitted while enjoying the fallish temperatures and the beautiful fall colors.
On Tuesday I woke up sick. I'd caught Mom's "bug" and just felt miserable. So, from Monday afternoon until this morning I didn't set foot across my threshold. Never cranked the car. Didn't even venture out onto my deck!
Stupid virus.
The good news is that Mom's much better, and I felt well enough to return to the office today. My brief illness (and I wasn't nearly as sick as poor Mom) gave me the opportunity to pile up in the recliner, sip hot tea, knit, and watch a lot of things I'd accumulated on TiVo.
All in all, not a bad week. :-)
On Monday, I went to the park as I'd planned and spent a lovely afternoon looking around in the nature center and walking the lakeside trail. I walked until I needed a little rest, then sat on a bench and knitted while enjoying the fallish temperatures and the beautiful fall colors.
On Tuesday I woke up sick. I'd caught Mom's "bug" and just felt miserable. So, from Monday afternoon until this morning I didn't set foot across my threshold. Never cranked the car. Didn't even venture out onto my deck!
Stupid virus.
The good news is that Mom's much better, and I felt well enough to return to the office today. My brief illness (and I wasn't nearly as sick as poor Mom) gave me the opportunity to pile up in the recliner, sip hot tea, knit, and watch a lot of things I'd accumulated on TiVo.
All in all, not a bad week. :-)
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Vacation....AT LAST!!
A week.....I have a WHOLE WEEK away from the office!! If it didn't involve breaking a sweat, I'd do a happy dance! Those of you who read this blog on a fairly regular basis know that this has been an unusually difficult year at work for me because of a disasterous computer system conversion. Because of the extreme workload this year, I wasn't able to take any time off until September. During that month I managed to take three days off. That was wonderful, but still not as great as having an entire week that I don't have to worry about the office.
So what am I going to do with this long-awaited week? As little as humanly possible!!
Yesterday I did so little it was nearly (but not quite) embarrassing. I'm not a big breakfast eater, so my breakfast is normally coffee with a breakfast bar or instant oatmeal. But since I'm ON VACATION I treated myself to a cheese omelet. Which upset my stomach, because I'm not used to something that rich in the morning. Dunce. *LOL*
After I'd showered and dressed I settled into my recliner with my trusty netbook on one side of me and my knitting basket on the other side. Armed with my remote control and a TiVo full of stuff I hadn't had time to watch, I kicked back and made myself ridiculously comfortable. My motto for the day was: "The dustbunnies have waiting this long, they can wait awhile longer!"
Because I was still a little unwell at lunch time, I just had a baked sweet potato for lunch. Hot, delicious, filling, soothing. I actually intended to take an afternoon nap after lunch, but was never quite able to fall asleep. All the same, it proved to be a very restful day.....which was much needed and very much appreciated!
Plans for the rest of the week? No real plans. I do want to take my car to be serviced one day, and I want to go visit Aunt Orpha one day (she'll be 101 next month!!). I'm having lunch with Mom and Dad today and hope to go to a nearby park for awhile tomorrow to sit in the sun and knit. (There's a possibility of rain Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so I figured I should try to get to the park before that starts.)
Otherwise, I just want to get some rest and recharge my batteries. I've waited for this time off for a long time, and I'm going to try to enjoy it!
Have a great Sunday, everyone!
So what am I going to do with this long-awaited week? As little as humanly possible!!
Yesterday I did so little it was nearly (but not quite) embarrassing. I'm not a big breakfast eater, so my breakfast is normally coffee with a breakfast bar or instant oatmeal. But since I'm ON VACATION I treated myself to a cheese omelet. Which upset my stomach, because I'm not used to something that rich in the morning. Dunce. *LOL*
After I'd showered and dressed I settled into my recliner with my trusty netbook on one side of me and my knitting basket on the other side. Armed with my remote control and a TiVo full of stuff I hadn't had time to watch, I kicked back and made myself ridiculously comfortable. My motto for the day was: "The dustbunnies have waiting this long, they can wait awhile longer!"
Because I was still a little unwell at lunch time, I just had a baked sweet potato for lunch. Hot, delicious, filling, soothing. I actually intended to take an afternoon nap after lunch, but was never quite able to fall asleep. All the same, it proved to be a very restful day.....which was much needed and very much appreciated!
Plans for the rest of the week? No real plans. I do want to take my car to be serviced one day, and I want to go visit Aunt Orpha one day (she'll be 101 next month!!). I'm having lunch with Mom and Dad today and hope to go to a nearby park for awhile tomorrow to sit in the sun and knit. (There's a possibility of rain Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, so I figured I should try to get to the park before that starts.)
Otherwise, I just want to get some rest and recharge my batteries. I've waited for this time off for a long time, and I'm going to try to enjoy it!
Have a great Sunday, everyone!
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Surviving Race Week
It's race week in Bristol. I'm not a NASCAR fan, so race week is always something to "get through" for me. How does a non-NASCAR fan survive race week?
Then I felt the tremor. If I hadn't been hearing people shouting over the phone about the quake, I'd have thought I was having an attack of vertigo. It was a strange feeling, more of dizziness than a sensation of shaking. Then moments later I felt kind of a deep low shudder. So WEIRD!!
We soon learned that the quake was registered 5.8 on the Richter scale, the largest earthquake ever recorded in central Virginia. Not a big quake by California standards, but it broke a record. Before Tuesday the biggest quake recorded in central Virginia was a 4.8 in 1875!!
I should have known it was going to be an unusual week when it started with a call from my daughter, Kris, early Monday morning. She'd learned that she was going to have to have her thyroid surgically removed and wanted to call to tell me instead of e-mailing me. While I'm sorry that she's going to have to have surgery, I'm glad they're going to do something about her thyroid. They've been trying to control it with medication, but it's been just out of control for some time now. I'll be glad when it's done and over with, and I'm sure she'll be glad when it's over, too!!
Everyone over on the coast watch out for Hurricane Irene.....BE SAFE!! We're not expecting anything here from the storm, but it looks like more than 60,000,000 Americans could be dealing with it. It could be a rough weekend for an awful lot of folks.
A very eventful week so far....and this is only THURSDAY!!
- Get out of town for the week. This is my favorite way to deal with the race crowds, just by leaving and not coming back until they've left. Unfortunately, this isn't often an option. Gotta work for a living, y'know.
- Make sure you have groceries in the house at least a week before the race. You can't believe how crowded the local grocery stores are during race week!
- Plan to eat your meals at home. Restaurants are full of race fans, so eating at home is the only practical choice.
- Stay out of Wal-Mart. I've never understood why people travel to Bristol to see a race and spend so much time at Wal-Mart. There's nothing I need from Wally World that won't wait until the race fans are on their way back home.
- Grin and bear it. Sure, everything's crowded and traffic is worse than usual. But the race will be over Saturday night and by Monday Bristol will be back to normal.
Then I felt the tremor. If I hadn't been hearing people shouting over the phone about the quake, I'd have thought I was having an attack of vertigo. It was a strange feeling, more of dizziness than a sensation of shaking. Then moments later I felt kind of a deep low shudder. So WEIRD!!
We soon learned that the quake was registered 5.8 on the Richter scale, the largest earthquake ever recorded in central Virginia. Not a big quake by California standards, but it broke a record. Before Tuesday the biggest quake recorded in central Virginia was a 4.8 in 1875!!
I should have known it was going to be an unusual week when it started with a call from my daughter, Kris, early Monday morning. She'd learned that she was going to have to have her thyroid surgically removed and wanted to call to tell me instead of e-mailing me. While I'm sorry that she's going to have to have surgery, I'm glad they're going to do something about her thyroid. They've been trying to control it with medication, but it's been just out of control for some time now. I'll be glad when it's done and over with, and I'm sure she'll be glad when it's over, too!!
Everyone over on the coast watch out for Hurricane Irene.....BE SAFE!! We're not expecting anything here from the storm, but it looks like more than 60,000,000 Americans could be dealing with it. It could be a rough weekend for an awful lot of folks.
A very eventful week so far....and this is only THURSDAY!!
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