Birthday

Look who turned 12 this weekend?

God she was a cute puppy. Loved those blue eyes. 

I know as my birthday approaches this may be my last dog. 😪 then I look at her and think well, maybe...

Food

For a woman who eats air and applesauce these days, I sure watch a lot of food shows. I am torturing myself it appears.

I told you I finished watching Giada DeLaurentis and Bobby Flay spend 2 weeks in Italy on Discovery +. Rome for the pasta and Tuscany for the wine. It was a great tour of the cities and the food endemic to their region. Rick and I both are not these 2 chefs biggest fans but enjoyed the hell out of the show. 

But compared to the CNN series with Stanley Tucci it was very vanilla and only showed the good things and not the bad part of town or what to do if you are visiting.

Then Rick saw that Stanly Tucci has a show on CNN. 

The show is called, 'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy.'

We find this show far more enjoyable. We both like Stanley Tucci. 

We were both shocked at his size. He looks far thinner and shorter than we thought.

Once I got over the shock of his size I enjoyed everything he said and did.  

His Italian is pretty darn impressive and his love of food is apparent. 

How does he stay that small and eat all this food?  They had subtitles when he spoke in Italian thank goodness. I only get every few words so I am useless. Now if they were swearing I'd know all the words.🤗

We get some history as well as food on this show. 

We are taken to what was the bad neighborhood off the beaten path and shown how it is becoming gentrified. Most Italians are not happy about this. 

But the food...it always comes back to the food of the region.  

Why this type of food is eaten here - it could be war-driven, or because they are peasants and poor. I found it all interesting.
When the show is over I want to eat something. 

I realize I am torturing myself but I so enjoy the show. 

Stanley wears scarves like only a European can. A big athletic American man would look different than a slight man with a scarf around his neck. 

I made Rick try it and we both had a laugh...not his style. And that is A-ok for me. Stanley can rock the scarf!

Stanley explores the different regions of Italy to show the different foods. 

Like the US, each region has its own food. The food they are known for and the food that is grown there. I found it interesting that Rome is the pasta capital but you won't find a lot of pasta in Tuscany. 

That is okay by me, they have wine.🍷  

But it was interesting to me to find out why Rome is known for pasta. 

Last week they showed a woman making carbonara. 
Oh my God. Just 4 ingredients and it looked so creamy. 

No cream added like they do a lot here in America. 

I had it once in NJ and it was so bad I wanted to go back and slap the chef.

I have not eaten carbonara again. I'll wait until I get to Italy.

 

My birth mom made this and when she died I have never had it again like that.  My stepmom is not a great cook and she wasn't one to cook from scratch either. 

So when my mom died all the good food died with her. 

When I saw this woman making this dish for Stanley just like my mom did, it brought back a flood of memories. The way it was constantly stirred which I was told was key by my mom while I stood on a step stool and watched her move the pan around the stove. 

I can watch this show and gain 5lbs. I'm lucky like that.

If you enjoy Stanely Tucci, food and Italy you'll enjoy this show.

This has nothing to do with Stanley but thought you may enjoy my favorite Prince.

Soap Box Derby

Another story I wrote about 10 years ago since we're on the subject of inappropriate laughter. 

Here is another time we got the giggles and it was a solemn occasion  - 

The time we had to pick out a coffin for his mom.

That was a wild 2 weeks for me. Allow me to set this scene

I lived in Cleveland during this time and was going to visit Rick in Erie PA as well as visit my family for the weekend. I had just been on a week-long business trip in Houston.  My plan was to touch down at the Cleveland airport Friday night, grab my car and drive directly to Rick’s house first for a Friday night cocktail. I was staying at my parents that weekend but I knew once at my family's I didn't get out easily so I wanted to see Rick first or I'd not see him at all.

I had a suitcase of jeans, a sweater and a sweatshirt or some such casual thing to wear home on Sunday. I was wearing a black wool skirt, blouse and cobalt blue blazer with heels because I was coming from work. (hey it was the 80s!)

I got to Rick’s house around 7ish. He opened a bottle of wine and we sat at his table and began to talk about the week and upcoming weekend. I was still in my business clothes when his phone rang. It was the hospital. His mom had gone into the hospital for gall bladder surgery and he had made arrangements to go down there on Sunday for a few days.
She asked him not to come down until she got home. For once he listened to her.
But apparently, she had taken a turn for the worse. (she also had leukemia)
The hospital personnel was telling him to come now.
It was a 4 hr trip from where he lived.

He began to throw things in a suitcase as I helped him pack.
He then asked me if I would please come with him. 

He says it will just be for the weekend.
I said okay. I ran up to my parents and asked my sisters and mom for some clothes.
I only had 1 pair of jeans and a sweater and sweatshirt. I felt I needed something nicer than what I had to wear since I didn't know what I was walking into. 
I got a few sweaters that were at least nicer than a sweatshirt to wear.

Fast forward – his mom passes away. 

We spent 2 days in the hospital with no sleep at all.
When we finally went to his mom’s home we had to find the things necessary for the funeral.
We found a letter that she had written to Rick about what she wanted to wear and all these specific directions. That was so helpful. We were so thankful she was so anal retentive about everything. It truly made our life easy for this next week. We finally got some sleep but only a couple of hours and then had to be up early to meet the funeral director.

This town only has 1,030 people. Everyone seems to know everyone. I found that weird but it was so helpful during this week.

We got to the funeral director's office and he gave us a book to choose a casket from.
We made a choice and we showed this man our choice when he returned.
He said, “Oh I’m sorry I wasn’t clear. Your mom’s directive was to be cremated.”
We both said in unison, “yes we are aware of her wishes.”
He went on, “Then you can only choose from these 2 pages.” 

As he turns the pages to the back of this book the caskets looked just like homemade go-carts from the 60’s.
He left the room just as Rick and I went into mad hysteria.

It looked like this but not blue -

Rick could barely get out that these look like wooden soapbox derby cars he built in the ’60s.
I knew exactly without him saying a word. 

That exact thought went through my head.

We could barely talk. We couldn’t for the life of us understand why she had to have this horrible-looking casket. We had the money for a nice casket.
We were appalled but couldn’t stop laughing long enough to speak.
We were both crying….literally crying from laughing so hard.
The more I tried to stop the more difficult it became.
It seemed like we had been left alone in this room forever when the director finally came back into the room.

I straightened up in my chair and kept my head down.
Rick was still snickering and asked, “Why must we choose one of these?”
The funeral director told us that was because she requested to be cremated.
Apparently, one is cremated in their coffin.
Okay, you could have told us it had to be a pine wood box so we weren’t so shocked.

Rick continued to clear his throat.
I knew he was trying not to laugh so I kept looking at my hands in my lap so I didn’t begin to giggle. Rick asked if they would make it look better because this was pathetic looking.  I turned to look out the window trying very hard not to laugh.

Then the man went on to explain how it is dressed and no one would know the difference etc. (it was amazing how good it looked later)

Someone came into the room at that moment and the funeral director excused himself and left. 

That was all we needed. We laughed our asses off. We couldn’t stop.
Rick was making comments that were so funny yet most would consider offensive, inappropriate but so freakin' funny.
I got up and tried to walk across the room.
Apparently, I thought that would help. It did not!

Rick said, “God I hope they don’t slap wheels on this thing or they’ll think she’s driving straight to heaven or hell.”
That did it, I peed my pants a little.

I know this was all from pure exhaustion and stress.
We had been up for days and I am still wearing the same damn clothes.
Who knows, maybe we are just awful people but this was so funny to us at the time. We kept saying, "who knew they cremated you in the coffin?"

I was in this little town for over a week.
I was glad I wore a black wool skirt that winter day to work because I could wear different tops and be appropriate for the funeral and the events that proceeded. But I needed panties.
Rick said he would take me to the store. It was a General Store. No kidding. A real throwback general store. I felt like I was on Little House on the Prairie. On the right side of the store were guns and ammo and on the left were clothes. All of the panties were big ole cotton granny panties. 

I picked up a pair and that got Rick and I laughing our asses off again. 

They would have been too large for Rick. I found my size and got them.

I really didn’t want to pay money for these but I didn’t want to keep washing my underwear out in the sink either.

So I buy myself some granny panties.
They came in handy - you can wash and wax the car with them.
You know like a mitt.

Does a Bear Bite Your Butt?

Did you all see the story about the woman who used the outhouse and a bear bit her ass?  

I'm sorry I laughed. Because if this had been me I wouldn't be laughing!

This story had Rick and I discussing outhouses.

I have never used one. 

Being the good hillbilly he is, he has. I barely have used port-a-potties only in dire need at a concert or at the Kentucky Derby. But today, I don't think I could do it.

After this story I know I wouldn't want to use one if in the wild. 

I'm safe on the RV right? 😁

I want to laugh.

I miss our laughing.

I miss telling you about my nightly belly laughs that Rick and I have over silly things.  A year of quarantine and craziness all feels draining, doesn't it? Of course the politics too. God if this doesn't make those Texans change their voting strategy nothing will and they will continue this downward spiral.

Just heard that my GI doctor does not take Medicare. 

I called because I know they have my Cigna info and on March 1st I'm to have my colonoscopy and endoscopy. I wanted them to have my new medicare info. I was told he doesn't take medicare. 

So my appointment on March 1st for my colonoscopy and endoscopy is now out the window.  She suggested I use another doctor in the practice who will take medicare. But if I have start all over again why not just get a new doctor that is closer to me so I don't have to drive 1.5 hrs to get to?

Aargh!

Honest to God I can't catch a break. I just feel this past 12 months like I am living under a big black cloud.  I don't want to start all over again with another doctor. Honest to God. I try to see the humor in all things....it is just getting harder and harder.  

I said that to Rick last night about needing to try to find the funny. 

So what does my husband do he reminds me of something we both laughed at that that no one else did.  It's horrible that we laughed but in our defense - oh hell, there is no defense. We just laughed at a poor woman going down a hill in a runaway wheelchair on ice who was flung from her wheelchair when the chair made the corner turn but she didn't. She was fine, sort of....tee hee

That made us laugh so hard we cried. I told him we need to be reminded of that damn story so we can have a giggle. The players involved in this story make this all the funnier but I am not so horrible that I know I shouldn't laugh, but I am horrible enough to laugh. 

Oh, how we got yelled at when we were told about this accident. 

His cousin yelled on the phone, "what is wrong with you two? This isn't funny." 

Rick explained that the way she was telling it, it was funny. 

Oh but she did not see that and after yelling at Rick we could barely contain ourselves. Then it was like being in church and we couldn't laugh so it made it funnier. I left the room. 

When Rick hung up he said, "Weeeeeeeeee" and I lost it!  

You had to be there. But these days I'll take the funny where I can get it. 

Even at poor Aunt Lucy's expense.

My Other Boyfriend and Me.

 

Haven't we all had this experience somewhere as we have aged? I love this guy!

I thought I'd sneak in a quick tale of my health because I know you are all chomping at the bit to hear the news.

As you know I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis.  But after I ate nothing but soft bland food I was still in so much pain. I kept telling them my belly felt distended, bloated, hard, and miserable. The bathroom issues were a big deal. Then the pain that radiated from my lower right side to my back was relentless and some days it was so bad I just couldn't function.  The GI doctor said that isn't diverticulitis on your right side so I am sure once the Diver...settles down you'll feel better.

A week ago on a Friday the 12h of Feb the pain was so bad I had to walk away from everything. I was in such pain. When Rick got home I was off the dog walking clock so I was able to lie in a fetal position and moan. Lucky me.

I took 2 Tylenol and 2 ibuprofen and went to bed. At 1:30AM I had a gush of blood wake me along with pain that would knock your socks off. I immediately went to the bathroom to clean myself up. I then jumped in the shower and just had a good cry. What the hell was this I wondered? Did I do something bad in this life and I'm getting my just desserts? After I showered it was now 2am and I surely did not wish to wake Rick or the dog so I went downstairs. The pain had greatly decreased. I was now spotting and wide awake. 

I sat in Rick's ugly chair in the dark when I realized the pain in my back that I have had for months is now gone. What? In fact, most of my pain was gone. I touched my right side and it was sensitive but not like before. What the heck?

But as I sat there I kept thinking that this could be my ovary. Perhaps with all the other pain, it was just overlooked. I googled ovarian cysts. It laid out the symptoms all of which I had. I wrote to my doctor via the portal at 2am and she immediately wrote back on the following morning at 6am. (Sat) Get to my gyno and she attached a radiology order to get an ultrasound and a Transvaginal ultrasound as well. She called me at a reasonable hour Saturday morning. She said if you can't get an appt for Monday, call me, I'll push for this. Then I want to see you or you get to your gynecologist! This sounds like a cyst burst that was on your ovary. We want to be sure it's gone and we want to be sure what this was and that everything is okay.

Saturday morning I was feeling pretty darn good in comparison to how it's been. By Sunday night I had no more spotting and I was feeling GREAT. Energy levels coming back.   

Monday I had my ultrasounds and Tuesday I saw my gyno. The pain was my ovary. Having diverticulitis at the same time was only confusing them all.  My gyno is so nice and young, but she's funny, and that helps when you are scared to death. This may be too graphic but she did see that my cervix was pink which occurs after your cycle or bleeding of any kind. So everything felt normal, everything looked normal but I did indeed have a cyst burst.

So I now think I'm done with all this medical stuff!. In the past 12 months I've had Shingles, Diverticulitis, and a cyst burst. That is enough for the next few years thank you! 

I've been having fun haven't I? You're all jealous I know. 

This weekend I had energy like before all this. I cleaned. I made the mistake of moving furniture while Rick and the dog were gone on Saturday. Oooh boy did I feel that on Sunday. I hope all this stuff is done with me now. Because I am done with all of this stuff.

My Boyfriend

My Boyfriend is at it again.🥰

https://youtu.be/DV5Ea7jyrnc 

Doctor Money Bags

I'm sure you all have portals that you use for your doctors. 

I can sign in and see my appointments, see my blood upcoming tests that I have to get etc. It also allows me to send an email to my doctor. I always put Non urgent in the subject so she knows she doesn't have to respond in mere minutes and when I was in the midst of some of my health issues I'd put, more urgent or urgent.  

She told me she appreciated that. I love my Dr.

However, I have been dealing with a lot of other doctors this year. 

One was for my mold CIRS.  Remember me telling you he ghosted me? 

Well, the office sent me a blast email telling me that if his patients want to communicate via email then you can pay a SMALL yearly fee of $500 for the service until March 1st then it becomes $650 a year to communicate with your doctor. WTF? I love how the rich doctor tells me for a small fee of $500. 

Yes, during covid we are all dripping with extra cash.

I am glad I got rid of him. He doesn't take insurance of any kind and now this. 

The letter/email stated that the 2 drs get thousands of emails and it is a full-time job responding to them. Since he never responded to mine ever - I guess he wasn't working that hard on the topic of his emails.

If you do not choose this option to email them you will be asked to schedule a formal consult as needed for ongoing care issues and I am certain that will cost an arm and maybe a leg or two. 

They also wanted to remind me that this is not a substitute for office visits. 
They finished by telling me if I call for refill requests they won't charge me. 

Gee how thoughtful, kind, and caring of them.
Have you ever heard of anything so ridiculous? 

Look, I get that this is added to their work time. Could be why most don't do it. 

I know my doctor does it and I also know an office visit went from $250 to $350 probably for this very reason. Her nurses monitor her mailbox and assist her in issues that are not serious. I get the need for their time and it is money, however, I just feel this isn't a doctor who cares, this is an asshole finding more ways to make money hand over foot at the expense of sick people.  I am thrilled I left him!! 

This really fired me up!

Ever hear of such a thing?

TV Talk

Due to covid, there isn't much tv that is new. Even Netflix and the like. 

Last Saturday night we found a new Tom Papa stand-up on Netflix so we watched and laughed. We enjoyed it. 

Normally we don't enjoy watching movies we've seen over again. 

It has to be from years ago for us to watch it again. Some time has had to pass for us to watch even the silly things we like a 2nd time (wedding crashers)  But since pickins are slim and we can't go anywhere we wondered about old shows we loved.

One of those old shows we loved was called Men of a Certain Age.  

This show was even awarded the Peabody award for television excellance. 

No one we knew watched it. And yet we LOVED it. It was not a comedy. 

But it had funny moments. Dramedy I believe it is called.

This is what the internet says about the show.

Joe, Terry and Owen's college days together seem a long time ago, even though the succeeding years have passed quickly. Still best friends, they have formed a different bond, with all the changes and challenges of midlife, as they lean on one another through the second act. Slightly neurotic and a recently separated father of two, Joe once harbored dreams of pro golf stardom but now owns and runs a party store; perpetual bachelor Terry, laid-back and handsome, has breezed through life (and ladies) as an actor, an office temp, and a yoga instructor; and Owen is a stressed-out husband and father who works as a car salesman for his overbearing father.

This was on for 3 seasons and we just loved it. 

Rick would laugh out loud at the men's issues because he could relate. 

I love Ray Romano, Scott Bakula, and who doesn't love Andre Brauer.  

Someone just told me it is now streaming on HBO MAX so Rick said, hey maybe we should try watching that again. So we may just do that. Every time there is something that both Rick and I love, not just like, it is canceled. It's not dumb enough like big bang theory and it's not trashy enough with scantily clad young and old women that call themselves housewives who have never lifted a toilet bowl cleaner in their lives.

I think it's on Prime but not free, something like $1.99 someone told me. I don't know for a fact. But I am starving for some entertainment. 

No movies, no going out and no concerts/music. So why not try to watch something I know I loved? Besides my memory is shit these days so I think I may be able to enjoy this a 2nd time.   

Here is a snippet of Men of A Certain Age.

Ice

Izzy and I went for a 5:50am walk. 
No, more like a quick fall. Yikes. I went down quickly and Izzy saw me and came back for me. Getting up was funny. The more I tried the more my hands and feet kept slipping. I was actually outside on my sidewalk with my ass in the air slipping and sliding and laughing all at the same time. Thank God Rick didn't see me or you'd all have video. I am just glad I did not get hurt.

Once I got up I went back inside and put my trackers on my shoes so I was able to walk. It just looked snowy out so I had no idea of what it was really like. It looks like snow but it is all sleet and ice. Our driveway looks like a skating rink. A perfectly iced-over driveway for a skating party.  (too bad I never have ice skated)

Rick took a tumble a few days ago taking Izzy to another pond/park area and it has a small slope. No snow, no ice. Just a muddy mucky mess.

I go down when it's wet sideways. For some reason, I feel like I get better traction that way. Rick laughs at me. BUT I don't fall. Laugh away funny boy. 

He went down and as he slides in the mud and muck the rubber part of his shoe/boot stopped him and he went down and his ankle was twisted. The stubborn man went to work hobbling. His ankle is purple-black yellow and blue. It's a good old-fashioned sprain. 

Because today is a sheet of ice, he had me rescheduled this big job until Saturday. The job is a full day and right now we are not going anywhere. 

I called the customer at 7:30 which is a God awful time to call someone but normally that would be the time he'd have to leave for a 9am job start time. 

I was certain if she has the local news on she knows how bad it is.  

I am not certain about everywhere around the DMV but in Virginia, in the western suburbs, it is nothing but ice. 

I saw Marylands weather and it's as bad as ours. 

The only good about this is that my old fart can keep his ankle wrapped and keep it elevated for a day. He does not need to be sliding around outside and going up and down steps so this ice in a way is a blessing for him.  Otherwise, he'd still go to work.

Poor Izzy trying to walk this morning. She kept going to the tree lawn but it was icy too. We tried these little tackers on her paws but she won't walk when they are on her. It's funny when that is the whole purpose of them. She freezes like she is a statue. No matter how much we worked with her wouldn't have any of it. She'd walk a step and then just lay down. 

So this morning's walk was a bit treacherous for us both.

She did her business and couldn't get home soon enough. 

I kept making her slow down because I couldn't walk that fast even with trackers on. She loves the cold. Ice is not her friend. 

Then there are those in Texas who have it so far worse than me right now.  I keep thinking of Barb in Houston who some of you read along with me. 

I hope she is doing fine.

I don't know if her part of Texas is any better than what we are seeing on TV. But no power, no heat, and she lives alone with a bit of an illness. 

I just hope she is okay and is feeling well and keeping warm. Crazy how ya'll become my imaginary friends and I worry about you. Well, not exactly imaginary, you all exist. But you know what I mean. 

How are these poor people in Texas doing this? No power for days, no heat, they don't even have winter clothes. No power no cell phone for emergencies. It's all so scary. 

If you have a landline doesn't it go down too in a power outage too? 

So no phones, no heat, and no clothes for this type of weather is a damn nasty situation to be in!

Damn, 2021 is just taking 2020 along with it it seems. 

I was so hoping it'd be a better year for everyone. 

Hot chocolate with some peppermint schnapps is a great way to relax. 

It's a warm peppermint pattie, which just so happens to be my favorite candy bar. Sadly I still must work so no drinking for me.

But I don't think it will be a busy day so maybe after me salting everything and dealing with the dog I can have one at the end of my day. 

It will be something to look forward to.

I hope wherever you live you are warm with power and cozy. 

Be safe out there!  

Random tidbits about Women

I received a Christmas card on Monday.  I emailed my cousin who sent this and asked if she sent it late. You see she is someone who would mail you a Xmas card in July because she, and she alone, thinks that is funny. So I wondered if it was the mail or she was messing around.

No, on Dec 10th she mailed all her cards. I hope Biden fixes the hot mess that trumpty dumpty screwed up with our postal service. Honestly, that is crazy.

A shout out to Mike here on the blog because he sends me funny memes about short gals. Gee, I don't know why. 

But the last one he wanted me to see I got from 2 other people on the same day. I was hearing Randy Newman in my head singing, "Short people got no reason to live" 

The meme made my husband laugh out loud. 

So apparently all you regular height people think me dragging my chair or in my case, my small ladder in the kitchen is funny. Yeah, but wait until I get those guns, we'll see who's laughing then.

Let's talk some kick-ass women, shall we?

Have you heard about the 90 yr old who walked to get her vaccine on her scheduled appointment time? Seattle got a foot of snow. And like Texas, they can't handle this. They don't have plows and yikes, the hills. So this woman who could not drive in this stuff walked 3 miles each way. She made it but she was 5 minutes late for her appointment. Thankfully when she told them she walked 3 miles they told her to relax and they did not turn her away. And God love this woman she walked home, uphill. She used walking sticks for her balance. 

She said she got a new hip last year and she didn't think she could have done it without her new hip. How damn cool is this broad? And yes, she is a broad. A tough ole broad if you ask me. I hope I am that physically active at her age. But my question would have been, anybody want to drive me home?

Then the 93 year old woman who waged a war on her grandsons and JP Morgan. She found they were stealing from her along with a few other things. Everyone told her to let it go, it was family. Oh no, she wasn't letting this go. She felt it was a form of abuse from the grandkids and JP Morgan and the banks were making hand over fistfuls of money at her expense.

She won in court. I love this feisty bird! 

A feisty old bird who needs to walk away from the makeup counter. 

Simone Biles. The more I see her the more I love her. That's it. 

I just think she is not only the greatest gymnast of all time but a great advocator of women. She is loud and not taking any gruff about the abuse these women have had to endure that still has not been cleaned up.

She is fighting for us all.

My new gyno doctor yesterday. Boy, she made me laugh. That is not an easy feat when your feet are in stirrups. But she made me laugh and I said a few things back and she laughed and said, "Can you come back next week?"  No thanks!  Glad to make her laugh but not coming back!

But I learned at the ripe old age of 64 that your ovaries shrink. 

Apparently, it's like California Raisins. If only they'd sing. 

I am embarrassed to say I was not aware of this. I called my mom last night and said, "File this under things your mom should have told you."

I explained and my stepmom says, "Well damn, I didn't know that either"

I keep telling you women there is not any info about our bodies after having a baby. The books stop at childbirth. Maybe they want all this shit to be a surprise. Or perhaps it is only me and the 4 women I mentioned this to that are that clueless.

I actually had an ultrasound and a vaginal ultrasound. I'll share why on another post. They couldn't find my ovaries. How weird is that? Apparently not at all. As the doctor and tech were doing this ultrasound I heard him say I can't find the ovaries, neither can I the tech says. I asked if it is because I am chubby. No they laugh it's because of your age and the fact that you don't have a uterus. HUH? The dr went on to tell me that when you have a uterus, the ovaries are hanging around it. Once that is gone it's like they can move around and hide. And the fact that at your age they shrink.

I said, "Shrink as in male shrinkage, it's cold?"  Nope, just shrinking as you age? Like grapes to raisins. She laughed and said, "yes but they stop at a certain point, they don't become raisins." I said I assume this is because they are virtually useless once in menopause. She nodded. 

Now I feel so stupid. I have now googled this on several sights and honestly not much mention of this. A lot of shrinking your ovarian cysts but I wanted more data on the actual shrinkage. So I will be googling today because now I wish to know all of this horrific crap.

I came home and told Rick this. He laughed. 

I said, "You laugh but if you just randomly found out your nuts were going to be like raisins wouldn't that bother you or at the very least wonder why you didn't know this?"  Yes and no he says, no because it'd be better than them falling and sitting on 'em"  

Oh my God, you are crazy Richard!

I called my women friends and we commiserated together. None knew this.

How can that be?

So there ya have it. If you knew this, stop laughing at me.

Those that may not have known, you're welcome.

Peanut Butter Melt-a-ways.

It was a cold weekend. I am thankful we got our furnace fixed!  Brrr....

VD was as exciting as my meme yesterday.  

The day I wrote that blog post about us not doing VD, Rick came home with 3 bunches of tulips because he knows I LOVE tulips. 

So see, we don't need no stinking hallmark holiday to get flowers.

I received an email from his favorite candy company just outside of Altoona PA. Gardners Chocolates. 

They have these peanut butter melt aways that he just loves.

The email from them was about VD and Easter. I thought I'd buy him a box of pb meltaways to say thanks and how much all his rubbing of my back, picking up the slack, etc has been so appreciated.  

The day they arrived he was here. Figures. He was about to leave to take Izzy to the pond when he opened the door and threw in a package and yelled, you have a delivery. Thankfully he pays no attention to the info on the package. This is when his being clueless works for him and me both.😊

I ran to get the package and saw what it was. 

I opened the box and inside wrapped in red heart paper was this big box of his melt aways. I ran this box up to the 3rd floor which is only where I go and hid them in the fridge. I actually put it in the freezer but when I went up there the 2nd day the paper was getting funky so I put them back in the fridge. The college size fridge has a freezer that this box just fit into. 

Rick loves these little babies frozen but I figured cold will do and he can unwrap and put them in the freezer himself.

Come Sunday morning I totally forget it's VD. We were having coffee and I was slowly waking up and as is the case while Rick is chatty Cathy in the morning.  I don't know how this man wakes up like this. He whistles, he sings, he is happy.  I'm sorry that is all kinds of wrong.  I prefer quiet and just nodding in the morning. Allow me to have my coffee and slowly wake up.  

Did I ever tell you how when I first slept with him I kept thinking, I don't know if I can handle this much friggin' happiness this early in the morning? 

I wake up grumpy but happy all day. Rick wakes up happy and it's all downhill. (I can hear him yelling, "Hey!" and he's not even here!)"

About an hour after I awake I hear something on TV about Valentine's Day. Oh yeah. I went up to the 3rd floor. I grabbed his treats and went back to the 1st floor. He was in his ugly chair and I kissed him again and said Happy VD as I handed this box to him. He said, "We don't do Valentine's, Day Margaret. Oh now I feel bad" 

I told him this is not for VD, but a thank you if you'd read the card. Then when he saw what it was, he immediately said, "I take it back, I want these, God knows I need these (as he pats his belly) and you can't take this back as he held the box to his chest.  

That evening he would go to the freezer and grab one. One is the size of an M& M peanut. You can't eat just one. He always goes back. Why not just take 2? He kept asking, would you like one? Nope, they are yours. 

When I receive a box of chocolate I hate sharing so these are all yours. 

Not a big deal since Peanut butter is not something I really love.  

Now a box of chocolates wouldn't last long for me sadly. 

Rick's will last him all week and possibly more and they are tiny. 

We are so different no matter what everyone tells us. (Rick has a friend who says I am the female version of Rick and vice versa)  Not true. 

I can't even tell you how many years it took for me to get so used to his early morning chatter, or have I ever gotten used to it? 

Before a dog I needed an alarm clock. Now I have a furry one. 

But in the days of my career, I needed that alarm. I would hit the snooze several times. That drove Rick crazy. Just get up he'd tell me. 

Rick's alarm would go off and he would just get up. What the hell, that is why there is a snooze button buddy. Nope, he got up and would say, "Good morning." All happy and with a song in his voice. I wanted to hurt him!

Then he would go into the bathroom whistling or worse, humming and or singing. For God's sake singing in the morning. Who's he think he is Pavarotti? I'd hit my snooze again. When I do get up, I prefer to not chat. 

He is all about talking in the morning. How'd you sleep? Got a big day ahead? Will you be going back to the city this week or only working from home? and on and on. 

I would pray, Dear God, make this man mute in the morning! 

Here is a throw back to another morning with Chatty Cathy 

Happy Valentines Day.

 Yep that is about right! 😊

Finally Friday

Remember that come to Jesus Meeting I had to have with Rick a while back?

Wow, it worked. He has been hanging up his coat, picking up after himself just like a good roommate. Instead of leaving the TP roll next to the garbage can he now puts it in the garbage can. Remember this one? 

He didn't even have to bend over, his foot opens it, he could have dropped it but, why not leave it on the tub deck...close but not quite there. My wife will pick it up eventually. Aargh!

Last night he went to grab his coat FROM THE CLOSET to take Izzy out for an evening walk. I told him I've noticed it's not thrown on the dining room chairs and it's really appreciated. 

He said you haven't said anything about what I've been doing around here I didn't think you noticed. 

Why do we have to applaud them for doing what they should just do?

It reminded me of this clip of Mad About You

  - 

Why do we have to have a parade because Rick put his dirty dishes in the sink or dishwasher? 

So I asked him, why do you think you need to be stroked for doing the right thing? You are not 5 yrs old. 

He stopped and thought about it and laughing he said, "Hmm....I just think it'd be nice"

I said, okay then I want it too.  

You can throw rose petals at me because your laundry is magically done for you and put away. Picked up off the floor just mere feet from the laundry room and then clean, folded and sometimes pressed.

I would like diamonds because your meals are shopped for and cooked and cleaned up by me. 

I want a big loud parade because I did everything for your medicare, your insurances, and all your appointments for the last 30 years. 

I want a big beautiful billboard about my greatness because I do everything to keep your life moving. You just show up where needed in all aspects of your life.

Now he is just standing and laughing at the front door. 

"Damn you! Never mind!" he says, as he laughs himself out the front door. 

As he left I just shook my head. The damn fool.  Does he really think he can beat me at this game?

Thursday

Another inventive title to today's post.

To address 2 of the questions that were asked in the comments. 

Hopefully, this will answer.

No, we don't have many nonpayments yearly. How lucky are we?

Since we started we've had 3 in 15 yrs. 2 were bounced checks 1 in our 2nd year and 1 just the other day.   Not bad huh? 

We have had credit cards declined but they have always given us another. 

When Rick or when we had employees they all charged the card on their phones and if it was declined we were still in their home. They always came up with the money. It's more difficult when I am given the card because they won't be there and I get a decline I have to chase them down and I don't like that but it is what it is. I eventually get paid.

In our first year, we did a job for a Courtyard. We were so new, so green.  This courtyard was a franchise. Meaning Marriott did not own them and they wouldn't pay their bills. When we called this Courtyard the woman in a snarky tone said, "oh you excepted to be paid huh?"  And hung up on me. 

This became a huge deal for us. We were just starting out. We were also new to all this so we made some big mistakes and this was one of them.

They have never paid us. We looked into our legal rights and the costs to us were more than they owed. We still had to pay for some legal guidance. 

After months of this, we decided to learn our lesson and eat this. Painful.

But why should we pay more money to get paid less than what we are paying?

I know the principal but at this stage of our new business, we just couldn't do it.

It truly made no sense. I remember this so well. Our lives were falling apart around us and I had a good cry and then moved on. 

Now there is money in threes for corp jobs or larger jobs. You pay a percentage as a deposit to get started, then when we are 1/3 done another payment, and then final payment when completed.

So to this question, we have only had 1 non-payment and it was Courtyard. 

We only had 2 bounced checks in 15 years and I find that pretty nice actually.

_________

As for what Rick watches on his Wood Porn. 

His favorite is this man in Canada, Kent. The first link.  

The 2nd link is another man from Canada.

I guess this is big with our neighbors to the North.  He watches several but these two guys are his favorite for whatever reason. He is really into bowls now.  

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDwV2Djnj756vpxL51zd4Uw/featured

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC79W2RIyI-DtPQ6bxBHrpbw/videos

He's made a few bowls but they aren't as good as he wants them to be. 

So he watches this guy a great deal.  I know Rick, he thinks everything must be perfect. He will be great with bowls just as he has gotten with other things he never made before and now sells. 

His first table was a replica of one sold at Pottery Barn. 

I have shared it here. The only difference from Pottery Barn is he used wormy Chestnut and Pottery Barn used Pine. (cheaper and softer) 

Oh, and the price was $600+ less for Rick's.

Pottery Barn's is in this link for the photo below. $899 PB price.

I came home and told him I found a sofa table and a coffee table I really liked but it was so expensive. I had a Pottery Barn catalog and showed him the photos. He said, Oh hell I can make those. 

Really?

Yep, But I won't use pine. Too soft. I'd like a better grade of wood. 

I asked, Walnut? Chestnut? Maple? Prefer the 1st two. He was having a difficult time getting walnut so he went with the Chestnut. 

For his first table, he did very well to me. 

The legs aren't perfect but again, his first. It's mine and I don't mind one bit.

Here below is Rick's first attempt in my home - just under $200. 

He made a sofa table to match.

Yes, that is the dog napping. Do you think it looks a lot different from PB? The dimensions were one board more on the pottery barn, but that was too big for our space. But even 1 board more does not make up the price difference to me. tt's reclaimed wood, c'mon.

Youtube is a channel on Dish. Channel 371 to be exact. So it's easy for Rick to sit in his big ugly chair and just turn that channel on and see the wood transform on a big screen TV vs his phone. 

Right now Rick can't make any more things. He must clear out the garage. That is a several month job. He has to focus on moving and downsizing so he has put making things on hold. I think it kills him but he knows he has to do it for now. So watching in the evening is how he gets his fix I think.

_______________

We were to have an awful snowstorm beginning yesterday into late today. They were telling us 5-12 inches. It's a big bust for us. North of us got it but we western burbs did not. We have so far no snow. No rain. No anything. It's gray and looks like rain so who knows. Schools closed as well as dr offices etc.  A woman called yesterday and said she would like to move to next week or the week after because of the snow coming. I told her we'd be there but she said, no sense in booking and then having to cancel. Okay. Rick also got lucky with a contractor who called us late yesterday and said he wasn't finished and ready for Rick to come on Thursday. Two jobs were off the schedule for today. So Rick is home again. February sucks for us every year. I'm thankful he's home though. It helps me immensely with walking a dog when I feel like crap. 

Crap is the professional/medical term you know. 

During my pain nights, I can not sleep. I began to watch a show on Netflix. It looks like all the things on Hallmark that make me a bit nauseous. 

I know ya'll love Hallmark movies and Hallmark Christmas movies so I apologize. It's just me.

I just can't watch that channel. I never watch Hallmark or Lifetime. 

To me, it is so corny and stereotyped. It's Cinderella having to be saved, the weak young woman. It just bugs the hell out of me. Lifetime movies make every woman a victim it is so old.  I realize it's only me who thinks this way because there are zillions of women who watch these channels.

So there I was looking for something light and of interest to me and I saw nothing I was in the mood for. So I chose this and thought maybe it will lull me to sleep.

I just took a Tylenol with an Advil so I was hoping to maybe fall back asleep even if it meant on the sofa.

Well, damn if I didn't get into this show and binged it. I know. I know. 

At 6a when Rick and Izzy came downstairs I was just finishing it. 

The series was Firefly Lane. Would this be considered Chick Flick?

No one was a victim and no one whined about being single so already it wouldn't make a hallmark movie where their hands touch on a Xmas tree and instantly fall in love in a ridiculous unreal way that makes women think it's real love only if it happens like that.

Did anyone here read the book, Firefly Lane? I never did. 

They said it was pretty close to the book. Katherine Heigl was so good in this role but I personally felt Sarah Chalke was excellent. 

It was still a bit predictable but not as vomit-inducing as a hallmark movie.(for me) Maybe to a lot of others. 

More along the lines of This is Us without all the crying.

But the way it ended there better be a season 2 or I will be so angry I invested in this. I may have to get the book to see how this ends. 

Or if you've read the book can you tell me why Kate is so angry at Tully at her father's funeral? I'm dying to know!

Wednesday

Well, it was time I suppose. Can't feel better forever.

I wasn't feeling great on Sunday/Monday and Tuesday night was a killer.

I awoke at 4am to a lot of bleeding...again. So sick of this. I see the doctor on the 16th. In the meantime, I am taking a sick day. I am nauseous, feeling weak even after that awful tasting Pedialyte. Just not up for anything sadly.  

I am doing the bare minimum that I must do.

I have a lot of questions to answer I see in the comments. 

I promise I will get to them just not today. 

Happy Hump Day!

_________

Oh, but in fun news....

I spent just over 50 minutes frantically searching for my cell phone yesterday.

I even retraced my steps on Izzy and my walk. I didn't even think I took my phone with me, I rarely do. But I couldn't find it. I looked on 3 floors of our home. I went to areas I never went to like the garage. I was frantic.

Finally, Rick texts me. My right boob vibrated. 

Viola, it was in my bra. I forgot I did that. ....tee hee

I found it!  oh is this senility?

Tuesday

Hi blogger friends.

Boy today is a far better day physically for me. It's been a tough few days of being on the verge of driving off a cliff. I also went to bed at 8:30 like a good toddler so that helps too. 

I told Rick that since I was up at 1am being ill I was really tired. He tried to tell me to go to bed but I kept thinking, it's only 7pm. I fell asleep on the sofa sitting upright I might add. I awoke to Rick watching the youtube channel on TV and he was watching woodturning. 

You see Rick makes bowls and tables and the like. 

He is forever making things. Now he watches others making things. 
I awoke to the sound of the lathe and I said, "wood porn again?"  

Yep, does it bother you? 

Nope.  

Better than the other porn on a loop like you do I guess. 

I kissed him and went to bed. But this morning he had to show me how this man turned this bowl and in a crack he put epoxy. Rick asks, "do you think this looks good Margaret?"

 
Oh my goodness I love that he has a hobby but I don't get quite as excited as he does. I did think he was right and it did look good. I am more of the person who tells him to make this, leave off that edge there but do it on the other side. I give my aesthetic comments since that is all I can offer. 

He was struggling with legs to a table and I asked if I could see what he was doing. I said, 'Yes, you can't use those legs, they do not match the top" I drew what I felt would look far better. So he made the change got $500 more for the table than he asked once he changed the legs. So now he asks me all the time.  I help with ideas and the aesthetics and color if using something with color. I find it funny how I always get sucked into his work.

He made a butcher block cutting board for someone and had some of the walnut wood leftover. I suggested he add something like a small charcuterie board with a handle, like this one below from the web.

I suggest he could tell the person who ordered the board that you had some extra walnut wood and you made this, would they like this as a set for the price of xyz?  Or just sell it as a separate thing to someone else. 

Rick did just that, he first asked her about it as a set, and they wanted it so he sold them 2 things. That will be our retirement extra money or the way things are going, our much-needed money to live.

See why I long for a talent? Everyone around me has a talent.

My talent is remembering anything at all these days. 

I have a cousin with who I am very close. Hell, I'm close with all my first cousins, they are like my siblings. Anyhoo Steve turned 70 on the 7th. 

I called him on Sunday because I didn't want to text him as my husband kept saying to do. How impersonal to me. Fine for a friend, acquaintance but not a sibling type figure to me.

I called him and he answered and made some noise and I heard him say, Peg hold on I'm brushing my teeth.  I laughed. 

When he got on the phone I asked if those teeth were in a jar or still in his mouth. HA HA he says, "a birthday joke"

So we teased one another because he's now considered a very old fart. 

In all honesty, this man looks like he may be 55 at best. I hope he gets that from his mom's side because then maybe I'll get some of that. 

He was going to brunch at a restaurant with a niece and with his sister. Both of his children live out of state. 

He mentioned to me, "hey you'll be 65 soon and you'll get on medicare. You'll love it, after all those years of taxes now I am reaping the reward"  
Knowing he is a card-carrying GOP fella I said, "WAIT. you are taking socialized medicine? Why ever would you want to do that? Socialism Steve!"  

He said, "even on my birthday you have to bust my balls don't you?"
Yes Steve, when you say foolish old man shit I have to call out your shit.
He laughed and said, "God I miss you when you coming home?"
I am home Steve, you mean when will I come to my hometown? 

Well, when you nuts jobs up there begin to wear masks and stop going to bars and brunch at restaurants etc. Then I'll come home. (crickets)

We went back to how he could possibly be 70. We had a few laughs about his brother and sister and then I wished him a wonderful day! 
I will never understand how people think taking medicare is fine but any other type of socialized medicine is wrong.  That's just plain goofy to me.

______

p.s. Rick got paid yesterday. It took 3 credit cards before one was not declined. Rick said he felt terrible, but only for a minute. 

He told me that the BMW and brand new Lexus in the driveway they could downsize to a cheaper car and pay him. Ooh that was mean I told him. He shrugged his shoulders. If we can't pay for things, we don't get them. Others should try that. Oh, he was not being kind but I understood him...to a point.