Painting and MRIs

Well Jean's comment to me yesterday was spot on! 

I began my day with such hope. I was not severely ill Sunday night or this morning, it was glorious. I had a lovely morning on the patio with Rick and enjoyed a cup of coffee. Coffee and all food still taste weird to me because I still have metal mouth. In high school, metal mouth was a kid with braces. Now it's an old lady who feels like she's sucking on nickels. 

But metal mouth be damned it was just nice to be awake on Monday and not feeling like death. It was nice to sit with Rick again on the porch in the morning. It's been 6 months of him sitting out there alone with his coffee. 

He looked at me and said, "welcome back".  It was nice.

I then unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up the kitchen because the night before I left the mess right where it was. Best part of retirement if you ask me. Rick headed to his "office" of wood.

I then began to gather all I needed to paint the hall bathroom. 

I had already done the top 1/2 in white but the bottom half was going to be painted a color other than white and it had wainscotting/bead board on the bottom half.  On Sunday I had painted the top chair rail in the garage since it was up against white it was easier that way than to cut in and not get blue on the white. Make sense? The rest of the bead board I thought I'd paint once Rick got it on the wall. It all worked like a charm.

I put on my painting clothes and went to town. 2 coats. 

While one coat dried I did some laundry before starting the 2nd coat.

I went into the living room, sat in Rick's ugly chair, and thought, boy, I could take a nap. Rick walked into the house at that time and said, "hey don't you have an MRI for your ankle today at 2:30?"  Shit!

I hurried and cleaned myself up and headed to the radiology center.

As I walked in I notice how full the waiting room was. I was hoping that didn't mean a long wait. After checking in I sat at the chair right in front of the door because that was all that was left.

I noticed everyone's head was down looking at their phones. 

I had mine but was determined not to sit on my phone so I kept mine in my purse. But boy I wish I had it in my hand when all this unfolded so I could have made a video of this crazy lady and posted it here. 

A woman in her late 60s or early 70s walks in. 

She is wearing a pair of clam diggers and a filthy shirt. 

Her hair is matted and when she turned around I could see large bald spots. I thought oh my this poor woman must be very ill. 

Ah, but she was fiesty.

The young woman behind the desk asked her if she had her mask with her, if not, they had a stack of them and pointed to them and told her she could put one of those on. 

She said loudly for everyone to hear, "why would I wear one I didn't have to wear one on the plane.No one wears them anymore"  

The nice young woman behind the plexiglass said that she understood but in a medical bldg this must be worn while she is here. She went on to say, you should have gotten a text and/or email telling you this had to be worn did you not? You just opened a door that told you it must be worn so this should not be a surprise. 

She is also pointing to the sign on the plexiglass in front of said crazy woman. 

Well, that did it - now crazy lady was off and running. 

She was so loud, and so rude it made everyone in the room put down their phone to watch the show. 

This woman was fighting mad and yelling about masks. She was loud, vulgar, and mean. If she was ill boy she had a lot of energy. 

Then 2 men in scrubs from the back came up front.

They just stood there by the side of the front desk and said nothing for a bit while the nice woman who works there explained that if she didn't wear the mask they would ask have to ask her to leave and she'd had to reschedule.

Well, that didn't make the crazy lady happy.

She shouted, "You can't make me leave if my doctor wants this to be done. I have an appointment!"  

The nice young woman with the patience of a saint told her that they would be happy to call her doctor to explain why this can't be done today. 

The crazy woman shouted at her, "go ahead you do that because he will be so mad." (I'm thinking, yeah at you!)

"Of course, if you'd like to put this mask on we can have it done today." 

Then the real vulgarity started so the 2 men who had come out front then escorted her to the door and made sure she left. All the while she was bitching and complaining and we could hear her in the hall. 

I thought how smart of the woman behind the desk to offer to call her doctor. Then the doctor would know for certain that his crazy patient is the issue and not Wake Radiology.

Who needed a phone to be entertained when I had this show?

The guy next to me leaned over and said, "geez just wear the damn thing for an hour and then take it off when you leave, what the hell is the big deal?"  I shrugged. Didn't want to get into that conversation!

I am claustrophobic so normally I have to be sedated for an MRI but because my head wasn't in the tube I was fine. They slapped on some headphones and asked what kind of music I liked. 

The technician said, "it's Sirius so if you know the channel just tell me"  

I thought the blankets were a bit much when I saw her grab them but once we walked into the room with the MRI machine it felt like a meat locker. Damn it was really cold. Now I like it cold but this was very cold!

They put my foot in a brace to keep it from moving and wrapped me up like a mummy. I promptly fell asleep. 35 minutes later I was done and sent home.

As they were taking me out of the tube the woman who was doing all this asked if I was upfront when all the commotion was going down. 

I said I was. 

"Was it really because of a mask, I miss out on everything back here?"

I told her it was indeed about wearing a mask. I told her to be thankful you're back here. She laughed and said most days I would agree with that.

I stopped at Jersey Mikes, it was right on the way home. 

I pulled in last minute as I saw the sign and thought I will bring home dinner for Rick so I don't have to go home now and cook and neither does Rick.

I picked up Rick's favorite sandwich from there. I was winding down big time and I felt it. I knew he didn't want to cook either. I pulled into the garage and told Rick I brought home dinner. Yipee.  He loves a Jersey Mike's Big Kahuna.  I knew he'd be excited.  Rick is easy. 

I came inside, changed my clothes and sat on the sofa. I fell asleep sitting up.  Yep, I think I did a bit too much for my first day. In fact last night I was a bit sore. I wondered why and Rick reminded me that bending over and all the stretching, everything I was doing regarding the painting is more than my body has done for a while. Now, how sad is that? 

Painting and bending made me sore. God, I have a lot of work to do on myself.

I think Tuesday will be a bit slower and lazier for me. As Jean said, I need to pace myself. She was right!   But boy it felt good to be tired because I was doing things instead of being ill. 

Gone Painting

It's a Monday and look at me, I'm vertical.😁

I've not had one of these since March. So, I'm getting busy.  I have a lot of catching up to do but after 6 months of being a load it feels good to move, even in a damn boot.

What I saw while at the hospital.

Fun things we saw while at Duke Eye Center on Wednesday.

There were two different women in front of me in the registration line. 
Both wore smart outfits and their face masks matched exactly to what they were wearing. The first woman was in a deep royal blue. Her mask matched so well it was amazing. Then the woman behind her wore a pair of dark salmon shorts with a white blouse, dark salmon shoes, and a dark salmon mask. They were spot-on colors with no variation either.

This orangey/salmon color was so beautiful with her skin tone. 

We were in line for a long time. I am one of those who will talk to you so of course, I say, "Ladies how did you get such perfect matches of your mask to your beautiful clothing?"  They laughed. But they each did indeed do this on purpose.  I had so many questions but this was not the place or time. But inquiring minds sure wish to know if they have thousands or only wear the same thing over and over again.  They were funny women, sharing how they got these matching masks, some homemade, some purchased, etc.

We were in line for so long that we chatted a bit. 

The woman in the salmon said she drove up from South Carolina because this was the closest place to her with this type of medical excellence. 

She asked if I was from around here. 

I told her I was. She said, "really?"  She said it like she thought I was lying.

That obvious? I laughed and said, "well I've only lived here for almost 10 months doesn't that count?"  

She told me that indeed did not count and she laughed a big hearty laugh. She could take teasing and dish it out, I liked her. 

She then said, "Say a food that will tell me where you are from"  
Well, the first thing that goes through my head is pepperoni balls but she'd never guess that. 

So instead I said, "Well, I don't like biscuits"  

She smiled at me so big and said, "Damn girl, you're a Yankee,"  

I said I am indeed. Then she put out her hand and shook my hand, introduced herself and said, "welcome to the south, it grows on you" 

I said, "like fungus?"

Oh my goodness I loved this woman because as soon as I said it I thought, 'shit I'm going to offend her" but instead she did this belly laugh and that made her begin to the point of now she is coughing. 

I told her to calm down I don't do well with Heimlich and I handed her the water on the table in front of us that was hers.

 
She was so damn cute though. Come to find out her South Carolina doctors had never seen what is in her eye but they thought it was cancer. I listened to her story. I told her that was my original diagnosis too but then I found a specialist and it is not cancer, it's a benign choroidal mass so maybe yours will be too. I said I just take medicine and it is shrinking. (no reason to tell her the truth and scare the shit out of her if not necessary) She was called back and we said our goodbyes.

The 2nd person we "saw" was actually Rick who saw her.

I heard about this while sitting in traffic. This woman was what Rick called Ridden Hard and Put Away Wet. Disgusting phrase but I can then picture the woman so it's helpful since he didn't get her face only below. She was full of tattoos on her neck and arms he tells me but that wasn't what fascinated him. 

Rick said he was sitting across from her and she had on short shorts. 

So short he thought he'd see her hoo-ahh. But what he saw was a tattoo showing you where to look or go or whatever. It was in the area of the leg between the top of your thigh and crotch and came out the other side of her shorts on her other leg. When she walked away he caught this photo for me from the back. 

So now my dear husband is asking me if I think she tattooed her hoo haa.

I say what do I know? Wouldn't that hurt like hell? Yes but maybe she just has it going around her front and back privates. Why do you care? Well when you put it like that he says, I feel creepy. Okay, Mr. Creepy now you see what we are all seeing when you are so concerned about this. 

Well you tell me Margaret if you saw her put her foot on the chair and her legs are spread, you can't tell me you wouldn't notice. Shit, you got me, I'd notice!

Okay, I am not a perv. 

Maybe not for this particular thing but you're still a perv I tell him.

Here is the blurry backside which he tells me is nothing compared to the front. but she'd have seen him take a photo so there's that.

My question is - who can go and spread your legs like this and get tattooed? Yes, I'm shaking my head. If this is around her privates or on her privates then she has a whole lot more confidence and lacking of embarrassment than I have that is for certain! But it kept him amused for the 4.5 hour wait. 

'Betty" Update

 Updates galore - 

** Mary, I saw that my subscription bar was not on my blog last night. This morning when I came in to add it again it was there. But I don't see a place for email other than yahoo etc. There were no other options for a change. So just put in your email address under Subscribe and you should be fine. Let me know. If not, does anyone have this issue and a remedy?

Mary, you could always bookmark it too, that's easy.

**My Eye.

We headed over to Durham to the Duke Eye Center yesterday at noon. 

It took 35 minutes to get there and 1.5 hrs to get home. (45 miles from my home - nw of Raleigh. 

I thought for a minute I was in Northern VA. But it was 5:30p when we left so we were in the heart of "rush" hour. I was there for 4.5 hours!!

It was busier than I have ever seen it. Unfortunately, we got there 15 minutes early too. Because I knew that they would be dilating my eyes I needed Rick to drive me home. Between the numbing drops and dilation I could not see a thing. I always feel so badly for him having to wait around for 4.5 hrs while they keep me busy in the back. 

The 1st waiting room is across from an inside Starbucks. 

Rick only had 1 cup of coffee and he was moaning for his 2nd cup. I suggest he just buy one here. He walked over and they began pulling down the "fence" that they use to show they are closed. I sat and watch him flirt his way into trying to get some coffee. He almost had her. I'm watching the old flirt make her change her mind!  The old coot can still make women do things he wants for the most part with a smile. Honestly! Women become invisible as they age and men no matter how bald, fat, or if they are 100 years old, they can still flirt their way out of things.

Can you see me shaking my head?

Then he laughed as I saw her grab a pitcher of cold coffee and look around. Just as a female employee walked around the counter. Rick came back to his seat all forlorn. I asked what happened he said they are closed but I saw the pitcher of coffee and said I'd take some of that and she told me she wasn't allowed to give that out, besides it's only warm right now. Of course, he whined about needing that 2nd cup because he didn't have it at home he had to leave so early in order to get his wife here in time. 

She was just about to give him what he wanted when the other employee walked by. I saw her walk to the counter with a cup and that pitcher and I thought OMG he won her over the little shit!  She and Rick exchanged looks and he knew that the employee that just came around that corner was stopping everything. Then holding the pitcher of tepid coffee she acted like this was her first time telling him no in front of this employee. She told him to go down 1 floor and there was another. She leaned over the counter and I saw her say something in Rick's ear. Oh my goodness. Apparently, she told him she couldn't now because this woman was a supervisor.

I told him to go - the elevator is in this waiting room lobby across from where I was sitting. I told him that if I'm not here when you return I've been taken to the back. So off he goes. 

Now knowing my husband well I knew he'd get lost. 

Sure enough, he got lost. You ask, How can he get lost in a hospital?

Oh, trust me Rick can get lost going to the garage. He tells me this is his only flaw and how lucky I am to have a man with only 1 flaw. Yea, he can't say that with a straight face either and I laugh each time he tells it to me.

So my entertainment in the car driving home was listening to this story that made me laugh. Where he was, what he saw.

If he doesn't make me laugh through a funny, he sure as hell can by his inability to find his way out of a box. But it's always funny. 

I said at one point, "of course you never stopped anyone or asked if you were going in the right direction you just assumed you'd find it, right?"

"Well, sort of. She told me to take the elevator down a floor and turn right. My pedometer said I went .6 miles looking for this place." 

Now I am howling. 

He continues to share that he has walked 1/2 a mile to look for coffee and no coffee yet. 

It may have been easier to leave the facility and I am certain it is far quicker. So as is my life, Rick was entertaining. He did eventually get his damn coffee. He found it and couldn't find his way back now. 

He told me by the time he walked back to the waiting area where we were sitting that his coffee was now tepid.  

C'mon, how do you not find that funny? I am a bad wife. 

I knew he'd get lost. Thankfully he sees the humor when I play all this back, in fact, he said, "I do do that don't I?"

Yep!

Anyhoo back to me. LOL

I was put through all the tests and photos again. I even had the numbing drops so I knew shit was going down. Numbing apparently helps with the uncomfortableness of when they take the pressure of your eye. I don't know how bad it hurts because it's always been numbed but it feels odd. For some reason, it doesn't seem like it would hurt but they numb me so who knows?

I was in 3 different areas of the hospital for 3 different pics and tests.

When I got back to the room waiting on the doctor I text Rick and asked if he was able to get his coffee and did he get lost. 

He text back, lost, who me? He said he got his coffee and yes he got lost how did I know? I laughed out loud alone in this room. This was just as the doctor walked in. He asked me if I was hiding someone in here?  I told him that my husband had just texted me. He just smiled hopefully not thinking I was also mentally handicapped with a bad eye.

We discussed my broken ankle from the 2 drugs. He apologized. 

He asked if I stopped taking the calcium. I said I did everything to the letter so I was taking my calcium. I am a Type A personality, I follow everything to the letter so much so, in fact, I had a spreadsheet/calendar things keeping it all straight. 

He laughed and said, "I love Type A's you do what I tell you to do!"

I said, "But I do I wish to talk to you about this after the photos"

He loaded up the photos on the computer. He has to point out what I'm looking at because God knows I don't get it. It's a lot of black and gray to me just like an X-ray but when he points it out it is easy to see and then understand. 

In the last 3 months, my comparison photos aren't that different. It has improved but not as much as in the first 3 months. I saw all the scarring this time in a way I never had. Scary shit. As he said I will still be able to see with the scarring just never as good as my left eye ever again. Can't reverse the scarring. My vision is good but Betty still looms and that isn't good. 

After he was done he whipped his chair around and said, "Okay what do you wish to discuss? You go first," as he smiled. I don't know what this man had for breakfast today but he was so playful and fun. Last time he seemed to have the world on his shoulders. Maybe he had a situation before me that was sad the last time, who knows? 

I told Dr. S I can't do this anymore. I want my life back. 6 more months of chemo will seriously break my spirit. I just can't. Even someone with cancer isn't normally on this that long. I am tired of being sick and tired all the time. I want sleep. I am tired of the side effects and the pills. I want to stop it all! 

I do not wish to do any more high doses of steroids or chemo. I just can't! Either there is another option or I'm just done and take my chances. 

The only thing chemo has done for me besides shrinking Betty is make me pray I never get cancer because I.will.not.do.chemo!

'Betty' is dormant right now. We know that she has not been this small since 2016. We also know she will continue to grow again if we don't remove her as it did before when we got it to this size in 2016 in Virginia. The only way to remove her is with an immune suppression protocol. But there are others immune suppressive therapies we could try. We started you off with the strongest. Maybe we need to do something milder since it is now manageable.

He gave me options. I wasn't thrilled with any of them. The least bothersome to me was a prednisone shot directly in my eye.  

It will not cause weight gain or enter my system so I won't have the side effects from hell (his words!) He said 'not gain weight' several times. 

(Gee now that I have to lose 28lbs great. 28lbs on a 5'1" person is a lot of weight! )

After the shot in my eye we would then move on with the drug Humira. 

(my first thought was is this the one with the infected taint? no, i checked..tee hee)   

The drug Humira is an immune suppression drug as well. Used for a lot of autoimmune diseases like arthritis, colitis, psoriasis, etc 

So the two together work as do my chemo and steroids only far milder. 

It will shrink a bit slower but supposedly without all the shit I just went through. It may be a good option for round 2. 

I could not get the shot in my eye when it was huge because they felt it would cause blindness. I don't get it but whatever. Seems to me that if bigger it would be easier. My doctor in VA wouldn't do the shot in the eye as it got bigger either. She kept telling me if we can get it smaller it is definitely an option. He explained it to me but I am not certain I understand why but since they both told me the same thing I have to believe him. Well, have to? More like I am choosing to believe him.

So now that it is this size they feel it is small enough and safe enough.

In the meantime, I asked when I would have to start that. He said we can do it today if you want. OH NO! I need a break from all this I tell him. Please?

I asked if I could wait for a week or two I am exhausted with this shit.

He laughed and said."tell ya what, how about we do this 6-8 weeks from now? I will give you two months off. Also gives you time to think about all 3 options even though you have already said this one. Go home and think about it. Talk it over with your spouse.  It is a size now that is not big enough to spread to your other eye so we've got some time."

I exhaled loudly. He laughed. He said, "I don't want this to make you miserable I really don't. That is not my goal here"

"I know, I know. I'm just lucky that Betty wants to do it for you right?"

We both just laughed.

So there ya go. I am expecting by Saturday I will be feeling so much better. Normally I do by Saturday and then I begin chemo again but this time. NO.

I plan to take my booted leg outside and do some yard work that needs me desperately. I am going to be painting and doing all kinds of things. 

I still have a full room not unpacked because I was in the midst of all that shit when Betty pulled me down. 

I am excited to do mundane work. Pathetic eh?

I don't see why I can't just get the shot in my eye. Why must there be more drugs? The side effects of Humira sound dreadful. But taking this immune suppression combo as a combo is the way it will work for me I was told. 

But it will no longer be as difficult on my body and will move Betty possibly a bit slower. Do I want this?

I do not wish to do chemo again. I am fortunate enough to say I do not have cancer so let's stop this nightmare.

But I do not know what I will choose. Today August 25, 2022 I am leaning to the shot in the eye w/ humira but ask me in an hour and I may say something different. As long as I don't have to do it myself I can handle that. 

While this will suppress my immune system again I will not have to be a bubble girl as I did with chemo. He actually said that I no longer have to live in a bubble. I can be out and about but as he said, "BE SMART" wear masks when you can, etc.

It will take about 3-4 weeks to have this out of my system. So I can't go to the beach until then. Sun is a no-no on this. First summer in my life with no tan. 😁 So all these fun things like the taste of metal in my mouth, the rashes etc will be going away...eventually.

So there ya have it. 'Betty' is still here but smaller. I am still here but larger.

I am off all drugs for 2 whole months and that makes me do a happy dance!! 

Sunday

My last week of chemo.

Next few days I will be horizontal and out of pocket. Then I head back to Duke Eye Ctr. for what I hope will be great news.

Wait until Dr. S. sees my broken ankle boot. I plan to bust his chops. My eye is better but my ankle did not fare as well from the drug side effects!

This meme was sent to me by a friend and it made me laugh. 

Be back to share the good news. How's that for positive thinking?😉

Hairdryers anyone?

My blow dryer died. That is huge in this house. 

I don't have wash 'n wear hair. I need a blow dryer to go out in public. 

Now I've been hearing weird sounds with my hair dryer in the last month. 

I even said to Rick a week ago that I don't think it has much more time with me. I don't wish to buy another one right now.  

Rick walked by the master bath one day and heard it and stuck his head in and said, "ooh that dryer sounds bad, want me to take a look?"  

When I'm done, I tell him.
He knows nothing about dryers but it makes Mr. Let Me Fix It feel better.
That gene that men have for a need to fix every situation, and everything, can drive me mad but I have learned over the years, let him try what harm does it do? Oh, yea, once he almost started a house fire, but that's another story for another time. 

He didn't fix anything but he did make me laugh when he said, "I like your hair flat, the bed head is also a nice look when one side is flat to your hair and the other side is straight up, you don't need to dry your hair." 

"You can't fix it eh?" 

"Nope. I have no idea."  

"I figured as much."

He hands it back to me.

This morning after I showered and dried off I put product in my hair. I then began the dance that is blow drying my hair. I got the heavy wetness out by drying it upside down but my hair was full-blown wet when I wrapped some hair around my brush. I put the dryer to the brush and I heard a pop and it smelled instantly of something burning and my dryer stopped.  Oh Oh. 

I walked out to the garage to show Rick my wet head. I said, "Remember when I told you last week it was going to die soon?  It's now soon." 

He has some old dryers he used when in business that he used to dry paint or some chemicals that needed to dry quickly. He pulls out the dryers with 3inches of paint on them and then another object that looks like a blowdryer. It was a heat lamp of sorts. I told him I didn't need either. When we moved I had a travel-size blow dryer. It's in one of the boxes in the bedroom we have not done a thing with yet. I'll find it. I know I would never have tossed it even though I never use it anymore.

I found my travel blow dryer in the box marked 3rd flr blue room/bath and honestly it has just as much wattage as his paint-encrusted blowdryers. 

But that wattage is nowhere near what I had with the one that just died. It works. It will take an extra 5-10 minutes to dry my hair but it works. So I went back to finishing up my hair being thankful I had a backup at all. 

Now what is funny is that last night during my bout of insomnia I was flipping channels and came across QVC. They had a header that said, "Dysons Hair Dryer" so I stopped knowing that eventually, I will need a new one so let's see about this one.  OMG. This blow dryer was $429.99!!

They kept saying only $86 a month. A hairdryer over $400? I am not a professional. I don't deal with frizz or any of the issues this resolved. 

And in all honesty, I don't see what it does that warrants this price except people will pay it. 

This is so out of my price range for a blow dryer it's not even funny. 

Unless this grew my hair at record speed, it's not worth $400.

This morning I told Rick it was over $400 and he said it blows more than your hair then right? I laughed knowing full well what the pig meant. 

Can you believe this dude was VP of HR? 

I know, a real headscratcher. But as he likes to remind me, who better to know sexual harassment than him?

I have had this blow dryer for about 8-10 yrs. It was $80 back then. So I got my money's worth I suppose. Since retirement, I don't even use it all that often. Since being sick even less. So I am certain if I go to ULTA today that same dryer will be over $100. I thought I would buy a cheap one from Walgreens or Walmart or something. I just need, no want, the higher wattage, but I can do just fine with a cheap one for a while I suppose. But that's my travel dryer isn't it?

Then I remembered that I always wanted to try the Revlon blowdryer called On Step Volumizing Plus 2.0.

Looks like this.

I got online to see what it would cost. It's cheaper than a regular blow dryer so there is that. Two sites sold it for only $51. 

I think it'd be nice to not hold a brush and a dryer. This now makes it a one-handed job and that is appealing. Going to use my travel one until I figure out what I want. I think I have to go to the store and touch it, hold it. All that stuff I can't do online.

A woman I worked with used to go to The Dry Bar. You familiar? You go there to get a blowout. No hair cutting or hair coloring, just styling clean hair.

My friend went to Dry Bar weekly. Talk about spending a lot of money. $100 a week to blow out your hair. (this does not count her regular hairdresser who cuts or colors her hair)  

She got one of these 2.0 dryers and now only goes to The Dry Bar for big events like a wedding she was in. She swore by this thing so I want to try but if you don't like it I don't think you can return something you've used on your head so there is that. She, unfortunately, lives on the west coast so I can't try hers. Like I said I need to do my homework. Thank heavens for my tiny travel dryer. 

Do any of you have one of these by Revlon or by anyone? Do you like it?

And if so why?

Daily Laugh.

Do you know how some folks have daily aspirations they want to live by? 

Yeah, not a fan. Too rah-rah for me most days. 

I look for and need to have one good ole belly laugh a day. It works for me. 

Rick was going on and on telling me some silly back story of an awful TV show he watches that I choose not to watch. He told me so much of this back story I may as well have just watched the damn thing. The show was Married At First Sight. Rick trailed on with his story and that is 15 minutes I won't get back. He was all over the map from this stupid show to the first time we laid eyes on one another or our blind date of sorts.

Rick was asking about our first meeting. I don't remember a lot of the conversation. I know I was nervous. I remember banter but of what topic I have no idea. I remember the waitress asking if we wanted to stay and have another drink. Oh, I recall the painfully awkward silence that seemed like it was just a bit too long. Oh, that's the shit I remember. 

I remember what he wore, what I was wearing. But I do not remember the conversation and it bugs me. He doesn't of course either. He remembers pieces just as I do. He remembers I was funny and made him laugh. I do not recall any of this! I am not the funny one around here. 

He then says so seriously, "Hey, the only reason I'm around is for the chuckles"

And once again, I laugh too heartily. Probably had to be there. Probably had to hear his deadpan delivery. Probably had to be me. 

I'm easy, what can I say? 

My Belly Laugh for Thursday....and hey, it's garbage day so take that retirement. I remembered. Just 5 minutes after the truck went past our house, but then I remembered.

Hump Day

I had a haircut appointment on Wednesday at 11:30a.

I really do like the kid that cuts my hair. But boy, I should know better than to say cut it just a bit shorter. Oops.

Oh well, I have hair and it will grow back. My hair stopped growing for 5 months then I stopped steroids and bam, it grew with a vengeance!  Wild.

When I started seeing Kyle, (hair stylist) less than a year ago I could get an appointment easily. It was also $20 less. But he has now risen to a Level 3 stylist so I pay more. And it's also tricky to get an appointment to see him. 

I have appointments for Oct and November and then again in January because he is full in December already. I hate when I find a really great stylist and then everybody else discovers him too. 

I still drive as if I am still living in Northern VA/DC traffic. 

I know it has never taken me more than 20 minutes when traffic is heavier,  but I still give myself more time thinking there could be traffic. I could go nowhere including the grocery store in my development in 10 minutes up north so this is still hard to wrap my head around. I had an 11:30a appointment. I left at 10:55am. Yep, I got inside the parking garage at 11:09am. That long 1.5-minute walk from the garage to the salon and boy am I ever early! By the time I get used to the traffic around here, it will be as bad as Northern Virginia the way it's growing. LOL

I was sharing with Kyle that on Sunday I saw a piece on CBS Sunday Morning about barbers learning some psychology, some signs to read, etc. Basically, they are learning to be a therapist while you are in their chair. 

This barber shop that was having their men take these classes was primarily a black barbershop. The barbers stated that in their community talking to a therapist is not ever discussed. It is looked at that you are weak. They are trying to change the stigma and have these men get help in various ways. Just opening up here and hearing other men going through the same they found very helpful.

I recall in barber school learning to read the signs of abuse but never skills to listen and to ask the right questions regarding other issues. It was an interesting piece and it was interesting to hear Kyle's examples and what he also learned in school in this area. Things we just never think of you know? Kyle told me a story about the stylist who has the chair beside him. How she realized her customer was being abused and how she got the woman help and out of the situation. It was scary for all of them but the woman is still a customer and she is thriving today. 

_____________

We have acquired a pet bunny rabbit. It has never once bothered our garden and we find that fascinating. This bunny loves the grass and shrubs in the front yard, very close to the porch. We sit on the porch and have our morning coffee and this bunny makes us laugh. 

I recall sharing with you all the squirrel, Bucky, that wouldn't leave our back porch at the lake house. The tree he lived in was cut down by lightening but the stump still came up through the floor of the deck. He sat on that stump on the railing every single day. We fed him. He would knock on our back sliding glass door, like hey, where's the nuts for today?

So now we have Bertie. Bertie has been around for the last 3 months and is almost as funny, but he doesn't fall down off the 2nd floor deck railing on a regular basis. This bunny looks at us and makes all this noise as if he is talking to us. We laugh and say something back and off he goes making those noises. Then he eats some more and then looks at us and begins the "talking" again. One day he ran across our driveway away from us. We thought that was the end of that. Then out of nowhere he comes to the steps of our porch and begins talking 'at' us again. Rick is saying things like, "What? Timmy's in the well?"  

Of course, I just laugh at the old Lassie reference. 

But the bunny is yapping up a storm after he says this. Then Rick says something back and Bertie goes back to the yard, but not before looking back at us as if he is pissed and "says" something again.  

It makes us smile. Honestly how sad is our life that this is our entertainment but we do get a kick out of this rabbit? But the last two days Bertie has not been around and we are a bit concerned. 

Oh oh. Hopefully, he/she will be around tomorrow or no more Bertie.

Gee ya think these two loser old people need a hobby? Talking to bunny rabbits? Think the old farts are missing their dog? 

Oh, that would be oh so true. 

Your hump day memes.

Seriously think about this first one!

Sunday

Happy Sunday blogger buddies.

It's been a very weird week for me.

Grab your favorite beverage and sit back and read a chapter of my week.

Let's start with Thursday. 

My husband wanted to go grocery shopping with me. 

That is always a nightmare. We spend way more if he is with me.

It was too hot for him to be in his workshop so off to the grocery store we go.

Rick is putting things in the cart and me taking them out. (he put in cookies, and junk food and then tells me he wants to lose weight)

"We just don't need miniature marshmallows right now Rick." 

The child known as Rick whines, "but why you love them?" 

 

"Yes in my hot cocoa. It's 99 degrees I won't need them until winter."

"okay but I think you'll be sorry."

"No, I think I'll survive, what do you need them for?"

"Nothing I was grabbing them for you. See how good to you I am?"

Oh my God shopping with him is crazy.

Why buy 1lb of that meat when you can get 4lb? 

I must remind him that there are only 2 of us Richard.

"Yes, but I could make this and that and this.....and off he goes.

"Yes, but we also need to pay this and that and this eye is a huge payment c'mon! This is already going to be $300.00 c'mon."

"Oh okay - oooh look they have that ice cream you like and can never find."

I go around the corner muttering to myself, 'JC, this is why I don't bring you, please!' 

Honestly, the man is not someone who understands a budget. This new way of living hasn't caught on for him. 

After we load up our car Rick now says, "let's go get some lunch next. what do ya say?"  I say that sounds nice but we have food in the car. So we go home and unload the groceries. I take off my shoes and he says, "No I'm taking you to lunch and I want to stop at the Raleigh Farmers Market, remember?"  

Oh yes, we did decide to go there after shopping. Ok, forgot. I put on my shoes and we leave again.

When I say farmers market I know everyone thinks a farmers market of a few vendors type thing. So not that way.

Here is the grounds. We sadly can spend hours here.

It is huge. There is a restaurant across from the main market. 

It has a big ole pig out front. (we should have read about this place before assuming what it was!!)

Now we have learned since moving here BBQ is their state food, if not officially it should be. That is all we've heard since moving here, Carolina BBQ. Rick has said each time we go past this and enter the market, we must go try their BBQ pork. Because if I haven't told you before Rick's favorite 4 letter word is PORK.   We assume since the big pig is out front it must be BBQ pork. You know what happens when you assume right?

So we do our business at the farmers market and head across the street or the left side of the photo and go inside. I about died.

All the wait staff is in overalls. I am befuddled. 

Then as we are seated I say to Rick as if he heard the thoughts going through my head, "Oh I get, farmers market, overalls, farmers, fresh to table. Aah. cute, okay. I get it." 

Rick laughs as only someone who has been with me for 35 years and knows the conversation in my head and says, "I wondered why they were dressed like that, makes sense."

We are seated at our table and menus are handed to us. OMG. It was either biscuits or fried food. There was one thing only on the menu that I could eat. They serve veggies but they fry them. Gosh, it is going to take a while to become southern I see.  There was nothing I could eat that wasn't smothered in biscuits (wheat) gravy(wheat) or fried veggies (flour/wheat) 

Rick doesn't care much for fried food other than chicken and he will never eat a biscuit so he was so bummed out. 

But he does love himself some great fried chicken so he was hopeful.

We felt weird just leaving now even though we wanted to, we had ordered a couple of beverages and chatted with the server by now. But this menu while large was just a heart attack waiting to happen. 

There was a house salad that sounded dreadful but it was something for me. It was just a bit larger than a half dollar. So that was my lunch.

It was every bit as awful as you'd think. I wanted a vinaigrette dressing. 

He (server) didn't know what that was. He did share that I could have creamy dressings and while not a fave I did a creamy Italian that was basically salty vinegar. Should have done ranch. Oh well. 

I asked for it on the side to be a pain in the ass and he said, "oh everyone does" as if he heard the dialogue in my head to make me feel better. 

This way I only had to use a tiny bit and it worked. Our server was a very nice young man and he was so helpful. But the food...ick. 

Rick got fried chicken & fried green tomatoes. 

He said the chicken was dry and not so great or flavorful and he was so disappointed. He said KFC is far superior. The fried green tomatoes were the best he's ever had. I so wish I could have tried them!!! He said he'd order those again. 

As we went to pay we were standing in line and we saw this in the entry on a table front and center.

Yes, a defibrillator. I think the fact that they don't put this behind the cashier's desk is weird. I mean do you really wish to advertise that your food causes the need for the defib?  That is so weird I had to take a photo. We had a good laugh about this. It is in front of the door sitting on a table in a prominent way as if to say, "Here I am, go ahead and eat what you'd like we've got you covered."   It was most certainly indicative of their food so there is that. But how funny to make it so prominent.

Then we move on to Friday. 

We had a slew of things to do, pick up my last RX of drugs for my eye. 

I am down to only taking these horrific drugs once a week. Can I tell you how good I feel most days? Yes, it's a good thing! (well mon and tues are still rough but only for a few more weeks!) 

Once again running around with Rick is humorous. 

He doesn't listen to the GPS and then tells me he wants to go another way. I begin to laugh which makes him laugh his ass off. 

"Don't believe me?"  he asks.

"oh hell no! You don't know another way to get there"

"Sure I do!"  

We ended up where we needed to be via a very beautiful ride of great green horse pastures and vistas far far away from where we were to be.  

I saw new things and we eventually got there. We got there in a way only Rick could get us there.

As we are walking back to the car Rick announces he is taking me to lunch again. I asked, "What's up with you? 2 lunch dates in 2 days?  Nah, let's just go home."

Then he says, "Tacos and Tequila's?"  (name of the restaurant)

"Oh sure say my favorite place and of course, I'll say yes." "

But as only Rick can do he heads in the wrong direction. I point this out.

But he insists. I suggest the GPS. He poo-poos me. Now I just sit back and laugh. We have nowhere to go, nowhere we must be so let him drive me around North Carolina. I mean gas is now down to $3.24 so what the hell?

Finally, he realizes he went the wrong way. We have entered another town.

He says, "I think I went the wrong way."

I laughed and said, "ya think?"

"why didn't you say anything?"

"would you have listened?"

"Oh hell no, but you could have said something." He's laughing now.

Oh, the ass does make me laugh.

So instead of my favorite place called Tacos and Tequila's we went to a local Mexican place that he insists he has seen rave reviews for on Next Door App. Yes, but they raved and gave that place yesterday 5 stars and it was a 2 at best. So I am most unsure about this rave as well. I think what everyone here thinks is good is not what we think is good.

He laughed and said, "where is your spirit of adventure Margaret?"  

Oh yes, more gastrointestinal adventures! Can't wait!

We arrive at a pretty busy place. That is a good sign I guess. 

Although yesterday's place was packed too. So there is that.

We each got a street taco sampler. The menu said homemade corn tortilla shells. You know the tiny street taco size.  I asked the server to be sure though that they were corn. Yes, he insists they are corn tortillas. 

You get 6 in a sampler. I ate 4. I was stuffed. 

Of course, Rick ate my other 2. Leaving food on the table is not something he can do. Sometimes he behaves like he grew up during the depression. But I get it, he was raised that way so to him throwing away food or wasting it is extremely difficult for him. (once he saw someone throw away meatballs because they didn't eat them all at dinner. I thought his head was going to explode! I had to hold his hand to keep him from saying anything!)

A few hours later I was very sick. 

I felt the swelling first in my throat and then my limbs began to swell up. 

I told Rick I was not feeling well. My stomach was having a very bad parade. Then the bathroom fun. I think I have been glutened, I say to him. 

He said you only ate the corn tacos. I said, "Maybe they weren't corn"

By 9p I was full-on ill. My hands could not be made into a fist because they were so swollen. I felt it in my neck, it feels full and hard to swallow. 

My feet look like Fred Flintstone, not my feet. My feet and ankle was not this swollen after I broke my ankle. Here it is Sunday and I am still very swollen and am having some of the fun side effects too. Jealous aren't you? 

This normally takes 2 weeks to leave me. 

Fun, fun, fun.

Rick always wants to call the restaurant to complain. I said this is my issue, not theirs. I should never have assumed these were corn. I know better than to assume or trust people. I should have not eaten them, period. I should have eaten just the fajita meat and veggies with no wrap. It's my own fault. 

I can't eat out easily and it is what it is. He still insists on calling the restaurant to tell them not to tell people they are corn when they are not. 

I told him to let it go - PLEASE! He finally shut up about it. Geez, I'm the one who is sick and swollen, l am fine. just let it go!

Now if this were a peanut allergy people see the damage immediately and are sympathetic. But because no one knows what celiac is or what it does to a person they don't get it, they don't care, and they roll their eyes. So the less fuss you make the easier it is for the next person in one way. But them not being aware makes it so it could hurt someone far worse. I know some who get glutened and end up in the hospital. I'm thankful it wasn't that awful for me this time.

It's a fine line to walk and I hate it. 

This morning Rick thinking he was funny asked if I wanted to go to lunch somewhere with him. HA HA funny boy. 

"Gee, Not hurt me enough this week? No, you've done enough damage to me this week buster."

He laughed and said, "You need to pick the next few times, my choices sucked!"

"Yes, they did suck but then again when do you make good choices Big Guy?"

"Hey, I made one good choice once?"

"Name one!"

"I married you, babe."

"Oh my god, the shit is gettin' deep, I'm going to get my boots."

And I got up and left the room pretending to fetch them.

I could still hear him laughing though. I win.

😘

Comments Back

Thank you for the advice. 

Those that told me about a checkmark were correct! I never noticed those before. I have used the one for spam and the one to delete but I have never seen the check mark. So voila.

But why did that just randomly begin? 

We are having a week of cool weather and I wish to go outside.

It's only in the 80s and the humidity is lower. 

The words Humidity and Low are not two words that go together around these parts often so one must enjoy them. 

Thank you everyone

UPDATE

I can see my comments in my dashboard. But if I go to the post your comment isn't there.

WHAT THE HELL BLOGGER?

Snarky Judgemental Wench

Yes, that is me.

We were watching a repeat episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.
They were talking about Frank, the father, and his horrible driving. 

The mother of his grandkids does not wish for him to drive the kids anymore. He runs over mailboxes, uses hand gestures over turn signals, etc. At one point the 2 brothers are discussing their father's driving record and suggest they may need to take away his license.

They say, "Well, he is 66 yrs old now"  As if that is too old.

WHAT?

These two look older than 66 for heaven's sake.

That was a most depressing comment to me.

Geez. 

Do we really look this old but we're delusional? (yes apparently)

Let me tell you when I told this to Rick he kept saying, NO! NO! 

We do not look like this. 

Nice to know I am not delusional alone. 

The eyesight is the first to go, "they" say.

If you ever catch me dressing like this character Marie - It's over for me. Just so you know! I've given up on life and I don't wish to go on. 

She wears flowered smocks all the time. Some look like my grandmothers sofa.