Where Did Monday Go?

I have never lost a whole day before.

Oh sure, when drugged from surgery, or when I had chemo.

But never have I felt like I couldn't wake up like this before.

It began with my bladder being my morning wake-up call.

I felt like I was drugged as I stumbled to the bathroom, it was so odd.

Rick was fast asleep. But it was almost 7a and I felt I should get up.

I went to the kitchen and made coffee. I needed to snap out of this. 

Me and my coffee went to the living room and sat in the ugly chair.

I fell instantly asleep. 

At some point, I heard Rick get up and come out to the living room. 

I drank some of my now tepid coffee and said Good Morning to my Big Guy.  

I told him I felt oddly tired and I didn't know why. I told him it felt like I was drugged because I was so sleepy. He laughed and said to just sleep then, you're retired, why not?  

He suggested I go back to bed. 

I feel guilty for some reason going back to bed when I am not sick.

Then again I'd feel guilty if I was sick.

Rick told me that was my issue, if tired, go to bed and get over it.

I then proceeded to fall asleep in the chair.

I got up 1 hr later and said, this is damn crazy!

I went to take a shower. I could barely stay awake.

Was I bit by a tsetse fly? I just couldn't wake up.

After my shower, I went into the kitchen and cleaned up.  

My back issue, being my back issue, I had to sit down.

Big mistake! I slept until 7p! Never heard a thing as Rick watched TV, and played music. Nothing!!

I awoke to the smells wafting in from the kitchen.

Rick was making himself dinner. I walked into the kitchen and he said, "There is my little Miss Sunshine"  

I apologized.

He asked, "For what?"

"I slept away the day and I can't seem to snap out of this sleepy feeling."

He lectured me on it being my body telling me I needed this sleep.

True, I haven't slept much in months due to my back pain and my body just stopped and I had to sleep.

Okay, Dr. Rick. Maybe he was correct, but I didn't like it.

I don't know why I feel this way. I lost a whole day of my life.

I don't like that! 

But it didn't stop me from going to bed at 11:30p. 

I was worried I'd be up all night. Nope, not this Monday.

What the hell was this?

I can't explain it except to say that I have only felt like that after surgery but never without medication of some sort. 

It was an overwhelming exhaustion, and I couldn't keep my eyes open no matter how hard I tried.

I hope that never happens again.

But I'm baaack.

Bon Jovi Documentary

I took a lot of shit for loving Bon Jovi.  

Oh, my friends constantly teased me.

Okay whatever, I don't care what you think, I loved him back in the day.

I wrote about this show recently 

We both remember that day vividly. Yet if you google this concert it says all these opening acts other than who we saw play. 

There were none other than the horns from Tower of Power playing with Huey Lewis. I was in the 2nd row sitting on the ground I remember who I saw. It was bugging us to no end last night. No matter what we googled we got another band name who they claimed was there. Weird.

All this came up because we watched the Bon Jovi documentary. 

It was different than I thought it'd be. I left with, I don't care how angry Richie was, what he did was shitty to all of the crew, band etc. Talk to them about it, and tell them why they made you angry. He acted like a spoiled child. Yes, we all knew his ex-wife was in and out of mental institutions and you had to take care of your daughter 24/7. Still no excuse. It will never be the same without Richie's sound but I understand why they had to go on. Seriously screwy.

I can't believe it's been 40 years. 

The same old friends who loved to tease me because I liked Wanted Dead or Alive, texted me to tell me he had a documentary coming on soon. 

And of course, they'd have the smiley face.

I knew I was being teased yet again. Yeah, I can take it, bring it on.

The Week

I was talking to Rick last night as I watched him tie his shoes.

I said, "Remember when you couldn't tie your shoes?"  

"I know, he said, I never thought I'd get here."

I told Rick that most on the blog are a bit shocked that you've accomplished this much in 11 months.  Rick said he gave the majority of the credit to the doctors who were able to administer that life-saving drug tPA, then you who pushed me when I told you to let me die. I told him he did all the work.

Besides, your life insurance wasn't enough for me to let you die.😁

Honestly, I believe it was getting that drug so quickly and being in the OR to remove the clot that the drug released was the key factor in all of this. 

Rick was in the OR within 26 minutes of having the stroke. That is what saved his life.

We reminisced about how he couldn't feed himself or walk for several months. I reminded him how mad he'd get at me when I would push him to do another 5 minutes of exercise. He would cuss up a storm at me. I was told to not take it personally from all the doctors, nurses, and therapists. They told me it was normal. (But it was difficult to hear since he had never treated me like that before) 

He asked if he had told me he was sorry for that treatment. Yes, you have. It was the stroke and frustration talking it's alright. I'd have done the same. He laughed and said, "You cuss at me now and you've not had a stroke."  HAHA, funny boy.

So to all of you, it seems quick to you. To us, it's been well over a year. He is damn determined by the end of this year to be a new man. He is gaining such strength from going to the Y and it helps him in so many ways. He is determined like he was in business and I've never seen this before outside of that corporate environment.

I wish the hell this back thing could be fixed so I could go to the Y too.

I just wish to walk actually.  Not doing too well.  Okay enough of me.

Things uttered in our home this week -

Rick: Don't we have to go to Costco this week?

Me: We never HAVE to go to Costco.

Rick: Would you like to go to Costco, you can lean on the cart while I can buy stuff that we don't need.

I've shared with you that we have Ugly Naked Guy who lives over our fence. He is a large man. Just like on the show Friends, we have to see him in barely any clothes all the time. I want to scream, put a shirt over that, please! And his shorts most often can't be seen over his belly. So he looks naked.

Rick came down the hall announcing it was again Naked Tuesday.

Me: Give it up Rick

Rick: No, I'm retired, and straight from the retirement handbook it is a mandatory retirement activity just like eating dinner at a god-awful early hour.

Me:  Okay, if you go outside and garden naked, hang on the fence talking to Ugly Naked Guy, and also work in your workshop naked then I will do it.  

All in daylight too mister!

Rick: (laughing) You don't play fair!

I am hot all the time. Rick2.0 is never warm anymore. 

It was great when the last 37 years because we were on the same page.  We kept our bedroom like a meat locker and loved it that way. If you saw your breath then it was good enough for us to sleep.

Now I am dying. He whines if the ceiling fan is on. I have a fan blowing on me from every direction and no sheets or comforter on me and I'm naked. 

He got up in the middle of the night.

He came out of the bathroom and said way too loudly to wake me up, "Oh my God I can feel your fan on this side of the bed"  

Me: Then stay on your own side.

Rick crawls into bed.

Rick: It's 20 degrees warmer over here. 

Me:  Good for you - stay over there.

Rick:  Boy you're mean when you're hot!

He was snoring in 2 seconds after that.

OG Rick would have been all over me because he woke me up.

Rick 2.0 had to get warm first. Oh my.

Me: I need new underwear.

Rick:  Okay get some

Me: I have to go shopping. You know how I HATE shopping.

Rick: can't you buy them online?

Me:  I can't. I have to feel them. Really see if they are going to cover my ass.

Rick: Don't all underwear cover your ass?

Me:  Oh hon, you've been married too long. Remember when you were dating different women all week? Didn't some have thongs and tiny bikini panties? Besides I'm not skinny and now they cut me in two. Besides those tiny ones will ride up your crack eventually.   I don't want those anymore.

Rick:  Why not?

Me: Because it's my ass and I want it covered! I'm going for comfort in my old age. How about you wear a thong or tiny underwear that doesn't cover your ass.

Rick is howling. I went over to him and pulled up his shorts. How does that feel?

Rick: Like I got something in my crack.

Me:  Ok, leave it that way because you are somewhere you can't be  picking things out of your butt in public

Rick:  Okay I get it. But I do like your little ones.

Me:  I will just take my panties off, you won't mind will ya?

Rick: Again Margaret, you don't play fair! 

That is our sick week.

Flashback Tuesday

I will be having my boobs squished Wednesday morning. 

Such fun, but could be worse and be a gynecology appointment so I'll count my blessings.

Standing that long will be the difficult part for me but I'll give it the ole college try.

In the meantime, I've got to attempt to do some things around this place.

Since I'm busy, I give you this post from 14 years ago since I was just referring to this topic the other day when Rick lost his keys for the 100th time! Nothing has changed!!

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010

My Tracking Device

There was a line once in a Rosanne show years ago that my husband heard and found hysterical. He has used it ever since. The line was uttered by Rosanne when her husband and kids couldn’t find anything of theirs and they were asking her all the time to find this and to find that. She yelled something about her uterus being her “tracking device” I wish my husband had one of those tracking devices of his own to find his shit this week.

My hubby will walk around the house looking for his things all the time.
As my mother used to say, “He would forget his head if it weren't attached to him!  Oh for sure!

Now this has been going on since I have known him at the ripe old age of 30.
But now Rick is an old fart so in one sense he does have an excuse.
On the other hand, the list of things he can’t find is just longer and makes me even more annoyed. This week he has driven me to the brink for some unknown reason.
Oh wait I know the reasons I am just unsure why it is bugging me so much more this week. Was it the full moon or was it just simply him driving me bonkers?.
Whatever it was it was in full force this week….TGIF is all I can say.

Here’s one incident for you –
He has lived in this house for 10 years. We have had the dishes in the same damn place since they were unpacked 10 yrs ago. So when unloading the dishwasher you would think that he would know where they go instead of leaving them on the kitchen island.
He seems to think that lining them up all in a row for his anal retentive wife will make her happy to see that nice straight line of cookware BUT NO, in fact, it does not.
So when I ask why he doesn’t put them away he actually had the balls to say, “Well I don’t know where you want these things to go?”  WTF?

It’s like he thinks I want them to go somewhere different from where they always are. How about the cupboard mister? He lives here. He cooks here. He knows from where they come. What the hell is with that logic of his?  It is funny to me IF this were someone else's significant other or on a sitcom but for some reason this week I am not seeing the humor 100%

Last night’s full moon annoyance occurred –
He asked me where his keys were. I said I didn’t use them nor have I seen them.
Oh, that snarky remark didn’t sit well. He huffed and stormed around the kitchen.
After watching him tear everything apart I asked him, “Where did you have them last?”
I think that was an innocent enough question. But apparently, I was incorrect.
Cranky Pants responded with, “Where the hell do you think I used them last?”
Me: “Your truck? Maybe you left them in your work truck.”
Cranky Pants: “C’mon Margaret I wouldn’t leave them in my truck.”

I go out to the truck and as I am walking out I hear his mutterings but I ignore him because I remember I do love this man but he is annoying the living shit out of me right now and I am not in the mood to go to jail for bodily harm.
I get to his truck and not only is it unlocked but his keys are in there!! (as well as tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment)
I grab the keys, lock his truck, and walk back into the house.
“Hey, I heard the truck lock so I assume you and your uterine tracking device found them once again!”
He is smiling and being all charming and cute and I’m thinking it’s a damn good thing I am against violence because I could just clobber you right now. But instead, I just smile and say,
“The uterine tracking device was removed in 2000 what’s your excuse?”
Yeah, I'm a snarky wench.  Thankfully he just laughed and grabbed his keys.

Another annoying factoid –
You have read me here stating how we had been cleaning out this large walk-in closet upstairs in a guest room which started my Flashback Friday photos. Well, we went away last weekend and after we unpacked he left the suitcase in front of our large dresser.
After 5 days of staring at that thing and walking over it, I was now refusing to put it away.
I simply asked, “Are you ever going to put this away or are you hoping I will do it for you?”
To which Mr. Numbnuts replied, “I don’t know where you want it to go.”
WHOA MISTER, did we not just clean out a walk-in closet together on the 3rd floor and then reorganize? Didn’t we just decide to put our entire luggage in there? Didn’t you bring your small bag from your bedroom closet up to the one we were cleaning and put it with the rest of the pieces of luggage? Did you fall on your head? Do you have amnesia? Should I check our long-term health care insurance plan and see what is covered with dementia? To which his response was, “Oh yeah.” AND WALKS AWAY FROM IT LEAVING IT RIGHT THERE.
My head was about to explode but then I thought otherwise.
Because seriously I’d have to clean up the mess because he wouldn’t know where the cleaning supplies were kept in his own damn house and without my head who would find them for him? So I took a deep breath instead.
I swear to God I am not picking it up. Remember that episode of Everybody Loves Raymond with the suitcase left on the staircase? I am living it.

Stay tuned – I may be on the news. The neighbors will say, “She was such a nice woman. She always seemed so happy and they seemed to really get along so well I can’t imagine why she would bludgeon him like that with his own suitcase. She must have just snapped the poor dear."

We Survived.

 He did it and we both survived.

Rick had what they called a 15-minute medicare appointment with his primary.  If you don't know they make you do this annually.  They asked crazy questions about depression and if you've fallen in the last year and those types of questions. He told his doctor it doesn't count, he had a stroke. She just laughs at him. His appointment was at 10am.

She did ask him how the drive was to the office. She knows all about the issue. He said I now come from Poole Rd and don't even see that intersection where it happened.  She said, "Good call"

At 11:20a.m. I sent him a text just saying, 'concerned'

He wrote back telling me he was still at the damn doctor's getting blood drawn and holding the hand of an older woman. 

Okay, I was certain he would share this with me when he got home.

Then I got a text saying, "I'm at the gym"

Then mere minutes later he texted me again saying, "I'm picking things up and putting them down"   

Okay, smart ass I get it, you're fine.

He came home and told me about the woman at the doctor's. 

He said she was sitting next to him in the room where they drew blood. 

She was small and frail and well into her 80s.

Every time they tried to find a vein she would say, "Ow, you're hurting me, ow! ow!"  Rick asked, "Would it help to hold my hand?" 

She said it would and he sat there and held her hand until she was done.

She thanked him profusely and said, "Do you need to hold my hand while you get your blood drawn?"  He said, "No, I'm okay thank you."  She hugged him and she left.  That man!

Now he tells me that at the gym today there was an older guy about 70.  

I laughed and reminded him he will be 69 next month, what the hell do you mean older guy?  Okay, okay he says, a 70-year-old prick said something to me that didn't sit well with me. He stood over me at the leg press machine and asked, "How much weight are you doing on your legs?" 

Rick told him 130lbs.  

He said, "You should do more, at least 170lbs with your upper body."  

Rick said he was so arrogant. The way he spoke to Rick he said it took all he could to not say something he'd regret.  

Instead, Rick said to him, "I am not here to impress anyone. I am here to rehab after a stroke. I work with a trainer I know what I need to do, but thank you" 

Well, that made the guy back off. Then he wanted to know if he had a bad stroke. Rick asked if there were good ones?  He asked Rick when he had a stroke. Rick told him 11 months ago. He asked Rick how long he was in the hospital. Rick told him several months. He said, "Okay I guess you know what you're doing since you are doing so well.  My friend had a stroke and is still in a wheelchair."  Rick told him he was too, then a walker, then a cane and now he is doing this to help his left side. I've done a lot of rehab and it makes a difference.  The man backed off.

As Rick was leaving he said to Rick, "Hey sorry.  I should mind my own business.  You are doing remarkable if it's been only a year."  

Rick shook his hand and said, "You never know what someone else is going through do ya? No problem.  See you next time"  

Rick said, "I was polite but he ticked me off for some reason. I'm not sure what it was specifically. His arrogance and attitude were off the charts."  

He told me that young Rick (21) would have hauled off and punched him. 

I said, "I'm glad I didn't know you then!" 

He said, "I'm glad I lost that anger as I grew up!"

Rick came home from the gym, told me stories, had a PB&J, and is working in his workshop.

We all survived very well. 

You all were right. Whew.  

Anxiety

Rick has an appointment on Monday morning with his primary care doctor.

This is the location where his stroke occurred, leaving this doctor's office.

He wants to drive himself. I am letting go. But I have to tell you this makes me nervous as hell. We found a different way to get there to avoid the actual corner where it happened. We enter and leave in the opposite direction. 

It may be a bit longer but so be it.

I asked him if he was sure. He said he had to do this.

No, you don't, was my thought.  But I didn't say that. I know he wants to. 

So Monday morning as he goes off to the doctor I will be a wreck. 

We all know the PTSD that happened a few months ago so I will wait by my phone. After the doctor, he will go to the gym just a few miles down the road. He said he would text me when he got there to put my mind at ease.

No, allowing me to go will help ease my anxiety, but again, I kept that to myself.  I have to learn how to deal with this just as he has to.

But it sucks!!

Cooking

I spent my life running from the kitchen except for eating. 

I was not a lover of cooking. I liked to bake, and I did that a great deal when I was young. You know in the 70s when you could eat 2 pieces of cake because you had the munchies and not gain weight. 

Those days are long gone since now I can just smell cake & gain 5 lbs. 
 
When I first met Rick, in fact on the very first meeting, he asked my last name, and I told him. He said, "Oh so you're Italian, so you cook."  
I laughed and said, "No, I eat."
He laughed and said, "Well I love to cook so we'd make a good pair."
 
I told him I could make 4 things well.  
Chili, quiche, egg rolls, and creme puffs.
He laughed and said, "Egg rolls and creme puffs, I'm not buying it"
Of course, I made them for him sometime later and he said, "If you can do these two why can't you cook?"  I told him that creme puffs are the easiest thing to make and egg rolls aren't difficult either.  
 
We discussed things I learned in home ec that I still use today. And when I talked about the guys in home ec that were so good he would remind me I went to a better school than he did. Boys were not allowed to take home ec where he went to school. He had so many questions about this. 
It fascinated him. No, they were not gay, no they were not odd. Most were the popular kids, both jocks and freaks as they were called back in 1973.
It was just like the girls. 
 
Gary, a kid in my home ec class, made the best meringue on his pie and he got an A+ and my sad meringue was floating on top of my lemon pie like an island. I didn't get an A.  The guys in my classes were always good. 
I recall we made fudgy no-bake cookies. They were made into a log and then rolled in saran wrap and put into the fridge over night. The next day, Dale, my classmate, and table partner, grabbed his. He bent over moaning and told our teacher he had stomach pains and of course, dropped this out of his pants like he shit the floor. 

We all laughed but Miss Meyer squealed and did not find it funny. 
 
My boyfriend would meet me at the door at home ec to walk me to my next class only to get the food I had made. We once made jellies and jams and I gave him all but one to take home. His mother asked for the recipe. He never walked me to class from gym to math. Oh no. Only home ec where he got food. I used to tease him about that.
 
My entire life with Rick has been him cooking for us. He hated baking so that was what I did. But honestly, he never liked cakes, cookies, etc. all that much so I slowly stopped baking too. 
I cleaned up. Or at times I would be the sous chef who would chop the onions and other assorted things he was putting together. More often than not I would think, "Oh this is gonna be bad” Yet it was always so damn good. 

I excelled at sitting at the kitchen island watching and drinking wine while he cooked.
 
Then 15 or so years ago it was discovered that I had celiac disease. So no wheat, barley, or rye ever again.  I had the stages of grief. Depression, anger, and then wow I feel so damn good I can do this.

 
So, I had to learn to cook. Rick was overwhelmed by this. He said he'd try, and he did. But it was me who was grocery shopping. Me reading labels so a trip to the store was a marathon of time. It was so damn frustrating. 
 
The Food Network used to be a place where you could learn to cook, unlike today. 

It wasn't just Guy Feiri with games and contests.
Emeril Lagasse had a show. I watched it and tried to figure out how I could make this gluten-free.
I recall the day he made a roux. OMG, how easy. Cheese sauces and gravies and a plethora of things with this base. It opened my world as funny as that sounds. 

I had gluten-free flour and I gave it a shot. Rice flour made everything gritty. Nut flours made them have a taste you didn't want. It was a crap shoot until I found a flour that worked for everything. I swear by this flour!  It changed my world. 
 
Slowly I began to cook.  I had to. As I said it overwhelmed Rick. 
Rachel Ray would make things that most often were gluten-free because it was real food not processed stuff. I could adapt these recipes. If it called for soy sauce, I used tamari, which was naturally gluten-free, unlike soy sauce.  

I was slowly becoming the cook at home. But Rick was learning too, and he was trying things for us. I love that he too became gluten-free because it was easier. 

But he still ate pizza and his bread, and we just kept his pizza away from mine and his bread had his own side of the toast and never could they meet.  He ate my pasta because it was easier and thank God this man will eat almost anything, and he was game. 
 
When I lost my corporate job, I was now home, so I was cooking so he didn't have to when he got home. It was getting better. Not as good as Rick, but I'd come a long way as he likes to say.
Over time things have become 2nd nature for us both cooking GF. 
It's easy if you know what you can and can't eat. But that part does take time, a lot of time if you ask me.
 
Then we retired and Rick did most of the cooking again until his stroke. But he is back in the kitchen now and doing great.  
The difference in him is he loves sweets now and not just savory. 
Before the stroke, he'd say, I want to make some Osso Bucco. He never ever asked for desserts.
Now he said to me this morning, "I am going to use those yolks for Creme Brule for tonight." I laughed and said, “Who are you? Besides, we still have cake left mister" 

I laughed at this new Rick.
 
He used to make me Creme Brulé on my birthday after my diagnosis so he knows how to make it and it's damn good. But he never cared one way or another to eat it, he did it for me.
 
So, it looks like the 10 egg yolks I covered and put in the fridge, some will become Creme Brulé tonight. Tomorrow I'll make some hollandaise sauce over asparagus or eggs or something like that. Damn it, I'm using these egg yolks. 

I can't bear to waste food. 
You'd think I grew up during the Depression or something.
My parents did this to me.  
Sure, why not, let's blame them. 😁

Is It Cake?

Rick brought home strawberries. It's too early for good strawberries but he loves 'em so he gave it a try.  They were so sour. Pucker sour. So what was his suggestion? Could I make a cake to use with masserated berries?

Here's the rub-

"I don't want you to move from that chair for a few days. Please listen to the doctor Margaret"

"Can you make me a cake today?"

So which is it? Take it easy as I was told or make him cake?

I made him cake.

I LOVE Angel food cake. I always have. In fact, when I first moved in with Rick back in the day, I made one one summer evening. (Box though) He told me he did not like this kind of cake.

Okay, I thought, more for me.

He told me his mother made this and it was like eating dust. He hated Angel food cake.

Then he said later, let me try a piece. He said,"omg, this is moist and so good!" 

I got one piece, he went crazy with the berries and cake.

Because I like this cake so much I thought I'd try a gluten free version so I too could enjoy. 

OH MY was this so damn good. No one would know it was gf.

Perfect first try!

I impressed the hell out of myself.

The most difficult thing to do was seperate 10 eggs! Yes, it was a process but so worth it. Rick had 2.5 pieces last night. He's at the gym now working that off!

This was my first attempt at homemade Angel food. It was so worth it except I'm hurting today. I will be lazy today and do as the drs say.

So what do I do while having to do nothing? Watch weird shit on TV. 

The show, Is It Cake? 

Have you ever seen this show on Netflix?

A great many people watch this with their kids. Good wholesome show.

It's cake decorating on steroids. It's so hard to explain, you just have to see it to believe it. For me, it's relaxing and fun. Perfect for me in this situation. 

Rick came in from his workshop and saw me watching this. He got into it, shouting things like, "it's number 2!"

But he was usually wrong which would make him laugh.

But of course, this is when he said, "Now I want cake"

So like a good 1950s housewife I made him a scratch cake to go with his berries.

Thankfully today the 1950s are over. I'm being lazy just as prescribed.

Now I want a piece of cake.

My Tuesday

 Well this one was a LOT different.

I had my third spinal injection on Tuesday. 

He walked in and I said, "Miss me?"  

He chuckled and said you beat me to it. He discussed my situation with the surgeon and he told me what was going to happen, which I already knew but always good to go over everything.

Ooh boy this one hurt. As soon as that needle hit "the" spot I had pain hit my ass cheek, my hip and down my leg. I let out a small yelp. It was an instant shock and far worse than the normal pain which is saying something.

He asked if I was okay. I said, "I am, I'm sorry." He said bigger men have been worse, no problem, trying to make me feel better.

After the shot I was lightheaded. No that has never happened. When I got down from the table I was wobbling and the nurse noticed. She came over and said to please allow her to take me into the "resting" room.  I did.

I sat in the recliner they share and I was not feeling well at all. I had Rick drive me to the first one and on the 2nd I told him I could drive myself because I could. This time I wish I had taken him up on driving me. How was I to know? This was so different.

They came in to check on me and the nurse said I wasn't looking too good. She got me some water and told me to sit a while longer. I sat some more. Rick texted me and asked if I was okay because I should have been home by now. I said I was okay sitting a bit longer is all.  I lied...until I got home.

I left and I don't remember most of the drive home. I know I cried. 

I was in such pain. Oh, he hit the mark let me tell you! 

When I got home Rick said, "My God what happened to you, you look awful." 

Gee, thanks, was my response, but I knew what he meant.

I got in the ugly chair and he was running around asking me if I needed anything.  I told him a big glass of ice water. I sat in the Ugly Chair.

I was nauseous. I asked for a 1/2 a gf bagel with nothing on it. 

He of course made faces and said, no butter. NO. It helped a bit.

I was to talk to a friend at 7ish and I texted her to say I was taking something and let's move it to tomorrow. I took a gabapentin which is the only thing they ever gave me. I don't get relief of pain but it knocks me out and I was worried I'd sleep until past 7p. It was 2ish.

Thankfully I woke up around 6. I was so much better. I was actually feeling better all around and I could stand up without holding on to anything. I think this could be the winner. I am to do nothing for 2 weeks. I can't ever do that but Rick really stops me from most of it when he can.

By evening I was really feeling better so I was going to attempt to sleep in bed. OMG, it was fabulous. I slept in a bed. The first time in 3.5 months.

I awoke to some pain at 4am so I got up and quietly tip-toed out of the bedroom. I got in the ugly chair and got some relief.  But I couldn't go back to sleep. 

I watched YouTube music videos and pretended it was 1980 and I was watching MTV.  I went back into the archives and it was relaxing and fun.

Rick got up and saw me listening to Bon Jovi singing Hallejuiah and said, turn it up. (I was wearing headphones) 

So that began our day. Nice to start with music vs. war.

_______

In other news, I normally watch the Today Show. 

But it is already all Olympics. I hate that. 

I enjoy watching the Olympics but I don't need this for 4 hours. 

This would be when I'd vacuum, wash the floor and clothes and the bed needs to be stripped. But I can't do any of them. So I blog

After my first surgery in '84, my doctor told me I could never bowl again or vacuum. I laughed at the bowling. I don't bowl. 

But I was living in my hometown and we all know that means I come from the beer, bowling, and bingo capital of PA so I understood why he assumed. 

But vacuuming...I have to vacuum for heaven's sake. He told me to get a cleaning lady. I worked two jobs at the time to live, how the hell was I going to get a cleaning lady. Ah, the rich don't understand we little people. I was all of 28 and I didn't have a pot to piss in so my sister vacuumed since I lived with her. She moved out to live with her boyfriend and I had to vacuum. 

This back thing is horrible and I wouldn't wish it on anyone other than the orange buffoon. I have had a lot of surgeries. Nothing as far as pain comes close to this. Although after surgery my rotator cuff/labrum surgery was more painful after the surgery than before the surgery. Where back surgery is immediate relief for me. Discomfort from surgery but that's nothing!

Oh well, we shall see if over the next week or so the rest of this pain leaves me. I don't wish to have a 4th. You can only have 2 injections in each site. I am hoping 1 does the trick cause I am sick of this running my life and you are sick of hearing about it. 

________

Last evening while watching television we saw a commercial for a concert coming to town. One which we'd enjoy. Rick said, "That would be fun,  if I could stand that long and if I could handle the kids and the crowds." 

I laughed and said I think our concert days are over babe. 

It was Aerosmith and The Black Crowes. We've seen Aerosmith before.

I wrote about it in 2012 and how we used sign language to speak to one another instead of screaming over the opening act. It drove the kids behind us crazy.  But this time I think we're too old. God how odd it is to even say that.  In our minds, we are only 45 at best. Now our bodies will tell you something else for sure.

I'm going to go back to the ugly chair.

Enjoy your Wednesday or whatever day it is when you are reading this.

One of my morning videos.

Monday

I LOVE Billy Joel. 

(as I shared in this post https://straightupnochaser.blogspot.com/2024/01/free-concert.html)

I was so excited to see his last concert at Madison Square Garden that was being televised on CBS.

I recorded it. (DVR) I was exhausted yesterday so I knew I wouldn't want to fall asleep so let's record this and watch it on Monday.

I saw that the Masters went over so I recorded the show after Billy so I didn't miss a thing of his concert.  But apparently, CBS had another idea. 

They cut him off and went to local news.  

I thought it was just us locally, but no, everyone. WTH?  

CBS advertised the hell out of this event so why would they do this? 

I was LIVID.

I do not have Paramount + to see it streaming. 

I hope CBS gets a lot of crap for this and they rerun it. 

I did watch the 60-minutes interview with Salmon Rushdie.  

I find him to be a smart but odd dude. I recall his visit to the Chatuagua Institution and when he got stabbed. I have been in that outdoor amphitheater many times at Chatuagua. It's a lovely place to see a speaker or musician. I have seen both there. (Ray Charles for one) 

I found him quite smug when he discussed himself being close to death and not seeing any light or anyone. I get it you're an atheist but you don't need to be smug. I don't like it when so-called Christians must shout their smug views either. Can't it just be a statement or at least said with humor? 

I have never read his books and don't plan to read the new one either. 

But I have read about him. So I thought it'd be an interesting interview. 

I guess it was. but he rubs me the wrong way.  I don't quite know what it is about him. Smugness, arrogance?  But I do feel bad for him being hurt. 

No one should have deserved that.

It's going to be a balmy 90 degrees today so I am staying indoors.

I guess I will have to wash my cabinet doors. I've been putting it off long enough. Sure you don't need me for something?? 😂

Saturday/Sunday

Did anyone see Saturday's SNL?

The opening skit was a hoot to us.

Kate McKinnon's crazy character was back.

We don't normally watch much SNL anymore.

But we recorded it because when Ryan Gosling is on it's always funny, just from him breaking up laughing in every scene he is in.

We never watched Bevis and Butthead because we were adults when it came out. But we knew enough about them to understand the skit that made everyone in the scene break.

It's going to be a hot week, 80s to 90. Then it will be back to normal the following week. So A/C this next week and then thankfully next week we can open our windows again.

Crazy year of weather.

Notice how I am not doing a deep dive into discussing my fear of the beginnings of WWIII?  (just a short one)

It's freakin' me out and don't tell me it's nothing to worry about. 

The crazy Iran and the crazy Israel? Iran telling us they will leave us alone if we leave them alone. HA. That ship has sailed as we are helping Israel. 

Are your bunkers ready?

It's Sunday and I'm heading out to pull weeds for as long as my back can take it. 

Enjoy your Sunday blogger friends.

Well That's Over

I hope you all enjoyed your eclipse events this past week.

I spoke to some folks up in Erie PA, my hometown. I heard how they were told to stay off the streets etc. They were expecting so many people to arrive in the city for the eclipse. More than their population. I don't know if that came to fruition but listening to my mom made me chuckle.

My mother was in a tizzy about all the 'rich' folks flying private planes into Erie which has a very small airport. Apparently, this was a big issue on the news and in the paper if my mother knew about it. Where to put the planes. LOL

It was an economic boom for the town, one which needed that. 

The best-kept secret of Erie is Presque Isle and 23,000 people visited it.

That alone will bring people back. It's a beautiful setting of beaches and trails etc. My favorite place to go when I go home.

Nothing happened around these parts. It was overcast and I think North Carolina was just too far. But from what I hear everyone enjoyed it.

Seeing Lester Holt on TV cry along with a few other news people around the county was interesting to me. Yes, I did watch it on TV.  I came inside to sit a spell which I have to do after standing or walking for a bit. I was power washing the deck. I thought I'll come in to watch Kelly Clarkson and this was on everywhere. I had forgotten.

I will receive my 3rd and final spinal injection Tuesday. 

I have had two at L4/5. They helped almost 50% I guess. 

This next one on Tuesday will be at L1. The surgeon does not believe I need surgery...yet. I hope this works. I am exhausted from the pain. I do a little bit and then must sit down to alleviate the pain. Spinal Stenosis is a bitch. Weird that sitting is the only thing that gives me relief, but for the love of God how much can I sit? 

I am done with prednisone as of Friday so hopefully, the swelling and the weight can begin to go down. 

Before Prednisone -Please disregard my unpedicured feet.

After Prednisone. 

This is 3 days apart. 

My whole body is like this when I take that damn drug.

Nothing fits and it feels just damn awful. 

It will take about a week or two to go away. 

Sadly not all of the weight will just go away according to doctors.

If it comes on without me eating then why not just go away when it's out of my system? Doc says to me, "that would be nice, you'll have to work at it"

I gained 28lbs with the prednisone and chemo with my immunotherapy for my eye. I lost 32. Now here we go again damn it!!

I sat in a booth Tuesday night for dinner with my cousin and Rick. 

I was not comfortable. I couldn't wait to leave. I was not drinking so I could drive and boy a drink may have helped my pain. I came home. Off with the bra, I got in Rick's ugly chair and finally, I had some relief. Whew. 

It's funny to me that there are only 2 chairs where I feel better, The Ugly Chair and my desk chair. I don't know what it is about them but they give me relief. 

Fingers crossed this is over soon because this swelling makes it difficult to find something to wear. Including shoes. I really hate to be seen like this as well, but nothing I can do about it. 

Here are some Friday Eve memes I found funny this week.

                   

The '70s

I have noticed that 70s fashion is back. 

But my rule has always been if you wore it the first time you're too old to wear it the 2nd time.  So no bellbottoms for me.

I watch singing shows, American Idol,  & The Voice. 

The wardrobes on these kids are things I wore in high school most of the time. 

I get a kick out of it.  The music they sing is also music from long ago. 

Last night so many of the songs were from my era.

I find that interesting. Do you think Rock 'N Roll could come back?  

Oh, I would love that.

A fashion trend I saw on Idol, The Voice, Instagram, etc was men in Painter Pants. That is big-time 70s.

I recall my high school boyfriend going to the Army Surplus store and buying his. Last night on Idol a young man wore them. 

I got a kick out of this for some reason. I asked Rick if he wore them in high school and he said no, only as an adult while working with paint. No shit Sherlock.

There is another trend I have seen lately that makes me laugh.

It's men in belly shirts. No, this is not a good look. We saw it again last evening on television and Rick said he might have to try it because he has a belly.

I laughed and told him that is not what it means to wear a belly shirt. 

He laughs and asks, "Are you certain about that?" 

Yes, I am most certain. 

 

So what does my crazy hubby do?  Much later in the evening when he went to the bathroom he came out with one of his shirts folded up and like a belly shirt.

He proclaimed  - Look I have a belly so I should wear a belly shirt right?

Oh no, no you shouldn't babe, it's not a good look on you. 

But as is the case, he made me laugh!

Speaking of ole Rick.

He is now a gym rat. Who is this man?

Since his stroke, he can smell like a canine, hear like I don't know what and he has premonitions (if that is the word for it) all the time which come to fruition. 

My sister was to have surgery and he said one morning, she would have complications and it wouldn't be good. Great I needed to hear that.

Sure enough, she is back in the hospital, with severe complications and it's not good. I'm frightened to ask him for more details to be honest with you.

He no longer likes the same foods. This one kills me. Everything he loved to eat is not something he would want these days. Cooking has become a difficult chore now for me. Who is this man I live with?  His favorite was Five Guys. I was driving by one the other day around dinner time and thought I'd bring him home his favorite from Five Guys. He ate it but said, "To think I really loved this before.  It's okay."  WHAT?  

Cheeseburgers and pizza used to be his foods of choice.

He also likes sweets which he never did before. 

I was the gal who would prefer to forego dinner and just go with the dessert. I do that often which he used to find funny.  Now he likes a bit of chocolate after a meal or a snack. 

Used to be potato chips now it's cake, cookies, and the like.

Again I don't know this man I have lived with for 34 years.  

It's disconcerting.

Rick has never been a self-motivated man when it comes to chores or exercise. 

He is a driven man when it comes to work and the things he loves. 

Very motivated with those things.

Going to the gym?  Not so much.

He would start out gangbusters and lose interest in a month. (a month is generous) 

Now he wants to go to the gym every day.

It's weird blogger friends. 

I love that he likes the gym now. I honestly do. After rehab, we knew he had to continue to get his strength back so we both thought joining the Y would be the thing to do.  He had a trainer for 2 days to give him things to work on after a stroke. To guide him to what machines would help him in the areas he really needed help in.  But now he does this on his own.

It is helping him big time. 

I see his strength building in his legs and his left arm. 

I see the difference. I love that he feels it and is loving the outcome which makes him want to go all the more. It really is nice to see. But as I said to my mother the other day, it's weird to be with someone for 37 years and then have him do a 180 change. She reminded me that this wasn't the worst thing that could have happened.

Oh, I know that I'm just saying it's odd, interesting, and yet fun to watch.

A cousin of mine is in town for work. Actually my cousin's daughter. 

She asked to see us. We are meeting her for dinner in north Raleigh where she is staying. Yesterday we looked at the menu of the restaurant where we are meeting her. Rick saw on the menu flourless chocolate cake and said, "Ooh look flourless chocolate cake"  

Who is this man? 

Normally he'd say, "Oooh look at that rack of ribs."  

We shall see what he gets.

Well, at least he did the work for me. Guess who is having flourless chocolate cake for dinner? I'm certain from the looks of the menu there is nothing I can eat as a celiac. So I am fine with a glass of red wine and cake. That's a damn good dinner to me!

Shower Gifts

In the 70s for my first marriage, I had a couple of wedding showers given to me by his family, and mine

I still use a great many of these items. 

Everything from my 1st marriage is broken and/or dying. 

Everything newer that I purchased is as well. Everything!

(Including me)

Never had one for this marriage.

Is it wrong to have a wedding shower after 30 years of marriage?🤣

Buffaloe

In my hometown, there was a street/road called Buffalo Road.

It was a major thoroughfare on the east side of this town.

Everyone knew Buffalo Road.

The other day we took a different way to the gym.  A shortcut.

We were to turn on Buffaloe Road per maps.

Rick and I thought it was just misspelled on Google Maps until we saw the road sign. No, they spell it here with an E.

Now I have shared the funny names of the roads around here that make us giggle but Buffalo with an E?

So I asked a woman how you pronounce this road name. 

She looked at me as if I had a third eye and with pity. 

She said this slowly like I may not be able to comprehend this, "Buffalo," like the city. 

I nodded, said nothing about the spelling, and let her think I was an imbecile.

I turned to Rick and said, "It's pronounced Buffalo but they have just added an E.  Now, in their defense, we came home and googled this and saw that there were spellings of Buffalo as this Buffaloe so they are not wrong. 

Bad Margaret and Rick for making fun. We are the imbeciles.

Yesterday I asked Rick how I would get to a place and he told me to take 50 to Buffaloey.  I laughed and said, "So that is its permanent name now?"  

He said absolutely.  

So being the snarky Yankees we are, we have changed the name to 

Buffalo-ey.  We say the E.