From This Old Broad.

It's official, November 10th I became an old broad.  Old like velcro sneakers old.

Damn.

My surgery for my knee is a month away. I am dealing pretty well most days.

I work from home and look pretty schleepy most days. So when I have somewhere to go I get excited. Working from home, walking the dog and going back to the office is not a fun day for me. Then in the evenings I am home with hubby. While I love the old coot, I'm still home. 

I went from traveling every week, several days a week for 20+ years to a screeching halt and stay home 24/7. I hate it. I have adapted in a lazy way.
Less makeup, less nice clothing, less, less, less. Izzy doesn't mind that I am wearing sketcher go-walks and a sweatshirt and leggings. But it does get to me and dressing up to sit at my desk just seems silly. But I did it the other day and Rick came into the office and asked where the hell I was going. Oh, not good.

I was going nowhere but wanted to look nice okay?

Yesterday I wore a pair of booties that had a thick chunky heel. Not my favorite but I didn't think my knee could withstand any other type of heels. Now being a short gal I don't own a lot of shoes without a heel except my sketcher collection. But I was going out and about in public and damn it I was wearing something that could be construed as shoes that look nice. (eh, but better than a sneaker)

By the time I got home my knee had a pulse of its own. I changed into a flannel shirt, leggings and a pair of big fluffy slippers. I downed 1/2 a pain pill.
It was dinner time now and Rick made a wonderful meal. I did not tell him I was hurting so badly because I just knew he would start bitching about me doing this. I said nothing except how damn good dinner was. 

Later in the evening, he took the dog for a quick walk and I needed to go upstairs. I limped to the stairs and then went up on my fanny. He came back as I was near the top. He said, "What the hell are you doing sitting up there?"  Before I could answer he said, "you're hurting now aren't you because of vanity?"  I said, "NO, not vanity but style."  I stood up and limped the rest of the way to my room.  Of course, he had to come follow me like he was my father.

He actually said to me, "do I have to tell you what you did was wrong?" 

Gee no Dad, you don't so put that pointy finger you're shaking at me away.

So what did I do? Repeat a story about him acting stupid. Touché

That shut him up...for a minute.

But he was right and I hate when that happens. I am so in pain today it is crazy. I can't take pain relievers and work or I'd just tell everyone to go to hell. It will be quiet in the office though because it is a federal holiday and it is always quiet for me, not the guys when people don't work. That helps I suppose.

I refuse to give up heels entirely. But ones like these that I have offered to my niece who wears the same size can no longer be in my life. Even after surgery.
I know this mentally, my heart is having a hard time. I love shoes. Shoes are easy to buy. Shoes are fun. Shoes can make an outfit or screw it up. I have had a love affair with shoes since I was playing with Barbie and her shoes.

I love these shoes.  But they are now my sitting down shoes.

So heels okay, but not stilettos. 

I fear my next stop is velcro sneakers and a cane while I do my mall walking. 

No, it's not gonna happen people, never. Mall walking or velcro sneakers. 

They have these wonderful things called Hickies. No, not a bite on your neck but things to replace your shoelaces. I LOVE THEM. Then all your shoes become slip ons. For those who wear velcro due to arthritis, these are even better because they make your shoes slip on shoes. No pesky velcro to grab and pull. Even better if you ask me. And your sneakers don't look like orthopedic shoes.
No, I don't get anything for talking about them I just love them. I have white and colors. I have changed all my sneakers that did not have bungee cords for laces to these puppies. Hey, better than velcro. Just slip on your shoes, because I am now old AND lazy. Not a great combo but it is what it is.
www.hickies.com - check 'em out.  In the meantime, I will be in mourning not only for my Country but my beautiful shoe collection that must leave me.

Yep.

Commericals Come to a Halt.

Don't you wish that on election day the commercials would just cease?
Come to a screeching halt would be a dream.
We all have to endure these damn commercials for another 24 hrs.

Izzy, Rick, and I went to the location to cast our votes very early this morning.
I mean, we're all up, might as well go over the school to vote. Right in our development so there is no damn excuse.
You see my dog is on Eastern Daylight Time while the rest of us have moved on to Eastern Standard Time. So at 4:30 she was up and at 'em.
Apparently, it takes more than a couple of days for her body clock and bowels to catch up to the real time. It drives us bonkers each and every year.
BTW, Grammarly insists that bowels is not the word I want in that sentence.
So Grammarly, bug off, it is the word needed in that sentence. 

There were lots of dogs and people this morning. One asked me about a woman who is running in our area. I wouldn't vote for her if it meant I'd be granted a check for millions of dollars, sure I'd be tempted, but even I have my morals. She's a sick and twisted female with a stick up her butt and her lips don't move when she talks. Those are the nice things I can say about her. This morning a young man walked up to me and presented me with something about her and I politely said, 'no thank you'.  He then asked loudly, "Aren't you voting for XYZ?"
I said in what my hubby calls my June Cleaver tone, "Oh heaven's no, I have a brain but thank you for asking anyway."  Apparently, it was too polite for my husband the others around because they all began to laugh. I didn't think it was funny. I didn't get what was funny at all. I didn't want to insult him, but I didn't want his propaganda either. No reason to be mean. But apparently to all others that was very funny.

When we got inside I said, "why did you laugh?" The guy behind Rick said you were just so damn nice that I think your words and tone shocked him. The tone was sweet but your words were telling him the opposite.  Then he shook my hand and told me it was priceless. I was gob smacked. I had no idea what the hell the big deal was and still don't quite frankly but if that made them happy okay.

I saw Dr. Tall, Tan and Gorgeous yesterday. I have to have surgery on my knee.
Torn Meniscus. Apparently, it is outpatient surgery now. Two little holes on either side of my knee cap and they go in with that camera and sew up and then clean up a few other issues. Arthritis in my knee they can't do anything about. But the major pain I've been dealing with is going to go away and I can wear heels again. Since I limp a bit, walking in heels is a bitch so it's all flat shoes which I don't have a ton of. All my pretty boots I'd wear this time of year are heels so at least I'll have pretty shoe choices again.

I will have 3-4 weeks of PT and that's that. He said I may need crutches the first day but they want me walking immediately. Steps as well. He said most don't even use the crutches. I always thought this was a bad surgery but he made it sound like a piece of cake. Or I just now have a false sense of security.

This morning I needed something upstairs and just did without. At one point Rick said where are your socks? I said on the bed. I got them out and struggled to get it on my left foot and then said to hell with it. He said, "go get 'em  and I'll help you." I said No,that's okay.  I just didn't want to climb the stairs again. I also didn't want to tell him to go climb the stairs either. He figured it out as I poured another cup of coffee and he fetched my socks. He even put them on me after he blew inside of them and made them warm. Ooh, it was nice. He's a good man. I'll keep him.

Feeling good and fiesty

I'm feeling better by 50% and that's always a good thing isn't it?
Better than feeling worse by 50%.

Some updates shall we?

***After a few games of backgammon yesterday my hubby informed me that he only plays this game with me to make me feel good about myself.
The sore loser. (should have told him that's why I sleep with him too!)

***Friday afternoon Rick went to get his hair cut. As I have mentioned here in the blog, he is having surgery in December for a hernia. After getting a haircut they were talking about the schedule for next appt.at the front desk. He mentions surgery. The cute young thing says, "oh I hope it's nothing major. He says, "well just having my ear removed" she is now looking at both his ears, back and forth. He continues, "can't really tell which one can you?" This poor thing. I have been that naive young thing with him long ago. How he doesn't laugh makes me laugh. Only when his hairdresser came up and heard this conversation and began to laugh did this poor thing, who has such empathy on her face, realizes this old coot is fucking with her. How does he not feel badly about this? I think there is a special place in hell for him.



***After the new carpet and remodeling of our 2nd floor I asked Rick if he would mind moving this (ugly) chair of his to his walk in closet.  (chair has sentimental value to him)  My theory was that it was a mere foot away and since there is so much room in that big ole closet he could throw his clothes on the chair inside the closet, leaving the room neater looking. He actually said, "hey that's a great idea". To be followed by this below.
EXACTLY where the chair was. How can you not laugh at him?

I go see my ortho, Dr. Tall, Tan and Gorgeous this afternoon regarding the MRI just done on my knee. I asked Rick to come with me, sometimes I don't hear what Dr. Tall, Tan and Gorgeous says right away. He has perfect teeth too. Just sayin' I see him, not always hear him. Kind of like how Rick is with cleavage.

Sick of It

A great many things happen when you have celiac disease.
All are off the charts awful.
But the one that really gets me is my issue with magnesium.

The disease makes it so that ones body can not absorb nutrients.
Due to this, I must take a lot of different supplements daily.
I take a boat load of magnesium. And at least once a year it rears its head to remind me I'm not well.  How can I be going along fine and then one day a serious wack on the head to remind you that you are never in the clear? Ah, that is the 64,000 dollar questions my friend.
No one has an answer this.  I hate this disease.

It started on Saturday when his sisters were here. I got that twinge in my back. I knew this was my muscles cramping/seizing. I came home and downed a few more magnesium (an additional 800mg) 
Then Sunday I was in all out pain.  
You see you can take magnesium and spray magnesium oil all over  your damn self until you get the runs. That's right, then you know you've had too much magnesium. Fun little way to find out isn't it?  And I don't mean like you better run to the bathroom, more like I hope you make it to the bathroom.  Or as I like to say, I'm moving into the bathroom until this is over.  Something like this will happen.

You see it happens to me like this. I begin to feel like I am slowly turning into a statue. My hips up to my head are so hard and sore and I can't move. breathing is difficult. If you touch me it will hurt so badly I normally scream in pain. I try not to...but it's difficult. Like when Izzy's tail was wacking me like the wack a mole game.

It's never been as bad as this last case. I can't hold my head up, my neck is so stiff and my head felt like it was going to explode, it has a heartbeat of its own. But the body was just as bad. I can't move easily, well hell what statue can move easily?  It is just so fucking painful. There. 
That is the only way to say it.

I would rather have back surgery, shoulder surgery, anything other than this.
The pain is off the charts and there seems to be nothing one can do.
Normally if I up my magnesium until I get the runs, then I quit at the dose before that happened. But I wasn't going to the bathroom. So I kept upping the dosage until I was taking just over 2200 mg.
NOTHING was changing. In the past, I have gotten an IV of magnesium which was so beneficial. This time my doctor was out of town. So I couldn't get it. Every other time I have fixed this in 3 days. But not this time.
6 days and counting of this kind of pain. You can't sleep, You can't move, You can't eat.

Even in this state, I made Zuppa Tuscano for Rick.
I was propped up in his chair and he insisted I eat a cup of this soup.
I was hungry but I really didn't think this was going to go down well.
Sure enough, it went down and then came back up. I had good aim, right back into my big cup and by then Rick had grabbed the wastebasket for me to finish out.

Now I have never had a fever or vomited with this. So Rick kept saying let's go to the ER. This could be something else. Jeez, they really have begun to know me there, haven't they? I really didn't want to go - to move.
I feel like I should get the special room now.  Clear the fancy room, Peg's here. Maybe they will name a room after me - Pain in the Ass Peg's room. 

I went on Wednesday very late afternoon.
I hadn't eaten since the soup 24 hrs before. I was so hungry but so nauseous I just didn't want to chance it. Besides, I was in too much pain to eat. Hard to believe but I was.

So here I am all hunched over, unable to lift my head and I shuffle. God, I'm a catch. They get me inside and give me an IV of pain meds and muscle relaxers. It made me feel a little bit better but not great. They sent me home. Because at this point in time my magnesium was reading 2.5 which is right where you want it to be.  So take over 5K of magnesium in 2 days got me normal. But I'm still rock hard and in pain. Today I am on a scale of 1-10, 10 being most painful, I'm an 8.
I was a 15. So 8 is good. I long for 0.

They gave me a muscle relaxer that I can only take at bedtime, which I no longer have, bedtime that is, I can't sleep at all. I can't work with a muscle relaxer or the man who we told we couldn't do his job would get an earful from me. 
(he writes to me daily & he won't be ignored. The shithead really scares me)

I think every twit who says they are giving up gluten should have the real disease and see how fun it and then let every celiac bitch slap them and make them eat gluten and stop their whining. This disease it not about bread. I met a twit at the hospital when asked why I was there my husband said, "celiac issues" She was all bubbly and said, "Hey I don't eat gluten either." I said, "oh really, do you ever have soy sauce, or licorice or mikes hard lemonade?" She said, " Oh I love soy sauce just had Chinese the other night. I said, "well those things are all gluten. So stop saying you don't eat gluten, say you don't eat bread and stop jumping on a disease bandwagon." Yea, I'm mean as a snake when I'm sick.

Down for the count

You know what happens when Rick is sick?

Peg does everything.

Do you know what happens when Peg is sick?

Peg does everything.

I'll see ya'll in a few days.

Great Weekend

Julie, I didn't kill anyone. Julie wrote me and asked if I was missing because I hurt someone this weekend. That made me crack up. Thank you Julie.

Seriously it was a long busy weekend and today was super busy at work.

Okay here is what transpired.
Thursday night his two sisters arrived. In this photo, that is Cheri on your right as you look at this and Erin on your left.

Oh my God, this misanthropic wench loved them from the get-go.

I am so glad. The one on the right who has Rick's eyes is his blood sister.

The other sister has the same mom as Cheri and Rick and Cheri's father adopted her at age 2 when Bond (father) and their mom married. So it's still his sister.

It's the only father she knew, grew up with it being one big happy family.

Erin was a firecracker. Oh, she was sarcastic and funny as hell. 

Something was said and Erin goes, What the hell did you find him on Craigs list Cheri and not really Ancestry.com?

Erin was more me, a toasted marshmallow. 

Cheri is more like Rick, funny, but a big ole softy and kind who loves all animals and has a slew of them. She is even raising a sister in-laws troubled children. She really is a woman with a big heart. I loved them both after just mere minutes.

Something was said over dinner and Rick said, "Oh I was hoping to meet you to harvest organs." I about died. They don't know that is rick's humor yet. The look on Cheri's face was priceless but I said, "Dear Lord Richard this is not something you say to your new siblings." Of course, I say he is joking and he says, No I'm not, is there ever a good time to ask Margaret?  Ass.

We had a full packed two days. Thursday night was dinner, champagne, talks etc. Friday was our tour of the capitol.

I think I told you all that I called our senators office and got a private tour.

Oh, boy was this tour great. The young girl in Senator Warner's office was so cute and shy. Rebecca of Sunnybrook farms comes to mind. As we were walking a capitol policeman said to Grace, our tour guide, that he was off duty now,  did Grace want to go "here" and "here" and she said if you can get us there sure!  So we went places that even Grace can't go or see and he was so knowledgeable. We were blown away by this man. We also told Grace when he left that he was so smitten with her and we were thankful for that because he was trying to impress Grace and we got the rewards from that. Her face turned all red and she looked down. Rick put his arm around her and said, "don't be embarrassed, he sure seemed to be a nice man"

She just giggled. It was cute.

One thing we saw since the last time we were there were the seats. They were red and blue seats when we last visited. That has changed. They are all now tan leather seats which are made from kevlar. I imagined it like an airplane seat where you take the bottom one as a flotation device. Same here only to protect you from bullets. There are also small cubicles under the seats that house a gas mask if needed. Never saw those things on our tour in 2000. We went places that were so cool and learned a great deal. Most places wouldn't allow cameras. I was so busy listening and looking that I wasn't taking photos like I should have. My new sister in law took hundreds so as soon as I sort through what she sent me I will pass 'em on.

We had a great lunch in DC then headed back to Virginia. We got on the wrong train. That made the sisters laugh. Thank Goodness. I just had told them that Rick was directionally impaired. He insisted we take the train even though we 3 thought he was wrong. He kept saying, two of you are from California what do you know? HAH, more than you obviously.

That night we came home to dinner here and just hung out.

Saturday we went to Mt Vernon. For those who don't know that is George Washingtons home on the Potomac river. I've done this before but it was fun to do again. They loved it. 

That night we went out to dinner and laughed a lot. 

When we got home we watched videos of his family from the time his dad was a kid to when he was a dad taking the videos. It is amazing how much he looks like his father and siblings. There were baby pictures of his siblings and if you took Rick's baby picture (and we did) and put them next there photos you would be hard pressed to figure out who was who. I don't look that much like my own family as he does his birth family. We'd be doing things and they would say in unison, Oh my God dad did that.

Or when we were walking the grounds of Mt. Vernon Rick was ahead of us and they both said, "look at his hands, he walks and holds them back like Dad did"

Stuff like that. There were a few tears but mostly a lot of laughing.

I told them I was so worried about meeting them and what if they were awful how would I pick Rick up again. Like I had to after he met his birth mother.

They told me they were saying the same thing.

All in all, it was a lovely weekend. They were wonderful. Beautiful inside and out, just lovely people. Rick annoyed the shit out of them and did big brother things and they immediately would hit him and it just never felt like we had known them forever. Which is odd if you think about it.

They have asked us to come west for a visit and we hope to be able to in spring.

One of the sisters is a multi-millionaire. We only know this because Cheri told us when Erin left the room. At one point she was a billionaire. But I heard the ugly story from her sister of the divorce and the loss of the business she started. 

So we named ourselves her poor family. :-)

When I sort through the photos I will share.

I just don't have a lot of time today or tomorrow.

I have to find out what they found on my MRI tomorrow.

I just felt I had to hop on here because Julie assumed I was in jail for killing someone. And she could have been right, but not this weekend....tee hee

Busy Busy Busy

I'm off to deal with Rick's unknown family who are arriving in 2 days.

Lots of cooking and baking must be done.

It should be a lot of blog fodder though, right?

In the meantime, this is how my month is going.

Neighborhood

We have a great neighbor who is dealing with cancer. Our neighbor is a nice man that we like so we have been helping them as much as we can while he has been in the hospital. Food, dog walking, dog sitting, more food and general things around their house that they need Rick to do.

He is young, about to be 55 this year.
His wife just retired and he still works in gov't.
He is Air Force. I don't know his title but to me, he is a meeting planner.
He arranges these great events/parties/meetings in various fun cities here in the US and abroad. Every time he talks about his job it sounds exactly like an event planner to me only high dignitaries are involved. He goes to Hawaii to show off this and that of the US, Vegas, DC, all around the world even islands. I don't get why this is necessary but I'm sure it is not something I'd want to know because it would make me angry. All of it sounds like a lot of schmoozing and wasting of tax payers dollars to me. But it sure sounds like a fun job from all of his stories.

He jogs in the early morning at 4:30 - 5a and we see him then while walking Izzy at that ungodly hour. Izzy just loves this guy! She grunts and wiggles her butt each time she sees him and will run to him for lovin'. His dog, she doesn't care for. She is jealous of this dog since we have begun to care for her. They have a teeny tiny dog that I have shown you here on the blog. We watch her for them or walk her when they can't get back home in a timely manner since he's been in the hospital. He has been in the hospital since early spring I believe.

The hospital he is in is located in Bethesda Maryland. We live in Virgina.
(Walter Reed hospital)
The miles are not so much as the time it takes with traffic around here.
On a great day with no traffic (when does that happen around here?) it is 1hr 15 minutes but normally it is 2 - 2.5 hrs for them. It is only 33 miles though.
We all assume due to being military he must got to this hospital for care.
 But if I were them I would have left this hospital 7 months ago.

You see at first he went in for a pain he was having while jogging.
They told him he had leukemia.
They started treatment and chemo, then another doctor would say,
No, he has lymphoma.
Everything was halted.
This went on for months - no one knew what he had. What the hell?
But they kept pumping him with chemo all this time. He couldn't eat, felt horrible as one would with all that chemo and there was no protocol or plan in place because they didn't seem to know what he had. (yea, head scratcher)

At this point, I would be getting 2nd and 3rd opinions. Go to Johns Hopkins, to Philly to Sloan Kettering....anywhere but this place.
So they did more chemo. He was losing weight, not feeling any better and they still didn't know what he had. Chemo continued. Then one day out of the blue they told him he was cancer free.
Then they told him he would need a bone marrow transplant. So they took him up to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. The doctors there said he was not cancer free and he didn't have the kind of cancer they were treating him for.
So back to the bad hospital called Walter Reed. They continued doing chemo and nothing else. No experimental drugs, no options give. Again, at this point, I would have my husband out of there and be getting other opinions since he still does not have a diagnosis.

I'm sure their insurance played a big part in this. But I have to say I would take my husband anywhere for answers, deal with the bills later. It's his friggin' life.
His wife has talked to us a great deal about the insurance and I know she is making decisions based on that. That is truly a horrible way to make decisions.

They told him on Wednesday (yesterday) that he still has cancer and to go home and call hospice because he has only 2-6 months left. This morning the doctor came in and said, "No you can't go home you only have a couple of days left."

Does any of this even remotely sound professional or like anyone knows what they are doing?

Once in August during his chemo treatments, they allowed him to go home for the weekend.
We saw him walking with his wife. He and Izzy had a great hug fest.
Then in the evening an ambulance came to their house. We were worried.
We found out the following day from his wife that Walter Reed hospital called and told them that he was having a stroke. His wife said, "he's fine" No, they said to call an ambulance he's having a stroke.  They did call the ambulance and he was not having a stroke. See what I mean about a bad hospital/doctors? Why do that to the family and patient? Honestly, this makes me nuts. I asked Rick if he thought Walter Reed was just a war injury hospital and not good for anything else. He felt they weren't good at the war/vet injury either. Where do they find these doctors?
The people who fight in wars for our country can't get medical care that is at least standard? This is sub-standard, to say the least.

I just wonder if he had gotten good treatment and a diagnosis from day 1 if he would be dying now. I asked one day when Mrs. came over to thank us for all the food and help if she was going to get a 2nd opinion. She said there was no point now because all the doctors at Walter Reed are in agreement. WHAT? So they just picked a disease and gave him that? Oh my goodness, this poor man.

Last night their daughter who lives with them came over to get the dog.
She said that dad was coming home to die. They were all so thankful to have him come home. She talked about her and her mom moving back to Pittsburgh after he passes and things like that. Then she sat and cried. My God it broke my heart.
There are no words I can say to make this go away.

Today the daughter text us to let us know Jeff is not coming home and that they don't expect him to live past this week.

I have a feeling he will last longer and will come home for a short time.
I wonder what they will say he died of since they don't have a diagnosis yet.
He died from being at a very bad hospital. Can that go on the death certificate?
This is so sad on so many levels it breaks my heart.

I know that if this were Rick or even myself I'd be like Shirley Mclaine's character in Terms of Endearment. I would be up everyone's arse to get things moving. If that didn't work, there would be other opinions with other doctors outside this dreadful place. If my insurance didn't cover it - so be it - find me to get the money later.
I would never ever be complacent and not know what he has that is making him die. I would fight for experimental drugs and try for trials, I would be doing everything in my power to fight. But they just keep saying, the doctors know.
But you see they don't know because they do not even know what he has.
So bizarre isn't it? And very very sad.

Working from Home.

Instead of Mexican Music today, I have workers who are shaking my house.
New carpet when you have furniture is difficult, to say the least. Rick and I have been moving furniture into our master bath. The rest we had to put on the 3rd floor. So not only moving but climbing. So much fun. My knees did not appreciate it at all.

Because we can only afford carpet in increments we are doing the stairs and the 2nd floor first.
I'm sure by end of year we'll get the 3rd floor done. But it has to be done by floor because of money. Oh how that sucks, but it is what it is right? Thankfully on 2 floors of carpet - the first floor is hardwoods. But just to do my stairs going to my 2nd floor in hardwoods was over 2k. Yes, that's right $2,000 just for a set of stairs to the 2nd floor. And that was the cost of buying them from lumber liquidations and us doing it. So we opted to replace the carpet with carpet. This is not my forever home so the carpet will do.

But who knew that installing carpet was so noisy. I guess when you are working everything seems louder. But the first 2 hrs they have been here was crazy loud.
I surely don't know what they were pounding but it's been crazy loud and shaky. The whole townhouse was shaking. Rick and I took off the old carpet on the stairs and hallway because he wanted to fix the steps so they didn't squeak each time we walked up or down a step. They were thrilled when they saw that all done. I didn't have the heart to explain that we didn't do that for them but for us to fix the stairs and to paint the baseboards so I didn't get any on new carpets.

How am I keeping my dog from bothering these guys you ask? I took Izzy to doggy day care. I knew this would drive her bonkers and she would be in their way going up and down stairs as she does all day. So this way the men can do their work without my fur baby bothering them.

Only 1 of the 3 men here can speak English. And to say he speaks English is like saying I speak Spanish. We point a lot and they nod a lot but I don't think they know what the hell I'm asking so I gave up. Rick's Spanish is much better than mine so I wish he were here. I just hope this isn't an 8 hr day like my cute little painter friend.  My little Mexican music playing painter was very good looking. Reminding me of one of those telenovelas with the hunky dark men. Short, but cute.

Here is the mess outside my office right now. I was talking to a customer as they were removing the door to my laundry room - he just took the door off with the ironing board right on it. See why Izzy couldn't be here? It would drive her nuts to not be there seeing what they are doing. All I can see is that he took my draperies and flung 'em over the rod. I just had them pressed too. (let it go, Margaret, let it go...breath you anal retentive nut job)

__________________
I have to admit I am sweating this MRI on Friday. I don't do MRI's well. Very claustrophobic. Last time I had to have one I was sedated. This time, they told me to listen to music. WTF?
To me that is like telling a person who is terrified of heights to stand on the ledge on the 39th floor and don't look down, just listen to music, it won't bother you. Honestly!
___________________

And lastly, I have to share this story about a woman I had to deal with yesterday. She called to ask about her double bowl vanity in her daughter's bedroom.
She kept saying the sinks and vanity together so I assumed it was one thing but to be sure had to ask her questions.
I asked what this vanity was, ex: granite, Formica, or cultured marble? The so-called 'cultured marble' that is put in every house around here is so very common.  She didn't know. Then I asked if the sinks were under mount or drop in. She said she didn't know and how could she tell. I went over this with her slowly. She said she still didn't know. Then I asked, Are the counters and sinks all one piece? Is it the cultured marble I spoke of earlier where the sink and counters are all one? (contractor grade product that is really just plaster)

Whoa! Then she got testy with me, "This is over 2 million dollar home it wouldn't be that fake cultured marble."  She said this as though I insulted her because I asked her if it was cultured marble sink and counters being one piece. I asked because I can't give a quote for something that we don't know what it is.
I told her since I wasn't certain what this was and she couldn't take a photo (she didn't know how) we could send Rick out there tomorrow because he will be in that area. She had to tell me again about her GREAT town of 2 million plus homes. I wanted to scream, I know lady, I live around here. I get you, you have a McMansion and money living in Great Falls. You classless twit.

I told Rick about her and how I assumed it was the contractor grade 'cultured marble' double bowl vanities. I said to him, do not say that to her she flipped out when I told her it was cultured marble.  He just shook his head and laughed.

Rick went this morning to see this woman and give an estimate for her 2 million dollar home's vanity.
He just called to tell me it indeed was that cheap cultured marble (but he only told her it was cultured marble leaving out the word cheap) 
She said, "Oh why would they put this cheap stuff in a 2 million dollar home?" Rick said he explained it to her and again, she said, "but it's a 2 million dollar home!" Rick said he almost asked, "How much was your home?" I would have laughed at that. My God why do people have to say that?
Even if my house was 2+ million do you think I'd walk around telling people that?  Everyone can see that. People are just weird man.

My Head is going to Explode

I have been listening to Mexican music since 8am this morning.

My office is a loft so I can hear everything on the 1st floor where Caser is painting.  

This is like Chinese Water Torture, only it's Mexican Music Torture.

I could scream. Rick just walked into my office doing some sort of dance like he has maracas in his hand. He's laughing because he just got home.

I have had to endure this for the last 8 hours.

Is he done yet?

Phones and Paint

I have had phone issues all week.
Here are a couple of examples.

When I came in yesterday morning I saw the light blinking on my phone telling me I had voicemails. (landline) I dialed my phone voicemail number and instead of it connecting me to my voicemail to get my messages it dialed a customer.
When someone answered and it wasn't my automated voicemail I was shocked.
But here is the weird part.....it was someone that did leave me a voicemail at 8:30p the night before.
This woman must have thought I was a nut job. She said she left me a message but I hadn't even listened to them yet. How could I have called her? Weird isn't it?

Then this morning I called a customer back. I can see the number on my phone that I am dialing.  The number that I dialed was correct. It connected me to someone else. A former customer from the summer. What the hell is going on?

All so very weird isn't it? I would have thought I dialed incorrectly so I looked at what was on the phone screen and I see I dialed correctly so how the hell did I get a customer from months ago?  I felt like a fool trying to explain why I called them. Ah, thank God it's Friday.
__________________________________________

I have now painted the 3rd floor - every room, door and trim.
I have painted the 2nd floor - every room, door and trim.
The 2nd floor staircase leading there, the hall and my office is gray.
The gray looks good in different light. Sometimes it takes on a blue hue which I neither want or like.
I am so frustrated but not buying new paint or doing it over again. I just can't.
Here is the hall  - don't judge. Yes, that is a ladder. Yes, that is a long handle for painting the walls and yes, the new carpet won't be here until Tuesday.
But it looks gray here - especially as you can see the blue that goes up to the 3rd floor.

Now this is the open office on the other end of hall.
Same color - but next to the draperies it looks blue.

I wanted to cry. Rick looked at me and said, You want to do this over again, don't you? Honestly, I do, but I just can't right now. I am exhausted and over it. I also am not looking to buy new drapes either. Screw it all. I'm so tired of this remodel. This better sell this house quickly next year!! We so want to move to one floor. We old folks are tired of the stairs and the damn dog won't fetch our stuff for us. I asked her to get my glasses last night and she just tilted her head. She is no Lassie. Lassie would fetch my glasses from the well for Jimmy or me.

So we have the 1st floor left to paint. Not all of it. I am keeping the dining room and powder room the same as they are now. And not the trim until we have the ceiling fixed. But the open kitchen / great room area is being painted.  But I am out of gas. I remembered a young man who gave me his card when I was walking the dog this summer. He was painting my neighbors home and I asked for his card. I decided to ask him for an estimate. Rick kept saying they will charge $1000's. I said then we can't do it, but lets at least ask.
He did such nice work for Kathy that I would like to just see what he says. We already have the paint and got it for less with your discount. This way it will be completed when your sisters arrive and I won't have to stress about getting this done.

He came this morning at the time he told me he'd be here. Imagine that.
I saw him outside my office window sitting in his vehicle because he was early.
I went downstairs and opened the front door and waved him in. He was so nice and he is doing the whole thing for only $400. I have 12 ft ceilings and a big kitchen / living area. I was blown away at his price. I would normally think his work was bad because it was so low but I've seen his work in 2 neighbors homes, so I am hiring him.
It kills Rick when he knows he and I can do it. Rick will have to deal with paying someone. Rick never does anything but the high parts I am iffy to get. I will not hang over the 2nd floor with the ladder in such a way that we could fall. And being short it is so difficult for me. So I made him do the open areas where he could plummet to his death. I have great insurance on him so if he falls, we're covered. ...tee hee
He taught me how to paint and damn it I'm good at it so I do it all. I think that was his plan all along the damn sneaky bastard!

And I leave you with this message -

Dog Commericals

The other day while in the grocery store I found myself humming to the music that was playing. As I am walking down the aisle I began to sing the next song and I realized something. I am so old that I am digging the music being played in my grocery store.

That evening while watching some television a song comes on for a Toyota commercial and I started singing the words and dancing around making Rick laugh. The women in the commercial singing this song are not old enough to even know this song but I loved it. It was recorded in 1963, Leslie Gore, You don't Own Me.
I was only 7 when it was a hit so I don't know why I know it so well or why I know all the words and can belt it out. But I do.

Moral of the story is you're damn old when all the commercials, elevator music, and the grocery store is playing music that you grew up with. Although my favorite rock song is Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC and so far it hasn't been turned into Muzak just yet.

And speaking of commercials, I just adore these Subaru commercials with the damn cutest dogs.
If you haven't seen them, check out a couple of these. The puppy going to sleep is so damn cute it makes me want another puppy.

Facilities or Faculties.

After the Aetna woman left and our day was over we were lying in bed and Rick was telling me about some of the questions she was asking when I wasn't in the room. She went from why do you take XYZ, what ailment is this for, do you know what the supplement does for you? Who is the president?

She rattled it off just in the middle of medication and without missing a beat Rick said when asked who the president was, "Kennedy". That made our Aetna twit put her pencil down and stare at Rick.   I was now inside the house after taking Izzy out and I hear her say, "Rick could you answer that again?"  He said, "Kennedy, is that wrong?"  Then he laughed. He said, of course, I know the president. it's Barack Obama. She said, "I don't find that funny"
Rick replied, "I'm not enjoying your visit either." And then she went on with more questions with something dropped into the middle of the medical questions about life on earth as though he has Alzheimers.

As we laid in bed I asked about her line of questioning Rick said, "I guess she was trying to see if I had my facilities."  I burst out laughing and said, "I guess you don't."  Not realizing what he had said he asked why the hell I was laughing so hard. I repeated, "to see if I had my facilities? Do you have some warehouses somewhere I don't know about?  I think you meant to say 'your faculties, and babe, now I'm worried that you don't have them!"  I couldn't stop laughing. That just finished up this crazy evening. We are now both laughing so hard at his mistake that I can't breathe. That makes the dog jump on the bed to see what all the laughter is about. She acts like she is missing out on something.
I rubbed her ears and told her that Daddy doesn't have his facilities, Izzy.
I swear she laughed too.

Good and Bad

I'm going to start today with something positive because I have been quite cranky lately. I apologize.

This was left this morning on Square. Square, for those that don't know, is how we process our credit card transactions in the field. It's a little square disc that fits on your phone or tablet and you can swipe credit cards and give them a receipt right there at their home. It is so far superior to anything the bank offers as well as saving us on average $500-700 in bank fees monthly. That in and of itself is a good reason to acquire this free gizmo. No monthly fees, no range of transaction fees. One rate, all cards. Perfection. The man who invented twitter invented this as well.

What we don't like about the reviews on Square is that they don't go anywhere. No one sees them other than Rick or myself. Where if she put this on Yelp it would have been more helpful.

Here is her review of a job that was done on Monday morning.

Today, 7:26 am

Customer Service, Other, Quality, Thoroughness

The absolute best customer service we received throughout our lengthy home renovation project. Kudos to Peggy for her responsiveness to emails and great phone etiquette. My husband also reported great things about her colleague who did the actual refinishing.

Gary was the "colleague" that did the bathroom for them. See? They think I just work here and am not the owner and that is just perfect to me.
________________________

The witch from Aetna showed up 1 hr and 15 minutes late with no phone call.
She lectured Rick to the point that he actually said to her to back off. He needs to exercise more, he needs to eat more this or that. He would say, I can't as your records must show I can't have fish or red meat that often.  I really thought he was going to smack her. I could see him getting angrier and angrier. At one point she said something about his supplements and I said, "We were told you were here for an update on his meds, etc. You have that info now.  We all know you have that information in your files as well so let's get to the real point you are here.  Are you here to lecture? Are you here to advise us on something our doctor isn't? Because if that is the case, I would just ask you to leave because we don't need or want this treatment or service."
Now, ya'll don't know me well. I say things in my blog to vent here that I would NEVER normally say out loud to others, but I did right there. It felt damn good. This tall drink of water was a bitch with a capital B. She was condescending and a twit of about 30 yrs old. Her lecturing Rick didn't sit well with either of us. Perhaps we would have taken it better had she not gone on for a damn hour and wasn't so damn sanctimonious as well as condescending. Rick's eyes were the size of saucers after I said that. He looked at this Evelyn woman and said, "Agreed, I think we are done now." She kept saying, "but, but, but"  Rick grabbed her jacket and handed it to her and I opened the front door. She left and we high fived.
I imagine we won't have coverage after that exchange.

So apparently Rick didn't know that he had to exercise more than his physical job, or that he had to lose 20+lbs or that he needed to take his medication the same time every day. Apparently, Rick is a friggin' idiot and should wear a helmet in the house. Honestly, she was a twit who needed to learn how to present. This could have been taken better if she had presented it in a better way. Attacking Rick from the moment she walked in was a stupid decision on her part. Yep, that's the belly she actually patted as she was lecturing him. She patted his belly as soon as she got into the kitchen. Who the hell does that to a stranger?
He grabbed her arm and moved it. She's lucky he was still calm at this point.

When she walked out of our home and we returned to the kitchen he said, "I say I have one of those drinks that she doesn't think I should ever have for the rest of my life. Would you like to join me, Miss?  I laughed and said, "not this late but go for it."
And he did. I think that was my defiant husband doing something he was told not to do just because he can. There is still a 12 yr old in that 61 yr old body. And I love that kid.

Just Bits and Pieces

I'm not dying yet.
Good to know right?

After these fun tests of inside and outside ultrasounds, the results were nothing.
I am having doubling over pain and waking from pain and nausea and nothing is wrong with me. So there ya go. I predicted this, didn't I?
Life goes on. I will learn to deal with this until I can't.

In other news....
We have a woman from Aetna telling us that it's time for their annual visit.
We don't get this shit. Why must they come? What are they looking for? They claim it is just to keep updated on his health. Bullshit. They see his doctor visits and reports that are on their friggin portal.They know his health. They will take his vitals and make him pee. Maybe they are looking for drugs. Who knows. But the woman is coming tonight at 7p.
Here is the M.O. They always arrive about 15 minutes early. They always ask to use the bathroom 1st thing. Rick thinks they are looking for stored urine in case he is swapping them. I think he's watched too many TV shows. Then again, he may have a point. They do this annually and it is annoying.  He wanted to put urine in a cup on the shelf in there but instead of urine, water with yellow food coloring so to make them take it. This whole thing angers him and if I weren't here he would so do it. The 61 yr old juvenile I live with.

Speaking of juvenile....
Rick's sisters that he just found will be arriving on the 27th. I can wait.
But he is acting like a child at Christmas so I am praying this isn't going to be the disappointment meeting his birth mother was. I am also praying to any God that they will make the considerate choice of staying at a hotel instead of us. But it's doubtful. I will be cooking and cleaning and baking for the week preceding their arrival. Yea, cooking 3+ meals and snacks a day for 5 days. At least they haven't' sent me lists. Only that one has diverticulitis which means food issues and the other will eat anything like Rick. The one like Rick is his blood sister. The other was a 2 yr old when his father adopted her.
Confused yet?

Allow me to explain this.
Rick was born to Sally Thompson age 16 and Bond Thompson age 18.
When she became pregnant her mother shipped her to PA to live with an aunt until she delivered. Bond never knew she was pregnant, just that she left to move to PA. She wasn't allowed to contact him and since it was 1954 or 1955 it wasn't as easy as texting. (That is how he ended up being adopted in PA)

Bond got married years later and married a woman with a 2 yr old named Erin.
Bond adopted her after the marriage and they went on to have 3 more children.
So the 2 coming are Erin and Cheri. Cheri looks like Rick and of course, Erin doesn't look like either.

Both are wealthy. Boy, will they ever have a rude awakening to see our little home and 10 yr old car. They all live in McMansions and drive cars the equivalent to the annual income of those making six figures. They also wear jewelry and clothes in their photos that I would like the money for. The one was wearing a necklace I have seen at Tiffany's. A friend tried it on. It was over 10K and I laughed. No diamonds just a silver necklace. They may not be interested in their poor brother from a coal mining family after they see how the other half lives.

They did ask for a tour of the capitol.  I contacted our senator's office and a private tour was arranged for Friday afternoon at 2pm on the 28th. Because they are coming from the west coast I didn't want this early morning so they could sleep and deal with the time change.

I don't enjoy going into the district for touring. I have done it every time someone comes until this past year. I've seen enough of the same thing over and over again. Everyone wants to see the same things so I have gone for 16 yrs and I just don't enjoy it anymore. Let's see something new - when I would direct people to the Native American Museum they would say - Nah. (rick and I did that one on our own)  I would also enjoy the African American Museum so we'll see how open they are to doing something different than Archie Bunkers chair and First lady china. YAWN.  I told them this was a walking city, wear layers and wear comfortable shoes. Leave the Louboutins at home.

Home stuff....
Rick is incredibly handy, however, he can't do plumbing. First off he just bitches the whole time, so I would pay someone not to have to listen to him.
In the old days, it was my father who would visit and bring his tools and he would do all the plumbing since he was a master plumber. But now Rick tries, he swears, he hits things, he swears some more, he makes everything worse, then he says, let's call a plumber. Which means, Peg find a plumber and call, please.

He didn't try this time. We just called a plumber who was prompt, spoke English and was so professional. I left him and his  business a yelp review we were so damn pleased.

Then we had to hire a garage door company. Of course, my home warranty will pay for the mechanism but not the door. I didn't need a new mechanism, I needed a new door. Ours was broken beyond repair.  The man came to give me an estimate. As were standing in our driveway looking at our buckled door I pointed to the door next door to me. I said it must look exactly like his or his (the guy on the other side) The HOA will go bat shit crazy if it is a different door.
We paid a deposit and booked the door installation.

They arrived on time and did this quickly. I paid and off they went.
But I only saw the door from the inside of the garage.
Later that day I took Izzy for a walk and we walked into the alley so I could see the garage. It was a pretty door but it had no handle or lock on it as the others all do. So I called the company. I explained everything again. He apologized and said he would send someone out today. He arrived on time, put the "dummy" handle and lock on and then within minutes he was done. I didn't have to pay for their mistake and they didn't argue the point, which was terrific. He apologized for their mistake when he arrived and just went to work.  I was so thrilled with their service I went over to yelp and left a great review. I will use them again if I need to. I hope not, but you never know. Mistakes happen, but it's how they handle them is what makes a good company to a great company to me.

Books....
I loved the book The Girl On The Train. I was tempted to see the movie coming out this weekend. But then today I heard two reviews. One said it was confusing when the person on the show asked the reviewer if he read the book. He replied that he shouldn't have to read the book, the movie should stand on its own. His wife did read the book and she hated it. The 2nd one said it tried too hard and she felt it was convoluted and to just go read the book. So I think I will just read the book again instead.
Have you read this book? Are you going to see this movie?

My Pal David

I love the author David Sedaris.

Rick and I still walk around and say, "mm....thanks Stadium Pal"
Now Rick will normally say this as we are leaving somewhere and I have to really pee and he tries to make me laugh as I squirm and wiggle in my seat. At those moments I too would like a Stadium Pal. Okay, not really but it makes me giggle.

My favorite book of his is Me Talk Pretty One Day.  I highly recommend it.
I defy you to not laugh at least once out loud.

I saw his comment yesterday online.
Made me laugh.

And just because I got nothin'  you'll have to watch this first one again.

Ear Worm

I watch The Voice.
They keep ripping on Blake and they sing different words to one of his awful songs. Last night they sang these made up lyrics, "I'll be your honey mustard, I'll be your chicken wings."  Everyone was laughing. Until now! I can't get that out of my head and I'm paying it forward.

This morning I sang the twang out of it while filling my coffee cup. Rick yelled at me, "STOP!  I don't want that ear worm all day today"  ha ha....I think I gave it to him.  Payback for a stupid song he would sing just to bug me in the late 80's.
It too was a country song. We saw this guy on a TV show, who knows what show but it wouldn't have been a country music show that we would be watching.
This guy was singing something about having a thinkin' problem (and a drinkin' problem) I remember my comment to Rick was something like, "Who would sing this dribble let alone saying you had a thinking problem?"  So Rick would do what I call "twang out" on it and sing it just to bug me. "I got a thinkin' problem."   For days that damn line of the song was in my head. I hated him for that. So I am hoping today while he is talking to customers he is hearing, "I 'll be your honey mustard, I'll be your chicken wings"  Oooh I'm evil like that.