Izzy the Wonder Dog and I were walking this morning around the neighborhood around 10ish.
She was sneezing up a storm last week and today she was doing it as well.
Each sniff of grass and a sneeze.
I began sneezing this week as well.
Today on our walk , we sneezed, we heard annoying birds chirping and I thought, "Could it really be?"
Could it be spring?
Mother Nature you better not be toying with me.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Monday, February 3, 2014
Dark Cloud - GO AWAY!
My oh my has my last 30 days been a trip.
After the flu I thought things were going to get back to normal around here. Obviously there were other plans in store for me.
My first full day of feeling well had Rick down for the count.
Oh no, not the flu. That would be too easy for us.
No siree bob we had to do this right, he had to hurt his back.
Now when the Big Guy is down the world stops. He is the worlds worst patient. I'd rather knock him over the head until he is better. He doesn't listen to the doctors or anyone else.
So when he was unable to stand I knew we were in for a helluva ride.
Thankfully this time was different in that he listened to his doctors.
I think this scared him as well.
Yep, my first full day of no flu symptoms and I am trying to help a 6'2" 245lb man walk.
I'm 5'1 people, not easy. (no I'm not telling you my weight)
It all started on Thursday after work.
He walked in the house, barely, and asked me to call his chiropractor.
He barely made it home because driving was so difficult. So I drove him over there.
He limped out of there and came home. He iced himself and went to bed.
I am always being given pain medication which I never take. I don't like how it makes me feel. I take it because I know Rick will end up needing it sometime and sure enough this was the time. I made him take some and go to bed.
Neither of slept much. While he couldn't actually do any tossing and turning he could sure make grunts, groans and noises that kept me awake.
By morning he was unable to get out of bed. I helped lift him to only have him fall.
He got on all 4's and that is when we learned that position was comfortable for him.
He crawled all around the house. He was in so much pain it showed all over his face.
I felt for him. Having 4 back surgeries I understand back pain.
But one can be as empathetic as all get out but it doesn't help the person in pain at all.
Now Izzy thought while he was on the floor it would be play time. Poor Izzy.
Rick was not feeling playful. Nor did he have much humor when I suggested he clean the floor while he was down there. Apparently there is no humor when you're on all fours in the kitchen and not getting lucky. Who knew? No one told me these rules.
From his reaction I knew not to say anything like that again.
I called his spine doctor at the VA Spine Institute the minute they opened and begged to see his doctor today. They got us in. If I didn't kill Rick by the time his appointment came around we'd be fine. Rick is mean when he's sick or in pain. The rest of the world when in pain is quiet, suffering in silence. Oh not my Big Man. He's a Big Cranky Baby! And lucky me gets the brunt of it.
Our next problem was how the hell we get this big lug out to my car? He can't go outside on all 4's. Well he could but he'd be muddy and the neighbors.....
I am pulled in front of the house. I get Izzy in the car to drop her off at day care. I don't have anyone near me who could walk her and I had a feeling we could be gone for well over 5 hrs and she'd need to go out. So I dropped her off at day care along the way. After I got Izzy in the car I came back in to try to help Rick outside. OMG it was pure hell on us both. More him than me I realize but his weight on me wasn't easy but I did my best. Once he is sitting he is okay. We have a scale we use. 1-10. 10 being the worst.
He was an 11 he said. Sitting he was a 4-5.
He could tolerate the 4-5.
So the ride over was easy - getting him in/out of the car not so much.
When we arrived I called and they met us with a wheelchair out front.
Once inside we were sent to a room.
I have a doctor at this place too. I love their thoroughness. I love their skills, reputation etc.
I don't however like that they don't take insurance. But I digress.
Rick had an X-ray and then the PA came in. The X-ray showed that nothing worse happened to the issue he has already. That is good. Then they did the exam while waiting for the doctor. The PA gave her opinion. It sounded good, as good as these things can be. They weren't using words like surgery, immediately, dire, you know like that.
The doctor came in and pretty much did the same things and gave his evalution.
We began with a steroid pack and later PT, muscle relaxers, pain meds and anti-inflammatories after the steroid pack.
After that if pain persists an MRI, then they will determine next course of action, be it an epidural or if it's something more than what they are thinking now. But first a less invasive course of action to see if that is enough, for now.
They made it sound like Rick would be walking in 24 hrs. I was doubtful seeing him like this.
I got the Rx filled on the way home after picking up Izzy. And yes I was right we were gone way over 5 hrs and this way I didn't need to worry about her. By now Rick was medicated and it was easier to get him inside the house even though his one leg wasn't really "walking"
After I got him situated on the sofa where he insisted he would be most comfortable he passed out immediately. Whew. At least he could sleep a bit before the pain drove him bonkers. I spent the rest of the day rearranging his schedule knowing full well he would not be working this week.
It is truly amazing how nice and how rotten people can be. Yes, I get it lady, you've had that pink tub since 1960 and it must be made white this Friday or you'll die.I asked if company was coming and she said, 'Oh no, i'm just tired of the pink"
She was flipping out - I begrudgingly gave her discounts and threw in free shit and she was still bitching. I finally told her that I was truly sorry we couldn't accommodate her and I certainly understand if she has to go elsewhere but we hope you don't type of thing.
You know what she said, "Oh no I'll wait for him I read all the reviews and I think he would be worth waiting for"
So she was bitching just to bitch at me I guess. I needed that extra shit today lady thank you.
Most were super nice and said things like, "Oh hell it's been ugly this long one more week won't hurt me."
I gladly gave them free shit for the inconvenience.
So that was Friday.
Saturday he tried to walk outside. He went outside with Izzy and me but a block was all he could muster and sadly he couldn't walk back. I had to get the car. The dog just sat on top of his feet until I arrived. He looked so full of pain it hurt me....and Izzy.
Sunday he was walking with a stick/cane/broom handle. (It was amazing.)
Yes, he got a broom handle. We put a tennis ball on the bottom so it didn't scratch the floors and that really drove the dog crazy because she thought this was some new toy. It was funny. A cane didn't work for him but this broom handle did the trick.
Whatever works is my philosophy.
Rick was feeling well enough that his humor was back. So when he would get up and make this funky move and I laughed he didn't get angry. I told him he looked like Stevie Wonder and he laughed so hard he had to sit down. Because he realized he probably did.
FF to today - he is walking without his broom handle. He is still in some pain but it is now a more muscular pain. Last night in bed he was moaning & I suggested he put a pillow between his knees for comfort.
And even in pain the ass said, "How 'bout I put something between your knees"
"Oh for Gods sake Richard!!"
So I threw a pillow at him and he put it between his knees.
Then I see his face and I ask, "What in the hell are you doing?"
"I'm squeezing my knees together."
"What the hell for?"
Then he lets out a very loud AH.
I sat up and asked, "Is that a good AH or a bad AH?"
He said he felt a "pop" deep deep down in his hip area and the searing pain is now gone.
Really? Just like that? He got out of bed and stood up. He turned on the light and said look - as he took a step. Now he still has a bit of a hitch in his gitty up but he was walking okay.
Okay compared to what he had been doing that is.
This morning the same. He is feeling so much better so maybe the drugs will be enough.
Only time will tell I suppose.
He thinks he can go back to work tomorrow.
Not on his life! The week was rescheduled. I told him I need him alive. And if he is going to die its because I killed him - no one else!
Me? I'm not sleeping and I feel like I'm running 100mph. For the first time in our lives I took out the garbage. That made him laugh. I've lived here 14 yrs now and I still never know what day the garbage is collected.
I want/need a month of all of us feeling okay. A non happening uninteresting month sounds like heaven about now.
After the flu I thought things were going to get back to normal around here. Obviously there were other plans in store for me.
My first full day of feeling well had Rick down for the count.
Oh no, not the flu. That would be too easy for us.
No siree bob we had to do this right, he had to hurt his back.
Now when the Big Guy is down the world stops. He is the worlds worst patient. I'd rather knock him over the head until he is better. He doesn't listen to the doctors or anyone else.
So when he was unable to stand I knew we were in for a helluva ride.
Thankfully this time was different in that he listened to his doctors.
I think this scared him as well.
Yep, my first full day of no flu symptoms and I am trying to help a 6'2" 245lb man walk.
I'm 5'1 people, not easy. (no I'm not telling you my weight)
It all started on Thursday after work.
He walked in the house, barely, and asked me to call his chiropractor.
He barely made it home because driving was so difficult. So I drove him over there.
He limped out of there and came home. He iced himself and went to bed.
I am always being given pain medication which I never take. I don't like how it makes me feel. I take it because I know Rick will end up needing it sometime and sure enough this was the time. I made him take some and go to bed.
Neither of slept much. While he couldn't actually do any tossing and turning he could sure make grunts, groans and noises that kept me awake.
By morning he was unable to get out of bed. I helped lift him to only have him fall.
He got on all 4's and that is when we learned that position was comfortable for him.
He crawled all around the house. He was in so much pain it showed all over his face.
I felt for him. Having 4 back surgeries I understand back pain.
But one can be as empathetic as all get out but it doesn't help the person in pain at all.
Now Izzy thought while he was on the floor it would be play time. Poor Izzy.
Rick was not feeling playful. Nor did he have much humor when I suggested he clean the floor while he was down there. Apparently there is no humor when you're on all fours in the kitchen and not getting lucky. Who knew? No one told me these rules.
From his reaction I knew not to say anything like that again.
I called his spine doctor at the VA Spine Institute the minute they opened and begged to see his doctor today. They got us in. If I didn't kill Rick by the time his appointment came around we'd be fine. Rick is mean when he's sick or in pain. The rest of the world when in pain is quiet, suffering in silence. Oh not my Big Man. He's a Big Cranky Baby! And lucky me gets the brunt of it.
Our next problem was how the hell we get this big lug out to my car? He can't go outside on all 4's. Well he could but he'd be muddy and the neighbors.....
I am pulled in front of the house. I get Izzy in the car to drop her off at day care. I don't have anyone near me who could walk her and I had a feeling we could be gone for well over 5 hrs and she'd need to go out. So I dropped her off at day care along the way. After I got Izzy in the car I came back in to try to help Rick outside. OMG it was pure hell on us both. More him than me I realize but his weight on me wasn't easy but I did my best. Once he is sitting he is okay. We have a scale we use. 1-10. 10 being the worst.
He was an 11 he said. Sitting he was a 4-5.
He could tolerate the 4-5.
So the ride over was easy - getting him in/out of the car not so much.
When we arrived I called and they met us with a wheelchair out front.
Once inside we were sent to a room.
I have a doctor at this place too. I love their thoroughness. I love their skills, reputation etc.
I don't however like that they don't take insurance. But I digress.
Rick had an X-ray and then the PA came in. The X-ray showed that nothing worse happened to the issue he has already. That is good. Then they did the exam while waiting for the doctor. The PA gave her opinion. It sounded good, as good as these things can be. They weren't using words like surgery, immediately, dire, you know like that.
The doctor came in and pretty much did the same things and gave his evalution.
We began with a steroid pack and later PT, muscle relaxers, pain meds and anti-inflammatories after the steroid pack.
After that if pain persists an MRI, then they will determine next course of action, be it an epidural or if it's something more than what they are thinking now. But first a less invasive course of action to see if that is enough, for now.
They made it sound like Rick would be walking in 24 hrs. I was doubtful seeing him like this.
I got the Rx filled on the way home after picking up Izzy. And yes I was right we were gone way over 5 hrs and this way I didn't need to worry about her. By now Rick was medicated and it was easier to get him inside the house even though his one leg wasn't really "walking"
After I got him situated on the sofa where he insisted he would be most comfortable he passed out immediately. Whew. At least he could sleep a bit before the pain drove him bonkers. I spent the rest of the day rearranging his schedule knowing full well he would not be working this week.
It is truly amazing how nice and how rotten people can be. Yes, I get it lady, you've had that pink tub since 1960 and it must be made white this Friday or you'll die.I asked if company was coming and she said, 'Oh no, i'm just tired of the pink"
She was flipping out - I begrudgingly gave her discounts and threw in free shit and she was still bitching. I finally told her that I was truly sorry we couldn't accommodate her and I certainly understand if she has to go elsewhere but we hope you don't type of thing.
You know what she said, "Oh no I'll wait for him I read all the reviews and I think he would be worth waiting for"
So she was bitching just to bitch at me I guess. I needed that extra shit today lady thank you.
Most were super nice and said things like, "Oh hell it's been ugly this long one more week won't hurt me."
I gladly gave them free shit for the inconvenience.
So that was Friday.
Saturday he tried to walk outside. He went outside with Izzy and me but a block was all he could muster and sadly he couldn't walk back. I had to get the car. The dog just sat on top of his feet until I arrived. He looked so full of pain it hurt me....and Izzy.
Sunday he was walking with a stick/cane/broom handle. (It was amazing.)
Yes, he got a broom handle. We put a tennis ball on the bottom so it didn't scratch the floors and that really drove the dog crazy because she thought this was some new toy. It was funny. A cane didn't work for him but this broom handle did the trick.
Whatever works is my philosophy.
Rick was feeling well enough that his humor was back. So when he would get up and make this funky move and I laughed he didn't get angry. I told him he looked like Stevie Wonder and he laughed so hard he had to sit down. Because he realized he probably did.
FF to today - he is walking without his broom handle. He is still in some pain but it is now a more muscular pain. Last night in bed he was moaning & I suggested he put a pillow between his knees for comfort.
And even in pain the ass said, "How 'bout I put something between your knees"
"Oh for Gods sake Richard!!"
So I threw a pillow at him and he put it between his knees.
Then I see his face and I ask, "What in the hell are you doing?"
"I'm squeezing my knees together."
"What the hell for?"
Then he lets out a very loud AH.
I sat up and asked, "Is that a good AH or a bad AH?"
He said he felt a "pop" deep deep down in his hip area and the searing pain is now gone.
Really? Just like that? He got out of bed and stood up. He turned on the light and said look - as he took a step. Now he still has a bit of a hitch in his gitty up but he was walking okay.
Okay compared to what he had been doing that is.
This morning the same. He is feeling so much better so maybe the drugs will be enough.
Only time will tell I suppose.
He thinks he can go back to work tomorrow.
Not on his life! The week was rescheduled. I told him I need him alive. And if he is going to die its because I killed him - no one else!
Me? I'm not sleeping and I feel like I'm running 100mph. For the first time in our lives I took out the garbage. That made him laugh. I've lived here 14 yrs now and I still never know what day the garbage is collected.
I want/need a month of all of us feeling okay. A non happening uninteresting month sounds like heaven about now.
Thursday, January 30, 2014
The Flu kicked my Ass
I feel as though I am coming back to the land of the living.
Man this was a tough one.
I think because I was so cocky that I had gotten a flu shot.
So Karma bit me in the ass.
I have an autoimmune disease and so I must be careful because I can get sick more than others. Hence why I get flu shots and haven't had the flu in years. Or so I thought.
Normally I have seasonal allergy issues (sinus and the like)
I don't recall a lot of the past week. I can tell you that I have never been so cold in my life.
I have not had a fever of 102 for days on end since a child.
I slept on and off a great deal but I didn't sleep well.
I wore 2 pairs of everything. 2 pairs of pants, 2 tops, 2 pairs of socks etc. I was still shivering.
Lying on a leather sofa is cold. So I literally would be wrapped up like I was a baby being swaddled. Crazy. Even in bed I was cold under down comforters and blankets.
I saw a lot of weird tv because I was too lazy to find the remote control or just didn't care because I was in and out of sleep or because I was wrapped in blankets and didn't want to take my hands out of them. That's sick and lazy folks.
During this time I attempted to work. Did I run to the phone? No. Did I sit in the office? No.
I responded to the voicemails when I woke up. I did work but not long hours as normal. I barely could do what I did so the fact that I booked appointments and answered questions is surprising to me. I only know this because 2 customers told Rick that the woman in his office was wonderful.
HA!
The night my fever broke I awoke to being soak 'n wet dripping with sweat.
I got out of bed and went downstairs.
I poured myself a glass of juice and just sat down in my new favorite chair in the dark.
I felt a bit better. I was no longer light headed or nauseous. In fact I felt hungry as hell.
It made me laugh because for days I just couldn't eat more than soup/broth, juice or a piece of fruit. Whoo-hoo!
So there I was at 4am staring into the fridge. I wanted something but nothing sounded good. Then I decided a baked potato. So I sat at my kitchen island in the wee hours of the morning eating a baked potato and it felt so damn good. I haven't had a potato since September so that in and of itself was delightful.
I then watched a couple of I Love Lucy's and for an hour or so I felt pretty good. So I unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up Rick's dinner mess from the previous evening.
It was at that point I realized, Hey my body isn't all achy either. I must be better.
By the time Rick and Izzy were moving about the house I had run out of steam.
And back to bed I went. Well it was fun while it lasted. This continues to occur, but my steam is lasting longer each day.
Thankfully during this time Rick was fabricating countertops in his workshop here at home.
So he was able to walk the dog and that was such a blessing for me. I don't think I could have handled being so cold and then going out into 3 degree weather in the morning to walk Izzy.
It became apparent to me that being old for me means I am not bouncing back as I used to.
It also means I frighten myself when I look in the mirror. Holy Shit.
While sick it looks like I have aged 10 yrs.
Thankfully this morning it was better but not like what it was.
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT????
And if all that fun isn't enough for one person to handle, my family calls me during all this and I was then in the midst of family drama.
It makes me want to move to Australia!
Most would be too cheap to call me or travel to see me and that may be the answer.
Those I want to see would still email, call or visit me.
Yep, I think I may have a new plan. Canada is too close. Australia may just be the ticket.
I could learn the language easier than most new countries. (well other than Canada)
I don't think it even snows in Sydney. Or is that just wishful thinking?
I may be on to something here. Could be the flu, but I think I'm on to somethin'
Man this was a tough one.
I think because I was so cocky that I had gotten a flu shot.
So Karma bit me in the ass.
I have an autoimmune disease and so I must be careful because I can get sick more than others. Hence why I get flu shots and haven't had the flu in years. Or so I thought.
Normally I have seasonal allergy issues (sinus and the like)
I don't recall a lot of the past week. I can tell you that I have never been so cold in my life.
I have not had a fever of 102 for days on end since a child.
I slept on and off a great deal but I didn't sleep well.
I wore 2 pairs of everything. 2 pairs of pants, 2 tops, 2 pairs of socks etc. I was still shivering.
Lying on a leather sofa is cold. So I literally would be wrapped up like I was a baby being swaddled. Crazy. Even in bed I was cold under down comforters and blankets.
I saw a lot of weird tv because I was too lazy to find the remote control or just didn't care because I was in and out of sleep or because I was wrapped in blankets and didn't want to take my hands out of them. That's sick and lazy folks.
During this time I attempted to work. Did I run to the phone? No. Did I sit in the office? No.
I responded to the voicemails when I woke up. I did work but not long hours as normal. I barely could do what I did so the fact that I booked appointments and answered questions is surprising to me. I only know this because 2 customers told Rick that the woman in his office was wonderful.
HA!
The night my fever broke I awoke to being soak 'n wet dripping with sweat.
I got out of bed and went downstairs.
I poured myself a glass of juice and just sat down in my new favorite chair in the dark.
I felt a bit better. I was no longer light headed or nauseous. In fact I felt hungry as hell.
It made me laugh because for days I just couldn't eat more than soup/broth, juice or a piece of fruit. Whoo-hoo!
So there I was at 4am staring into the fridge. I wanted something but nothing sounded good. Then I decided a baked potato. So I sat at my kitchen island in the wee hours of the morning eating a baked potato and it felt so damn good. I haven't had a potato since September so that in and of itself was delightful.
I then watched a couple of I Love Lucy's and for an hour or so I felt pretty good. So I unloaded the dishwasher and cleaned up Rick's dinner mess from the previous evening.
It was at that point I realized, Hey my body isn't all achy either. I must be better.
By the time Rick and Izzy were moving about the house I had run out of steam.
And back to bed I went. Well it was fun while it lasted. This continues to occur, but my steam is lasting longer each day.
Thankfully during this time Rick was fabricating countertops in his workshop here at home.
So he was able to walk the dog and that was such a blessing for me. I don't think I could have handled being so cold and then going out into 3 degree weather in the morning to walk Izzy.
It became apparent to me that being old for me means I am not bouncing back as I used to.
It also means I frighten myself when I look in the mirror. Holy Shit.
While sick it looks like I have aged 10 yrs.
Thankfully this morning it was better but not like what it was.
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT ABOUT????
And if all that fun isn't enough for one person to handle, my family calls me during all this and I was then in the midst of family drama.
It makes me want to move to Australia!
Most would be too cheap to call me or travel to see me and that may be the answer.
Those I want to see would still email, call or visit me.
Yep, I think I may have a new plan. Canada is too close. Australia may just be the ticket.
I could learn the language easier than most new countries. (well other than Canada)
I don't think it even snows in Sydney. Or is that just wishful thinking?
I may be on to something here. Could be the flu, but I think I'm on to somethin'
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Sick and Tired Continues
Another cold day here in our nations capital.
So I bring to you some videos that will warm you up.
If you're cranky, watch this, I defy you not to laugh or at least smile.
This is my favorite sound in the whole world!
Ah c'mon, Dogs are the best! Here is your proof.
Now this is a smarty pants.
So I bring to you some videos that will warm you up.
If you're cranky, watch this, I defy you not to laugh or at least smile.
This is my favorite sound in the whole world!
Ah c'mon, Dogs are the best! Here is your proof.
Now this is a smarty pants.
Monday, January 27, 2014
The 2014 Grammys in My Opinion
I'm very very sick. But I had to get this down before I forgot.
Then I will be lying back down I promise!
Wanna feel old? Watch the Grammy's.
I was laying on the sofa wrapped up in 2 blankets and a ton of clothes shivering.
Seriously 2 pieces of each piece of clothing and I was so damn cold.
I had been sleeping off and on all day so I was now awake to watch this.
I laughed at most of it.
I am far too old for any of this.
Let's start with Dudley Do-Right. Apparently he is a big thang.
I have heard of him but I don't listen to rap so I don't know him from any other kid of his age that is a rapper or producer etc. Here's his photo from the night.
Here's Dudley Do-Right. Is Canada missing a Mountie?
Rick and I laughed a lot. We tried to think what our parents were saying in the 70's. Everyone had long hair, bell bottoms and was generally high.
I don't think they did gimmicks. They didn't have to. They just sang. Go figure.
Oh sure Hendricks and Pete Townsend would break guitars and even as a teenager I thought it was stupid. So I guess its just in my DNA.
Then there was Pink. I love that woman's voice and music.
But really the Cirque du Soleil is tiring.
You know she's not singing while upside down. Stop it. Just sing damn it.
I know she wanted to be a gymnast but she chose singing. Just friggin' sing!!
Then there is Beyonce. I will admit the woman has a great voice. But she sings shitty music to me that certainly does nothing to show off her voice. And all she does is use her sex appeal. And if I have to listen to her spew woman's rights and yet she uses her sexuality for all her attention instead of her voice, I will seriously track that wench down and bitch slap her into next week. And don't get me started on her horsey hubby - no likey!!
(I saw he brought his buddy Cano there. Aargh!!)
When Lordes began to sing her song and twitch like she was having a seizure Rick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing attack. (well after we realized she was okay we laughed)
Oh my, that was damn odd. I think we'll see that on SNL next week.
Bruno Mars won and boy we really like this kid. He has real talent. (to us) I saw him earlier in the day while lying on the sofa dying. He was on an old SNL skit. The skit is where he as the intern has to fill in for various stations on Pandora when the power went down.
Very cute skit. Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Green Day, Mariah, etc. It was clever.
But back to the 2014 Grammy's.
Then we had the old timers.
Oh my.
Willie Nelson is a lot like Bob Dylan to me. Great song writers but shouldn't belly up to the microphone....ever. Kris Kristofferson still looks rather good at 70 something but still can't sing. Merle Haggard, well I have nothing to say. But that whole team of country crooners was just awful....to me.
I did not care for Robin Thicke and his Ricco Sauvé act with Chicago.
Leave that persona for Michael Buble. You are not sauve. You are dirty boy.
And your voice doesn't have enough weight to it to sing a Chicago song.
And I am not Chicago's biggest fan.
It was all kinds of wrong. I see him and feel like I need to shower or a shot of penicillin.
I thought Madonna was beginning to look like Dolly Parton. Her face is odd.
I like Dolly so there may be hope for Madonna yet as far as I'm concerned. :-)
And then there was the biggest disappointment the remaining Beatles.
Ringo was horrific alone but then again he always was.
When he played with Paul I just found it sad.
Why was Paul on a clown piano? I didn't get the song or the toy piano.
And I felt like someone needed to come to the stage and help the seniors.
It was sad, they all looked silly.
I heard today on all the morning programs and at lunch today that when Paul and Ringo got up to play the room cleared out. Everyone went to the bathroom etc.
At first I gasped but then I realized that if Rosemary Clooney or Tony Bennett came on the Grammy's when I was a kid I would probably use that time to go to the bathroom too.
So I got it. Sometimes they hang on too long don't they? I found it funny that all the rock bands were in their 70's. Sadly there is no more rock 'n roll for me.
The only thing I saw all night that I truly enjoyed were these commercials.
This one below is priceless to me. I haven't heard Rick laugh that hard in a long time!
Then again it probably was because we were so damn bored with the Grammys.
I'm going back to bed now. I hope to be back soon...unless something else cracks me up.
Then I will be lying back down I promise!
Wanna feel old? Watch the Grammy's.
I was laying on the sofa wrapped up in 2 blankets and a ton of clothes shivering.
Seriously 2 pieces of each piece of clothing and I was so damn cold.
I had been sleeping off and on all day so I was now awake to watch this.
I laughed at most of it.
I am far too old for any of this.
Let's start with Dudley Do-Right. Apparently he is a big thang.
I have heard of him but I don't listen to rap so I don't know him from any other kid of his age that is a rapper or producer etc. Here's his photo from the night.
Then there were these men? women? in the robot gear? The reason?
Whatever it is it was lost on us both.
Rick and I laughed a lot. We tried to think what our parents were saying in the 70's. Everyone had long hair, bell bottoms and was generally high.
I don't think they did gimmicks. They didn't have to. They just sang. Go figure.
Oh sure Hendricks and Pete Townsend would break guitars and even as a teenager I thought it was stupid. So I guess its just in my DNA.
Then there was Pink. I love that woman's voice and music.
But really the Cirque du Soleil is tiring.
You know she's not singing while upside down. Stop it. Just sing damn it.
I know she wanted to be a gymnast but she chose singing. Just friggin' sing!!
Then there is Beyonce. I will admit the woman has a great voice. But she sings shitty music to me that certainly does nothing to show off her voice. And all she does is use her sex appeal. And if I have to listen to her spew woman's rights and yet she uses her sexuality for all her attention instead of her voice, I will seriously track that wench down and bitch slap her into next week. And don't get me started on her horsey hubby - no likey!!
(I saw he brought his buddy Cano there. Aargh!!)
When Lordes began to sing her song and twitch like she was having a seizure Rick and I laughed so hard I had a coughing attack. (well after we realized she was okay we laughed)
Oh my, that was damn odd. I think we'll see that on SNL next week.
Bruno Mars won and boy we really like this kid. He has real talent. (to us) I saw him earlier in the day while lying on the sofa dying. He was on an old SNL skit. The skit is where he as the intern has to fill in for various stations on Pandora when the power went down.
Very cute skit. Michael Jackson, Louis Armstrong, Green Day, Mariah, etc. It was clever.
But back to the 2014 Grammy's.
Then we had the old timers.
Oh my.
Willie Nelson is a lot like Bob Dylan to me. Great song writers but shouldn't belly up to the microphone....ever. Kris Kristofferson still looks rather good at 70 something but still can't sing. Merle Haggard, well I have nothing to say. But that whole team of country crooners was just awful....to me.
I did not care for Robin Thicke and his Ricco Sauvé act with Chicago.
Leave that persona for Michael Buble. You are not sauve. You are dirty boy.
And your voice doesn't have enough weight to it to sing a Chicago song.
And I am not Chicago's biggest fan.
It was all kinds of wrong. I see him and feel like I need to shower or a shot of penicillin.
I thought Madonna was beginning to look like Dolly Parton. Her face is odd.
I like Dolly so there may be hope for Madonna yet as far as I'm concerned. :-)
And then there was the biggest disappointment the remaining Beatles.
Ringo was horrific alone but then again he always was.
When he played with Paul I just found it sad.
Why was Paul on a clown piano? I didn't get the song or the toy piano.
And I felt like someone needed to come to the stage and help the seniors.
It was sad, they all looked silly.
I heard today on all the morning programs and at lunch today that when Paul and Ringo got up to play the room cleared out. Everyone went to the bathroom etc.
At first I gasped but then I realized that if Rosemary Clooney or Tony Bennett came on the Grammy's when I was a kid I would probably use that time to go to the bathroom too.
So I got it. Sometimes they hang on too long don't they? I found it funny that all the rock bands were in their 70's. Sadly there is no more rock 'n roll for me.
The only thing I saw all night that I truly enjoyed were these commercials.
This one below is priceless to me. I haven't heard Rick laugh that hard in a long time!
Then again it probably was because we were so damn bored with the Grammys.
I'm going back to bed now. I hope to be back soon...unless something else cracks me up.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Reunions
I have a class reunion coming up.
Can you say plastic surgery? Can I get that kind of money and time before July?
I have never gone to any of my reunions.
The first one I was getting married. Me and my high school sweetheart had a good reason to not attend that one.
The 2nd one I was getting a divorce....didn't want to deal with the questions and the whole thing.
The 3rd, and 4th ones I lived out of town and traveling back east for that just wasn't something I cared about enough to do.
The 5th one was never held.
The 6th and 7th ones I just didn't want to go to and preferred going to the lake house for the weekend with Rick.
So here we are on the 8th one and I"m going to go.
My best girl friends in high school were Sue and Colleen.
We thought it'd be fun to go together and be each others dates.
Our husbands don't care about this.
To quote Rick, "you'll be flitting around the room talking to people I don't know and I'll be bored to tears. BUT if you want me to go I will."
With an offer like that how could I refuse?
Colleen said her hubby feels the same. Sue's husband will probably not let her go.
He's a shit head, always has been, always will be. He will be jealous. C'mon that's silly but so is he when it comes to his wife. Sue says she's coming with us but Colleen and I won't believe it until we see it. I hope we are wrong. 'Cause the 3 of us will have a great time.
Running into my ex husband won't be a thrill. But Colleen said she is my date and should it seem like I need out of a situation she will save me. Ah, ya gotta love your girlfriends.
She said that is what a date does. I told her I appreciate it, however I won't be putting out.
A good friend, Mark, told me that he went to the last one and you just automatically expect to see the faces you remember but they look more like their parents now. I laughed. I get what he was trying to say. I figure everyone is a bit thicker and some have lost hair and we're all old so I won't be any different than anyone else.
But getting a face lift before then I wouldn't be opposed to.
Should I do my begging here like other bloggers do for you to send money?
No, I won't be doing that!
I'm going with my old face and wrinkles.
I no longer look like the short perky cheerleader.
Nothing about me is perky anymore or on me for that matter. :-)
Every year this has been held at a country club.
This year it is being held outside as a picnic type thing in July.
WTF? Humidity and my hair?! Who wants to meet everyone sweating and melting?
I have issues with this location as do all the women I've spoken to.
Colleen said, "WTH she doesn't have hot flashes? And humidity will ruin my hair."
I laughed and said I thought all those things already Coll.
I'm a bit concerned about this, so you know I'll bug you more with my fears as it gets closer. Mostly it's the ex situation that I am concerned about.
But when I'm thinking positive I just think of the blog fodder and photo's for ya'll to see.
Can you say plastic surgery? Can I get that kind of money and time before July?
I have never gone to any of my reunions.
The first one I was getting married. Me and my high school sweetheart had a good reason to not attend that one.
The 2nd one I was getting a divorce....didn't want to deal with the questions and the whole thing.
The 3rd, and 4th ones I lived out of town and traveling back east for that just wasn't something I cared about enough to do.
The 5th one was never held.
The 6th and 7th ones I just didn't want to go to and preferred going to the lake house for the weekend with Rick.
So here we are on the 8th one and I"m going to go.
My best girl friends in high school were Sue and Colleen.
We thought it'd be fun to go together and be each others dates.
Our husbands don't care about this.
To quote Rick, "you'll be flitting around the room talking to people I don't know and I'll be bored to tears. BUT if you want me to go I will."
With an offer like that how could I refuse?
Colleen said her hubby feels the same. Sue's husband will probably not let her go.
He's a shit head, always has been, always will be. He will be jealous. C'mon that's silly but so is he when it comes to his wife. Sue says she's coming with us but Colleen and I won't believe it until we see it. I hope we are wrong. 'Cause the 3 of us will have a great time.
Running into my ex husband won't be a thrill. But Colleen said she is my date and should it seem like I need out of a situation she will save me. Ah, ya gotta love your girlfriends.
She said that is what a date does. I told her I appreciate it, however I won't be putting out.
A good friend, Mark, told me that he went to the last one and you just automatically expect to see the faces you remember but they look more like their parents now. I laughed. I get what he was trying to say. I figure everyone is a bit thicker and some have lost hair and we're all old so I won't be any different than anyone else.
But getting a face lift before then I wouldn't be opposed to.
Should I do my begging here like other bloggers do for you to send money?
No, I won't be doing that!
I'm going with my old face and wrinkles.
I no longer look like the short perky cheerleader.
Nothing about me is perky anymore or on me for that matter. :-)
Every year this has been held at a country club.
This year it is being held outside as a picnic type thing in July.
WTF? Humidity and my hair?! Who wants to meet everyone sweating and melting?
I have issues with this location as do all the women I've spoken to.
Colleen said, "WTH she doesn't have hot flashes? And humidity will ruin my hair."
I laughed and said I thought all those things already Coll.
I'm a bit concerned about this, so you know I'll bug you more with my fears as it gets closer. Mostly it's the ex situation that I am concerned about.
But when I'm thinking positive I just think of the blog fodder and photo's for ya'll to see.
Friday, January 24, 2014
R's
Tammie wrote about her daughter yesterday who "graduated/finished" speech therapy.
After reading this it brought back a flood of memories to me.
I spoke like Elmer Fudd and I stuttered. Attractive huh?
While it worked for Barbara Walters it wasn't working for me according to my school.
In first grade my mom and dad were called into school to discuss my speech.
My father said there was nothing wrong with my speech.
But he said it more like, "nuttin' wrong"
I bet that speech teacher would have loved to get a hold of my father!
My father didn't get it. Thankfully my mother did and they agreed to me being removed from reading class a couple times a week for speech class as it was called back then.
Being removed from class because you are "weird" wasn't fun. But I don't recall many making fun of me, it was my issue more than anything else.
Now my father talks like a gangster from the old movies.
He says, mudda, fadda, he has 5 goils etc.
In case you can't figure that out those are mother, father and 5 girls.
I know I've told you here that in my speech class were some interesting characters to me.
Heather, who had a pet monkey was my favorite. I couldn't even have a dog at this point in my life so a monkey was just too cool to me. My mom didn't like dogs so a monkey was certainly out of the question. She kept telling me it would be stinky and dirty and I didn't care. C'mon a pet monkey. It was not small one either. A chimp. How she got to keep this animal is beyond me. But then again it was the 60's so maybe there weren't the same laws about it all back then.
Heather couldn't say her S's. She had to hiss all day.
I couldn't say my R's. I had to roar my hard R's all day.
And when excited I would stutter up a storm and it could take me a very long time to get a full thought out of my mouth.
Each day after school I had to practice my R sounds for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes my mother would sign the paper next to the day of the week and the length of time I practice.
I would hand this in each and every week. If it was less than 30 minutes my mother had to say why. I saw my mom lie for the first time right here on that sheet of paper.
I would make the hard R sound for 30 minutes straight. I did this while drying dishes. I did this while alone in the kitchen after dinner. I did this while doing homework at the kitchen table before dinner and I did this while practicing the piano. I remember cleaning my room and just loudly practicing my hard R's. I don't recall ever complaining but knowing me I must have. I drove my younger sister Pam bat shit crazy. She called me a "retard" because she didn't have to go to this class and since she was jealous of me big time this was the achilles heel to her. She is the only kid I remember making fun of me so if there were more I surely wasn't scarred from it all.
My father made it known to anyone who would listen how annoying this was to him that I was making this noise. My mother would laugh but never said anything.
Then one day I was doing that hard R sound while practicing my scales.
I even did the R's to the note. I was practicing after school and I had to practice the piano for at least 30 minutes so I thought I'd kill 2 birds with one stone.
But my mother who was the only parent home at the time quietly walked into the living, grabbed the piano keyboard hood and slowly lowered it over the keys and my hands until I took my hands out. I looked at her and said, "But it has only been 15 minutes."
She told me she would give me the day off and she'd sign it.
Now I just thought, "fine" I'm outta here and ran outside.
I told my sister that mom lied.
For some reason that was cool to me.
It never ever occurred to me that I was annoying the living shit out of her.
My Dad did that all the time and he made no bones about bitching at me about the R's and the scales. But my mom would say things like, "that sounds good Peggy" "you are getting so much better Peg"
So it just never occurred to me that I was annoying her and that makes me laugh my ass off now. How could I not know that?
Dear Lord if a kid was in my home doing that noise I don't know how long I could take it on a daily basis. The fact that she only did this once is amazing to me. I'd be yelling, "Go do that in your room please."
I got to leave/graduate speech class at age 13. Yep a slow learner that's me.
I stopped stuttering early on and only fall into stuttering if I'm drinking.
Same with the R's. I have been known to say Wick instead of Rick even now.
And heaven knows the prick...err I mean Rick can't let it go.
Oh no, he has to make fun of me and point it out to all who are there.
There is a pharmacy in New York that I would go to when in the city for work.
I can't say the name of it to save my life. I try. (Duane Reade)
I can do it with out an error if I do it very very slowly, with a long pause between the first name and the second. But I can't say it normally.
It's the only word that gets to me to this day.
So I would just say, I went to the drugstore. I mean really why did I have to say the name?
But of course my husband would say while laughing, "Which one?"
He had heard me try to say it once and I just couldn't and he finds that funny.
I'd answer, "The one on the corner off Broadway" or E.52nd" I would never ever say it to him because why would I do that to myself? Oh he persisted being the nice loving husband he is but I would just say, FU! and he would laugh.
Once I said, "Walgreens" and I thought he was going to pee his pants he laughed so hard.
Interestingly enough for some reason I can say the R in Prick without any problem!
After reading this it brought back a flood of memories to me.
I spoke like Elmer Fudd and I stuttered. Attractive huh?
While it worked for Barbara Walters it wasn't working for me according to my school.
In first grade my mom and dad were called into school to discuss my speech.
My father said there was nothing wrong with my speech.
But he said it more like, "nuttin' wrong"
I bet that speech teacher would have loved to get a hold of my father!
My father didn't get it. Thankfully my mother did and they agreed to me being removed from reading class a couple times a week for speech class as it was called back then.
Being removed from class because you are "weird" wasn't fun. But I don't recall many making fun of me, it was my issue more than anything else.
Now my father talks like a gangster from the old movies.
He says, mudda, fadda, he has 5 goils etc.
In case you can't figure that out those are mother, father and 5 girls.
I know I've told you here that in my speech class were some interesting characters to me.
Heather, who had a pet monkey was my favorite. I couldn't even have a dog at this point in my life so a monkey was just too cool to me. My mom didn't like dogs so a monkey was certainly out of the question. She kept telling me it would be stinky and dirty and I didn't care. C'mon a pet monkey. It was not small one either. A chimp. How she got to keep this animal is beyond me. But then again it was the 60's so maybe there weren't the same laws about it all back then.
Heather couldn't say her S's. She had to hiss all day.
I couldn't say my R's. I had to roar my hard R's all day.
And when excited I would stutter up a storm and it could take me a very long time to get a full thought out of my mouth.
Each day after school I had to practice my R sounds for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes my mother would sign the paper next to the day of the week and the length of time I practice.
I would hand this in each and every week. If it was less than 30 minutes my mother had to say why. I saw my mom lie for the first time right here on that sheet of paper.
I would make the hard R sound for 30 minutes straight. I did this while drying dishes. I did this while alone in the kitchen after dinner. I did this while doing homework at the kitchen table before dinner and I did this while practicing the piano. I remember cleaning my room and just loudly practicing my hard R's. I don't recall ever complaining but knowing me I must have. I drove my younger sister Pam bat shit crazy. She called me a "retard" because she didn't have to go to this class and since she was jealous of me big time this was the achilles heel to her. She is the only kid I remember making fun of me so if there were more I surely wasn't scarred from it all.
My father made it known to anyone who would listen how annoying this was to him that I was making this noise. My mother would laugh but never said anything.
Then one day I was doing that hard R sound while practicing my scales.
I even did the R's to the note. I was practicing after school and I had to practice the piano for at least 30 minutes so I thought I'd kill 2 birds with one stone.
But my mother who was the only parent home at the time quietly walked into the living, grabbed the piano keyboard hood and slowly lowered it over the keys and my hands until I took my hands out. I looked at her and said, "But it has only been 15 minutes."
She told me she would give me the day off and she'd sign it.
Now I just thought, "fine" I'm outta here and ran outside.
I told my sister that mom lied.
For some reason that was cool to me.
It never ever occurred to me that I was annoying the living shit out of her.
My Dad did that all the time and he made no bones about bitching at me about the R's and the scales. But my mom would say things like, "that sounds good Peggy" "you are getting so much better Peg"
So it just never occurred to me that I was annoying her and that makes me laugh my ass off now. How could I not know that?
Dear Lord if a kid was in my home doing that noise I don't know how long I could take it on a daily basis. The fact that she only did this once is amazing to me. I'd be yelling, "Go do that in your room please."
I got to leave/graduate speech class at age 13. Yep a slow learner that's me.
I stopped stuttering early on and only fall into stuttering if I'm drinking.
Same with the R's. I have been known to say Wick instead of Rick even now.
And heaven knows the prick...err I mean Rick can't let it go.
Oh no, he has to make fun of me and point it out to all who are there.
There is a pharmacy in New York that I would go to when in the city for work.
I can't say the name of it to save my life. I try. (Duane Reade)
I can do it with out an error if I do it very very slowly, with a long pause between the first name and the second. But I can't say it normally.
It's the only word that gets to me to this day.
So I would just say, I went to the drugstore. I mean really why did I have to say the name?
But of course my husband would say while laughing, "Which one?"
He had heard me try to say it once and I just couldn't and he finds that funny.
I'd answer, "The one on the corner off Broadway" or E.52nd" I would never ever say it to him because why would I do that to myself? Oh he persisted being the nice loving husband he is but I would just say, FU! and he would laugh.
Once I said, "Walgreens" and I thought he was going to pee his pants he laughed so hard.
Interestingly enough for some reason I can say the R in Prick without any problem!
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
I am so very ready for Spring.....and you?
I read this article that discussed a research project about dogs.
It started with Birds do it, Bees do it, is it possible that your dog does too?
That intrigued me so I read on.
The research indicated that dogs are sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field.
They don't use it to navigate like many insects and birds do, but they appear to have a preference for aligning themselves to the Earth's magnetic axis when they are doing their business - specifically pooping.
They studied 70 dogs from 37 different breeds over a 2 year period.
To quote the article they find dogs, "preferred to excrete with the body being aligned along the North-South axis under calm (magnetic field) conditions" When conditions were not calm, this preference for alignment disappeared. Weird huh?
So of course I had to ask Rick how magnetic North was different from north.
We went online and put in our area and it gave us magnetic north. And damn if Izzy doesn't poop in that direction. Now we are obsessed with watching her poo.
We need to get a life don't we?
In other news....it still isn't spring damn it.
I am not dealing well with winter anymore.
We have about 3 inches right now and it's really coming down.
Izzy is the only member of this family who digs this white stuff.
That's a snowball maker in Rick's hand.
Packs a great snowball for Izzy to chase.
And if the snow isn't enough to make one miserable it's damn cold.
I believe the highs the next few days are only going to the 20's and the lows in the teens. Now for those reading in the north you are laughing I know.
But I like my cold weather to be around 50.
I don't need it colder than 50 and I don't need it hotter than 85.
So where do I move to?
Who am I kidding. I do like seasons but.....
I also read this week that consuming coffee improves your visual memory. After drinking 200mg of coffee you can recall images more vividly. But you only have this enhanced memory for 24 hrs and then you must do it again. I think this research is somehow flawed.
I drink way more than 200mg of coffee and I don't remember shit.
Then again, it could just be me. Maybe I'm the flawed part of the study.
Nah, that couldn't be it right?
It started with Birds do it, Bees do it, is it possible that your dog does too?
That intrigued me so I read on.
The research indicated that dogs are sensitive to the Earth's magnetic field.
They don't use it to navigate like many insects and birds do, but they appear to have a preference for aligning themselves to the Earth's magnetic axis when they are doing their business - specifically pooping.
They studied 70 dogs from 37 different breeds over a 2 year period.
To quote the article they find dogs, "preferred to excrete with the body being aligned along the North-South axis under calm (magnetic field) conditions" When conditions were not calm, this preference for alignment disappeared. Weird huh?
So of course I had to ask Rick how magnetic North was different from north.
We went online and put in our area and it gave us magnetic north. And damn if Izzy doesn't poop in that direction. Now we are obsessed with watching her poo.
We need to get a life don't we?
In other news....it still isn't spring damn it.
I am not dealing well with winter anymore.
We have about 3 inches right now and it's really coming down.
Izzy is the only member of this family who digs this white stuff.
That's a snowball maker in Rick's hand.
Packs a great snowball for Izzy to chase.
She is zeroed in on that snow ball about to be flung.
And if the snow isn't enough to make one miserable it's damn cold.
I believe the highs the next few days are only going to the 20's and the lows in the teens. Now for those reading in the north you are laughing I know.
But I like my cold weather to be around 50.
I don't need it colder than 50 and I don't need it hotter than 85.
So where do I move to?
Who am I kidding. I do like seasons but.....
I also read this week that consuming coffee improves your visual memory. After drinking 200mg of coffee you can recall images more vividly. But you only have this enhanced memory for 24 hrs and then you must do it again. I think this research is somehow flawed.
I drink way more than 200mg of coffee and I don't remember shit.
Then again, it could just be me. Maybe I'm the flawed part of the study.
Nah, that couldn't be it right?
Monday, January 20, 2014
Parents
I'm watching my parents fade. It's so sad.
As I have stated here before my mom died when I was 13 and I vividly remember telling a friend who's parents were getting a divorce that I wish my parents would have been divorced because I could still see them both that way.
I wish it was as simplistic as that now.
My Dad will be 86 in a couple of weeks.
My step-mom, who has been my mom longer than my real mom, is 14 yrs younger at 72 in March.
When she married Dad she was only 27 and Dad was 41.
Both young really. At the time I thought they were both so old.
My step mom is old in spirit, I think that is why it worked.
Dad is frail now.
The big burly man he used to be is now a small frail man. I guess his weight to be 115lbs, maybe less.
He was 200lb at one point. Hard to see.
He is incredibly forgetful, yet my mom tells me the doctor assures her he doesn't have Alzheimer's disease he's just getting old. Apparently he's been tested and that made him mad.
My mom sounded stressed to the max.
She still works. She is and has been raising 3 children of a narcissistic drug addicted pathological liar of a sister that I have. (she falls at number 4 on the list of sisters)
The first grandchild was born crack addicted.
It was so sad to see her shake and go through withdrawal.
A tiny helpless innocent baby.
Today she is 24 (well she will be next week) in grad school in Pittsburgh, smart as a whip and beautiful.
She lives on her own and supports herself and like the rest of her generation will be paying her school loans off until she's 50.....at least :-)
The doctors didn't give my parents much hope on her brain when she was born.
But she showed them all. Great grades/getting her masters and thriving.
The 2nd grandchild by this same drug addled sister is 22 about to be 23.
She is a full time employee who just got a promotion that she is so proud of AND she is a part time student as well. She is thinking of going on to get her full masters.
The 3rd grandchild of same mother is a 17yr old beautiful young woman and a senior.
My mom is almost done raising her 2nd set of kids.
Thankfully the crazy Catholics that my family are realized that this drug sister needed her tubes tied!! Thankfully that happened. (my father couldn't be told that is how stupid Catholic he is) Hard to fathom they thought this was wrong. I just shake my head!
So my mom has a husband who has asked her several times a day for the past week every day what he is wearing to his physical therapy appointment. She tells him each time. Each time she gets a bit more upset and agitated. Then she deals with dance class, proms and high school drama from a 17 yr old. Then she goes to work and deals with all the drama and crap one deals with working with several other women. She is constantly running and on the go.
When I spoke to her on Sunday I could tell she was at her wits end.
Their big fat house is falling apart. They don't have the money to fix it. She fears she will not have enough to live on for the rest of her life. If she sells this where does she go she asks me.
A sister out west asked her to move in. She won't think of it.....with any of us she tells me.
Her house needs work, she will not get top dollar unless we all do a lot of work there.
But perhaps to just sell it is the answer since we all live so far away.
"As is" it could be sold as. It is dated but big and in a very nice area.
At one point when we offered to do some things she said no, it was still her house.
Yesterday she said, "Do whatever you want I don't care. I am tired. I need to understand what I am going to do. I am scared." Her voice trembled.
I'm going up there to visit in mid March. She has a Friday off and that just so happens to be her birthday weekend as well. We are going to sit down and go over things. We are going to make a plan for her. We are going to do whatever it is that we can to make this easier for her.
I wish they had made plans when they were younger. I wish my father had a pension. He did something when he was in the union and walked away from it. That is all I know or understand. He was a union master plumber for years. He had his own business but he didn't do an ira, a 401K, any investments, nothing but savings and it is dwindling. It's not like they've been living high on the hog either.
It is all so sad to watch and there is only so much I can do especially from here.
It frustrates me so.
Some back story.....When my nieces were born Rick and I asked to adopt them or take them in and raise them. But my parents said no they wanted the girls. The feared what my sister would do as well. She would never allow for the adoption for my parents either so they could reap any benefits like a write off on taxes. Nope, drug sister has all the control.
My parents actually said to me, "you don't have the lifestyle for children."
Well who the hell does before they have children?
I think my mother realizes now that this is damn difficult at their age. Honestly I think she thought that at 50 something too.
I was only in my early 30's at the time we asked. We asked several years later when we saw my parents struggle to do all that was required and got shot down again. Rick and I felt that my parents, while good parents, couldn't give them all the time they needed. They were old and tired then and so we took them places, we did things with them to make up for it. We tried but then we moved with our careers. My parents wouldn't let them leave so the 3 of them have been raised by grandparents. Thankfully these 3 girls are beautiful young women who have done well. They see what their mom is. They understand how lucky they were to have Grandma and Grandpa as parents to raise them. They get it.
I know my mother shares all her fears with me because I will listen and because I'm a friend more than anything. My father is no longer someone you can talk to about these things. She has no one else. She feels alone and very scared. I wish I had great answers for her. They have bailed me out of a lot of jams when I was a kid. I wish I could get them out of this one to repay them.
God I hate getting old.
As I have stated here before my mom died when I was 13 and I vividly remember telling a friend who's parents were getting a divorce that I wish my parents would have been divorced because I could still see them both that way.
I wish it was as simplistic as that now.
My Dad will be 86 in a couple of weeks.
My step-mom, who has been my mom longer than my real mom, is 14 yrs younger at 72 in March.
When she married Dad she was only 27 and Dad was 41.
Both young really. At the time I thought they were both so old.
My step mom is old in spirit, I think that is why it worked.
Dad is frail now.
The big burly man he used to be is now a small frail man. I guess his weight to be 115lbs, maybe less.
He was 200lb at one point. Hard to see.
He is incredibly forgetful, yet my mom tells me the doctor assures her he doesn't have Alzheimer's disease he's just getting old. Apparently he's been tested and that made him mad.
My mom sounded stressed to the max.
She still works. She is and has been raising 3 children of a narcissistic drug addicted pathological liar of a sister that I have. (she falls at number 4 on the list of sisters)
The first grandchild was born crack addicted.
It was so sad to see her shake and go through withdrawal.
A tiny helpless innocent baby.
Today she is 24 (well she will be next week) in grad school in Pittsburgh, smart as a whip and beautiful.
She lives on her own and supports herself and like the rest of her generation will be paying her school loans off until she's 50.....at least :-)
The doctors didn't give my parents much hope on her brain when she was born.
But she showed them all. Great grades/getting her masters and thriving.
The 2nd grandchild by this same drug addled sister is 22 about to be 23.
She is a full time employee who just got a promotion that she is so proud of AND she is a part time student as well. She is thinking of going on to get her full masters.
The 3rd grandchild of same mother is a 17yr old beautiful young woman and a senior.
My mom is almost done raising her 2nd set of kids.
Thankfully the crazy Catholics that my family are realized that this drug sister needed her tubes tied!! Thankfully that happened. (my father couldn't be told that is how stupid Catholic he is) Hard to fathom they thought this was wrong. I just shake my head!
So my mom has a husband who has asked her several times a day for the past week every day what he is wearing to his physical therapy appointment. She tells him each time. Each time she gets a bit more upset and agitated. Then she deals with dance class, proms and high school drama from a 17 yr old. Then she goes to work and deals with all the drama and crap one deals with working with several other women. She is constantly running and on the go.
When I spoke to her on Sunday I could tell she was at her wits end.
Their big fat house is falling apart. They don't have the money to fix it. She fears she will not have enough to live on for the rest of her life. If she sells this where does she go she asks me.
A sister out west asked her to move in. She won't think of it.....with any of us she tells me.
Her house needs work, she will not get top dollar unless we all do a lot of work there.
But perhaps to just sell it is the answer since we all live so far away.
"As is" it could be sold as. It is dated but big and in a very nice area.
At one point when we offered to do some things she said no, it was still her house.
Yesterday she said, "Do whatever you want I don't care. I am tired. I need to understand what I am going to do. I am scared." Her voice trembled.
I'm going up there to visit in mid March. She has a Friday off and that just so happens to be her birthday weekend as well. We are going to sit down and go over things. We are going to make a plan for her. We are going to do whatever it is that we can to make this easier for her.
I wish they had made plans when they were younger. I wish my father had a pension. He did something when he was in the union and walked away from it. That is all I know or understand. He was a union master plumber for years. He had his own business but he didn't do an ira, a 401K, any investments, nothing but savings and it is dwindling. It's not like they've been living high on the hog either.
It is all so sad to watch and there is only so much I can do especially from here.
It frustrates me so.
Some back story.....When my nieces were born Rick and I asked to adopt them or take them in and raise them. But my parents said no they wanted the girls. The feared what my sister would do as well. She would never allow for the adoption for my parents either so they could reap any benefits like a write off on taxes. Nope, drug sister has all the control.
My parents actually said to me, "you don't have the lifestyle for children."
Well who the hell does before they have children?
I think my mother realizes now that this is damn difficult at their age. Honestly I think she thought that at 50 something too.
I was only in my early 30's at the time we asked. We asked several years later when we saw my parents struggle to do all that was required and got shot down again. Rick and I felt that my parents, while good parents, couldn't give them all the time they needed. They were old and tired then and so we took them places, we did things with them to make up for it. We tried but then we moved with our careers. My parents wouldn't let them leave so the 3 of them have been raised by grandparents. Thankfully these 3 girls are beautiful young women who have done well. They see what their mom is. They understand how lucky they were to have Grandma and Grandpa as parents to raise them. They get it.
I know my mother shares all her fears with me because I will listen and because I'm a friend more than anything. My father is no longer someone you can talk to about these things. She has no one else. She feels alone and very scared. I wish I had great answers for her. They have bailed me out of a lot of jams when I was a kid. I wish I could get them out of this one to repay them.
God I hate getting old.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Busy, busy, busy
Very busy right now so enjoy this little video while I am knee deep in paper, paint and a schedule that would make ones head spin!
The Boss and Jimmy Fallon......
The Boss and Jimmy Fallon......
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Smart Beagle
When we got our little fur ball at 4 months old we were told from the breeder that she was only a 9.5 out of 10 in intelligence. But one look at that little face and I just didn't care.
Now there have been times where I am thankful that is all she is because I fear if she was a 10 or had thumbs we'd have no damn control.
So when I saw this beagle I cracked up. I loved watching that thought process here.
I guess this is a 10 and thankfully I don't have one! I thought my countertops were safe. Apparently with this beagle, nowhere is safe!
Now there have been times where I am thankful that is all she is because I fear if she was a 10 or had thumbs we'd have no damn control.
So when I saw this beagle I cracked up. I loved watching that thought process here.
I guess this is a 10 and thankfully I don't have one! I thought my countertops were safe. Apparently with this beagle, nowhere is safe!
Monday, January 13, 2014
Whirlwind Monday
Boy it's been a Monday Morning around here!
Let's start with Saturday shall we?
Rick and I went to the Tile Shop to make a choice of back splashes for our kitchen.
Rick brought his binder with him with all his measurements etc. This binder is what he refers to as his bible. Inside are his business cards, papers/invoices for jobs, pens, etc.
He is lost without this bad boy during the coarse of a day.
It has EVERYTHING he needs for his day in there. He is lost without it.
We bought two samples of tile to bring home to see what we preferred.
We spent the rest of the weekend continuing the refinishing of our cabinets.
Monday morning arrives and the island has cabinet doors and shelves drying on it.
The kitchen is in utter chaos.
He is running around like a crazy man looking for his binder.
He keeps asking me if I've seen it.
I tell him to just stop for a moment and let's look around, he's being such a spaz.
Nothing is where it is supposed to be so let's do this systematically.
We start with the kitchen, go into the dining room where all the glassware and cookbooks etc are waiting to go back to their rightful home. I asked him if it was still in the car.
He said he doubts it but he has already started his truck to warm it up he says he can't look in my car. WHAT? I say, "I have a set of keys, what is going on with you this morning?"
He grabs my keys from the bowl by the front door.
He runs out to the car and looks in the front seat.
I was watching him and he wasn't looking anywhere else.
So I open the door and suggest he look in the back of the SUV as well to see if it was put in there along with the tile samples.
He says, "Oh yea!" as I roll my eyes. But it wasn't there.
I ask Rick if he left it at the tile store.
He said, "I doubt it, that's something you would do not me."
But if it isn't in the places we looked it had to be there was my logic.
He won't call them.
Rick left for work and he was all spastic because it was like going to work with out his arm.
I immediately called the tile store because -
1. It had to be there.
2. it opens at 7am and why he wouldn't call just to see if it could be there fried my ass.
Guess where it was? The Tile Shop.
I call Mr. Numbnuts who is now at his first job.
I tell him that I found his binder and that it was indeed left at the store on the counter.
"So it is only something I'd do huh? Guess that smart remark bit you in the ass."
He laughed. He asked me if I'd go get it today at my lunch break. Sure I can I tell him.
It is now just shy of 8am so I grab my 2nd cup of coffee and head upstairs to my office.
I get a call as soon as my butt hit my office chair. It is Mr. Numbnuts.
In the most soft voice I hear him say, "Ah, I have your keys, I didn't put them back in the bowl when I came in the house. You'll have to find the extra key to the car to go to the tile shop and just not lock the doors."
OMG! What is wrong with him today?
I tell him I know where the extra key is so I'll be able to go today.
He meekly says, "I'm sorry babe. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me today."
Today?
He's going to be so off the mark today and off kilter because his binder (bible) and all the things he needs are not with him. So I don't need to give him grief because he is going to have an awful day. But that won't last long, trust me. (wink wink)
Let's start with Saturday shall we?
Rick and I went to the Tile Shop to make a choice of back splashes for our kitchen.
Rick brought his binder with him with all his measurements etc. This binder is what he refers to as his bible. Inside are his business cards, papers/invoices for jobs, pens, etc.
He is lost without this bad boy during the coarse of a day.
It has EVERYTHING he needs for his day in there. He is lost without it.
We bought two samples of tile to bring home to see what we preferred.
We spent the rest of the weekend continuing the refinishing of our cabinets.
Monday morning arrives and the island has cabinet doors and shelves drying on it.
The kitchen is in utter chaos.
He is running around like a crazy man looking for his binder.
He keeps asking me if I've seen it.
I tell him to just stop for a moment and let's look around, he's being such a spaz.
Nothing is where it is supposed to be so let's do this systematically.
We start with the kitchen, go into the dining room where all the glassware and cookbooks etc are waiting to go back to their rightful home. I asked him if it was still in the car.
He said he doubts it but he has already started his truck to warm it up he says he can't look in my car. WHAT? I say, "I have a set of keys, what is going on with you this morning?"
He grabs my keys from the bowl by the front door.
He runs out to the car and looks in the front seat.
I was watching him and he wasn't looking anywhere else.
So I open the door and suggest he look in the back of the SUV as well to see if it was put in there along with the tile samples.
He says, "Oh yea!" as I roll my eyes. But it wasn't there.
I ask Rick if he left it at the tile store.
He said, "I doubt it, that's something you would do not me."
But if it isn't in the places we looked it had to be there was my logic.
He won't call them.
Rick left for work and he was all spastic because it was like going to work with out his arm.
I immediately called the tile store because -
1. It had to be there.
2. it opens at 7am and why he wouldn't call just to see if it could be there fried my ass.
Guess where it was? The Tile Shop.
I call Mr. Numbnuts who is now at his first job.
I tell him that I found his binder and that it was indeed left at the store on the counter.
"So it is only something I'd do huh? Guess that smart remark bit you in the ass."
He laughed. He asked me if I'd go get it today at my lunch break. Sure I can I tell him.
It is now just shy of 8am so I grab my 2nd cup of coffee and head upstairs to my office.
I get a call as soon as my butt hit my office chair. It is Mr. Numbnuts.
In the most soft voice I hear him say, "Ah, I have your keys, I didn't put them back in the bowl when I came in the house. You'll have to find the extra key to the car to go to the tile shop and just not lock the doors."
OMG! What is wrong with him today?
I tell him I know where the extra key is so I'll be able to go today.
He meekly says, "I'm sorry babe. I don't know what the hell is wrong with me today."
Today?
He's going to be so off the mark today and off kilter because his binder (bible) and all the things he needs are not with him. So I don't need to give him grief because he is going to have an awful day. But that won't last long, trust me. (wink wink)
Friday, January 10, 2014
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Regrets
I saw this article online here.
It lists the top 37 things one should do before they get old.
I very much agree with all on this list.
Especially the one about regret.
I was 31 when I met this woman at a brand new job.
She asked me if I was married on the very first day. I told her I was not.
She then went on to ask, "Have you ever been married?"
I just met this woman for Pete's sake and I thought that was a bit nosey but I answered her. "Yes I married my high school sweatheart and when we grew up we went in different directions"
Being the dumb ass she apparently was she asked, "So you are divorced already at 31?"
I nodded. I heard all her judgement. I wanted to slap her but I just nodded.
Then she said to me, "I bet you regret that marriage now don't you?"
C'mon who says that to someone they just met?
I couldn't believe this woman to be honest, but if she was going to be this friggin' nosy I was going to be honest with her. I told her, "NO, I don't regret a minute of it. He's a nice man. I'm a nice woman. We just shouldn't have gotten married so young just like my parents told us. I think I learned a lot and we had 10 great years together (ok great were only 8) and I adore his family and still see them. We just shouldn't be married to one another we wanted different things in life"
She gasped. I went on to tell her, " I have never regretted anything I've done only the things I didn't do." (like slap you, you nosy shit you)
I walked away.
When I told Rick this story years later he asked why I never asked her if she was married or divorced or something along her lines of questioning and be nosy with her. Frankly I just didn't give a shit about her enough to ask.
But it's all true. I was with that man from age 17 to 27. Too damn young.
Too damn young to only have one boyfriend.
I got married at age 23. Too damn young.
I hadn't lived enough. We didn't want the same things once we grew up. So there ya go.
It works for a lot of people but it didn't for me being that young.
But it did make me know what I did want and how I wasn't compromising what I wanted anymore. It made me realize what kind of partner I wanted in life. It made me make better decisions for myself. It allowed me to see what I would and wouldn't tolerate. I learned a lot. Sure it was painful. Sure it was difficult to go back to school at age 27. All of that.
But ya know what? I picked good this time!!
He may have the same first name as the first guy but this man is the keeper!
I wonder if I would have seen how great he was when I was younger? Probably not.
Am I proud to have a divorce under my belt? Not really but I'm not ashamed either.
It is what it is. It made me who I am.
When we are young we sometimes make some dumb ass mistakes.
Hell we can do that when we are older too.
But if you learn something from it all the journey ain't so bad really.
It lists the top 37 things one should do before they get old.
I very much agree with all on this list.
Especially the one about regret.
I was 31 when I met this woman at a brand new job.
She asked me if I was married on the very first day. I told her I was not.
She then went on to ask, "Have you ever been married?"
I just met this woman for Pete's sake and I thought that was a bit nosey but I answered her. "Yes I married my high school sweatheart and when we grew up we went in different directions"
Being the dumb ass she apparently was she asked, "So you are divorced already at 31?"
I nodded. I heard all her judgement. I wanted to slap her but I just nodded.
Then she said to me, "I bet you regret that marriage now don't you?"
C'mon who says that to someone they just met?
I couldn't believe this woman to be honest, but if she was going to be this friggin' nosy I was going to be honest with her. I told her, "NO, I don't regret a minute of it. He's a nice man. I'm a nice woman. We just shouldn't have gotten married so young just like my parents told us. I think I learned a lot and we had 10 great years together (ok great were only 8) and I adore his family and still see them. We just shouldn't be married to one another we wanted different things in life"
She gasped. I went on to tell her, " I have never regretted anything I've done only the things I didn't do." (like slap you, you nosy shit you)
I walked away.
When I told Rick this story years later he asked why I never asked her if she was married or divorced or something along her lines of questioning and be nosy with her. Frankly I just didn't give a shit about her enough to ask.
But it's all true. I was with that man from age 17 to 27. Too damn young.
Too damn young to only have one boyfriend.
I got married at age 23. Too damn young.
I hadn't lived enough. We didn't want the same things once we grew up. So there ya go.
It works for a lot of people but it didn't for me being that young.
But it did make me know what I did want and how I wasn't compromising what I wanted anymore. It made me realize what kind of partner I wanted in life. It made me make better decisions for myself. It allowed me to see what I would and wouldn't tolerate. I learned a lot. Sure it was painful. Sure it was difficult to go back to school at age 27. All of that.
But ya know what? I picked good this time!!
He may have the same first name as the first guy but this man is the keeper!
I wonder if I would have seen how great he was when I was younger? Probably not.
Am I proud to have a divorce under my belt? Not really but I'm not ashamed either.
It is what it is. It made me who I am.
When we are young we sometimes make some dumb ass mistakes.
Hell we can do that when we are older too.
But if you learn something from it all the journey ain't so bad really.
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Old Age
Oh God, this is sadly going to be me all too soon.
OKAY OKAY I'll be honest, some of them are me already.
OKAY OKAY I'll be honest, some of them are me already.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Upside Down
My home is upside down right now and this is making my dog completely nutso.
Well maybe I should say she is more nutso than normal.
She has a blanket that covers a corner of the sofa where she lays. If I wash the blanket she won't get up on the sofa, but will instead just put her head on it and make sad eyes at me. Even if I say, "go ahead you can get up" and motion to her to get up. She refuses unless the blanket it there.
Now with the first floor being a remodel diseaster mode she is bonkers.
We moved all the furniture to the other side of the room last night.
A piece of furniture is being delivered today so I had to move everything.
I now have the sectional sofa that is going to my niece on it's side. The other piece of the sectional is behind it. Izzy was flipping out.
She was going in circles looking for a place to sit. Her chair was still there but it was not in its 'normal' place so she didn't like that either.
We put the sofa cushion on the area rug with her blanket on it thinking she would lay there while we were moving things etc. Nope. She had to be on the sofa. It was all so funny. I stopped and watched her. She was literally upset. Her food bowls were moved, the kitchen has a sofa in it, the sofa is on it's side, all the furniture is wrong to her now. Izzy looked from side to side and then began to circle the island. She was not a happy girl. No calming would work. What in the hell will she do if we ever move? I may have to sedate her.
Finally she went to the sofa section that she would lay on while it is on its side and she snuggled up in the corner of it. But it's the top so it slops. She made me laugh because that had to be uncomfortable but damn it, this was her sofa and we were messing with it. Rick grabbed his phone to capture this. She laid there for a long time and she didn't care her blanket wasn't there. We didn't care, she was out of the way and we could continue doing what we needed to do.
This morning she came down the steps and she stood on the landing and looked into the kitchen and sitting area. Then she turned and looked at me. It made me laugh out loud.
The looks said, "It's still all upside! I can't live like this"
She does make me laugh this silly furry beast.
Izzy also has enough off white paint on her. This ought to take a long time to come off her.
She just had a bath too. Oh this dog!!
We are fortunate because while it is frigid (2 degrees) and sub zero with wind chills, it is sunny and we have no snow. I am thankful for that. But my fingers on my right hand are still tingling and feeling off since I was out walking Izzy an hour ago. I wore two pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants and 2 pairs of socks. I am glad I saved all those old pants after I lost weight so after i put on leggings,then jeans, I put on a pair of fleece pants to put over everything because they are so big. It was perfect and my legs were not cold - finally. My feet and hands were another story. I don't have mittens and I used my last hand warmer thingy in my gloves last night.
It is supposed to be 58 on Saturday and my sofa should no longer be upside down. (I hope)
If my fingers don't fall off by then I think we'll all be just fine.
Well maybe I should say she is more nutso than normal.
She has a blanket that covers a corner of the sofa where she lays. If I wash the blanket she won't get up on the sofa, but will instead just put her head on it and make sad eyes at me. Even if I say, "go ahead you can get up" and motion to her to get up. She refuses unless the blanket it there.
Now with the first floor being a remodel diseaster mode she is bonkers.
We moved all the furniture to the other side of the room last night.
A piece of furniture is being delivered today so I had to move everything.
I now have the sectional sofa that is going to my niece on it's side. The other piece of the sectional is behind it. Izzy was flipping out.
She was going in circles looking for a place to sit. Her chair was still there but it was not in its 'normal' place so she didn't like that either.
We put the sofa cushion on the area rug with her blanket on it thinking she would lay there while we were moving things etc. Nope. She had to be on the sofa. It was all so funny. I stopped and watched her. She was literally upset. Her food bowls were moved, the kitchen has a sofa in it, the sofa is on it's side, all the furniture is wrong to her now. Izzy looked from side to side and then began to circle the island. She was not a happy girl. No calming would work. What in the hell will she do if we ever move? I may have to sedate her.
Finally she went to the sofa section that she would lay on while it is on its side and she snuggled up in the corner of it. But it's the top so it slops. She made me laugh because that had to be uncomfortable but damn it, this was her sofa and we were messing with it. Rick grabbed his phone to capture this. She laid there for a long time and she didn't care her blanket wasn't there. We didn't care, she was out of the way and we could continue doing what we needed to do.
This morning she came down the steps and she stood on the landing and looked into the kitchen and sitting area. Then she turned and looked at me. It made me laugh out loud.
The looks said, "It's still all upside! I can't live like this"
She does make me laugh this silly furry beast.
Izzy also has enough off white paint on her. This ought to take a long time to come off her.
She just had a bath too. Oh this dog!!
We are fortunate because while it is frigid (2 degrees) and sub zero with wind chills, it is sunny and we have no snow. I am thankful for that. But my fingers on my right hand are still tingling and feeling off since I was out walking Izzy an hour ago. I wore two pairs of gloves, 3 pairs of pants and 2 pairs of socks. I am glad I saved all those old pants after I lost weight so after i put on leggings,then jeans, I put on a pair of fleece pants to put over everything because they are so big. It was perfect and my legs were not cold - finally. My feet and hands were another story. I don't have mittens and I used my last hand warmer thingy in my gloves last night.
It is supposed to be 58 on Saturday and my sofa should no longer be upside down. (I hope)
If my fingers don't fall off by then I think we'll all be just fine.
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