Saturday, February 27, 2010

Bossy Is Back!

Oh Yay! Bossy is home from the hospital and was able to post an almost coherent, yet slightly sleepy post. It is about...something...here is the link She has actually come by this blog once or twice...I can find the posts if you don't believe. HA! For real...she is very clever and writes funny and intersting posts. I love the saving money part of her blog. I even shared a dinner item about greens and cornbread on there.

Again I have the tv on while I'm writing and Saturday Night Live is actually funny tonight. hmm...well...sort of. J Lo is good anyway.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

'Tis Better to Laugh Than Cry Sometimes

I was getting ready or fixin' to write a sob story about my in laws when Ellen (tv on and Ellen show on tv)showed some really funny commercials! Oh my goodness.



followed by this one. I'm really enjoying these and laughing so much.



And then this one.



Somehow it just seems better to laugh this morning than cry about something I have no control over. Hubby is having to move his dad to the Alzheimer's side of the place. Actually they moved him yesterday, but now hubby has to move the furniture that won't fit in the room back to either our house or their house. He has the same movers that moved their belongings out there three months ago.

Also, hubby got a lesson in stubborness this morning. The home health people came today and they needed to draw blood to make sure her blood count is ok and isn't lower than it was. They are both anemic and the doc is trying to make sure there is no internal bleeding. When they got ready to draw the blood from my mil she refused. My husband was stunned, flabbergasted, and ready to disown her. He told me yesterday he could see her at the door of the wing where she lives pounding on the glass door trying to get out. It breaks my heart to hear that. It has been 3 months and she is still desperate to go home. Plus he found out they are only giving her Tylenol for osteoarthritis in her hip. I gotta tell you I hope there is a special place in hell for the doctor who took her off the pain patch that controled the pain and put her on freakin' tylenol.

She had to go to the emergency room a while back and they kept her for about a week. I'm pretty much for controlling pain. The longer you go without anything to relieve the pain it gets out of control and it is so much harder to deal with then. I'm not concerned that she will become a "junkie", and if she does we will deal with the addiction when she gets well.

In my humble opinion elder health care in the U.S. bites the big one. Unless you qualify for Medicaid the cost of "assisted living" or having three shifts of caregivers come come in is prohibitive. If you are somewhere in the middle, your children will be in charge of caring for you or your spouse until they are in the same shape you are. We will either bankrupt ourselves, put our children in a world of grief they aren't prepared for while we spend their inheritance.

That same doctor who took her off all the pain medication, took her off all the antidepressants her personal physcian had prescribed and the antianxiety meds, too. My husband talked with the staff where she is and with her primary doctor's aide to get something started again for her. But for right now she is back to perseverating about going home and beating on a locked door with her fists and in general making herself even more upset. I guess that is what we have to look forward to if we are unable to care for ourselves. Personally I'd rather be able to care for myself, but if that isn't an option I'd rather die.

PS-my hubby just got back from yet another visit to the nursing home and the nurses thought it would be sweet for his mom and dad to see each other. Well, it wasn't what they thought it would be. Neither of them recognized the other! Just a week ago he recognized her but she didn't recognize him. This week they didn't recognize each other. I guess 70 years together was enough for both of them.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

the underwhelming neighborhood association meeting

We have snow again this morning! This has been a very snowy year for us. I wonder what the spring will bring in the way of storms.

We attended our neighborhood association meeting last night. It wasn't too much fun at all. We were asked to pay dues once again and the leadership did nothing at all last year. This is the first meeting since this time last year. We had high hopes for this group, but somehow or other it has fallen by the wayside. Now and all of last year was the time to pay attention to what the gas well lessors are doing, aka the sharks. I got $1.00 the other day on a property I own in another area for them to keep the lease. I put it up until I can talk to them to find out what the heck they are doing.

My cousin and I went shopping for herbs and tomato plants on Sunday. They had some really nice tomato plants at that plant shop. This cold front came in while we were out. It had been 70ish and then dropped to the 50s and the wind was blowing like crazy. Plastic over one of the greenhouse was loose on one side was blowing and flapping like mad. We looked around, got what we needed and stopped for a Coke and some onion rings. We spent a good bit of time chatting away and catching up. It was a nice day, but no big giant insects for us. I saw in the paper the butterflies exhibit will be coming through soon. That is always a fun thing to do...if it isn't snowing and the heat is working. The lunch bunch went a couple of years ago, but it was snowing and then when we got to the building with the butterflies, the heat had gone out. The poor little butterflies were not doing much and it was cold in there. The staff was frantically trying to get it going again.

Today would be a good day to finish reading my book or to catch up on the Olympics we tivoed last night, or work on a scarf I started the other day. When I bought the yarn a couple of years ago I just thought it was pretty and different. When I started working it up I realized it is very soft. The yarn is a synthetic and I sure wish I'd bought a whole bunch of it!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Dove....it is a good thing, but don't forget Pretty Is As Pretty Does

Akansas Patti chose not to listen to the Delta commercial for fear it would get stuck in her head, too. She said she had just gotten over the new Wal-Mart Dove commercial with the song "Do Your Ears Hang Low". Now I have both in my head, but it is a good thing.



While looking for the "Do Your Ears Hang Low" song I found that Dove has started a campaign to target young girls to let them know they are beautiful as they are without all the falderal they are being told they need to be beautiful and desirable in life. The commercial says Talk to your girls before the glamour industry does. It is an eye opening little bit of good advice. Temper the you are pretty part with the reality that how you act allows others to see your beauty. My grandmother used to tell me that "Pretty is as pretty does." That means your actions are more, or at least as important as physical beauty. my grandmother was a wise woman.



The other day I found a box of pictures and saw myself through my life at different stages. I actually was beautiful and I remember at the time thinking how fat, crummy hair, etc. I had. If I'd only known.




Campaign For Beauty

Friday, February 19, 2010

Delta Faucet "Hands"

I have fallen in love with this little commercial. I'd go around singing "Even make a pizza pie!" and had no idea which product commercial from whence it came. Aha! I finally found it and lo and behold it is now going onto my blog. I don't think Delta faucets would mind and I just want to put it on here to share....so you can get it caught in your mind.




Enjoy and we do have Delta faucets we really like. We just don't happen to need one in the kitchen right now.

Gustare!

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Loss and Gain

A few days ago the blogworld lost a wise and good man. He blogged using the name Dr. John and his blog is Dr. John's Fortress, written with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. He was a pastor and even though I didn't read his blog daily, he was very clear when he wrote. He had stories of mythical towns and a whole host of dragons who were forever getting into trouble. I liked his stories about how he went from atheist to pastor, and what a smug little atheist he was. That is in his road to the ministry.

I will miss his bright candle glowing in the dark, but know he is with his Maker now. The last chapter of the part about going from atheist to believer is titled An End and A Beginning. I like that.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Happy Valentine's Day and Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Today is Chinese New Year

of the white metal Tiger

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Find out what to expect during the coming year go to this url:


http://www.gotohoroscope.com/yearly-horoscope.html


The astrologists note that 2010 is a year of the white metal Tiger, and the best metal for this animal is considered to be silver. Present your friends with silver items - they will surely bring luck in 2010 year of white Tiger! If according to Chinese horoscope you were born in a year of Sheep, Horse (especially Fire Horse), Dog, Tiger, Ox or Dragon, this 2010 year will not lay you aside! Take your chance! Don't be afraid of starting something new - you will succeed! Those, who were born in a year of Rabbit, Rooster or Monkey, in 2010 year of the Tiger, will have to try harder. This 2010 year will require of these people certain efforts to fulfill all their goals and not to lose what they already have. For the rest of "animals", according to the Chinese horoscope, 2010 year of white Tiger promises to be neutral.




Also, it is the day of love called St. Valentine's Day when we traditionally give beautiful cards, flowers, and candy to our beloved.



Happy Valetines Day

Click Here For Images &
Happy Valetines Day Pictures - Pictures

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Thursday, February 11, 2010

SNOW IS ON THE WAY!

As a native Texan we get into a childlike fever at the thought of snow. I know everyone on the east coast and middle America is durn worn out with it, but we may get SNOW tomorrow!! I can't get settled to go to sleep and every time I go to the kitchen I have to look out to see if it has started yet. The floodlight is over the kitchen window and I can see a snow grain in a heartbeat with it back lighted. We are loaded up with bread, milk, TP, cookies, food, and all that stuff so we won't starve to death before Friday afternoon.

This was helped by going to see "The Book of Eli" this date afternoon with my husband. Life was tough out there. I gotta tell you I would not have made a good pioneer at all. They would have left me about a mile or so out of the town they were leaving from. I don't travel well.

If I don't travel myself off to the bed right now I might miss a snowflake or two, tomorrow. Sleep well and wake rested.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Moar Kittehs

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I like Harry Potter books, too. Hedwig is feeling a little grumpy today.



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Possibly Melli's cat today!


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Sunday, February 7, 2010

The Itteh bitteh Kitteh Committhes

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This little guy just cracked me up. I've had a little set back with the funk and am just taking advantage of the free photos from LOL cats. This one above just stole my heart when I saw it.


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These little guys are so funny, too and surprisingly scary. I'm pretty sure the kitteh that always messes up the Christmas card photo is in this litter.

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The itty bittys are really fun

eHarmony

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On the Mend

I'm looking forward to a day of rest tomorrow. Our daughter is going to watch the football game with some friends, so we are on our own. We could go and I may see if my husband wants to go over there wth her, but I just want my tv and sofa. Some zzzs in the afternoon would not go amiss and the house is clean. They are having gumbo over there, so I wouldn't have to feed them either. This is starting to sound like a plan.

Thanks to all of you for checking on me during this latest round of crud. Hopefully it will all go away soon..and I mean right away soon...not someday in the future soon. I want it gone right now if not sooner.

Speaking of Sooners, how are you doing Zebra7? Any new recipes? I haven't seen Pioneer Woman or read her blog in a good while, but you guys got a lot of snow up there. I haven't even been by to see Bossy....she isn't a Sooner, but she is funny as all get out.

NW1-I'm still not drinking any pepper sauce. Nope..not happening.

Arkansas Patti...that book is a goodun. I enjoyed it a lot.

Steph-I tried to get to your blog, but my server is acting odd tonight and I couldn't make it. I've lived in chaos with kids and dogs and cats and horses for so long I don't really know what serenity is, but to me it is to manage when you do have all that to care for and smile and invite you in for a Co Cola and to sit a spell.

Yvonne, we can can a bag of oranges...maybe that would make us feel better.

Melli-I hope this is a snow you can enjoy. Have fun at church.
Stay warm, my friends and I'll see you tomorrow.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Snuggle Up This Weekend

You guys in Maryland and Pennsylvania and all points on the northeast coast take good care and stay warm! Hope you got to the grocery store before this monster snowstorm hit! I'd had it on the back of my mind today, but did my sofa thing early. It was nice lolling around watching the news and all. Melli, I can't wait to see your pictures and if anyone else has any....I'd like to see them, too. We have a tiny chance for some mixed precip on Monday.

But..The GOOD NEWS is I did go back to the doc in the box and he gave me some wretched stuff that made my throat quit hurting and some stuff to help with the pain in the throat. I was mistaken about the first doc not giving me something for the thrush. She did. I is difulcan and I take one tab a week for the next 4 weeks. The lidocaine viscous 2% oral sol stuff is the most bitter tasting stuff in the universe, but it made my throat quit hurting like magic. It is truly foul but worth it. The other stuff he prescribed was clotrimazole 10 mg. Doesn't taste bad and throat felt better. That will help everything get well. Hope is restored at my place and I really feel so much better...course I'm medicated like crazy, but thas ok for now. My throat is better, but I ain't pressing it. I thought a potato chip would be a nice snack, but it was not so.

I hope you get to feeling better pronto Yvonne. I think this crud is all over the world. NW-1, I'm not drinking pepper juice at all ever....*shudder* Again, Melli....stay warm and in the house. They were saying the roads are a mess already. Arkansas Patti, Things are looking up finally. I guess getting the right diagnosis and the right meds is sort of on the right side of good.

My youngest daughter called this evening to check on her grandparents and to let us know she is on her way to visit us this weekend and stay through Monday at least. She has a dentist appointment on Monday and she likes her dentist so well she comes up here to get her teeth cleaned. I like him, too. He has been the family dentist for many years.

My fil was invited by the director of the assisted living place to come to his home along with the other "single" men for dinner tonight. I think he is trying to get them involved with each other. I'm sure the nurse my husband was talking with the other night heard me complaining that the foolishness my mother in law indulged in when they first got there caused the other residents to shy away from him. Hopefully he was on good behavior and enjoyed himself. They were going to have steaks. If this doesn't work out, he will have to be moved to the memory care unit. He would be on the same side as my mil, but in another wing. When he went over to visit her it didn't go as well as we had hoped. She didn't recognize him at first and then thought he was someone else. She wasn't sure who, though.

Her newest plot to "escape" is that someone has stolen her purse and car keys. She got one of the aides to call to get my husband to bring them to her. She was telling them her car is tan and is in the parking lot. My guess is that she will make her move after she gets the purse and keys. We are going to take her one of her purses and some old keys. She hasn't driven in ages and she is on a locked ward.


Some Random Thoughts--What do you think about those religious people who were trying to take the children out of Haiti? I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that. Actually all the above and below is random tonight.

To finish up...for real, take care during this snowstorm. They said on tv that it will be the biggest snow storm in a really long time. If you like football...this is the weekend for that or snuggle up with a great book, or tv show, or a game and enjoy some family time, or blow someones mind and send a snail mail real life letter to someone!! If you are alone enjoy the quiet and play some solitaire, or read, or cook up some dinners so you only have to pop one in the microwave after you get home from work or visiting. I finished The Help the other night and it was a really good book. I'm trying to decide if I want to read some of the other new ones I got for Christmas...or tackle the Knitting for Dummies book to try to figure out what will be the next project....'Cuz I'm getting well this month!!

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Such a Disappointment After Rethinking My Situation

Tomorrow morning I'm going to stay in the bed until I'm darn good and ready to get up. This week has been one of the run hither and yon ones and this morning I did not want to get up and go again, but had an obligation for lunch. It is important you know. I hope I didn't share my sore throat with everyone, but my guess is I didn't. My throat was so sore yesterday I thought I'd weep. I went to another one of the doc in the box (emergency care places) to see if they could do anything about it. Wednesday is my primary physician's day off.

After discussing all the sinus infections I've had lately and all the antibiotics prescribed and taken, we decided it was probably thrush, a fungal infection caused from taking too many antibiotics. All the antibiotics and the methotrexate that supresses the immune system..yep. Meanwhile back at the clinic, they gave me a shot of antibiotics and a scrip for antibiotics and some antihistamine stuff. There was nothing for an anti-fungal infection in all that. Some days I just wonder what the heck was I thinking and why did I think she was a real doctor who would actually give me a rx that would do some good.

Lunch was surprisingly spicy, given that it was Mexican food, and I had a large to go box for most of mine. The guacamole was about the only thing I could manage, but the girls had decided La Playa was just the place to eat. When I returned home my husband said the emergency care place had called to see how I was doing. He didn't know that I felt too dreadful to return to their place of business today for some more antibiotics probably. And I wondered how the hell did they think I'd feel.

I've got some Nystatin stashed in the fridge from a bout of this in November that will help until I can get to a real doctor who doesn't speak with a forked tongue and give me something that will actually help me make it through the week.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Head of Household

This just tickled me tonight.

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West Side Story was on the other night and I tivoed it. There really were a lot of good songs in that musical. There was some great dancing, too. I was sort of bummed that George Chakiris really didn't continue to star in films, and is now designing jewelry.

The Jets and the Sharks have rumbled and Maria and Tony have found each other and Bernardo is dead. Tony is about to go on the lam and it is just tragic. Rita Moreno was very young indeed in that movie.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Sunday Notes

Just a quick note to let you know what a good time we had with my cousin. She is so organized and well, I'm not. She had her seeds in a pretty box and had little glass packets so she could put the ones for me into them. I had a handful of sandwich bags with seeds for her that were in the greenhouse. When I went out yesterday to get them out for her they sort of got scattered from here to yon. It was cold out and I was probably multitasking, or trying to.

Anyway, she loaded me up with some fine seeds that I'll have to look up to see what they are. One had the label datura on it and that rings a bell somewhere in the dim recesses in my mind. Morning glories, I think that is what it is. We will see. Some of them I just had to tell her I couldn't plant them because I'd think they were weeds and would pull them up. I gave her equally vague instructions about how to grow the seeds. I just throw them out and they grow. No hassle, but maybe I should get more organized. We discussed Nandinas and I love them, because they will grow through anything probably including cement! I adore the nandina plants. They grow in sun, shade, are very tolerant of neglect, and they give such beautiful berries and colorful foliage. My cousin is not as enthusiastic about them as I. I offered to dig some of mine to share with her, but for some reason she declined. I couldn't have dug anything today. We got 3" of rain the other day and water is still standing in the yard. Pedro is going to get a lesson in pruning my nandinas, by golly. He didn't do it right this year...and had nearly beheaded all of them by the time I got out there. If you cut 1/3 of the tallest canes back to the ground then they fill out and don't get those knobby knees that so many people condemn them for. They should be adored and praised for their good qualities. They also are very fruitful and there is no need for tedious propagation. They are everywhere from the berries the birds eat in the winter. I'll get Pedro sorted out about my nandinas.

We went for dinner and guess what...I figured out why I've gotten so fat. I eat too much. What a surprise. After we got back home and got her on the road with some of the "naked ladies" bulbs NitWit1 sent I sat down in front of the tv and fell asleep. I missed Pink's performance on the award show tonight. My husband said it was really good. And I'm so happy for Taylor Swift for best album of the year. Beyonce is a wonderful singer and I love her music, but TS won. Also, Stevie Nicks sang with Taylor Swift. That was a surprise! Stevie Nicks is big doin's around here. She volunteers time, money and herself to helping returning soldiers as one of the things she is all about. She is a good woman with a big heart and gives of herself plus she is 61 and looks fabulous!