Friday, June 30, 2006

The Nurse Dog

  My Dog thinks she's a nurse.  Whenever someone is sick or has surgery she sticks to person like glue until they are better.  I always know when I am on the mend because Zoey leaves my side.  Now she is glued to Dan making sure he is OK.  Dan is in our room because he has a futon he sleeps on, by choice, and our bed is higher.  It used to be a water bed and I got a mattress for it as the water bed was hard on my back.  It is somehow comforting to know she is there at his side and will let us know if anything goes wrong.

   When my son Dan was 12 he went into kidney failure.  One night he had a terrible seizure and stopped breathing.  My old Kari went nuts and ran into our room barking and jumping on our bed.  She weighed almost 100 pounds so it sure woke us up.  I ran into the room to find my son blue and not breathing.  I shudder to think what might have happened if I hadn't adopted my beautiful dog Kari.  She got steak that night I tell you.  I still miss her.  This dog is the same way.  The nurse dog.

Start the day with a Recipe

 

Italian Green Bean Chicken
Submitted by: Kristy
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 33 members
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 6 servings
"This is a really flavorful dish featuring simmered chicken and green beans in a simple tomato sauce."
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - cubed
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 pound fresh green beans - rinsed, trimmed
and steamed
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute until aromatic oils are released, then add chicken and cook through until no longer pink.
2. Stir in tomatoes and basil and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer for another 3 to 5 minutes. Finally, stir in steamed beans and serve.

Serving Size 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe 6
Amount Per Serving  
Calories 177
Calories from Fat 58
  % Daily Value *
Total Fat 6.4g 10 %
Saturated Fat 1.1g 6 %
Cholesterol 43mg 14 %
Sodium 255mg 10 %
Potassium 466mg 13 %
Total Carbohydrates 10.4g 3 %
Dietary Fiber 3.8g 15 %
Protein 18.4g 37 %
** Sugars 5.3g
Vitamin A 33 %
Vitamin C 38 %
Calcium 11 %
Iron 44 %
** Thiamin 10 %
** Niacin 84 %
** Vitamin B6 24 %
** Magnesium 12 %
** Folate 17 %

 

        Doesn't that sound good!  You can tell where my head is this morning.  Food!  I had shredded wheat and bran with a banana this morning.  I plan of slim fast for lunch and  chicken fajita's for supper.  I have my day planned out.

    My son had a terrible night.  I checked on him a couple of times during the night and he didn't get much sleep.  Finally he told me his foot was throbbing.  The dressing had gotten very tight from swelling and his foot was killing him.  I loosened the ace wrap so hopefully it will feel better and added another blanket.  His pain pills aren't helping at all.  I am not sure what else they would give him with his allergies but I will call the doctor later.    Maybe even darvocet but I think he has had tylenol with codiene before and it helped.  Anyway he is really miserable.  I do know where he is at this morning.  I have had so many surgeries I know how it is when the meds don't help the pain.

   Well, I am taking my tired body out to the patio set and drink my coffee and look for photo ops.  I don't feel like I got enough sleep even though I slept 8 hours.

 

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Surgery went good.

My son got through his surgery well.  He had an allergic reaction to the Demerol and the pain pill, like mother like son.  His pain is alot more then he expected.  I didn't want to tell him I heard this was a painful surgery.  Hopefully he will feel better soon.  I am making this entry short as I have been up for 27 hours so far.  I am off until next week so can rest up.  Thanks everyone for the well wishes for my son.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

AAARRRGGGGHHHHHH

  As soon as I posted the other entry the rest of the month was back.  Crazy AOL.  Half the time I can't leave comments anymore and half the time I can't make any.  Drives me crazy.

   Anyway.  I weigh in for the challenge at work tonight and pay my money.   I am feeling extremely heavy right now.  I don't like weighing in front of people and especially people who don't know who much I used to way so they know how much better it is now.  Plus I know I am up.  I can feel it in my middle.   I am however excited about this challenge.  I will do better if I have to weigh in weekly.  I am ready for this and being off work for this week will help.

   My son has his surgery in the morning.  I am leaving work about a half hour early.  I want to talk to the doctor if possible before the surgery.  I hope he does OK. 

   This is my last day at work now until next week.  I have been charge every night and last night one of my co-workers was driving me crazy.  She is a young new nurse and very, very, hyper.  Her mouth was going a few hundred miles a minute.  I couldn't concentrate on orders and everything I had to do.  She is cute and I like her but it was very distracting and she was very noisy.  I hope she is less wide awake tonight, LOL.  Oh to be young again.

   The picture below didn't turn out to good.  I was practicing with manual controls and it wasn't very successful.  The deer are a frequent visitor to my yard though so I know I will get better ones.  This old female has been around about 4 years that I remember.  She has scars on her back that help me recognize her.  I haven't seen any of her new babies this year.  They may still be hidden in the woods.  Usually by now she has the in the yard eating.

Another frequent visitor to my yard.  Can you tell I need to do some weeding.

Lost a Month of journal entries, anyone else?

  I checked in and it says May 24.  I checked other peoples journal, May 24th.  Is my last month gone for good?  Check in everyone.

 

 

Monday Photo Shoot

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Patterns and Textures

  This is for Johns.


Part of the idea of the Monday Photo Shoot here is to try to look at familiar things in new ways. So:

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Find an interesting pattern or texture somewhere in your home. Take a picture of it.

http://beta.journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/2006/06/26/your-monday-photo-shoot:-patterns-and-textures/6122

    This is a tile in my bathroom floor.  It looks like a woman to me.  I think it is the ghost who leaves the toilet seat up.

   And because I really liked the other 2 textures in my house the next is from a dried grass arrangement in my house.  Love the texture of the grass, soft but scratchy at the same time.

  Last but not least the pattern in the wood on my oak bathroom door.

Photo Scavenger hunt #81

Photo Scavenger Hunt #81...  http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/



The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #81 will be due on Sunday, July 2, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST. 

Category:
  "things that make a sound"

    Ok I couldn't decide between these 2 so I am doing both.  One a sound I love, one a sound I don't love.

   The first is my old Gilbert Clock from the 1920's.  I love the way the chime resonates.  Very Zen.

The 2nd is my phone.  I like the phone but hate talking on phones.  It always rings when I am in the middle of something.  Notice the way the phone seems to be levitating in this picture.  How weird!

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Good Morning Everyone.

      Guten Morgen, kann Ihr Tag, hell und mit dem Sonnenschein voll sein.

            (Good Morning, may your day be bright and full of sunshine.)

   Well like everyone else I can't get the journals to come up so I can read them and leave comments.  I can read my alerts.  Sugar, so glad you won at Bingo and your gifts sound lovely.  My EveryDay Life.  Sorry the little Parakeet is gone.  Love the hawks but how sad.  Dad, love your tomatoes.

   My husband had a sad thing happen.  He went for a motocycle ride the yesterday and saw a flash of yellow and something hit his ankle.  He thought it was a grasshopper.  He stopped at a park to look around and a lovely male goldfinch zoomed really close over his head and he thought is was so pretty.  When he got home he was unloading his bike and there was a dead female goldfinch wedged by his battery. That is what hit him on his bike earlier.  He was pretty bummed out.  Now he thinks the male was accusing him but it couldn't have been the mate since it was a few miles further on.  It put a dark cloud on this lovely ride.

   Didn't do much yesterday but visit with some relatives that were in town.  My mother in law made a good dinner of chicken and had a salad that actually had spinach, not just iceburg lettuce.  It was nice.  I was going to go out and take some night shots last night but was too tired.  Today I would like a bike ride.  I will see if my husband feels like it.  I think just a small ride to Riverside.  Either that or the gym.  I need to work my muscles.

   Well, hope the journals get working soon and hope everyone has a great day.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Poll

  There are a couple of journal where I do the photo scavenger entries.  I can't decide which picture to enter.  The first one is for There is a Season and the Category:  "things that make a sound"  I have 2 that I am thinking of.  The first is something I love the sound of.  My old Gilbert Clock.  I think it is from 1928 and it resonates beautifully when it chimes.  Very Zen.  The 2nd is a sound I don't like.  I like the phone but I don't like talking on a phone.  It drives my family nuts but I hate talking on the phone and only call my grandchildren often.  http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/

   Which should I submit?

   The weird thing about the phone.  Is it me or does the phone look like it is hovering in the air above the table.  Pretty weird.  Should I call it Telephone in levitation?

    The next 3 pictures are for Johns photo shoot, Your Monday Photo Shoot: Find an interesting pattern or texture somewhere in your home. Take a picture of it.  I took 3 pictures.  I like all of them.  Which should I submit?

  http://beta.journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/

First this is a dried grass arrangement I have in a vase in my house.  I love the soft texture of the tails.  The pictures isn't bad either.

   The 2nd is in the floor in the bathroom.  I see a womans face in the pattern of this tile.  Do you see it?  Is this the ghost in the bathroom who keeps leaving the toilet lid up?

   Last is the door to my bathroom.  I hand sanded and stained every bit of Oak in my house and have the carpel tunnel scars to prove it.  I love the wood pattern in this door and think the stain brought it out perfect.  Another weird thing about this camera.  The phone floats and this looks like it is bowed out like I was using a fisheye lens, I wasn't.  Obviously I have alot to learn about my new camera.

   So these are my choices so far.  What do you think I should submit.  I have a day before  I should submit them.

Would bad poety work

Warren Warren look my way,

send a little of your money so my bills I could pay.

 

If only 100 thousand your pocket could spare,

all of my money problems would be out of my hair.

 

Spare change to you, 15 more years to pay for me,

I have some really good reasons for your money you see.

 

I am a good cause, my debts weren't made lightly,

A home and food for my family entered in here more then slightly.

 

So Warren, Dear Dear Warren look my way

And send some of that money this way.....OK?

________________________________________________________

   You have to admire a man who would do something like give his forture away, well not all of it, but who needs that much money to live on?  It is nice to see he hasn't lost sight of the people who have not been as blessed.   And you can't take it with you. 

   Isn't he also the one who said he wasn't leaving all his money to his children, just enough to make sure they could have the same chances he had to make his fortune but not enough so they would turn out like a Paris Hilton?  I think it was him.

   Will I survived the weekend and am now off today.  One day is not enough.  We are going to my MIL's to eat.  Selfish me would rather sit home and watch a movie but Rick has relatives in town from Missouri so we will visit.

   My eating has been completely out of control this weekend.  I never ate the good things I brought to work.  Saturday someone bought pizza and I had some and Sunday one of girls made us burrito's and I had that.  I feel instantly like my stomach has gotten bigger.  It was the same girl who fed us both nights.  I told her thanks but that I WOULD NOT eat that stuff from now on.  We are starting our official diet Friday.  It is a good thing.  I also signed up for a wellness progrem at work.  You get points for exercise and water intake etc...  I need to get busy again.  I do think I am a compulsive overeater.  Also our respitory therapist says that since he has been on the advair inhaler his appetite has gotten out of control.  My skinney brother said the same thing.  It is not suppose to have enough of the steroid to cause the problem but it sounds like it does affect people and I have had more problems then usual lately.

   Thursday my son has surgery on his varicose veins.  I get off work at 7 am and will just go down to same day surgery after I get off.  It may prove to be a long day.  I hear the surgery is pretty painful so I hope he does well.  He gets cranky when he is uncomfortable.  I have had so many surgeries I know what to expect.  He had a 100 mile bike trip planned this weekend.  That will be cancelled.  He has had a lot of medical problems when he was younger like kidney failure, Reyes syndrome, ARDS, asthma, heart arrythmia's but has been healthy as a horse for the last 7 years.  I hope he gets through the surgery OK.  I must admit to being nervous.  I guess your kids never get so old you don't worry about them.

   Well, I am going to go outside and look for photo ops.  I have noticed I don't like the flash for indoors and am having problems setting it for different levels.  I need to read more.  I figured out how to add sound to my movies but now can't figure out how to save them so I can insert them in mail so we can send little messages to my grandchildren.  I will eventually get it worked out I know.  The macro is also causing me some problems as I keep getting a shadow from the lens.  Still haven't found a handy 10 year old to walk me through it.

   Oh, one other thing.  Where I got bit by the tick earlier this month now has a lump on it and is still very red.  Not really a rash but it is getting bigger.  I still have the stupid tick so I guess I will have to bring it in later this week or next week and get checked.  I hadn't looked at the site for awhile and was shocked when I checked it out yesterday.  I assumed it would be gone.  NOT.

Sunday, June 25, 2006

Just saying hi

   Oh man work has been terrible and our new manning table is bad bad bad.  I am really tired and looking forward to a day off.  I am charge tonight and just dreading it.  Last night and then a day off tomorrow.  Did I mention that I am really tired! 

            Night all and have a beautiful Sunday.

Friday, June 23, 2006

Weight loss challenge at work

      We are having a 3 month weight loss challenge at work starting July 1st.  We each put in $5.00 and weigh in once a week.  Each pound gained costs you .25 ¢.  The one who lost the most was going to get the money, but one of the women in the contest has had gastric bypass and can lose weight really fast.  She has too much of an advantage so we will have some type of treat planned for the end.  Maybe movie tickets for something.  We will see how much money we have in the end.  This is just what I needed to get back into the swing of things.  I am pretty competitive and if I have to weight in front of someone I will make sure I am down.  I am going to be taking before and after pictures with my new camera.

  Work was OK last night.  I was charge but everyone had a smooth night, no emergencies so if was good.  3 more nights to go.

   Here is a good recipe.  It is a vegetable dish and I change it around alittle, brown rice for starters and I like spinach tossed in the last few minutes.  I spice it up also with some cajun spice.  Fresh tomatoes and ingredients are better of course.  Hope you like. 

      Everytime we make a new dish we sit around tasting it and ask each other, this is good, how can we make it better.  It use to drive my MIL nuts as she always took it personally, but now she knows we do it with everything.  Its a high compliment to her when we can find no way to improve.  All recipes should be adjusted to your own personal tastes, don't you think?

Zucchini Mediterranean Style
Submitted by: Joe Belmont
Rated: 4 out of 5 by 11 members
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour
Yields: 6 servings

"Zucchini, tomatoes, and beans make a tasty topper for rice or egg noodles!"
INGREDIENTS:

2 cups water
1 cup long grain white rice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper,
chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (14.5 ounce) can whole
peeled tomatoes, chopped
3 cups finely chopped zucchini
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini
beans, drained

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a separate medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in onion, red bell pepper, and garlic, and cook until tender. Mix in tomatoes and zucchini, and season with oregano, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir cannellini beans into the tomato and zucchini mixture, and continue cooking about 10 minutes. Serve over the cooked rice.

 

Thursday, June 22, 2006

Chicken recipe

   I can't find the original recipe and I have modified it but it easy.  Take as many chicken breasts as want.  Rub the chicken with chili powder and then cook in a pan until chicken is done, remove from pan.  I use the prepackaged corn mixed with seasoned black beans now, but the first time I used a can of black beans, some frozen corn and then a jar of salsa, whatever brand you like.  Heat it up in an electric fry pan and add chicken to top.  Have it with a large salad.  This is low in calories and when I find the original recipe I will post it again.  What I like about the frozen corn and beans is you can make a serving for one, 2 or as many as are here for supper.  I use the salsa with the frozen corn also.

Cow birds.

    

We have been getting lots of cow birds around lately.  I think they are a fancinating bird.  They lay their eggs in other birds nests.  They have a short incubation period so the baby cow bird will hatch before the other eggs giving them the advantage.  The bigger baby cow bird will push the new babies out of the nest and the surrogate parents will feed and raise these birds as their own.  The parent cow birds have nothing to do with babies.  They seem to like the black birds.  I don't remember seeing these birds around much until a couple of years ago.

  Work is tonight.  I am hoping it goes well.  This week off just flew by.  I am so far doing well on plan.  I had slim fast for breakfast.  Lunch was plain ramen noodles without sauce and I had steamed squash, zucchini, and onions mixed in with  parmesian cheese.  Filling and low cal.  I had an apple later for my snack.  Supper is up in the air.  I have chicken and would like to make that chicken dish with the corn and black beans but I have to go to the store to get salsa if I do.  Sounds yummy though.  I have to stop playing with my camera and get some things done.  I don't think I am doing the zoom right or getting the most out of it.  I have to read up some more.  Hope everyone has a great rest of the day.

 

Just more pictures

   I have been practicing.  I am getting macro down but need to work on it.  So far I have just used the auto mode but am going to try manual to get the lighting better.  This camera came with the most memory you can buy which is good.  I take lots of pictures when I am listing on my shop.  I should do some jewelry and see how it looks.  I used the movie mode but have to figure out how to add sound.  Also I think I will start another journal for pictures. This could get addicting.  Even my first sloppy attempts look better then my other camera.

Great New feature with AOL picture

   Now you can direct link your pictures from aol pictures without having to have a 2nd hosting site like photo bucket.  Saves steps and you don't have to do thumbnails anymore.  Go to http://journals.aol.com/journalseditor/magicsmoke/entries/1501 to read all about it.  Love it love it.  I took that picture yesterday.  Now I am reading up to find out how to use the macro on my camera and I need to find out how to delete the pictures I took.  This is going to be so fun.

   I am feeling better today.  So scary last night.  I have never had anything like that happen before.  I finally went to bed with the air on and took a sleeping pill.  I would either wake up or wouldn't but I was sick of feeling that way.  I have to figure out what is triggering these attacks.  I also am going to take a clariton today.  See if that helps.

  I will post more pictures if I get any worth bragging about.  Any tips from you cypershot people out there would be much appreciated.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

   Ok I have some work cut out for me.  Even with my first attempts I am thrilled at how the pictures look.  Haven't figured out yet how to set the resolution so it took forever to load and in the 2nd picture the background looks great but the first leave I thought I was focusing on looks blurry.  I have to work tomorrow.  Would calling in sick because you want to play with your new camera be acceptable?  Yah right.

   I have been having a horrible time breathing tonight.  I took my rescue inhaler and still can't seem to get any air in.  It is so scary.  What do I do now.  I am trying to ignore it and do my yoga breathing, but I keep getting this horrible panic because I can't catch my breath.  Trying to keep busy so I don't think about it but it isn't working very well.  I haven't felt like this before and am not sure how to handle it.  Cry maybe but that would take to much effort and I seem to need it all to breath and get any air in.  This sucks!  Sorry but this really sucks.

   Anyway, relax Julie and look at your pictures.  Picture a cool breath and the air moving in an out.  You can do this.

I wish I was a techno geek

   The instructions seem to be written in greek to me.  I wish I was like my older son.  He was born knowing how to work all these gagits.  I am reading the instructions and taking some pictures but can't figure out how to put the date in etc.....I am not a stupid woman, just when it comes to these thing.  When I get it figured out I will post some pictures.  I love the view finder.  I need a 10 year old to show me how to work it.

I got my camera

  It came and is working great.  Now to figure out how to work it.  More later.

 

         Julie

Comment problems

  I have been having a hard time getting into my comments and leaving comments since they updated.  Is anyone else having problems or is it my computer?

  Here is a link from earlier in my journal that I is kind of neat.  Check it out.  I was looking for my tomato recipe but can't find it.

http://journals.aol.com/midwestvintage/JulieLosesitMyWeightLossJourney/entries/345

Happy Summer Solstice

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                                  The Sun's Peak
                                  Summer Solstice

On the longest day of the year, the sun, which has on the days preceding seemed to rise higher and higher into the sky, reaches its zenith and rises no more. This day, which in the Northern Hemisphere can occur between the 20th and 23rd of June, marks the start of summer and is known as the summer solstice. From time immemorial, the coming of summer's light and warmth has been a time of gladness and celebration. In June, the snows had long since melted, the ground had thawed, the first fruits were ripening on their vines, and Mother Nature had once again renewed herself. Though most of us have turned away from our agricultural heritage, the summer solstice remains a time of new beginnings and life-enriching endings. It is the day the sun reaches the peak of its power as well as the day that heralds the shorter days that eventually bring with them autumn's chills.

  So what is everyone doing to celebrate the longest day of the year?  Or mourn the fact that from now on the days get shorter or shorter.  Since it is raining again here in Iowa unless it clears doesn't look like I will be doing much fun in the sun things.  I do plan on grilling some burgers this evening. 

     I like to do something special on summer and winter solstice.  Winter solstice the shortest day of year brings hope that eventually itwill warm up and summer means soon tomatoes and growing things will be ready to harvest.  I now have dozens of tomatoes on my plants.  Soon I will make my tomatoes marinated in Basalmic if I can find the recipe. 

    As I said eariler I plan on cleaning the kitchen today and mailing a package but the then the day is mine.  If it doesn't stop raining I am going to hit the gym but if it gets nice my bike is calling my name.  It gets addicting.  Ride Julie Ride.

 Question:   If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Shedding Tears

                                           

     I could not let this day pass without shedding tears for the 2 young soldiers savagely slain.  My prayers go out to their families in this difficult time.  May they rest in peace.

                  

Men!

     

       We were all ready to go for our bike ride today.  The bikes were packed, the ice bags and drinks ready and we had a small storm roll through.  It delayed us about 3 hours and then off we went.  Since it was late by now we just did the short ride at Adams.  It was hot and extremely humid after the rain but all in all a nice ride.  I stopped to put more ice in my water and noticed Rick was really sweating.  I mean really sweating and just not looking right.  The darn man was in A-Fib again and hadn't told me.  Before the ride!  There are 2 types of A-fib, controlled where your heart rate is under 100 and uncontrolled where your heart rate is over 100.  Rick has uncontrolled and has had rates as high as 200.  His blood pressure will usually reflect the heart rate by being extremely dangerously high also.  I was so mad I could have kicked his butt.  We should not have been riding and he should know better.  Of course we had about 5 miles left to go by the time I found out.  I told him if he collapsed and died out there I was going to kick his sorry butt before I started CPR.  Men!  Anyway we made it home alive and he is still in A-fib.  He refuses to go to the hospital because usually if he sleeps it goes away.  One of these days it won't.  I have gotten pretty good at recognizing the signs since he won't tell me.

   I have been doing well keeping on plan.  My portions are great.  For lunch I took a mini bagel, put low fat garden vegetable cream cheese and 3 thin slices of turkey and had that and an apple.  I remember once where I would have gotten the biggest bagel I could find.  Supper was shrimp liguini in garlic sauce with brocolli.  I drank my sports drink also after the ride and hope I don't wake up with a charlie in the morning like I had today.

   Already I am feeling so much better since I am back on the Advair.  I can take a full breath and the chest tightness is gone along with my cough.  I used my rescue inhaler before the ride and didn't have any problems.  As a nurse you would think I would know lots about asthma but I don't work with it much so have been doing some reading.  After reading about all the symptoms I have finally admitted that I really do have this.  I kept thinking in the back of my head that he was wrong and it was something else.  I just hope I can keep it controlled and keep on with my exercises.  I have increased my calcium to help with bone loss.  I can handle this.  Don't want to but I can.

  Tomorrow is my last day off.  The time just flys.  I have to tackle cleaning out the fridge tomorrow, I hate that job and I want to move the stove and clean.  I always put off my deep cleaning until my last day.  I did do laundry though today.  Lazy me it is still in the dryer so I will have to iron tomorrow also.  I only have one package to mail tomorrow.

   Starting to get nervous.  No camera yet. I kind of expected it today.  I worry since we are gone so much that if they leave it on the porch someone will come by and steal it.  I won't relax until I have it in my hands.  I have seen so many photo ops that I missed because I don't have the camera yet.  The goldfinches bathing at the river edge, the tiny fawn, the hawk eating its prey.  I want my camera.  Whine whine.  Oh well.  I will meditate tonight and focus on patience.  My meditation in the morning as been working on my yoga breathing and deeping my lung capacity.  I got my incentive spirometer out and have been using that.

   Tomorrow after I clean the kitchen I will hit the gym.  My son goes in for a doppler study on his legs, but I think he can handle that on his own.  I feel the need to lift some weights.

   Well, night all. 

    

Monday, June 19, 2006

MP 3 Player

   I would like to get a MP 3 player for listening to on my bike rides.  I am from the album era, in fact I still have a few hundred.  I know nothing about them except you download music on them.  Where do you get the music?  What is a good one.  Are they horribly expensive or hard to use?  Anyway, if anyone knows the answers to this major question let me know.

   No bike ride today yet.  Had a lot of packages to mail and a bad asthma attack this morning just sitting on my behind.  No exercise at all.  I decided to go back on the Advair.  I talked to the pharmacist and she answered alot of my questions so I feel better.  Really the ones to talk to about the drugs you take are them.    Since I went off the other I have been having trouble getting a full breath and have had to use the rescue inhaler everyday.  The Advair doesn't give me as many hot flashes either. 

   My mother in law thinks I look thinner then ever.  I must be firming up because the scale isn't moving.  Whatever it takes.

  Well, I am off to see if a short ride is possible.  Bye for now.

Photo scavenger hunt

  This is my entry for the photo scavenger hunt from http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ThereisaSeason/entries/1752  I love these old buildings.
 
Photo Scavenger Hunt #80...

The entries for Photo Scavenger Hunt #80 will be due on Sunday, June 25, 2006 at 11:00 PM EST.  Wow, Krissy, you have done 80 of these!!  Congratulations, honey!! 

Category:
 
out-of date, old, or antique

 

   This is my entry for the photo shoot assignment.  These Quonset huts are old and I antiqued the picture because they just screamed to be antiqued.  Blurring the edges gave it a sense of age also.

 

Sunday, June 18, 2006

Another Bike Ride to share.

   We went on another ride today, 16 miles and I brought my camera.  Sure can't wait until I get my new camera.

 

 http://journals.aol.com/midwestvintage/BikeRideAroundSiouxCity/entries/59

My Father In Law

    

   I always felt comfortable with my father in law.  Where my MIL can drive me nuts at times Pops could alway make me laugh and always make a bad mood go away.  Everyone went to him for advice and it was always sound.  It was my father in law who talked the other men into letting me be the first woman ever to go to Canada with them on the annual fishing trip. 

 It was Pops who would listen when I would cripe about Rick and take my side!  It was Pops who made me feel so welcome in the family.

   When Pops got sick with cancer I moved in to take care of him.  He faced his illness with his usual quiet dignity.  We had many moments that still make me laugh.  Once at the kitchen table we were whispering to each other about how he was doing that day.  He called from his bed in the other room, I can hear you guys!  Another time he was sleeping and my MIL asked me,  he doesn't look like he is breathing......without opening his eyes he said, I'm not dead yet Betty!   We all burst out laughing.  3 days before he died he told me he was ready to go and wanted to say goodbye to everyone.  One by one everyone went to his side and pops said goodbye.  He called all the people he loved on the phone and said goodbye.  The next morning he was surprised to wake up.  Julie, I am so embarrassed he says, I didn't die like I thought I was going to, what do I tell everyone?  I couldn't help but laugh, it's alright Pops, everyone will be happy you were wrong for once!

  Someday I will get to see him again and it will be a joyful reunion.  Until then,   

           http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics
 

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

http://www.GlitterMaker.com/ - Glitter Graphics

      My own father was a con man and a brutal person but I was lucky enough to marry a man who turned out to be a great father to our children.  I was even more lucky to have a father in law who turned out to be everything my father wasn't.  I miss him daily.  Happy Father's day to all you dads out there.

_________________________________________________________________

 

This is all about comparing fathers of times past, and the fathers of today...

Today is one of the first Father's Days of our new millennium. Fathers of 1900 didn't have it nearly as good as fathers of today; but they did have a few advantages:

In 1900, fathers prayed their children would learn English.
Today, fathers pray their children will speak English.

In 1900, a father's horsepower meant his horses.
Today, it's the size of his minivan.

In 1900, if a father put a roof over his family's head, he was a success.
Today, it takes a roof, deck, pool, and 4-car garage. And that's just the vacation home.

In 1900, a father waited for the doctor to tell him when the baby arrived.
Today, a father must wear a smock, know how to breathe, and make sure film is in the video camera.

In 1900, fathers passed on clothing to their sons.
Today, kids wouldn't touch Dad's clothes if they were sliding naked down an icicle.

In 1900, fathers could count on children to join the family business.
Today, fathers pray their kids will soon come home from college long enough to teach them how to work the computer and set the VCR.

In 1900, fathers pined for old country Romania, Italy, or Russia.
Today, fathers pine for old country Hank Williams.

In 1900, a father smoked a pipe.
If he tries that today, he gets sent outside after a lecture on lip cancer.

In 1900, fathers shook their children gently and whispered, "Wake up, it's time for school."
Today, kids shake their fathers violently at 4 a.m., shouting: "Wake up, it's time for hockey practice."

In 1900, a father came home from work to find his wife and children at the supper table.
Today, a father comes home to a note: "Jimmy's at baseball, Cindy's at gymnastics, I'm at adult-Ed, Pizza in fridge."

In 1900, fathers and sons would have heart-to-heart conversations while fishing in a stream.
Today, fathers pluck the headphones off their sons' ears and shout, "WHEN YOU HAVE A MINUTE."

In 1900, a father gave a pencil box for Christmas, and the kid was all smiles.
Today, a father spends $800 at Toys 'R' Us, and the kid screams: "I wanted Sega!"

In 1900, if a father had breakfast in bed, it was eggs and bacon and ham and potatoes.
Today, it's Special K, soy milk, dry toast and a lecture on cholesterol.

In 1900, a Father's Day gift would be a hand tool.
Today, he'll get a digital organizer.

In 1900, fathers said, "A man's home is his castle."
Today, they say, "Welcome to the money pit."

In 1900, "a good day at the market" meant Father brought home feed for the horses.
Today, "a good day at the market" means Dad got in early on an IPO.

In 1900, a happy meal was when Father shared funny stories around the table.
Today, a happy meal is what Dad buys at McDonald's.

In 1900, a father was involved if he spanked the kid now and then.
Today, a father's involved only if he coaches Little League and organizes Boy Scouts and car pools.

In 1900, when fathers entered the room, children often rose to attention.
Today, kids glance up and grunt, "Dad, you're invading my space."

In 1900, fathers threatened their daughters suitors with shotguns if the girl came home late.
Today, fathers break the ice by saying, "So...how long have you had that earring?"

In 1900, fathers pined for the old school, which meant a one-room, red-brick building.
Today, fathers pine for the old school, which means Dr J and Mickey Mantle.

In 1900, fathers were never truly appreciated.
Today, fathers are never truly appreciated.