The sons are home

 

           My sons are both homes safe and sound.   They drove 14 hours straight so made it early Sunday morning.  So now I have all his stuff piled up plus a guinea pig I didn't know was coming.  So her highness Zoey has her nose all bent out of shape.

        I have 2 more nights to work.   Today we got a dumpster rather then run my MIL's stuff to the dump, that way I can get my basement and garage and the old house emptied out.  Plus a nice strong son to help with the heavy stuff.  It is good to see him.  He is hurting from missing his children but glad to see us.

      I start PT this week.  I am having so much trouble with pain I just need to try something.  Maybe if I scheduled it for after work it will work out the kinks.  Who knows.

      Well, this is short but I am doing supper.  Cooking!  How domestic of me, LOL.

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          Note to self.  Never ever ever type an entry when you have taken your sleeping pill, it causes spell check to malfunction.

          I slept poorly today because my wonderful son's decided to keep trying to call me.  I finally answered the phone because I was worried something must be wrong, but no, they just decided to call.  It sounds like they are having a good trip so far.  Just left Ohio.  They didn't leave until 10 so they got a late start.  I am not sure what time they will be here tomorrow but it will be great to have them both back.  noisy but great, LOL.

        I keep thinking about my call with my sister.  It is so weird.  You can't talk politics with them, you can't talk about alot of things because if it is different then their beliefs it causes strain.  For years I didn't talk to my youngest sister because no matter what I said it made her angry.  We would have what we thought was a good visit and then I would hear later I made her mad about something.  I decided it was just easier not to talk to her.  I worried about her because she is not well, but my brother let me know how she was doing.  I have 2 nieces I would have liked to know better also.  Since we all live so far apart it was easy to drift apart.  My other sister has a niece I was really close to when she was young, but now never hear from.  My family just shrinks away.  Maybe I should have made more of an effort to stay in touch.  I have had so much on my mind lately.

     Sigh. I hate things like this so lets move on.  I can't change it anyway.   Last night of work tonight.  I am so happy.  It has been busy.  It was funny, last night all the nurses  were about the same age, 40's to 50's.  We were all talking about our aches and pains, our arthritis was in overtime time last night for us all.  So we decided to have a group groan.  You know what, it helps, LOL.  It was a fun group to work with and I have had some delightful patients this week.  Course I usually have delightful patients.  Gee, I get along with my patients, just not my family.

  Rick has been working away at my son's house.  It feels weird to say that.  Hopefully we will be ready to paint by Friday.  I have decided though I will paint around my bike riding.  We have done all things we had to do, now the painting isn't something I have to do so I can take time off and get ready for my ride.  I need it also.  How come you can spend 6 months taking off 20 pounds and put it on again with one poorly planned meal.? Not fair.

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upset

            

                     I had to call my sister to tell her some bad news.  It had to be done and I was elected.   This is the sister I usually get along with.   Well not this time.  She was really ticked.  And at me.  Sheesh.  What had I done?  Out of the blue she turns on me and got very snotty.  I ended up hanging up on her.   What is up with these people.   I am used to hanging around people without similar interests and believes.  You can have likely discussions on any subject.  No one gets offended or hurt. Its just discussing the different things we happy to believe in or don't in an adult rational  way.  I always seem to toptoe around my family.  Well. lifes to short for this drama

       I am very tired and very store today.  Time to go to Bed.  Have a restful Sunday

Confused

          

          Was I wrong?  Isn't this Spring?  Flowers, green grass, growing things.  So why when I woke up was it snowing?  For Pete's sake!  Give it up already Mother Nature.  Sometimes you just have to let go!

         It isn't the kind of thing that will stick but still, how weird.  Work went well last night.  I was charge and we didn't have any problems.   Good thing as I was tired.  The 2 shifts before had been really busy with patients coding and getting really bad.  They took care of all the really sick ones before we got there, wasn't that nice of them, LOL.  They didn't think so but I did.

  I bought some more marbles, surprised aren't you.  These were the ones from the other day.  They arrived safely. First is the opal marble

  Front

  and back

        Then the planet type one.
  Front

  and back....if there a front and back to a marble?  It isn't a square.......
     Anyway the maker of the last marble gave me a free gift.  This lovely pendent.

  Front

  And flat back.  Now I have to find something to hang it from.  I nice black cord would look great or maybe dark blue.

    3 more nights to go.  I am ready already.  I keep getting these spasms that are just not pleasant at all.   Since I didn't get any real help from the doctor I am going to go the man who does my massages next week.  I get more relief from him anyway.  Probably cheaper then the doctor also.  And next week I start training full time for the ride.  I got my MIL's dyne air exercise bike for rainy days but hope to hit the trails on nice days.  I think if I can start my exercising again and strengthen my back muscles again that will help also.  My ride is only 4 and half months away.  I have still been doing the stairs both at my MIL's and at work..  My legs feel much stronger.

      Well, time to check out everyones journals.  Take care all.

He Made it

          My son arrived safely without any delays.   The flights went smoothly, were on time and his brother met him right away.  That never happened when I used to fly!   Now to get them both safely back here.

          My MRI showed 2 discs that are bulging.  I knew about C3 but C4 is new.  I am upset though because they never even addressed my middle back which is where the pain is so bad.  I can live with my neck having gotten used to it.  They want me to do PT for my neck.  I don't want to spend money on something that isn't causing me much problem and ignore something that is.  So frustrating.  We have been thinking about switching doctors for a couples of years.  We want one is a smaller practice so maybe, just maybe they will listen to us the few times we go.  So here I sit, still in pain and no help to be seen.

         Work tonight and the beginning of my long stretch.  I gave Rick a todo list at the house.  I can't do any of the heavy lifting work right now so he has to haul away the bags to goodwill and then he is going to start taping and getting things ready to paint.

       It is raining here and just like that finally everything has popped and is looking green.  The Robins are back making a nest on my wreath and complaining when I check out my flower beds.  My next stretch out I will get my flowers planted.  I can't wait.

       Have a great weekend all.

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Spring

          We are having just beautiful weather today.   A bike ride would have been wonderful but I can see the end of a tunnel and refuse to take time off until it is done.

       We went looking for paint the other day.  My son has picked out some great colors.  I can't wait to start painting.  Today they came and cleaned the carpets.  Finally the smoke smell is gone and most of the stains came out of the carpet.  It looks great.  Smells great.
 
         I have been working along sorting things into piles.  Throw, goodwill, throw goodwill.  Slowly getting a handle on whats left.  Not a lot but still enough that it is going to take a few trips.  I also having been patching nail holes and plaster cracks. The walls are plaster, not sheet rock.  I have to remember this house is 100 years old.  But like alot of things built 100 years ago it was quality work.  No cheap plywood and particle boards on the floors.   I have seen what they build some of these 300,000.00 dollars homes out of.  It's just window dressing what they put on the surface.  A good wind could knock some of them down.  They won't last 100 years for sure.

       What is bad about this town is you get one lousy garbage container.  If you want more it costs.  I fill that one up in record time and then it is a week until it gets picked up again.  You used to be able to put bags at the curb.  Now you get this containers.  When they are full, your done.  The cost went up with new system also.  Why do they always charge you more for less service?

      Early in the morning my son and husband are leaving for Omaha so he can catch his flight.  It will be his first time flying.  We are both nervous.  They both my sons will be driving back.  They should be here Monday.  Again I will be nervous until they are safely here.  I keep reminding myself they are not boys, they are grown men.  But mothers, what can you say.  It will be just better when they are here.

        My oldest has been shedding lots of tears this week.  He is happy to be leaving PA but heartbroken about the kids.  I wish it could have worked out for him.  I wish there were closer.  wishes, like bubbles, float away in the wind.

       Work tomorrow.  I haven't hear anything about my MRI.  They are terrible about calling you.  I used to think no news was good news but it is not that way anymore.  Just poor care now a days.  Doctors have so many patients you just get lost in the shuffle.   Wish we could go back 40 years ago in our health care.  There is no fixing it now.  Doctors now a days wouldn't know how to do it.  Imagine knowing your patients.  Caring about them.  I sometimes wonder if my doctor would recognize me.

        Anyway.  Time to sit outside and relax.  I have a cold beer and warm sun waiting for me and Rick is grilling.  It was a busy day again today. And I still have to cut my son's hair.  Bye all.

My Day

   

    The MRI went well.  It was so noisy and my back just froze from laying flat so they had to help me sit up.  I had to do some walking to get the kinks out.

      After that we went to get groceries, then back to get the cat.  Poor Ebony.  If cats can have their jaws drop that is what happened to the poor cat.  She got out of her box and looked around the empty room.  Her little kitty jaw dropped and she slunk around looking and smelling everything loudly verbalizing her confusion at the changes.  What the H--l.  Finally she settled down.  Then off I went to the dentist.  No cavities.  I have a cracked tooth but not bad.  Back to the house and worked for 2 hours on getting things ready for the dump and goodwill.  Then I called and scheduled a carpet cleaning to come on Wed.

       Ok. that was all done and then we got a call that Ricks young cousin husband had died of the cancer he had.  A week after they talked about putting him on hospice.  What a shock.  Poor you man was only 39 and leaves behind his young wife and 3 children.   My prayers go out to his family.

     We went out to eat and home. yes I know...I should cook.  I am lazy in that department.

        Tomorrow my son wants me to go look at paint with him.  That should be fun.  I am excited about redecorating his house.  I love to paint.

        My back is still out.  I hate to keep talking about how bad it hurts but must admit it has slowed me way down.  The pain is enough to have me in tears a couple of times so I am hoping it settles down soon.

          Well, that was my day.  Time to read everyone entries and just chill out.   Take care all.

             

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Earn Your Desk

       

A lesson that should be taught in all schools!

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

Looking around, confused, they asked,  "Ms. Cothren, where're our desks?"

She replied, "You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk."

They thought, "Well, maybe it's our grades."

"No," she said.

Maybe it's our behavior." She told them, "No, it's not even your behavior.

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms. Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom.

Martha Cothren said, "Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you! ."

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, "You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it."

By the way, this is a true story....

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you read it in English, thank a soldier.

Yes, it really is a true story... 

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MRI Day.

          I am getting my MRI today.  It was originally scheduled for 7 but they rescheduled it for 9 for me.  How nice.  I am glad I could sleep in.  Of course I didn't sleep well last night just thinking about it.  Maybe I can sleep through it.
 
            After that I have to get all the books ready I sold and mailed.  The ones I didn't sell on ebay I sold in the auction.  They went so well I wish I had sold them all there and saved me the trouble of mailing them but the auctioneer didn't think they would sell.  I also have to pick up the cat.  We bordered her this weekend as I was pretty sure the auction would flip her out.  It was a good thing as the doors were wide open all day.  Poor cat has been through so much lately.  And at 1 I have a dentist appointment.  Just a fun day......not.

     Thursday my youngest is flying out to PA to help his older brother move home.  That is going to be strange.  We are going to be crowded for awhile.  I can't wait to see him though.  So the days just fly by with all this going on.  It will soon be time to go back to work.  I would like one day like Saturday so I could ride my bike.  I have to start training.

       Well bye all.  Have a great week.

So Lucky

     

 Friday it rained all day.  Saturday it was the perfect day.  Today cloudy and cooler.  How lucky is that.   Perfect weather.  I feel blessed that all the well wishes from my J-land friends worked.

    Today I put a lot of left over stuff on freecycle.  You come and get, its yours for nothing.  Both trunks went and the holiday decorations.  Whittling down the pile.  And some time for deep cleaning.  I scrubbed out all the cub boards.  I would like to paint them before they move in.  My son can get paint for discount so that will help.  Of course his father is the best carpet layer in Sioux City so the stairs are covered and we even have enough carpet to do his bathroom.

    We have to get the key from my BIL as he is still coming in when we aren't there and removing things.  For some reason he took to hose.  Now why would a homeless man need garden hose?  Mystery.  We are buying new and it comes out of his portion.

     Well, supper is done.  By all.  Check out the graphic from Linda.  Love it

              

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The saleOK

      Oh my, the weather couldn't have been better.   It was wonderful weather.  We had a great turnout.  As usual some things broke your heart how cheap they went and other things went for unbelievable amounts.  You just shook your head.  The costume jewelry did very well.  You can't give away records.  We still have a ton of stuff to get rid of.  My work is not finished.  I made $1000.00 on my stuff and Betty made $4000.00 on hers.  One of her crocks went for $500 and her oil painting went for $700.  This old pine cub board went for $300.  My jewelry went for good amount, but my depression glass was basically given away.  Sob.   Then we still have to pay the piper and we still have to pay for advertising etc....  Still it feels good.  A huge dent was made in the stuff.  I am happy it is over.

     At the end though they just leave everything that didn't sell.  We got up at 5 am.  We were there until after 6 putting the things back that didn't sell.  Now we have to get rid of that.  BIL was no help at all.  He didn't help get ready.  He didn't help haul all the things outside.  He didn't help haul it back in.  He is at this moment on the phone with Rick seeing how much money he gets.  Makes me sick.  So here are some unedited pictures of the mess.  You can see how much work I had to do dragging this stuff from closets and cub boards all over the house.  I am soooo sore but so happy it is getting closer to being finished.


























OK, Now the wonderful tag below was made for me by Linda, Isn't it just marvelous.  She made me 8 news ones so look for them in my next entries.  Thank you Linda.  I love them.  Check out the marble theme...there is one for my bike riding also.



        

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Auction Day

  I am going to bring my camera
.

  Have to watch it carefully though, make sure they don't sale it.  The rain has stopped.  It is to dark out yet to see what the weather will be like but it is suppose to be nice.  I would be happier if it was warmer but as long as it isn't snowing or raining I am not complaining.  Now to try and move Rick along alittle faster.  Be back later to tell you how it went.  Hope we don't just give everything away.

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The light entry.

          OK, so every once in awhile I just have to vent.  I rant and rave about the problems in the world then I retreat to my bedroom and meditate while I oil my AK-74 and count my bullets.  Ready to defend the world as I know it.......screech......  Wait......this is my light entry....  Where was I?



     Skipping thought the meadow of flowers and listening to the song birds sing today I happily planned our auction in the morning.   The sun would be shining.  The birds of course would be......Yes!  Singing....thats it!   Pretty little fluffy clouds in the sky would arrange themselves to look like money signs and incite people to spend....spend.....spend.



           Tomorrow is the DAY.   The rain stopped around 3 today.  Can we say mud and soggy.  But it is suppose to nice tomorrow.  Since I have to be up when the rooster crows, thats 5:45 to you city folks I am going to bed early.  In the morning I am making 2 pots of coffee.  We are stopping at the store to get a big  thing of donuts.  Sugar makes it easier to move heavy loads.  It is the day.  I will probably not sleep a wink.  But at this time tomorrow....... At this time......it will be over.   I am grateful.

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Dark entry

                 


      I sat with a dying man a few years ago.  He knew it was in time.  We talked about how time goes by so much faster then we ever though possible.  He talked about how grateful he was that he had lived long enough that he was no longer afraid of this final journey as he didn't think it was the final journey.   Just another chapter he said.  He was looking forward to the next chapter.

       This theme is repeated over and over again.  Believe me when I say I have seen a hundred people die.  Which ones are the calmest?  Which ones that believe the best is yet to come?   The ones who have been the kindest.  Not your fanatics.  Not those who have harmed anyone.  Not those who who have lied or cheated on purpose.  It is those who did the best they could.  Those who treated others like they would like to be treated.  Those who cared about how others felt.

      This is a sad world these days.  People killing and maiming people in Gods name.  It has been that way though out history.  You have the Spanish Inquisition, the Mountain Meadows Massacre which the mormon's did in Gods name, The Iranians murder innocent people, all in the name of God. German's killing the Jewish.  Blacks hating the whites, whites hating the blacks. Radical Muslims  strapping bombs on 8 year old children and handicap people.  They need an excuse to commit the most horrible of sins, the murder of their children and ours.  They have let someone else, with ulterior motives, dictate their thinking and inner most thoughts.  Too lazy to think on their own they blindly follow another's crazy thoughts. Madness most people could not believe they would ever follow.  Hitler, Stalin, Chairman Mao, Saddam Hussein, Che Guevara, , Castro, you name them.

     There is no such thing as suicide bombers, they are murderers.  Why give them a fairly acceptable name.  Call them mass murderers.  That is what they are.  No matter how much they try to justify it, there is no justification.  They murder....plain and simple. In the name of God because they truly have no concept of what that means.  The God I know, the God I believe in, does not accept murder in his name at all....ever.  The God I believe in is the same one Jesus taught me about as a child.  A forgiving God.  A Loving God.  A God of Peace. 

        So this is my dark entry.  The next one will be light and airy.

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Rain Rain go away, come again...next week!

 

        It is raining for the 2nd day in a row.  It is suppose to stop by later today and I am hoping it is dry tomorrow.  I don't want mud tracked in all over the house.  We have to get the carpets cleaned but still.  Plus I want people to come.  It isn't suppose to be as warm as they said originally also.  Darn. Come on Mother Nature.  Be nice.

      I didn't win the cool marble.  Some meany outbid me in the last 7 seconds of the auction.  I was so sure I won it.  I did win this cool marble though.  It is very pretty.

       Today I have to get my clocks I am selling ready and over to the house.  I also want to bring the baby gate over as I don't want anyone going upstairs during the auction.  No reason for them  to be up there.  We should have everything downstairs by the time the sale starts.  We will be having a very early morning tomorrow.  I want to be up around 5:45 am and we have to be at the house by 7 am.  I plan on bring a big thing of coffee.  Then we drag everything outside.  The auctioneer people will do all that but I want to make sure my stuff is separated kind of.  Then we have to keep track of everything and make sure no one walks off with anything.  I don't want to put the jewelry or silver out until the last minute.  Or the old cars.  I will be extremely happy when the sale is done.  Wonder if my BIL will show up?

       Well, I have to get ready.  Have a great Friday all.

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Happy dance

                

         I got last night off for low census.   Now how lucky was that considering we were bursting at the seams last weekend.  So I am sitting here this morning drinking a cup of perfect coffee, turned out very well today and getting ready to go my MIL's.  It is raining today, bummer but is still suppose to be nice this weekend.  With 2 full days off I know I will have everything ready by Saturday.  I am so nervous about Saturday.  Isn't that weird?  I don't know why I feel so stressed about it.  I think because everything that is so familiar about her house will be gone except the little things we kept.  I have never seen the house empty.

       I had a dream about my MIL last night.  We were going to water aerobics like we used to and she almost fell,  I caught her and we gave each other a hug and had a good laugh about her being so left handed even her feet were lefties.  It woke me up.  I was sad and had a hard time falling back to sleep.  You take all these things for granted while they are happening and then when those moments are gone.....just memories.....well its sad at times.

    Well way to go Julie, now I am sitting her crying and I was in such a good mood just seconds ago.   Sheesh......  Anyway

    Anyone know whats going on at the Eagle cam?  Mom is definitely sitting on eggs again and just now was busy rotating them.  However not a single update on the site since she lost the last batch.  How many eggs is she sitting on?  When are they due to hatch?  Will it be soon enough they will survive?  I want some answers here LOL.


      Well, I am ready to pop into the shower and go.  Take care everyone and just think, the weekend is just around the corner.

              

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Got one Marble, bid on another and hopefully will get one more

   I bid on the cool marble, hope to win it,  Won this marble
and am bidding on one more of his.  Just couldn't make up my mind.  I shouldn't look at the marbles, they are just way to tempting to me.

Marbles

   Gee, I think I should be able to buy myself at least one marble with the money  made on the books, check these outs.

  Cool Marble

Or this marble

Or my favorite, this one is sooooo cool.

     What do you think? I can only get one.  Decisions decisions.

Acceptance Meditation

  As you all know I meditate often, usually twice a day but sometimes more.  I love this site because they send me my daily meditations and I like something new.  This one came just in time today.  Like he was thinking of me when he made it.  And it did help.  I feel more relaxed.  Check it out.  Its called Acceptance Meditation.  For accepting the things you can not change.

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Thanks

          Thank you everyone for your well wishes.  Oh the joys of getting older... but look at the alternative, right!  I will get through this and it just makes me more determined to start my exercising and weight loss program stronger then ever as I know that helped immensely with my pain level, all those good Endomorphin you release with exercise.  Works like a pain med only natural to some extent as long as you don't go overboard.

      My book sale ended today.  I didn't do too bad and made about $138.00.  Maybe half what the books would have cost new, but still to be honest I didn't buy them all new so I probably did well.  Plus I am now going to have the room 19 large books took up and money in my pocket.  win win.

      I have a friend that always sells everything she doesn't want anymore on ebay. She takes care of it well and saves all the instructions etc...  She says better .99 cents then sitting in the back of her closets taking up room and she hates having rummage sales.  Her house is always so neat.  Maybe I'll give it a shot.  Just selling all my inventory made a huge dent in my basement space.  I had over 300 hundred items to list for the store plus you have to have the boxes, bubble wrap, and paper to mail them.  Just imagine all that gone.  Now I have room for that exercise bike from my MIL's if I ever get it home.

    Work was difficult last night just because I was in so much pain.  I had great patients and they were so fun to care for I wish I had felt better.  And to top it off it was a busy night so I ran mostof the night.  One more night to go and then off.  I put in for low census tonight so keep your fingers crossed.

    I suppose I should be calling it my son's house now. Weird.  It won't feel like his house I don't think until all her things are gone from the house.  Then the fun.  Painting and getting it ready for him.   I love to paint but these big old houses have 10 foot ceilings!

    And my eldest son will be coming back in a couple of weeks.  We will have an adjustment period to that also but he was always pretty fun to be around once he got past his very horrible teen years.  Yuk, he was hard to like at that age.  Thank goodness he is much more agreeable to be around now.  He wouldn't be moving in with me if he was like he used to be. Once was enough.  It will be a sad time for him and his kids.  They will both be coming out for 2 weeks in the next few months so I will probably get to see them more but it will be horrible for him.

      Well, rambling on and I have to do the supper tonight.  How did that happen?  I'm not the cook!  Rick deliberately refuses to learn how to make this very easy meal and then insists thats what he wants for supper tonight, LOL.  He must be sick of cooking also and did I mention this IS a very easy meal.  I guess I can do it.



    Bye all.  3 more days to go until the auction.  Can you believe it?

 

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