Days off Just fly By

          Of course I have noticed the older I get the faster all the days go by.  Why the hurry?  I am in no hurry to be 6 feet under.

          Work tonight.  It won't be bad.  I missed a couple of days so I need to make me some money.  Since I got a raise it's not bad money either for Iowa.



        The good news is my toe is much better.  As long as I don't whack it on something it is so numb it doesn't bother me much.  An occasional sharp painful stab but much better.   I still can't wear normal shoes though.  At the concert the other day I was a paranoid mess that someone would step of my foot and put me back a week but I was careful and am wearing shoes all the time. 

       Ricks back is better.  We are slowly healing.  Our vacation is in 3 weeks.  I am  not ready for the riding, but will do the best I can. Rick was doing 27 miles with hills before he hurt his back so he is ready.  The worse thing that could happen is we will suffer and die, LOL.   But I will have some great pictures.



      It is close enough I have to start making my list and checking it twice.  Extra rechargeable batteries,  laptop with  cord to download my pictures on each night so I have room for all the great shots I will take on my camera's memory.  We are getting the hitch on the van next week.  Have to get the bikes in to get worked on and extra bike tubes.  Make sure we have plenty of food for the critters.   Extra minutes for the tracphone, etc...   I am getting so excited.

       We still haven't heard from BIL about paying me back my $400.   He was calling 3 times a day when he wanted the money.  If he doesn't call by next week we are selling his half of the coin collection which will pay me back.  One way or another by golly.  Plus if I really wanted to be mean, which I don't I could threaten to let his x wife know he has come into a lot of money.  Personally I think she should know.  I know he owes back child support.  Selfishly though if he loses the money he will be back bugging us and I don't want that.



         It has been very hot and muggy.  I have the house shut up and all 3 bedroom air conditioners going.  The house has actually been cool.  We will see what that does to our bills.

      I talked to my grandchildren today.  It is so hard to be a long distance grandparent.  When you are with the conversation just flows.  Talk talk talk.   Trying to have a good talk on the phone though especially with the 4 year old.   How are you today?....good.  What have you been up to?   Nothing.   What are doing right now?    Playing.  Like pulling teeth.  Plus they are hard to understand on the phone.  I must be also as they keep saying what?   Sigh.  I would rather have them close and be hugging them.

     Well I have to get ready to go shopping.   Need my meals for work and am making brownies for work.  I am using a recipe I got from one of the journals comments.   You take hines devil food cake mix and a can of pumpkin pie filling.  Mix the 2 and cook per directions.  You don't use any of the other ingredients on the cake mix.  Low fat brownies.  I haven't made them before but they said they are very moist.  I will let you know why they turn out.

      Well, time to run.  Må jeres liv være velsigne.

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Weird Al

      I had a blast tonight.  He did all the songs I love and many I don't know.  Since I don't have TV and am not much into MTV some were lost to me but he did enough that I know and put on a great show.  I couldn't hear for 10 minutes after.

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Auction, backroad attractions and adjuster

      Yesterday I went to an auction.   I kind of miss my shop and they had some depression glass I was hoping to buy and make a profit on.  Can't outbid collectors though.  I did get some Weller potter which I love so that made me happy. 

    On the way home we stopped at a roadside attraction of the midwest's largest antique windmills.  So cool.  A couple were damaged from the storm but most were in working shape and very neat.


       













    The weather was very hot and humid so we went out to eat last night and then retired to a cool room.  Rick's back is still pretty bad.  Hopefully he will see a doctor soon.

   Today the adjuster is here.  She is still outside writing up her report.    Hopefully they will do right by us.  We are waiting for a roofer to call us back also.  We are thinking of getting a metal roof.  Anyone have one?  What do you think?

    Then we are going to try and hunt down my BIL.  He owes me $400.00.   Of course he has crawled under some rock so he doesn't have to pay me but we found out where he is staying.  You can run but you can't hide.

    Tomorrow  we are going to see Weird Al.   I am excited.   Weird but I like his parodies


 
      The adjuster just left.  She gave us a pretty good size check.  They come through after all.   Now to get the roofer to call us back.

    Have a good one all and I leave you with one of my favorite Weird Al songs.

Just things

      Well would you believe our insurance company still hasn't come out yet.  They are suppose to be here Monday.  A full 2 weeks after the damage.  I just have a feeling this isn't going to go well.  We were all set to change insurance companies this month to the one my son has as we were so impressed with them.  We are probably going to regret procrastinating on it.

     Rick was working on his bike yesterday when his back went out.  Sciatica pain big time.  He can hardly move.  I was hoping to ride my bike today.  I should have gone out by myself as he slept most of the day due to the pain medication.  Instead I did some housework and ironing.  Hate to iron but it needs to be done. 

    My toe is actually feeling better tonight knock on wood.  After hitting it at least once a day I finally got smart and am wearing my shoes all day.  I get these simply awful stabbing pains up my toe into my foot but it isn't all day.  Things are getting better.

   I gave the guinea pig and Zoey a bath.  They are both happy fluffy critters now.  I was reading about the guinea pig festival  in Peru.    They dress them up in cute little costumes, have a parade and judging contest and then eat them using their favorite recipes.  Poor Chester.  The poor pigs in the video look like they know what their fate is.  I hear they taste like chicken.  

    I haven't ridden for a week.  I am feeling fat and fluffy.  Thursday I am going to a open house on non surgical weight loss classes.  They won't tell you the price over the phone.  Always a bad sign but I need to get motivated.  Seems like every time I get my motivation up...something breaks.  Weird.

Bike riding journal gone private

    I went private on my bike riding journal.  I added everyone I could think of who used to read it but if you can't get in let me know.   Someone at work stumbled across it and it just felt weird so, private it is.

   We had a big storm all night.  No rain in the house.  Yippy.  I missed work last night.  My toe is just throbbing and the thought of wearing shoes on my swollen foot made me want to cry.  Believe me when I say rebreaking it so soon after the first time was twice as painful.

   Have a good day all.

I'm Singing in The Rain

       It rained cats and dogs and my roof isn't leaking.  WTG Rick.

       Poll time
 

     Is it me or does Madona look more and more like Tammy Faye Baker everyday?

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I married a MacGyver

      When picking a husband try to see how his home and car repair skills are first.  It can save you a ton of money. 

   Rick is a true MacGyver.  Able to take gum and duck tape and repair almost anything that is broken.  True I have a garage so full of stuff while my vehicles sit outside, but when the furnace breaks down in the middle of the winter, when a tree crashes through the roof in the middle of the night, when the car breaks down 200 miles from a service station, when the boat breaks down in the middle of the biggest wilderness lake in Canada, etc etc etc.....  Rick has something saved he can fix it with.  He's clever that way.  Born that way because you can't learn this stuff.  Glasses break in half in the wilderness, Rick just happens to have contact cement in his pack pack......might come in handy.  Car blows a fuel line, Rick just happens to have some tubing just the right size.  And sure enough I now have a roof without a hole in it.

   Good thing too because we haven't seen hide nor hair from our insurance adjuster.  Personally I suspect they are at the dunes.  The dunes is the rich side of town. Doctors, Lawyers and other VIP's live there.  And they got hit hard also yesterday.  Difference is they probably already have checks in their hot little hands from their insurance companies where we just have empty promises of repairs in the future.

    Rick spent yesterday on the roof with sheet metal, some black tarry stuff, and old roofing shingles patching our hole.  It didn't rain after all so we aren't sure it won't leak but personally, since I married a MacGyver type man, I have faith it will see us through.

    I proved not to be any help at all getting the tree limbs cleaned up.  Running through the house to get ready to clean up I hit my.... you guessed it, toe again hard.  You should have heard the screams.  Lifting the roof right off the house.  Thats OK, we need a new one anyway.  Really got it off center this time so off I drive to the doctors using  the gas with my big toe as my foot was in throbbing pain.  Xrays showed it to be fractured pretty bad and off kilter so they straightened it, ouch and gave me some pretty good pain pills and sent me off with instructions to wear wooden shoes and stop kicking my husband.  The toe which was almost unbruised is now bruised all over again so I start from scratch.  I have it all taped up and they said no croc's.  How am I going to work with my regular nurses shoes.  Hurts like the dickens getting them on.

    Also he told me to stay off the bike for just awhile.  If I keep bending the toe it will not heal.  Unless I can ride in wooden shoes.  Or splint my toe somehow.  Wonder if Rick could rig something up with things he has in the garage?  Lets see, leftover shims from setting the cabinets 4 years ago, duck tape.....

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There's a hole in the bucket.....and my roof, two

      Got some of the tree off my roof.  Found 2 holes around 6 " across.  One still has the branch.  Now how to plug it until we can get it repaired.  Because guess what its suppose to do all week?  Why rain of course.  Can you tell we are getting very tired of this all.  Still haven't heard from the insurance man except to tell me I have to pay 1% of our appraised value of house.  Guess I am glad I don't have a very expensive house.  Since I was taking picture anyway, aren't these pretty.

I suppose it was inevitable

   That with one of these storms we have had we would get hit.  Last night was the night.



   I had gotten off work at 11 for low census.  We were having a severe lighting storm so hurried home.  Around 1225 am I decided I had better shut down the computer and get the flashlights out.  The computer was almost done when boom, sounded like we got hit by lightening and our transformer blew.  Stumbling in the dark to the kitchen to get the flashlights and boom something hit the house.  Hard.  Boom boom boom. 



The rain was pouring.  When the lightening flashed we could see out the window and tell a tree was on our house in the front. I have to admit to being scared to death. We could hear things crashing outside and were making our way to the basement when I felt something wet under my foot.  Shining the light on my ceiling I was a couple of cracks with water coming through.  Oh crap.  Forget the basement and get out every pot and bucket in the house.  Then sat down to wait it out.

   Finally about 6 am it was light enough to see the damage.  We have a large branch on our roof.  Our plum tree that the woodpecker hollowed out was down.

 

 Branches down all over the road and trees down all over.  What mess.  I need coffee before I tackled the insurance company and taking the tree off the house so we drove to the cafe.  Trees and wires down all over.  A couple of other neighbors have tree damage and one neighbors car is flat. 







So this is suppose to be my day off.  We were going to do the big ride today.  Instead we are doing the big cleanup.



 On no sleep.  But they did get our power back on after 9 hours.  And the weird thing.  On my microwave.  A year or so ago the digital numbers stopped working.  The microwave worked well, you just couldn't tell how much time you had.  Today....all the numbers are up and running just like new.  Isn't that strange?

      The weird thing about the branch, it was from the top of the tree.  In the back by the road.  It had to go straight up and over the rest of the tree to then fall back on our house.  They say no tornado.  Winds clocked at 78 miles per hour.  Sure sounded like the end of the world.  Sure hope my insurance is worth the money I have been paying.

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The Price of Vacation

      The price of taking a vacation is adding up.  Almost to the cost of feeling very guilty about such wasteful spending.  A year ago when we planned it the cost of gas wasn't so high.  The cost of food was quite a bit lower.  Boarding the dog, went way up this year.

     Rent the cabin for 800, figure gas will cost us around 600, the dog boarding costs 270, loss of income for 3 weeks 3500.  Food another 300 or more.  Getting the bikes ready 100, new hitch on the new van 500 and the list goes on and on and on.

     I try to tell myself that I work hard all year and I haven't taken a vacation, a true vacation for 8 years.  But still. It is a lot of money. And the Black Hills isn't even that far away.  This trip will cost me more then it did when I went to Canada for a week fishing 15 years ago.  I am seriously tempted to just cancel the whole thing and go camping locally on my 6 days off.  8 dollars a night. 15 for a fishing license.  4 bucks for sunscreen and 2 dollars for worms.

    I don't know how a whole family can afford it.  Staying in a motel, going to amusement parks, out to eat.  Yikes.

       Off to work tonight.  I am hoping and praying it is a good night.  We are once again expecting severe weather.  They keep saying golf ball size hail.  Oh my poor van.  Hope it is wrong.  We are suppose to be running around getting some chores done but can't budge Rick from working on his motorcycle.  I will give him another 15 minutes and go onmy own.  We are suppose to have rain the next week so I won't miss out on any bike riding days.  Now I will keep my fingers crossed my toe survives the weekend without a bed or cart rolling across my toe.

Last day off

 

        There is something sad about that but I am grateful to have a job.  Things could be worse and the truth is I like my job so that helps.

      We are getting ready for another ride this morning.  We have been reading the site on the trail to get us pumped up.  I am really looking forward to it.  I have to start doing hills though.  Some of the hills are 14 miles long of just a gradual incline.  After awhile your muscles just scream doing that.  But then the joy of a downhill.

      I have been happy to see more plus size people out on the trails.  I know when I started I was so self conscious.  I am my own worse enemy.  It doesn't help that my face sweats terribly and I burn instantly.  By the end of our rides a look like I am going to have a stroke.  I still love it and hope the woman and men that are riding are having as much fun.  Maybe I should start a bike club.  Call it plus peddler's or something.  There is safety in numbers.  What do you think?

       Yesterday I got my hair highlighted.  It looks pretty good. We ended up not getting our ride in as we had to many candles burning.  So today we are going for sure.

     I was talking to my hairdresser, yes they are just like a bartender, about my worries about Rick having early Alzheimer's.   I haven't mentioned it here as sometimes he reads my journal but I finally voiced my concerns to him.  Some of the things he does is what we all do, forget names or calls the phone the iron, right Donna!  But some things he is doing worries me.  Like forgetting how to use something he uses daily.  Like starting the car!  Or dates.  And when you tell him he swears you never told him.  Plus he has had these anger bouts.  Not like him at all and out of the blue for nothing.  Lots of little things but they go slightly past the things we all do.  So I am nervous.  And try getting him to a doctor.

         Last year I finally convinced him to go and see the doc for a checkup.  Took me 3 months to talk him into.  Get there and voiced many of our concerns to the doc who completely dropped the ball.  Found out he was in a fib and that is all he cared about.  No sleep apnea test, nothing about the depression or memory loss, nothing nada squat.  That happens alot.  So I am thinking about getting a different doctor.  One that will listen.  because early treatment is important.  And I hope I am wrong.  Pray I am wrong actually.

    Anyway it was good to talk to someone about it.  It runs in Ricks family.

     Besides that worry Luke's divorce hearing is today.  His x has kept changing their agreement thanks to her Dads so he has been very depressed and upset.  He couldn't get into the lawyer yet and we can't get them to hold off.  Whats the big hurry!  I guess they want to keep on ruining his life.  I worry about him as he is as depressed as I have ever seen him and have made him promise not to do anything stupid.

         So some things of concern.  Heavens forbid we just have a quiet happy little life here. LOL.

     Oh and of less concern.  My puter is really causing problems.   I have lost all my memory.  I have nothing downloaded.  My son came over and checked everything out.  There should be tons of memory but there isn't.  At night Rick and I watch Netflix instant movies on the computer and cuddle on the spare bed, just cuddle.  Now I don't have enough memory to even do that.  So we need a new computer with as much memory as possible.  No one seems to know why this is messed up, but I don't have a huge memory card anyway.  With my pictures I need a bigger one although I don't store them on it.

    Last but not least.  Have you ever noticed how often you bang your little toe?  I keep hitting it.  I hate wearing shoes so that is part of the problem but sheesh.  The bruising is going away but it still crunches when I walk so I can tell it isn't set very well.  From the bottom it is completely numb.  Like I don't have a toe at all, but from the side, yikes, touch and yell.  I keep telling myself.  5 more weeks and it will be healed if I don't break it again.

     Well, Rick isready so I had better get ready.  My trusty bike awaits me.

             

My first and only Memenna

   I read this on Donna's and decided to do it.  First time for everything right!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?  My grandfather Julius
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? When I broke my toe the other day
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Used to but now a days its messy
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 2 by birth and 2 by the fact they were here all the time and I basically helped to raise them
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Of course.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Sarcastic humor
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS Got a bad infection and they rotted off, gross I know.
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? when I was younger definitely.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Toasted cinnamon square thingies my grandson turned me onto.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? ties?
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?  Mentally yes, not so much physically now
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Moose track frozen yogurt.
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Smiles, natural or forced.
15. RED OR PINK? pink, its my granddaughter favorite color
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Weight
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST. My Mom.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Please send the links.
19. WHAT COLOR  SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? barefoot but usually black or nurse white.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? supper last night, chicken, spring salad and veggies.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? the radio, Rush Limbaugh
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?  yellow
23. FAVORITE SMELL?  The woods in the fall
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? dentist
25. FAMOUS PERSON YOU WOULD LIKE TO MEET?  Nikola Tesla
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?  Why yes I do.
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?  Motocross
27. HAIR COLOR? light brown
28. EYE COLOR? hazel
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? glasses
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Born into Brothels, didn't have a happy ending...
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Maroon
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES? both
36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Apple slices dipped in melted peanut butter
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? no Idea
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?  no idea
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? What Would MacGyver Do?
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Ruby Lane Antiques
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? No TV
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Children laughing
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Flin Flon Canada
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Gee, I can flare my nostrils, does that count?
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Iowa, across town actually.
47. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK?  All of them :)

The start of another week.

 

  Yesterday we went on a great bike ride.     My toe didn't bother me at all so today we want to go for a longer ride.  One with hills as I have to start getting ready for that.  Times just flying.  We will be on the trail in the Black hills soon.  I can't wait.  I ordered some bike shorts and we both are getting our bikes in to get tuned up for the ride.  Rick is having trouble with his brakes and I want mine oiled and adjusted. 

      Today, except for riding we have no other plans.  Of course I could clean house, but it isn't going anywhere.  Later we are going to try and get hold of my BIL and get the 400 he owes me.  Now that he has his money...and owes me some of it ....we haven't heard a word from him.  Before he got his money and wanted some we got calls everyday.  Typical.  Of course he always thought I had money running out of my ears. What tipped him off.  My paint peeling house or my 16 year old car?  Giggle.  The rumors nurses are made of money!  Remember I am in Iowa, state of the lowest paid nurses in the country.  Lower then Guam and the Virgin Islands.

    My toe actually feels a little better today.  So I will just hold off on the doctor for now.  As long as I don't bang it again I can live with it.  I can even get my bike shoes on.  What else do I need?

Sunday already

       And my front and side yards are covered with the orange wild lilies.  definately a summer attraction.  I love these flowers as they are so easy to grow and transplant.

     Yesterday was a bad day.   We had some running around to do in the morning.  The longer I was on my foot the worse the entire darn leg felt.  You find yourself favoring the leg with the broken toe.  So then your calf starts hurting.  So you favor the calf and the toe and your hip and back complain.  Oh the importance of good posture.

     The toes is numb and swollen.  Unless I hit it.  So yesterday I hit it again on Ricks big old shoe.  Put me through the roof with pain.  And throbbing, oh my.  And it hasn't stopped since.  So I laid around the rest of day with ice on it.

     I have been having trouble with this same toe and foot.  This is the same toe I broke a couple of years ago.  Then I got arthritis in it.  So this isn't helping.  I have gotten 2 different suggestions.  One says I should go see the doc in case it isn't set correctly.  It it needs to be a lined better or even have screws put in it it will heal better reducing my chances of getting arthritis worse.  Plus I would get pain pills.  The other suggestion is to just tape it like I am doing and suck it up for a few weeks until it heals.  That the doctor would probably just tape them together anyway.

        So...Poll Time


        The weather looks nice out right now.  I am going to still try a bike ride.  It might make my calf feel better.  I don't use my toes to ride, just my middle foot so it might be OK and it would do wonders for my mood.

      Well, just wanted to whine a little.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day.

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Scary Drive

   Man oh man I tell you you take your life in your hands driving around these days.  I wish I was a patrol cop as I would be giving tickets out right and left.  Just some examples.

  One woman was pointing something out to her passenger along the road.  While they were both looking off to the side the car went over 2 lanes of traffic!  Right in front of my new van.  When they finally looked back at the road and realized she had strayed she zoomed right back to her original lane without checking traffic first.  Once again right in front of us as we were doing evasive driving.

    Another block later a car weaving back and forth.  Getting up to it a young teenager was texting someone with both hands while steering with her elbows.  She was probably all of 16 or 17.  Already a pro.  Able to drive blindly and kill unsuspecting middle age people with a single finger pushing send.  Probably calling another teen who was driving.

Hi Sara, what are you doing?

Hi Cara, texting you, what are doing?

Texting you back.

Anything new since the 5 minutes I texted you last?

I saw a cute guy driving...how about you.

No...just mad looking old people behind me......

 

    Couple of blocks further great grandfather Jo let loose from the senior center for the day slowly pulled out into the interstate at all of 12 miles a hour.  Never mind the speed limit was 70.  Forget about speeding up as he was only going 10 miles and he couldn't see good enough at high speeds to read his exit signs anyway.  Life was going by fast enough without hurrying it along any faster.

     Jim was mad at Jane.  Loudly and with both hands to empathize his anger he was raging at her all the way down the  block.  Narrowly missing the poor bike rider ahead as he jabbed a finger in her direction to get his point across.  So mad he was seeing red and went through the red to prove it.

    And just to prove that idiot drivers don't necessarily need to be driving a car a bicycle rider runs a red light in front of a dangerous SUV, notorious for killing people anyway, and narrowly misses becoming tomorrows headline.  "SUV kills innocent biker in mad road rage over gas prices".

   Finally arriving home I was doubly grateful I had spent the extra money to be in a minivan rated to be among the safest on the road.  They should sell insurance for driving across town.  Hazard pay for drivers. 

   I feel like I should get a medal for arriving home safely.  Kissing the ground I stagger in the house and to my room to meditate. Surely this is the real reason for high blood pressure and heart attacks.

   Be safe all....be careful.

3 Years Journaling

     

   Today is the day.  3 years of Journaling madness.  It doesn't seem that long.

   It started out to keep a record of my weight loss.  It has turned into kind of a diary type journal for me.  I just jot down things as I think of them.  Keep tract of dates of certain things so I can look back and I have found some wonderful people around the world to get to know.  It brings home how much people all have pretty much the same goals.  Just to live life.  Have food on the table, a roof over their heads, family health and a little fun thrown in once in awhile.  If only governments would journal they would see there is a wonderful kind world out there.

    I get to travel through all the wonderful photo journals throughout J-land in the comfort of my home and in my jammies.  Cheaper on gas also.  I get tips on hobbies, dieting, growing tomatoes.  And wonderful friendships.  Who would have thought all this from a on line journal. 

       I don't write everyday and most entries are just puff stuff but looking back through the 3 years I have had some pretty good entries also.  When I really miss my MIL, which is often, I go back and read entries before she got sick.  A chuckle here and there. 

    So anyway, Ta Da, 3 years.

    Today I am going to go pay some bills and boring stuff.  It is hot hot hot out.  It will be a challenge as my toe is purple and walking isn't fun.  I am hoping my bike riding won't be affected.  I have the broken toe taped to my other toe for support.  Since I have broken toes before I know the next few weeks are going to be painful.  With Ricks bike injury to his foot and my toe we will just hobble along holding on to each other for support, LOL.  Hopefully we won't tip over.



  

Nice Day off

              

 

        I had a nice day off.  Didn't do a darn thing productive.  My oldest son is ill so we got him soup and jello and then took off so we didn't catch it.  Such a good mom.

      It is hot and humid in Iowa and all over from what I have been reading.  So dinner out.  We made it a long drawn out affair.  Then I decided I was feeling lucky.  I rarely gamble but felt in the mood so we went to the casino.  I spend $8.00 in a dollar machine machine and hit $100.00 so left.  Always quit when your ahead.  Back to town to have a night cap and visit with friends.  It was good to relax. 

      Rick has been cranky all week getting everything done to finish the estate so he needed some R and R also.  He was in a much better mood by the time we left and I got my perfect rose.  Just lovely and I do deserve it, LOL.

 

         At home we watched a movie.  Nothing most people would care about.  It was call A Certain Kind Of Death.  Its about what happen to people who die that have no family and what they do with the body and estate.  Morbid I know but interesting as we get quite a few people these days who have no next of kin.  They say it is going up also.  All I can say is make sure you make your arrangements before you go.  That is on my too do list.

   Well it is late, I am tired.  Didn't get a ride in.  Just too hot and humid and Rick had a bike accident yesterday so is hurting too bad to ride.  Also I broke my small toe and am hobbling around.  We are quite the pair.  Hope everyone has a great Friday.

 

If you can cultivate wholesome mental states prior to sleep and allow them to continue right into sleep without getting distracted, then sleep itself becomes wholesome.

-His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Thursday and all is well

         The start of my long stretch off is always cause for celebration.  I am ready for it.   After the week at work I had I just need to shut down the ole brain for a while and relax.  Some days the stress really gets to you.  Have to be on top of it all the time.  Usually I kind of enjoy it but the last few days were just a strain.

       Yesterday they finally closed the estate.  Finished.  What a long time that takes.  Rick must have signed a million papers.  I thought a will was suppose to make that easier.  I swear it was easier when my mom passed and there were 5 of us kids.  It will be nice not getting the daily call from my BIL to see if the lawyer has called yet.  We have been trying to guess how long it will take him to go through the money.  When I hear how he plans to invest it I think 8 months tops.  I sure hope he moves.

       I am hoping to ride today.  It is raining of course but maybe will clear up by the time I wake up.  Hope so.

       I have been having computer problems for a few months here.  Sometimes I can't sign on the computer.  I have to shut it down and then sign on again to get it to work and sometimes not even that works.  No internet connection it says.  We had cable check their wires.  Anyone have problems like this and what caused it.  Is it cable or my computer?

      Well, time for bed.  I am way behind on alerts.  hope to catch up soon.  Take care all.

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Darn Weather

        We had a tornado touch down in town yesterday and more bad weather expected today.  We are starting to get a little punchy here everytime there is a cloud in the sky.  It has been a unusual year.  No riding again today.  I am going to go to where the tornado touched down when I wake up and try and get some shots.  Fortunately no one was hurt here but the park outside of town had some damage and 2 campers were injured.

     It was so hot and muggy right before the storm you just knew it was going to be bad when it hit.

   Well, I am off today.  Getting ready for bed right now.  Hope I don't get woke up to go to the basement.  I am tired.

       Night all

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Sunday already

 

    I just read about Linda's house fire.   Please stop by and offer support to this wonderful J-lander.  I hope she will be back with us soon.  I am just grateful they are all alright.

     I am on my last night tonight.  The census on my floor is low, but the trauma's and accidents have been hot and heavy all holiday weekend. 

    On the 4th I watched some of our fireworks from one of the empty hospital rooms with some patients that could get up.  So pretty.  I just love fireworks but not to let them off myself.  Firecrackers are just plain boring compared to these big displays.

    I had some really cranky old patients this weekend who complained bitterly about being kept awake.  Thing is if they hadn't been so darn sick and near death I would have let them sleep.  Sheesh what do they think.  Come in with a life threatening illness and don't want your sleep disturbed.  Excuse for waking you up to save your cranky self.  They all need manners matter awards to remind them.

    So that makes the work less enjoyable but in spite of them I managed to stabilize them nicely and they should make up.  Only to go home and complain to anyone who will listen about how they got no rest in the hospital and we darn near killed them waking them up all night.  Day nurses have it nicer in this regard.  At night everyone gets mad at us.  Call a doctor it had better be for a darn good reason.  Have to call a family member at night and you scare the daylights out of them.

      The bike riding was going good and I am trying to drop some pounds.  I have even given up my wonderful after ride beer which you all know I like once in a while.  Too many calories for now.

     Well, I can feel myself getting sleepy so time for bed.   Hope everyone enjoys the day.  It is hot and really muggy after the rain last night.  Might as well sleep through the worse of it.

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