Monday, August 31, 2009

I thought today would be a miserable day with a root canal to have to go through. Nada! Dr. Wood is so good. The only thing that hurt was the first shot. They shoot you and then leave for a bit. Come back and shoot you again, leave, and do that until you are good and numb. He got the crooked root out, put in the titanium post, and then the core for the crown to ride on.

Afterwards, I tried to find the appetizer bakeware that Melyssa wants for her birthday, but couldn't find them. Guess it is going to take hours to track some down on the net. If I just knew what to call them, I would be 1/2 way there.

Off to Michael's for some solvent and stumps for moving color around. Found several other things that I wanted too. Then to Hobby Lobby and I found a stamp that I wanted, as if I need another one. Found some Cuttlebug and Nestabilities on sale and had to have a few of them. That is about the only way you can afford them. They don't have the newest Nestabilities though. they have also moved that stuff to a different aisle.

Found some cheap ribbon to try the gathering technique with and will use it in Emily Anna's album. Got several other things and two sheets of 12 x 12 paper and all of it was either on sale or I was able to use my coupon.

Went clear across Shreveport to Sonny's to get catfish dinners to bring to the house for supper. Yummy, but the microwave has a tendency to toughen the fish when you warm it up. Wish I had gone on and eaten when I got in instead of waiting on Bill to finish up his work.

Have been here blog hopping looking at things to inspire me. I am inspired. Now, I just need to get up off of it and do something. Therapy tomorrow.

I am torn right now on what to do about Saturday. Heath will only be able to visit for about an hour. I missed seeing him last weekend since I went to the city with Emily Anna and Melyssa. Now, Melyssa wants me to go with her to Natchitoches and Alexandria to find something suitable for the wedding. She isn't happy with what she has right now. Too bad she couldn't have looked out of town when she was at a conference. Hindsight is 20/20.

Later

Saturday, August 29, 2009

August 29, 2009

It has been a while since I last blogged. I have had problems with connectivity that have driven me to the edge. Of course, when the repairman came out, it worked just fine. After he was gone, it began to drag. Next week if it doesn't want to cooperate, then I will call them again.

Friday night a week ago, I went to a scrapping. I got a lot accomplished on Emily's surprise scrapbook. That was the first time I have scrapped in probably a year or nearly a year. Hopefully, Rose will start having crops more now that summer is over with.

My tooth broke off and I saw the dentist this past Tuesday. It took forever to numb my mouth and before that happened, I cried. I haven't done that in years, but each time he said I was numb and he would drill, I could feel it. He would stop and numb me some more. He got about 1/2 way through and said the nerve, he was doing a root canal, turned a corner and he couldn't finish it. I have to see a specialist in Shreveport on Monday to finish the root canal and put in a post for a crown. All I know is that I better have something in that space in time for the wedding. He said we would be pushing it, but he thought it could be done. Of course, it is right in the front next to your big teeth and that would be horrible to go to the wedding like that.

Heath and his family came in late Friday night and we couldn't connect this visit. He had to plow and plant and I went with Melyssa and Emily to Shreveport today to the cake tasting and for Emily to see the doctor. Last week when she saw him, the antibiotic he gave her must be something she is allergic to. She had itchy bumps on her arms and legs. We stopped there first, but they were so full that we had to leave for the cake tasting and then come back. After that, we ate, then they went into Walmart to get her prescriptions filled and we ran to the hobby shop for two or three things.

Emily had to get home since she didn't feel well and also had studying to do. She slept all the way home. We couldn't even stop to see Heath she felt so bad. He and Gunnar will be coming in next Saturday for the opening of dove season and we will see them at noon. After hunting, they will go back to Arkansas since it is a long weekend and they can rest. That little family goes at breakneck speed 24/7, it seems. I just won't get to see Halle Clair and Chriss until the wedding as they aren't coming in for the hunt.

My mother's sister died on Monday of this past week. That only leaves four of eight children left in her family. She lost a brother at Christmas of last year, a sister-in-law two weeks ago, and now one of her sisters. She has one sister and two brothers left. I hate to see them get older because before you know it, there won't be any of them left.

My cousin and I have laughed over some funny things that happened when they and my brothers were boys concerning electric fences. I have laughed until I cried and even last night when it was so quiet in the house with Bill and the dogs asleep, I was in here howling just answering my brother about this man getting shocked with an electric fence. It is too long a story, but maybe you will get in in your email one of these days.

Another cousin and I have been debating where we will go after we die. I guess it is because of losing our aunt this week that the subject came up. He believes in God, but isn't convinced there is an afterlife. I just don't get it. I believe in God and His son, Jesus Christ. I believe that the only way you will go to Heaven is by believing in Christ. It is just something we have to have faith in. We have whipped the horse to death. I don't see us coming to any agreement anytime soon. I know I won't quit believing and I think it would take some kind of miracle, like he would have to die and come back, for him to believe there is an afterlife that will be so different than what we have to live through here on Earth. I don't understand how you can believe there is a God, but that you can't be convinced there is something good to look forward to after you die.

I am almost finished with all of my things to do for the wedding. The only thing left is for me is to cover some pens with ribbon and tie bows on them. I have printed cards that will be spread out on a table that say, "Words of Wisdom for Emily and Jakob." People will put something "wise" on the card and then put them in a basket that I bought today. It has two little handles on it and the girl doing the flowers will tie bows on each handle. When everyone has left, I am going to collect the cards and put them in the album for them to read in their leisure. I have seen that at several wedding lately.

The cake is ordered, Emily has to get jewelry for her attendants, gifts for the groomsmen since Jakob has no time off, Melyssa wants a different dress and has to look for it, and that is about all that is left to do. It is going to be an understated, elegant wedding. Understated certainly doesn't mean her parents are saving any money. LOL In fact, I think it must cost more to go simple and elegant. Now all Emily wants is for it to be over with. I told her today she should have taken the money and cruise and gotten married by a jp. She will have nice memories and pictures though. She picks up her picture on Monday for the easel at the reception. Oh, that has to be matted and framed too. Do you ever get through with getting a wedding ready to go? I don't believe so.

Later

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

We ate out with our friends on Friday night - catfish and they even had whole ones. I wanted to go to the store afterwards, but was too bushed to do so. We just came home.

Let's see. My youngest child turned 42 on Saturday. He is getting older and I don't think I am. :-) He and his family were out school shopping as his children start school today. Where did the summer go? This was a lazy day where I never got out of my gown. Just lollygogged around all day long. Had a hard time falling asleep last night which is probably why I never completely woke up.

Daughter called on Sunday to see if I could help her with getting the wedding invitations ready for the mail. I hurried over to her house and did a lot. Once her daughter got there, they had to work on the inside envelopes as I don't know who all the people are who are invited to the wedding.

The food is ordered and paid for. There will be two serving lines at the buffet with two choices of meats, vegetables, and salads. For a simple meal, it surely does cost a lot of money.

The lady who bakes the marvelous cakes won't be able to as her husband has had a heart attack. Now they will have to get someone out of Shreveport. There will be a tasting of cake on the 29th. I wouldn't mind going to that.

Therapy on Monday. Regular routine.

Tuesday when Bill go home he had found out at 3:15 that he was a victim of a reduction in force. That was his last day. No warning at all. The announcement was supposed to be made on Friday and that way he could have made a week's pay, but they didn't do that. Being the nice guy he is, he worked yesterday for free showing them what all he did and parceled out his work to others that the dean had already approved. They are going to be surprised at what all he did. Had I been him, I wouldn't have gone back, but would have let them figure out what needed to be done on their own. I say that in anger, but would probably have done the same thing if push came to shove.

Today is his first day at home and he has already been in here to talk several times. I don't know how this is going to work out because I am used to being alone all day doing my thing. I don't like to be interrupted. I just keep on typing and he eventually leaves. I have therapy in a few hours and need to get ready for that. There is laundry to finish up and dishes to wash.

Later


Thursday, August 13, 2009

Monday was a therapy day. Did some knee strengthening and also worked on my shoulders.

Tuesday was a stay at home day with little to do, but did finish the fans for the wedding and will take them to Melyssa on Wednesday.

Wednesday was therapy day. More knee stuff and shoulder stuff. Got some Popeye's chicken for supper. Bill made that delicious blueberry stuff that must have one million calories per bite. Yum, good. Took a wedding present to Emily and she was thrilled. She has a new Yorkie puppy who had just had its shots. Took the fans to and left them at Melyssa's. Visited for a little while and came home.

Today is a catch up day with no therapy. Put some beans on and Bill can either make some rice when he comes home or we can have leftover cornbread. Went to the post office and bought some stamps. Thank goodness for email because they want an arm and a leg to mail something. Before long it will be two arms and a leg. Privatization? Yeah, right! Same thing that will happen if the president gets his health care package through Congress. Read that he shot himself in the foot yesterday with a town meeting and his health care reform. I will wait to see what happens.

Weekend coming up and no plans as of yet.

Your fairy is called Tangle Goblinglitter
She is a bringer of riches and wealth.
She lives at the bottom of tangled gardens and in hedgerows.
She is only seen in the light of a shooting star.
She wears tangled dresses of multicoloured petals. She has gentle green wings like a butterfly.


Later

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Friday night we went to Natchitoches to MaMa's with Melyssa and Terrell for supper. There was a live band on the side we ate on and a man was celebrating his 80th birthday and danced with all of the women at his table and the table next to his. If he died in his sleep last night, he had a good time before that happened. Our kids ended up treating us to supper which was so nice. Our treat next time.

At lunch time on Saturday we went to Heath's place at Grand Cane and had a sandwich with them. They were here just for a few hours. Heath had to fix something on his septic tank and talk about his pond he shares with a neighbor. Their trips are always so hurried, but better than not getting to see them at all.

We went to Walmart after that to pick up a few things. By the time we got home, I was exhausted and went straight to bed without supper. My fibro decided it wanted to flare up. Best thing to do in that situation is give it up and go to bed.

Slept in this morning and then worked on the fans for Emily's wedding. Came up 50 charms short and have printed them and started cutting them out. I will be one thrilled person when this task is off my hands. I am so bored with doing this over and over. Still wish they would have run away and gotten married. LOL Not really if that is what they want is a wedding. Had to stop cutting out the charms and take a break so decided to work on my blog.

I hear Bill outside hammering on his bathroom. Will that project ever get finished. In the meantime there are other projects stacking up. Wish I could win a lottery and just walk off and leave this money pit. There are some days I hate this house. It would take a huge bundle of money though to have the space this house has. I just need to chill out and when it gets done, it gets done.

Later

Saturday, August 8, 2009



Yesterday I played catch up blogging and it never did appear. Guess I will go backwards tonight and see if it will show up on my blog.

Last night I bit into a pretzel and if a tooth didn't break off at the gumline, I am not sitting here. Saved the tooth and called the dentist this AM, but he was taking a day in class today and I can't see him until Monday. I have to be careful not to smile too big because it is the tooth next to the big middle tooth. Just call me snaggle tooth.

Went for therapy on my shoulders and the doctor wrote on the Rx that he wants the flat extension closer on my right knee closer to zero. Geez!!! Six is close enough for me, but I will do what they say. Took back the dress Melyssa didn't choose for the wedding, stopped and got Chinese in case we didn't go out to eat.

We did go out to eat and Melyssa and Terrell treated us at Mama's in Natchitoches. They have a band on Friday nights and people were dancing. One man turned 80 today and he was "cutting a rug" with all the women at his table and then some at the next table. He might die tonight, but he had a wonderful time this evening.

Yesterday I took the dress for Zoey to wear at the wedding and had her name embroidered on it. I will try and put a picture of it in this post. I haven't done that yet and don't know if I can do it or not. I had the bib that doesn't match done too and she can wear it around the house when she cuts teeth and drools. Found a pair of ivory colored eyelet panties that will be great for a diaper cover. She will be styling big time all matched up.

Wednesday I went to Natchitoches to have lunch with my friend at her church. They have first Wednesday lunch for the older people and she invites me and many times I am able to go. I saw Doris, our preacher from here that just retired. We sat together. The presentation was Dr. Julie Cane reading some of her poetry, which is delightful. I have heard her read before and she is so talented.

Emily had her formal portraits done on Tuesday and she and Jakob had their engagement pictures done too. They are already up on the net, but I will wait until after the wedding to give the URL. Lovely pictures.

Let's see if I can insert a picture here of the dress. Don't know why they came out at the top of the page.

Later

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

August 5, 2009

It is always about catching up it seems. My brothers cannot imagine why in the world I prefer to live in a town with one blinking light. Surely you get bored!!! I rarely get bored around here. There aren't enough hours in the day for me to do all that I want to do. They all live in the city where there is traffic. I would rather stick a pin in my eye than sit in traffic. Whomever said that like is a genius. I just love it, "stick a pin in my eye." LOL

Take Monday for instance. It was a day from Hell. Went to the city for a 9 AM appointment with my surgeon knowing he would be thrilled with my range of motion. He was happy with the bent knee, but said I could do better with the flattening of the knee. I asked him to look up what it was prior to surgery. He said zero degrees after they had put in the new knee. Sure!!! I was in never, never land and wouldn't have felt a tank running across me. He has given me something to try and get it straighter in two months when I will see him again.

He looked at my x-rays to see why this right shoulder is giving me so much pain and said it could be a tear in the rotor cuff, but it would take an MRI to find out. He suggested I put down the crutch and see if it doesn't feel better. Of course, I wanted to know how I would get from point A to point B without the crutch, since I mostly use it for my back problem that he said was inoperable.

He pulled up my x-rays (high tech stuff in that office - get the x-ray and almost immediately he can pull it up on a computer in the examining room) and said that he does see why my back hurts with so much arthritis in it. Maybe I would like to go for pain management. I wanted to know what that entailed and he said, "Shots." I don't think so. That sounds like pain to me and not pain management. I said I would try to not use the crutch.

As long as I don't have to walk too far and can get to a buggy to hold onto, I might just be able to get by without it. We will see how this does, but I know I won't be going for any "pain management." Some kind of comedian must have come up with that term for that procedure.

Off I go to do my errands and when I left Sam's, my truck went "tic-tic-tic" when I tried to start it. Tried several times and it is starting to get hot, like really hot as only it can do in a Louisiana August. I decide to call roadside assistance and the numbers looked so weird. It occurs to me that the brilliant person who put the clear sticker on the dash did it upside down and backwards. I doubt you could even read it with a mirror.

The third try I finally got the correct number and then have to play the punch the number game. I hate automated answering services. At last a real live person came on line. I need the last 8 digits of your VIN number. My response was that I didn't have a clue as to where to find that. Look in the glove compartment on your registration. There must be 20 some odd numbers on there. I have to dig my glasses out of my purse and twice count from the right to the left to make sure I get the last 8 digits.

Next, she asks what the problem is and I tell her about the tic-tic-tic noise. She tells me to try to roll up and down the windows. They worked and finally I got the slightest warm bit of a breeze blowing through the sweltering cab. She tells me it can't be the battery since I wouldn't be able to work the windows. I think she is wrong, but she is the roadside assistant lady and I am just a driver. She gets my cell number and says she will call a tow truck.

The phone rings a bit later and when I punch the button there is nothing, nada. Hang up the phone. It rings again and again nothing. By this time I have been in the cab for probably 30+ minutes and this cell phone business is starting to make my blood boil. I decide to call my husband at school, something I don't like doing. He eventually comes to the phone and says he thinks I am pressing the wrong button to answer the phone. I have always pushed the green button. He says he will call me back and try the one above the green one. It worked for that and two more calls from him. Never did work again for any of the other rings.

He calls the dealership and says for someone to please see what the holdup is on the tow truck. You would think in a city the size of Shreveport/Bossier City they would have more than one tow truck in town. Maybe he was off on another call. After another 30 minutes, Bill calls me back to see if the dealership has called me. NO they haven't. He tells me to call them. He promises the number is easy to remember and that I don't need glasses, pen, or pencil to call them. I call and they will send a courtesy car for me.

Thirty minutes later Bill calls back to see if they have come for me. No and this phone keeps ringing and when I try and answer it, I can't get anything. How is it when he calls it works, but not for any other calls. I tell him, using most of my most awful words, I am going to put the d*** cell phone under the tire and when the truck rolls backwards, I will have lots of little pieces of stuff that I can put in my artwork, like a tiny circuit board, maybe a diode or two, buttons, etc. He just laughs at me.

Once you get home and out of this funk, I will show you again how to work the phone. I swear, I know how to answer and dial it. I don't know anything else about it, but those two things. It is a hunk of junk from my least favorite store, Walmart. How is it my grandchildren and children all have I-Phones and I have to have a track phone from Walmart that you have to pre-purchase minutes - heaven forbid you run out of minutes when you desperately need the thing.

When I got home, I presented him the phone and said I would never touch it again. I really, really do mean that. If I break down, I will pray that a nice person will help me out. If it is a slasher, then I have always believed when it is my time to go, I will go. I have to travel through some really unpopulated land to go anyplace, but I will just take my chances, but I will NEVER EVER pick that stupid phone up again.

Yesterday I took my new prescription by the therapy place, but they are filled up until Friday and I will go for some therapy on my shoulders starting Friday. Ran out to this dress shop and found two dresses that would be appropriate for my daughter to wear to her daughter's wedding. She emailed me today and said one of them fit perfectly and all she needs now is shoes. She will have to do that chore because feet have to feel good. Now I have to return the other dress, but that is one less thing she has to worry about. She is so busy with her job that she doesn't have time to turn around.

Today I went to a luncheon for older folks in Natchitoches at the Methodist church. My friend attends there and asks me to a lot of their functions. I got to sit by the lady preacher who just left here and retired. That was really nice. I know so many people in Natchitoches since I have spent so much time there working and in school. Doris said, "How do you know so many people here and you don't go to church here. I go here now and don't know many people yet." I told her that since 1963, Natchitoches has been like a second home to me.

After that, my friend took me to her nephew's law office and I left a check and that ticket I told you about. He said he would get the ticket dropped to a seatbelt violation. God is good. That saved me $113.50 and I am so thankful. I have been driving with the cruise control and making a conscious effort not to go beyond the speed limit, unless it is outside the city and then just 4-5 miles over the limit. I am so used to zooming that I feel like I could walk and get there faster than drive whatever it is the limit is. I understand that you cannot speed around a city, but even having to go 25 mph is like feeling like I am crawling to my destination.

Guess I have to go as I have an appointment tomorrow to get Zoey's name embroidered on her "wedding" dress at noon and it is 45 minutes away. I have a terrible time getting up early and have to drive slower now. Ya'll have a great one!!!!

Later

Monday, August 3, 2009

Had company for the weekend and we really had a nice time. Went out to eat supper on Friday night at the seafood buffet on the lake. Stuffed ourselves as usual.

Saturday I slept way late and then we ran over to Center, Texas, to go poking around. Did one antique shop, but they like their stuff too much for me. Judy did find a table runner that she liked and bought. The lady there said there was a thrift store several blocks away and off we went to find bargains.

Judy found some flower pots for her classroom, a funny bear for her nephews, and some odds and ends. I found a huge Rolodex for $1.99 that I believe I can do some artwork on - alter it somehow or other. I also got some red, white, and blue heart shaped buttons for making Zoey a dress, probably for next summer.

From there, we got on the loop and found a place to eat. Huge buffet, but we just did the salad buffet. When it came time for supper, neither of us could eat we were still so full from lunch. We were going on to Hemphill, Texas, to the quilt store, but I still don't have all of my stamina back and we came on home. Oh, we did have to stop at the Dairy Queen and get a chocolate dipped cone.

Judy left earlier than usual on Sunday as she had a lot of things to do before work today. I drove to Carthage, Texas, for a meeting dealing with my Southern Living at Home business. Got lost twice. Everytime I go there and get on their loop, I end up back where I started and know that I have goofed. Found my road and after 6 miles of tarmac, then gravel, and then red clay dirt that had puddles, I realized I must have missed a turn. Called the hostess and sure enough I had. Finally made it to her house. Surely glad that I started out early as it didn't make me too late.

Today I saw my surgeon and I don't have to go back for 2 months. He wants my range of motion to get to zero and told me what to do at home to try and achieve that. Sounds like pain to me. I asked about therapy for my shoulder that has been giving me fits and he said that I needed to rid myself of the crutch and it should help the shoulder.

I asked him how I was supposed to get from point A to point B without it since the reason I use it is because of my back, not the knees that have been replaced. He pulled up my x-rays and said he could see why I have the pain in the back due to the amount of arthritis. Not operable which is great since I won't go back for any kind of elective surgery. He said he could send me for pain management and when I asked what that was, he said, shots. Nope, no shots either. That sounds like pain to me and not pain management. I will try to get by without the crutch so my shoulder won't kill me, but it remains to be seen how that is going to work out.

Zipped through the dollar store and then on to Michael's to get one bottle of glue. When I started the truck, it sounded kind of weird, but it started so I drove on next parking lot to Sam's. Ran in there and got the handful of things I needed. Got back into the truck and when I turned on the key, it went, tic-tic-tic-tic. Definitely sounded like the battery was dead, but the truck isn't a year old yet.

I called roadside service and jumped through their hoops, like finding the last 8 digits of the VIN number. Sure, lady, where will I find that. OK, it was on the registration. Had to count back twice to make sure I had the 8 she wanted. I rarely even remember to take my cell phone, piece of Walmart garbage, but had it and gave her the call back number she asked for.

After a bit, the phone rang, but when I pushed the button, no one was there. It happened again and same thing. By this time I have been out in my truck for probably almost 30 minutes in gosh awful heat. I was trying not to cry, wanted to go back into Sam's where at least it would be cool, but was afraid I would miss the tow truck.

Eventually I called my husband and he called the dealership and they were to call me. Never did. He told me when we were on the phone that I must be pushing the wrong button to answer and told me to use the one above the green key. Fine. He called me back and it worked, twice, and only with him. He said he would give me the number and I could call the dealership.

No glasses, nothing to write with or on. He assured me it was an easy number to remember. I got them and they said they would sent out someone to pick me up. Another 30 minutes and lots of tears later, the man finally comes for me.

Back at the dealership the little guy helping me said that he would send a tech back with me to the truck and jump it off. I told him that I was spent and wasn't gone anywhere and they would have to take care of it, which they did. He was back in about 30 minutes and said some kind of box they took over to my truck ran out of juice trying to start my truck. They would take jumper cables and another box and would be back.

Dumb roadside assistant lady was wrong. It was the battery and they replaced it and sent me on my way. Still don't have a clue as to why the battery went dead and wasn't even a year old. I just got in the truck and came straight home. Was out of the mood to do any shopping.

When Bill came in from school, I gave him my cell phone and told him that I had started to put it under the wheel of my truck and run over it and I wasn't kidding. He just doesn't understand that I cannot use that stupid phone probably because I never use it and forget what to do each time I do take it with me. I don't care what he does with it and how many times I break down, I will NEVER, do you hear me? NEVER take that phone with me again. If I can't have an I-Phone that I believe I could use, then I don't want anything at all. It can rot on the charger and you will never see me pick it up again under any circumstances. Probably cutting my nose off to spite my face, but I am as serious as a heart attack. I will just take my chances on someone nice stopping to help me out if it ever dies again.

Now, I hope you had a great day and that the rest of mine goes well. If not, then I guess I will just get into the bed and hope it doesn't fall down.

Later