Thursday, April 30, 2009

This is a test 1...2...3...

Just kidding it's not that kind of test; it's a do you think you can stay in an upright position test long enough to say something more dignified than I feel like C--P or some other expletive that may offend others with more delicate sensibilities. The non upright part is due to at times a terrific headache or lightheadedness.

Any-who, this is me, Tobi, in case some of you were wondering, and I am back as long as I don’t pass out again like I did after my shower this morning around ten-ish.
Up until then I really thought I had this thing licked.
I even went on face book and answered and wrote some emails, even paid some bills online; things were going just great.
All after I had breakfasted on a hard boiled egg, Jello, and my first cup of coffee in a week, even took my other medicines that I was afraid wouldn’t stay down.
It seemed like I was back on track.

I have been in and out of bed again most of the day.
My blood pressure was lower than norm 93 over 58, and so I could attribute that little problem to that, who knows, but my temperature has come down too; first day below a fever and my low norm too 97.9. It had been prancing around the 102 to 99.7 range up and down for days, five to be exact.

As I sit here I am breaking out into a cold sweat, which has been happening on and off during this horrible infection's process, which is not H1N1 or the infamous Swine Flu, just a really bad UTI the medical professional who tested my specimen said it’s the worst she had seen, and made us leave one at separate Lab to be tested too.

I’m sorry this is all I am capable of writing tonight but please stay tuned hopefully the fourth day’s dose of Cipro (1000 mg. daily) will make an impact by tomorrow.

On that uncertain note I will bid you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Tobi is feeling a little better

This is the second day of her antibiotics and so far the improvement is very small. She ate, even thought the amount was minute, it stayed down. As Martha would say “that’s a good thing”. She was out of her bed a few times but still is getting headaches so she winds up back in bed.


The swine flu is getting worse although there have been no cases in our state I think it’s only a matter of time. With all the beaches and amusement parks bringing visitors from all over the country and the world its going to happen. I plan on doing some heavy grocery shopping, like getting hurricane supplies and if we wind up with an outbreak in our area we will hunker down for as long as we can.

Until tomorrow,

hubby

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Update on Tobi

We were right, it was a UTI. I took her to the doctor this morning and they tested her and basically said that they really did a number on her when she was in the hospital. She is now on an antibiotic and they said that in three to four days she should start to see a difference. In the mean time she has basically been in bed.

Even thought I’m not Tobi I thought I would throw in something that was on the news tonight. In the next town south of us, in a gated community they have a rule that you can’t park your vehicle on the grass, although I think this is a good rule and I wish they had it in my neighborhood, in my neighborhood there are some people that always park on the lawn and they never have a vehicle in their driveway. Well anyway last night in that gated community a homeowner (who owns her property) park her car in the driveway, there was one inch of one tire on the lawn and they put a tire boot on it. They said that she would have to pay $250 to have it removed. What!!!! With all the people out of work, loosing their homes, earthquakes, tornados, the swine flu and a lot of other things this association manager really did this --- I think she needs a reality check or maybe she needs to get a life.

Hubby

Monday, April 27, 2009

Hubby, pinch hitting again

As Tobi said last night in her blog that she probably had a UTI well that sure looks like what it is. She has spent the day in bed and does not have the strength to write tonight. She has a doctor’s appointment tomorrow and hopefully they will give her some antibiotics so she can kick this.

If all turns out well she should be back tomorrow to fill you in on the details.

Her hubby

Sunday, April 26, 2009

All night long and the Swine Flu is growing too

Well, what I went through last night is not sounding as nasty as what our country and our neighbor to the south are dealing with.
Last night I was up all night in pain going back and forth to the bathroom with an apparent UTI, urinary tract infection, which more than likely was caused by last weekends Foley catheter for three days, and the fact that I took my last Medrol pill this morning, and so it was able to take a stand without having a large dose of steroids to counteract it. But I could be wrong, I’m not that smart. I did call an ask–a- nurse line since that last thing I want to do now is go back to the hospital. I did asked about an over the counter medicine that I recalled from a previous experience with a catheter fifteen years ago. It’s called Phenozopyridine hydrochloride 95 mg and aside from causing your wee to turn orange it works real well on the pain that I was experiencing. The nurse also asked me if I had a fever but when I called I had not taken my temperature, but I did tell her that I was having chills on and off. She said if I had a temperature that I should go into emergency.
At the time that sounded rather drastic so I nixed the idea until I read that it meant a possibility of the infection going into my kidneys.
Well, I took my temperature and it was 101.0, not good, but I opted for Tylenol and the bladder meds.
No more hospital for me if I can avoid it! My temperature went down below 100 within an hour.

Another reason, I know a little ridiculous at this time that I did not want to go anywhere near the hospital is that I received a breaking news report form CNN that the Federal Government declared a public health emergency due the Swine Flu, so staying home sounded safer, doesn’t it?
I know overly concerned.
But one can never be too safe, can one?

This will be short again due to me not feeling that great yet. The only good thing that came of last night’s misery was that I lost two pounds, now doesn’t that sound like I am making lemonade out of lemons?
I guess since I am still not quite right health wise that I do get depressed, and bad news doesn’t help any of us.

On that thoughtful blurb I will wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Jinx, tolerance and a little bit of this and that

I have been thinking perhaps a little too much lately.
About how I affect others lives in occasionally negative ways.
You know that thing about taking inventory of pluses and minuses in your life well; I have been recalling all of the people I care about in my life and how they being in my life may have changed theirs in a not so good way.
Take my friend from way back, from childhood, when her husband was dying of pancreatic cancer she had a dilemma about divorcing him due to her telling me he had been verbally abusive to her, and yet when she was not physically there for him I felt she was the bad one and told her. Now we are no longer friends.
My other friend who most recently had major surgery the one with the rods to hold her head on, well, when I found out that both my brother and niece had passed away and I wanted her compassion and understanding to discuss it, all she wanted to do was talk about her medical bills piling up, and so I gave up on her. Besides we are both now unable physically to be helping each other.
Next my cousins I didn’t say anything to estrange them but maybe hanging around with me caused them to have bad luck. They had such a charmed happy life in their retirement, going to Europe almost every year and driving cross country in the summers. And now due to a nasty broken hip and a heart attack they are stuck in one place.
Makes a woman take inventory, doesn’t one?
Intellectually I do know that no one has such powers to do so much harm, but I must be some kind of Jinx.

My other cousin far away in another state laughingly said that we have good Karma since we have the same hunky hubbies that we started with all those years ago, and I did agree with her logic.
But what about the other stuff that I mentioned.
And now with my worst dream realized with being hospitalized without insurance I truly wonder if there isn’t a black cloud over me?

Just the other night the news had on about the two things that predict longevity is not smoking and having a lot of friends, well I got half of that.
I quit all the organizations that created friendships due to my inability to take part for one reason or another; in my mind, my logic.

Our neighbor from across the street thought she could shock me tonight on her welcomed visit when she announced that she was gay, but we knew all along and never brought it up.
So there you go again not doing what people expect of you, meaning me.
I believe I did learn something this afternoon though… according to her not all gays are born biologically gay they develop from their environment.
See, now I just thought that was what the far right would say so that people could change, but I’m not that smart.

On that provocative note I will wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Friday, April 24, 2009

Fires still persist ... suspicious package in local grocery

Sadly South Carolinas fires have taken 90 homes at this writing, and they appear to have a cause, someone burning trash in their yard, still blazing in over 20K acres.

Our fire in Florida Big Cyprus Preserve has also spread to over 10K acres and moved up to encompassing route 29 north and jumped to the west of the Alligator Alley. Creating some, believe or not smoky odors are here nearly 100 miles from the action as the crow flies from here.

So I’m staying inside, besides the smoke our heat here has been ungodly in the 90’s, but oddly enough with low humidity, if it was high the fire chance would not have been so high! It has actually been below 30%.

Our news locally reported when they went on air that a grocery store in Englewood, in this county had a suspicious package and it has been evacuated and they are waiting for the bomb squad from our Lee County to the south of us, Ft. Myers territory. Update: 6:17 P.M.: the bomb squad robot is on the scene now!

Interesting how now they, the FAA, released the numbers of bird versus plane strikes just today the tally has been 109K since 1990, who counts this stuff, and isn’t that scary? Only less than 30 planes have actually been destroyed, well, I’m reassured, not!

My slow return to pain has begun unfortunately, shoulders, thighs, neck and chest, my inventory has been taken of where exactly. What I just found out is that what it is called is the MS Hug that is occurring, oh so that’s what it’s called when you feel like someone is strangling you or doing the Heimlich or putting a tourniquet at the top of you thigh, well at least now it’s got a name; no one told me before. My Baclofen is being used for spasms, and I hope it will also help this. The steroids are getting less by the pills graduation weaning. I don’t get to see the doc until 5-6-09 at 9 A.M. And I am starting to panic about what her charge will be, and yes she is a young female neurologist, but informed me I will be seeing her P.A., physician’s assistant also a woman. I hope that means it will not be as expensive for me, and then there is always the fear that they will shock me with a big bill after, or not let me leave without paying, boy…I’m scaring myself again! I have got to stop this!

I am still grasping at straws I have emails or snail-mails to the world at large about my dilemma, who knows it could work, one could only hope, can’t one?
When it gets down to the nitty gritty, as us children of the sixties used to say one gets going and never gives up without that old college try. You may ask yourself just how many useless old expressions she’s got in her arsenal, well, who knows, my brain aint what it used to be. As you might of noticed by those old clams not being quite on target, but you get my point for that I am sure.

So with that ludicrous reasoning I will bid you all good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!
Remember in all insanity there is usually a smidge of enlightenment and lucidity.

Be careful of the swine, flu that is, shocker! 20 dead in Mexico and 8 cases here in the US.
And Jay Leno... please be well.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Fires, smoke, and a way for pets to be kept fed

The Harry Chapin Food Bank along with the North Shore Animal League is receiving donated pet food for people who have had difficulty providing it to their pets due to unfortunate circumstances. And I think that is just great, so donate or contact them if you are in need for your pets this could be local so try in my tri-county area first, Charlotte, Lee and Collier Counties in Florida.

Fires, fires everywhere, and there is a really nasty one in South Carolina's Myrtle Beach area, evacuations have taken place of more than 2500 people and homes are being destroyed, let's pray for them to get some relief soon.
We, here in Florida have forest fires going on too along what is called Alligator Alley, our main thoroughfare from Naples on the west coast to Miami on the east coast.
Smoke was so thick it had to be closed for nearly two days now, a commuter’s nightmare being that it is the best traveled highway to cross our state. But fortunately it is barren woodlands mostly so no people or homes have been placed in jeopardy.

I am always fascinated on what possesses people to do what they do, and I am still left with a question that may never get answered, which is so unlike me not to investigate further.
Any-who… while hospitalized with my somewhat restrained abilities, not being able physically to get out of bed for most of my stay…one mid-morning I looked over and between the bed and the railing was a pack of menthol cigarettes. Now if any of you have been reading this Blog I have many, many times announced the fact that I am extremely proud that I quit smoking on July11.2006, and when I say proud I do mean proud…I tell anyone who will listen, I had been a smoker for forty-four years.
Well, that’s why I was very annoyed that when I was released from the hospital they gave me literature about how bad smoking is for me, what? I told them I no longer smoked; did they think I was lying? How dreadful. That pack, by the way happened to belong to my CNA, certified nurses aide apparently while she was bathing me it slipped from her pocket.
If we had not been discussing my quitting and her mentioning that she wanted to but had not yet I would have been even more baffled. My nurse came in, and I asked her to not give the CNA any trouble since I realize how expensive a bad habit it was and to please just return them. I do know it is impossible for anyone to prevent you from smoking if you’re not ready to quit on your own too.

I told you I would be giving you more tidbits as time goes by.

Now another word interest of mine Narcissism, am I, are you, are any of us truly so self involved that we no longer have interest in others? I sure hope not, and I really try to be as interested in the world around me as my all encompassing small world of late due to my particular circumstances.
Below is the actual definition thanks to Merriam Webster dictionary:
1 results for: narcissism

Main Entry: narcissism
Pronunciation: när-sə-ˌsi-zəm
Function: noun
Etymology: German Narzissismus, from Narziss Narcissus, from Latin Narcissus
Date: 1822
Results
egoism egocentrism

love of or sexual desire for one's own body

Nope, I’m good… none of the above explains me or my feelings towards myself…whew!

On that peculiar note I will bid you all good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Let's see what happens...

How many of you have ever felt the desire to right a wrong?
Well, figurative soapboxes are a life’s necessity in preventing apathy in a world that is less than perfect.

As in any free culture that has been allowed to express opinions as long as you do it without harming others in the process I do believe that is a good thing.

Each of us is obligated to try to change an inequity when it affects anyone’s human abilities to do whatever it takes to be a successful involved citizen and community dweller of much notability that cares to perform daily normal activities and perhaps be able to help in your own immediate surroundings; in other words to be a productive addition to any society.

Being a person who has in many different life’s journey’s, incarnations, I have seen things that should be changed I have been not as reluctant as perhaps others may have been.
I have picketed, been in sit-ins, and most recently have written articles on situations that appear to be not altogether right and that I felt needed to be heard about or changed.
The seniors that I worked with as a volunteer would occasionally lament about that even with Medicare and supplementals they would at time not have enough money from month to month without making so many difficult choices for either purchasing groceries or prescriptions, obscene in one of the richest countries in the world!
Now I am in a similar position, but unfortunately I have fallen between the cracks, figuratively.
With these upcoming bills from my weekend getaway, hospital stay, I am sure that I will be negotiating very carefully to not lose what minimal existence of living we have by going into financial debt.
So today letters went out to government agencies, and even our new president asking how to manage what we need to do to be not people who want freebies but to pay our rightful share of what has been spent to get me home without losing that said home.

Again tonight I am very weary by sitting here and my head does seem to need to be at a different angle, since I am in a disadvantage with my not completely healed ills.
Please forgive for calling it short again…

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

I'm back...

Yes, it is me the Tobi woman, and I want to start off by saying how jealous I am that my hubby had more hits on my Blog while I was
incapacitated than when I write it!
Just kidding! I was amazed though at the fact that nearly 800 people read the Blog in less than four days, but I would love to sincerely thank you all, whoever you are. And that’s another thing… you can let me know by signing up on the side of this Blog to let me know who you are, where it says followers, and that would be my best welcome home present, really.

Now I am going to make this brief tonight due to filling out paperwork and making many calls trying to come up with ways to help me somehow pay all the bills that most definitely will be coming in shortly.

Anyway, I am on a steroid high and without pain, and soon I will be completely off the medicine that actually took all my pain away and last night I did get halfway decent nights sleep, probably more than 6 hours. My fear is all that pain very well may be coming back soon.

The medication has had some interesting side affects, but only temporary…my blood sugar went up to the point of needing three insulin shots while incarcerated en el hospital. But once the medication is out of my system I should return to normal so I have been told.
I also have become a slightly more motor mouth while expressing myself verbally, which many would not even notice since I have always basically been quite talkative, since I write pretty much like I talk.

For now I will say an early good night, since with all those other things going on today I am wiped out.
In the days to come periodically I may incorporate some more of those tantalizing experiences that I had amongst the professional medical set or sect.
Meanwhile, I will have to once again lovingly thank my hubby for filling in here; it is so nice to know he has my back, so to speak.

I will be making many physical concessions over the next few months, but I will promise not to ever, ever give up!

On that note I will wish you all and good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Monday, April 20, 2009

Big update -------- She’s Home!!!!!!!

Late this afternoon I brought Tobi home from the hospital, it’s been a long day and she is exhausted. She is looking forward to getting back to doing her blog.
Hopefully she will be talking to you tomorrow.

Her hubby

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Another update

Tobi is doing better today, she was out of her bed today for one step (well it’s a start), the next time hopefully she will go further. She is on her second dose of IV steroids (solu-medrol) one more to go, which will be tomorrow and if she can walk they will let her out either tomorrow or the next day. The doctor was just in while I was hand writing this and checked her and said that she was progressing well.

Her hubby

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Update

Tobi went for an MRI today, 11/2 hours, yes that’s right, with the pain that she was in they were not able to complete it. I arrived just as they were getting her back in her bed, she was in a lot of pain, they put a wedge under her legs that really hurt her hips and they Velcro her arms across her chest. She was in pain and quite upset stating that she’s in the hospital to feel better and they put her through that. She is now on medication for her MS (IV steroids). So until tomorrow we won’t know anymore.

More updates to come.

Her hubby

Friday, April 17, 2009

This is not Tobi

This is not Tobi

This evening Tobi had a very bad headache and numbness all over her body, I called 911 and they took her to the hospital. Thank goodness it does not look like a stroke. They admitted her and will be running some tests.

Updates to follow.

Her hubby

Thursday, April 16, 2009

A journey to become informed is a short trip

Yes, I went to what I thought was going to be a free educational cardiac care seminar and to my disappointment it was just a nurse checking your blood pressure and pulse, handing out literature about heart disease. I must admit though that she was there to answer any questions anyone might have, and to my calculations she did a fairly good job.

It was also interesting to watch her calm take over when a gentleman who had recently had a stint put into his heart and was currently on high blood pressure medicine which he had taken, but when she took his pressure the result she had gotten was skyrocketing, twice taken to be sure, once in each arm. I felt for the young woman nurse who did keep her cool when the man’s female counterpart acted extremely concerned, the nurse did seem baffled, but carefully noted it on a card for the man to take with him, and said yes it is high and that was that.

I had a few questions, but knew most of the answers, which always surprises me, not really, I read a lot; especially about ills of our family.

They will be having another free screening for strokes next month and it was suggested with my personal history and genetics that I go to that one, so I called and signed up, but requested that they clue me in on what exactly it will be about… a quickie listen with a stethoscope to those carotids or an actual seminar of new practices in the field with medications and therapies and all discussed? Personally, I believe my susceptibility to stroke is rather high so having any new knowledge about how it is treated or ideas to counteract it would be just what the doctor ordered, ha, prevention!
So many theories and medical practices change daily, as we all know.

Anyone who has a TV can relate to this next item: one week red wine will keep that heart pumping for years longer and then the next week it will cause cancer. I know not fair the way I stated it, yes too much of anything is no good for you, ha, and this is news to us?
It still doesn’t change my way of thinking that it sometimes can get terribly confusing to anyone listening, and anyone not that savvy who might have a problem understanding simple concepts like the extreme elderly or disabled shut-ins. It could even become very frightening.

Our President Obama is in Mexico negotiating with their President Calderon to show support for his war on drugs and to have that minds meeting on border issues as well as a discussion on diplomatic ideas for dealing with Cuba; which might have the Mexican president become the go between or at the very least engage in some insight.

John Madden, former NFL coach with the Oakland Raiders announced his retirement today at the age of 73, married to his wife of fifty years he has decided that he wanted to spend more time with those grandkids. He was placed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006; he’s been a color commentator since the early 1980’s. Good next journey to you sir, you deserve it; you have paid your dues!

On that cheery note I will bid you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Hope that you filed your taxes or asked for an extension

Yes, we all know that today is tax day that is our pay the IRS tax day or they paid you months ago! Funny about that the ones who are getting money back usually file early and those who have to pay wait until the last minute…mmm…Get those papers filed and postmarked by midnight tonight all you procrastinators who owe us taxpayers’ money!
Remember post offices have cut back on their hours due to trying to save us all some money, irony? I think not.

And that we also all know that many are having Tea Parties today too, which is a throw back to the original one in 1773 of Boston fame and it was a systematic reaction to taxation of the tea tax without representation. Our modern day Tea Parties are for a similar reasoning many are concerned with those billion dollar bailouts that all of us or our children, and grandchildren will be having to eventually pay back. The cry is for government to stop spending now and they are as mad a hell with governments overspending and don’t want to take it anymore…the famous line from the movie, Network, circa 1976, but the ravings and revelations there of a deranged ex-TV anchor.

Well, what a dilemma who knows what should be done to stop the bleeding of the financial markets banks, housing market foreclosures, joblessness etc.? Does anyone have the right answer?
I don’t, but I’m not that smart.
So even though all this seems terrible spending money to free up money I haven’t a logical thought in my mind in how to make it all work better or differently.
I just wish that some of these people who are so miserable with what is going on would tell the government how to handle the problem since they seem to know what to do, and that would be an enormous relief to me…whew!

Hypothetically, let’s say there hadn’t been any billion dollar bailouts what would be happening right now?
The evening news is reporting that things will be getting worse before it all gets better and so does the president.
The market fluctuates daily.
Although the numbers for resale homes are improving slowly and are now at a very much discounted price from the inflated ones a few years back that created the greedy market that caused most of our problems.
Does anyone remember how we got into this mess?
I remember one thing that didn’t help anyone but the ones looking for home equity and when those appraisers came in to the homes all over the country and upped the ante so to speak saying that they were all worth twice or trice what they actually were and allowed for those loans to go through to people who eventually wouldn’t be able to pay those monthly charges; I am sure that didn’t help anyone.
Then talk about greed on Wall Street all those big companies paying out those dividends that went higher and higher and allowed you all to get those new toys that you normally wouldn’t have thought of without those allowances in your pocket, why save, spend, spend and more spend.
ARM’s, adjustable rate mortgages allowed for a low borrowing rate but in a bad market those rates had percentage points allowed to go up, usually 3 to 5 percentage points causing that borrowed money to create havoc with those monthly bills, uh oh!
Where does all the money go? We all ask that question, and I do know it notoriously…you see I quit smoking nearly three years ago and besides for health reasons I did think it would save some money, but where’s the money?
I haven’t a clue; you see other things went up absorbing my savings that is my theory!

Turmoil is not going to stop in the near future with or without the bailouts I truly believe.
Realistically, we must all stop in our tracks and change our own way we think about money and try and save and pay cash or wait until we can, you get the idea.
It’s that serenity prayer thing change the things you can and accept what we can’t, in other words the past, even the recent past.

Lastly, pirates off the African Coast why is it that all those countries paid them instead of stopping them causing this behavior to continue. We shall try to stop them and my husband suggested putting a Navy carrier permanently posted in the region for protection, why not?

All suggestions gleefully accepted or willingly discussed or heck tell the people in government who count how to change things for the better! Letters, emails, bills to be passed are all effective ways to change things. Silence or protests without answers seems to me to be like a dull mode of non production, just complaining and not going to work!

On that note I will wish you all good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Cornflower blue buds and long stems reaching towards the sky...

Who would of thunk it that decorating an obscure inanimate object would be a morning objective propelling me into the idea of the beautification of our rain barrel?
My hubby set me up alongside of the loud dark hunter green plastic garbage-can-like object, although it is a fifty-five gallon container on a pedestal, actually made into a rain barrel by a company that does these things, costing $79.99 on sale, regular price $99.99, our bargain some months ago, ha. The lid of the rain barrel is perforated around its circumference and a few inches from the base is a hole made for the hose or faucet to come out of that, which we do use for watering our garden. The perch for my sitting was on the one remaining fiberglass/ plastic molded chair from a set from before Hurricane Charley, and it is the sole survivor and we continue to harp on that fact by an indelible marker printing those exact words year after year since they get weather worn and must be replaced.

My reasoning for decorating this slight eyesore, although in a corner of our yard and not that easily seen by us, but our neighbors view is quite obviously on that side and even though they rent the home next door and will be moving in June I felt the need to try and make it a little more attractive. And so today was the day. My energy level had slightly improved from last night and I would be sitting so why not?

First I found my acrylics in the drawer location that they are kept in our garage. My husband located plastic cups for my mixing of my colors for shades that I wanted to make lighter. I even used some of his exterior primer in white to help me with that. Then I took my first cup of leaf green, several shades lighter than the base color of the container and began to paint a free flow my leafy vines. I had, had a small table if need be alongside of my work area, but Skipper went into his Marley mode and decided that, that was his seat to be on right next to me; not allowing me to rest my cup of paint so I decided to hold each light weight cup as I painted, and it did work. After the leaves I did my cornflower blue buds but made them fluffy with my stippling brush, dabbing for a fluid affect, later on I came back with a yellowish white highlighter for additional depth, abundance of the flora was glorious!
I do hope that any new or even the neighbors there moving on will not see this rain barrel as too harsh a garden necessity in our times but more like a work of art.

I was done before noon, and watched the news and heard that our eldest son’s area of the state was under a tornado watch with a barrage of those heavy storms that were all over the news just north of here. I knew he was working today so I called him on his cell; I’m his mom, so too bad I had to know that he was all right, right? He answered and just said yes it is raining very hard, he works about a half an hour from his home, which we all know can mean much different weather, but it was the same, nasty and harsh. On the six o’clock news tonight there had been two possible tornadoes that did hit his home’s area but not his home thankfully; relief for a worried mom and dad.

That same storm front was heading our way supposedly around one-ish, but in actuality it didn’t get here until four P.M. Meanwhile due to I guess a combination of the reaching from my painting and the weather my hips and shoulders did their nasty thing and caused me to need to get into bed, and forgo our journey to the plant show at the county extension, but there will be another next Tuesday; I guess I will take a nap first.
That sounds just terrible, doesn’t it?
I really think though when I do too much it must catch up with me, and that is the explanation of today’s miseries.

Oh well, whatever will be, will be.

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Pleasant evening with good company makes for ...

What a tired me, but I am definitely content.
We spent the evening at those nice neighbors across our canal to celebrate the birthday boy’s belated 82nd birthday!
Dinner was delish and so was the company.
Exhaustion is pleasantly engulfing me.
I shall be brief tonight.

The day was quiet and rather a dull nothing much to squeal about type day.
So the evening was refreshing.

Tomorrow may bring some more interest than what is blossoming from my writer’s probe tonight.

Be patient people my prolificacy seems to have run its course for this time of night.

Last night I found out that I can no longer stomach, literally, any wine.
It appears to have had a nauseating affect on me lately, and so I will not be drinking any for now.
From the wee hours of the morning I was still tossing and turning and not due to just my shoulder and hip pain, but now another problem that I had added into that mix that was my nasty reaction to a sip of wine; cola was the only thing that seemed to help. Antacids or sips of water didn’t do a thing for curing the bellyache at all or feeling of, excuse the expression of vomiting. It befuddled my logic.

So between the late night last night and the lovely but exhausting tonight… will you all please excuse me to cut this short early and I will wish all of you a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Sunday, April 12, 2009

Captain Phillips is freed. First doggy moves in...

We are all thrilled that the captain of the US container ship is well and free tonight from those pirates.

Let's face it we are all thrilled that the first family has their newest addition too.
This means that promises are kept by our new guy.
Oddly the Porty, which I just found that out, that, that is the nickname for the Portuguese Water Dog breed that he is and that his name is not a Frank or a Moose but he is being called Bo, which just so happens to be the same name as one of my great nephews and spelled the same way too, interesting.

It was difficult getting here tonight, the computer was giving me all sorts of weird freezing up trouble, and so I had to shut down. No fun since today I was emailing back and forth with my rediscovered cus, and with my overly explanatory prolific writing nature it was like writing a few novels or at least a few short stories today! But I must admit she gave as good as I did in the word department, just like I remember her to be.
But I did have fun, and I do think we found out quite a bit about our missing years, nearly forty! Wow that’s a lot.

I heard from my male retired teacher cousin too, the heart attack guy, he is back online, which is good news to me, and proves that he is doing much better!

Our neighbors across the canal have invited us to an impromptu dinner party tomorrow night to celebrate a belated birthday for another birthday boy of 81 that was hospitalized so close to his birthday that he missed the original planned one, but now he is all better and we will celebrate that.

This week, on Tuesday, we will also be going over to the County Extension where they are having a show and tell of flowers, trees, and other favorite flora, so we will go to that.

Thursday, I have a seminar about heart disease for women.
Busy, busy, and oh so nice!

Happy Easter to all who celebrate that!

Just a note here: Sadly our water situation here has gotten so much worse they are now giving $250 summons (we are at a stage three) for people caught watering on weekends or more than the once a week we are allowed and that is after 6P.M. in the evening, before eight A.M. in the mornings, and you can only wash your car according to your address once a week, for more information in Charlotte County go to: just copy and paste: http://www.charlottecountyfl.com/ccu/Restrictions.asp

On that informative note I will wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

I can no longer multi task either!

Sad, but true I was trying to IM my long lost cousin while I accepted my niece as a new friend on Facebook, but I screwed up both. Actually Facebook called my cell to verify who I was since when I filled out those letters that they ask you to copy I goofed I suppose and they were rightfully concerned. All in all it finally worked out, I think.

And I had, had such a nice surprise this morning in an email from that cousin; when we were kids we were so close we were even in the same classes in elementary and junior high school, also as sophomores in high school, but I moved after that and finished high school in a town a few miles away. We are only three weeks apart in age!
My cousin is an instructor in ultrasound in Maryland at a famous university in the medical department. She was always a smarty pants. And could she write! When we were just little kids she would write one story after another on the playground and pass the story around for all of us to read; she couldn’t write fast enough as far as any of us were concerned!
So far she has no idea that I also write since at that time aside from a play that I wrote and produced in seventh grade that did get me an, ‘A’ I never ever showed an interest in front of her.
She was super smart, you know the type, and even then when around extremely intelligent people I became intimidated.
But I have been published a few times, but I am sure she has gotten into non-fiction papers with her current background resume.
She too has been married for quite some time and has three adult children (an oxymoron), girls if I recall hearing correctly, and three grandchildren she told me on our short conversation on IM.
It is such a shame that we had lost contact we did have quite a bit of fun even as young adults she used to come over to our first apartment, prior to our kids, and her marriage.
Anyway, now at least we have touched base.
It will be great to catch up with one another in the near future.

And I will try hard not to ask her to look at this Blog.
I would die a thousand deaths of embarrassments compared to her writings this is garbage.
If not for content then for grammatical mistakes that I do know are rampant.
I have always said that I’m not that smart, but not that dumb either I was last tested at 120 IQ.
I have to keep reminding myself, but I suppose I am in awe of the truly smart, MENSA smart I had two friends that belonged, one I still keep in contact with.
Some people go all cottony in the mouth when they meet famous people…with me its brilliant people that do that to me, I become a babbling idiot.
I couldn’t even read a poem that my writing workshop professor had sent to the Visual Arts Center on a local level. When I stared at all those extremely artistic people staring back at me I froze. Give me a dance recital, a choral performance or piano recital, even a part in a play a musical preferably I would shine, almost be obnoxious with trying to steal the show.
But intellectuals I’m crazy bonkers flipper outer.
I truly believe they can tell that I don’t belong amongst them.
And my friend and professor saw for herself when I had to introduce a doctor at a luncheon, no problem, and yes he was smart but I guess not super smart, no insult intended.
I even had no problem with all those fashion shows I did the color commentary on for the non profits.
So it’s got to be just those big brainy people that scare me.

Any-who enough of that we were friends, more than cousins and that would be nice to be again.

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Solar City largest of it's kind coming here!

Babcock Ranch within the next three years will be building a unique city of 49K population right here on the outskirts of River City meaning Punta Gorda, actually overlapping in the two counties of Charlotte and Lee.
Kitson and Partners along with FPL, Florida Power and Light have billed this as the World’s Biggest and the World’s First to build on 400 acres a $300 million photovoltaic solar plant on the developable portion of the 91,000-acre ranch and that they are planning to totally power their city by this 21st Century all green system, which is how the city will be.

This just in: my husband just photographed a Manatee down by our dock!
We have had others before, entire families, but it is always a joy to see the gentle sea-cows.

We went out on our journey this morning with a purpose to turn our Marley-like Skipper, hopefully turned him into a social animal. At first the idea of going to a dog friendly park was in my opinion a good beginning for our lovable but quirky canine Skipper.
Alas the idea was a flop in the reasoning that the park in spite of the holiday of Good Friday was fairly empty. Only about a half a dozen dignified dogs remained while we rode and walked throughout the lovely waterfront commons that edged a condo as well as shops being built. The veterans memorial is there too and a band shell/gazebo as well. With all that going on it was surprisingly quiet and we only spent about an hour there. But next we moved on to our Fisherman’s Village, which is also doggy friendly and lunch is even served el fresco so all dogs are welcomed there too.
We walked/rode all through the complex which is outside but enclosed by a roof like system, shady and comfortable on most days. I was upset to realize that my scooter was not made for those small shops so all I could do was window shop, but I wasn’t there to buy anything anyway.
My husband and Skipper did go into the one store that welcomes all canines and felines it’s called Salty Paws. I suggested that my husband ask Skipper if he wanted or needed anything, but Skipper said nothing so he didn’t.
Oh, I forgot to mention that the place was fairly busy compared to the park, which was good for training purposes and proved to be just right in that respect, and Skipper did surprisingly well. Even when we stopped there for our lunches he was a perfect gentleman, and we were told this by the table next to us how well behaved he was!
After all, our Skipper turned five last month, and it is definitely about time.

It was a lovely few hours, just right, not too long or too short and the weather also behaved well, it was in the lower 80’s with low humidity.

On that positive note I wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Melt down out of frustration...

Being somewhat of an ‘A’, type personality, which at one time was perfect for what I did in life, management and owning my own businesses, but now it is just damn frustrating to have all that fight left in you with no outlet to change what you know in your heart just isn’t right.
My life has been on a definite spiral downward while each day is providing me with less and less abilities to do things for myself.
And I don’t like it; consequently I want it fixed that is my body that I want fixed.
So I had a light bulb go off in my brain telling me that my disability hearing should be soon it’s been nearly two years since I applied for one way back in, actually over two years when my hubby found my paperwork I had applied on March 27.2007.
You see if I had disability insurance to rely on and therefore Medicare I would be able to be fixed and live my life, better, healthier, simple?
Not really, they turned me down twice before saying that since I had four healthy years which is often the case with relaxing/remitting MS I had regained my abilities long enough not to be considered disabled, and also some nonsense about not enough credits from working.
Well, I worked on and off for thirty-two years and I know others who never ever worked or only worked a few years and they have been on disability until they eventually went on Social Security according to being of that age! I won’t reach that age for another six plus years, what do I do until then?
It’s so darn confusing and aggravating, and the worse I feel the harder it is to fight for me.
Today I had a meltdown wishing I were dead I even said, I believe it’s all because the pain is more often than not and doing walking reaching moving lifting simple things like plastic cups is agony. When I stand if it’s not the hips hurting my legs are going numb, and when I sit it is my hands, arms and legs. Sleeping, although I have not mentioned it recently is still a nightly horror show, I can never get comfortable enough.
I forgot to mention when I went on my scooter ride alone yesterday it was in a shopping center that also houses my old rehab, which I stopped by to ask if I took advantage of their equipment could I possibly get some appropriate guidance for my current condition and the answer was no without insurance for PT, physical therapy. They do have a monthly reasonable program that you pay a fee to use the equipment on your own I wasn’t looking for free the charge is thirty dollars for fifteen visits, which I was willing to pay still a bargain in these hard times, but no assist from their in house PT’s. It kills me that this is the same place that I had been to 13 times before for PT, OT NMM, they called me a frequent flyer and now I can’t go because of not having any insurance, this is so wrong. Even the other place nearby for exercise I asked by phone speaking with their trainer who said with all that I have wrong going on he would not be able to since even though he is a licensed trainer he is not a physical therapist and would not be able to help me legally or some such nonsense.
Damn life isn’t supposed to be this hard!
I did call Social Security and they told me that I was in the system and that they are working on it and that I should call back tomorrow. Well, that is something, I’ll take it!
I really need to do something.
You see I even know that exercise has positives for endorphins making it easier to deal with all this pain, but I think now I might just be too far gone.
I don’t want all of my muscles to atrophy which I do know can be a very slow return if not sometimes none at all if you are beyond that point.
Misery, self pity, and anguish have never served me or anybody well, but I just wish that there was something that I could do, and I would do it!

On that frustrating note I will say good night to all and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Local news that is interesting...other things too!

Baby wanders out of sitter’s home with all doors locked and falls into the backyard swimming pool! How could this happen, you ask? Apparently, the toddler, who did survive this parental nightmare, had snuck out the doggy door! Parents should be made aware of this additional unsafe egress from your homes.
I never wanted one personally, a doggy door that is, even when I was working and had a fenced in yard my fear was not that my dog or dogs would go out anytime that they might want to, it was the fear of what critters or small burglars could possibly gain entry, something to think about.

Next story is that Wheel of Fortune is here in our state with their show actually live from Sea World in Orlando, but not really Orlando, since that is really Lake Buena Vista and not really live either, but live on tape, whatever that means. Local news’s caster has interviewed Pat and Vanna and found out that the job is even easier than we all thought; they only film all those shows 35 days a year for the year!

For any of you in any part of this country who may be reading this we too have a bunch of homes here that were built with that Chinese Drywall that has hit the fan as being another gift from China that is dangerous and unhealthy. It seems this sheetrock stinks of sulfur, rotten eggs, and destroys copper and electrical wires and all other fixtures that count within your walls. This is a national problem and supposedly the time span of the drywall entering these United States was during the 2004- 2005 period, yep you got it our building surge and rebuilding during and after those nasty two years of hurricanes down here, over 6K homes have been affected, infected. Oh did I mention humans are also becoming ill from this stuff, respiratory difficulties seemed to be the most common malady.

My husband has assured me that our home is free and clear of this sheetrock, since none of our copper coils show any of those symptoms or deterioration, and I have a very capable nose in smelling out weird odors, thank heavens! Since our home was rebuilt in 2004 I was certainly concerned, whew I am glad that we are OK.
Really, who needs anymore problems?

Today we all went out for a massive haircut day, Skipper to the groomer, hubby to the barber and me to the hair salon we are all now much spiffier.
We also went on somewhat of a treasure hunt for me to locate some things I need now in my new body form, a lighter coffee mug that is microwave safe and a shower brush of some sort to help me reach my hair to use to shampoo both are needed now to help me accomplish those simple tasks due to my shoulders getting worse and not allowing me to reach or carry the weight that I used to, ironstone is way too heavy and painful. The brush for my hair was not as difficult as one might think a back or washing shower brush, just hope those bristles won’t tangle my hair, ouch! But the cup or mug has not been found yet after many tries in many stores. I have found light but not microwave safe and vice versa, frustrating.
The search will go on, switching to an online search most likely starting tomorrow.

Pirates tried to take an American container ship, but the crew fought back, but they still got away with the ship’s Captain Phillips this was all happening off the coast of Somalia.

On that horrid note I will wish you all good night, and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Surprise, homecoming and some more

President Obama took a side trip on his way back home, he stopped off in Iraq to say hello to our enlisted military personnel, and I am sure they enjoyed the nice surprise and thank-you’s he brought with him.

My cousin is back at home today! He sounded just great when I spoke to him earlier.
Cardiac low sodium, low fat diet and medication also a schedule for physical therapy all came home with him too.

My hubby started the interior of the fence painting today, and that means that we are that much closer to starting the new vegetable garden or my boardwalk for my scooter or who knows what’s next!
It’s exhausting just watching it all from the comfort of our air-conditioned home, actually I can’t watch too often since I feel guilty about not being able to help, and that is true.

I did accomplish a few things today I took a few of the dirtiest throw rugs and threw them in a hot wash and then dryer since it was all before hubby got up. I couldn’t wake him to put them on the clothes line; could I?
I also used the broom and Swiffer to clean the tiles where they were by the back door and garage door the most used ones thus why they were the grubbiest.

I had forgotten to mention this very nice short anecdote: My husband also was back to his Lone Ranger mode, again… a few days ago he had been given the wrong white paint at the home store, it was the base they use for mixing colors in so it was short the five gallons and also very thin in consistency, and so he was cordially able to exchange it for the correct one. On his way home down the Tamiami Trail there was an accident, and he saw that the elderly couple in the front vehicle were befuddled by the incident and it appeared that a young woman had tried to run a light but the older couple’s car was in front of her so she had rear-ended them. My husband didn’t actually see the occurrence of it but he was one of the only ones to stop, and so he called 911 and waited for the deputy to come and he told him what he knew, which that he was not an eyewitness, but stopped to help and see if everyone was all right; my hero was back in form! That’s why I love him. As a retired deputy and fire chief I believe he was born that way, but in the two and a half years that he’s been retired he hasn’t had much of a chance to do that sort of thing.
I could tell he was proud of himself for when he left to exchange the paint he said he would be back in about a half an hour, but it turned into an hour. And I asked him if he had a problem with the return, and then he told me why it took longer, with a slight grin.
Fortunately, no one was injured, thus the smile.

If anyone out there has any ideas how to get my endurance to be transformed since I am too sedentary. Mind you I was the woman who used to work out at the gym an hour and half five to six days a week, race walk three miles in forty minutes, and have the momentum of a teenager. But now I have been told that even walking would only destroy my hips and shoulders (since I need my cane to switch off for balance) further and the pain, which there is nothing that I can take for it, due to stomach issues, would not diminish. No insurance, no quick fixing of these problems.
Help world, please.

I am becoming a Jabba the Hut from the Star Wars movies, fat and immovable.
You see, that most people who have these problems have meds that work to waylay the pain to work past it; even I know that being an X-jock. I am still waiting on my swimming pool to warm up; it’s still a little too cold, it's in the seventies too cold for MS and arthritis, 85 degrees is the perfect temp. I am a certified Aquacize instructor, but even here the season, at nearly nine months is not long enough for me with my needs. We do have indoor pools here but you must pay to join and some are not that often checked for bacteria or if they are then they have to close them to fix the problem.

I seem to repeat these requests and I am beginning to wonder if my initial reasoning for writing this Blog last June 25th, which was to have a community of like minds and ideas. Well, I’m still waiting folks?

Good night to all and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Proposals, offers and ideas

Today was a good mail day we received two magazines and a catalogue, a note about our flood insurance being covered, but they had the wrong one listed according to FEMA. I’ll get back to that later.
The way that I read through a magazine would give a hardcore mag reader agida.
Most people read from cover to cover, as if it were a book, the normal way, right?
But not for me; first I scan the entire bundle of papers by stopping at what appears to catch my immediate eye, and therefore interest, and then and only then do I read the table of contents or index, and return to the cover to see what I may have missed.
Yep, I am a Cancer the Crab astrological sign, and do have a way of doing things backwards of different from what most would consider normal. I believe that normal is way over-rated anyway.

Now that little annoying faux pas about the government having the wrong information of who our flood insurance carrier is, well, according to our insurance agency our new policy was sent to their main office in Illinois back when the transaction took place in January, the first week of this year. So I asked then why wasn’t FEMA notified of the change, I don’t know was the answer the main office should have done that. Oh really? Well, according to this letter from FEMA that we received today they haven’t been notified, how do you explain that? I don’t know, I was told.
I tried to let this brilliant representative know that with the electronic age that I use all the time being online and paying bills, emailing and the like I do know that most communication should be nearly instantaneous, shouldn’t it?
She said well they should have done it, and I asked her for their number so that I could follow-up, and she complied by giving me the toll free number.
When I finally got through to the right number I found out that they wrote the policy on February 5.2009, I asked why was that when they received payment the first week of January?
No answer was given.
So then I asked if you had my policy paid for and written by February 5.2009 why did I receive a letter from FEMA today, April 6.2009, stating that we are with a different insurance company?
Basically why weren’t they notified?
No answer.
By law when you live in a flood prone area you have to have flood insurance and the government must be made aware of the proper insurance company that covers you in case of an emergency, and this is the insurance agency’s responsibility that’s why they get the big bucks, not for you to do their work for them.
If insurance was free and we didn’t have to pay the premiums that we do that could almost solve the bailouts I wouldn’t mind doing the work for people paid to do it, not!
They are being paid to do it, and that is my point; why should I do their work?
Any-who, just for the heck of it I asked what state was I talking to and the young woman on the other end of the phone line said, Florida. I responded not Illinois?
No, we are right here in Winter Park.
My local gal didn’t even know where her main office was…oops!
Young does not usually translate into stupid or incompetent, but having been a person owning a few businesses and being in management for others we were usually trained to know things like that.

Scary to think that some of these youngins are our hope for our future, when all was said and done I was assured it would be taken care of and I took the other person’s name and all other info to follow-up if need be.
The last young woman did seem to know her stuff.

The last course of our exciting mail was a catalogue from the company that we purchased my mobility scooter from; they have lotsa neat stuff for those of us who need some help.

Now new topic: I must admit that I am quite baffled on how this advertising on my Blog page is supposed to help me; don’t get me wrong I think it’s great, but so far no one has apparently clicked on it, and that’s the way the companies make money, ya know? And I am not allowed to tell anyone how-to and that is like a double edge sword for someone like me. To have the knowledge of how the system is supposed to work, but having your hands tied on not allowing you to get it done is very hard!

Also, I am feeling sad, although I seem to have quite a few people reading all of this drivel, which I enjoy writing, don’t get wrong …who would of thunk that way back in June that I would be so prolific, with writing, that is.
Oh, back to my point, why has no one signed up to admit that they are reading this?
Are you ashamed? Well, let me know that too I might be able to handle that…and maybe we could rectify the problem with trying to find topics that interest you?
Nah, this is my Blog, you write your own if you want that, kidding! We will see.
In closing I really would love to know who you all are that have been such avid followers it would mean a lot to me, really. The numbers are mounting nearly 1500, which to a nobody like me it is truly amazing and heartwarming.


On that noteworthy plea I will wish you all a goodnight and to all count those blessings and I will too!

PS Pray for those earthquake survivors in Italy.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

What are we teaching our children?

When even countries don't listen to our wishes, North Korea broke the rules by launching a missile that was just a test. The European Union also was not happy with the test.
It is frightening to think that another enemy of our government will eventually have the capability to hit our country with a long range missile.

My cousin is doing well, and his initial symptoms were not typical of what we are told for an alert for a heart attack. He broke out in a cold sweat but unperturbed he drove home from the Boys Club where he teaches his magic to children. On the drive home he felt not that well, but continued to drive slowly and then he felt something heavy on his lap and it turned out to be his left arm and when he got home he laid down until his wife got home and called 911 when she realized what was going on. He is one of those men who never complained, and even though he had higher than normal cholesterol he was using some natural over the counter supplement, and now he knows how well that worked. Cholesterol in someone like he and I is made faster due to a genetic mistake. He is so untypical of most heart attack victims, rather laid back I would definitely say with a good sense of humor, his only problem is bad heredity, and an uncle and cousin both with heart disease, but as I said before his father is 93 and just fine.

Even my Mom, his aunt, who died from a stroke her heart was just fine, but she did leave a DNR, do not resuscitate order even way back in 1982.
My brother died from a stroke too, who is his first cousin from my mother’s first marriage child, my half brother, but no heart disease for him either.
Stroke and heart disease are different for everyone, and can be separate and separately deadly too.
People like to lump them together, why, I don’t really know.
Even me, since now I do have something neither of my parents had… high blood pressure with high cholesterol; they just had the high cholesterol and that was enough to kill them.
You know what we can all learn from all this is to live our lives healthy and happy and don’t ignore facts that medical professionals tell you, get the proper information to treat the problem and be pro-active in your own health care, but not obsessive, just prudent.

Please people age has nothing to do with health issues, people of all ages need to know the best way to live their life in the most healthful way.
I do know one thing though when our lives are in turmoil, like many are right now the last thing one needs is to not take care of ourselves.
Freebies are: not over indulging in anything, everything in moderation, get plenty of rest and exercise as often as you can.
Walking is free and a great stress reliever.
Start a vegetable garden in a single pot or an area of your yard, healthful and reasonable exercise and produce wise.
Sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a night for adults, children ten to twelve hours.
We will be nicer when we comply with those simple rules of life.
If the news is getting the best of your nerves take your walk then and arrange to do a volunteer job in the evening for another alternative to coping with reality; sometimes denial can work for your sanity.
We all know that taking mini vacations from our realities in life is a coping mechanism that even professionals will use at times, but it is hush, hush.

In closing I hope we all will mange to learn something daily, I know I will definitely try.
Now they say it helps ward off Alzheimer’s.

On that note let me wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Lunacy is rampant!

From the shooter in Binghamton NY who murdered thirteen and then himself and the father who felt he had no choices and took is nine year old daughter on an armed robbery in Washington State the world as we know it is changing and not for the better.
Sadly as a mirror of the harsh times we are living with, people are not handling things at all well.

Three more police officers were killed, this time in Pittsburgh and they were lured to their deaths by an ambush.

So far they have no motive for the murders in New York State, but what would be a reasonable reason, really? Just in: supposedly he had been fired from his job and was laughed at because he couldn’t speak English that well so he killed people in an English class at the facility. He hated America. These are excuses????

The armed robber insists his reasoning was right; no job and no money for quite some time, fortunately no physical harm came to anyone in that.

I swear that coping should be taught in the school systems curriculum since none of us knows how to cope in these hard times of foreclosures, job loss, death or devastating times of illness or understanding why others turn to violence to deal with our current situation.
There has to be a way to know what to do.
A pat decision on what works and what doesn’t.
Psychologists and psychiatrists now is the time to come to the aid of your country!
We all know that all these horrors are going to take time to get over, and we should also know that we must find a way to wait it out without harming our neighbors, ourselves, or our loved ones.

Our president is making new friends all over the UK and Europe and that is for all of our benefits; don’t be at all mistaken by his intentions. His behavior and respect abroad is for all our sakes; for peace on earth and literally good will towards all men and women.
What an emissary!

Off the coast of Louisiana there is an unusual sight in those Gulf waters, a pink dolphin, named Pinkie!
Yes, it does happen in nature, it is an albino one so it has no pigment, most extraordinary, but quite a sight just the same. Since 1962 there have only been 14 pink albino dolphins seen.

Checking up on my cousin this evening I called the hospital and asked for him, and guess what he was in a regular room and answered the phone and sounded just like himself! It was great being able to hear that; meaning that he sounded wonderful, and he was able to joke and everything. He was in the process of having his dinner so we only spoke for a short time and I asked when he thought was the best time to call him and he said anytime. But he also let me know that he was about to watch the play-offs, that’s basketball, right?
He sounded happy and that’s always a good sign.
He asked how we were and I said we are good as long as he is.

After all we are family, and it means a lot to know someone you love is well especially after a horrible ordeal like what he went through.

We really need to take inventory of what we can be happy about.
Trying hard on a daily basis to know what is good in our lives no matter what else is happening.
If things aren’t doing that well and you cannot find any happy at all ask a professional for help, be it a clergy person, a friend, or a medical professional, but get some help.
Don’t ever let those problems run you, you run them.

On that note I will wish you all a good night and count those blessings and I will too!

Friday, April 3, 2009

As funny as a heart attack, not!

We go through life thinking certain things are true with what we have been taught to understand as fact. But sometimes in life there is something’s that boggle the mind without rhyme or reason and today I was hit with one.
My cousin that I speak of occasionally who is a retired science school teacher from NJ and was also a referee for basketball and volleyball there on a high school and college level, in retirement chose to do that for Special Olympics, and that is a big WOW. He and his wife retired here, in Florida about eight and half years ago.
He also volunteers at an organization that is called Mote Marine Laboratories that has to do with the education of people about marine life and the preservation of marine life; and they also do rescues of them.
Well, this is a man in his mid sixties, never ever overweight who ate right and healthy, never smoked or drank, and there he lies in the CCU of our local hospital recovering from emergency angioplasty surgery after a massive heart attack. The reason I gave you all his background is because that is why it is called the silent killer, but I neglected to give you one important piece of this puzzle, heredity. Our grandfather, another first cousin and uncle all died from heart disease, but oddly enough his Dad, my uncle is now 93, and so that is why I am saying is you never know.
So get those stress tests, watch the blood pressure and cholesterol and remember that women are as susceptible to heart disease as men. Know your family history, and never ever take anything for granted.
Let me close with my cousin’s wife saying that his prognosis is good, but he must rest for the next three months without any excitement at all, and until his medicine is regulated he will not be released from the hospital.
Our hearts filled with love, excuse the pun, and prayers are with them both.
Since when you have been married as long as all of us have been; what hurts one hurts the other one just as deeply.

Onward with some updates: yesterday the fence got a full coat of primer, and today we went to the grocery and came back to rain, yes again, in our dry season!
But yesterday my hubby had completed the indoor ramp for me to go down that 5”1/4” step to travel outside on my scooter, and that went almost smoothly, but not entirely. You see, we have a slight incline or is it recline, oh well, it’s a hill down to the dock, which has a marvelous 28’X24’ wooden decking that I rolled down to, but my chariot got stuck on the way back on a bump in our lawn, and my voice was not loud enough to be heard ( people I know are now laughing at that profusely) by my husband who was on this thing, the computer in our sunroom! I bellowed loud enough I thought to wake the dead or at least some neighbors, but no luck.
Fortunately, my trusty Skipper, our Bichon Frise, decided he had enough of being just a lovable Marley pet and turned into somewhat of a Lassie, and when I said go get Daddy, he miraculously did by jumping on the door next to the computer inside, but from the outside!
My husband opened the door and I screamed once again and I was rescued by my men! TADA! My husband came down the hill and pushed ever so slightly, which scared me with his bad back, and he managed to get me loose of the lumpy bump in the lawn and that was that. Now the next project after the fence is totally completed will be a board walk from the left over fencing for my scooter to glide over and hopefully not get stuck at all in our backyard.

On that note of positivity I will bid you all good night and to you all count those blessings and I will too!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Hello, are you there?

Yes, I am taking roll-call tonight because yesterday was my lowest readership day to date; was it something I said? (Probably, knowing me and that I suffer profusely from foot in mouth disease, but I have previously warned all of you!)
But in spite of that we were doing so well.
Our numbers for hits surpassed the month before, wow impressive, averaging in the well over six hundred range, and I thank you all for that.

The thing that I don’t understand is how most of this stuff works …you see I have actually been writing this Blog since a week before my birthday last July first.
But they didn’t start counting my hits of readership until this past January, I think.
And a few days ago I had agreed to the advertising that you see on this Blog. It’s called Ad Sense. But I am not allowed to click on it since it would create a false reading, and if I tell you to I will be in big trouble, apparently it is illegal for me to say anything about the ads, although I did notice, nah, I could probably be arrested or something if I say what I was thinking, so I will zip it up right now.
Any way they are there for you to enjoy!
I hope that was OK with the powers that be?
I think they are watching me, paranoia or real don’t know for sure.

I have a problem to discuss with you all and just chime in, if you want anytime…any-who, you know that thing that the media is making a big hullabaloo about concerning our First Lady, Michelle Obama for those of you who live under a rock, well its about the fact that she placed her arm around the Queen Mum and that was a no, no according to protocol, and they keep showing the piece of her doing that over and over again, like an awful accident that they also seem to overly repeat again and again.
Well, I have one thing to say to all that!
Did any of you see the longer version of that news clip?
Well, I did, and guess what…her Royal Mum put her arm around our First Lady first!
How about that?
And when her Royal Highness was asked about the incident she said it was just fine with her, so there you go you media mongrels! Behave!
I remember my Mom saying if you don’t have something nice to say about somebody don’t say anything at all, oops, that flew out of my brain fast, and has not returned recently that I have noticed.
This just in: our First Lady Michelle is now more popular than her husband, you know the guy…our president Barack.
They are so real I hope that calling them both by their first names won’t get me in trouble but they are not intimidating at all they are reachable and represent us all for all times, and yes they hear us I truly believe that!

The stock market did well today, but the unemployment rate continues to go way too far in the wrong direction with each month outdoing the last in layoffs, and that is not good at all.
To me, that indicates that we are not going to get any better for a long, long time.

Financial Gurus are making the rounds on all the talk shows, but the one that I have chosen to listen to since she actually predicted this before it happened is Suze Orman she was on Ophrah again today, and is often on The Today Show.
They are legit venues so I listen, and she does say mostly common sense that no one but our parents of our generation would have listened to since this is all déjà vu to them having being survivors of the Great Depression.
Pay cash, save your money, live below your means, therefore logic.
She knows her stuff.
And if we know what’s good for us we should listen to her.
Maybe, the new economic advisors to the president should speak with her, it’s just an idea, but who am I to tell them and why not?

On that instigating note I will wish you all a good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

PS If you see that my Blog is popping in and out is because I keep editing...I seem to forget to add in my prepositions.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Conficker, April Fools and Ramps

You all do know, by now that today is April Fool's Day?
Does anyone know how it all got started or why?
I didn’t either, but trying to be an informational Blog as well as learning for my own selfish reasons I took the initiative to do a little research, very little so I went to my recent and what I consider reliable number one research site: Wikipedia.com
And they say that you can go there too and look it up!
Oh, all right…April Fool!
I will give you the un petite version, OK?
“The origin of April Fools' Day is obscure. One likely theory is that the modern holiday was first celebrated soon after the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar ; the term referred to someone still adhering to the Julian Calendar, which it replaced. In many pre-Christian cultures May Day (May 1) was celebrated as the first day of summer, and signaled the start of the spring planting season. An April Fool was someone who did this prematurely.” For more history of this day, which by the way is not considered in any shape way or form a holiday go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_Fool's_Day

Now on to that nasty worm we have been all hearing about the, “Conficker Worm” it seems to only be a problem for us PC users, Macs users are OK.
The best thing to do is to make sure that your anti-virus is working and then try going to microsoft.com if you can do that then you’re all right.
If not there are many sites to help you, just do a general search, but first I can’t stress it enough to do an entire systems’ anti-virus scan.
Fortunately, so far no problem here since I did follow those logical steps.

Any-who today we went on somewhat of an outing, which took us hither and yon in search of the reasonable paint for our freebie fence, which is now becoming an extremely expensive project with the advent of needing to buy extra treated wood for the new configuration, two large containers of screws to make it more hurricane proof.
Already going through two gallons of white paint and now two more large economy size, NOT, five gallon containers one each of primer and exterior, ten gallons more in total. This project is taking on a life of itself, and it still isn’t complete!
Although, as I try to rationalize all these additional expenses, my current mantra is… ‘cheaper than a vinyl fence that I had wanted, cheaper than the vinyl fence that I had wanted,’ over and over again.
We did try to get free or recycled paint at our county recycling center, yes it is free there, but alas it was all interior, and then we went on to Habitat for Humanity, thinking helping them would also help ourselves, for only $5 a gallon, but same problem, oh well we ended up helping the economy by going back to the home warehouse store.

And yes my hubby and I did plan on going there eventually anyway due to my need for an indoor ramp for our tiny five and quarter inch step into our sunroom, which used to be our screen room or Lanai. Yep, my numbies have begun again leg and arm wise, frightening, and just a few steps causes those hips to howl.
Between numb legs and painful hips I wanted the option to ride my scooter around inside or even just hopefully to take her for a ride outside without getting stuck, I hope.
You see with the drought our backyard lawn has turned to dust and is more like a sandbox than the lush lawn we have during raining season. Yes, we have the rain barrel full from the Sunday’s rain, but that is used only for the veggie garden and stressed out plantings in the yard, we are on water restrictions and have been for years!

On all these hopefully interesting and sort of helpful notes I will bid you all good night and to all count those blessings and I will too!

Speaking My Mind: Which way will the war go?

Speaking My Mind: Which way will the war go? :   My eyesight is going again... in case you missed it... Netanyahu snaps back against growing...