Well...I have just spent the past 90 minutes or so playing games on FB. Almost the entire time I was sitting here playing, I was thinking:
"My God! My eyes are so tired from staring at my computer."
"My back hurts."
"Just one more game."
"Wow! I have a headache."
"Jeez, I need to pee."
But I kept on playing. I could have been watching a movie or reading my book or petting my dog and listening to music and lying down flat on my bed, but no. I assumed the position I've been in all day long, sitting in front of a computer, squinting at the screen. No wonder I have crow's feet around my eyes.
The thing is, though, it was pretty fun. My mind shut down and became a little vegetative, and I think that's ok. The company got their money's worth the past couple of days, at least, and I'm ready to enjoy the weekend.
My sister had a little something on her blog the other day (Nov. 27) about writing love letters in December. I've been thinking about it, and I think I'd like to do it. I enjoy writing and this might be a fun exercise. If you think you might like to do it, too, here's the link.
I'm a little obsessed with the stats of this blog. I find it kind of fascinating that people would click here and read the nonsense that I spew out. In November, the most viewed post was the one I wrote last Sunday called "satisfied". I think there were 64 views of it this week. Thanks for checking it out. :)
Now it's nearly 10:00 on Friday night and guess what? I'm going to bed. MT and T are downstairs watching a movie. I'm planning to get up early tomorrow to go to spinning class! It will be my first attempt since the knee surgery. I'm going to take it easy and see how she (the knee) feels about the whole thing, but I'm pretty excited about getting back into it. I have missed being sweaty! I'm also looking forward to my weigh-in tomorrow. I've been good about keeping track of my food intake and drinking water and I'd like to see a bit of a loss. I don't expect it to be big, but every little bit helps and minuses are waaaaaaay more motivating that pluses!
Another November has come and gone with 30 posts from me. Mom and Sis tackled the daily post challenge and did great. I love reading about what they are doing. The every day stuff makes me feel a little closer to them because I see that they are just doing normal things like me. Good job guys!!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
#822 epileptic Osi
I woke up out of a deep sleep in the early morning hours because I could tell something wasn't right with Osi. Her mouth was opening and closing very fast, so I told her to get off the bed, but she couldn't because her muscles were seizing. I pulled her off the bed and she laid on the floor and had a full-on seizure. It was terrifying and heartbreaking to watch her go through that. I didn't know what to do. I just kept talking to her and saying her name and softly rubbing her ribs. Finally, she quieted and regained herself a little. When she got up, she was kind of crazy. Her pupils were huge; I could barely see any brown in her eyes. She staggered around a little. I took her downstairs and she drank some water. I gave her a little piece of a dog biscuit and she couldn't take it out of my fingers. She did better when I put it on my palm. Eventually, about 15 to 20 minutes after the initial seizure, she calmed down and returned to normal and we went back to bed. She snuggled next to me with a sigh and I just wanted to cry. It was so hard to fall back to sleep. Every time she moved or changed her breathing, my eyes would snap open. I think she finally got tired of me because she jumped off the bed and went to sleep at the top of the stairs in between my room and T's room. It's one of her favorite spots, I think because she knows where all of her people are when she's in that spot.
She seems ok today. MT even came home after work to check on her before he went to the rental. He woke up during the episode, too, and he was equally horrified by it.
Poor sweet Osi. This isn't the first time she has had a seizure. I'll have to look at my notes, but I think she had one in September, and T witnessed that one. I took her to the vet and they took a blood sample. All of her organs are fine; her blood-work was fine, so the vet and I agreed that I would watch her to see if she had any other seizures. (I took her to the vet after the seizure that T saw.) I think it will probably come down to giving her medicine to try to control the seizures because it was really awful for us and I'm sure for her as well.
Yesterday I took her to doggie daycare. Maybe her seizure was caused, in part, by the over-stimulation she had by playing with her dog friends all day. She hasn't been there in months. I've been reading about dog seizures online, and over-stimulation is one of the triggers a website talked about. I was asking a friend who has had two springer spaniels if either of his dogs had seized and he said both of them had. :( I didn't read that seizures were common in springers, though.
Osi is flat-out the best dog I've ever had. She has the sweetest temperament and it just seems like she wants to please us. We live on a corner by a busy street and with our other dog, I always worried that she would dash out the front door and get hit by a car. I mostly don't worry about Osi running out the door. There have been times when we've left the door open as we are bringing in groceries or whatever, and she sits on the chair and watches us walk in and out. Even when I take her for a ride in the car, I can open the door and she'll wait for my signal to get out, then she'll go right to the front door of the house. (knock on wood that she keeps these good behaviors going!) I really want her to be ok and healthy. I love her a lot.
OK, I'm getting teary and I'm really tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night, and my brain was taxed at work today and I just broke my own rule about watching the news and there was a terribly sad story that lead the news and I can't even talk/write about that right now. It just broke my heart, though, I'll tell you that.
Wow...didn't mean for this to be such a bummer post, but this has been bugging me all day and writing is therapeutic, so if you're still reading, thanks for hearing me out.
She seems ok today. MT even came home after work to check on her before he went to the rental. He woke up during the episode, too, and he was equally horrified by it.
Poor sweet Osi. This isn't the first time she has had a seizure. I'll have to look at my notes, but I think she had one in September, and T witnessed that one. I took her to the vet and they took a blood sample. All of her organs are fine; her blood-work was fine, so the vet and I agreed that I would watch her to see if she had any other seizures. (I took her to the vet after the seizure that T saw.) I think it will probably come down to giving her medicine to try to control the seizures because it was really awful for us and I'm sure for her as well.
Yesterday I took her to doggie daycare. Maybe her seizure was caused, in part, by the over-stimulation she had by playing with her dog friends all day. She hasn't been there in months. I've been reading about dog seizures online, and over-stimulation is one of the triggers a website talked about. I was asking a friend who has had two springer spaniels if either of his dogs had seized and he said both of them had. :( I didn't read that seizures were common in springers, though.
Osi is flat-out the best dog I've ever had. She has the sweetest temperament and it just seems like she wants to please us. We live on a corner by a busy street and with our other dog, I always worried that she would dash out the front door and get hit by a car. I mostly don't worry about Osi running out the door. There have been times when we've left the door open as we are bringing in groceries or whatever, and she sits on the chair and watches us walk in and out. Even when I take her for a ride in the car, I can open the door and she'll wait for my signal to get out, then she'll go right to the front door of the house. (knock on wood that she keeps these good behaviors going!) I really want her to be ok and healthy. I love her a lot.
Osi is making a silly face after a little bit of playtime a few weeks ago.
OK, I'm getting teary and I'm really tired. I didn't get enough sleep last night, and my brain was taxed at work today and I just broke my own rule about watching the news and there was a terribly sad story that lead the news and I can't even talk/write about that right now. It just broke my heart, though, I'll tell you that.
Wow...didn't mean for this to be such a bummer post, but this has been bugging me all day and writing is therapeutic, so if you're still reading, thanks for hearing me out.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
#821 I'm no multi-tasker
The other day on the way to lunch, one of my friends was reading something about multi-tasking - specifically, that you should NOT multi-task. There was even something about how you could actually lose IQ points if you multi-tasked.
My other friend was appalled at the thought of not multi-tasking. She spends most of her day taking care of the needs and immediate concerns of lots of people who will rush into her office with their drama and make it her drama. She juggles a lot of stuff at work and at home. I could easily see that she needs to be able to multi-task. She is also one of the smartest people I know, so I don't think she's in too much danger of losing IQ points.
As for me, I have already found out that I am not good at multi-tasking. Maybe as I'm getting older, I'm getting slower, and it's harder for me to toggle myself between tasks. That's not to say that if I'm working on something and someone comes in and needs my help, I won't stop what I'm doing to help them. But here's the thing: I stop what I'm doing. If that person needs something right now, I'll help them. If it's not urgent and I can finish up what I'm doing, or at least get to a good spot to stop and then help them, I'll do that.
I multi-task a little more at home when my complete attention isn't needed. I will read while I'm watching a basketball game. It's pretty much impossible to pay attention to two things at once, I think. I just like the background of the ball game, and when the announcers get their excited voice on, I'll look up and pay attention. I play with my beloved iPhone while I ride my exercise bike. I'm certainly not getting much out of either activity, but I'm getting a little something out of both. Does that make sense?
Everyone multi-tasks, and some people are really good at it. More power to you! I'll keep plodding along and hold on to the little bit of IQ points that I have.
My other friend was appalled at the thought of not multi-tasking. She spends most of her day taking care of the needs and immediate concerns of lots of people who will rush into her office with their drama and make it her drama. She juggles a lot of stuff at work and at home. I could easily see that she needs to be able to multi-task. She is also one of the smartest people I know, so I don't think she's in too much danger of losing IQ points.
As for me, I have already found out that I am not good at multi-tasking. Maybe as I'm getting older, I'm getting slower, and it's harder for me to toggle myself between tasks. That's not to say that if I'm working on something and someone comes in and needs my help, I won't stop what I'm doing to help them. But here's the thing: I stop what I'm doing. If that person needs something right now, I'll help them. If it's not urgent and I can finish up what I'm doing, or at least get to a good spot to stop and then help them, I'll do that.
I multi-task a little more at home when my complete attention isn't needed. I will read while I'm watching a basketball game. It's pretty much impossible to pay attention to two things at once, I think. I just like the background of the ball game, and when the announcers get their excited voice on, I'll look up and pay attention. I play with my beloved iPhone while I ride my exercise bike. I'm certainly not getting much out of either activity, but I'm getting a little something out of both. Does that make sense?
Everyone multi-tasks, and some people are really good at it. More power to you! I'll keep plodding along and hold on to the little bit of IQ points that I have.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
#820 today's the 27th
Umm...
Apparently I didn't know the date yesterday. It was November 26, which makes today November 27. Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, sotoday would have been his 70th birthday, not yesterday.
Sorry about that. I'm lame.
No more words today.
Apparently I didn't know the date yesterday. It was November 26, which makes today November 27. Jimi Hendrix was born on November 27, 1942, sotoday would have been his 70th birthday, not yesterday.
Sorry about that. I'm lame.
No more words today.
Monday, November 26, 2012
#819 happy birthday Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix would have been 70 years old today.
Here's a cool quote of Jimi's that I found. I think all my four of my music-loving readers will appreciate this.
"MUSIC IS A SAFE KIND OF HIGH."
Sunday, November 25, 2012
#818 satisfied
Today was very satisfying! I started out the day in such a wonderful way: I took Osi for a walk around the park at the fitness center. We hadn't gone for a walk in a long time, and I'd nearly forgotten how great it felt to walk outside, feeling the cold, clean air and seeing how happy my dog is to get out and smell stuff and stretch her legs. I let her run free in the soccer field, and she is so good about heeding my command to return to me. I should clarify that statement. She's really good about returning to me as long as there are no other dogs or birds around. Today wasn't a problem - no dogs and no birds.
After the walk, I treated myself to a tall non-fat chai latte no water from Starbucks. Yep, Iguess know I am one of those obnoxious people who doesn't order straight off the menu at the 'Bucks. Oh well. I like what I like.
I did all the laundry today and folded it and put it away. (Sometimes all of those steps don't happen. Do you know what I mean?) I paid the bills. I talked to both my parents. I went to the grocery store. I cleaned my fridge. I thought about the food I would make for dinner this week and what I would have for lunches. I watched football. I played on my computer. I cooked dinner (croquetas!) I sent my mom, sister and husband my Christmas wish list. I am just about ready to download all my Christmas music onto my iPods, then I'll call it a day.
Looking back, it seems like a lot, but I wasn't rushed or stressed and I don't feel tired. Well, I'm starting to feel sleepy, but I'm not tired from my day. It's been a nice, relaxing, peaceful weekend. YAY! I think I feel ok about going to work tomorrow.
Hope you all had a great weekend, too. Have joy and be merry, friends!
After the walk, I treated myself to a tall non-fat chai latte no water from Starbucks. Yep, I
I did all the laundry today and folded it and put it away. (Sometimes all of those steps don't happen. Do you know what I mean?) I paid the bills. I talked to both my parents. I went to the grocery store. I cleaned my fridge. I thought about the food I would make for dinner this week and what I would have for lunches. I watched football. I played on my computer. I cooked dinner (croquetas!) I sent my mom, sister and husband my Christmas wish list. I am just about ready to download all my Christmas music onto my iPods, then I'll call it a day.
Looking back, it seems like a lot, but I wasn't rushed or stressed and I don't feel tired. Well, I'm starting to feel sleepy, but I'm not tired from my day. It's been a nice, relaxing, peaceful weekend. YAY! I think I feel ok about going to work tomorrow.
Hope you all had a great weekend, too. Have joy and be merry, friends!
Saturday, November 24, 2012
#817 coulda been cranky, but I'm not
I have been in a good mood today although goodness knows there were reasons for me to feel cranky.
For one thing, I have completely fallen off the Weight Watchers wagon and it's just not ok to spend money with them when I am gaining weight. It's not their fault that I'm gaining; just as losing the weight was all me, gaining some of it back is all me, too. As I headed out the door this morning to face the music, I mean the scale, MT told me to give myself a break because I had a big surgery three months ago. I explained to him that I should not have used the excuse of the surgery to have chocolate milkshakes and cheeseburgers and fries twice a week and to eat cookies and chips and assorted crap precisely because I would not be able to exercise to the level I enjoyed previously.
The time for making excuses is done. Dr. F says I can get back on the bike and work out as much as I want as long as it's not high impact. I can do that. I can also be accountable and responsible for the food choices and quantity of food that I stuff into my face. It's a lot more fun when your clothes are getting looser. Not so great when they are getting tighter and you feel like a sausage in a casing in all of your clothes.
So, back on track with WW. I've set short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Here we go!
Then, MT, T and I went to lunch at Dickey's BBQ and I ate smoked sausage, causing me to really truly feel like sausage in a casing. But I wrote it all down in my WW Tracker and took responsibility for it. I did a good job the rest of the day and I feel like I did ok overall.
Another thing that did bring me down today is that my dad had to go back to the ER today. He's going to be all right, but this morning he was disoriented and very weak. My poor dad has many ailments, and one of them is decreased liver function which sometimes causes him to become disoriented and unable to go to dialysis. There is a medication he can take when he feels the symptoms coming on, but if he chooses not to take the medicine, the consequences seem to be that he winds up in the hospital and it becomes a long day for everyone. My thoughts are with Mom and Dad tonight as they head home from the hospital.
Other than those two things, it's been a good day. I had to go over to a particular store today to get a few household items and pick up some stuff for my Secret Santa person at work. I had so much fun! I heard a few bars of assorted Christmas tunes and I smiled goofily as I walked around the Christmas section. My Christmas wish is that I'm not growling when I hear "White Christmas" in a couple of weeks.
Tonight I watched a cute movie called Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. I thought it was sweet and I'm glad I took the time to watch it.I like Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt. The guy who played the Sheik was quite handsome, too.
I'm so glad that tomorrow is Sunday so I have one more day of relaxing. I'll probably do some laundry, but I bet I watch a movie also! :)
For one thing, I have completely fallen off the Weight Watchers wagon and it's just not ok to spend money with them when I am gaining weight. It's not their fault that I'm gaining; just as losing the weight was all me, gaining some of it back is all me, too. As I headed out the door this morning to face the music, I mean the scale, MT told me to give myself a break because I had a big surgery three months ago. I explained to him that I should not have used the excuse of the surgery to have chocolate milkshakes and cheeseburgers and fries twice a week and to eat cookies and chips and assorted crap precisely because I would not be able to exercise to the level I enjoyed previously.
The time for making excuses is done. Dr. F says I can get back on the bike and work out as much as I want as long as it's not high impact. I can do that. I can also be accountable and responsible for the food choices and quantity of food that I stuff into my face. It's a lot more fun when your clothes are getting looser. Not so great when they are getting tighter and you feel like a sausage in a casing in all of your clothes.
So, back on track with WW. I've set short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Here we go!
Then, MT, T and I went to lunch at Dickey's BBQ and I ate smoked sausage, causing me to really truly feel like sausage in a casing. But I wrote it all down in my WW Tracker and took responsibility for it. I did a good job the rest of the day and I feel like I did ok overall.
Another thing that did bring me down today is that my dad had to go back to the ER today. He's going to be all right, but this morning he was disoriented and very weak. My poor dad has many ailments, and one of them is decreased liver function which sometimes causes him to become disoriented and unable to go to dialysis. There is a medication he can take when he feels the symptoms coming on, but if he chooses not to take the medicine, the consequences seem to be that he winds up in the hospital and it becomes a long day for everyone. My thoughts are with Mom and Dad tonight as they head home from the hospital.
Other than those two things, it's been a good day. I had to go over to a particular store today to get a few household items and pick up some stuff for my Secret Santa person at work. I had so much fun! I heard a few bars of assorted Christmas tunes and I smiled goofily as I walked around the Christmas section. My Christmas wish is that I'm not growling when I hear "White Christmas" in a couple of weeks.
Tonight I watched a cute movie called Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. I thought it was sweet and I'm glad I took the time to watch it.I like Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt. The guy who played the Sheik was quite handsome, too.
I'm so glad that tomorrow is Sunday so I have one more day of relaxing. I'll probably do some laundry, but I bet I watch a movie also! :)
Friday, November 23, 2012
#816 a long drive home and a fun night at the Jazz game
We are back in SLC now. We left Poky around noon and we came back through Logan. Why? Because MT has been re-assigned to a job here in the Salt Lake Valley. That's the good news. The bad news is that the assignment should only last a couple of days, and then we don't know where he will be sent. We had to stop in Logan to pick up his tools from the hospital project so he'll be ready to go on Monday at the new place.
Because of the stop in Logan, our trip back took us about an extra hour, but it was a nice drive. The weather was very good and the drive down Sardine Canyon was pretty.
When we got home, we all chilled out for awhile until it was time to go to the Jazz game. :D We picked up T's friend Ruben and headed to the arena. There were not of lot of guests in the suite tonight, so it was nice and relaxed. The Jazz were playing the Sacramento Kings and our team got off to a slow start. They rallied though, and came back to win the game in the closing seconds on a great shot by one of my favorite players, Gordon Hayward.
Because of the stop in Logan, our trip back took us about an extra hour, but it was a nice drive. The weather was very good and the drive down Sardine Canyon was pretty.
When we got home, we all chilled out for awhile until it was time to go to the Jazz game. :D We picked up T's friend Ruben and headed to the arena. There were not of lot of guests in the suite tonight, so it was nice and relaxed. The Jazz were playing the Sacramento Kings and our team got off to a slow start. They rallied though, and came back to win the game in the closing seconds on a great shot by one of my favorite players, Gordon Hayward.
This cool photo is from the TSN website.
It was way fun to be at the game, especially when they win! The Jazz were down by about 10 points with around four minutes to go, and I'm sorry to say I had my doubts about whether they could come back. It was great to see it happen! The crowd, that was pretty quiet for most of the game, really came to life as the Jazz started to make some points and get stops on the defensive end. When Hayward hit the game-winning shot with about four seconds left, the place went crazy. Of course, Sacramento still had four seconds to try to tie the game. Four seconds doesn't seem like much, but it's plenty of time to get a shot off. Fortunately, they missed the shot and the Jazz got the victory. YAY!!
Here's a pic I took at the game:
I'm pleased that it is only Friday night and I've still got two whole days to relax and have fun and do stuff. First item on my agenda: load up my Christmas music on my iPods. For some reason, I am really looking forward to listening to Christmas tunes. Second item on the agenda: get my large American ass to the gym and get back on the exercise bandwagon. My God. I'm pretty sure I've gained at least five pounds in the past few days. I feel like crap. It's not a nice feeling.
Ok, that's all for tonight. Happy Friday!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
#815 Happy Thanksgiving!
I am so incredibly full. I actually feel uncomfortable and I'm wearing the biggest, loosest jeans I own. No one made me eat so much; I did it all on my own, every single bite.
Here at my in-law's house, we had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal. There were 15 people here for dinner and we ate at 4:00. We started with some light appetizers that included deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail and my yummy dip with crackers. For the meal, Linda cooked a ham and a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and green bean casserole. I brought the sweet potatoes (big hit!); my sister-in-law Tracy brought salad and pies; her friend Kelly brought amazing home-made rolls; my nephew Chris brought pies and home-made baked macaroni and cheese, my nephew John brought wine. Linda served everything buffet-style, which I thought was really smart and we had a nice meal.
After dinner, I retreated to the basement to watch football with John and Amanda. You have to watch at least some football on Thanksgiving, after all.
Another tradition we have in our family is to see a movie on Thanksgiving night. When everyone left, the five of us who are staying in this house (Jake, Linda and the three of us), went to see the movie "Lincoln". I thought Daniel Day-Lewis was fantastic. Seeing him was like seeing a penny come to life. I never thought Daniel looked like Abe before, but I thought he nailed it! Overall, though, I didn't really care for the film. So many words! I thought DDL should be in every scene saying every word, but he's not. The movie is about the time when the President is trying to get the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery passed through the House of Representatives, so there are a lot of men with big beards arguing about slavery and the Civil War and Lincoln is all mixed in. I admit that I napped through parts of the show. All the words combined with my full tummy just made for a sleepy girl. Also, although we got to the movie place 20 minutes before show-time, we had to sit in the second row, so we were pretty slouchy and that added to the ease of getting a little shut-eye. I did enjoy the final 30 to 40 minutes of the show. For me, I could have waited for the rental. I'm sure DDL will get a nomination for the Best Actor Oscar.
To finish up this post, I feel like I must let you know what I am thankful for. First of all, of course, my family. From my boys at home to my own dear family in California and my lovely married-into family in Idaho and everyone else around the world, I am thankful to have you all in my life. I'm thankful that my dad is doing well. I'm thankful for my new knee and that the recovery went well. I'm thankful for my work and the people I work with who make it all bearable.
And thanks to you for checking in through this blog. Whether you came here on purpose or just stumbled here looking for something else, thanks for stopping by :)
Here at my in-law's house, we had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal. There were 15 people here for dinner and we ate at 4:00. We started with some light appetizers that included deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail and my yummy dip with crackers. For the meal, Linda cooked a ham and a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing and green bean casserole. I brought the sweet potatoes (big hit!); my sister-in-law Tracy brought salad and pies; her friend Kelly brought amazing home-made rolls; my nephew Chris brought pies and home-made baked macaroni and cheese, my nephew John brought wine. Linda served everything buffet-style, which I thought was really smart and we had a nice meal.
After dinner, I retreated to the basement to watch football with John and Amanda. You have to watch at least some football on Thanksgiving, after all.
Another tradition we have in our family is to see a movie on Thanksgiving night. When everyone left, the five of us who are staying in this house (Jake, Linda and the three of us), went to see the movie "Lincoln". I thought Daniel Day-Lewis was fantastic. Seeing him was like seeing a penny come to life. I never thought Daniel looked like Abe before, but I thought he nailed it! Overall, though, I didn't really care for the film. So many words! I thought DDL should be in every scene saying every word, but he's not. The movie is about the time when the President is trying to get the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery passed through the House of Representatives, so there are a lot of men with big beards arguing about slavery and the Civil War and Lincoln is all mixed in. I admit that I napped through parts of the show. All the words combined with my full tummy just made for a sleepy girl. Also, although we got to the movie place 20 minutes before show-time, we had to sit in the second row, so we were pretty slouchy and that added to the ease of getting a little shut-eye. I did enjoy the final 30 to 40 minutes of the show. For me, I could have waited for the rental. I'm sure DDL will get a nomination for the Best Actor Oscar.
To finish up this post, I feel like I must let you know what I am thankful for. First of all, of course, my family. From my boys at home to my own dear family in California and my lovely married-into family in Idaho and everyone else around the world, I am thankful to have you all in my life. I'm thankful that my dad is doing well. I'm thankful for my new knee and that the recovery went well. I'm thankful for my work and the people I work with who make it all bearable.
And thanks to you for checking in through this blog. Whether you came here on purpose or just stumbled here looking for something else, thanks for stopping by :)
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
#814 Thanksgiving Eve
Greetings from Pocatello! We are just relaxing and enjoying a quiet evening with Jake and Linda. We had a nice dinner if pulled pork sandwiches and cheese crisps. Linda made the pulled pork and T and I brought the cheese crisps from Mama Inez. :)
Now we are chatting and playing with our electronic devices.
Now we are chatting and playing with our electronic devices.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
#813 three month follow-up & Thanksgiving prep
Just a quick note tonight because MT was hogging the computer ;p
I met with Dr. F for my three month follow-up since my total joint replacement surgery. Everything is going great; the x-rays still look good and I feel wonderful! My left knee is giving me trouble some days. Dr. F says he will give me the injections until I'm ready to have the left knee replaced. I can go back to doing pretty much everything I did before the surgery.
We are heading to Idaho tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with MT's family. We are bringing the turkey (Linda will cook it) and we are also bringing my version of Ruth's Chris sweet potato casserole. I only make it a couple of times a year, so MT and I are looking forward to it! I put it together tonight, so it's all ready to go. I also made an appetizer dip from a recipe I saw on Pinterest. It has cream cheese, a hint of garlic, dried cranberries and fresh rosemary. I'll bring crackers to eat it with, so it will be creamy, savory, sweet and crunchy. Appetizer perfection. The flavor is very satisfying.
One more thing...happy post-birthday to my dear little sister. It was her birthday yesterday and I hope she had a truly wonderful day. She basically celebrated her birthday all weekend with lots of music and good friends, I'm sure :)
That's all I've got, kids, and now I'm going to bed. Really! I'm not even going to log-on to Facebook. Really.
I met with Dr. F for my three month follow-up since my total joint replacement surgery. Everything is going great; the x-rays still look good and I feel wonderful! My left knee is giving me trouble some days. Dr. F says he will give me the injections until I'm ready to have the left knee replaced. I can go back to doing pretty much everything I did before the surgery.
We are heading to Idaho tomorrow to spend Thanksgiving with MT's family. We are bringing the turkey (Linda will cook it) and we are also bringing my version of Ruth's Chris sweet potato casserole. I only make it a couple of times a year, so MT and I are looking forward to it! I put it together tonight, so it's all ready to go. I also made an appetizer dip from a recipe I saw on Pinterest. It has cream cheese, a hint of garlic, dried cranberries and fresh rosemary. I'll bring crackers to eat it with, so it will be creamy, savory, sweet and crunchy. Appetizer perfection. The flavor is very satisfying.
One more thing...happy post-birthday to my dear little sister. It was her birthday yesterday and I hope she had a truly wonderful day. She basically celebrated her birthday all weekend with lots of music and good friends, I'm sure :)
That's all I've got, kids, and now I'm going to bed. Really! I'm not even going to log-on to Facebook. Really.
Monday, November 19, 2012
#812 oh yes I did
I was going to be all renegade and bad-ass today and leave work early, just because I could.
And I did leave early!
I left at 4:58, two minutes early.
I showed them!! Don't mess with me :D
And I did leave early!
I left at 4:58, two minutes early.
I showed them!! Don't mess with me :D
Sunday, November 18, 2012
#811 second thoughts
After I wrote about T's People to People thing last night, I looked around on the internet for more information. What I read about the program made me feel less excited about the opportunity. It seems like programs like this are totally aiming for parents like me who think their child is just about the most amazing person in the world and would shell out all kinds of money to give their kid an interesting, potentially educational experience. There were some message boards that talked about how the program was basically a travel agent for teenagers, and an expensive one at that. Some people said their kids had a good experience, some said the experience wasn't very good. Some said it wasn't an honor at all, that even a parent could nominate their child to go, as long as you could pay for it, People to People would take you where you wanted to go.
T is going to talk to the teacher who nominated him about the program, and to his friend Eric who was also nominated, then we'll make a decision. Right now, though, we are leaning toward passing on this one. We'll see...
T is going to talk to the teacher who nominated him about the program, and to his friend Eric who was also nominated, then we'll make a decision. Right now, though, we are leaning toward passing on this one. We'll see...
Saturday, November 17, 2012
#810 a day with Baby Niki
T is taking a class at school called "Teen Living." One of the assignments is for the students to take care of a "baby" for 23 hours. The baby is actually a doll. I had to sign a permission slip for the assignment; the doll is pretty expensive, so I had to sign off that we would be responsible for any damages.
When I got home last night, T was playing Daddy to Baby Niki. The baby was laying on the ottoman, sleeping, I guess, because it wasn't making any noise. Every once in awhile, it would sort of whimper, and when it did, T waved his wrist over the doll. What was happening is that there is some sort of electronic transmitter on a bracelet that T had to wear that would make a chime noise to indicate that he was taking care of the baby. All he had to do was "feed" it by holding a bottle to it's mouth for about ten minutes, change the diaper, or just rock it until it stopped crying. It would make sort of a happy baby sound and that told T that he could relax. Then it would sleep for a few hours.
At one point last night while we were watching TV, the baby started crying and T had to go to the bathroom. I said I would hold the baby for him. Oh my God. That thing was LOUD! I think it actually got louder when I was holding it. It must have had something to do with the electronic bracelet. It seemed to cry the loudest when T wasn't right by it.
The baby woke up a couple of times during the night and T had to get up and take care of it. Early this morning, he was just about sick of the experiment and went downstairs with the baby. When he came back alone, MT asked where "the kid" was. T said he had left Baby Niki in the basement (with a blanket) but he was tired and wanted to sleep. I told him he had to go get the baby and take care of it. He groaned, but he did it. I didn't hear anything out of them for awhile, so I checked on them. T had Baby Niki in bed with him.
The 23 hours ended around noon today. Baby Niki did not go quietly, though. She woke up and wailed for the last five minutes of her time with us. T tried feeding her, rocking her and changing her diaper. Finally, she gurgled the happy baby noise and a few minutes later, T got a text that his time with her was complete. What a relief for all of us!
Thank you, MJHS, for this valuable lesson in the importance of birth control! I will remind T of this experience in the future I am sure!
In other T news, I am so proud to say that one of his teachers nominated T to attend a People to People Leadership Conference. We received the formal invitation today. There are several programs to choose from, and several really cool American universities that host the conferences. T and one of his good friends were nominated by their math teacher, so T wants to talk to his friend to see if he thinks he might attend. I'm not sure if T would still like to go if his friend, Eric, doesn't go, but MT and I think it would be a pretty cool thing for T to do. It's quite expensive, but what an amazing experience and I would think that it is a very nice item for a college application. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be hearing more about this in the coming months. Whether he decides to attend or not, I think that being one of two students in his class that was nominated to go is very special.
T is a great kid :)
When I got home last night, T was playing Daddy to Baby Niki. The baby was laying on the ottoman, sleeping, I guess, because it wasn't making any noise. Every once in awhile, it would sort of whimper, and when it did, T waved his wrist over the doll. What was happening is that there is some sort of electronic transmitter on a bracelet that T had to wear that would make a chime noise to indicate that he was taking care of the baby. All he had to do was "feed" it by holding a bottle to it's mouth for about ten minutes, change the diaper, or just rock it until it stopped crying. It would make sort of a happy baby sound and that told T that he could relax. Then it would sleep for a few hours.
At one point last night while we were watching TV, the baby started crying and T had to go to the bathroom. I said I would hold the baby for him. Oh my God. That thing was LOUD! I think it actually got louder when I was holding it. It must have had something to do with the electronic bracelet. It seemed to cry the loudest when T wasn't right by it.
The baby woke up a couple of times during the night and T had to get up and take care of it. Early this morning, he was just about sick of the experiment and went downstairs with the baby. When he came back alone, MT asked where "the kid" was. T said he had left Baby Niki in the basement (with a blanket) but he was tired and wanted to sleep. I told him he had to go get the baby and take care of it. He groaned, but he did it. I didn't hear anything out of them for awhile, so I checked on them. T had Baby Niki in bed with him.
The 23 hours ended around noon today. Baby Niki did not go quietly, though. She woke up and wailed for the last five minutes of her time with us. T tried feeding her, rocking her and changing her diaper. Finally, she gurgled the happy baby noise and a few minutes later, T got a text that his time with her was complete. What a relief for all of us!
T changes Baby Niki's diaper in an attempt to stop her crying.
Thank you, MJHS, for this valuable lesson in the importance of birth control! I will remind T of this experience in the future I am sure!
In other T news, I am so proud to say that one of his teachers nominated T to attend a People to People Leadership Conference. We received the formal invitation today. There are several programs to choose from, and several really cool American universities that host the conferences. T and one of his good friends were nominated by their math teacher, so T wants to talk to his friend to see if he thinks he might attend. I'm not sure if T would still like to go if his friend, Eric, doesn't go, but MT and I think it would be a pretty cool thing for T to do. It's quite expensive, but what an amazing experience and I would think that it is a very nice item for a college application. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be hearing more about this in the coming months. Whether he decides to attend or not, I think that being one of two students in his class that was nominated to go is very special.
T is a great kid :)
Friday, November 16, 2012
#809 good thing this happened on the last day
A strange and disturbing thing happened to me in the hotel this morning. When I tried to flush the toilet this morning, the flusher wouldn't push down. I was worried and a little panicky, but I kept my head. I took the cover off the tank and saw that the little connector piece between the flusher and the thing that opens to let water into the tank was broken. I bravely reached in and pulled up the opener part and the toilet flushed just fine. I made a mental note to tell the folks at the front desk about it when I checked out.
Then I showered and got dressed and packed my suitcase and listened to music and drank some chocolate milk and a bottle of water.
Guess what? I had to go potty before I left.
I must have forgotten about the flusher, because I pushed down on the flusher.
It fell right off the toilet.
OOPS! I flushed the way I had before and quickly left before anything else fell apart.
I should have brought that flusher down with me to checkout, but I left it there on the back of the toilet. I did tell them about it at the front desk.
Can you believe that?!
If this had to happen, I'm glad it happened when I was leaving.
Then I showered and got dressed and packed my suitcase and listened to music and drank some chocolate milk and a bottle of water.
Guess what? I had to go potty before I left.
I must have forgotten about the flusher, because I pushed down on the flusher.
It fell right off the toilet.
OOPS! I flushed the way I had before and quickly left before anything else fell apart.
I should have brought that flusher down with me to checkout, but I left it there on the back of the toilet. I did tell them about it at the front desk.
Can you believe that?!
If this had to happen, I'm glad it happened when I was leaving.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
#808 sidetracked by Ryan Gosling's abs
I was going to write about an observation I made today while sitting in yet another training session, but I am now mightly distracted by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in "Crazy Stupid Love." I just came in on the scene where Emma's character storms into the bar and walks up to Ryan's character and kisses him. Now they are at his house and it's just a great scene.
I can't possibly write about work now. Ryan Gosling doesn't have his shirt on! Bye!
I can't possibly write about work now. Ryan Gosling doesn't have his shirt on! Bye!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
#807 what happens when the GPS doesn't talk to you
Greetings from Rancho Cordova, CA! My tour of the garden part of California continues :)
A quick follow up from yesterday: we did talk about Landed Cost this morning, and I was alert and attentive and it wasn't as ground-breaking or earth-moving as I thought it might be. Basically, I had set it up correctly, but there are two parts to the transaction and the second part was done incorrectly because we didn't know the correct way, so we just did it the way we knew, but that caused all our problems. Anyway, now we know how to fix it.
Today's meeting was supposed to last until 3:00, so my traveling companions that went home today had a flight scheduled for 6:30, meaning they would have to hang out in the airport for a couple of hours. The meeting co-ordinator told us this morning that we would only go until 2:00, so my friends changed their flight to 4:30. It's about an hour from the Stockton area to Sacramento. The thing is, the meeting went until 2:30, so we had to get up out of there in a hurry. They made it on time and everything was good, but I was uncomfortable with the rush. (Remember my Monday post about liking to be at the airport with plenty of time to spare? I was nervous for them! What if there had been bad traffic or an accident that slowed everything down? But there wasn't.)
From the airport, I had to find the hotel in Rancho Cordova, so I programmed the GPS in the rental car to get me here. Rancho Cordova is farther from the airport than I thought, and I was traveling during commute time, so there was a fair bit of traffic.
The GPS did great while I was on the freeway. But she stopped talking to me when I got off the freeway, so I had no idea where to turn! There are pictures on the GPS screen about what to do and how far you have left to travel and estimated time of arrival, but it's hard to see that while you are driving. Anyway, I was driving and she wasn't telling me anything, so I kept going. At one point, at a stop light, I saw that I was about four minutes away from my destination. Then, I was eight minutes away from my destination and I was out in the middle of some fields. I was on a main road, and there were cars all around, but not many houses and certainly no hotels and I expected to see several hotels in the area.
At the next opportunity, I flipped a U turn and headed back to civilization. Now I was six minutes away. At another stop light, I fiddled around with the volume (which I hadn't touched AT ALL) and the voice came back, telling me, "Turn right on Folsom Blvd in five miles." I finally got here, but crap! I might have ended up somewhere unknown if I hadn't finally turned around. Silly girl!
The hotel is nice, but I think it's a little old. I have a suite, so there is a separate bedroom and seating area. I like that. The thing is, the TV in the bedroom is one of those old big box TVs and it is certainly not HD! The flat screen TV in the seating area is nice and big, but is not HD either. There is a big difference in HD. The picture is a little grainy, but it was good enough to watch "Survivor" and now a little NBA on ESPN (Heat vs Clippers).
A couple of nice things about the hotel: the exercise room is quite nice. I spent some time on a stationary bike and I enjoyed that. There is also a restaurant on-site, so I didn't have to leave. I had a little room service action. I had tasty nachos grande. YUM!
You may be wondering how the boys are doing at home without me. I think MT is fine, but T struggled today. MT just goes to bed and doesn't tell T to get to bed, too, so T takes advantage of the lack of parental guidance and he went to bed waaaaaaay past the time I have him get to sleep. Consequently, T overslept this morning and was late for school. I texted him this morning to see if he was up, but when he didn't reply, I figured he was in the shower. He finally texted me back telling me he'd be late for school. I was annoyed, but what can I do? I'm two states away! When I talked to him tonight, I told him to do better. Hopefully he will.
Anyway, just a day and a half left on this road trip. I wish I could have gone home with the other girls this afternoon, but the training that I will get tomorrow and Friday is important and I need it. This second session actually started this afternoon; I hope I didn't miss too much. I told the organizer I wouldn't make it today, so it's all good.
Anyway, that's all for tonight. I have to play my allottment of FB games to get my fix!
A quick follow up from yesterday: we did talk about Landed Cost this morning, and I was alert and attentive and it wasn't as ground-breaking or earth-moving as I thought it might be. Basically, I had set it up correctly, but there are two parts to the transaction and the second part was done incorrectly because we didn't know the correct way, so we just did it the way we knew, but that caused all our problems. Anyway, now we know how to fix it.
Today's meeting was supposed to last until 3:00, so my traveling companions that went home today had a flight scheduled for 6:30, meaning they would have to hang out in the airport for a couple of hours. The meeting co-ordinator told us this morning that we would only go until 2:00, so my friends changed their flight to 4:30. It's about an hour from the Stockton area to Sacramento. The thing is, the meeting went until 2:30, so we had to get up out of there in a hurry. They made it on time and everything was good, but I was uncomfortable with the rush. (Remember my Monday post about liking to be at the airport with plenty of time to spare? I was nervous for them! What if there had been bad traffic or an accident that slowed everything down? But there wasn't.)
From the airport, I had to find the hotel in Rancho Cordova, so I programmed the GPS in the rental car to get me here. Rancho Cordova is farther from the airport than I thought, and I was traveling during commute time, so there was a fair bit of traffic.
The GPS did great while I was on the freeway. But she stopped talking to me when I got off the freeway, so I had no idea where to turn! There are pictures on the GPS screen about what to do and how far you have left to travel and estimated time of arrival, but it's hard to see that while you are driving. Anyway, I was driving and she wasn't telling me anything, so I kept going. At one point, at a stop light, I saw that I was about four minutes away from my destination. Then, I was eight minutes away from my destination and I was out in the middle of some fields. I was on a main road, and there were cars all around, but not many houses and certainly no hotels and I expected to see several hotels in the area.
At the next opportunity, I flipped a U turn and headed back to civilization. Now I was six minutes away. At another stop light, I fiddled around with the volume (which I hadn't touched AT ALL) and the voice came back, telling me, "Turn right on Folsom Blvd in five miles." I finally got here, but crap! I might have ended up somewhere unknown if I hadn't finally turned around. Silly girl!
The hotel is nice, but I think it's a little old. I have a suite, so there is a separate bedroom and seating area. I like that. The thing is, the TV in the bedroom is one of those old big box TVs and it is certainly not HD! The flat screen TV in the seating area is nice and big, but is not HD either. There is a big difference in HD. The picture is a little grainy, but it was good enough to watch "Survivor" and now a little NBA on ESPN (Heat vs Clippers).
A couple of nice things about the hotel: the exercise room is quite nice. I spent some time on a stationary bike and I enjoyed that. There is also a restaurant on-site, so I didn't have to leave. I had a little room service action. I had tasty nachos grande. YUM!
You may be wondering how the boys are doing at home without me. I think MT is fine, but T struggled today. MT just goes to bed and doesn't tell T to get to bed, too, so T takes advantage of the lack of parental guidance and he went to bed waaaaaaay past the time I have him get to sleep. Consequently, T overslept this morning and was late for school. I texted him this morning to see if he was up, but when he didn't reply, I figured he was in the shower. He finally texted me back telling me he'd be late for school. I was annoyed, but what can I do? I'm two states away! When I talked to him tonight, I told him to do better. Hopefully he will.
Anyway, just a day and a half left on this road trip. I wish I could have gone home with the other girls this afternoon, but the training that I will get tomorrow and Friday is important and I need it. This second session actually started this afternoon; I hope I didn't miss too much. I told the organizer I wouldn't make it today, so it's all good.
Anyway, that's all for tonight. I have to play my allottment of FB games to get my fix!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
#806 I threw my hands up and shrieked
Being out of the office in another state attending training in a packed conference room without windows isn't everything it's cracked up to be. The temperature in the room varies from really cold to really warm. The chairs start out comfortable, but after several hours, they are not comfortable anymore. And sometimes, the topics that are covered do not apply to me at all and I have to find a way to stay focused and involved. You never know. Just because something doesn't apply to you today doesn't mean it won't apply to you tomorrow.
Today was the second day of my five days worth of learning for work. At this first part of the week, I was especially looking forward to learning about one particular topic, let's call it Landed Cost. It is a concept that is new to us this year. I've read as much as I could about it in the training manuals and thought I understood it and set it up correctly, but it turns out, it wasn't right. We've had a tremendous amount of trouble with it throughout the company because nobody really knows how it works. They (the people who are implementing the new computer system we have) think they have it figured out now, and they are ready to pass the knowledge on to the people who use it.
We learned lots of good stuff today. The day was chock-full of information, but nothing on Landed Cost.
Around 3:30, the guy I was sitting by sort of mentally checked out. He leaned over to me and said, "Man, I'm beat. I'm here, but I'm not here."
About an hour later, the lady next to me leaned over and said, "My brain has officially shut down. Is it time to go yet?"
I was strong. I stayed in, taking notes, paying attention.
Around 4:50, the presenter said, "OK, now it's time to talk about Landed Cost."
Something snapped inside me. I threw my hands up in the air and said, "Wait a minute!" OK, I might have shrieked a little. I've been told there might have been a little shrillness in my voice. I heard giggling. I continued, "It's ten minutes to five and we're about to talk about Landed Cost. This is a big deal and my brain is not ready to take in. Can we push this back until morning?"
There was a moment of silence until the presenter said, "Ummm..."
Fortunately for me, one of the organizers of the training came to my rescue. He said he understood that Landed Cost is a big deal and it had been a long day and we probably would be better off to move the discussion to tomorrow morning so we could really tackle it and talk it through and figure out how to do it right. YAY!
Maybe I didn't present myself in the most professional way, but I did get a laugh (or maybe just laughed at, but I'm ok with that) and more importantly, the big topic was moved to the morning when I can be alert and focused and ready to learn and participate.
To be continued...
Here's too a big fat happy day of learning tomorrow!
Today was the second day of my five days worth of learning for work. At this first part of the week, I was especially looking forward to learning about one particular topic, let's call it Landed Cost. It is a concept that is new to us this year. I've read as much as I could about it in the training manuals and thought I understood it and set it up correctly, but it turns out, it wasn't right. We've had a tremendous amount of trouble with it throughout the company because nobody really knows how it works. They (the people who are implementing the new computer system we have) think they have it figured out now, and they are ready to pass the knowledge on to the people who use it.
We learned lots of good stuff today. The day was chock-full of information, but nothing on Landed Cost.
Around 3:30, the guy I was sitting by sort of mentally checked out. He leaned over to me and said, "Man, I'm beat. I'm here, but I'm not here."
About an hour later, the lady next to me leaned over and said, "My brain has officially shut down. Is it time to go yet?"
I was strong. I stayed in, taking notes, paying attention.
Around 4:50, the presenter said, "OK, now it's time to talk about Landed Cost."
Something snapped inside me. I threw my hands up in the air and said, "Wait a minute!" OK, I might have shrieked a little. I've been told there might have been a little shrillness in my voice. I heard giggling. I continued, "It's ten minutes to five and we're about to talk about Landed Cost. This is a big deal and my brain is not ready to take in. Can we push this back until morning?"
There was a moment of silence until the presenter said, "Ummm..."
Fortunately for me, one of the organizers of the training came to my rescue. He said he understood that Landed Cost is a big deal and it had been a long day and we probably would be better off to move the discussion to tomorrow morning so we could really tackle it and talk it through and figure out how to do it right. YAY!
Maybe I didn't present myself in the most professional way, but I did get a laugh (or maybe just laughed at, but I'm ok with that) and more importantly, the big topic was moved to the morning when I can be alert and focused and ready to learn and participate.
To be continued...
Here's too a big fat happy day of learning tomorrow!
Monday, November 12, 2012
#805 TSA and my new knee
Hello from Lathrop, CA. It's a little town just south of Stockton.
It's been a long day. Because I am a nut-case, I get to the airport waaaay early. I hate to have to hurry, so I'd rather sit around a little. It's pretty easy to entertain myself with my beloved iPhone or a book or a puzzle, so it's no big deal for me to relax.
This is the first time I've traveled with my new knee and I was concerned about going through security. I'd asked the doctor about it and he said the security people would probably ask to see the scar, so I made sure to wear pants that I can easily pull up to show off that big scar. When I got up to the security screen thing, I told the agent that I had a knee joint replacement. He told me to get into the screening machine. In Salt Lake, we have the screening machine that sees through your clothes so a security agent that is in a room somewhere can see you naked, sort of.
Of course, the agent told me to stand off to the side and I was all prepared to pull up my pant leg, but she told me not to. See, the pants that I was wearing have a little metal button on the sides because you can roll up the pants and button them and they become capris. The security lady explained to me like I was three years old, "We are only concerned with what is outside your skin, not in what is under your skin." I felt like a dumb-ass.
Now watch. I'll wear jeans on the flight home and the TSA will want me to show them the scar because they don't have a scanning machine in Sacramenton and I'll have to drop my pants because I can't get the jeans up over my leg to show the scar! (Boot-cut jeans = loose around the boot area, fitted around the knee.) hahaha I'll just wear the pants I wore today on the flight home.
It's been a long day. Because I am a nut-case, I get to the airport waaaay early. I hate to have to hurry, so I'd rather sit around a little. It's pretty easy to entertain myself with my beloved iPhone or a book or a puzzle, so it's no big deal for me to relax.
This is the first time I've traveled with my new knee and I was concerned about going through security. I'd asked the doctor about it and he said the security people would probably ask to see the scar, so I made sure to wear pants that I can easily pull up to show off that big scar. When I got up to the security screen thing, I told the agent that I had a knee joint replacement. He told me to get into the screening machine. In Salt Lake, we have the screening machine that sees through your clothes so a security agent that is in a room somewhere can see you naked, sort of.
Of course, the agent told me to stand off to the side and I was all prepared to pull up my pant leg, but she told me not to. See, the pants that I was wearing have a little metal button on the sides because you can roll up the pants and button them and they become capris. The security lady explained to me like I was three years old, "We are only concerned with what is outside your skin, not in what is under your skin." I felt like a dumb-ass.
Now watch. I'll wear jeans on the flight home and the TSA will want me to show them the scar because they don't have a scanning machine in Sacramenton and I'll have to drop my pants because I can't get the jeans up over my leg to show the scar! (Boot-cut jeans = loose around the boot area, fitted around the knee.) hahaha I'll just wear the pants I wore today on the flight home.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
#804 work trippin'
Tomorrow I am heading to northern California for work. I'll spend part of the week in Stockton and part of the week in Sacramento for two separate, but related, training sessions. Usually when I travel, I'm alone, but not this time! Tomorrow I'll be traveling with three ladies from my office and I'm pretty happy about it. It will be nice to be with people I know. I'm not very good at socializing, so it will be nice for me to hang out with these three friends.
The three friends will get to come home on Wednesday night, but the second part of my training starts on Wednesday afternoon. I will know people at the second training, but no one specifically to hang out with. That's ok. I'll probably need to use all of my powers of paying attention so I can learn what I need to learn the second part of the week. I'll fly home on Friday night.
It's hard to pack for a week away from home! I packed a pair of shorts and a few t-shirts so I can hit the fitness center at the hotel to keep my knees moving. That means I have to pack a pair of sneakers. I packed work clothes for five days, too. My bag is full. I like to pack my computer cables in my suitcase because that stuff is bulky and my computer bag is pretty small.
I don't mind traveling for work, but at the same time, I hate leaving MT and T. MT has changed his hours at work so he'll be home at night with T and that's good. Still, T has to get up and get himself moving and to school on time. He's a big kid and I know he can do it, but he's still my baby and I worry.
In other news, we had quite the snowstorm this weekend. It snowed most of the day on Friday and Saturday. No snow today, though, thankfully, and the roads were clear. The sun came out, but it certainly wasn't warm enough to melt the snow in the yard. We have several inches. It's supposed to be cold and clear here next week. In the part of California where I will be, the weather will be in the mid-sixties and sunny.
That's all I've got for tonight. I'll look forward to checking in with you from lovely Stockton tomorrow.
The three friends will get to come home on Wednesday night, but the second part of my training starts on Wednesday afternoon. I will know people at the second training, but no one specifically to hang out with. That's ok. I'll probably need to use all of my powers of paying attention so I can learn what I need to learn the second part of the week. I'll fly home on Friday night.
It's hard to pack for a week away from home! I packed a pair of shorts and a few t-shirts so I can hit the fitness center at the hotel to keep my knees moving. That means I have to pack a pair of sneakers. I packed work clothes for five days, too. My bag is full. I like to pack my computer cables in my suitcase because that stuff is bulky and my computer bag is pretty small.
I don't mind traveling for work, but at the same time, I hate leaving MT and T. MT has changed his hours at work so he'll be home at night with T and that's good. Still, T has to get up and get himself moving and to school on time. He's a big kid and I know he can do it, but he's still my baby and I worry.
In other news, we had quite the snowstorm this weekend. It snowed most of the day on Friday and Saturday. No snow today, though, thankfully, and the roads were clear. The sun came out, but it certainly wasn't warm enough to melt the snow in the yard. We have several inches. It's supposed to be cold and clear here next week. In the part of California where I will be, the weather will be in the mid-sixties and sunny.
That's all I've got for tonight. I'll look forward to checking in with you from lovely Stockton tomorrow.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
#803 family night at the movies - Skyfall
Saturday night = movie night (quite often) for our little family and tonight was no exception. We have been looking forward to seeing the new James Bond movie, Skyfall, for awhile, and we were glad that the wait is over.
I think MT has seen most of the Bond movies. T has seen a bunch and I have seen some. I've seen all of the Bond movies starring Daniel Craig. I think he's really great as James Bond. He's kind of hot, too. Who can forget those teeny little blue swim trunks in Casino Royale? That's not the only reason I liked Casino Royale, though. I liked the action and the story and pretty much everything about it.
None of us liked the second installment of the Daniel Craig/James Bond films. Quantum of Solace just wasn't very good. MT and I saw it in the theater when it came out, and neither of us thought it was worthy. T hadn't seen it, so we got it from Netflix and watched it today. T got bored and fell asleep, but I stayed awake and tried to follow along, but it was confusing and just not enjoyable. It's a good thing that Bond movies each stand alone. You don't have to see them all to enjoy the next one.
Enter Skyfall. We all thought it was really good! The obligatory chase scene at the beginning was good and action-y. There was a lot of M, which I like because she's cool. There is a great new Q. The villain is fantastic. Bond is still a bad-ass.
We all agreed that we will be happy to add Skyfall to our video collection. Happy 50 years, James Bond!
Friday, November 9, 2012
#802 hello winter
We had our second snowfall of the season, but the first accumulation. It snowed all day. Sometimes it was big, fluffy flakes of snow and sometimes it was smaller bits of "chunky rain" and it seemed like sometimes it was just a misty rain, but it was wet and cold all day long. It's still coming down. We have a couple of inches of snow on the ground at our house and it's still cold, 32 degrees (that's 0 degrees Celsius for my foreign friends).
I hope that MT has a safe trip home from work tonight. He works about 90 miles or so from Salt Lake, and one part of the road he has to take goes through Sardine Canyon. In times when the road is clear, it's really pretty. When it's snowy and icy and cold, it can be treacherous. Please send some good driving vibes to my sweetheart that he will get home safely.
~~~
T and I are getting ready to watch the Jazz play the Denver Nuggets tonight. I won't stick to my 10 PM bedtime rule tonight because it's Friday and I don't have to get up early tomorrow, so I can watch the whole game. Hopefully it will be a good match-up so I don't fall asleep on the couch!
One more quick basketball thought: I'm not all that surprised about the Lakers firing Coach Mike Brown today. It was pretty obvious watching the Lakers play the Jazz the other night that the Lakers just weren't running on all cylinders and Kobe just looked pissed the entire time. He was chewing on his shirt and basically acting like a big baby. My friend LA (a Kobe and Lakers fan) pointed out that Kobe also uses that part of his shirt to wipe his nose and face. Gross.
T used to chew his shirts like this when he was little. He would have a spit circle around the collars of his t-shirts and sometimes even little teeth marks on the shirts.
Back to the Lakers...I heard Dan Patrick mention on his radio show that former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan may be a candidate for the Lakers coaching job. SAY IT AIN'T SO JERRY!!! Just the thought of Sloan coaching the Lakers makes me want to cry. Do you even know how difficult it was for me to see Karl Malone in a Lakers' uniform? It broke my heart. Ugh. I'll be watching the situation.
Ok, it's time for Jazz basketball. Be safe, be good and be kind, friends!
I hope that MT has a safe trip home from work tonight. He works about 90 miles or so from Salt Lake, and one part of the road he has to take goes through Sardine Canyon. In times when the road is clear, it's really pretty. When it's snowy and icy and cold, it can be treacherous. Please send some good driving vibes to my sweetheart that he will get home safely.
~~~
T and I are getting ready to watch the Jazz play the Denver Nuggets tonight. I won't stick to my 10 PM bedtime rule tonight because it's Friday and I don't have to get up early tomorrow, so I can watch the whole game. Hopefully it will be a good match-up so I don't fall asleep on the couch!
One more quick basketball thought: I'm not all that surprised about the Lakers firing Coach Mike Brown today. It was pretty obvious watching the Lakers play the Jazz the other night that the Lakers just weren't running on all cylinders and Kobe just looked pissed the entire time. He was chewing on his shirt and basically acting like a big baby. My friend LA (a Kobe and Lakers fan) pointed out that Kobe also uses that part of his shirt to wipe his nose and face. Gross.
T used to chew his shirts like this when he was little. He would have a spit circle around the collars of his t-shirts and sometimes even little teeth marks on the shirts.
Back to the Lakers...I heard Dan Patrick mention on his radio show that former Utah Jazz coach Jerry Sloan may be a candidate for the Lakers coaching job. SAY IT AIN'T SO JERRY!!! Just the thought of Sloan coaching the Lakers makes me want to cry. Do you even know how difficult it was for me to see Karl Malone in a Lakers' uniform? It broke my heart. Ugh. I'll be watching the situation.
Ok, it's time for Jazz basketball. Be safe, be good and be kind, friends!
Thursday, November 8, 2012
#801 a commercial break
I'm watching TV and when the show is over, it will be 10:00. You know what that means...bedtime! I guess that this tiny post written during a commercial break is it for today. Good night!
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
#800 an unusual night
Wow! 800 posts! Crazy! Sometimes I wonder why I still do it. Mostly, I do it because I like to write. I try to write something every day, whether it's here or in my journal.
It's an unusual night at my house. T is not here right now. He went with his friend Ben to watch another friend, Lucas, perform in a play. Lucas used to go to the same school as Ben and T, but he transferred to a different school so he could play water polo. They will all go to the same high school, though. Lucas is a talented singer and actor. T has been looking forward to watching Lucas' performance.
MT is home tonight. He had quite a bit of dental work done today and didn't feel well after it was done. In fact, it all didn't even get done because he was bleeding so profusely that the dentist sent him away and told him to go back in a few hours. He did go back, but they still couldn't finish because he was still bleeding. He will try again tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to finish the procedure. I can't even tell you everything he's having done. It involves a post and lots of stitches and quite a bit of money.
I worked a little bit late tonight. I was doing a project and wanted to wrap it up. I thought I was done, but discovered a discrepancy in the numbers, so I'll have to finish it up tomorrow. Oh well.
Tonight the Jazz are playing the Lakers, so I am going to flop down on my big chair, put my feet up, grab a blanket and relax to watch the game. I decided to write early because if the game goes a little late, I won't have time to write, and that wouldn't be ok with me. That 10:00 bedtime I instituted earlier this week is already sacred to me.
Go Jazz!
It's an unusual night at my house. T is not here right now. He went with his friend Ben to watch another friend, Lucas, perform in a play. Lucas used to go to the same school as Ben and T, but he transferred to a different school so he could play water polo. They will all go to the same high school, though. Lucas is a talented singer and actor. T has been looking forward to watching Lucas' performance.
MT is home tonight. He had quite a bit of dental work done today and didn't feel well after it was done. In fact, it all didn't even get done because he was bleeding so profusely that the dentist sent him away and told him to go back in a few hours. He did go back, but they still couldn't finish because he was still bleeding. He will try again tomorrow and hopefully they will be able to finish the procedure. I can't even tell you everything he's having done. It involves a post and lots of stitches and quite a bit of money.
I worked a little bit late tonight. I was doing a project and wanted to wrap it up. I thought I was done, but discovered a discrepancy in the numbers, so I'll have to finish it up tomorrow. Oh well.
Tonight the Jazz are playing the Lakers, so I am going to flop down on my big chair, put my feet up, grab a blanket and relax to watch the game. I decided to write early because if the game goes a little late, I won't have time to write, and that wouldn't be ok with me. That 10:00 bedtime I instituted earlier this week is already sacred to me.
Go Jazz!
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
#799 a pretty picture
I'm not going to write about the election. I fulfilled my right and duty as an American and cast my vote, but now I don't want to hear about it anymore. We haven't even turned on the TV. The closest I got to seeing anything about the election was when I logged in and my homepage popped up. I quickly moved along. T and I were thinking about going to see a movie, but I was in line at the polls for about an hour, then we had to go to GameStop to pick up HALO4, then it was too late. How could I get to bed at 10 if we went to a movie that started at 8:30 or 8:45? We couldn't, and I would probably just fall asleep at the movie and that would be a waste of $8.75.
ANYWAY...
The sky was so beautiful when I left work tonight! It was the prettiest pastel shades of blue and pink. I love pink clouds! So I took a picture to share with you beautiful people on this Tuesday night.
I'm not exactly sure why I waited until I was in the truck to take the picture, but there you go!
ANYWAY...
The sky was so beautiful when I left work tonight! It was the prettiest pastel shades of blue and pink. I love pink clouds! So I took a picture to share with you beautiful people on this Tuesday night.
I'm not exactly sure why I waited until I was in the truck to take the picture, but there you go!
Monday, November 5, 2012
#798 bad start, ok finish
I had it all planned out...today would be the day that I got back in the early morning gym routine. I would warm up on the bike, then use the elliptical machine and finish off with some ab crunches and gentle stretches. I would be home in plenty of time to shower and make my lunch. I would feel energized and happy and good about myself. What a fantastic way to start the week, right?
BUT...
When my alarm went off at oh-so-dark 4:45, I couldn't turn the music off quickly enough. I think I touched every button on the clock, including the lighted display. Sadly, I did not turn off the alarm, I just hit the snooze button, so nine minutes later, there was Sheryl Crow, singing her little heart out. I decided the best thing would be to set the alarm for 5:45 and get some more sleep. It was a good idea; I slept like a rock until Sheryl came on again at which time MT kind of yelled, "Turn off your alarm!"
I decided I'd sleep for five more minutes. I was snoozing happily when MT said, "Sandy! It's 7:00! Get up!" Only it wasn't 7:00, it was 6:00. He had not set his clock back an hour. So I slept for a few more minutes, until 6:15, then I was rushing all around.
To make matters worse, I think I might be starting to move in the direction of The Change (you know, meopause) and I get super-hot in the morning. I mean, like sweaty hot. It's not nice. I go into the guest room and sit in front of the fan for a few minutes and mop my brow. But that's not all! Those milkshakes I consumed in the first week or two after my surgery are still with me and my clothes are tight and so I hate them all. Also, because I'm hot, everything feels extra awful. I usually try on at least two outfits every morning.
<>
The good news is that I was able to make my lunch and get to work on time. My pants were tight, but I was able to sit comfortably, so I guess that's ok.
Work was good. I got a lot of things done and felt like the company got their money's worth.
Instead of going to the gym after work, I rode my bike here at home and did all my PT exercises.
I've challenged myself to get to bed by 10:00 tonight and lights out no later than 10:30. That means that I can't let myself get sucked into those FB games!
Well, maybe I can play for a few minutes :P
BUT...
When my alarm went off at oh-so-dark 4:45, I couldn't turn the music off quickly enough. I think I touched every button on the clock, including the lighted display. Sadly, I did not turn off the alarm, I just hit the snooze button, so nine minutes later, there was Sheryl Crow, singing her little heart out. I decided the best thing would be to set the alarm for 5:45 and get some more sleep. It was a good idea; I slept like a rock until Sheryl came on again at which time MT kind of yelled, "Turn off your alarm!"
I decided I'd sleep for five more minutes. I was snoozing happily when MT said, "Sandy! It's 7:00! Get up!" Only it wasn't 7:00, it was 6:00. He had not set his clock back an hour. So I slept for a few more minutes, until 6:15, then I was rushing all around.
To make matters worse, I think I might be starting to move in the direction of The Change (you know, meopause) and I get super-hot in the morning. I mean, like sweaty hot. It's not nice. I go into the guest room and sit in front of the fan for a few minutes and mop my brow. But that's not all! Those milkshakes I consumed in the first week or two after my surgery are still with me and my clothes are tight and so I hate them all. Also, because I'm hot, everything feels extra awful. I usually try on at least two outfits every morning.
<
The good news is that I was able to make my lunch and get to work on time. My pants were tight, but I was able to sit comfortably, so I guess that's ok.
Work was good. I got a lot of things done and felt like the company got their money's worth.
Instead of going to the gym after work, I rode my bike here at home and did all my PT exercises.
I've challenged myself to get to bed by 10:00 tonight and lights out no later than 10:30. That means that I can't let myself get sucked into those FB games!
Well, maybe I can play for a few minutes :P
Sunday, November 4, 2012
#797 another weekend has come and gone
We all did the "fall back" thing today and I've been confused and tired most of the day. Now it's 8:30, which used to be 9:30 yesterday, and I am ready to get ready for bed. But first...words.
Wednesday was Halloween and it was also the day that MT and I expanded our real estate empire. That's right - we took on another mortgage on another property that needs a LOT of work in order to be livable. The new place is a duplex, or as we like to call it, a single family home with a two-bedroom mother-in-law apartment with a separate entrance. The good news is that we already have a tenant for the upstairs part of the house, and the rent he pays will cover the payment while MT renovates the downstairs unit. That is quite a luxury for us because usually we just have to cover the mortgage while the renovations are being done. MT has already made an agreement with the tenant, Gary, to move downstairs when the renovations there are complete so MT can renovate the upstairs. Gary has lived there for years, and he seems happy that the place will be fixed up. MT always does a really nice job on the renovations. It's wonderful that he can do pretty much everything himself.
This weekend MT spent most of his time over at the Buccaneer house. That's the name of the street it's on. It's right across from T's future high school.
For me, the weekend flew by! Yesterday I went to the gym in the late morning - I slept in a little - and in the afternoon I went through all my clothes. I got rid of some that I don't wear anymore, then I put all my summer-y things away and brought out all my sweaters. As sad as I was to put the summer clothes away, I was kind of glad to do it because I was pretty tired of all of them. I wasn't all that thrilled with my sweaters, though. I think it would be fun to go buy a few new things to brighten up the old wardrobe.
Today I took T to buy some new shoes. He's trying out for the basketball team tomorrow (fingers crossed! hope he makes it!) and he wanted/needed some new court shoes. He got himself a pair of "sexy" Nikes. (His term.) I'm frankly surprised he doesn't have them on right now.
Tonight I watched my most favorite show, Once Upon a Time. I think that if you just sat down to watch a random episode, you might not understand what is going on and give up on it, unless you just stayed watching because the people are very attractive. There's a new character this season, Captain Hook, and he's extremely good looking.
All right, that's all I've got for tonight. Be good, be safe and be kind :)
Wednesday was Halloween and it was also the day that MT and I expanded our real estate empire. That's right - we took on another mortgage on another property that needs a LOT of work in order to be livable. The new place is a duplex, or as we like to call it, a single family home with a two-bedroom mother-in-law apartment with a separate entrance. The good news is that we already have a tenant for the upstairs part of the house, and the rent he pays will cover the payment while MT renovates the downstairs unit. That is quite a luxury for us because usually we just have to cover the mortgage while the renovations are being done. MT has already made an agreement with the tenant, Gary, to move downstairs when the renovations there are complete so MT can renovate the upstairs. Gary has lived there for years, and he seems happy that the place will be fixed up. MT always does a really nice job on the renovations. It's wonderful that he can do pretty much everything himself.
This weekend MT spent most of his time over at the Buccaneer house. That's the name of the street it's on. It's right across from T's future high school.
For me, the weekend flew by! Yesterday I went to the gym in the late morning - I slept in a little - and in the afternoon I went through all my clothes. I got rid of some that I don't wear anymore, then I put all my summer-y things away and brought out all my sweaters. As sad as I was to put the summer clothes away, I was kind of glad to do it because I was pretty tired of all of them. I wasn't all that thrilled with my sweaters, though. I think it would be fun to go buy a few new things to brighten up the old wardrobe.
Today I took T to buy some new shoes. He's trying out for the basketball team tomorrow (fingers crossed! hope he makes it!) and he wanted/needed some new court shoes. He got himself a pair of "sexy" Nikes. (His term.) I'm frankly surprised he doesn't have them on right now.
Tonight I watched my most favorite show, Once Upon a Time. I think that if you just sat down to watch a random episode, you might not understand what is going on and give up on it, unless you just stayed watching because the people are very attractive. There's a new character this season, Captain Hook, and he's extremely good looking.
Yeah, there's a lot of guyliner there, but he's pretty yummy...dark hair, blue eyes...me likey!
All right, that's all I've got for tonight. Be good, be safe and be kind :)
Saturday, November 3, 2012
#796 family night at the movies - Flight
Tonight the three of us went to see a film that we've been looking forward to for a couple of months, Flight, starring Denzel Washington and directed by Robert Zemekis.
T was the first to identify this movie as one we should see. The trailer was eye-catching and featured one of my favorite songs of all time, Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones. Plus, Denzel is usually amazing in his movies and Robert Zemekis is a good director.
The first 30 minutes or so of this movie was intense and horrifying. I sat through most of it with my hands over my mouth and my eyes wide open. The next 100 minutes is so emotional and gripping that it just takes your breath away. You cannot take your eyes off Denzel Washington. His performance is stunning. The film is riveting.
There is one scene in particular that is extremely well done. In it, Denzel's character, Whip, finds a fully - and I mean FULLY - stocked mini-bar in the adjoining hotel room. He looks inside the fridge. He's been sober for eight days. He reaches into the fridge and takes a mini bottle of vodka. He opens it. He looks at the liquid, brings it to his nose and smells it. You can literally see him thinking about drinking the vodka straight from the little bottle and considering the consequences. Just when you think he will drink it, he screws the lid back on the bottle, closes the refrigerator door and puts the bottle on top of the mini-fridge. You hear him walk away. The camera stays on the bottle on top of the fridge. You breathe a sigh of relief and before the sigh is complete, his hand snatches the bottle off the fridge. It is devastating.
Our family agrees that Flight is one of the best movies we have seen this year. The story, the acting, the film itself is fantastic. We think you'll be hearing about this film come Oscar time. It's crazy good.
Friday, November 2, 2012
#795 thinking about surviving a disaster
This morning I had a conversation with a friend at work about some of the people affected by Hurricane Sandy. He saw a woman on the news wondering what kind of country we live in when people don't have electricity or water or gas. (When the reporter asked the woman why she didn't put gas in her car before the storm came, she said that her car gets excellent gas mileage and she doesn't have to put gas in it very often.) My friend wondered why the woman didn't fill up her bathtub, coolers, and every pot and pan in her home to prepare for the storm. He wondered if she didn't stock up on batteries for flashlights or propane.
My friend is a bit of a survivalist, and has some strong opinions about preparing yourself for a disaster. His point was that there were several days of warnings about the hurricane and people had time to get ready by making sure they had water and gas and some form of heat. He pointed out that we live in an earthquake zone and we won't have warnings to prepare for an earthquake, so we should always be ready.
He says he never lets his gas tank get below half full/empty. He has a room in his home stocked with canned goods and water. He has an emergency bag in each of his cars that includes water, walking shoes, a change of clothes, etc. Their camping gear is neatly gathered and includes various water filtration devices, cooking supplies and other necessities that could get them through The Big One. He told me he thinks his family could survive for six months if something were to happen. He thought about it for another minute and decided the survival window could be longer because they always have deer in their yard, so he could kill a deer and they could salt the meat - they have a bunch of water softener salt at their house - and they could plant a garden if they had to.
I think it's a smart idea to think about stuff like that. MT and I have talked about what we would do if there was a disaster, but not to that extent. MT is pretty low-key about it. He doesn't spend much time worrying about the "what ifs". We would try to get home, but it would be each of us for ourselves to get home from wherever we were. We do have some emergency provisions, but we are definitely not in the same league as my friend. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think a lot about the potential of a devastating earthquake here. That's the way to turn myself into a neurotic mess.
What if The Big One hit here while I was at work, and T was at school and MT was at work, which is currently Logan, about 80 miles away from SLC? My number one thing would be to try to get to T. I would drive as far as I could and I'd walk the rest of the way.
I had a friend who was living in Santa Cruz and working in Watsonville at the time of the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. She had to walk most of the way home - that's about 20 miles. She had gym clothes and sneakers in a bag in her car because she usually went to the gym after work.
Jeez...thinking about that kind of stuff makes my head hurt and my heart ache a little. I really REALLY hope I never have to find out how I would react in a situation like that. In the meantime, my thoughts are with the people affected by the hurricane.
My friend is a bit of a survivalist, and has some strong opinions about preparing yourself for a disaster. His point was that there were several days of warnings about the hurricane and people had time to get ready by making sure they had water and gas and some form of heat. He pointed out that we live in an earthquake zone and we won't have warnings to prepare for an earthquake, so we should always be ready.
He says he never lets his gas tank get below half full/empty. He has a room in his home stocked with canned goods and water. He has an emergency bag in each of his cars that includes water, walking shoes, a change of clothes, etc. Their camping gear is neatly gathered and includes various water filtration devices, cooking supplies and other necessities that could get them through The Big One. He told me he thinks his family could survive for six months if something were to happen. He thought about it for another minute and decided the survival window could be longer because they always have deer in their yard, so he could kill a deer and they could salt the meat - they have a bunch of water softener salt at their house - and they could plant a garden if they had to.
I think it's a smart idea to think about stuff like that. MT and I have talked about what we would do if there was a disaster, but not to that extent. MT is pretty low-key about it. He doesn't spend much time worrying about the "what ifs". We would try to get home, but it would be each of us for ourselves to get home from wherever we were. We do have some emergency provisions, but we are definitely not in the same league as my friend. Maybe I'm naive, but I don't think a lot about the potential of a devastating earthquake here. That's the way to turn myself into a neurotic mess.
What if The Big One hit here while I was at work, and T was at school and MT was at work, which is currently Logan, about 80 miles away from SLC? My number one thing would be to try to get to T. I would drive as far as I could and I'd walk the rest of the way.
I had a friend who was living in Santa Cruz and working in Watsonville at the time of the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. She had to walk most of the way home - that's about 20 miles. She had gym clothes and sneakers in a bag in her car because she usually went to the gym after work.
Jeez...thinking about that kind of stuff makes my head hurt and my heart ache a little. I really REALLY hope I never have to find out how I would react in a situation like that. In the meantime, my thoughts are with the people affected by the hurricane.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
#794 I graduated!
Happy November, everyone! This month has traditionally been National Blog Posting Month with a challenge to post something every day. I've been trying to post every day about every other month this year because it keeps me from being lazy when I give myself a little challenge like that. I think I'm up for the challenge this month!
Tonight was my last night at physical therapy. That doesn't mean I am done rehabbing the knee, but I won't have to go to the clinic and work with Lance, Alan and Eric anymore (unless I really want to). Lance has determined that I can continue on my own. He says I can go to the gym and do just about anything. He wants me to continue to get stronger, but my mobility is good. My final measurement tonight was 128 degrees! YAHOO!
There is such a huge difference between my first visit there at the end of August and my last visit tonight. I can walk up and down the stairs like a normal person, one foot after the other. I can even go up and down stairs without holding on to the rail if I have to. I can sit cross-legged. I can get in and out of the car or the truck without difficulty. I sleep like a rock. My knee doesn't ache and grind. My balance is much better - not as good as before the surgery, but definitely better than at the end of August. I still have work to do, but I'm going to be ok.
Lance and Alan gave me a little graduation gift: a water bottle and a t-shirt with the clinic's logo on it, saluted me, shook my hand and sent me on my way. I'll miss those guys. They were awesome and really helpful.
That's all I've got for today. I'm going to go eat some soup and flop down on the couch to watch a little TV.
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