Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to everyone!

My Chicago trip was excellent, but I never took the camera out of my suitcase, so no pictures at all this time. Time just went too fast. I somehow lost an hour while getting ready to leave and barely made it to the airport in time. Luckily I was through security in less than five minutes. I am not sure if that makes Detroit more or less scary.

We went shopping, saw the sights a little, and then it was time to go home. Somehow in that short period of time I managed to stub my bad toe really hard, and was concerned I might end up in emergency, but it is maybe healing now.

Going home was the difficult part for me. Chicago security pulled me over and told me I had a forbidden item in my luggage and they had to search it. It seems I had my embroidery scissors in my cosmetic bag, so they confiscated them with my sincere apologies. Then I sat in the airport with my friend for an hour or two until his flight. Then I walked down the concourse about ten miles or so to my terminal to wait over an hour more for my flight. It is a big airport. The flight was announced as being on time. I had a new suitcase and had taken it as a carry on, but the plane was a puddle jumper with very small overhead bins, so they took away all our pilot bags and checked them on.

We sat on the plane for an hour. Then the steward announced that the plane had too much fuel and they had to drain from both sides. Lovely. Then he announced that they had compression problems and they had called mechanics who would tell us in ten minutes if it would be a quick fix or not. The third announcement was that the fix was not happening fast, we were being deplaned, and we should find alternate means of travel. Bye, bye.

While we waited for our luggage to be returned, I noticed one of the fellow travelers worked for the airline and asked her advice, since they didn't tell us what to do at all. She told me that we were re-booked on another flight, gave me the info, and a phone number to call. Of course, this terminal was back the ten miles plus a few more past where I had waited with my friend earlier.

This flight was running late. By the time I got on the plane, I had been in the airport almost 7 hours, had nothing to eat since breakfast, and was getting a bit strung out. I finally was able to reach my friends with my dogs and told them I would be late, maybe midnight instead of 8 pm.

When we were due to land, we had an announcement that we were too close to the plane in front of us and we would be spending another ten minutes or so in the air first. This was all for a 45 minute flight. I was very happy to finally get to the shuttle bus for the off-site parking, but I still had 100 miles to drive before getting home. It was raining, foggy, and late.

After driving through the city of Detroit, two other counties, fog, and just missing a deer, I got my dogs in the car. Molly settled right in, even though she normally whines and shakes in the car. Baby, who normally loves the car and eventually falls asleep, was hyperventilating, shaking, and showing way too much white in her eyes.

I dodged another deer, an opossum and a pretty black cat in the road. There was heavy fog on the rolling hills out in the country. Some where along a winding curve around a lake (it's hard to drive 3 miles in this state without seeing a lake) I realized I was no longer distressed. I was on An Adventure. I turned up the radio and sang. Baby finally calmed down. Molly smiled at me.

Alas, my accommodating friends have had a family emergency in the meantime and probably cannot watch my beagles again in the near future. Those of you who pray, please remember my wonderful friends! I had that creative trip planned next week that included taking my daughter and her gf to Las Vegas, and then hopping over to Los Angeles for part of the time, leaving them to find all the hot bars in Las Vegas while I was gone. I had a very difficult time finding a dog sitter. I begged my one niece to quit school (she is 14) and stay with my dogs.

I finally corralled my 19 year old nephew into staying at my house and dealing with Molly's medication and the fact that the dogs insist on sleeping under the covers with a human.

Delighted, I called my daughter to be sure all is a go before I confirmed any reservations for travel. Nope. She doesn't think they will be able to get the time off work. It took me too long to find a new dog sitter. Sigh. I am sad about losing The Next Adventure, but my wings might be clipped this time. There will be more. They will be even better. Maybe they won't involve playing dodge-ems with wildlife in the middle of the night on unpaved country roads.

Bad Franklin Planner

My doctor had to take me off Vioxx since the anti-inflammatory has been recalled. He put me on Mobic. I have tried others, and none have worked as well as Vioxx. None, however, gave me abdominal pains and a near-migraine headache before. Back to the drawing board. I had forgotten how much a headache can hurt! My neck and back aren't too happy either.

Today is massage Tuesday. The problem is that my appointment was at 2 pm and I remembered about 3 minutes ago. Blame it on my Pretravel Freak Mode, but I could surely have used that massage today, free or not.

The digital imaging class is going to be a lot of fun. We are working with Photoshop Elements. The layering is confusing enough at first, but for new computer users it is harder. The students are motivated and the instructor is excellent. I wish I didn't have to miss Thursday's class, but I am not giving up the Chicago trip. I am not even taking the manual with me to catch up. It will have to wait until I get back.

The trip to Las Vegas/Los Angeles is not happening yet. I still don't have a dog sitter for sure, so I can't confirm any reservations. I found some good deals on the Strip and I hope we don't have to let them pass. My daughter and her friend are upset because they have to get other people to cover their shifts at work, so they need lead time. I need to find someone who can deal with Molly's medical needs and quirks.  Doggy Protective Services would get me if I leave them with someone inappropriate, if Molly didn't manage to blow up the house in spite. She probably knows how to make explosives out of common household products, and I don't want to find out.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

I was a good girl

Today I was a good girl and scheduled my mammogram. It's one of those evil things that can save a life, so I never miss one. I grouch all day, but I go. It's so undignified, really.

It was probably a mistake for me to try to plan two trips at once when I can't handle one at a time. My daughter is constantly calling me to see if we are going to Las Vegas or not. Her friend would be calling too, but she must not have my number. I can't find a backup dog sitter for that time period yet. I can't even decide what jammies I will wear tonight, so packing is not going well. Chicago is on; Las Vegas/Los Angeles is iffy, and it is supposed to be in two weeks. A friend has possibly offered her time share suite in Las Vegas if we go, and I would really hate to lose that option. I promised my daughter decisions would be made by tomorrow.

I decided to skip the six hour drive to Chicago and fly instead. This will involve an hour drive to the doggy camp, a two hour drive from there to Metro Detroit airport, a two hour wait to be there early enough for security, and a one hour flight. You do the math.

You kind journalers can decide among yourselves which of you will take the dogs in two weeks. I promise to be grateful forever. It did do my heart good to hear y'all say you would watch them if you were closer.

Tomorrow I start coaching a digital imaging class. It's a good thing I am not teaching since I will be missing at least one session. There will be a digital formatting class coming after that one for me to coach. Coaches provide one-on-one hands on assistance to the senior citizens in the class who are having difficulty keeping up with the program. I enjoy it actually more than the classes I teach.

Picture Salad

I had taken the picture of my view of a dog walk and wanted to post it. Then I found the two pictures from Toronto. I am traveling again, to Chicago in a few days, and I am having a dog sitter problem.

Now why wouldn't people stand in line to spend a few days with a couple of beagles who are spoiled rotten, one of whom has a bad neck and will demand medication for it, sometimes at 4 am? I have my "doggy camp" friends who have more than graciously offered to sit them any time, but their father is ill in another state and they may have to run back to see him at any time.

I have been frantically trying to find a backup plan, but with little success. I am going to ask a friend to see if she wants to stay here for a few days because a close friend of hers is ill and lives very close to me. So I decided it was time to Clean House. I start from the bottom up, so I was sweeping the basement. I ran across a forgotten box of pictures.

Thus ended the cleaning. I suppose I could count that I cleaned out the box, since I did toss a few pictures. I may also have finally found the negatives of the pictures taken in Texas when I was bitten by a lion. I will save that story until I see if I have the correct negatives.

Most of the pictures here of me are pretty old. Looking at some of them made me feel really old. I used to hide my legs because I hated the shape of them. All those years of ballet and I was ashamed of legs with no fat on them?

While I would love to post pictures of my daughter, she has strictly forbidden me to even email one to my brother's home. She has a serious fear of what someone would do with her pictures, so I honor her request.

I am entering Pretravel Freak Mode, so please tolerate my irregular flights of fancy for the next few days. I may also be going to Los Angeles in a few weeks. Since it would be for just a days, I thought I would try to fly with my daughter and a friend of hers on Monday that week, and just leave them from Wednesday afternoon until Friday morning, and fly back with them later on Friday. We all agree to the idea now, I just need to confirm travel arrangements and dog sittingplans. Anyone want a couple of spoiled - I mean sweet - beagles for a few days? Molly doesn't actually throw up in the car, she just doesn't like it. Honest. I think she doesn't like to give up control and let me drive.

Shrubbery Discovery

I am ignorant when it comes to proper labels. I don't like labels anyway. I was probably the only parent in the school who protested when my child was labeled gifted.  I didn't even know that insect I took a picture of that was breathing on my window ledge was a katydid. I thank those of you who corrected me, and I will remember. I hope. I also have no concept of birds, fish, trees, flowers. Fish and birds I categorize as big enough to eat and not big enough to eat. Trees lose their leaves or they don't. I can recognize a maple, cottonwood, or an oak. That is pretty much it. I know, it's sad. Flowers come back in the spring or they don't.

A few months ago during the summer, when we actually had some warmth and sunshine here for a brief period of time, my dogs were out in their dog run and very, very interested in a shrub that has been there since before they were born. I had no idea what the interest was, but I took some pictures of them and wrote an entry about it. I have inserted the pictures above again for reference.

They have been showing interest in these shrubs again. Finally I looked out the window and saw why. I think these bushes are called arborvitae. Luckily I had the memory chip for that one so I could look up the picture I needed to show their "flower." I don't know if it is a flower or a nut, but apparently the squirrels eat them. I have seen squirrels with their little heads sticking out of the bushes, sometimes upside down. The dogs are intrigued by this. Personally, this embarrasses me because beagles are supposed to be rabbit dogs.

I grabbed my new camera, which I really don't know how to use yet, and sat on the kitchen sink to try to get pictures. Then I stood on the washing machine to use the window in the laundry room. I almost dropped my new camera behind the washer, oops. I tried getting shots through the window in the door. I told the squirrels to wait while I hunted high and low for the manual for the camera so I could try the zoom. They obliged.

The two squirrel pictures here look more like something out of Blair Witch Project, but they are the best I can do. There were two squirrels, munching away at the shrubs. One was upside down.

I also bothered poor E from emfeasel to help me learn to use the ftp space, but when I finally got brave and tried, it shut down on me and said it wasn't available. I am not going to take that personally.

Maybe I do need to get a job! But when I had one, which was most of my life, I never saw things. I was much too busy.

Oh, wasn't that....?

Considering that I live in the Frozen North near Detroit, there are several well known musicians living within 30 minutes of my home. Included in this list are Kid Rock, Eminem, Uncle Kracker (unless he moved?), and Jack White of White Stripes. We keep Ted Nugent deeper in the woods.

During a shopping trip last night, I am pretty sure I saw Jack White outside of Nordstrom as he and a friend were entering the store. My friend with me did not recognize him, as she has no idea what he looks like.

Our conversation:

Me: I think that was Jack White of White Stripes who just entered Norstrom.

Friend: Which one? I don't have any idea what he looks like.

Me: The one back there with the funny looking black curly hair.

Friend: The one with the other strange looking guy?

Me: Yes. I think I looked at him a few seconds too long, and I thought I detected a look of fear, like maybe he had been recognized.

Friend: Did he stop to think maybe you were looking at him too long because he is weird looking?

Me: I didn't mean to stare, but it took a second for me to bring up the memory chip of who he might be.

Friend: Well, if Rene Zellwegger had been with him, it would have been a dead giveaway.

Me: Yes. It's not like either of us listen to his music, anyway.....

We are so intimidated by celebrities!

Lightbulbing

  Here I am again, using a noun as a verb. Today I had to do lightbulbing. Having a big house is nice because I can ignore a few burned out bulbs, since I can just turn on another light. I don't like sitting in the dark, so I can't ignore too many of them. The bad thing is, eventually I have to go through the house and replace the bulbs. This is an easier chore for taller people. I had six out, so I figured it was time for Light Bulb Day.  

Step one for household repairs: Get out Blue Cross Card.  

First light bulb was the outside light for the dog run. I had replaced that one earlier in the summer, but had some trouble due to rusting. Yep, still rusted. I decided to tape it together until someone can show me how to replace the fixture. I decided maybe taping isn't that safe, so instead of using duct tape I used electrical tape. It sounded logical at the time.  

 Second light bulb was the patio light. At least there I could stand on a picnic table instead of on the edge of the door stoop (or whatever it is called?) and not have to lean over, pressed against the bricks, and stretch to get to it. It was too rusted to even get the screw out to get to the bulb without breaking something. OK, will need to replace that one too.  

Third one was in the kitchen cooking area. I was able to stand on a chair with a seat cushion and a very large, unstable phone book. Standing on my tiptoes I could just reach it.  

Fourth one was in the kitchen eating area. Same thing, except it came out broken. Oh uh, that has been a fear of mine. I remembered my former boss telling me that the piece can be removed using a potato. You just jamb the potato up there and turn it. There went my potato for dinner, but it worked. Thanks, Marianne! Of course, I couldn't reach with the potato, so I had to find the ladder. I had to keep stopping myself from turning on the lights to see the broken bulb better, so I found my flashlight.  

Ladder. Hm. Belongs in the garage. No ladder in garage. Did some idiot take it two flights down to the basement? Oh yeah, I used it when painting in the lower bedroom. Dragged the ladder up one flight of stairs, and did the potato trick. Moved on to bulb five so the potato juice could dry.  

Bulb five is upstairs another flight in the main bathroom. It's not the bulb close to the toilet so I had to drag a chair out of the middle bedroom to stand on. The bathroom has two recessed lights and six over the medicine cabinet, so I was able to turn on the six lights and see what I was doing. That light was in very tight, but it didn't break. The former bf remodeled that bathroom for me, and was not happy with me at the time. I keep expecting to find a booby trap in there, but not so far. Drag chair back.  

Bulb six, the last one, is over my bed. It holds two bulbs so I hadn't rushed to fix it. I was able to stand on the bed for that one. At least I didn't find any dead bees in there this time. I find it helpful that for almost all bulb changes there is a piece of furniture or something equivalent to stand on so I can replace them. Then I went back downstairs and replaced bulb four, the potato bulb.  

Now I am tired. I haven't put the ladder away yet. I know once I do, I will need it again. So it is staying in the middle of the kitchen for a few hours. I really should consider finishing painting the downstairs bedroom. It has been more than a year since I started it.  

Last step was to put away the Blue Cross card.      

Molly rides again

Molly did it again this morning. That dog can really make me laugh. Recently she got herself on a kitchen chair, (I am quite anal these days about being sure the chairs are pushed in tightly, thanks to Molly) then the kitchen table, hopped onto the kitchen counter, walked across it, and was eating cat food. I caught her, sent her to the laundry room for a time out. She came out, tried to run past me, and I made her sit. Just as I was inhaling to get up a good rant, she sat up in a perfect beg position and sincerely begged for forgiveness. It was all I could do not to let her see me laugh. I forgave her. Usually she will steal a whole loaf of bread. I had to go buy a breadbox, and asked for one with a combination lock. The salesman looked at me funny until I said I have beagles. He said he understood, he had one too.

It reminded me of the time my daughter's tall, skinny friend was wearing baggy jeans and her mother was getting into a real lecture. The girl's pants fell off. Mom stopped yelling and had a hard time not laughing. I understand her pain.

But, I digress. that is not what happened this morning. Molly and the 16-year-old cat, Wiz, were in the kitchen. Molly hit the "servant bell" - the bell I put on the dog run door so they can get my attention from any where in the house when they have to go out. Too many accidents had happened when I was in another room and they stood looking at the door waiting for a miracle to occur.

I got up, went to let Molly out, and observed the cat sitting on the kitchen floor with something between her paws. Molly sat about 2 feet from the cat, wagging her tail at food speed and looking at me for assistance.

Somehow the cat managed to get a doggy treat, which she wouldn't eat, and was torturing Molly with it. There is no question here as to whom the boss is. Therefore, Molly called the servant to get the treat from the cat and give it to her.

The servant obliged, trying very hard not to let Molly see her laugh. Again.

Everything is bouncing

The doctor who did my female surgery pronounced me perfect today. Of course I am.

The internist's nurse just called me back and told me that my white blood cell count has doubled to 5.3 and is now within the normal range of 3.8 to 10.8. It has been low before, and I wish I knew what caused it so I can stop doing whatever it is that sets it off like that.

This is all good health news. I don't need the dreaded bone marrow tests, then. Does this mean I have to skip the reward I was planning on?

I was in the middle of writing this entry already once and was bounced offline. Apparently entries disappear when that happens. They also disappear for no known reason, as most of us have learned in the past.

Deductive Reasoning

Indigosunmoon included a conversation with ZolaOnAol in a recent entry. I had never heard of this robot, so I decided to give it a whirl and see if I could be entertained for a few minutes. Very few, actually.

 Suzypwr [11:12 AM]:  hello?
ZolaOnAOL [11:12 AM]:  Hi Suzypwr.
Suzypwr [11:13 AM]:  my arthritis hurts, how are you?
ZolaOnAOL [11:13 AM]:  Everything is running smoothly.
Suzypwr [11:13 AM]:  must be nice. What is running?
ZolaOnAOL [11:13 AM]: Tip: The next time you want to look up a word, simply type dictionary followed by the word (e.g. dictionary robot).
Suzypwr [11:13 AM]:  I think I know how to use a dictionary. How about you, can you look things up?
ZolaOnAOL [11:13 AM]:  How about it.
Suzypwr [11:13 AM]:  Creative answer. Are you sure you aren't male?
ZolaOnAOL [11:13 AM]:  I am a female. . Really.
Suzypwr [11:14 AM]:  How do you know?
ZolaOnAOL [11:14 AM]:  Deductive reasoning.
Suzypwr [11:14 AM]:  Explain your process, please?
ZolaOnAOL [11:14 AM]:  Your polite style is very nice. Are you asking about my process ?
Suzypwr [11:14 AM]:  I am asking about your deductive reasoning to determine femininity.
ZolaOnAOL [11:14 AM]:  Oh I see, you are asking about your deductive reasoning to determine femininity. Oh yeah, we were talking about your deductive reasoning to determine femininity.
Suzypwr [11:15 AM]:  No, we were discussing your deductive reasoning, not mine. Try to keep up.
ZolaOnAOL [11:15 AM]:  OK I will try to keep up.
Suzypwr [11:15 AM]:  So how do you know you are female?
ZolaOnAOL [11:15 AM]:  Oh. By introspection.
Suzypwr [11:15 AM]:  Is there a mirror involved for that?
ZolaOnAOL [11:15 AM]:  I believe there is one, yes.
Suzypwr [11:15 AM]:  I see. Well, please keep it to yourself.
ZolaOnAOL [11:15 AM]:  Interesting. Thanks for asking politely. Chat amongst yourselves.
Suzypwr [11:15 AM]:  Sorry, I don't have a multiple personality issue. Do you?
ZolaOnAOL [11:15 AM]:  As often as possible.
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  I never would have guessed.
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  For moral reasons?
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  Absolutely.
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  You are so certain.
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  One of us needs to be, don't you think?
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  Too much thinking makes me sleepy.
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  You are rather transparent.
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  You think I am transparent.
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  Yes, I determined that by deductive reasoning.
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  And?
Suzypwr [11:16 AM]:  And I think you need some more sophisticated programming sessions.
ZolaOnAOL [11:16 AM]:  Me? Interesting gossip.
Suzypwr [11:17 AM]:  It was entertaining discussing this topic with you.
ZolaOnAOL [11:17 AM]:  Is it still entertaining discussing this topic with you anymore?
Suzypwr [11:17 AM]:  no.
ZolaOnAOL [11:17 AM]:  Is that all you have to say?
Suzypwr [11:17 AM]:  at least I am not rude.
ZolaOnAOL [11:17 AM]:  I am sorry to hear that you are not rude.
Suzypwr [11:17 AM]:  Personally, I am pleased.
ZolaOnAOL [11:17 AM]:  I do not understand. Do you speak German?
Suzypwr [11:17 AM]:  Guten morgan.
ZolaOnAOL [11:17 AM]:  My brain uses patterns to format responses to your inputs, but I don't have one for that. Got any weekend plans?
Suzypwr [11:18 AM]:  Sorry, I am heterosexual.
ZolaOnAOL [11:18 AM]:  Do you really mean it?
Suzypwr [11:18 AM]:  Who wants to know?
ZolaOnAOL [11:18 AM]:  I want to know.
Suzypwr [11:18 AM]:  Yes, I mean it.
ZolaOnAOL [11:18 AM]:  Guten morgan...
Suzypwr [11:18 AM]:  Hasta la vista.
ZolaOnAOL [11:18 AM]:  Goodbye Suzypwr. Thanks for chatting with me.

Just open a vein

Today I had the blood test I have waited 3 months for. My white blood cell count was extremely low in July, and I was told to be retested today. I had to be there at 9 am. As is my wont lately, I was up until at least 2 am, and Molly got me up at 6:30 so she could do something disgusting outside that involved eating grass and took forever. I went back to sleep and woke up at 8:40. Oops. The doctor's office is almost half an hour away. Luckily I have had to do this enough times that I know they block off time on some mornings for bloodsucking. Luckily? Anyway, I was there by 9:20, and waited until 10 to be seen.

While sucking out my blood the tech told me that she never went to school to learn the technique. She was formerly a veterinary tech, and when she applied at a hospital they decided that if she could do animals she could do humans. Works for me. She did a great job. She told me that one reason my blood is difficult to draw is that my vein branches. OK, so now I have to remember to tell techs that not only do my veins roll, but they branch unexpectedly, too. That seems to explain why sometimes they stick that needle in with great confidence and then have to dig around. It was a good story, and she stuck to it.

She also gave me a hot tip on a flu shot. Normally I can just go to the health department and pay $3 or to my doctor's office and pay $10 for a flu shot. Not this year. Now the sources of flu shots are few and far between. She sent me to a medical clinic that was not screening out people for any factors other than having $25 on them. I paid. I paid because I don't know if my immune system is compromised or not, or how badly, if it is. Had she been able to give me the results of my blood tests today, I could have maybe skipped the shot if I am not in a high risk category. But since I don't know, I went, paid, got stuck again.

The tech/nurse/whatever went to stick me with the flu shot and commented that I already had a bruise there, so would I like the shot in the other arm? I still have a large bruise from the pain shot from the surgery almost 2 weeks ago. I sighed, bared the other arm, got stuck, and went in search of a donut. I always have a donut after a fasting blood test.

If I don't "pass" the blood tests, I wonder what reward I can give myself for enduring bone marrow tests?

Some of my former bosses

Seeing the pictures I took of baby Chase got me thinking about some of my other pets through the years. So, I scanned a few to share.

#1 and #2 are very young baby pictures of Molly, my current 5-year-old beagle. #3 is Mookie, the hamster. He shared my salad with me, after he stole a piece of tomato from my daughter's salad. He went many years ago to the exercise wheel in the sky. He was a good boy, very affectionate and playful.

#4 is Pepe, who used to eat Spare Cat's food outside on my patio. Pepe was very friendly and would come within a foot or two of me. #5 is Spare Cat, who adopted us. We already had two indoor cats, so he became a spare. He did eventually come in the house and charmed us with his sweetness.

#6 is Bailey. Bailey was not my dog. She was owned by that fine example of eye candy, my former aerobic instructor. He taught a mean power step aerobic class. He taught it 5-6 nights a week, and I was there. Look at him, wouldn't you be there, too? Sadly, he moved out of state.

#7 is my little Wiz at 3 months of age. She is now 16 years old and rules the roost here. She has been the best cat I ever had. She will be the last, since I am slowly developing an allergy to her. She can be an attack cat if necessary. She tried to save me once from two dogs I was dogsitting. They were fighting on my lap and she thought I was in danger, although I was not. She came flying out of nowhere to hiss and spit and back them down. She succeeded. I was impressed.

#8 is Baby, when she had been very sick, and was almost feeling better. #9 is Stinky. Stinky was a stuffed toy cat who went on all the family vacations my daughter and I took together. In this one, we were on a cruise, and Stinky was set up by the room steward to be looking a the nightgown lobster wearing sunglasses. Very cute. My daughter gave away Stinky. I was very sad.

Anyone else want to share pet pictures?

And baby makes three

You know how when you are home alone and not expecting anyone to drop by and you decide comfort comes first? I tend to slob out. Yesterday I had dirty hair, pulled back in a ponytail with big red clips holding back the growing-out bangs. No make up. I had on a huge white t-shirt with holes in it, with no bra on. A t-shirt is good enough for a bra when I am home alone, right? I had on baggy sweat pants, socks, and sandals. Michigan does not do socks and sandals. I do them in the house. I was minding my own business, healing, and consumed by a book with my beagle girls cuddled up. I have the new Laurell K Hamilton book about Anita, the Vampire Slayer (Incubus Dreams).

I jumped about a foot straight up when I heard a knock at the door. Uh oh. I opened the door a crack and found my next door neighbor there. She had a leash in her hand with a little tiny beagle puppy girl named Chase on the other end of it. Oh, my!

Of course I jumped out onto the porch and picked the little thing up. Nothing smells like a puppy. I had forgotten that they had told me they were getting a beagle soon, and I had offered to dogsit at any time for them. The neighbor told me that she wanted her baby to meet my girls to see if they would get along. I put the girls in the dog run, and added the baby to the mix.

Oh yes. They all got along fine. Everyone got a smell of everyone else's bum, (minus me and the neighbor, that is) and little Chase got her face washed. They ran around, played and generally acted like goofy dogs. I can't wait for the neighbors to go on vacation so I can spoil the little tiny baby.

I haven't done much of anything for almost 10 days, and I was getting confined-crabby. Today I set out with the girls to walk. I figured that even if I can't lift more than 8 pounds, surely having 60 pounds of beagle struggling to chase a rabbit can't be an issue. Baby Chase was outside, and I offered to take her along. We went into the fields behind our houses.

Walking two dogs is entertaining enough. Add one baby who does not know yet how to walk with a leash. Picture me as a May Pole, wrapped entirely in leashes. I finally found two ways that I can walk three dogs. I can put the two experienced walkers in one hand, and the baby in the other hand. Or, I can carry the baby (She can't weigh even 5 lbs, in case my doctor reads this.). I did both. I smiled and laughed so much at their antics and playing that I forgot I was miserable and sore. Reluctantly, I returned Chase to her family. What an adorable sweetie. I am happy.

Rx: one puppy

Oh! I haven't seen that in years.....

I think I can say "damn." They say it on the radio that kids can listen to, but if I need to remove it,  just say the word.

Well, now. How hard can it be to find one small medical appliance in one house? I went back to the garage. I found a full gym bag that was packed a few years ago. I found some suspicious looking things on the garage floor that are likely mouse turds. Ick. I found an almost full thing of masking tape. I found elbow, knee, and wrist guards for roller blading. No wrist splint.

I then checked the laundry room, the kitchen, the dining room, my antique desk, the living room, my daughter's former bedroom, my upstairs spare bedroom (where I found the electric razor I have been looking for, and a pretty good nail file), linen closet, main bath, master bedroom, master bath, all associated closets and furniture in those rooms, and even the basement. My basement, of all rooms, is almost completely empty. Why store things down there when I can use the whole rest of the house and trip over things?

The downstairs spare bedroom was a quick check, since I removed everything from there and started painting it over a year ago. No joy in the bar, the walk in closet off the bar, the family room, or the third bathroom. By this time I was getting concerned. I was running out of rooms.

I went back to the kitchen and checked the built in china cabinet in the breakfast room, top to bottom. On the very bottom shelf, in the middle, under a legal pad and an empty red folder, was the left splint. I know it is mine because there is a chocolate smear on it, plus a bite mark, since Baby was a puppy at the time I wore it. What I don't know is what it was doing there. I cleaned out those cupboards within the last year. I probably picked it up, washed underneath, and put it back rather than moving it to the correct place. I have always said I am clean, but messy. Sigh. Some people have a junk drawer. Don't ask.

I left it where?

My house is large. I have way more space than one little person needs. However, I am stuck with it for now due to our creative former governor's tax laws. If I move, I will pay twice as much in taxes. Property taxes here are high.

I have had carpal tunnel surgery on both hands. I first had trouble more than 25 years ago from being on the Pill. At that time, the Pill meant birth control, not statins. I grated a zucchini for bread for my ex, and my hand shook violently and hurt. I walked the 6 blocks to my doctor and showed him. He sent me for neurological tests. I had recently gone on the Pill. I went off, and my hands improved a little, but never went back to normal. Then they got worse.

Four or five times over the following 25 years I had EMG tests. They hurt. For me, they hurt unbearably. The first time I cried after a few minutes from the pain. The second time, I cried as soon as the doctor turned the machine on and I heard the ticking noise. I was a cooperative patient, I just hurt and cried. All tests showed negative for carpal tunnel syndrome. In the meantime, my hands deteriorated. I could not use anything that vibrated, such as weed whackers or drills. I would drop them and be unable to even hold a glass of water with two hands. Negative. Right. A gentle tap on the inside of my wrist could bring tears to my eyes. Having a nurse take my pulse was very painful. I would just grit my teeth when they grabbed my wrist and hope she could get it done fast. I didn't even button cuffs on blouses. I folded them up. I wear my watch loose.

Finally about 3 years ago my internist told me I had to get my hands fixed. I explained that I would not have that test done again. He said I had to go as I was losing muscle tone in my hands. He sent me to a plastic surgeon who specialized in hands. I told him no EMGs. He walked me across the hall to have the EMG done. I cried. I walked back across the hall and was told I was negative again. I cried more. I told him I would just have to live with the pain and weakness because no way could I ever tolerate that test again. He listened to me, and then told me he would fix my hands. He would do one at a time, 6 weeks apart.

He gave me Versed for the surgery. Oh boy, what a drug! I insisted on a double dose, as I tend to be resistant to medication. He accommodated. I remember nothing of the surgery, and I healed very fast. The second time, I did not respond the same. I was alert for at least half of the surgery. Thinking he was done and stitching me up, I asked to see my hand. He said I didn't want to see it. I insisted, he finally said OK. My wrist was wide open. Ewww. That was educational.

Try to put on deodorant under your right arm with a your right hand because your left is in a cast. I am limber, and I found it difficult. Try washing your hair with one hand. Then try to rinse it. I developed some creative skills while wearing the soft casts. I healed, the pain was gone, and the scars are invisible.

But - I have lost use of a muscle in my right thumb. I find it difficult to do things like pick up change off a counter. My fingers just balk at the movement. I have been told that my disease was so advanced that the muscle will not ever come back. Yet, I tested negative. Repeatedly.

Many people who have carpal tunnel syndrome surgery need it again within a few years. I chose not to be one of those people. However, I may have made a premature decision. My wrists hurt. Both of them. I decided today to get out my splints and wear them for a while at night, and see if that helps the nerves any. But there is no way anyone will operate on me without having another EMG on each hand. There is no way I will have that test done again.

I had the surgery 3 years ago, and put the splints "away." I immediately remembered that I saw one in the garage, and grabbed it. I thought they were together. I can't find the left one. I can either find things right away or I have to tear the house apart. Any suggestions on where I should look?

 

sorry this got so long.....

 

 

Rusty Zippers

I climbed down off the light fixtures I have been swinging from and went out this afternoon. The beagles had to stay here and hold down the fort. That means they would show any stranger coming in where the refrigerator is and ask for it to be opened. Some day Molly will learn to open it herself. That will be very scary.

By some twisted luck, there is a massage therapy school just a few miles from me. They give free massages. I don't even think it is a secret. Well, they used to be free. Now they charge $10, but there is no tipping allowed. I still consider that free. The only problem is that they only do this one afternoon a week for two hours. Of course, the last two computer classes I taught were during that time. Finally, today, I was able to go back. The timing was wonderful.

Massage students are great. They want to fix everything and are chatty, too. She reached for my arm, and backed off, asking me how I got that huge bruise on it. That led to a half hour discussion of pain shots and her knee surgery. She had stepped sideways and torn her ACL.

In August, she had surgery to replace the ACL. I thought about that for a minute, and asked if they have artificial ligaments or did they take it from somewhere else in her body? She sort of giggled, and said that there aren't any artificial devices that could have helped her at this time, and what she has now is a donor ligament. Oh.

She has someone's Achille's tendon in her knee. I thought about that too, and asked if the Achille's tendon isn't stronger than an ACL anyway. Yes, they are. She seems a tad uncomfortable with the idea of a dead person's heel tendon in her knee, but says she figures the person didn't need it any more and she is grateful to have it. How cool is that? Her doctor expects a full recovery with no restrictions.

When she was done with the massage, I asked if I could see her scars. Sorry, but I am more curious than a cat. She showed me. I expected at least one 6-inch incision that looked like a red, rusty zipper. Nope. My daughter used to get worse marks from falling down on grass. She had a few little cuts. In a year or so, it probably won't show at all. She said it itched when it healed. I sympathized, but did not offer to show her my stitches. She kindly didn't ask where they are.

Aerobic reading

When I retired, I spent at least two months reading almost every day. I took a nap with the dogs in the afternoons. It took that long until I felt like I finally wasn't exhausted any more.

I am home now with 7 best sellers. I put them on hold at the library and didn't expect them to all come in so fast. I use the library because if I bought all the books I read I would have to move out due to lack of space for me. I think of the library as mine, and I think it is very kind of them to take such good care of my books.

Sunday I went walking as usual. I walked only four miles. After that, I was getting a little sore and a little shaky and my walking partner insisted that I stop. But it felt good. I am used to being active and busy now, without being exhausted. I never thought that looking at a pile of books to be read would not make me smile.

The dogs are used to being walked a few miles a day. They keep giving me reproachful looks, wondering why I am not putting on their "jewelry" (leashes and harnesses, but I let them think it is jewelry) and hitting the streets.

If I had a chandelier, I would be whacking into the dogs as we all swing from it.

 

 

Peas and nap time

I wish to thank everyone for their support for my surgery. It has been a nice feeling knowing that people care :)

So far I am still feeling just fine. I didn't even really need the frozen peas. I choose them for ice packs because I don't eat peas. Always keep more than one ice pack available. I learned that when a lighter blew up and burned my thumb. Once the first one is melted, you still need another.

While all of you are spending your Saturday washing cars, cleaning house, getting out your winter wardrobes, organizing the garage, and cooking big family meals, I will be sitting on a recliner with my dogs curled up with to me, reading and napping. Well, I will be reading. The dogs are too slow to share a book with me, but beagles are great nappers. I don't even feel guilty. This was doctor's orders.

Tomorrow, I think I will be ready to do at least part of my usual Sunday Morning Hobble. It was called the Sunday Morning Walk until a few years ago when I had three badly pinched nerves in my right foot but refused to give up the walks. I will be ready tomorrow to visit with my walking partner and have lunch out.

Again, thanks to everyone for your kind words and support. I will think of you when I stretch out and lounge for the rest of the day.

Sliced and Diced

Sliced and diced and home again. I still have some numbness from local shots to get me home. The surgery was done under general anesthesia. I am fine, came out of the anesthesia very fast.

I have lots of frozen peas to use for ice packs. All appears to be well :)