Good Mother's day

I had a good mother's day. It started out with sleeping in... til 20 past 7! (Yes, that really IS sleeping in these days!) Then as Mr C and I prepared to go to get groceries, my eldest son called. It is a nice thing to get a call from him once in awhile.
After arriving back from the store, where we got a couple of racks of ribs to grill, Dan and Sam set up a sitting area for me

 in the back yard, overlooking the garden.


Then, two of the grandkids showed up.....

 With flowers! These are added to the bouquet Tommy sent me... so I got two big bouquets this year.

I got calls from all of my children (except the Individuals, who were here with me!)

Tom and I called our Mom's and wished them happy Mom's Day.

Connor suffered a fractured arm when a cousin slammed a door on it. His first broken bone.

The cookout was delicious. We had spinach salad fresh from the garden along with the ribs, scalloped potatoes and grilled portabella mushrooms.

I hope your day was as blessed as mine was.

More work...

I have worked 8 hours a day for the last two days. Exhausted, but Oh Well. Boss is increasing my hours. We had a person come in and quit without notice this week, so everyone is stressed. I won't get to go with Tom and the Individuals to Texas to meet new baby Coder. All the vacation for June is delegated to others. I am hoping to get to take a weekend down there once baby arrives. And maybe another weekend or so as well!

Yesterday, I worked on prettying up the front of the store. Today I was in The Back Room. (Cue ominous music). I re-arranged Gates (brand) belts and hoses. I still need to do the less expensive brand, MasterPro. Boss and co-workers are pleased with my work today. Less than pleased with the original work done in The Back Room (ominous music)... don't know if I will be correcting that or not. It is done, and not too bad, if you read in Chinese. (The numerical order starts at the bottom, then goes across, then up and across...)

Thursday evening, I am going to watch little Bryan- the child I babysat back in November and December. His Daddy is taking his Mommy out to dinner for her birthday. Mr. C has really missed Bryan, so we should have a good evening.

Mother's day is upon me again. I haven't given it enough thought this year. Cards were mailed today. No gifts done, planned, thought up. Bad daughter, bad. bad. No hints dropped to children.... Sam was going to get me a blender or a really nice camera.... but was hoping to hear from siblings on that. So far as I know... he's behind the power curve as well.

That's all for today. I need a nap, even if it's brief!

Apologies to the affected

Apparently I have committed a major faux pas. Without even thinking, I posted pictures on the family share site from the recent birthday party we attended. I have been reprimanded- I should only share pictures of the immediate family. Some of the pictures were deemed "unflattering".

As a queen of unflattering photos, I just didn't THINK. Some said they were upset with their photos "being broadcast far and wide, with no say so in the matter". I apologized. I know how I dislike having no say in matters.

For myself, I look how I look. Overweight. Round face and bulging clothes. No make up. That's me- you get what you get. I'm beating myself up for not thinking of those photographed- I was thinking of those who couldn't attend for whatever reason. I thought they might feel more 'included' by seeing pictures of the event. My bad.

Sometimes I DO think of how I look. I think of going on a diet- trying to look great and "impress" the very family members that do judge me. Then food comes by and I say Oh well... I yam what I yam. The offending album is going to be deleted... perhaps I can repost a few of the pictures that are not offensive.

Hug someone you love... and remember that YOU are loved, even if you don't like how you look in a photograph.

You call this MAY?

Today is beautiful and warm... almost HOT at 82*. Tonight, it drops down into the 30's. Tomorrow's high may reach 51. Snow showers possible Friday, with a high in the lower 40's. We are in the SOUTH. and it is MAY.
The garden totally froze to death while we were in Ohio this past week.

The trip was fine. We stayed in an old cottage on a small lake behind Tom's brother's house. In all the years we have been going to Ohio, I knew there were rental cabins behind Bob's house, but never been up to see them. It had many amenities, but we could tell it was an older house because the staircase to the second floor had deep (tall) steps- a good 12" tread up. The bed Mr C and I slept in was probably original to the house. Old enough to have developed the center crater which I struggled not to roll into all night.

MIL's party was nice. It was a good meal, your choice of roasted chicken leg quarters or brisket, au gratin potatoes, roasted veggies, salad, and fresh fruit salad. There was a good turnout, some 40+ people, counting babies.

I did miss calling Ben and Paula for their anniversary. And we drove back on Bill's birthday, so I shed some tears along the route.

I'm back to work, and Boss is wanting to increase my hours. Sam drove home with Becky and is flying back today. Speaking of which, I believe I hear his plane overhead. We are in the landing pattern part of the year, and experience led us to learn that when we see the plane go over, it is perfect timing to get to the pick up point by the time the passengers get there. So, Thanks for reading! Have a great day! I'm off to get that Sam, I am.

Followups....

Wednesday was the big day. Poor Sam was stuck in the hospital waiting room for FIVE hours as they ran a little behind.

 

HAHAHA! I said "Behind".

Ahem.

 

The doc took pictures. Just the thing for a coffee table book, I'm thinking.

 Or maybe not.

 

But here you go, pictures of my Kaleidoscope.

 

 

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Yep, my darling daughter sent me a kaleidoscope!

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In the actual procedure, The doc said everything looked good (Good being a relative term when you are looking up someones backside...) although he did biopsy a mass he thinks is probably a thromboses (i.e., blood clot filled) hemorrhoid. (TMI!) I will learn the results of that biopsy next week.

Meanwhile, my regular doctor did a followup on the arthritis and took me off of EVERYTHING. No drugs at all. He is electing to "watch and wait" and see how often I flare before deciding on a course of treatment.

 

In mentioning the findings of the Kaleidoscope to my regular Doc, he said that the biopsy itself should 'resolve' the thromboses. Online research say most of these resolve themselves in 2 weeks or less and rarely need surgical correction.

 

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So back at work- remember those 25 batteries the ASSistant manager said he would deal with? Well, he left them until AFTER business hours, and had to be paid overtime to do them. So *I* was in trouble for "not doing my job". Suddenly, it is no longer "We are all a team"... It is, "Your co-workers are complaining you are slacking and they have to do your job. You have to do the job you were hired to do, or we need to fill the position with someone who can." Today I was called aside and told I now have to have a medical release filled out by my Doctor. I am pretty sure what he ISN'T coming right out and saying is that he has found someone else he wants to hire for the position I am in.

 

He has said to me in the past he never fires anyone. But I have seen him start riding people until they quit- deliberately provoking them until they walk out. If they don't take the bait- he  invariably discovers they are 'stealing'. Guess I should start job hunting. Something better suited to my physical limitations. Y'all be praying for me!

 



What FUN!

Or maybe NOT! Today is the day of fasting and prep for the colonoscopy tomorrow. I made some gelatin from fruit juice and Knox unflavored gelatin powder. Got lots of juices, a few cans of broth. Even got soft tissue and cleansing wipes. I'm all set, except the whining. I want crackers with my broth! and add some barley to it. maybe some chunks of beef. Oh wait, guess that defeats the entire purpose of the clear liquids, doesn't it?

What was fun was going down to Texas this past weekend for my Aunt Jean's 80th birthday celebration. I got to visit Mom, see my brothers. Saw Dad and Kathie, lots of cousins and the whole new crop of littles the second cousins are producing. Noting that someone I once changed diapers on is now a grandfather... I am starting to feel a bit old.

Or maybe I just feel crispy. I snap, crackle and pop every time I have to get up.
I was told to NOT take any arthritis medications for five days before the procedure. I can sure tell what a difference the steroids were making. The Meloxicam pain medication I can do without! Or at least its side effects. Horrible nightmares.

Anyway, we had a great time visiting the family.

The drive home, Dan and I went off the beaten path. We meandered north and east, north and east, north and east in little increments across Oklahoma. We got on the beautiful OK HWY 2 for quite a ways. It took longer, but I had just been thinking on the drive down that I would someday like to see more of the parts of the state than I have. "Someday" I would like to do that. Monday was one of those "someday's".

Today, work was pretty chaotic. There was a lot of freight. I got sent out on several deliveries. When I finally got to doing the Returns, we had 25 battery cores to go out. There was NO WAY I was up to lifting 25 cores. I was doing good to find as many of the returns as I did. The assistant manager got stuck with putting the battery cores on the pallet. Good luck with finding the items I eventually gave up on. I worked straight through from 6:30 til after 1:00. On a bowl of jello and a bottle of coconut water, and some "*vitamin water". (*Nasty stuff tastes like diluted Koolaide. Not sure what it's sweetened with, but eewww!)
 I was about falling out by the time I got home! Another bowl of gelatin, and some broth helped a lot.
I told the boys I am not allowed online tomorrow after I get back from the hospital. I'm pretty sure they have a nefarious plan to record me while I am loopy.
 Thursday I go back to work, and have a Doc's appointment in the late afternoon.

April 1st, 2013

I haven't thought up any April Fools jokes.
This morning I woke up a bit after 2:00 am and needed a drink of water. I resisted for awhile. Suddenly I remembered that today is the day I am supposed to be at the Doc's office for fasting lab work! I never did fall back asleep, though I really tried. Tom got up a bit after 3. He reads and works out. I catnapped- not really falling into a sleep, but not 100% awake. Finally gave up and got up at about 5.
I went to my follow-up visit at the Doc this past Thursday. He said I do not have osteoarthritis!
But I do have some form of inflammatory arthritis, variety to be determined. It is an auto-immune disease, my body attacking itself. He put me back on steroids- but at a lower dosage. Gave me a once a day pain reliever. It said it could make one drowsy, so I took it at night. It kept me awake with wild and crazy dreams. I skipped it yesterday, and took it this morning. (I could use a nap!)
The reason I needed more bloodwork today was because Doc Benjamin and I began discussing family health history. I mentioned my little brother passing away. Doc went back through my charts and said I had really great cholesterol... for someone my age. Oh wait, These results are more than five years old! Thus, the general blood work was set up for all the routine screens. He is also supposed to be setting me up for my first colonoscopy. If  I've heard it once, I've heard it twenty times this week. "The test isn't so bad... It's the prep!"
I return on the 11th so he can monitor how I'm doing.
Today is the day Ben and Paula are supposed to close on their home! I am so excited for them! They hope to have it ready to move into in the next couple of months, so they  are in it before the baby arrives.
Have a blessed day!

HAHAHA! I ran spell check. It suggested I change colonoscopy to kaleidoscope! Yes, I think I would rather have a kaleidoscope....