Break

I probably won't be posting anything much this week. I had to go out of town.

Did you ever hear the expression life happens when we make other plans? Well so does death......

I'm not quite sure what I had planned for this week, probably just a quiet week at home.

Then the phone call came. A dear friend passed away. His wife is in an assisted living home and his two living children are both adults but with special needs.

A small group of us, his friends  the extension of his natural family have gone to make his arrangements and send him home to his Father in heaven.

Be positive

My husband went to the doctor the other day for a check up, part of his exam is a blood test. The doctor checks for liver function since he takes cholesterol medication. After the physical was done, the doctor excused himself and send the girl in to draw the blood from his arm.

Bill likes to joke around so as she was taking his blood he tells the girl.....

"You know vampires and zombies don't care for the taste of my blood."
"Seriously, I have good vibe juice running through my veins!"
"Oh really, and why is that?" she remarked!
"Because it's B+"

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

my theme song for 2013 without the song

credit

A few bloggers that I read have one thing in common, they did not make New Years resolutions lists.

Rather they did something much more interesting in my opinion.

They picked a "word" for this coming year a word that describes what they desire for themselves.

Sort of like a theme song for 2013 but a word instead.

I love this idea!

Could I  write a traditional New Years resolutions list?

Yes.

But quite frankly they've never worked for me before so I'm open to trying something new like picking a word to sort of spur on some personal growth and give myself some direction.

After the kids accident my ability to concentrate was nil and I still have difficulty with it. I'm not sure if it's some left over symptom of the watchful waiting I did after the trauma but it's still a problem and I know it.

Oddly enough it's what brought me to blogging so it has its up side but I think I'm in a good enough place now and enough time has passed to tackle it.

I'd like to make "sticktoitiveness" my word for 2013.

Not familiar?

Stick-to-it-ive-ness (noun)

1. dogged perseverance
2. the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult or unpleasant

I'd love to focus in two area's specifically.

Reading novels is the first area. Truthfully I've avoided books in general in favor of blogging but I think I'd like to schedule some regular time for book reading. I used to be an avid reader and I'm not quite sure what's out there that's currently worth reading.  Suggestions would be appreciated.

And then there's that treadmill in the guest room, we need to become better friends. My doctor mentioned that he'd like to see me raise my good cholesterol a few points and exercise is a good way to do it. Then there's all that weight I gained after the kids died, grief plus stress and inactivity can pack on those pounds and now I'd like to shed them.

I know jumping on that treadmill will probably be an easy thing to do, for one day or one week.
I know picking up a book will probably be an easy thing to do too, for the first chapter or book.
Will sticking with this be easy over the long haul?  Probably not if my history is any indication.
That's why I need to work on..... my sticktoitiveness.
In the long run that's the thing that is sorely lacking in me.

What if any techniques do you use to keep yourself on track in your life? Any tips for me?

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

my dilemma

I'm not a sales person by any means. 

My blog numbers have pretty much stayed the same for the past I don't know how many months.

Selling myself doesn't come easy.

I tend to get comfortable with myself and what I'm doing and even who I'm doing it with and I forget I need to put myself out there every once and a while. If for nothing else it's good just to expand myself creatively which is the whole purpose of blogging; that and to do more of my very favorite part of blogging which is "connecting." More of that couldn't be bad!

Last week when I went to New York I visited my old beach town. As I've mentioned before, hurricane Sandy did her terrible damage to this poor community. 

I took my camera on my visit as you might well imagine.

But blogging being blogging I had to choose which blog to publish my pictures and the story behind them on (since I have two blogs). My decision basically hinged on the fact that my other blog is primarily a photo blog. But there's a story behind those photo's which I love for you to read, it's one that is meaningful and dear to me with a touch of whimsy and sadness. 

Now to the self promotion! I Blog It As I See It  is my other blog, if you haven't already visited, today would be a good day to do so. This post is worth reading or at least I think so. Hey I could get used to this self promoting stuff :)

And thanks!

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

He's gotta be joking!

I was off to New York for a few days but this post update has been on my mind for a few days.

The original post was a pretty popular one.

Back in September I wrote a post about my neighbors who were involved in a domestic dispute that ended up on my front deck when I had a house full of company and Bill called the police.

I wrote about it here if you want to refresh you recollection or read it for the first time.

Read on.

Anyway here's the latest. 

We have noticed that the neighbors house has been relatively dark for months. Lights would go on and off sporadically so we really weren't sure what was going on over there. We have not seen hide nor hair of him or her since September after we called the authorities about their domestic dispute.

We sort of got the feeling maybe one possibly both of them moved out but we just didn't know for sure.

We were rooting that she'd leave but we are very aware how difficult that can be and the statistics are grim depending on many factors. And since we don't know much of their situation nor are we clairvoyant  we could hardly know what would happen.

Then we finally got one half of the story.

Guess who my husband ran into in the grocery store the other day?

He ran into the husband. Lets for the sake of this post call him wife beater.

The conversation went something like this.

Bill: So we were just wondering if you were living next door? We've noticed some strange cars coming and going at all hours and we're a bit concerned living next door and all...

Wife beater: No Bill. I'm actually living with a family member. But I do come by every once and a while to pick up a few of my things. Don't want to come at the same time as the wife.

Bill: So then your wife, is she still in the house then if you don't mind me asking?

Wife beater: About that I'd like to apologies for the last time we saw each other, things got out of hand.

Bill: Well, You do understand once you came to my house you left me with absolutely no choice but to call the police?

Wife beater: nods

Wife beater: So about "the wife" you're never gonna believe it, after over 20 years....

Bill: What's that?

Wife beater: She left me! Can you believe it? She actually prefers the  manager at her store and better than me?
                                                           

I'm not sure how my husband kept a straight face during this conversation! Most especially during the whole "why would she prefer being with someone else rather then me a wife beater?"

Really is he kidding me?

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

call me

If someone told you there was a crazy lady laughing hysterical alone in the middle of the Walgreen's parking lot the other day pay no mind, it was just me!

I just upgraded my cell phone over the holiday. I considered getting an I-Phone but then quickly rejected that idea when I decided I didn't want to learn a new phone; I've had an Android for a few years and really liked it a lot.

Not looking to make my life any more complicated I decided to just go with the Razr M which is also a Droid just newer and much improved. It's much faster, flatter, bigger, sleeker and it has tons more apps.  Still there are quite a few differences that I need to learn.

I admit it I'm not an instruction booklet reader, OK I said it. 

Ask my husband.

We went out the other day. I had the new phone all set up the way I wanted, phone lists, ringer, apps, clock, weather...everything. I was so pleased with myself all done without reading a word.

While were having lunch with my Mom at a local restaurant Mom and she asked me to run into the CVS two doors down from the restaurant to pick up a certain item for her. When they didn't have what she wanted I went  across the street to the Walgreen's.

As I left Walgreen's with her purchase my phone rang for the very first time. There I was standing in the parking lot of Walgreen's looking at my new phone and it dawned on me.

I didn't know how to answer it.

I laughed out loud when during my first attempt to answer my new cell I hung up on Bill who was calling to find out where the heck I was!!

Have I mentioned I don't like to read instructions?

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

my brown eyed girl

I remember when we first met, she looked at me and smiled tentatively.

I noticed her big big brown eyes as she swept her bangs across her forehead and smiled....... and I was lost.

Innocent and sweet, I knew that I could and would love this child when I married her father.

Not long after she became my step-daughter and the daughter of my heart.

Me and Gretchen reading 32 years ago

If Gretchen had not lost her life in 2006 in the accident she would have been 37 today. 

Gretchen being kissed by dear friend Bernie
on her wedding day.

Happy Birthday sweet Gretchen

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.        

Wordless Wednesday- family resemblance

The family resemblance is amazing isn't it?

 It's particularly strong around the eye's and nose, yes?!

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.      

almost fail

I don't know about you but whenever I take prescription medications I do it with the belief that they are going to help to give me some measure of relief for my illness or condition and hopefully do so without side effects.

Other than an severe allergic reaction I've never crossed my mind that those prescriptions we all take for granted and take on a daily basis had the potential to cause serious or life threatening conditions. But then I saw it happen to my Mom over these past months and I awoke from my dream world.

A few months ago my Mom's kidney's began to fail. Before my eyes I watched my Mother transform from a fairly healthy person with the usual maladies of a woman of 84 years of age to a woman who was so weak she could barely walk.

There are so many interesting layers to a relationship between a daughter and her mother when the daughter starts to take on the role as care taker, but that's for another post. I'll say this, the dynamic shift becomes challenging, the relationship is very rewarding but when the health issues arise it is a roller-coaster ride.

It was pretty frightening and very frustrating to watch my mother go to the doctor every few weeks only to hear bad new after bad news. Her kidney function was declining fairly quickly and without explanation. Doing what doctors do, he considered  all the options, like....congestive heart failure. They tested her heart; good news heart looks good but the kidneys were still failing. Tests on kidney's, kidneys look good for her age, no tumors, blood flow good, no evidence of acute kidney disease, good news but kidneys still failing.

Crap!

Then her doctor decided to withdraw my mothers medications one by one.  Processing medications puts strain on the kidneys and there was always the chance the medications themselves were causing the kidney failure. It was a shot in the dark but it made sense so one by one he did it over a period of time.

First the diabetes medication, four weeks later, guess what? Mom doesn't need diabetes medication if she's careful with her food choices-positive lifestyle adjustments, good news. Kidney's are maintaining no worse but no better, she's still Stage 4 kidney failure. Then he decides to take her off two of her three blood pressure/heart pills by weaning her off over a period of two weeks leaving her on one. Good news, her blood pressure OK, blood sugar's still great. Great news, kidney function has improved a lot.

Then we finally got a diagnosis!

One of the blood pressure medications caused the kidney failure; in only two weeks she's improved to Stage 3.

She is feeling remarkably better. And now thank God we get to slip back into the more comfortable role of me just being at her side, we'll leave the holding her up for another day.

And we're breathing again.

Since this all happened I can't help but feel a bit ill at ease every morning when I down my high blood pressure pill with my OJ. Truthfully, that treadmill I have and never seem to find the time to use is starting to look pretty appealing to me!

What an eye opener.

Don't miss my next blog post. 
Follow me on Google friend connect or 

if you’d like you can subscribe and receive my posts by e-mail.

Both are located on the right side-bar.   

And while you’re at it don’t forget to come visit me at my other blog.

It’s called “I blog it as I see it” 
Just click here.