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 |  Fibro fog, pain, writing sandwiched in between. Quotes. Sermon notes. Encouragement. |
A Texas Sunrise  A friend, William Taylor, took this picture. He visits Surfside Beach with his dogs almost every morning, watching the sun rise while the dogs prance about at the water's edge. This is only about ten miles from where I lived in Lake Jackson, Texas. Sadly, I only visited this beach about four times in the six years I lived nearby. Each day is a challenge. A challenge to get by without thinking about the fibromyalgia pains. A challenge to stay awake when chronic fatigure wants to take over. And a challenge to navigate through fibro fog. I haven't been writing as much as in the past. For years, I wrote at least 500 words a day. Now, I'm lucky if I write 500 words in month. Sigh. For more information about what my day (or life) is all about with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pains, IBS, depression and everything else thrown in, check this out:
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| Hubby leaves for work each morning around 6:30 a.m. If I'm picking up Derek at work, we leave the house about the same time. If I'm not, hubby usually lets me sleep and goes off to work without waking me. Before we had Opera, Piewacket would wake us about 3 a.m. each night, cat howling, and we would (or hubby would) meow/howl back at her and invite her to join us in bed. She would, and she'd get up with hubby. About 15 minutes after he was gone, she would realize she was "alone" and wake me up again, and I'd be up for the day. Since we got Opera, Pie doesn't get so lonely, so she's not waking us up this way. BUT NOW, about 15 minutes after hubby leaves, Opera comes and starts licking me with that kitty sandpaper tongue. On my face.  Usually, it's because there is no food or water in their dishes. I fill them before I go to bed, but they must indulge in midnight snacks, and in the morning their dishes are not full. There might actually be some dry food in the bowl, but I guess it will be stale or something, compared to what comes out of the bag. You know cats. Picky, picky, picky. And their water bowl isn't usually bone dry either. Just not fresh and full, I guess.Today, I woke about 4 a.m. 'cause I heard my son up and about. He didn't work last night, but he tries to keep the same schedule when he's off. He doesn't always succeed in doing that, but he tries, so his body isn't totally confused. I never heard hubby up and about getting ready for work. And, strangely enough, neither one of the cats woke me. When I did wake up on my own, it was 8:30. I figured the cats were somewhere else in the house and was quite surprised to find them in the bedroom with me. Pie was at the bottom of the bed, and Opera was sitting in hubby's desk chair. Very strange. I guess they figured I needed my sleep. Either that or someone else must have remembered to fill their food and water bowls in the wee hours of the morning, so their tummies were full. I don't really have much to write about yet today. Tiffany will be arriving this evening. (This is her real Spring break week, not the one I reported a few weeks ago. Her mom was wrong about the dates.) So, she'll be here for my birthday! Friday, April 13. Remember??? ****************** Yesterday at the church office was fun. I didn't do anything really creative - for the bulletin - or anything. In fact, most of what I did was to make copies and separate them into packets. Our pastor is doing a training session for small group leaders - existing and new ones - and he's believing for 20 to show up. I think right now we have 10 existing groups, so that means he's believing that 10 more will want to start groups. He has put together some awesome materials for the leaders. If I hadn't been there, he would have had to copy and put together that stuff all my his lonesome. He would have. But he really needs to be doing more pastoral things. I'm excited about helping out however I can in the church office. It's only once a week, and in between I can rest up. I'll have to. Just being there for an hour an a half one day for "orientation" and four plus hours to help out yesterday was quite exhausting for me. That' s probably because I'm still getting over that trip to Texas. Grrr. Well, that's all for now folks. Don't forget tomorrow. My birthday. Think I've said that enough???   |
| What monster, you ask? That stupid fibro fiend. Yesterday I called if fibro friend, but it is no friend. No, this isn't just a fibromyalgia rant. But sometimes it's impossible to separate the fibro from everything else, and today is one of those days. Grrr. It's Wednesday, hump day for those who are in the Monday through Friday work world. Trash day here. Hubby and I have fun with that phrase. He considers Tuesday night to be trash night. I consider Wednesday to be trash day. That IS when the trash is collected. On Wednesdays. I suppose our differences on this stem from our different life experiences. I've lived out in the country where dogs got loose and where raccoons and possums learned very early in their lives how to remove the lids from garbage cans. My father used to put bungie chords and huge rocks on trash cans, thinking he had outsmarted the wild creatures. But so often he was surprised to find the garbage strewn around the yard. I also lived in a very fancy Florida bedroom community, where one just did not put trash out the night before. I've mentioned it before. We lived in the same community as Hulk Hogan. Anyway...I mentioned how hard it is - sometimes - to just pretend that fibro can be isolated and discussed in a separate blog entry. Today, it's sooooooooo evident that it's my constant companion. Believe it or not, I am still getting over the trip to Texas. Yes, we've been back since...what?...March 25? But I did way too much in that week we were tossing and packing stuff, driving and getting very little sleep. My body is still recuperating. My energy level is soooooooooo low. How low is it, you ask? Well... Yesterday, I spent about 90 minutes at the church learning how to get in and out of the church office, how to answer the phone, how to use the church computer and choosing a password. I have volunteered to work in the office for a few hours each Wednesday, and since even before I left for Texas, the office volunteer coordinator and I have been trying to get together so that I could have a quick orientation. Yesterday we finally connected. Now, for a normal person that 90 minutes would not have been anything physically or mentally stressful. And it wouldn't have been for me either if my energy level was back up to my normal. But that 90 minutes at the church, added to my normal every day routine was just enough to tire me out. So today, as I'm facing my first volunteer time at the church, I'm exhausted before I have even arrived. You know...that really stinks. I best get ready for my church time. The pastor is excited about adding me to the office volunteers. I'm excited too. Just tired. I'm going to be searching for (and writing) small bits and pieces for the weekly bulletin about tithing, small groups and prayer. If you have any words of wisdom about those topics, or can direct me to some (they can't be very long), be sure to comment or drop me a line. Meanwhile, don't forget. Friday, April 13 is my birthday. I'll be 55 and want lots and lots of comments on my blog entry that day. In fact, wouldn't it be really cool to get 55 comments? Be sure and tell your friends to stop by that day. |
| I started writing this, then decided that I might save it for tomorrow rather than have a second entry. Then I got another email about something that I just had to share. And don't you know, it's all about wisdom too. I guess that's what I was really waiting for, not for tomorrow. There was a national essay contest for kids - ages 9 to 18 to speak about the importance of health care for children. The coordinators thought they would be lucky if they received a few hundred entries. Weren't they surprised...to receive 4500 entries!!! Obviously this was an important issue for kids! One middle school won a prize for having the most kids enter. Everyone at the middle school - 120 kids - entered the contest. The grand prize winner in the 9-13 age group is from Ohio. Here's the link where you can read some of the essays. These are some wise kids. And some awesome writers...already. Grand prize winners: http://www.childrenshealthcampaign.org/assets/pdf/Grand-Prize-Winners.PDF All about the contest...winners listed by state: http://www.childrenshealthcampaign.org/events/national-essay-contest/essay-winne... On the home page, it says, "More than 9 million children lack health insurance in the United States, the wealthiest nation in the world, and millions more are underinsured." Isn't that a shame? Do you remember when big business started laying off "real" workers and started hiring them back as "contract employees"? That was so they didn't have to provide insurance and other benefits. And the kids in our country suffer every time a parent loses insurance. Doesn't it make sense that healthy kids will lead to having healthier adults? One would think. ******************** I got an email today that talked about gruntled employees. Funny, huh? If disgruntled means you're displeased or discontented, then being gruntled should mean that you're the opposite of that, right? You'd be pleased or contented. But...there may actually be instances when you're not really disgruntled and not really pleased. Perhaps, then, it would make sense to use gruntled. You know how much I love quotes. Here's one: "The real act of discovery is not in finding new lands, but in seeing with new eyes." Marcel Proust How about this one: “The work will wait while you show a child the rainbow, but the rainbow won’t wait while you finish the work.” -- Patricia Clafford And some biblical wisdom: “It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late, and work your worried fingers to the bone. Don’t you know he enjoys giving rest to those he loves?” -- Psalm 127:3-4 Speaking of biblical wisdom. When was the last time you read through Proverbs? Now there's some wisdom. Have you ever read the story Acres of Diamonds? Here it is for free: http://www.48days.com/newsletter/Acres%20of%20Diamonds%20--%20Dan%20Miller.pdf And now...I really am finished for today. Well...unless I decide to write something about my friend fibro. But don't worry. I'll put a warning in the title so you don't have to read it if you're tired of hearing about it. |
| In case you haven't noticed, I'm really not a ranter. Oh, I have my "grrrr" moments now and then. (Okay, sometimes daily. ) But once I've said my "grrr" I usually can go on to other things quite easily, thank you. BUT..... I really am perturbed at both the U.S. Postal Service and at UPS. Yes, it those boxes that hubby and I sent from Lake Jackson, TX to Cincinnati, OH that have me ranting again. You see, we have receipts for everything we sent. We didn't insure the stuff we sent by U.S. Postal Service. But I didn't think they'd really lose anything. Besides, we were already spending so much that adding anything else just wasn't in the budget. I'm missing 3 boxes we sent as Media Mail from the Post Office in LJ. I've known that tracking them would be next to impossible, since we didn't insure them or pay for any kind of proof of delivery. Still, I was just about to contact them when I got some correspondence from them. It seems that one of those missing boxes is...well...in pieces. And that, of course, means that the contents are spread out somewhere between Texas and Ohio, I guess. Well. Maybe not. The actual place that they send loose mail is in Philadelphia, although the correspondence comes from Atlanta. Now how in the world are we going to find any of the missing pieces? I'm pretty sure we're not. It sounds as if they could be anywhere between here and TX, or maybe in PA or GA. The thing that makes me really angry at the Post Office is that the boxes they delivered looked like they had been through a war. Really. The bottoms were soaked with rain (or maybe they had been sitting in snow?). We used official Post Office packing tape, but it was peeling off because of having been exposed to the elements. Because the boxes were wet, they were also crushed, at least on those wet bottoms. I'm not at all surprised that 3 boxes went missing and that only one of those has been partially found. Actually what they found was just the part of the box with the mailing label and postage. We were in a pretty big rush down there in TX and besides, we weren't thinking "business". We were thinking "personal belongings." We don't have packing lists of the stuff that was in those boxes. The only things we did send by USPS was what they call media - books, videos, CD's, audio tapes. But there's no way in the world I can tell them what's missing. Not after having been in storage for 4 years and with the rush we were in to get everything packed and shipped. It's highly possible that some of my personal videos - videos of Derek at Christmas time and such - are missing. I haven't found them yet. It's more likely that at least one of the boxes held some of Derek's prized comic books. (A box of those went missing when we shipped stuff from TX to Michigan 4 years ago.) This time when we packed, I tried not to be specific on the outside of the box, especially with the comic books. But I think there might have been one of his boxes already packed well enough for shipping that admitted to being comics. I fear that's one of the missing boxes. UPS isn't much better. Yes, the boxes were in better shape when they arrived. I'm also missing 3 UPS boxes - 2 sent from the UPS store and one from a pack and send place. The good thing about UPS is that each box is automatically insured for either $50 or $100 when it's shipped. The bad thing is that UPS swears that the boxes in question were delivered and that I signed for them. Of course, their records also show that they delivered these boxes to my office. I don't have an office. And our address - our street - is strictly residential. UPS is right that they have my signature. I think I only signed for one set of boxes that arrived - 18 boxes. Perhaps I also signed for 12 others that arrived. In total, we shipped 30 boxes by UPS. Unfortunately, when I signed for boxes, I signed for the NUMBER of boxes, not for specific ones. Although I teased the driver that I wanted to check each tracking number before he took off, he told me in no uncertain terms that that was not an option. So? I have all of the records where I checked off boxes as they arrived. There are definitely 3 boxes missing. But UPS is claiming there is not a doggone thing they can do about it, since their driver claims that they were delivered and that I signed for them. End of story, in their minds. And, again, I really don't know what's in any of those missing boxes either. In the boxes we sent by UPS, we used clothing as packing material, so each missing box most likely has some clothes in it. Other than that, the only thing I can say is those boxes did not contain my Grandma's china or my elephant collection, since we brought those in the car. Nor to the UPS boxes contain media, since we used USPS for those. After 4 years of not having this stuff, it's really not the stuff that I'm concerned about. It's the attitude of both UPS and USPS. They really do think that every individual who ships something should think like a business. Inside - and saved in your files - there should be a packing list of all the items being shipped. The to and from address should be on the boxes and inside the boxes. Each box should be insured and one should pay for delivery confirmation receipts. And when the drivers arrive with a truck load of boxes, one should insist on having a list of the tracking numbers on the boxes actually being delivered. You know, in any business where I've worked, that has not happened. How would they think that a regular consumer, a person shipping household goods, would think that way??? I'm sure there will be more to this story later. I'll be grrrrrrrring about this one for a while, I think. |
| Grrr. My ears are killing me. No, I don't have an ear ache. It's the outer part of the ear that hurts. I've often said that it feels as if my ears have been frost bitten. It would make sense if this happened after being outside in the cold, but it doesn't have to be so. One could be sitting in a warm and toasty house and have this happen. That's what's been happening the past few days. Good news about my stomach problem, I guess. I've been taking some kind of medication for heartburn or whatever it is for about 3 years. The docs have changed the meds from Prilosec to Protonix (expensive) and back again. They've done tests and looked at my innards with x-rays, ultrasounds and MRI's. The only thing they ever find is some mild inflamation. But my whole abdomen is really sore to the touch. There have been lots of things that make me sick almost immediately after eating. And I burp all the time after eating anything. (You don't want to take me out to eat.) Some have said that it's just my fibromyalgia acting up. Any muscle - including organ muscle - can and does spasm. That makes a bit of sense, I guess. Then I recently read that as we age, we can make less stomach acid than normal. The meds I take are to reduce excess stomach acid. What if that's not my problem? The article I read about this said that it's easy to figure out. One only has to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water before meals. I decided to try that, and you know what? I haven't been sick. The tenderness to touch is almost gone. And I think I have been burping less. (We'll have to verify that with hubby. ) Meanwhile, a new friend recommended something more natural for pain, and since my doc said, "it can't hurt you" I'm giving that a try too. I'll report about it when it's evident whether or not it's made a difference. Sometimes it's hard to tell if pains are from really doing too much or a flare up of the fibro. I had both a back and knee injury, and those old injuries give me lots of pain as well. I've noticed that even with pain pills and muscle relaxers, some will work on parts of the pain and not other parts. You know...I never wanted to be a nurse or doctor or medical researcher or anything of that sort. But with most "invisible" illnesses or syndromes, one has to do a lot of research. Most docs - at least those covered by "normal" insurance - are not specialists. And here in good 'ol Cincinnati, the one doctor who is a specialist charges big, big bucks and does not take insurance or medicaid. Fortunately, most fibro patients in the area have been to him at least once or twice and can pass on tidbits of his treatments. I'm tired. I'll share more about the world of fibro care tomorrow. |
Last night, hubby said he couldn't wait to read my recap of the pastor's Easter sermon.  He was there. And I know that he even made some of the same comments in the margins that I did. One anyway.That one margin note that we both made was about nose hairs and ear hairs. No, I'm not kidding. Our pastor spoke about God's great love for us. As he stands at the front of the church looking out, he knows that on Christmas and Easter there are some folks who only come to church then. In some churches, those twice a year church goers are members. In ours, they're probably not. (Our pastor is pretty good about getting members to attend regular worship services, participate in small groups and be involved in some kind of ministry.) So, he was reaching out to seekers, equally or perhaps more than he was speaking to us on Sunday. And that's okay.Anyway about those nose and ear hairs? He used Matthew 10:30 (NCV), "God even knows how many hairs are on your head" as a reference. And his point was that God loves us so much that our nose and ear hairs are probably included in that count. Personally, I had never given that a thought. I'm not sure if I just assumed that it included those gross hairs or not. But as I sat there yesterday, I know I had to grin when he mentioned them. That's the kind of thought my son would have vocalized when he was a regular church goer. In fact, I'm surprised that he never voiced the question about nose and ear hairs. Another margin note I made was...Not just oatmeal. That was next to the note about how we don't really have fun until we're connected to God. The pastor was speaking about how God created us with eyes to see the colors and beauty around us, and ears to hear beautiful music. He mentioned having taste buds so that we can taste different flavors...and that God didn't create us to need only one fuel (like oatmeal). (His comparison was to cars, created by man to run only on gas.) He spoke of the fun he has in his life and that persons who are not Christian think we have so many rules to follow that we cannot possibly be having any fun. That's when he said that we don't really have fun until we're connected to God. I think that's absolutely true. The only other margin note I made (sometimes I make more notes in the margins than the fill-in-the-blank portion) was, "Jesus changes our want to's." These were the sermon points: I know God loves me beause...  I am God's creation. My response: Let God love me.I am noticed. My response: Give God my details.I am built for fun. My response: To live God's plan for my life.I've got a God written plan. My response: Quit just existing and start living.I am worth dying for. My response: I will do plan B.Here, we had to dig out another page buried in our bulletin to read plan A and plan B. Plan A: I am perfect. I have never sinned. I have never even had a bad thought. I have earned my way to heaven. Plan B: I am not perfect. I have sinned, and I desire forgiveness not recognition. Today, I accept Jesus' sacrifice for my sins. As the pastor was speaking about us being God's creations, and therefore truly loved, I thought about artists. I have heard of artists who, having discovered that their works of art were about to be sold for so much less than they were worth, purchased them back themselves. When you think about it, that's what God did for us. The Bible tells us that, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. lt also tells us, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 NIV Jesus paid a hefty price for us. Sinless himself, he paid the price for our sin. God, the Artist of us all, surely didn't want his handiwork sold too cheaply to Satan. So He bought us back at quite a high price, showing that in spite of our flaws (and believe me, He knows them all!) we have such a high value and worth to Him. Because He created us, He knows what we are capable of doing. He knows what plans He has for our life. He knows our gifts and our passions and our talents. It must grieve Him tremendously when we ignore them or use them unwisely. God has given us such a wonderful gift. Salvation. Eternal life. Some have chosen to never accept the gift. Others have received the gift, but have never really opened it. Not entirely. They've peeked inside and ooowed and awwwed over the gift, then tucked it away in the box again. Isn't it time to get that gift out and really examine it? Get to know it? Experience it? Share it??? Toward the end of our worship service, each one took a nail and hammered it into the cross. What mixed emotions that act gave me. Yes, there was relief knowing that my sin has been taken away. But there was also a bit of shame in knowing that I helped place those nails myself into the flesh of my Lord. Jesus gladly died for me, though. And my reaction should be to be thankful. I am! My reaction should be to discover my purpose, my own God-written plan. And my reaction should be to follow that plan. Won't you join me? Easter - to me - represents the real beginning of a new year, each and every year. It is a time of new beginnings. Of renewal of faith. And of remembering that I am a special part of God's world. And so are you. |
 This is a cute image. Spring. Bright. Full of life. But that's not what Easter is all about. Jesus is alive. He is risen. That's the story we should be shouting from the rooftops. He died for us, for our sin, and rose again to be with the Father. We are so blessed to have Father, Son and Holy Spirit as our God. Today, more than any other, is the time to tell Him so. |
| Hi all. Don't think I have much to say/write today. Yeah, right. As the fingers start a-typng that usually changes. It's been a bit of a lazy day. There is still so much I could/should be doing to get rid of boxes in the living room. I have just about completed washing clothes that were in storage. I've tucked away most of the winter stuff - from storage and from here. Had to keep out enough to survive the next week or so. I can't believe how cold it's been for April. And this morning when I went to get Derek from work THERE WAS SNOW ON THE CAR!!!!! This is wrong, wrong, wrong! It's often hard for me to get stuff done on the weekends. I'll be up and ready to do things after getting Derek from work. But hubby wants to sleep in on his days off, so the bedroom is off limits unless I want to keep waking him. Today, I had about a 90 minute nap myself. Now hubby is napping too. It would have been better if we could have coordinated the nap times. I didn't realize he had fallen asleep and took some clothes into the bedroom. I don't wake up very easily. But he surely does. Anyway... I found this quote today: When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death-- ourselves. ~ Eda LeShan I'm pondering that one. Also, we got a catalog today for "progressives." I'm not sure which person in this household is supposed to be that. There were some funny and interesting items or sayings in it. And there were some that offended me. Guess that makes sense since I lean towards being conservative.Here are a few: I'm diagonally parked...in a parallel universe. People never lie so much as after fishing, during war or before an election. Not all who wander are lost. You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake. Bumper sticker: I bet Jesus would have used HIS turn signals! I bet he would have too! Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours. Isn't that the truth? I'm marching to a different accordion. I love that one! I'm marching to a different accordion. Me too!!! Don't get even. Get odd. I have an idea. Let's cut down all the trees and name the streets after them. The truly educated never graduate. Our national health plan: Don't get sick. It's easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. - Frederick Douglas Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire If we don't protect freedom of speech, how will we know who the assholes are? Everyone smiles in the same language. Hubby is up and about now, so I better get some stuff done that requires me to be in and out of the bedroom. Putting stuff away. Later gators. |
| Another week has flown by and I have not even finished unpacking the boxes. Grrr. The weather has me really ticked. It's April. It should not be getting down in the 20's at night. And the weather folks should not be saying that we might have snow. Nope. It's supposed to be Spring. That crazy groundhog really got it wrong this year, didn't he??? I was realizing that I haven't mentioned that my birthday is a-comin'. Well it is. My mom used to start telling folks one to two months in advance when her birthday was coming. She strung banners to remind us. She put lists of things she wanted in our lunch boxes or school books. She did the same thing before Christmas. And you know...she usually got the things on her list too. Know what I want for my birthday? Well, ever since I visited a blog that had 37 or 39 (I forget which) entries IN ONE DAY, I have wanted that myself. They weren't all the same people making a couple of comments, either. Well, maybe some were. And she might have added a few of her own. But there were at least 30 unique commenters. So...mark your calendars for Friday, Aprill 13 and get your butts over here and make a comment. Anyway, yeppers my birthday is a-coming. In fact it's next Friday, April the 13th. How about that. Friday the 13th. Doesn't bother me a bit. Since my birthday is on the 13th, I've had a few of those Friday the 13th birthdays in my time. But way back in 1952, April 13 was a Sunday. Easter Sunday, in fact. Yeppers. I was born on Easter Sunday. Is it any wonder that this is my favorite time of year? I was born on a very special day. I asked Jesus to be my best friend (7 year old words) on Palm Sunday. This is my time! It defines me - as a person and as a Christian. And it's supposed to be warm enough to wear pretty Spring colors to church on Sunday. Oh well. We'll live. I'm going to be 55 next week. Now, that just seems impossible. I remember as a kid that I defined 50 as being old. That means I'm about to be 5 years past old. There are some good things about turning 55. From what my attorney told me, the Social Security people have that age marked as one that, although they do still reject disability applications, they usually finally do approve them. So maybe, if they ever get around to my hearing before a judge, I'll finally get my disability approved now. There are also some agencies that help folks 55 and over try to find jobs. If you're 54 and 51 weeks old, they won't help you. But once you've hit the 55 year old mark they will. Also, it's not 60 or 65 or 70. And that's a good thing too. I'm just getting used to being over 50 and I'm half -way to the next big mark. ********** Last night, hubby and I attended our church's annual Maunday Thursday Seder Supper. Our poor pastor was a bit buzzed. He hurt his back and was on pain pills and muscle relaxers. But he - and we - survived the service. This has been a tradition in our church for probably 20 years. (The pastor has been there for 23, I think.) Thankfully, the pastor doesn't do all of the reading and teaching. When folks arrive, they are given sheets to read when it's their turn. I was reader #6 and my part said: The charoses (pronounced ha-ro-sis) reminds us of the color of the mortar used in Egypt when we were enslaved, and we also here remember the bitterness of the slavery, the bitterness that our Lord has taken from us by His sufferings. Hubby was reader #23: Egypt received the judgment of God for defying God's command. We also know that the plagues exhitibed the defeat of the false gods of Egypt, for these gods were meant to offset the very plagues which took place. As we went through the service, doing and saying the same kinds of things that have been done and said in Jewish households for centuries - and that were done at The Last Supper by Jesus and the Disciplies - it's easy to see that Jesus did fulfill the prophesies. It's too bad that more Christians don't have the opportunity to participate in this. (You should have heard our pastor trying to speak Hebrew. He figures we won't notice. But I did. Since each part that he spoke began with the same words, it was easy for me to recognize that his pronounciation of the Hebrew words was not the same each time. ) This service makes the whole communion thing make so much more sense.********* And on a lighter note... Yesterday I was gone - to the store, I think - and, of course hubby was at work. Derek went to the door for something and Piewacket went to the door as well and started flicking her leash. Derek very kindly told Pie that he doesn't do that. But he did make sure he told me when I got back that the cat was asking for a walk. How many cats do that? Opera - our kitty who has now turned a year old - is still very rambunctious. It would be quite easy to get angry with her, and I have to say that I come close as she knocks over things and bats them around the house. But then she runs out of energy and crawls into my lap and starts the purring engine as she winds down and starts drifting off to sleep. Yesterday as she slept, I heard a sound I had not noticed before. As I looked down at her sweet, angelic face (well, yes, when she sleeps - much like a child!) I realized that the sounds I heard were sucking sounds. Her mouth was moving as if she was trying to suck. As a mom, my heart melted, of course. In spite of her outrageous awake behaviors, she's still pretty young. Right now, she's sitting in the bay window watching the birds (poor things, must be awfully confused about the cold weather that arrived after they had gathered). And she's talking to them through the window. I had to laugh, because I right away thought of that Quiznos commercial that was sooooooooo stupid. "I want you in my belly!" I think that's what she's sweetly saying to the birds outside. Or at least, "I want to chase you all over the yard." That's all for now. But don't forget to mark your calendars for April 13. That's the day that you're supposed to come - and drag all of your friends - to comment for my birthday. Don't forget. Angela's Niece needs Praye   is back at home. Thanks for all your prayers! |
| Yesterday in my chat with my counselor (If you take depression meds, you have to have counseling too. Meds alone don't work.) I admitted that I had made quite a discovery a few days ago. I'm not sure exactly what it means, though. What I discovered was that when I look in the mirror, I see the woman I was between, say, 35 and 45. They always say that time is the best for women, and perhaps I have to agree. Well, somewhat. It was a great time for my career, my family, my health - physical and spiritual. I also think it was when I was at my purrrrrtiest. And that's the woman I see when I look into the mirror. I guess this really isn't something new for me. I was thinking about this, and realized I had touched upon it a bit in something I wrote at least 6-7 years ago. Many of us tend to remember our youth as the best time of our lives, especially as we gaze carefully into mirrors that we pass. Perhaps we sneak a glance and see for an instant what others might be seeing - that there is hint of gray peeking out at our temples or that there is just a hint of a wrinkle at the corner of our mouths. That older image of ourselves quickly passes, though, and staring at us through the looking glass is still the essence of our youth. Older and wiser eyes gaze into mirrors reflecting back a youthful time. From:
What made me realize that I was seeing that younger person in the mirror? Well... I mentioned before that hubby, son and I all got some cheap digital cameras. As I was looking at some pics I had taken, I realized that there was also a web cam feature to this camera and software. I played with that a bit and the woman who stared back at me on the screen looked more like my mother than me. I grabbed a pocket mirror and looked into it and realized that there were two women in front of me - the one I saw in the mirror and the one who was on the web cam. Amazing. My counselor says that there's nothing wrong with me seeing that younger woman in the mirror. She thinks that's the reflection of my inner strength and my beauty, my inner self-esteem. Hmmm. I think I'll have to be careful, though, when I'm applying make-up. I don't want to be putting make-up on the younger face, you know. There's nothing worse than having an old lady all done up with too much make-up. I also admitted to my counselor yesterday that I had not shared something else with her. Not that I was keeping it from her. I just had not experienced it in a while. Back during those glory days (35-45), there was a time when I had to have an office away from home, even though my "business" was in home party sales. Our nice bedroom community refused to let anyone do business at home, even if it just meant taking a few telephone calls there. So I was forced to have an office away from home. I worked very few hours each day, unless I was getting ready for a big sales rally, training event, kick-off party, or awards banquet. Then I might put in 12 hours a day. It was after one of those long days that I noticed that I would do some rather strange things. I would lock up the office - in the dark - and unlock my car and get in. My office near other offices, but by then there probably weren't any other humans around. So I suppose I was just a tad fearful for my safety. As soon as I was sitting in my car, I would think, "Did I lock the office door?" Then I would have to get out of the car to check. I would leave my car's headlights on while I dashed out to check. After I was settled back in the car, I would think, "I wonder if I turned off all the lights?" Then I'd have to turn off my headlights and lock my car again, unlock the office, lock the door behind me, check all the office and bathroom lights, then lock the office, unlock the car and get back in. Yikes. Yesterday, I found myself doing similar things as I left the house to go to the counselor's office. My son and his girlfriend were off eating breakfast somewhere and hubby was at work. I locked the door, then went to my car and unlocked it and got in. Before I could start the car, I wondered, "Did I lock the front door?" Of course I had. Back to the car I went. Then I wondered, "Did I blow out that candle in the kitchen?" Of course I had to check. Sharon - my psychologist - says that's called the "OCD checking syndrome" or some such. She said that it occurs more when one is stressed. Now I'm wondering why I'm stressed. The trip to Texas is over and done with. Yes, there is a truck load of crap to put away. Yes, the house looks like doo-doo while we get all the stuff put away. Yes, we're trying to sell the baby grand player piano and the dining room set, and if someone wants to see it, I'm going to have to find a way to put all the stuff away in a hurry or hide it somewhere. And clean the house. But stressed? Why should I be stressed now??? ******** Well, whadda ya know? I just found out that I tied for second place in "Invalid Item"  . How cool is that?Here's my entry:
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| Okay. I have decided that I might have to make two entries a day - one for regular stuff and one for fibro stuff. I really need to be better about tracking symptoms and triggers and such. And this place is as good as any. So be warned. I'll try to make sure fibro is in the title so you can just ignore it if you wish. Yesterday, I made fudge. That doesn't sound like it's related to fibro - yet - does it? Well...it's the same recipe I've been using for nigh unto (cool phrase, huh?) 40 years. Yikes. Not sure I want to admit that. Anyway, one has to let the butter, sugar and evaporated milk come to a full boil. One has to stir while the stuff is getting to the full boil stage, then keep stirring for four minutes after it starts boiling. In all, that's about six minutes of stirring. I stirred for half the time with my right hand and half with my left. Finished the fudge and felt like I had accomplished something for the day. Later? Boy did I have regrets. The simple act of making fudge - stirring the stuff for only six minutes - made both hands feel like I had used them non-stop for eight hours or more, maybe with some heavy tin snips like my dad used to use as a sheet metal mechanic. Seriously, I could not believe the pain in the joints and in the flesh (not much muscle in hands, is there?). Plus I'm still getting over the trip and the physical and emotional stuff from cleaning out the storage unit in Texas. Bouncing back takes time for usn's with fibro. |
| Just yesterday, the temperature got up to almost 80. That was a bit higher than usual. The rest of the week, the highs will be in the 40's and the low's in the 20's. Quite low for this time of year. Grrr. The news folks said, "Don't even think about wearing those light Spring clothes to church on Easter." The heck I won't! Easter deserves Spring colors! We'll be celebrating the risen Christ. Good Friday might be okay for dark winter colors, but on Easter we should be wearing colors that go with the celebration. Grrr. There was another email that I wanted to mention yesterday, but I cannot find it. I know I didn't just dump it because it caught my interest. It talked about the differences in opinion about whether or not we should just quit the war in Iraq. It mentioned that Democrats keep saying that it's just a civil war over there and we have no business being involved. This email explained the complexity of the politics and killing in Iraq and that there are about six different factions fighting and wanting power. When we think of a civil war, we - at least in the US - think of two sides, North and South. Imagine having six different groups fighting. How in the world could you ever know if your neighbor is a good guy or a bad guy? Hubby got an email from somewhere last week about another fibromyalgia site we had never seen. Actually, it was a specific part of the site that we first saw, entitled, "Progress In Treating Fibromyalgia Is Being Shanghied By Commercial Greed" by Anne Hillebrand. Even if you don't have fibro, you might want to read this. Corporate greed doesn't begin and end with fibromyalgia medications. http://www.fibrofix.com/progressshanghaiedarticle.html |
| Hubby and I heard this afternoon that Angela's Niece needs Praye was back in the hospital in ICU. We don't have any other details, but God knows... |
| The next time I'm going to be away from home for a week, I need to have a laptop to check emails. Yikes, did I have a mess of email when I came home. I had the latest newsletter from Modest Needs. Never heard of them? Check it out: http://www.modestneeds.org/ They are dedicated to helping people with unexpected financial emergencies. I have never heard of this one, but it was in my inbox too: People-to-people lending - http://www.prosper.com/prm/borrower3.htm Also: Writer's Digest competition - https://www.writersdigest.com/contests/annual/76th/ And: Ford Sweepstakes - http://www.edgeacrossamerica.com/thankyou/process.php?107459889 Here's part of an email I read this morning - from Townhall Spotlight, Silencing Faith in America: ". . . those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord . . ." -President Abraham Lincoln, Proclamation Appointing a National Fast Day, March 30, 1863 "The rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God." -President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961 "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we're free at last!" -Martin Luther King Jr., "I Have a Dream," August 28, 1963 "If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under." -President Reagan, August 11, 1984 Are Christians being silenced? Baton Rouge, Louisiana - A church ministering to refugees of a Hurricane Katrina emergency housing project through barbecue suppers was ordered to eliminate a post-meal gospel presentation, even though attendance was completely voluntary. Frenchtown, New Jersey - An elementary school student told she couldn't sing about God in an after-school talent show. San Diego, California - The ACLU and its allies - in courts for 17 years - demand removal of the cross at the Mount Soledad National War Memorial that honors veterans who gave their lives in service to our country. Springfield, Missouri - A college student at Missouri State University threatened with her degree being withheld if she did not compromise her religious beliefs on homosexual adoption. Go here: http://www.myreligiousrights.org/main/default.aspx?referral=E0207SC6&source=sile... Watch the video. Sign the declaration. Make a donation if you can. Are you a Christian woman with a secret - of abuse, adultery, regret? Stories of 1000-2000 words are being collected for a book. Accepted stories will receive $50 and a copy of the book. Here's the link: http://sistahfaith.com/content/submissions.html From Newt Gingrich's newsletter: The (New) Largest Tax Increase in History Americans take tax increases personally -- and so do I. Liberal tax-and-spend policies helped motivate Americans to elect a new center-right House majority for the first time in 40 years. But guess what? Liberals are at it again. Just three months into their majority, Democrats are once again proposing the biggest tax increase in history. This month, the House of Representatives will debate the Democrats' 2008 proposed budget. If it is passed, this budget will impose the largest tax increase in history on American taxpayers -- totaling nearly $400 billion over five years. Families with children, low-income families, and small businesses all would be hit with hundreds if not thousands of dollars in increased taxes. Just what taxes will be raised? Here are some of the specifics of the liberal proposal: The 10% Tax Bracket Will Become 15%: More than five million families and individuals who previously owed no taxes will become subject to taxation. Marriage Penalty Relief Will Be Eliminated: 23 million Americans will owe an average of $466 in additional taxes in 2011. The Child Tax Credit Will Be Cut in Half: 31 million Americans will pay an average of $859 more in taxes in 2011. Go to http://www.humanevents.com/ and click on The Return of the Liberal Tax Increase by Newt Gingrich. Or click on any of the other conservative news links. I'm tired. I think I'll take a short nap before attacking the boxes that are still left in our living room. Oh, before I go... Tiff had a kid's joke book with her this past weekend and insisted on telling us a gazillion jokes. Of course we laughed (or smiled). Here's one: What did the mommy broom say to the baby broom? It's time to sweep. Hmmm. TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3 said she didn't get this one. Maybe it's supposed to say as she tucked him into bed? |
Here are a few links about writing: Travel Writers Needed http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/wri/290303007.html WiseGEEK Writing Contest http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-wisegeek-writing-contest.htm Tamarack Award Submissions - only for residents of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan. http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Minnesota-Monthly/Join-In/Tamarack-Award-S... $10,000 for an original, unpublished work of short fiction. Maximum length: 4,000 words. The winning story will be published in Minnesota Monthly in November 2007. Writers with disabilities can submit poems on any topic. Non-disabled writers must submit work that relates in some way to disability. http://www.wordgathering.com/guidelines.html ********** Remember how I've shared that some of my best notes on Sunday morning are not part of the fill-in-the-blanks on the sermon note page provided by our pastor? Yesterday was no different. Name your flap. The pastor was in front of the church flapping his arms about as if they were wings. Quite a sight. Resign as CEO of the universe and let God be God. "God is God, and you're not."If you're discouraged, it's not God.Never let an impossible situation intimidate you. Motivate, yes. Intimidate, no.It is never God's will for you to just run away from a problem or adversity.Lean on the character of God and the Word of God. There are over 700 promises in the Bible. Believe them!Good Friday was not good. It was a horrible day for Jesus. We all have our Fridays. But for every Friday, Sunday is coming. Don't give up before the blessings.When you thank God after a blessing, it is gratitude. When you thank Him before being blessed, that's faith.The Pastor's message was titled, "Changing the Odds." He showed us some statistics, like how few people ever win the lottery. But he told us that we would all have our Fridays, our bad times. Then he reminded us: That we must make prayer a priority. He used the story of Jehosaphat, saying it was one of his favorites of what God can do. See 2 Chronicles:20. In chapter 19 there is revival and good times. In chapter 20, there are problems. In verses 1-3, Jehosaphat admits to being afraid in his prayer time.We must admit that we are inadequate. Verse 6 says that God is powerful and mighty. Verse 2 says that, "we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us."We must take confidence in His control. Verse 15 reminds us that the battle is not ours but God's.We must take a position and prevail. 2 Chronicles 20:17b(NIV) "Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not get discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you."See also: Psalm 91:1-8 and Isaiah 43:2-3. 2 Chronicles 20:20 (GW) "Trust the Lord your God, and believe. Believe his prophets, and you will succeed." We must praise in the midst of the problem. This is why our pastor loves this particular story. In verses 21-26, it talks about how the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army singing and praising God and while they were doing that, the three enemy armies got confused and fought amongst each other.*********** Before hubby and I went to Texas, my son asked that I make sure to bring all of his stuff back. We did that, except for things that were broken or that were so grossly moldy that it made no sense to try to save them. Now he has a pile of boxes and clothing outside his bedroom door. Over the weekend, he asked me, "Where am I going to put this stuff?" That's an excellent question. I'm sure he'll discover some things that he can sell and donate. But there are also some treasures he'll want to keep, hopefully. Tucked in the boxes are trophies and plaques he received for his home schooling efforts, for reading more books than anyone in the (umbrella) school, and for Christian service. He was such a cute kid back then. He used to print out cheerful messages and poems and attach the to small teddy bears and have me drive him to nursing homes to deliver them. I also discovered some letters he had written - at about 9 or 10 years of age - to three local newspapers asking if he could write kids' columns for them. He attached a resume, showing that he had experience - writing a kid's newsletter for our church. I was tickled when I read those letters again. I was also upset that none of the newspapers even responded to his letters. How rude that was!!! Some of the boxes I have yet to unpack contain books and audio and video tapes. I don't know where those will go, since I have filled all the bookshelves. I think it's time that hubby and I both find a few books that we can sell at Amazon.com. Just before I moved back in 2003, I discovered how easy it was to do that. If I had known that about a year earlier, I probably would have sold even more. As it was, I dontated and gave away a gazillion books before I moved. And I've moved a bunch more then and now. I think at one time, my personal library held over 2000 books.Well, I have procrastinated long enough. It's time to start opening those remaining boxes. And finishing laundry. And cleaning the kitchen and bathroom. Fun stuff.Later gators. |
| After getting Derek from work, I crawled back under the covers and went to sleep. The phone woke us at about 9:10 am, and I wasn't sure I would make it to church. In fact, I wasn't ready when hubby and Tiff were, so we ended up taking two cars. But I did make it, and I'm glad. I've found that to be true before. On the days when I can hardly drag myself to church because of being tired or in pain...that's when I hear some of the best sermons and/or praise and worship music. Maybe it's really when I feel God's presence the most. The rest of the day - until almost 11 pm! - was spent fussing with the computer. Well, it was an on and off thing. I really didn't let it control me. A few days ago, I installed a new virus scan. The one I've had is a freebie - AVG Grisoft. I like it, but, you know with it being free, I wondered if it was the best coverage. I purchased another virus scan and, sure enough, the first time it ran it discovered a trojan. Was it something that had just arrived or had it been there a while? Who knows. Today the computer had a mind of its own. Grrr. It acknowledged that there were two anti-virus programs installed, but it would not let either one activate and scan. I tried everything. It also kept giving me that blue error screen. Pressing any key just locked up the computer. Scandisk didn't find any errors. Even though the computer had just been defragged, it was quite a mess, so I did that again. Finally after 10:30, the computer "let" me update the AVG, then it would activate. And it and the new anti-virus program found nothing wrong. Perhaps I just was not supposed to be on the computer all day. Instead, I focused on laundry. Although nothing wanted to dry. Could that be because - for some reason - our basement has a high level of humidity? (We figure that to be the case because the cold water pipes are sweating.) I didn't work on any boxes. There are still at least half a dozen sitting by the front door. They'll wait until tomorrow. |
| It wasn't just the moldy stuff that was smelling up the storage unit (and our car once we packed it up). Consider... Just before we left Lake Jackson, TX, we had to take Derek's dog to the local shelter. They discovered that Otto had heartworms really bad and put him down. I think we had had Otto with us for about 3 years of the 6 in LJ. (Before that, we had Pebbles - a Shih-tzu with a really smelly skin condition.) Anyway, for the 6 years in LJ, dog hairs were a given. Knowing that he was having to part with his doggie, Derek spent lots of time cuddling with Otto those last few weeks we were there. Ummm...Otto was about a 60 pound dog, I think. Anyway, we spent loads of time throwing stuff away, packing, etc. Derek was 19 when we left LJ. And one of those teens who showered and changed clothes 2-3 times a day, sometimes more. The laundry, most likely, piled up as we worked at "other things." We thought we were going to have our stuff in storage for about 3 weeks before we retrieved it. So? Derek left quite a bit of dirty laundry in storage. Imagine what it smelled like after FOUR YEARS! Yikes. ******* Over the last few days, I have seen quite a few good pieces of information about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. I'm pondering starting another blog just for that kind of information. Yes, hubby has a fibro blog about our symptoms. But this would be more about studies and meds that might work. We'll see. Maybe I don't really need another project. ******* Ever think about this? In Reader's Digest - April - there's a short blurb about another way obesity is costing Americans. Ready for this? We burn more gas in our cars because of overweight drivers. Now, I certainly never thought about that. Did you??? Also in that same Reader's Digest issue, under "Word Power" there are a bunch of French words that we use in the English language. (Figures, right? April...reminds you of April in Paris?) Anyway, here are some for you to ponder or research, as the case may be: soufflé, demitasse, risqué, protégée, sauté, attaché, soiree, genre, apéritif, repartee, faux pas, gauche, savoir-faire, fait accompli, élan, denouement. Of course. Also in RD - eating slowly and chewing each bite 15 to 20 times makes us consume 10% fewer calories per meal. Now, isn't that an easy way to diet??? Or how about this? PICNIC. Something having to do with food and ants? Nope. It's "Problem in Chair, Not in Computer." Hubby, if you're reading this, you might want to share that one at work. (In case I forget to tell you. Fibro fog, remember?)Guess that's all for now. That trip to Texas really did me in, as they say. I need a nap. Now. Later gators. |
| What did the baby banana say to the mommy banana? "Mommy, I don't peel well." That's me. I really don't "peel" so well. I know it's a combination of things. I didn't get enough sleep for days. I had to throw away some things that were dear to me because of water damage and mold. And yesterday, we found out that one "package" of pictures we brought back (and didn't check out first) were ruined. One was an oil painting of my son at about the age of 9 or 10. He looked so serious in that picture, and it was one we both loved. Now, because of the mold and moisture, his face is gone and all that's left is the lower part of the picture. I was going to throw it away, but for some reason he asked to have it. Fortunately, I do have a small picture of the same pose, so I can probably have another oil painting done for him. But not right now. Back when we had it done the first time it cost us about $80. Who knows what it would cost today...The other ruined picture was one of Derek and his dad and me. It's not that important to me, but it was to Derek. It was one of those pictures taken at church. It's not as bad as the oil painting. At least you can tell who we are. I'm sure part of it is also that a chapter of my life is finally closed. Derek and I spent about 6 years in Lake Jackson, TX. When we first arrived, my brother, my parents, and my sister, her hubby and two girls lived there. Gradually, they all moved away and we were left to fend for ourselves. It was a time of growth and change for both mother and child. It's also where I was rear ended twice (and injured once), where I received the back treatments that ended up thinning my skin permanently, and where I injured my knee at work. Not such good things. But there were good times. Lake Jackson is where I was when I started writing again after years, for more than myself, that is. Then again, it's also where my son became so disillusioned with "church folks" that it sent him off looking for a "better religion." Thoughts of the good and bad times came rushing back as I sat at the storage unit deciding which things I could keep and which I had to throw away, which damaged items might be "fixed" and which could not be. Being a single mom is never an easy task. But I never really felt burdened, and Derek has shared that for a long time, he didn't know that we might be just a bit poor. God prepared me for being a single mom, although, of course I didn't know that at the time. Back in Florida, when we were still a family of three, we published a newsletter about being frugal. Those thrifty ideas are what kept me/us going in Texas, especially once our family was gone and once I was injured and had little income. While hubby and I were in Texas, my son turned 23. I think that was only the 3rd birthday of his that I missed. I did arrange to have a piece of art from his favorite artist and a t-shirt (same artist on the front) delivered while we were away. It has never been easy to surprise my son, but I did this time. That was fun. Yeppers...I'm just not "peeling" well. I did too much. When I last worked - at Dillard's - I explained to my boss that I just couldn't work more than 6 hours at a time or more than 2 days in a row. Boy, oh boy, did I find out that was right this past week. My poor old body is screaming from standing, sitting on concrete, lifting and toting for hours, then for sitting in the car for hours and hours. And I just didn't get enough sleep. (Hey, at least I remembered to put sunblock on so I don't have sunburn on top of everything else!)Yesterday one box arrived and today another 10, I think. But I'm just too tired to deal with them right now. I have to get some of my energy back real quick. Hubby's 10-year old daughter is coming this weekend and staying an extra day because of Spring break. I can't be falling asleep so much with her here. She already thinks we're a bit boring. |
| As my loyal readers know, hubby and I were gone for days, so I'll probably have plenty to write about. I just may not do that all in one chunk. We left Cincinnati on Monday morning and drove all the way to Texarkana, TX where we spent the night in a Motel 6. Then we drove to Lake Jackson and stayed with my sister on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night. We were still there on Friday night, but we spent that night in a Motel 6. (Guess we had worn out our welcome at my sister's house. Actually, her youngest daughter was home from college for Spring break and wanted some time alone with her mom.) We got up early on Friday morning - 6:30 (me) and 7 (hubby) am - and worked until about 4 p.m. Then we got gas and cold drinks and headed to Memphis. I think we arrived there about around 5 am, but there were no motel rooms because of a drag race.  Now about those teasers I posted earlier... As I was driving along, I asked hubby to "un-fog" the window. Of course, I knew it should be de-fog. I think he nodded off for a while, and I pondered the use of "un" and "de". (See? Undies. ) I wondered who makes the rules and why we say "de-fog" and "untie". Anyone know? I suppose we were both a big goofy by then because of our lack of sleep, so we ed quite a bit about the "undies."When we left Memphis, I had to make a pit stop and we did need some gas. The gas station/convenience store we found was about 40 miles outside of Memphis, I think. As hubby gassed up the car, I located the girl's potty and was quite surprised to see a metal detector at the entrance. I've seen them in courthouses and such, but never at the entrance to a restroom in a store. Yes, it did give me the creeps, but I had no choice at that point. I had to use the restroom! After we were on the road again, I told hubby. We found a motel room about an hour away from Memphis and when we finally settled down to sleep a bit, we had both been up about 24 hours. We slept for maybe 4 hours, then set off back to Cincinnati. I drove again. (Hubby makes a great navigator. Besides, he kept nodding off, and I didn't want him driving!) I took some caffeine pills and drank some coffee and was just fine. Fried pickles? We ate those at a restaurant in Lake Jackson the first night we were in town. My sister and my niece and hubby and I ate together that night. Fried pickles was one of the appetizers. We had never heard of them, but they were really quite good. I guess that's not on hubby's diet, but since we didn't eat much the whole week, I doubt it hurt him this one time. The moldy, smelly, buggy stuff we found in storage after 4 years? I guess I could write a bunch about that. I'm just glad that I found my jewelry box with my grandmother's antique cameo pin in it, and some of my writings from...the late 70's and early 80's. That should make some interesting reading. |
| Yes, we're back in town. Now I have to unpack the car and find places for everything. The rest of the stuff we retrieved will arrive by UPS and USPS, (supposedly) on Thursday and Friday. I'll be back later to tell all about our trip... Including: un's and de's (undies?) being awake for 24 hours metal detector to go potty and fried pickles... Plus the moldy, smelly, buggy stuff we found in storage after 4 years. Thanks for all your prayers for our trip. We had no problems at all with the car or weather. Bye for now. |
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