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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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| 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. |
| Shorthand version of things so far. Maybe a longer version later. Trip down was pretty uneventful. We stopped in Memphis to see Allison (Derek's former long time girlfriend). I'm glad we did. Our motel in Texarkana was fine. Well, except for the lousy coffee in the morning. Mapquest, Google and Yahoo maps all sent us from Cincinnati through Memphis, through Texarkana and down 59S to Houston. That's why we picked Texarkana for our first night's stay. Unfortunately, 59S is NOT an interstate highway and it IS under construction in quite a few places. AAA doesn't have an office anywhere near Lake Jackson, but their web site does provide a very different route and that's probably the one we'll choose for going back. Whenever that is. There was water damage in my storage unit. It looks like there might have been 2 inches or so. So, all the boxes on the bottom were squished and, yes, there is some moldy stuff. Pretty smelly. So far, most of what we've thrown away has been clothing, sheets, towels. We've lived without them for 4 years, so I don't think that's much of a tragedy. This is quite a job, though. I'll explain more about that later. If we can get done with the storage unit today, then we'll be on the way again on Friday. If not, it will be Saturday before we leave lovely Lake Jackson. It is a nice place. Some changes after 4 years. But just being back makes me remember the good stuff. It's a town of....well, I guess I don't know. When I lived here there were about 25,000 people. Still, it has a good sized mall, a wonderful college, great libraries and museums, even a planetariam. And it's only about 50 miles from Houston and 45 from Galveston. Now...it's time to get back to packing and sorting and throwing stuff away. Yippee. |
| Hey, y'all I'm gonna miss ya. All y'all. (Just practicing talking to Texas friends. ) Be praying for our trip. But while you're it, put in a few for our kitties. The issues they both had have not been resolved. Now we're concerned about their kidneys. Yes, they were eating the canned foods that were recalled. Our news last night said even more foods had been recalled, and if your pet ate these foods take him/her to the vet. We really need to get on the road bright and early. In case you've missed this one, these foods have been decided to be the cause of kidney failure in pets. Some dog foods were also recalled, but I haven't paid much attention since we don't have any dogs right now. Hopefully my son will be observant about the cats' activities. Now, I'm off to finish getting me ready and stuff packed (foods). We'll be on the road by 8 a.m. (earlier if I have my way). I'll tell you all about trip in about a week. Probably won't be around before then, unless just to peek in to say howdy. |
| For some reason, I thought about the phrases "traipsing around" and "prancing around" today. When I was a kid, those phrases were used quite a bit, and usually interchangeably. They aren't really the same thing. According to dictionary.com, traipsing means, "to walk or go aimlessly or idly or without finding or reaching one's goal, to tranp, or a tiring walk." Prancing, on the other hand, means, "to cavort, to move in a lively or spirited manner." I wonder why those two words popped into my head this morning...and have refused to leave. We're leaving in the morning for that trip to Texas to finally empty out my storage unit. Are we going to traipse? Or prance? Not likely. We'll be driving - and observing the speed limit all the way. One of Dad's phrases also came to mind today. Mom used "traipse" and "prance" more than Dad did. Maybe I was thinking about words that they each used. Perhaps I was remembering a bit about the months I spent with my parents before hubby and I married. I don't know. But I do know that Dad - for years even before I lived with my folks - always talked about eating "snick-snacks" in the evening. I thought it was something peculiar to him, but not long ago I discovered that lots of Pittsburgh folks say "snick-snacks." Now, I really do have to get back to packing. |
| Grrr. I decided that a bit of sleep was required at about 1 p.m. My body was gradually doing its "automatic shut-down" thing. That "bit of sleep" turned into about four hours. I really didn't have time for that, but I guess I needed it. I have been having to wash laundry that was waiting in the basement when the hose broke the other day. Whatever was down there got wet and no matter what else needs washed, those wet things took priority. Fun. While I was sleeping I had a dream...that woke me for a few minutes. (Usually only nightmares wake me!) Perhaps if I had stayed asleep it would have been a nightmare. I mean I did wake up because both bees and flies were swarming - together - and a fly ended up in my nose. It was a strange dream. In it were my family, my church friends, and some WDC friends as well. Some of the folks who are WDC "friends" don't show their pictures in the ports, so in my dream those folks were just a bunch of suitcases (in various colors) with legs. I laughed in my dream, realizing that I had entered a kind of cartoon world, or something Alice in Wonderland-ish. We were on some kind of field trip or vacation together. We visited museums and amusement parks and zoos and concerts. I think it was at the zoo, in a picnic area where were eating, that the swarming bees and flies arrived. They were following some WDC friend (a yellow case). First we were concerned for our friend, then we were all being chased, and that's when a fly went up my nose and I woke up. Okay, now that I think about it, I guess that was a nightmare. Or the beginning of one. What's weird, though, is that I'm pretty certain that the sound of the swarming insects was actually the sound of our kitty purring loudly next to me. My dream thoughts have the ability to change with the noises I "hear" while asleep, which, obviously, makes them quite interesting. Our kitty, at some point, had joined me in the bed. After making sure there really wasn't a fly up my nose, and talking to hubby and kitty, I was back to sleep. But I didn't continue where I left off. I guess that's a good thing. I have probably said these kinds of things before. In fact, I think I have one or two items in my portfolio that talk about how our words can impact the world around us or far from us. But in an email exchange today, I said: The written word can be so many things - an introduction to love and friendship, a rebuke, kind, angry, confusing. Without the benefit of facial expressions and voice tone, our written words strike out on their own and sometimes, as hard as we have tried, they don't really impart the message of our hearts. True, huh? Sometimes, even writers, have a difficult time writing just the right words or conveying the message just like they would like it to be received. I am sure that's why if we're Dad's kids we sometimes are just allowed to take dictation from the Master and not allowed to venture out on our own. Not when the words are meant to be about Him, anyway. And that important. Don't forget. Bright and early on Monday morning, hubby and I are beginning our trip to Lake Jackson, TX. That's about 60 miles south of Houston. Start your praying engines now, okay? That we have a safe trip. That the weather is good (warm would be nice!). That we don't have to stop every two hours for potty trips. Once we get to my sister's house, we may be able to check in. Or we might hop over to the library so we can both log on at once. But that's starting Monday and, thankfully, it's still Saturday now. I really need to get to the store to buy a few things for the trip. I just hate leaving the house IN THIS COLD. The weather really teased us the other day, getting up to 76 or something. Then the temperatures plunged back down to the 30's. Grrr. I mean BRRRRRR. Okay, I'm off to make list of what I need to buy... |
| Some folks think I'm Irish, but I'm not. Mackenzie is Scottish. March 17 is special for me (and my family) because my brother was born on this day in 1956. My grandmother also died on this day in 1980. The one who lived with us for most of my young life. I'll probably come back later to write something. Or maybe not. My baby sister and her hubby stopped in Friday afternoon. Knowing that she was coming then instead of today meant that I TRIED to get some cleaning done. (Both of my sisters are clean freaks. I call each of them Mrs. Clean.) But, boy oh boy, our kitty didn't want to let me get much done. I put the cats' food and water bowls on the floor so I could clean off the mess Opera had made of their normal feeding place - the bay window. She was running around the house, as usual, but when she tried jumping over the bowls, she caught her tail in the water bowl. That made her jump a bit, which knocked over the food (dry) bowl and scattered it all over the living room. Then she decided to play hockey with the scattered pieces. When I tried cleaning the bathroom, she was right there trying to help. I swear, she's worse than having kids around. Today and tomorrow, I really need to get my act together to make sure we have clean clothes to pack, food to take with us, maps, etc. Plus I need to make sure hubby has paid things that need paid before we go, since we'll be gone for almost a week. ********* Remember a few posts (or more) back when I was lamenting people respond to questions by asking a question? In my pretend converstion, I mentioned that blueberries are supposed to be the best food for us. Well, that was what I read. They're chock full of anti-oxidants. But here's a new list of 6 superfoods. Guess what's #1. Pomegranate. http://www.prevention.com/article/0,,s1-3-71-108-7834-1,00.html?cm_mmc=Spotlight... Some "facts" about milk: http://site.vocalpoint.com/milk/thefacts.html How about this. The headling says, "Literary Legend Learns to Type at 92"http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,,2025178,00.html You know...if he can learn to type at the ripe old age of 92, what can we learn to do at 30, 40, 50, 60??? |
| I had something really cool to share with you about Monday, March 19. I had the link to prove that I'm not crazy too. Silly me. I had it right here in this little box when the computer froze. Now it's lost. But here's the deal. Monday is (and now I'm not sure of the "official" name) Wash Your Coffee Cup Day. Years ago I worked with a guy who never, ever washed his coffee cup. This day is for him and others like him. Some DJ in Indianapolis, IN started this once a year Wash Your Coffee Cup Day (or whatever it's called). What really makes me mad is that the link was from a site with all kinds of weird holidays and celebrations. And I've lost it.  Oh well... How about this. This link is for an article called, "A Conservative Who Could Win" by Doug Patton. Does the name Fred Dalton Thompson ring any bells for you? Today, he plays District Attorney Arthur Branch in NBC's “Law and Order.” But from 1994 to 2002 he was a TN. Senator. And a long, long time ago - three decades ago, in fact - he worked behind the scenes to investigate the corruption and deceit that became known as "Watergate." Thompson was a conservative Republican and a Southerner. He worked along side a liberal Democrat, Hillary Clinton. Word has it that Thompson might run for President. Wouldn't it be neat if Hillary and Fred, who worked together on the Watergate issue would be running against each other in the 2008 election for President? http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=19689 I may add something more later. I may not. I really need to be getting ready for that trip to Texas. Meanwhile, I think I have to squeeze in a trip to the chiropractor first. Having that knee bother me HAS made my other parts scream out in pain. And I think my sacroilliac joint is all out of whack. Grrr.  |
| Absolutely Incredible Kid Day® - Camp Fire USA suggests that adults write letters to children about how much they are loved and valued. (since 1997). http://www.campfireusa.org/a_i_kid_day/mainpage.html |
| Seriously, I don't do a bunch of whining. Or at least I try not to. But today, I have set aside to do a bit of whining. So...if you dont' want to hear it, run for the hills.......... N O W !!!! Okay...as we wait for THEM to leave, I'll try to be nice first. So THEY don't catch a word or two of whining that THEY don't want to hear. I now have two, count them, TWO, Easter baskets. Nanny-nanny-boo-boo.   I got one from intuey  and one from winter - both very, very special ladies. Thanks again!  ya both!Okay. Are THEY gone? Are you sure YOU are up to hearing me whine? Rememer, it's not something I do every day, so once the flood gates are opened, I might not be able to stop. Well, that's not true. I can stop. But I want to start right now... Some days, I'm really tired of hurting. Oh, I know. I won't die from hurting. I guess that's what keeps me going. I know this isn't anything serious that I have. It won't kill me. And when there are others - here at WDC, even - facing life-threatening illnesses, I feel like such a wimp for even bringing it up. That's why I don't often complain. Much. Maybe it's the flip-flopping weather that's getting to me. Yesterday it got up past 70 and today it's back down to the 30's. What's up with that? And it's damp outside, so my muscles and joints are just screaming. Grrr. If you've never hopped over to my hubby Incurable Romantic 's port you might not have discovered his/our disabiltiy forum or the blog he's keeping of his/our aches, pains, doctor visits, sleep habits, etc. So, maybe you've never heard me say this.If you see me here late at night, it's because I'm avoiding going to bed. One would think that lots of rest would be good for me. And it is, since with the chronic fatigue aspect, I can often just shut down with only ten minutes notice. BUT...the worst pains I experience are when I'm getting into bed at night and trying to find a comfy position and first thing in the morning as I try to get out of bed. Just getting into bed and easing myself into the best sleeping position or sitting up in bed at the beginning of the day makes my whole body scream with pain. If you've ever been to a doctor who inquires about the level of pain you're experiencing, they usually use a scale of zero to ten. Ten is the worst pain level of all. When I'm getting into or out of bed, I think my pain level reaches about a 12 to 15. Seriously. During the day, my pain level is always between three and eight. It never, ever goes away completely. (That's why I've said that I'm probably the only person around who looked forward to having a colonoscopy...because now they drug you so that you not only don't feel what they're doing to you, you also forget what they did. It works on my fibro pain too for that time.) My worst pains are in my left lower back and my left knee. Both of those were places I injured in the past. It figures that my fibromyalgia pains would migrate to there. That doesn't mean I don't have pains anywhere else. I DO! In my right hip, my right knee (not quite as bad), my ankles. That's just the bones. I also have pains in my muscles in my legs, arms, neck and back. My ears. The outer portion of my ears feel like they are on fire, or maybe like they've been frostbitten. Even in yesterday's 70+ degree weather, they pulled that on me. You know they weren't really frostbitten. My stomach hurts almost all the time, and they can't find anything wrong. I guess we - the doc and I - are going to just accept that it's the fibro and forget about it. Easier for the doc than for me. Those knees? The left one - the one I injured in 2002 - actually it was on 3/16/02, so it's almost 5 years (surgery was 4/22) - is now not only hurting but each time I put weight on it I feel like I'm going to throw up. That, of course, makes me tread lightly on my knee, which causes me to put more weight on the other one. That will probably have a negative effect on my other knee and my back. Yikes. Yes, I know that God has the power and ability to heal me. God and I have spoken about this quite often, in fact. But... ...okay I'm going to leave the rest of my aches and pains and whining for another day. Because, I have something else good to share. Y'all can come back now. I'm done whining. Whatever the reason that God is allowing me to experience this malady, I do know that people have been and are being helped. Just today I heard from Nada about my Wednesday Wisecracks entry. Remember that one? I included the link to the Spoon Theory. Nada thanked me and said that sharing that helped her understand what someone close to her is going through.That, I'm sure, is why I'm here sharing the good times and the bad. Because along the way, someone is going to learn something. Someone is going to be touched. Someone is going to be helped. And that's what sharing is all about. Okay, I'm done. Later gators. |
| Wisecracks? Well, maybe so, maybe not. But you know me. I love titles and using the same ones each week would get boring. For me, anyway. It's turning out to be quite a week and it's only half over. Or as hubby pointed out when he called and I commented that the day was only half over, "You can look at it from the other direction. It IS half over." Right. The glass. Half full? Half empty. I got it. Anyway, today's adventure involved the washing machine. When Derek came home from work, he promptly started doing some laundry. Not long after that, he yelled, "Mom, I need help!" When I opened the basement door, the sounds of the washer and water just weren't right. Turned out that the hot water hose had broken or split and it was spraying hot water all over the basement. It seemed like lots of time went by, but you know it didn't. We had to put a bulb in the overhead light fixture and I handed him a flashlight so he could see what was going on. He turned off the hot water and then we started mopping up water. It covered his turn tables, his TV and lots of CD's and DVD's. What fun. Once we had that under control, he restared the washer, using only cold water. But he commented that the cold water hose appears to be rather brittle too. Probably so. It's probably been there since the washer and dryer arrived, and I have no idea when that was. Wonder if hubby remembers. I'm just glad that Derek didn't toss the laundry in the washer and head off to bed. Thankfully, he was still in the basement when water started spraying all over the place. I probably would have noticed a different kind of sound coming from the basement...eventually. But the mess might have been greater. ******* I was trying to catch up with my Yahoo emails today. I have not finished. I think I still have 177 in my inbox that I have not yet opened or tossed. Serves me right for not checking there daily. I think I get about 120 in my inbox there each day and about 600+ in my bulk mail. With that many in my bulk mail, I just empty it, even though some "good" mail may end up trashed. ******* One of my newsletters, The Rick Scarborough Report on the War on Faith, mentioned something that happened at William and Mary College. They reported last October that the new president of the college ordered the removal of the 18-inch cross which had been in the Wren Chapel for 75 years, based on the complaint of one student. Readers of this newsletter, plus most likely other Christian media (like Focus on the Family), plus alumni bombarded the college with letters, phone calls and emails. Some of the alumni threatened to withdraw donations, including one individual who had pledged $12 million in donations. The president changed his mind. That same college president allowed the college to partially subsidize an exhibit of paintings produced by "sex workers" -- prostitutes, strippers and porn stars. He thought the cross was offensive, but the art exhibit showed tollerance. Right. ******** From another email/newsletter I received today: Over the past 52 weeks, fewer than 15 percent of the books on the New York Times non-fiction best seller list were authored by women. Since the majority of non-fiction books (up to 70% by some estimates) are purchased by women, this disparity led eWomenPublishingNetwork and Content Connections to launch a national, comprehensive study on the reading, recommending and book buying habits of women. The study also investigates the factors that can help more women become successful, published authors. Women, click here to find the survey: http://www.womenandbooks2007.com/ It will take a few minutes, but it's worth taking. ******** From 48 Days Newsletter: The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he is always doing both. - James Michener And... John Wesley was an Anglican priest and leader of the great Weslyan “Methodist” revival of the 18th century. In his lifetime he rode 175,000 miles on horseback to preach 40,000 sermons. As his health failed near the end of his life, Wesley complained that his doctor would only allow him to preach 14 times weekly. He wrote in his journal, “I fear laziness is creeping in on me – there is a growing desire to sleep in until 5:30 AM.” Hey, I was raised a United Methodist. I love John Wesley...******* Someone commented the other day that I seem to be “better.” No, I’m not really better. I just don’t always complain. If it appears that I have been online for most of the day, it’s more likely that I just forgot to log off while I went to take a nap. I probably provided this link long ago. I know I’ve shared it in our disability forums and hubby shared it in his fibro blog. But it’s worth sharing again. It’s the Spoon Theory. The woman who wrote it has Lupus, but what she experiences (and explains really well) applies to many people who have chronic illnesses. http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/2007/02/the_spoon_theory.php#more |
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