Knees

What's with knees, anyway?  Take this weekend for instance.  Saturday -- knees were working great.  Alan and I even went out to dinner and I was able to walk with no pain, and no cane.  Sunday?  I was scheduled to go over to visit Cyndi, in order to take pictures of Jack at 6 months, and hopefully get a few of the other grandchildren as well, and my knees were barely holding me up even with a walker.  Today, Monday?  Fine again.  I'm walking all over the place and doing housework, and not suffering at all.

Wish I could get a handle on what makes me feel okay, and what causes the relapses.

I thought maybe it was the weather.  But the weather on Saturday was humid, with the possibility of thunderstorms.  And we did have a storm, but it was late that night, around 10 p.m.  And because the weather was so nice, Alan and I chose a nice table outside the restaurant at which to eat.

Sunday was partly cloudy, coolish, and basically a beautiful fall day.  Today, Monday, is even cooler, windy, and sunny.  Again, another typical fall day, if there is any such thing as a "typical" anything when it comes to weather in Cincinnati.

So, I hobble or walk depending on what my body feels like doing, I suppose.

See those two pictures up there?  One is of Jack, the youngest of my grandchildren, yesterday.  I mentioned I went over to Cyndi's to get Jack's pictures -- he six months old already.  And I was blessed to have Ellie be unafraid of me, and even call me mom-mom (close enough to memom) several times.  She even said "Goodbye."

I hope you like the pictures.  They're both so cute.  Jack looks like his oldest brother, Shandon, but he also resembles his mother when she was a baby.  Ellie is the spittin' image of her daddy.

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Have you missed me?

I have been remiss in updating my "journal" and giving you all the pleasure of knowing what I've been doing from day to day. 

Well, a blank page about says it all.  I have been so busy, I've been getting nothing done.  Like I've been trying to find flooring, and someone to install it, that doesn't cost a small fortunate and require that I get another mortgage just to cover the installation. 

I'm at a stage in my life, and so is my husband, that we are physically not able to lay flooring, either wood or ceramic.

My bathroom is in desperate need to a floor lift.  (that's a facelift for the floor of my bathroom).  When we moved in, I had really nice flooring put in the master bathroom.  Little did I know that if I cleaned it with bleach it would stain -- it would stain the color of day-old urine.  And so there's a wonderful blotch around my toilet where I poured the bleach to (1) get rid of the odor, and (2) clean up the dribbles and drips -- you ladies know what I mean -- and whammo!  My beautiful floor was damaged beyond repair.  The only thing that would fix it was a new floor.  That was 8 years ago.  Now, I'm getting a new floor that will be guaranteed NOT to discolor for my lifetime (it supposedly has a lifetime guarantee, which I'm sure means nothing, but it sounds good). 

And we decided to put flooring in the dining room because of drips and dribbles from the grandchildren and others, the carpet needs to be taken up and replaced.  I want hardwood floor in there, and so it's a nice flow, have that hardwood go into the kitchen.  Well, since we have cement board under our flooring (that's how the place was made) I can only have a certainly kind of wood flooring -- the expensive kind.  That's okay.  I can afford the flooring.  It's the installation that has me FLOORED.  (pun intended). 

So Alan and I are trying to decide whether we're just going to keep the spotted carpet, and call it a design, or whether we're going to bite the bullet and get a new floor. 

We have some other expenses right now, and having the floor cost $1k more than we thought might cause us to drop the project.  I'll let you all know, because I know you really want to know whether I get a new floor or not, right?

Health wise we've been okay, mostly.  Yesterday I had a fibromyalgia flare-up -- a really, really bad one.  No getting away from the pain at all.  I couldn't sit or lay down either.  It was a bad one.  But it's gone today, praise the Lord.  I just had two really bad nights, so I'm tired.

Alan is playing with his new laptop.  Yes, playing.  I think it's going to be his own personal game machine.  That's not why we got it, and I'll see if he uses it as his main computer, so he can sit in his recliner and ease the pain in his back by not sitting at his desk, which is extremely painful for him. 

It's Saturday afternoon.  The last of our beautiful weather, I'm afraid.  It has been one beautiful week, weather-wise.  Cool nights, warm, but not hot, days, and starting tomorrow we are to have rain, rain, rain.  We need it -- the rain, that is.  I notice that our unwatered grass is turning brown. 

The trees are getting more colorful everyday.  Soon there will be no leaves on the trees.   And yes, I've noticed how dark it gets so early at night. 

I do wish that congress would just do away with daylight savings time, since we change in November, then change back in early March.  Why have the change for just four months.  Remember when it changed in late September, then didn't change back until the last weekend in April?  Now, that's daylight savings time.  I don't even both changing the clocks during those few months.  I just always late -- or is it early?

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Baptism

Yesterday, Sunday, September 13, 2009, we went out to North Vernon, IN to see the baptism of my middle child's (Becky's) son, Dan, get baptized.

The pastor offered a wonderful sermon on what it means to be a Christian and what baptism means to a Christian.

Dan had to give "testimony" as to how he knew he was born again, and did a good job.  He forgot what he was going to say for a spell, but got back on track (nervous?) and told the congregation why he was being baptized.

I have never seen a child so excited about being baptized.  He's been jumping at the bit for weeks, and now he is baptized.  The picture shows him coming out of the water, in front of the pastor.

After the baptism ceremony his other grandparents and Alan and I went over to Becky's for a delicious dinner of lasagna, salad, and Dan's favorite, garlic bread.

Dan played one of his favorite games with his grandfather (Alan) while the girls and I spent an hour or so on her front porch.  I know you all know how much I love porches.

We came home and today I've been getting ready for my monthly scrapbooking crop at my home.  I can't wait for that.  I might even get some work done on my grandson, Jack's, book.  I certainly hope so.

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Another day, another dollar

I know that's an old expression.  I think it started back in WWII when the men were paid a dollar a day, and the expression became, at the end of the day, another day, another dollar.  I'm not sure if that's the origin, but it's one I heard many, many years ago.

And, frankly, in this economy, I feel like that.  The more taxes that are impose, the less I get to keep.  Yikes.

Today went so fast, AGAIN!  This morning I got up and did my usual -- take my pills, take a shower, sit and wait for the meds to kick in, and then I was off and running, rhetorically speaking.  I can't run.  I can barely walk, as we all know.  But I did get going.  I put potatoes and eggs on the stove because I was going to make potato salad to go with the fried chicken I was going to make for dinner.  Neither of which did I make for dinner.  I'm getting to that.

Then, I went into my office (or my sister's room) and cried, rhetorically speaking.  I dug in and got to work.  I moved my computer to a long table that is next to the bed, and is in front of a window, so I can look out on my world and see what's going on, if I've a mind to.  I moved that (the computer) along with the scanner, and my printer.  This was so that I could clear off my father's desk which I will use  solely for scrapbooking.  It's a large surface, and I hate having the scrapbook stuff out in the main part of the house.  It's just too scrappy (messy) and drives me nuts.  When I'm working on a project I have paper and doo-dads etc., all over the place, so if I confine the working to the office, I can always shut the door and I don't have to look at the stuff, not does anyone else. 

I promise, sis, I'll get it cleaned up for when you come visit me.

That took me quite a while.  I couldn't get the extension cord which had every electronic gizmo attached to it to work in the new plug into which I was putting them.   I finally had to get a new strip with eight outlets to use so that I could get everything to work off one plug. 

About the time I was getting ready to put some more crates away, I got really dizzy and sick to my stomach.  I laid down and Alan woke me at 8 p.m. and told me if I didn't get up, I wouldn't sleep tonight.  Correct-a-mundo.  However, I'm barely keeping awake to write this, so I'm going back to bed.  I think I'll be able to sleep, and I'll get up early in the a.m.

Tomorrow, Sunday, is a day for Daniel.  He is getting baptized, and we're heading out to see that event.  Daniel has been looking forward to this since he found out it was going to happen, a few weeks ago.  And, so have we.  I'll take pictures, if they're permitted.  And maybe I'll include one in my reporting of how blessed I know we are going to be by his statement of faith to his world, that being his church and family and friends. 

Gotta to lay down now.  Stomach is feeling really awful.

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Where does time go?

I just can't believe that four days ago I posted my last post to TFLS.  Where did the time go?  What did I do in that time period?  How much time did I waste?  How much time did I spend in bed sleeping?  How much time did I spend in a chair waiting for the pain to subside?  How much time did I waste playing an internet game?  

I haven't a clue since I, unlike my husband, do not take time each day to write down how much time I spend on various tasks.  I do know that I have cooked every evening a really good dinner.  I have finished all the laundry for the week, AND -- ta da -- put it away!  I know that I have cleaned the kitchen floor twice -- no cleaning person this week or last week or the week before.  I know I have spent time with my DIL and son.  I know I will be heading out to Indiana on Sunday to attend the baptism of my grandson, Dan. He's 11.  I know I'm ready for my scrapbook crop on Monday night, and I have been working on that for several days.  And I know that I have moved my computer, printer, and scanner to another place so that I can use my father's desk for scrapbooking.

But where has the time gone?  It seems I just got out of bed and then it's time to get back into bed and I have little to nothing to show for the day.  I still haven't visited my nearest daughter -- she only lives 1.2 miles away.  And therefore I haven't seen those grandchildren -- there are six of them -- since Father's day!  And everyday I say, "Today, I'm going over to Cyndi's."  And everyday passes and I didn't go visit Cyndi.  Sorry Cyndi.

Well, I've been pretty busy this a.m., and now my knees and legs are throbbing, even in a sitting position, so I guess it's time to lay flat and get them into good shape so I can do the various nothings that will take up so much of my time the rest of today.

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Revolving door

It seems like the past couple of weeks my front door has been a revolving door. Guests in and out on almost a daily basis. Guests as in family and non-family members. I have loved every minute of it. But I have hated the "next day" results.

Alan keeps telling me to leave the house dirty between the times when my home-cleaner comes to clean for me. I can't do that if I have guests or family coming. So I bend, almost kneel, stretch, and am on my feet for more time than my body cares to endure, and then I suffer because of it.

Yesterday is a case in point. I really did very little to prepare my house for our latest house guests. I cleaned the bathrooms and that was about it. The usually kitchen clean-up followed, of course. And I did have to vacuum. But I didn't really clean well, and I had told my friends that the place would be dirty and not to look. They didn't.

Today, is another day of toil and fun. The community Labor Day events will be thoroughly enjoyed, and tomorrow will be another day of post-toil/enjoyment discomfort. I know this sounds like gloom and doom, but I know what will happen.

Tomorrow evening our cottage prayer group starts up again after a one-month vacation break. I'm really looking forward to it. I miss it so much when we don't have it. My body will have recouped by tomorrow night, so I'll be good to go.

Wednesday is hair cuts (mine and Alan's) day, then we'll head out to do some food shopping. My personal shopper can't make it this week and I'm low on lots of stuff, so I'll head over to the produce market and stock up on what I'm missing, mainly bread, milk, and fresh veggies and fruits, that I can't get at the farmer's market. Speaking of which: I noticed that the peaches are finished, but apples and sweet potatoes are in "full bloom" so to speak. Tomatoes are getting smaller, but that's okay. I prefer the smaller tomatoes.

I will wait a couple of weeks before I buy apples. Last year I got a peck of delicious apples and they kept well in the fridge until I finished making pies for Thanksgiving. I also got a half-peck of Granny Smiths last year. I went over to Ohio to get the apples. They were so good. If this year's crop is as good as last year, Alan and I will enjoy our "apple a day" for the months leading up to Christmas.

I think I've rambled on enough for today. TTFN

Wednesday

Well, today was the day I was going to see a movie (Julie/Julia) but as I was getting ready to leave (I was in the process of shutting down my computer), Alan remembered that he had an appointment with the oncologist in one-half hour -- it's a 25 minute drive from our house to the doctor's office. I wasn't dressed yet. He wasn't dressed yet. We scrambled, if you can imagine two people who can barely move scrambling! We got to the office five minutes late.

All is well. He's clean for another 3 months. And was told that they don't do bone marrow transplants for multiple myeloma as the first course of action any more. They have a "drug" that they try first. Well, that would have been nice 10 years ago, and perhaps he wouldn't be in the state of health he's in now. The doctor did say the new drug does NOT compromise the immune system the way the transplants did. His immune system is badly compromised and he really gets more ill than a normal person if he gets a cold, or the stomach flu, or any other virus.

He still has the cold he got when we were in Indiana back in July, can you imagine having a cold for over six weeks? A cold is supposed to last, I've been told by a doctor friend of mine, nine days -- three days coming, three days hot and heavy, and three days leaving. I eat a lemon a day as my cold prevention method. Alan hasn't caught on to lemon usage yet. I don't think he ever will. Eating a lemon to him is like eating fish, which he hates. And yes I actually eat the lemon, like one would eat an orange. I slice it and eat the fleshy part. I really do like lemons.

We both need to get pneumonia shots -- next week. He was told to get a flu shot. I think I mentioned that I'm not going to get one. I'm not sure they are a good thing. I just don't trust the government telling me I need it and must get it because I'm old.

Also, I'm a bit depressed (not really) because I see my niece's BLOG and it's so cute. She has pictures separate from her writings, she has cutesy sayings in the margin, and even has a "cartoon" of sorts at the bottom of her family. Her broccoli sayings are a little off-the-wall, but that's okay. I'm so jealous of her talent as an artiste. I'm also jealous of my "holler" friend who also has a really snazzy looking BLOG page. How do they do that? I used "the cutest blog on the block" and thought I had a pretty nice looking page, but it doesn't compare to these two ladies' efforts.

I am such a BLOG-a-holic. I have about 10 BLOGs that I check out faithfully every day and then I sit and stare at my computer screen trying to think what I'm going to write about, if I'm going to write, and if I write, what can I say that will grab someone else's attention beside mine.

I have a difficult time keeping track of the three BLOGs. Runnemede Remembered is still my favorite, but I have to be careful on that BLOG that I don't overlap to The Fat Lady Singeth which has to do with my current life and family, whereas RR is supposed to be about life in that small NJ town.

I heard from one of the residents of the town, an old friend, and he said he was loving what I was writing -- that made me feel good, but you'd think with the town having over 5,000 residents, more people would write to me and say, "Hey, Jude, nice BLOG." Doesn't happen. Oh, well.

I'll write for myself and if anyone wants to read what I've scribbled, that's fine. If not? They're loss. My goal: Be name Blogspot's Blog of the Day. I'm not holding my breath!

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