It's a sign.

I realized yesterday as I was trying to decide what to do with my hair and getting input from my hair stylist, that having my hair done up like I had it when I was 18 including that color, wasn't going to do any good as far as making me look like I was 18.  We were progressing toward a more "subtle" color, talking about a "golden color" and because I have 70-year-old ears and haven't gotten an "ear horn", I thought we were talking about "olden color."

I also realized that I would look 70 even though I put my "age 69" make-up on to make me look 69.  No longer do I look 69.  I noticed that the wrinkles are deeper and more are showing themselves every day.  No matter how many tightening creams I purchase and use, the wrinkles are still there increased at warp-10 speed -- whatever warp-10 speed is.  I just made that up and it means really, really fast.

Next topic:

I had 12 days of no pain at all.  I could walk and I could walk at a pretty fast gait.  At least I was faster than my husband, which I haven't been for quite some time.  I could bend over.  I could empty and fill the dishwasher without grunting or making loud noises because I hurt.

Then I twisted my body the wrong way without realizing I had done so, and now my hip bone no longer feels like it's connected to the thigh bone or any other bone for that matter.  I feels like it's trying to get through my skin.  Unpleasant, to say the least.

Next topic:

 I am enjoying the weather -- warm but not humid.  The aviary is active again.  Lots and lots of birds flitting from branch to branch and tree to tree.  This year we have a bird's nest in our front door light fixture.  No wonder the dog has been barking at odd times! 

I also noticed that the grass is green again.  We have no daffodils or tulips yet, and I haven't seen any blooming forsythia nor tree buds.  And, I'm wondering if this hot/cold/hot/cold weather had done something to stop the buds from presenting themselves.

Well, Spring is coming and I am looking forward to the flowers of spring.  Spring flowers -- golden.

I love this time of year!

ttfn

Update

I titled this "Update" because I couldn't think of anything else to call it.

I am a member of our community's Board, and I had my first Board meeting on Tuesday.  All went well, but I signed up for two projects that are probably going to required a bit of my time.  Oh, well.  I need something else to do. NOT.  At least they are mostly sit-down chores which I can do without pain.

Doxi takes up a lot of my time. Trying to potty train her is a hassle, and keeping her from biting is a big pain as well.  Between yesterday and today, she has bit through TWO, wires -- one is the plug to my Amazon Fire, and the other was a plug to the phone charger.  I can order a new wire for the Fire, and fortunately we had an extra plug for our phone. 

We have bought some spray to keep her in only certain parts of our house.  It seems to be working, but Alan hasn't been willing to tighten up the area she's permitted to roam.

Another update on Doxi -- she is getting big, even though she is the size of a cat, she has probably doubled in size since we got her.  She's supposed to be a small dog, but she's getting bigger all the time.  How long does it take for a puppy to get to its full size?  Six months?  One Year? 

I've had a bad sciatic nerve week, but my knees are still doing so very well, and I love that they are.  Once I get past the sciatic pain upon rising from sleeping or sitting, I can do pretty well, Then when I have to bend forward, I hurt really bad again.  Those of you with sciatic pain know what I'm talking about.

Alan and I have had so many "appointments" this week.  I find all this running around very tiring.  Is it my age or is it the activity?  How I wish we could eliminate some of the doctor's appointments, but we can't.  Alan's visit to the oncologist was this week.  We almost missed it.  Everything is still fine..
We're coming up on remission of 14 years for multiple myeloma (bone marrow cancer).  Praise the Lord!  I guess all the running around is worth it after all.

ttfn

The takeover

Can you guess who is the most gullible person in the world?  That would be me.

My husband, for 10 years, has wanted a dog, or rather a puppy HE could train; a puppy HE could feed, a puppy HE could clean up after; a puppy HE could walk no matter the weather.  Finally, after 10 years of his saying so, I believed him.  Not so.

 

So gullible me is now stuck (sorry Richie) with a puppy that has really grown on me in the past month.  She is about twice as big as she was when we brought her home.  She bites a lot.  She "kisses" a lot (licks).

My children are amazed that I even touch the dog.  While I do like dogs a lot, I like them better in someone else's home than mine.  At least I used to.

Doxi is cute as can be.  My grandchildren had a lot of fun with her this weekend.  Doxi was pleased as punch to have more than two people to run to.  And run she did.  From one person to another, then around the house.  We have an open-concept home so she was having a ball. 

My children reminded me that one rule of the house was "no running in the house" and didn't that apply to a dog?  It used to. 

I just want you all to know that having a baby puppy is like having a baby:  fun to cuddle, lots of poop to clean up; there is an exception, however, this baby sleeps through the night!

ttfn

THe puppy and other things

I have taught my husband's dog, Doxi, to do a couple of things. 

If I say, "kiss", she will stick out her tongue and kiss me.  If I'm not holding her close enough for her to kiss me, and say, "kiss" she still sticks out her tongue.  Cute.

And, I have taught her to sit before she runs to gobble up her kibble or whatever else I have put out for her. 

Now, if I could just teach her how to consistently use her grassy box or to go outside to pee or poop.  She's getting better at bath rooming outdoors, I think, but a few days of no accidents will be very telling.  She has never messed up her night cage.  I just don't want to keep her in that for all day long, but maybe I'll have to.

Regarding my physical therapy for the sciatic nerve.  After a two-week hiatus because of the stomach flu, I went back on Monday and had no problems getting back into it.  In fact, it felt quite good afterwards. 

I still have some twinges, but I have found I can sit in a hard chair and work out the pain.  Do I perhaps move the nerve a bit so that it doesn't hurt me so much?  I don't know.  But my prayer is that the sciatic nerve pain will disappear like it did for five years, and I will be able to walk normally again.

ttfn

Rough week/night

I had the flu.  I don't remember feeling as bad except when I was 16 and had the Asian/Hong Kong flu.  The aches from the fever were really bad.  It was a stomach flu and hung on for several days. 

Then I felt good for two days and FINALLY took down the Christmas tree and put away my snowmen, although with all the snow we've been having the past few days I think I should have left them out. 

Then last night I really felt awful.  I prayed and prayed and prayed for the pain to be taken away and I finally fell asleep. 

I woke up this morning and feeling pretty good, so I can get on with the day which includes cleaning up the mess from dinner last night and getting a load of laundry done. 

I hope to get my valentine cards addressed today -- the ones for the grands which I didn't send last year because I was in rehab and they kept me busy for 18 of the 24 hours each day.

So, I'm about to get to work.  I'll write again soon.

ttfn

Christmas party pictures

I would post pictures if I could figure out how to.  Blogspot has changed the way you load up pictures and since I didn't put them into Picassa, and I don't have them in an URL, I have no idea how to load them into this posting.

Well, my sister is about the only person I know that doesn't have Facebook, where I did post the pictures, and all 70 of them are in an album there.  So, sis, get in touch with your son, who does have Facebook and take a look at the pictures.  Maybe he can figure out how to transfer them to you so you can see them at your leisure.

ttfn

So much fun

Well, after six days, I'm still pain free (except for mild fibro pain).  Last night at the party I was walking around the Clubhouse with no pain at all having a great time with my 14 grandchildren,am my one adopted grandchild, Naomi, and my three children, and another "adopted" child, Tamara.  I had a young lady (another of Tamara's children) take pictures.  She has taken such beautiful pictures for her BLOG that I thought, it would be a good idea to get her to take the pictures of the party.  I will post them when I get them back.

Back to "adopted".  I put the "adopted" in quotes and don't want any of my friends or non-friends to get miffed because my husband and I have 'adopted" Tamara and Naomi.  By "adopted" I mean have brought them into our family and I love them both so very much.

Five years ago when my knees were so bad and after a couple of mild strokes we decided I needed help around the home and for shopping at Krogers.  My bff Nancy recommended Tamara and she's been my personal assistant, friend, shoulder to cry on, daughter,personal shopper, and so on for four whole years plus.  It has been a wonderful relationship for both myself and Alan.  She is not only a friend, but a daughter ("adopted") to us.

But this BLOG is about getting older and coping with it.  Well, last night at the party I coped very well.  My husband and others were praying that my health would be well and it was.  And today is another day of waking up with no pain and walking with no help or noise from my mouth because of the pain.  I'm so glad.

I really am so thankful to my Lord for the respite from pain and we're believing that the pain will be gone for a long, long time. 

ttfn