It's been warm the last several days so I've been able to walk outside. My friend Paige and I have planned to walk in her neighborhood a couple of days a week when my schedule allows. So far, we've only walked twice. I try to plan our meals or have Cameron cook so I can have a little more time to walk. Mama & I are trying to walk on the weekends and have gotten a few walks in before it gets dark. Andy said we can't walk on the farm after turkey season starts. Don't want to be mistaken for a turkey, for sure! Today was an educational walk, because Andy claims he knows the difference between gobbler poop and hen poop!
Luckily, I work at a mall so if I have a chance during the day at work, I can do a couple of laps. Lately, I've been able to do a couple of laps outside. Oh how I miss seeing sunlight during the day! I miss windows in my office!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Happy Anniversary
Yesterday was our 15 year anniversary. WOW! I can't believe it's been 15 years. In the beginning, it was a little rough, I admit. Gary stepped into the middle of a family with a 2 year old & 4 year old. We worked through it and became a family. Life is good. I miss the little boys from our wedding pictures, but my sons have turned into great young men. CJ just turned 20 (talk about how time flies!) on Valentine's Day. Cameron is a senior in high school.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Another year gone
Looks like it's time for the annual post to my blog. It's not something that has crossed my mind a lot, but since some of my friends are blogging, I thought I take another try at it. 2009 proved to be a challenging year in many ways. In January, I got laid off AGAIN. I thought by going to a larger company that had been around nearly 35 years that I would get away from the economic lay offs. It took me 3 months to find a job. It in itself is challenging. I don't know if I want to go into all the specifics, but I am keeping my eyes open for a more stable job. My job is very stressful and it reaks havoc on my attitude.
CJ moved out, then back in, then back out over the course of the year last year. Not sure what's going on in that mind of his, but he's trying to get back on track. He's waiting to hear about acceptance to Western Carolina and is thinking about joining the National Guard. Cameron is a senior and is set on being a history teacher. We're doing scholarship applications and he hopes to get into the C-Step program at UNC. He'll go to ACC for the first 2 years then transfer to Carolina.
Mama's health seems to be on the mend. She's very susceptable to any virus that comes around and it usually knocks her down a notch or two.
I am currently busy with Relay for Life, 4-H and am the president of the Board of Directors at OCIM. At least one night a week, I have a meeting. I am probably crazy for doing all that I do, but I am passionate about the causes for which I volunteer. God made me to help people and I am doing the best that I can to follow His lead.
Gary and I will celebrate our 15th anniversary on Feb 18. It's so hard to believe that it's been that long. We have nothing special planned, although I love surprises (like that would ever happen!).
Our dog Sydney is still the light of our lives, although she is now deaf. We know her days are probably numbered, and we pamper her every chance we get. According to the birthday we gave her (Jan 30, same as Gary's), she just turned 14.
I'll close for now. Maybe I'll get back to blogging and will update my boring life & add some new pictures soon.
CJ moved out, then back in, then back out over the course of the year last year. Not sure what's going on in that mind of his, but he's trying to get back on track. He's waiting to hear about acceptance to Western Carolina and is thinking about joining the National Guard. Cameron is a senior and is set on being a history teacher. We're doing scholarship applications and he hopes to get into the C-Step program at UNC. He'll go to ACC for the first 2 years then transfer to Carolina.
Mama's health seems to be on the mend. She's very susceptable to any virus that comes around and it usually knocks her down a notch or two.
I am currently busy with Relay for Life, 4-H and am the president of the Board of Directors at OCIM. At least one night a week, I have a meeting. I am probably crazy for doing all that I do, but I am passionate about the causes for which I volunteer. God made me to help people and I am doing the best that I can to follow His lead.
Gary and I will celebrate our 15th anniversary on Feb 18. It's so hard to believe that it's been that long. We have nothing special planned, although I love surprises (like that would ever happen!).
Our dog Sydney is still the light of our lives, although she is now deaf. We know her days are probably numbered, and we pamper her every chance we get. According to the birthday we gave her (Jan 30, same as Gary's), she just turned 14.
I'll close for now. Maybe I'll get back to blogging and will update my boring life & add some new pictures soon.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Well, it's been over a year since I posted. Maybe I will start again, although I'm more busy than every. Say some prayers for us. My mama's having angioplasty on Jan 13. Please pray for the medical staff as they deal with her most difficult anesthesia problem, which could be deadly, and her blockages. I'll post more later........if I get the gumption again.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
My leg
Boy am I glad 2007 is over. It was quite a year. It started out fine, then n March 3, I tore my ACL & LCL (two of the 4 ligaments in my right knee)while skiing. Well, honestly, skiing was fine, it was the fall that got me. I was going too fast (for me, which is turtle speed) and the slope was a little icy. I was going around a curve towards some fallen branches and didn't want to crash into those......I didn't want to end up smacked up against a tree. As I tried to slow down, my skis became tangled and down I went. I knew something was wrong with my knee, but it didn't hurt. I just knew I couldn't get off that mountain by myself. Cameron & I were skiing together and he came to help with lots of other people. One nice teenage boy got the Ski Patrol who got me stabliized and loaded into the rescue basket. By then, CJ and his friend DJ came up on me and were surprised that I was the one injured. Well, not really. I'm not the most graceful at sports. I called mama while waiting for the ski patrol, but had to leave a message. I didn't think Gary would answer the phone so I didn't call home. Boy, that was the best ride down the mountain! It really was cool! We were with the county 4-H group and many of the adults were outside at the ski lodge watching as I came down the mountain. I yelled up at them and they too were shocked that I was hurt.
Sheila, the 4-H Program Assistant and DJ's mom, Joyce came right away and helped me in the first aid station. We all packed in the small first aid room, Sheila, Joyce, Cameron, CJ and DJ with another couple of injured people and the first aid staff. By the time I got to the room, my leg was quite swollen and I knew I couldn't walk. I couldn't see my leg because I had on ski bibs. Joyce was able to help me get those off and get on my pants. It hindsight, I bought those pants off the clearance rack at Walmart and they were a little big. They became my wardrobe for the duration of my leg healing and wearing leg braces. The ski lodge first aid people fashioned a leg brace out of cardboard and helped me get to the bus. CJ & DJ carried me from the bus to the hotel room. After I got undressed for my bath, I was able to see my leg..............boy, was that a shock. On the outside part of my leg, it was quite swollen. I didn't think I needed to go to the hospital so I called Paige to see if her sister had a pair of crutches I could use. Her sister was in college at Appalachian State and lived in Boone. My cell phone was dying and I forgot my charger, so I had to limit my calls.
I called Gary and decided to go to the hospital. Fortunately, one person drove separately, Beverly, the 4-H secretary because she was also visiting her son who attened ASU. She was kind enough to forsake time with her son and take me to the hospital. Watuaga Medical Center did xrays and found that I had torn my LCL, the outside ligament and broke off a small fragment of bone. The other ironic thing is that I packed pajamas for the trip. I never wear pajamas.........I put those on to go to the hospital. I knew I couldn't get my jeans on and the dr. said they'd have to cut them off me. They put me on crutches and told me to see an orthopedic dr. when I got home. This was on Saturday, March 3. Since my office is on the second floor without an elevator, that proved to be a challenge. After the accident, I was able to make it up the steps ok on crutches because I could use my leg with a brace. The first week, I was able to make it to work by Friday.
After visits to the orthopedic doc and an MRI, I found out the extent of my injury and that I'd need surgery. That's when I found out I had torn both ligaments. They don't waste time, either! I was in the dr's office on Friday and my surgery was scheduled for the next Wednesday. My boss, Kim, got on the phone with Dave, our IT guy mere minutes after I told her that I'd need surgery and we got remote access set up on my laptop so I'd be able to work from home. Surgery was successful and I was able to come home the same day. Unfortunately, that same evening, CJ was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society and I missed the ceremony. Mama and my best friend Wendy represented me and supported CJ. I thought I'd be smart and stay on the couch the first night. I thought it'd be easier for me to get up. Boy, how wrong I was! Everyone in the house sleeps so soundly................I needed to go to the bathroom about 5 am and really, really needed to have some pain meds and I couldn't get anyone awake. I was able to make it to the bathroom but almost passed out. I was yelling at the top of my lungs to try to wake up anybody.............not even Sydney woke up! After a while, I was able to wake up Cameron and he got Gary up and I got pain meds & he got me in the bed. Boy, did I like the percoset!! I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but I made sure I took the pain meds. The pain was pretty bad when I stood up and the blood went to my leg. I was able to decrease the pain meds day by day and by Monday, I wasn't taking any during the day. I did need them at night because sleeping was difficult, trying to get comfy with the leg & brace. I thought Gary would be able to go back to work the next day after surgery, but I am glad that he was there that Thursday (I don't remember that day much) and Friday. He was a very good nurse and cook. Mama was able to help me with washing my hair, which Gary didn't even want to tackle. I figured out that I could sit in the rolling office chair in the kitchen and roll around to get my lunch fixed by myself.
I was able to try to work some on Monday, but kinks had to be worked out with the remote access. By Wednesday, I could connect but there were still issues that knocked me off every so often. Kim was able to bring me work and pick up stuff I had done. Except for answering the phone, I was working full capacity. That saved my sanity. I had problems with working the remotes for the tv & satellite beside daytime tv pretty much sucks. Being able to work saved my sanity!
I had to have physical therapy to learn how to walk on my leg again. That sounds silly, I know, but there are right ways and wrong ways to do it. CJ was able to take me to PT most of the time. He became my chauffer but didn't like my backseat driving. He threatened to kick me out a couple of times! I went to UNC PT, which is in the same building as my office. Everyone was able to come down & visit me in the car. I told Jo & Rich, the physical therapists, that it was their jobs to get me up the steps and back to the office. I worked really hard and did my exercises at home. By April 24, I was able to make it back up the steps at work. I'd heard that my boss had become quite crabby while I was gone and she and the other staff were quite glad that I would be back, for different reasons! Eventually, I went down to one crutch, then a cane and then nothing. I was able to hobble around unaided at Relay for Life on May 11.
My leg is back to normal, with a few twinges every now and again when the weather is damp.
Sheila, the 4-H Program Assistant and DJ's mom, Joyce came right away and helped me in the first aid station. We all packed in the small first aid room, Sheila, Joyce, Cameron, CJ and DJ with another couple of injured people and the first aid staff. By the time I got to the room, my leg was quite swollen and I knew I couldn't walk. I couldn't see my leg because I had on ski bibs. Joyce was able to help me get those off and get on my pants. It hindsight, I bought those pants off the clearance rack at Walmart and they were a little big. They became my wardrobe for the duration of my leg healing and wearing leg braces. The ski lodge first aid people fashioned a leg brace out of cardboard and helped me get to the bus. CJ & DJ carried me from the bus to the hotel room. After I got undressed for my bath, I was able to see my leg..............boy, was that a shock. On the outside part of my leg, it was quite swollen. I didn't think I needed to go to the hospital so I called Paige to see if her sister had a pair of crutches I could use. Her sister was in college at Appalachian State and lived in Boone. My cell phone was dying and I forgot my charger, so I had to limit my calls.
I called Gary and decided to go to the hospital. Fortunately, one person drove separately, Beverly, the 4-H secretary because she was also visiting her son who attened ASU. She was kind enough to forsake time with her son and take me to the hospital. Watuaga Medical Center did xrays and found that I had torn my LCL, the outside ligament and broke off a small fragment of bone. The other ironic thing is that I packed pajamas for the trip. I never wear pajamas.........I put those on to go to the hospital. I knew I couldn't get my jeans on and the dr. said they'd have to cut them off me. They put me on crutches and told me to see an orthopedic dr. when I got home. This was on Saturday, March 3. Since my office is on the second floor without an elevator, that proved to be a challenge. After the accident, I was able to make it up the steps ok on crutches because I could use my leg with a brace. The first week, I was able to make it to work by Friday.
After visits to the orthopedic doc and an MRI, I found out the extent of my injury and that I'd need surgery. That's when I found out I had torn both ligaments. They don't waste time, either! I was in the dr's office on Friday and my surgery was scheduled for the next Wednesday. My boss, Kim, got on the phone with Dave, our IT guy mere minutes after I told her that I'd need surgery and we got remote access set up on my laptop so I'd be able to work from home. Surgery was successful and I was able to come home the same day. Unfortunately, that same evening, CJ was inducted into the National Technical Honor Society and I missed the ceremony. Mama and my best friend Wendy represented me and supported CJ. I thought I'd be smart and stay on the couch the first night. I thought it'd be easier for me to get up. Boy, how wrong I was! Everyone in the house sleeps so soundly................I needed to go to the bathroom about 5 am and really, really needed to have some pain meds and I couldn't get anyone awake. I was able to make it to the bathroom but almost passed out. I was yelling at the top of my lungs to try to wake up anybody.............not even Sydney woke up! After a while, I was able to wake up Cameron and he got Gary up and I got pain meds & he got me in the bed. Boy, did I like the percoset!! I have a pretty high tolerance for pain, but I made sure I took the pain meds. The pain was pretty bad when I stood up and the blood went to my leg. I was able to decrease the pain meds day by day and by Monday, I wasn't taking any during the day. I did need them at night because sleeping was difficult, trying to get comfy with the leg & brace. I thought Gary would be able to go back to work the next day after surgery, but I am glad that he was there that Thursday (I don't remember that day much) and Friday. He was a very good nurse and cook. Mama was able to help me with washing my hair, which Gary didn't even want to tackle. I figured out that I could sit in the rolling office chair in the kitchen and roll around to get my lunch fixed by myself.
I was able to try to work some on Monday, but kinks had to be worked out with the remote access. By Wednesday, I could connect but there were still issues that knocked me off every so often. Kim was able to bring me work and pick up stuff I had done. Except for answering the phone, I was working full capacity. That saved my sanity. I had problems with working the remotes for the tv & satellite beside daytime tv pretty much sucks. Being able to work saved my sanity!
I had to have physical therapy to learn how to walk on my leg again. That sounds silly, I know, but there are right ways and wrong ways to do it. CJ was able to take me to PT most of the time. He became my chauffer but didn't like my backseat driving. He threatened to kick me out a couple of times! I went to UNC PT, which is in the same building as my office. Everyone was able to come down & visit me in the car. I told Jo & Rich, the physical therapists, that it was their jobs to get me up the steps and back to the office. I worked really hard and did my exercises at home. By April 24, I was able to make it back up the steps at work. I'd heard that my boss had become quite crabby while I was gone and she and the other staff were quite glad that I would be back, for different reasons! Eventually, I went down to one crutch, then a cane and then nothing. I was able to hobble around unaided at Relay for Life on May 11.
My leg is back to normal, with a few twinges every now and again when the weather is damp.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Sydney's antics
Our darling dog is quite a Houdini. She is very psychotic and has terrible separation anxiety. She stays in the house with us while we are home or for very short periods of time. Because Sydney has the anxiety, she destroys things when we are not around. After trying several methods of containment, we finally found that a cheap radio underground fence would work................or so we thought. Wednesday, I get a call from mama, who lives across the busy road from us, telling me that Sydney was at her house. We couldn't figure out how she got down there, but were happy she didn't get hit. Thursday, Andy, my brother, gets to mama's and finds Sydney there again.......we were glad again but very upset that she escaped again. Gary really investigated her fence and collar and couldn't figure out what was wrong. He put up string all over the yard and flags hoping that would be a visible barrier for Sydney. He fiddled with her collar & fence settings and decided to go buy a stubborn dog collar. After buying that, he found out that the old collar had gotten reset somehow to only beep and not shock. Nonetheless, we'll be putting the stubborn collar on her until she gets used to it again and stays home!
December.....
Well, I have finally gotten the house decorated. Cameron and I (mainly) got the decorations out the Saturday after Thanksgiving, as usual. We got the tree up and most of the boxes down from the attic. Cameron got the tree up and I put the lights on, then he got started on decorating the tree. I placed all my Santa's on the hope chest where they live during the season. It's easy to reminise while putting on the decorations. Louise, Gary's mom, used to give him and his sisters ornaments every year. Those go on the tree with the Chrismons that she has made. CJ and Cameron have their special ornaments, ones they have made or ones that they have been given. Gary and I made ornaments with the scroll saw the first year we were married and painted them together. The wreath on the kitchen door is decorated with Santas also. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, I woke up with a horrible crick in my neck and my left shoulder was out also. After finding an emergency chiropractor, on Tuesday, I wasn't much better. She mentioned that I had bad scholiosis and suggested I get xrays to monitor it. I was able to get in with my chiropractor Wed and Fri and found a massage therapist that could see me on Friday. Whew, what a week. It took days after that to get back to feeling better. I was on the phone a lot at work the previous Monday and I think that had a great deal to do with my neck being out of alignment. The boss said I could order a headset and it is on the way.
I think I am finished buying everyone's presents, but I have to check. Because of my neck & shoulder being out of whack, I have not wrapped anything yet, so the tree looks a little funny with nothing underneath it. I do have to make Andy's, my brother, lasagne. That's his Christmas present every year.
Gary happened upon a Hoosier (kitchen cabinet which is a baking center, with shelves and a flour sifter) at a job he was working at. I have always wanted one. Mama has one and both my grandmas had one. At first the lady said she thought her daughters wanted it, but after Thanksgiving, neither of them did so she let Gary know it was available and she only wanted $100 for it. Because of my neck & shoulder problems, I couldn't go see it, but Gary took pictures of it. It was exactly what I wanted. He finally got someone to help him get it loaded and brought it home last Thursday. Gary got to looking at the tag still on it and Googled the name. He found out that what we got was a genuine Hoosier, made by one of the 5 companies in the early 20th century. Ours came from Elwood Indiana and was sold in Henderson NC. What a bargain! Without getting it appraised, it's hard to tell what our (MY) cabinet is actually worth, but I am thrilled nonetheless.
I think I am finished buying everyone's presents, but I have to check. Because of my neck & shoulder being out of whack, I have not wrapped anything yet, so the tree looks a little funny with nothing underneath it. I do have to make Andy's, my brother, lasagne. That's his Christmas present every year.
Gary happened upon a Hoosier (kitchen cabinet which is a baking center, with shelves and a flour sifter) at a job he was working at. I have always wanted one. Mama has one and both my grandmas had one. At first the lady said she thought her daughters wanted it, but after Thanksgiving, neither of them did so she let Gary know it was available and she only wanted $100 for it. Because of my neck & shoulder problems, I couldn't go see it, but Gary took pictures of it. It was exactly what I wanted. He finally got someone to help him get it loaded and brought it home last Thursday. Gary got to looking at the tag still on it and Googled the name. He found out that what we got was a genuine Hoosier, made by one of the 5 companies in the early 20th century. Ours came from Elwood Indiana and was sold in Henderson NC. What a bargain! Without getting it appraised, it's hard to tell what our (MY) cabinet is actually worth, but I am thrilled nonetheless.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
