Throwback Thursday

My daughter would shoot me if she knew I was doing this. My throwback picture is from1978. Teresa was 3 yrs. old and I was a stay-at-home mom. Our twins were in school. I babysat for a little guy across the street, Jason, who was also 3. He and Teresa were friends from the start. They had so much fun together, but they also got into stuff they shouldn't have. I remember the day I heard them giggling in the living room. This is what I saw when I walked in. They found a couple old wigs of mine from the 60's that I had in my closet.

The last few days I've been like a child waiting for Christmas. My hubby told me he'd been looking for a good used piano for me!! Consequently I've been mentally doing an inventory of all the things I can get rid of in my office so I have space for it. Since I'm no longer working for the auctioneer, I don't need all this office stuff. Believe me... if I can have a piano, I'll clear out this room. I hope he finds one soon.

Bob is on Facebook and connected to several of my friends. We all went to school together. The gals love to post recipes and he loves to read recipes. He's always seeing one that he'd like to try. Tonight's dinner will be one of those -- cheeseburger pie. I'll let you know if it's good or not.

Hope you are having a good day.

Until next time..............

Trying Tuesday

10:13 pm: I hope you had a great Tuesday! It was another winter day. I'm so sick of this. We got a little bit of snow last night, less than a inch, but the frigid temperatures are returning. We'll be in the single digits again! This has become a pattern all winter.

Well, my plans changed yesterday. I've been so miserable the last few days, I knew I couldn't wait another 3 weeks to see the doctor. I called yesterday morning and got in at 3:00. One look at me and she knew. Her verdict? She put me back on the medicine I was taking, but she ran some tests to see if there isn't something else going on. I went straight over to the lab and had lots of blood drawn. She's calling me when she gets the results and we may go to Plan B.

I tried to practice my piano lesson last night, but quit after only a few minutes. I couldn't think and the sound was even getting on my nerves. Isn't that horrible, when I love it so much? (this too shall pass) Bob came in and asked why I quit. He said "I love to hear you play". That's so sweet of him. He's been my cheerleader all along, constantly encouraging me. What bothers me tho' is my daughters. They all know I've been taking lessons, almost a year now, and not one of them has asked how I'm doing or even if I'm still doing it. Oh, well. I have to get over this. One day when I play Chopin, they'll be surprised big time! (so will I!)

We had another big drug bust in town last night. The guy made a mistake uptown and was pulled over for a traffic violation. The officer's K-9 unit, Kane, sniffed it out. They went down to the guy's house with a warrant and found several adults and small children there with lots of different drugs and paraphernalia. It isn't always an old boarded up ramshackled house. It can be a nice place, but you never know what they're doing behind closed doors.

That's all my tidbits for today. I'm tired so I'm going to bed.

Until next time........

My day to play

I'm going to try something different today and NOT talk about the weather. Today is going to be a "positive thought only" day.

I love Sunday afternoons. After 6 days of taking care of priorities and duties, I take Sunday afternoon as my "day to play". I most often get to do whatever I want. I also try not to cook... unless hubby and I are hungry for something in particular. Today's dinner will be easy -- vegetable soup and ham wraps.

Speaking of wraps... I love them. I'd prefer them over a sandwich any day. Our daughter got me started on them. Before she moved to MI she had a delicious one she made and hubby really liked them. They were put in spinach tortillas. It was a change from the bland flour kind. Now, of course, as with several other things we liked to eat, they are no longer found in our area. I've searched out every grocery store around here and not one of them carries the spinach anymore. They evidently didn't make a profit for them to continue to stock them. Has there ever been something similar for you, something you like and can't find anymore? It's so frustrating.

My Dr. is not going to be happy when I see her next month. The trial medicine she put me on for my migraine is not working and the side affects are really bothering me. At the beginning I was feeling good. Now I'm constantly jittery, jumpy, itchy and can't sleep. Plus my concentration is failing. That's not good when it comes to my piano lessons. I can play a practice piece and do fairly well. I play it a second time and it's a little better. I play it a third time and I can't remember some of the notes I had just played. I look at them and can't figure out what note it is. It's bad and I get so upset. Also my hands are getting stiff. I'm not sure it has anything to do with the med, I think I read it in the list of side-affects, but it's getting harder to play. I had hubby buy me a professional stress ball yesterday. The one I was using was grandson's play ball and it was too hard. I'm using it to try to keep my fingers limber. It's awful getting old.

Decisions... decisions. Do I want to continue to watch the NCIS marathon on TV or put on a movie? I hope that's the only hard part of my day. hahaha

My baby brother and his family are coming up from Texas in a couple weeks for a visit. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. It's been almost a year since his last visit. He's already sent me a text to schedule a dinner with all of us at our favorite restaurant. They make a Texas tenderloin sandwich he's never seen before and he loves them. I get a message from him every once in awhile saying "guess what I'm hungry for". I instantly know.

I made a promise to a friend last week that I'd join her in a plan of exercise and supplements to a goal of better health and fitness. I've been lax in my promise. I'll be making some changes in my daily activities starting tomorrow and do what I told her I'd do. We both need someone to give encouragement and motivation.

I hope you have a great day.

Until next time...........

Thoughts on a Friday night

Another week has gone by and here comes a new weekend. I'll probably be doing the same sort of things tomorrow as I have all week --- just the usual.

I should have put on a movie instead of the show I'm watching on TV.  This involves the gangs in the city. Gangs are taking over everywhere. The city just 30 miles west of us is being taken over by gang members. People are being killed daily. And the cops can't get a handle on it. How are they going to stop evil people from commiting violence? They can't.

I rode with Hubby yesterday as he ran some errands. It felt good to get out of the house and the weather was really nice. He drove all over town, from one business to another, while I stayed in the car. I did get to laughing once as I thought about how I felt at the time and what I'd like to do .....

My #2 daughter that lives in Michigan is going into the hospital next week for some minor surgery. Even though it's not life threatening, she's going into an operating room, and she'll be laid up for a week, her mother is still restless because I can't be there. That's what heppens when they grow up and move away from home. 

The storm front that moved through last night didn't damage us anything like what other states got. We had the high winds... up to 71 mph. It was all the thunder and lightning that was weird. We don't usually see that when there's still so much snow on the ground. Such a crazy winter. What's coming next? More frigid single digit temperatures and more snow. Will it ever end? 

Are you following the Olympic games? I guess there's been quite some action. I haven't been watching the games themselves, just the total medals won and I read the news. 

I hope you have a great weekend.

Until next time......

Hodgepodge Wed. 2-19-2014

It's Wednesday again and that means another Hodgepodge group of great questions from Joyce.
Joyce's page

1. What's the biggest change since your childhood in the way people think or act?

In today's society, there's such a lack of respect for anyone or anything. Plus I have to also mention how so many don't want to take responsibility for their own actions. It's always "someone else's fault". A man will beat his wife to a pulp but it was her fault. A child will hit their parent or cuss at them, because the children aren't being taught respect and it wasn't their fault. The parents made the child mad. If I had ever done that to my parents, I still wouldn't be able to sit down. 

2. The Olympic Biathlon involves cross country skiing broken up with either two or four rounds of target shooting. Which part of that would stress you out more? Or would you love them both equally?

I think the target shooting would be the hardest to accomplish. After pushing the body to its limits in the skiing, the athlete has to stop suddenly and calm themselves in order to hit a target. That has to be very difficult. I've done target shooting and I know you can't have a nervous problem at the time. 

3. February is National Canned Food Month...what is your most often purchased canned food item? What was in the last can you opened?

I buy a lot of canned green beans mainly because Hubby likes them. The last can I opened was last evening and it was green beans to go with his pork chops and sweet potatoes.

4. What river (anywhere in the world) would you most like to cruise?

If I have to choose, I'd have to say the Mississippi. Not much in the way of good scenery, but no alligators!

5. It's the middle of the night and you can't sleep...what do you do? Count sheep? Toss and turn? Watch television? Or do you get up and do something productive?

I'll usually turn on the TV or if I'm in a middle of a good book, I'll read. That usually makes me sleepy again. Sometimes it may take a couple hours and the sun may be coming up, but it usually works. However, that makes for a long day.

6. How important is keeping your cool?

Very important. I used to have an awful temper and I hated doing that so much, but with the help of my doctor and my Lord, I've mellowed out and keep my cool, most times.

7. I've got white stuff on the brain so why not run with it? White lie, wave the white flag, white knuckle it, white wash a situation, or white as a sheet... which phrase could most recently apply to your own life in some way?

Out of those choices, I'd say "white knuckle it". Life can be frustrating and difficult, but I hang on tight and enjoy the ride.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

What's on my mind again? The weather, of course. After all the snow storms and frigid weather we've had all winter, now it's going to be quickly warming up in the next couple days, bringing us the threats of damaging thunder storms and TORNADOES!! Then it's going back down to very cold temperatures and possibly another snow storm. This has been a crazy ride. I want summer. Forget spring. Lets have some hot days and lots of sunshine. 

The Mystery Box

I get a lot of books from Amazon for my Kindle, mysteries in particular, and 99% of them are the freebies for the day. Most of them are new authors and a few self-authors. Some are good and of course, some are really bad. I'm of the adage that if the book doesn't grab me in the first couple chapters, I'll abandon it. I've done that many times. But the price is right so I don't fret about it.

However, I get excited when I stumble onto a book that grabs me so much I can't turn off the light at night and the story stays with me the next day. One such book I'm currently reading is called "The Mystery Box" by Eva Pohler.  About the Author

It is a contemporary story with some romance, suspense, action, and mystery. The characters are so real I feel I know them and the author has drawn me into their lives. I can easily envision them and their actions. The story is well written and flows along smoothly at a good pace to keep me wanting to turn the page, but not too fast that I can't keep up or have missing pieces.

"Soccer mom Yvette Palmer lives an ordinary life in San Antonio, Texas when a box is delivered to her by mistake, and in taking it to its rightful owner—a crotchety neighbor named Mona who shares her back fence—is drawn into a strange and haunting tale. 

Mona’s ratty robe, mood swings, and secretive behavior all raise red flags, and Yvette is sure someone else is living there despite Mona’s claim to live alone, but Yvette is unable to break away as she listens to how Mona transformed from a young college woman about to be married to the odd, reclusive, ghost of a woman she is now.

As Yvette listens to her neighbor's tale, she discovers a shocking connection, but doesn't know whether Mona's come to help or to harm her and her family."  -- From Goodreads

Here is Amazon's page to get the book.  The Mystery Box

If you do read it, I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

There's another school delay this morning, so we have grandson again. We got another snow storm last night. Since the temperature has been going up ever so slightly, we got a mix of snow and sleet. Plus high winds, so there's some drifting on the county roads. I don't know if the kids will be going to school today. They've missed so much this winter, they'll probably have to go later in June. (UPDATE: schools were all cancelled.)

This weather has been driving everyone crazy. Here, our forecast for the week calls for warmer temperatures, 35° today, and going up to 50° by Thursday with thunderstorms. That brings worries of severe flooding from the rain, sudden thaw of all this snow and ice jams on the rivers . Then by the weekend, cold with more snow. Ugh!

The storm last night was different. I was sitting here at the computer when a sudden bright flash out the window made me jump. A few seconds later we heard a loud crack of thunder. It was snowing heavy at the time.

I saw a commercial this morning for a mouth wash that stated "the average person smiles over 50 times a day". Do you?

Until next time........ 

Sat. Feb. 15

I've been thinking all day what I could write about today and not much comes to mind.

I hope you had a good Valentine's Day. I know not many of us get to do anything special for one reason or another, and the same goes here. But I still had a good day.

We had our 2 youngest grandsons over-night. Ages 7 and 9. Our daughter Teresa had a wedding to go to last night, so she left the boys with us. They haven't stayed over-night with us in a long time. They were so good. We had a good evening. Everyone was up early this morning, since their schedule calls for it, and we had cereal and donuts. Bob and I ran out to the store yesterday before they got here and Grandpa picked up all sorts of things for them. It was funny. Of course I made their favorite meal last night. Teresa picked them up a little while ago.

She got a call late yesterday afternoon from Hospice. She had a new massage client to see this coming week, but the lady was in so much pain and couldn't move her head. The family wanted Teresa to come out as soon as she could to help her. She went out this morning. When she left, the lady could move again. She was so thankful and made Teresa promise to come again this coming Wed. This is why my daughter can't get herself to quit. Those poor people tug at her heart, but she also cries when she loses some of them. She has stayed with Hospice longer than I thought she would. It's very emotional.

Our oldest daughter Lisa is moving today. They were afraid the weather would be too bad, but we are having a beautiful day for a change. The sun is shining bright and the temperature is up to 21°. It feels like a heat wave.

I hope you're having a great weekend.

Until next time........

Hodgepodge Wed. 2-12-2014

I'm getting around late again. It's been a very busy day, but better late than never. Here's another episode in our hodgepodge journey.

1.What makes love last?

Understanding, communication plus total trust. I know this question was asked in honor of Valentine's Day, but for me, it's a little more than that. Today, my hubby and I celebrated our 48th anniversary. After all this time, I know what has kept us together. He started out being my best friend and he still is. That gave us the experience of being understanding, not trying to change either one of us. Then down through the years we learned to communicate properly. However, the most important is the trust. If you can't trust the one you love, then you don't love them.

2. The Beatles made their US debut fifty years ago this week. Are you a fan? If so, what's your favorite Beatles tune?

I was a fan years ago. I saw their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. I'm no longer a fan. I didn't watch their show the other night and I didn't watch the rerun tonight. As for my favorite tune, I don't really have one.

3. Valentine's Day- your thoughts? Do you celebrate in any way? Do anything special for the people you love? Expect anything special from the people who love you?

See #1 above.... We don't celebrate Valentine's Day or do anything special. Our special day is the 12th and not the 14th.

4. Steak or burger... you have to choose. Now that that's settled, how do you like it? 

Steak! Medium well.

5. The Hodgepodge lands on the birth date (February 12th) of Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States of America. Lincoln is quoted as saying,'Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test his character give him power.' Do you agree? Why or why not?

I'd never heard that, but it makes good sense. When a man gains power over anything or anyone, it can (and I said 'can' because not all men are the same, contrary to the popular saying)... it can go straight to his head. So I agree with President Lincoln's way of thinking.

6. Honest Abe's image is featured on the US penny (1 cent coin) so I'm wondering... what do you do with your pennies (or your country's equivalent)? It's been suggested the US stop making the penny, and two bills have been introduced proposing just that, but neither were approved. What say you?

We put most of our pennies in a jug, but we both carry a few just in case a cash purchase requires a few cents. I don't like the idea of losing them.

7. Do you think pop culture deserves serious study?

Wikipedia says this about pop culture...... "Heavily influenced by mass media, this collection of ideas permeates the everyday lives of the society. Popular culture is often viewed as being trivial and dumbed-down in order to find consensual acceptance throughout the mainstream." Well, we all know how corrupt the mass media is today and it does 'dumb-down' society. It's all been so readily accepted by people, they've come to be easily influenced and lead like sheep. Too many have lost the ability to think on their own. So, no, I don't think it deserves serious study. (sorry if I've been too blunt -- that's just what I was feeling)

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I still have trouble believing it's been 48 years! I asked him tonight if he was ready to do another 48 and he said, (quote) "sure". So am I.

Random Thoughts Tues. Feb. 11, 2014

I just realized it's been almost a week since I've written anything. I think that's the longest I've been AWOL.

Not much has been going on  here, except the weather, of course. It's been a roller coaster. Snow... arctic cold... more snow... sub-zero temperatures, etc. Poor Hubby. His little snowblower hasn't been able to take care of all the snow. He told our plow man that "if we get more than 6" of snow, just come on down." We've had him here 3 times.

My transition in my meds has been going fairly well. The new drug has some new side-affects though: restlessness, sleepless nights, more energy (which is good), diminished appetite (which is a good thing) and a little weight loss (which is also good). I may have to change my schedule and take it in the mornings so I can sleep better. I've been up since 4:00 this morning. I'm exhausted. I have a follow-up with my doctor tomorrow.

School is on another 2 hr. delay this morning because of the frigid air, so I have #4 grandson here. I'll get Grandpa up in a little while so he can drive Ian to school, then I get to go lay back down. Maybe I can get a nap before I start my day.

I met my sister for coffee yesterday after she got off work. I hadn't seen her since before Christmas. It was so good to have someone to talk to. I've been cooped up so long with only the hubby to talk to, I needed to get out. Guess what I found. There are still life-size people out there! All I've been seeing are the 6" ones in a black box.

Daughter #1 got possession of their new house last week so they're getting ready to move the furniture this coming weekend. She spent all last weekend painting all the rooms. Of course the weather forecast for this coming Saturday doesn't sound good. The temperature is going up, but with it comes rain and sleet. Ugh!

Daughter #3 got a new job at a new shop. I'm excited for her. She'll be close to home, walking distance when the weather warms up, and she'll be close to the boy's school. The gal that owns the business has a beauty shop in there and decided to get a massage therapist to expanded into a spa. She called Teresa then went about remodeling to give her a room of her own, plus anything else she needs.

I got a call from my brother in Texas. He's coming up next month for a visit. He asked me for just one thing to do for him.... melt all the snow before he gets here. I told him I'd try and sent him this picture...

It was just a joke. This is a real snapshot, but it was taken by someone north of here. My brother didn't respond. I don't think he found it funny. I hope I didn't scare him off.  (I have to find some humor in this mess or I'll cry.) 

I guess that's all I have to report. I'm going to try to get caught up on everyone's blogs now. 

Thank you for stopping by. 

Until next time.... 

Hodgepodge Wed. Feb. 5, 2014

I've missed the last couple weeks of Hodgepodge, so I thought I better show up this week. Thank you, Joyce, for another selection of great questions.

1. Are we always responsible for our actions? Are there any exceptions?

I believe we are responsible with no exceptions. There is a vast movement recently of always blaming something or someone else for what happens to us. Our own president is a good example.... it's all Bush's fault.

2. Has anyone from your home town become famous?

A friend I went to school with has a son who is beginning to make a big name in Nashville country music. He's not famous yet, but we all hope he will be one day. He is good. 

3. January was National Slow Cooker month. Do you own a slow cooker/crock pot? Did you use it last month? What's a favorite dish you make using a slow cooker or crock pot?
I have 2 crock pots and 1 slow cooker of different sizes. And they all get used. I did use the large crock pot recently. I make my chili in it. 

4. How do you feel about private companies collecting data about you?

I don't like it; it worries me how far this is going to go. I have nightmares of armed government men breaking down my door in the middle of the night, hauling us away, never to be heard of again. 

5. The Games of the 2014 Winter Olympics kick off with their opening ceremony this coming Friday....will you be watching? Which Winter Olympic event would you most like to see in person? Have you ever been to Russia? Any desire to go, Olympics or otherwise?
I might watch the opening ceremony, but I'm not a big fan of any of the sports. I do watch some of them occasionally to see how the US is doing. I've never been to Russia and no desire to go. I heard today that US citizens are facing some horrific conditions over there. That's terrible. There are other countries that could host the games that is more friendly and with better sanitary conditions.  

6. Share a good or bad sports related memory from your childhood or teen years.

I can't think of one. I enjoyed some sports in my younger years, but I was never very good. I loved to run but I was never fast enough to be in any track-related games. 

7. What's a must have song for you on a work out play list? If you don't work out, run, swim, bike, walk, or anything else that could be construed as 'exercise', then what's a song that motivates you to at least get up off the couch?
I do walk, when the weather is good, but I usually have hubby walk with me, so I don't use music. I love to dance, so any song with a good drum beat can get my feet to moving. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I'd like to find Puxatony Phil and shoot him. I'm sick of all the snow, ice and arctic temperatures. I want spring and I WANT IT NOW!!!  

A "Silent" Migraine

A little background information about me. I've been asked why I take prescription medicine and when I tell them, they just look at me funny.

Four years ago I developed problems with my vision, with sudden blind spots, flashing lights and wavy lines, so I went to the doctor. They couldn't find anything wrong, so I was sent to a 'specialist'. They couldn't find anything either, so they ran tests to see if I had a brain tumor. Everything was negative. So I was sent to a neurologist. He couldn't find anything wrong with me either, but he gave me a prescription for my stress. When I got to the point where I was forgetting words I was trying to say and hearing things that weren't there, I knew it had to be something bad.

I went back to my doctor for a follow-up and he sent me to an ENT (ear, nose and throat specialist). I told him my symptoms, he asked me a couple questions, then told me I had a migraine. But I had to be different. I didn't have any pain. He said "no, it's a silent migraine". That was a new one. I'd never heard of it. He wrote a prescription and I came home and did LOTS of research.

From WebMD: Silent migraines are a medical oddity. How can you have a migraine "headache" without headache pain? The answer lies in the still unfolding mystery of migraine. WebMD explains what silent migraines are as well as their unusual visual symptoms, commonly called an aura.

Migraine is a neurological disorder that generally includes headaches. But it doesn't always. Some people have "silent migraine" -- a migraine without the symptom of headache pain. It involves the way nerve cells are firing in the brain, the over-stimulation and then depression of nerve cell activity in the brain.

Symptoms include:
wavy or jagged lines
flashing lights
dots or spots in your vision
blind spots
tunnel vision
disruptions in hearing
auditory hallucinations
distortions in smell or taste
numbness, a pins-and-needles feeling, or other unusual body sensations
difficulty remembering or saying a word
other language difficulties

Recently I've been having some trouble with the medicine I've been taking, side-affects and symptoms returning, so my doctor changed my prescription. The standard treatment is an anti-depressant. My doctor has me on Cymbalta. 

The last couple weeks I've been going through the transition, weaning off the old (Elavil) and getting adjusted to the new one. I am happy to report that I'm feeling much better. I'm still praying this one will be what I need to be able to stand up and go about my day normally. 

Until next time......