A few minutes out to sit and warm up before I start the mending.  It is Monday so all the waste baskets were emptied, the bird cages cleaned, made sure that Molly’s litter box was in satisfactory shape and took the trash done to the road for collection tomorrow morning.  Starting next month collection will be on Monday so I have to (after 12 years) get used to Sunday night for the routine.

It is still snowing but Jay is feeling better and he did snow blowing before he left for dialysis this morning.

Well I’m thawing out so it is time to go find the denim to patch the elbows on another one of Jay’s lined flannel  shirts.  I will also be reworking Brandy’s pad for the console in the pickup.  There are a couple of pockets to stitch up on my flannel shirt and a tear on one of Jay’s shirts to fix  then I can put the old Kenmore away for a while.

I hope all is going well for you and that keeping warm is not a problem.

My friends down towards Ohio way sent a box  with Christmas presents and a nice letter explaining how they weren’t able to deliver the gifts in person.  First I have to say there is no reason to apologize for your absence.  You , like I,  have people who depend on you to be there when they need you.  I understand perfectly.

Next I have to show everyone the wonderful things that were in my box.

Blue, flannel, and I know warm--just what I needed.

I had to throw out one of my old ones (it was too drafty.)   This was an ideal gift my friends and will get lots of use.

Next

Baltimore Oriole (The Birds of beauty series for2011).

This is the seventh in the series and will take it’s place in the center of the pass through next Christmas.  Thank you Dar and Mike.

Last to tell you how well my friends know me.

A magnet for my fridge!

It couldn’t be truer!!!

Thank you again friends it was a lovely surprise!

About to step into a new phase of my life!  This has to do with Quality Of life.  The meaning I never gave much thought to.  I have worked hard most of my life and accepted every thing that came my way as what I was due.  If it meant the simple things like carrying heavier loads I did it.  After all I was strong, therefore it was my duty to accomplish what others were unable to do.  I never gave a second thought to the consequences that would result later in life.

Now I find myself facing these results.  My right shoulder has a joint that is square–there is no ball and joint to allow comfortable movement.  Sleeping on either shoulder is uncomfortable and the things I used to do have become a chore.  Crocheting, knitting, sewing, and designing projects now take more effort then I feel I have the energy to expend.  It is much easier to lay and rest a while in the afternoon. My brain seems too frustrated about the lack of interest and I feel unfulfilled.  So my doctor has started me on the path to satisfy this need.  It won’t be easy–it will be painful but if it brings satisfaction and peace of mind it will be worth it.

My first surgery is in mid March and I’m sure you are going to wish you never heard of Momma when the complaining starts.   But I’m strong and determined to travel this road and at the end it will be worth it.

Book Three of The Hunger games

Just closed the cover on book three.  It is a trilogy about a 17 year old girl who fights the establishment after the partial destruction of our civilization as we know it.  Of her feelings of helplessness and how she learns to use what she feels to inspire others to defeat an oppressive enemy.  It is fast moving, suspenseful,  and at times frustrating because the heroine seems to just shrink from her duties or be unaware of her abilities. Part of this is because this reader is 60 years older than the heroine. But this does not diminish the enjoyment of the story.  Try It You will like It!

Wouldn’t you known it!   About the time I get my story straight I don’t need it any more.  Yes I spoke with my son overseas and he said it was a mushroom that the caterpillar sat on.  He also said that said caterpillar was painted a florescence green and he thought the dots were either pink or orange.  But that is all water under the bridge now.  The doctor said today that I was almost all better!  Good news for a change!  So I put away my “hookah” and my imagination until another day!  Jay is still under the weather and doctor is having his x rays read by an additional person.  He should get word in a couple of days.

Well the snow came back but it was so little that you can hardly see it.

Thursday I see Dr. Hemming about my shoulders (another possible problem) but hey things wear out.  Take care everyone and visit soon!

Here last night —

White stuff

Gone to lunch!

Today 42 degrees!

But the radio said the snow will be back tonight.  But at least for a bit I was able to replenish the winter bird’s feeders, get the trash down to the road for tomorrow morning, and at least move around outside for a little without falling or finding  it hard to breath.

My morning started with my usual list of things to do.  This is the only way I seem to accomplish anything.  Starting with water indoor plants and ending with a breathing exercise I am now over half way through.  The house is still under control organizationally so I can allow a little time visiting you.   I did spend a while on the phone with my friend Edna this morning.  We haven’t been in contact lately so it was time to make her laugh a little and I did!!!

Physically I feel much better now and Jay and I have an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Hukill to determine how his pneumonia and my lungs are doing.

It is about an hour before Jay will be home from dialysis for lunch.  I think a fruit and lettuce salad, home canned chili, and some cookies that I put away from Christmas should made a nice little meal before he rests this afternoon.

I was going to say I’ll climb up on my mushroom for a bit of air this afternoon but then—wait—wait –was that a mushroom or a toad stool that the caterpillar sat on????   I have got to get a hold of Wes and get my little daydream facts straightened out before the imaginary police banish me from the blog!!

Do smile a bit today—it is going to get better!!!!!!

Good morning to you!  With a quick run through the g mail and the blogs in my sidebar I now come to my bit of blather!!!  I don’t know how it is where you live but I’m really tired of this!

Burr!

Even if this shows about 8 degrees it was -zero degrees when I woke up this morning.  In fact the needle has been stuck on that for the past few mornings making it really hard to imagine even sticking my nose out the door lot alone my whole self!   I’m tired of my thumbs cracking because my gloves get wet.  I hate pulling on heavy boots just to go fill the bird feeders or take Brandy out to do her thing.  I dread sliding down the driveway and wondering if my truck will stop at the road or just continue on across into the woods.

Sunshine!

Yes the sun shines (like this morning) for a while so you open the blinds in hopes of catching a little heat.  Then it goes goes behind the clouds and it cools off quickly in a large room with a 22 foot high ceiling.  So you close the blinds and inch up the heat a degree or two. Then you spy sun again around the edge of the windows and run to raise the blinds again.  It happens so many time in the day that you feel like a lighthouse blinking on and off.

It feels like your hands and feet are always cold and the comfort of snuggling under a comforter in bed seems the only answer.  But you can’t keep house, feed the furries and the birds, make meals, and keep the laundry up from under a comforter.  True moving around helps a little but you got to sit sometimes!   I dread facing the next couple of months but health and finances don’t allow moving to Florida for a few of months a year.  Besides I don’t look good in a swimsuit!

Well this is my words of wisdom for today (all bright and comforting–right?)  At least the breathing is better and the headaches have subsided so I can smile a little!

Yesterday I said the doctor gave me two different treatments.  One was two kinds of pills in case it was a viral infection.  The other was two different inhaler medications.  I was diagnosed with C O P D/emphysema  on 10/11/03 but have never taken any medication for it.  Doctor thought it might finally have caught up with me.

So I got out Jay’s old nebulizer and sat in the Lazy Boy trying to remember back when Wes was a kid and he painted a caterpillar, sitting on a mushroom, (from Alice In Wonderland), with a Hookah on his bedroom wall.  I couldn’t  remember if  he was green or not.  Jay thought he was green with yellow or white spots.  I can’t even remember what color the mushroom was.  But I’ll bet you Wes could tell me even after almost 35 + years!  So any way each six hours when  a breathing session is due I crawl on my mushroom and pick up my Hookah and think back to some funny days in my past!!!

It started last Thursday evening. Hacking throat wrenching seizures waking me up all night.  Nothing could  stop it.  I didn’t see the doctor on Friday and paid for it all weekend. I would sleep when I could, didn’t eat, and lost track of everything I did or didn’t do.  Of course Jay is still battling pneumonia and trying to help me too.

On Monday I called the doctor and said I’m not asking to see him –I’m begging.  I received a call back saying come in right a way and I went.   I went in and he set me up to different treatment to make sure we got it right.

I’m progressing well and will write more later.  I missed you friends but we are on the mend.

Got a picture from Diane in Illinois the other day showing a lot of white fluffy stuff.  Well last night we got ours.

Still coming down today!

I knew the green, brown, and mud couldn’t last forever but I enjoyed it while it was here.  Now Brandy’s belly is getting wet every time she walks out side.

Jay has pneumonia and has been on medication for about three days.  This seems to slowly be working.  But as luck would have it I  came down with a raspy hacking cough next.  I think I’ll be seeing doctor if Monday doesn’t bring me some improvement.  Just can’t seem to win around here.

Cindy was up for a visit on Wednesday and we played two games of rummy.  I won one and she the other (Well Duh that figures doesn’t it).   We had her favorite–tuna noodles for supper and she did our toenails afterwards.

It looks like next week I have an appointment with the foot doctor for planters warts on my right foot which is affecting my walk.  Boy that ‘hellish handcart’ I’m in seems to be getting bigger with each passing month.  But like all old things parts get worn out and need to be looked at!

The finger is doing well and I may put my ring back on shortly.  Taker care everyone and try to stay healthy (not like me).