It's SUMMER!!!

Well, well, well.

It's June.

Summertime is here once again and I - for one - am doing the happy dance!!

I saw my doctor yesterday. I'm not minus one drain and about 75 staples. I'm feeling good. It will be even better when the second drain comes out one of these days. It could be two more weeks. It all depends on when it slows down. I've been given the orders as to when to call my doctor's nurse. She'll remove it in the office for me.

I'm skinny folks. The nurse weighed me and said "You're done. You don't need to lose anymore." Those were some sweet words, let me tell you. She then explained that some do lose more than what's needed and that it works out okay in the end when they gain a few pounds back after 2 years. I don't want to gain any back!!!!!! BUT knowing that nearly everyone does, I'll be okay as long as I don't ever ever ever weight what I used to weigh.

Our sex life sucks. I won't even tell you how long it's been. Let's just say it's been longer than it ought to be. We're talking months here.

I don't think either of us has any desire at all. With all Adam's problems who can blame him? And with all I've been through the past year, who can blame me?

Sigh....

But I do long for the good old days.

Do you remember when this blog got started? There was so much action out here it made my head spin. PK entered the scene with all kinds of questions and now look at her!! She's the leader of the pack these days. And so many spanko blogs have come and gone. It makes me kind of sad but then again, there are the old reliables who are here to stay forever. Just look at Grace. Do you KNOW how long she's been blogging. Go here and see for yourself. Amazing, huh?

So who's getting spanked these days? Take a minute and tell us about it here in my comments. Maybe you'll spark something in me that's been gone for way too long.

Did you know PK's coming for a visit? I'm wondering what kind of trouble we can get into. Maybe you have some ideas for us. Nick's coming with her. So is Mollie. Maybe we can subtly start teaching Mollie a few tricks. Any ideas?

How about a spanko Sudoku puzzle? It's been a while since I've posted one of those. Okay, okay. I'm kidding. I won't torture you like that. How about some spanko math? Now that could be fun.

Let's see......

One crop, one paddle, and two wooden spoons cost $46. Three crops, 2 paddles, and 1 wooden spoon cost $116. Two crops, three paddles, and 5 wooden spoons cost $106. What's the cost of one crop? One paddle? One wooden spoon?

Yes, that's a legit math problem Email me the solution if you think you got it.

I'll go now before I torture you anymore.

JP Drains, Car Shopping, and Feta Cheese

Adam continues to battle the headaches. He is seeing a specialist tomorrow. Fingers crossed and praying hard that it's nothing serious. He also is seeing a chiropractor. Truthfully, I think that will be the key to fixing this. I'll keep you all posted.

I'm healing fairly well. I'm getting around quite nicely. I just can't lift much or drive yet. I get tired a bit quicker than normal but every day is better than the day before. I'm so glad to be on the other side of this surgery, you have no idea. I see my doc on Wednesday. I'm hopeful that one of my two JP drains will come out that day. The other is to come out in two weeks. And the staples? I have no idea how long they will stay in but I'm ready for those to come out also... all 75 of them!!! (I made Adam count)

The insurance company is giving us more than we expected for our daughter's totaled car. We're going car shopping for her today. Fingers crossed that we find something affordable that's good on gas that she actually likes. She loved her old car so I'm going to feel bad if we can't find something that she likes as well.

We made grilled pizza yesterday. We split a loaf of frozen bread dough in two. Spread it out on a cookie sheet as thin as we could. Coated the grill with olive oil. Preheated it as hot as we possibly could. Turned the heat down to low. Carefully threw the dough on. Cooked it about 4 minutes, then turned it over. Coated it with olive oil. Covered it with slice of fresh mozzarella and chopped fresh spinach. Topped that with sauteed mushrooms, cherry tomato halves, red onion, peppers, Canadian bacon, and garlic. Then topped that with grated Feta cheese.

I gotta tell you, it was an experience. A PLEASANT one. Adam saw Paula Deen make this on the food network and wanted to try it. I didn't have the heart to tell him it would never work, that the dough would fall through the grill rack and burn for sure and that the mix of veggies would probably taste bad on it not to mention who REALLY eats Feta cheese?

Well guess what?

The dough did not fall through the rack. It cooked beautifully. It did stick a tiny bit but really not bad at all. The veggies were PERFECT. The cheese was perfect. It was amazingly good and we'll be making it again for sure.

I'm going to go now. I've been meaning to change the ticker so I'll go do that now!!

Hugs to you all!!!!

Updated Life

It's been one long month or so.

Recap:

Offspring #1 moved a day's drive closer to home. She's loving her new job and location. We couldn't be happier for her.

Offspring #2 and hubby are going to be making us proud grandparents sometime in January.

Off spring #3 graduated from college and is looking for a job.

Adam was diagnosed with complex migraines. He's seeing a specialist a week from today.

My surgery went well but I gotta tell you, it's been the roughest one ever. I'm cut from as high as they could cut down to the lowest point they could cut. My stomach is tight so that pulls a bit. I remember nothing from my surgery day. They sent me home the next day. I hadn't even been out of bed yet and was still on the morphine pump.

I think it might have been a tad too soon to send me home. I don't remember the drive at all. I slept the whole day. Had a problem with nausea that first day. Moving around wasn't easy either. I couldn't hold the laptop let alone care if I used it.

Let me tell you about my room mate at the hospital. Can you say psycho? Nutcase? She kept waking me up wanting to talk. One time I even heard her say "neighbor, I hear you over there. I know you're awake."

First off, I was NOT awake. Second off, I have 73 staples lining my belly. And third, quit calling me neighbor.

She was annoying. And what was worse was when she felt she wasn't being treated right by the hospital, her family, the whole world. She was on the phone talking so rudely and disrespectfully to her own mother. Adam leaned down and said something about murdering our girls if they ever talked to me like that.

I barely remember any of that but I know she was/is a total nutcase.

We have great friends. They've brought dinner to us this first week. It's nice to not have to worry about feeding Adam. I'm not eating much but he needs to eat. I'm surviving on no sugar added fudgecicles and hot tea. I'm thinking some fresh fruit would be good. Adam is gonna have to see about making that happen for me.

Oh, and our latest update.... off spring 3 was in an accident this morning. She was sitting at a stop light minding her own business. Next thing she new, she was the 3rd vehicle in a 5 car pile up. Totaled her car and is going to cost us money. Grrrrr. BUT she's okay and that's all that really matters.

Anyhow, we need a vacation. I'm on break now for a while. That makes me happy. I love not having to get up in the morning. It's not quite as fun though since I am not moving very fast. Good news is that I'm recovering quickly. I'm glad that I've always been a rapid recoverer. I mean Saturday I don't remember a thing. Sunday I slept most of the day. Yesterday I spent time on the porch and walked to the corner and back. Today? I made it clear around the block. I also did some dishes, cleaned the bathroom floor and washed my hair.

Tomorrow?

I duno... the front porch needs painted so who knows.

Okay, okay.. I won't be painting the porch... not tomorrow anyhow.

Surgery and Stuff

Update: The surgery is all over and everything went very well! I got to talk to Adam several times once she was in recovery and then back in her room. I have talked to Eva a couple of times now and with the morphine pump she is feeling fine, unless she tries to move her middle. That's going to be pretty painful for a while. But she and Adam are happy that the surgery is over and the recovery has begun!! They plan to let her come home Monday. I have no doubt she will be giving you her version of everything soon!

PK

Adam's slowly improving. The headaches won't go away so today the doc prescribed a new med for him. It's something that is supposed to prevent migraines and starts with a "T."

Wait.

Topamax. That's what it is.

Doc says to give it three weeks or so to kick in. Fingers crossed. I hope it works for him.

And my surgery is tomorrow. I'm dreading it. I want to be on the other side of it. The hernia actually isn't bothering me ...

as long as I wear a surgical binder around it.

Who wants that forever?

Anyhow, my surgery is tomorrow morning. Hernia and something that is similar to a tummy tuck.

I just want it over with.

I've had a request that PK keep you all updated. Twin... you on it? You can break in here or email some people or whatever you want... just let them know I'm alive, okay?

Not much else new...

Oh, wait....

GRACE!!!! Where are you ???

Guess who'd doing the summer vacation happy dance?

Ummmmmmmmm... that would be ME!!!!!

I love summer. No big road trip this year though. We're flying instead. I hate to fly. Big planes crash hard. Like the comedian Ron White says, "Take 'er down hard. I don't want to limp away from this wreck." LOL

Okay I'm kidding but I do hate flying. The last time I flew my ear drum popped and I couldn't hear for a month. Continental airlines put us in seats right over an engine. The noise was so horrible that Adam and I couldn't even talk to each other. The waitress gave up asking us if we wanted something to drink. We couldn't hear her. I was really done in though when my hearing went. That was scary.

I told that airline that I have a really big mouth and a lot of friends. True. They sent us a fruit basket. Whoop-dee-doo. But then they sent us $600 in flight vouchers. Now you're talkin' my language. I still won't fly Continental unless there's no other choice.

So yeah. We're flying this summer. We're going further from home than I've ever been in my life. I am a bit nervous about it but not so much since we bought Phyllis.

Oh.

Have I not told you about Phyllis?

That's what we named our new GPS.

Why? Because she's bossy like my grandmother...

Phyllis.

Turn left... turn right... make a U - turn.

RECALCULATING.

Still, as bossy as she is she gets us where we want to go. That's important especially in big cities....

Okay so wait.. it was NOT her fault I couldn't get out of the city Adam was hospitalized in. There was a road closed. I figured it out though. Had he been in just one more day I would have been an old pro.

It wasn't Phyllis' fault.

Honest.

I'm tired.

Big old day tomorrow.

I think I'll grab the laptop and go to bed.

Adam's Home

This morning, I went in to work for a brief time. I wanted to take care of a few things and then make the 2 hour drive from work to the hospital where Adam had been admitted.

I called him as I left work to let him know I was on my way but it would be a while. At that time his doctors had yet to be in but by the time I got to him he was dressed and waiting. He'd been discharged about a half hour later.

He slept most of the way home. Then he slept some more when we got home. He's hardly left the couch. He's eating okay. He wanted a homemade waffle earlier and ate almost all of it. Then for supper I made beef, broccoli, and noodles. He ate pretty well.

The diagnosis is that he has had a complex migraine. It's not been funny. They tried a variety of drugs to alleviate his pain. Finally when they started him on steroids it all began to turn around.

He should be back to normal very soon but in the meantime they want him home from work another 5 to 7 days. I am guessing he'll go back after my surgery is over with. It's not going to hurt him one bit to sit on his butt and watch TV for a week. I told him he's grounded. No phone. No truck keys.

He didn't argue. He knows. God's telling him to slow down some.

I'm glad.

AND the traffic and city were much more kind to me today. No problems at all. Here's a picture though of the city that ticked me off last night. Anyone out there recognize it? Live there? Wanna talk? LOL Please don't identify it here on my site if you recognize it. Email me.

So that's the update... and oh, yeah... we're still THRILLED to have a grand baby on the way.

You Don't Know Me

You.

You know who you are.

And I wonder if you knew me, if you would have still been so cruel.

After struggling to find our way out of your city last night we were relieved after a half hour of going in circles to have finally found the highway we needed. It was especially frustrating to approach intersection after intersection with traffic lights not working. We watched for a cue from one of the policemen before venturing into each intersection each time.

We listened as one of your finest yelled at one who tried to sneak through before you told her to do so. I think she thought it was a four way stop because your finest would get a stream of traffic going then step out of the intersection onto the curb. With no one there in view, how was she to know you were directing her? Did your finest really have to shout at her like that?

And then today, I was the one behind the wheel struggling to find my way out of your city. Again, the police stood on the curb stepping out only to wave on a different stream of traffic. As I sat at one of these intersections I only began to notice it was taking a very long time for one of your three police to switch lines of traffic. It was right then it dawned on me that your finest at this particular intersection were expecting us to treat it as a four way stop. I have no problem with that but was caught off guard after watching a police officer scream at a woman who did just that last night... treat it as a four way stop, that is.

So just as I gathered my wits I looked to my left where one of your officers screamed at me, asking "What are you going to do?"

In reality I had no clue what to do. I'm a stranger in your city and my GPS kept insisting I head the wrong way on your one way streets.

And I wonder...

If your officer knew why I was in your city, would she have yelled at me in such a demeaning way? If she knew how worried I am about my husband right now... if she knew how frustrated I was trying to find my way... would she still have yelled? Would she have cared that her demeaning screech only served to pour salt on the fresh wounds I'm enduring.

And you....

Yes, you....

If YOU knew how that officer had just been so impatient with me... if you knew why I was there to begin with... if you knew my fear and frustration for my husbands health and well being... if you knew how close to the edge of a total mental collapse that I am, would you have sped up like that when I tried to get into the lane you were in? Would you have laid on your horn and not let up from it like you did?

Would you have cared that I was hurt, lost, confused, frustrated, angry, and lonely? Would you have eased up on the horn? The gestures?

What I wanted to do was stop my car right there and block your path completely. I wanted to make you just wait while I cried out the anger and frustration.

Instead I felt my anger rising, my frustration mounting.

Yup. I stuck my hand out the window and flipped you off. Brake checked you a few times too.

You didn't seem to care though cuz you kept your hand on your horn, and your other hand out the window flipping me off.

I guess you didn't see how very much I needed you to give me a break and not add to my already very full plate.

I know you don't know me. I know you don't know everything I'm up against right now. That's okay. I just wonder if it would have mattered. Or have we - as a society - sunk so low that we have quit caring when others need a break and a boost.

When did we start to hate each other so deeply?

Craziness

Life's been, as I said in my last post, crazy. It's all been a good crazy and I'm thankful for all the changes. In a matter of one week our oldest child relocated much much closer to home, our middle child announced that she's carrying our very first precious grandchild, and our youngest graduated from college.

It doesn't get any better than all that!!

Hectic craziness has become a way of life but every now and again I do believe the Good Lord and God of this universe slows us down.

That's exactly what has happened to Adam.

Here's the sequence of events as they happened yesterday....

Adam hadn't been feeling well. Monday evening he was lightheaded and just not feeling good. We thought he was tired from the crazy weekend of moving. He'd flown to our daughter's former location and drove the moving truck for her on Friday. On Saturday we all met at her new location and helped move her in to her new apartment. We thought he was just tired.

Yesterday someone had to take him from work to his doc cuz he wasn't doing well at all.

His doc had him taken by ambulance to our local hospital.

That's when I got the call at work and left immediately to go be with him.

They were suspicious of a stroke. I was scared to death as he has 4 relatives who have died young from a hereditary disease.

He was later transferred by ambulance to a hospital 90 minutes from home.

A neurologist saw him and believes it's one of three things:

1) Bleeding on the brain - not likely however as it would have shown in the cat scan at the dumpy little local band aid station that calls itself a hospital.

2) A stroke or mini-stroke (TIA) but she doesn't believe that it's that either.

And finally... she's leaning toward

3) a complex migraine which mimics a stroke.

We're relieved by that however, I'm not convinced that it's not the onset of the family cursed disease. I will be watching him like a hawk. I know he's scared. I am too. More than likely it is just a type of migraine and we can breathe a sigh of relief soon and get on with our lives.

Those of you who pray ... we need you now!!! Pray that he is just being slowed down and heeds the warning!!!!!

We're still thrilled about all the other wonderful things that have gone on so when you're praying throw in a thanks for all that!!!