rip, terri

A friend from HS, not someone that was one of my bff's, but a friend non the less, passed away yesterday. She was diagnosed with breast cancer 8 years ago...........was given 18 months to live........and has fought everyday since then to live.
What I remember about her is her beautiful smile and her wit. Plus she's the girl who stole the heart of the first guy to steal my heart. :O) I tried to not like her but it was impossible!
When she was first diagnosed, a group of girls who still were/had been friends with her made a decision to get together with "T" monthly.
I went to the first and second dinner and then decided I felt like a gawker.........I didn't go back...........I prayed for her and her family..............and I got updates through the years from my sister( one of T's bff) on T's progress.......and I kept up with what & how her children were doing..................T was one year older than me............I'm not sure how old her husband is................but I remember that while I was a senior in HS he was a student teacher to me........................he once said to me while I was goofing off in class (not something I usually did) that "you're different from most of the students in this school. We expect more from you." I can still hear him saying it, and can still see his face while he said it........................................he's now the school vice principal.................. a nice guy....and seemed to be a very loving husband........... I wish for him peace and happiness.
I'm sorry T was ill for so long...........she didn't seem to be caught up in self pity.........she just set short term goals & fought ............&  the love she felt for her family sustained her for a very long time............rest in peace, Terri. We love you.

week day

Dear BP
FUCK YOU.

Before I went to bed  last night I checked the online court docket to make sure I knew exactly what time
the guy who ran over my son was due in court.
Yesterday afternoon my dad called me to remind me what time the guy who ran over my son was due in court.
This morning when I got out of bed, I again checked the time Dude was due in court, and I also checked
to make sure I was going to the right courthouse.
I get to the courthouse, wait awhile. His name isn't called.
The security guard at the court house is an old friend of sorts, so I ask him what should I do.........I mean I'm not exactly
proficient when it comes to criminal courts and such. Security guard tells me to go to the clerk, I do.....and find out Dude's court date is in July. WTF!

So last evening I'm sitting on my porch working on a painting. I'm feeling content and happy. I had my earphones in and I'm listening to and singing along with Jewel. There's a soft breeze, and the sky is pretty. We-Ping was sitting next to me enjoying the occasional attention I bestow on him............it was a great night.........so I'm sitting there painting and I see my mom and dad pull up and park. They get out of the car and ad says something like "I didn't know you were an artist!" And I was like "Am I? News to me!"
Mom steps over the mole/mouse/whatever one of those things are that We-Ping brings to me daily........and she hands me an envelope. I open it thinking it's probably pictures from the Memorial day picnic. After every family gathering dad drops off/snail mails an envelope of a few pictures to each of the sisters and their families......so I'm thinking it's pictures.
I open the envelope and it's a check for a thousand bucks .........I didn't understand......parents say to me to use it towards my bathroom if I want.................I tried to explain to them that I save money......work really hard at saving.......don't need for them to give me money.....................that I was OK financially........never late with a bill, etc...................so that's what I tried to say. But I became tongue tied & burst  into tears instead.  I was overwhelmed by gratitude.........

I completed the painting I was working on.........framed it........and I'm giving it to mom and dad...........I figure if they hate it they can hang it in their laundry room or garage.

The BR guys were here for 12 hours yesterday.
I had hoped they would have achieved more than they did........but maybe they just got off to a slow start.

tuesday

SO today I went to Lowe's and picked out the flooring I want for my BR, and the tile for the walls. I also picked out a new vanity. I love the floor.....love it! I presently have a marble floor. I hate it, and have since the day we put it in......bye bye you ugly ass marble floor!
 The wall tiles I like but I'm not 100% sure how they will go with the floor. There's a touch of turquoise           in the tiles. It's what I liked about them.......I was back and forth between those and another tile, but ended up with the turquoise.
 The vanity is black with a white bowl. It's pretty and smaller than the one I have in there now...my BR is very small so I scaled down the vanity.
I'm happy excited about getting the room done! The workers are supposed to be here at 7 am. We shall see!

I'm reading a new Koontz book. I've only managed to read a chapter, but I'm hooked.
I plan on sitting in the sun and reading the book tomorrow,
assuming it's going to be clear and sunny! Otherwise I'll probably start a new painting. Either way I'm looking forward to the day.

monday

Daughter just sent me a text. She's at physical therapy. She sent a text to tell me she is now able to lift her leg without help from anything other than the muscles in said leg. so              yay!

 Today I have to go to Lowe's to pick out the tile, flooring, and vanity for my bathroom. All i'm  having done, since doing the whole room would cost me a fortune that i don't have, is having a new floor put  in...........the wrap around the tub removed, new green board put up, walls around the bathtub tiled, replace present vanity, new exhaust fan/ceiling light, and the bathtub resurfaced...........................and then  paint the doors, trim, and woodwork.

I sincerely believe that I have the ugliest BR in the USA. If anyone had an ugly BR contest, I'd win.    I'm embarrassed when company goes in there.............  I'm very much looking forward to changing it!

pets

Picture of We-Ping nad Mr. Bojangles from today. Mr. Bojangles looks a little scrappy!

pumpkin and tomato

To the left is my pumpkin vine. The orange flowers are closed. I can't seem to catch them while they're opened up......must be really early in the morning. They're really quite pretty!
To the right is one of my tomato plants. It's doing  well compared to my usual!

tiny treasures

So when I'm under the deck pulling weeds,

cleaning up brush in the woods at the edge of the backyard, or just working in the yard.......well some of the time I'm lucky and find treasures! Little pieces from my grown childrens childhood.

Today I found the purple bucket, a Hotwheel, a frying pan, a Thomas The Tank Engine ball, and an old catnip toy.

I remember my children playing with each of these toys.

I really do love finding these things, cleaning them up, and putting them in the house.

sunday.....i think.

I'm having breakfast on the deck.
We-Ping is with me, as is this computer.
I'm having toast with peach butter jam.
I bought the jam at Cherry Point Farm and Market while in Michigan.
It's delicious.......and I also bought a jar of Apple Butter for my mom and dad. Mom says it's the best she's ever had.......so if you're ever in Silver Lake Michigan...........it's a cool farm..........AND they make great jam...............

Daughter just left to go to Coney with her cheer leading "little sister" to go swimming. I sent her with Advil because I know that leg of hers will be hurting. She can do her exercises in the water though.......might be less painful.

I'm not sure what my plans are for the day.
The weeds next door are choking out some pretty orange flowers in it's back yard. I was thinking about going over and digging out a couple of them.  And I might start in on that load of gravel/river rock or whatever it is that has partially fallen from empty yard into mine........starting to think the city/bank/whoever is responsible for the property is just going to let it continue to deteriorate.........the back door is open.....I was curious about the inside so my nephews  a couple people I know said they went in to have a look and that  the interior of the house is nice......a shame to let it just sit there and rot!

I'm off.........gonna dig in and get some yard work out of the way!

sunday

I bought a new mailbox today.
I bought one like it after my divorce but my father
replaced it with a mailbox that's attached to a stand/pole/whatever you call it.
I never really liked the one he put in for me........mostly because he did it without asking......
and I felt a little insulted that he removed the mailbox I had purchased and took the time to place.....
I know he meant well, and was motivated by love.........god bless him......and all the parents in the world who try so hard to do nice things for their grown children..........
So today I worked on hanging my new mailbox.
I no longer have a mailbox in my front lawn. Yay!
I hung it (the new one) on the wall of my front porch next to the front door.............and it's protected from the elements
by the awning.
I hope it doesn't fall down.
I felt proud of myself after I completed the job..........oh, and I changed the furnace filter today. That's always a big thing for me. Something so simple that makes me feel so good after I remember to do it. :O)
I also resprayed some weeds and grass that I want to kill..........................but my biggest feat for the day was putting in 2 stepping stones in the backyard. They're right below the steps from the deck to the backyard. I bought them 2-4 years ago............FINALLY I can mark them off my list! They look good.
I grocery shopped today,& went to the garden center for mulch and topsoil.............................and I also took the time to sit in the pool (an8x8, 3 foot deep pool).........I soaked up some rays (wore sunscreen) while I listened to music, and relaxed in my baby pool! It was a blast!
After the pool I chopped up all the fresh veggies and fruits from the grocery store and put them in Tupperware bowls........and cooked a little supper..........................daughter had supper with her brothers and her dad at her dad's house.
I still have 3 goals to meet while on psych leave vacation.
1. Get all my important papers such as my will, insurance, divorce, taxes and such filed/organized and put in the new file cabinet I bought. (God forbid I should die. My family wouldn't be able to find anything!)
2. Replace my bathtub, put in a new exhaust fan in the BR, and a new BR floor. I have 2 men coming to look at my BR tomorrow.
3. Get a pedicure. I've never had a professional one. I want one! Is that shallow?
I have 17 more days off of work. I want to paint another picture, read one more book,and spend more time on fixing up the yard.
I hope I can enjoy my life as much as I have the past couple weeks, once I get back to work.( Dear God please let it happen!)
I miss my patients, and I miss my co-workers.........I'd rather be a rich non-working lottery winner........
but I accept my reality.........and I'm going to try to do good.

PS...........in a couple weeks it'll be 1 year since i quit smoking. :O) i never thought it was possible!

BP sucks

 Fuck you BP.

friday

It's been a busy past few days.
The day usually starts with taking daughter to physical therapy.
I only stop in to say hello. They were using me to take her through some of her exercises.
Or at least they used me once. It hurts my back.......and I'm on an extended "vacation" ...........so.........
Now I stop in to drop off daughter and to say hello, and then I leave.

I had a couple handsome, young, men remove the chain link fence that surrounds the flat part of my backyard.
The Honeysuckle trees were taking it over. I couldn't keep up with those fuckers anymore. Half of them were growing at the vacant house side of the gate.......but they were weaving through the fence as was the woods/vines/honeysuckles, at the back of the yaRd. And empty house has a load of river rock/some kind of stone leaning on the gate. The weight from the rock is distorting the gate. My gate? Empty house gate? Notsure but,
I finally thought FUCK IT! And called in the troops to remove it!
They removed it yesterday and my yard already looks 100% better!
I cut the empty houses side yard because it was so overgrown it was making my house look like poo...............I talked to the city code enforcement office........and saw them up at the vacant house a couple days ago.........hopefully
they're tracking down the bank/owner of the house and will get someone out here soon to clean up
the rest of the yard.

This morning I went out back to check on my pumpkin vine. I was in my PJ's, and barefoot. I stepped on something that ripped an inch thick piece of meat from the bottom of my foot.
I had nothing to put on it except antibiotic ointment and a panty liner. :O)
So I dressed, took daughter to therapy, and then went shopping for peroxide, and gauze. I also bought "cartoon" niece 2 onesies, and the cutest green hat........and I got my oldest sister( cartoon nieces grandma) the cutest leopard print reading glasses and case from the dollar store. She's always losing hers.........and I know she'll like the cheesey leopard print!

Yesterday I went to Lowes to get some topsoil. I've
been looking for window boxes for at least several. So everytime I go to Lowes I check out their window boxes. I have never been able to find the boxes that are "just right" until yesterday! They had 3 of them. I bought two! WooHoo! Now I just need to get them hung! They're pretty, black cast iron (they match my black shutters) with a copper planter inside of them............

So my nephew told me that putting street salt on the honeysuckle trees/bushes/whatever.......would kill them. I'll give it a try on one of them and see what happens!

Today I got a haircut, and eyebrows trimmed/styled?/waxed!
I've concluded that no one can do my brows as well as I can do them myself. But
I hate doing them so I keep trying to find someone who will do them the way I want them done.
Today I give up. I'll do them from now on. No big deal or anything....plus it will save me money!

Daughters knee cap was over to the right side of her leg today. They have her knee tapped to hold the cap in place. EW! Gives me the weebies thinking about it. My poor Boo!

nap time

today i am tired.
i'm allergic to cats.
the severity of the allergy seems to depend on the cat.
mr. bojangles is killing me. especially if i interact a
lot with him early in the morning, or later
in the evening. i'm congested. my eyes and throat are itching.......my nose is red and tender from
all the blowing........and i feel wiped out.
seems once the kitties grow out of kitty stage, my allergy to them decreases. in reality i'm
probably just not kissing and holding them as much.
it's tough resisting him.
i like putting my nose in his fur and kissing him.
he's just so cute. but today i'm going to keep my distance!
                                                                                                                                                

therapy

Turns out therapy wasn't so bad after all. If you could see the therapist you'd understand!

Daughter did go to the second half of cheerleading practice, and then we went to Dillards.

I picked out a dress I want her to wear for her senior class pictures. She has agreed to let me pick out one of the outfits she'll wear for her senior class pictures.

By the time we were finished shopping, daughter was near tears from knee pain.

I got her home and have her on the couch, leg elevated, and iced. Mr. Bojangles is with her. :O)

monday

Daughter starts physical therapy tomorrow and then plans on going to a 4 hour cheer leading practice. I think she'll come home after therapy, take pain medicine, and go to bed. Hopefully I'm wrong!

Daughter and her best friend are planning a senior class breakfast to be had at our house (on the deck), for the first day back to school. It will be very informal........... we'll serve donuts, coffee, OJ, and milk.
I think the students will have fun.

My nephew that was attacked, I just found out that he lost almost all of his teeth in the attack. His aren't real. Why I didn't know until now(probably because I'm an ex in law) is beyond me...I cried when my sons told me.....and at the grill out the other day I noticed his left eye sits just a little lower than his right eye because of the facial fractures................ I feel that same rage I felt right after the attack. And a deep sadness for the evil, and destruction that Big Ears imposed on my nephew!

My driveway was laid in 1989 or 1992. I'm not sure. I'll have to check the date carved in the concrete near the garage door. Before the concrete was poured for the driveway I put in a time capsule. All I remember about it is that it was a huge, silver thermos........I cannot remember what I put in it except maybe pictures of the kids though Emily may not have been born yet. I vaguely remember writing a note about my dreams for my family.
I'll probably re-do my driveway in a couple of years..
I'm looking forward to opening the time capsule.

sunday

Happy Father's Day!
I'm going to mom and dads house in a bit.
Daughter and boyfriend are going with me. I'm looking forward to seeing my sisters and their families.......and of course my mom and dad.
And then this evening /late afternoon.....
 I'm going to make boyfriend a special dinner
on the grill and give him a lil gift.
And I will keep him busy playing corn hole and swimming.
I feel bad for him that his sons
are so far away.
He's going to see them next month & it can't come soon enough.
He misses them in a bad way.....