Daily Insights--Let's Share!

[Debbie D]

I got a pic on my profile page uploaded, but it won't paste on my posts...hmmm...

[Blessings2You]

It's a bee-yootiful sunny day, temperatures in the low-seventies. Trouble is, the black flies are out! They seem to like me for some reason. I have a "bug shirt", a net pullover with a hood, but it's a hassle when I only stay outside for a few minutes at a time. I used to be able to "outrun" them, so to speak, but not anymore! If it's breezy, I'll risk a trip outside later.

It occurs to me that I have at LEAST three diseases which "flare up", and it sure is a bummer when they choose to do so simultaneously! I'm sure it's not a coincidence.

For the last few days my ankle and foot have been swollen (arthritis--at least that's what it was the last few times). I try to stay off it and keep it elevated, but that makes my leg muscles grumpy. So I limp around for a while, then sit for a while, then repeat. Frustrating. At least the good (?) thing about a disease that flares up is that it also (usually) flares down.

Thank God for the internet! I have a couple of phone calls I really need to make, but I often don't have the energy or presence of mind for phone conversations. Most of my friends and family are good with emails. It's nice to hear an actual voice once in a while, and some conversations just don't lend themselves to emails--but with emails I can delete, try again, take a break, whatever.

Plus! If you tell me on the phone you're leaving for vacation on the 8th of June, I won't remember that. But I can go back through my emails and find out. I miss good old-fashioned letters sometimes--I have a box of treasured letters from over the years--but I understand! I don't write them either!

[Kitty]

Waiting for my sister to arrive. Her flight got in about 11:30 AM and she's renting a car and then driving out (up) to my place. It's quite a distance from the airport to my house but she'll probably get here around 1:30 or 2 PM.

It's a beautiful day here today....low humidity and not too hot. Sure beats last weekends weather which was thunderstorms.

We're going to my youngest son's house for dinner tonight and then tomorrow there's going to be a "sort-of" family reunion at my nephew's house. We'll get to see alot of family there that we haven't seen in quite a while.

I've been reserving my energy as best I can. I feel pretty good today and hope it lasts throughout the weekend.

Everyone have a good Saturday!

[barb02]

Made it home to Illinois yesterday. We had a HORRIBLE drive back from Ohio. I was going to drive straight through; it is usually a 9 hour drive. I usually stop, but I just wanted to be home in my own bed. We got stuck on I70 about 20 miles from Indianapolis for 4 1/2 hours in 88 degree weather -- full sun. There was a three car accident and two of the cars caught on fire. They had to life flight two people ( children we think) to the hospital.

I could only run the ac occasionally because we were afraid we would run out of gas. Everyone was out of their cars roaming around. Some truckers started passing out cold water. We had the luck of being stuck next to a really nice couple from Canada that had a small trailer they were pulling. They offered us the use of their facilities. My mom took them up on it after two hours and I finally did after 3 1/2 hours. After we finally got going we drove about 30 more miles to a hotel outside of Indie. We we on the road for 11 1/2 hours.

I was in pretty bad shape by the time we found the hotel, and I am still feeling the effects. My mom thought the whole ordeal was exciting for the first hour. The situation did restore my faith in people. Everyone was being really nice and checking up on others. One van had two large dogs and someone got bowls and water for them.

[ginnie]

That was horrible, the crash and life flight, and waiting forever in traffic. I am glad to hear there was kindness in the middle of a bad situation. It restores my faith in humans that we share when things get tough. Rest, and restore your energy after all that. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, and for the people flown out of there. ginnie

[Debbie D]

Aww Barb... but what an uplifting experience in terms of seeing how people took care of one another!!
Hope you're feeling better now...

Going to head up to the Northwoods tomorrow...our new pontoon boat is huge...takes up the length of the driveway...DH overdid it, IMO...
It's going to be a long ride. We usually get about 24 mpg, but when we were towing this thing home from the place we bought it, we got 9 We will definitely see a lot of gas stations...

Took MIL to the hearing aid guy to check them out. She is so not right...she is not walking well, kind of tipped to the right. And she is not with it...I just hope they can be well until we get back...although we are only 7 hours away, and DS36 is staying at our house, so he can go over if need be.

The guy showed me her ear canals...I'd taken her to an ENT to have them cleaned out. She left some of the wax in, since her ear tissue is so thin. But her wax has leaked out and was pooled in the outer cup...so when I took her home, he told me to put a cotton ball dipped in warm water into each ear for 15 minutes. I did...she said, "I can't hear well." Then she tried to put her hearing aids in WITH the cottonballs still in her ears. I stopped her...but she was confused...

It'll be nice to be away from all the stress for a few days...

[tkrik]

Hi Everyone!

Been a little busy over the past several days. Sorry I haven't taken the time to post. I'm fostering a puppy and I am just beat!!!! She's 3 mo old and we took her from a somewhat abusive and neglectful situation. She was not housebroken and man that's a lot of work. Not only that, I'm not too sure how to to do it. I hate to crate her up all day and only take her out to go for a walk, as I read online. After today, I'm thinking that's not such a bad idea. haha We just had an episode of "Puppy Gone Wild" as she ran all over the apartment going nuts. In the afternoon it is so hot out that she won't even walk on the sidewalk and just whines. It hurts her tender little paws. So she ran around with an empty grits container in her mouth going from the front door to my bedroom door for like 5 minutes straight. I let her do it because I know she must have needed to expel that energy. She's now next to me completely crashed out.

I've also been working on designs and searching for inspiration. It helps to look at other artists work to get that inspiration. For me, it is usually a color combination that strikes me the most. Then I'll play with those colors and see what happens. Today it was bright orange, bright blue (Island blue), and yellow. They really are a striking combination.

Barb - Glad you made it home safely. What a long trip that turned out to be. I always travel with lots of water in the car. There is no way I would want to get stuck out in this desert heat without water. My girls roll their eyes at me for always bringing so much water. I hope have a great time with your Mom.

Debbie - Have a great time! You deserve this time away to rest and relax. I continue to keep you all in my prayers.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

[Debbie D]

Hi all-happy Tuesday...
Trish I always crated my pups...I tried distracting them with teething toys, and other different toys that I would rotate so as to seem new to the pup. Maybe walking the pup in morn or evening would be better to burn off that puppy energy...
We didn't get 300 of the 420 miles in before we got amcall that MIL passed out & they sent her to the ER. She had another UTI & was dehydrated. They pumped her full of fluids, gave her ABs ' my son took her back home, insisting that we stay up here-that they would all take care of things. Am I blessed or what?
Well hope everyone has a great evening...

[Blessings2You]

What an exciting day! Not really, but that's okay. Excitement can go both ways--right, Sal?

We did "errands" this morning, all the stops that I don't have the energy for the same day we get groceries. First we stopped at the dollar store for liquid hand soap, but RATS, they don't carry (or perhaps they don't make) the kind we've always liked--Jergens. The dollar store was the only place we could find it. We bought another kind that's supposed to have the same cherry/almond-type smell. We'll see.

Then we went to the drugstore, then to Agway so Mr Blessings could get some plants (hubbard squash and cabbage for his chickens, tomatoes for us). There was a cat in the store, and I walked over and slowly put my hand up to his face, and he gave my finger three little licks. The store owner said, "ohhhh, kiss!" Those little "nothing" moments that make up for the not-so-good parts of the day!

After that we went to "Ace is the place" hardware for a couple of things, ended up buying brand new replacement (are you ready for this?) TOILET BRUSHES! With holders! Ma and Pa really went wild in that store, I'll tell you what!

THEN on to Sears for lawn mower parts (blade, filter, plug, etc.). Whew. I was already toast--my left ankle/foot is still swollen and painful, and that's the one I put all my weight on getting in and out.

But then we met my husband's sister and her husband at the little restaurant for lunch. We hardly ever get together even though they live less than 20 miles away. My brother in law has medical issues also, and it's hard for us to find a day we're both up to it. I had a haddock sandwich (MMM) and waffle fries, which I'd never had before. Oh baby. All her stuff is "homestyle". My husband loves the onion rings there, so he's a happy camper this afternoon.

Counting the Post Office, we made seven stops, I think, and that's about five more than we usually make! Mr B was happy to get the stuff he'd been wanting, and I was happy to cross several things off my list. Now I'm just chillin' (do they still say that?) and watching the baseball game on one side and the hummingbird feeder on the other.

Holiday weekend coming up, and Ma and Pa are staying HOME! Last weekend was actually a holiday weekend around here. We're near the Canadian Border, and Monday was Victoria Day. I have a friend who lives literally six feet from the border, and she said traffic was backed up all day.

Okay, I've already said more than I know. Hope everybody is having a good day...so many struggles going on that we can't even take turns!!

[Kitty]

B2Y sounds like you had a productive day! I'm glad you got to have lunch with your in-laws.

My sister arrived here on Saturday afternoon. We went out to lunch soon after she got here. Later that evening we went to youngest DS's for dinner. He and his girlfriend had grilled chicken and she had cooked lots of other stuff for us.....asparagus, corn, mashed potatoes, salad. I was stuffed and I fed their new puppy Molly more than 1/2 of my chicken under the table! No wonder she wouldn't move......

Sunday afternoon we went to my nephew's house where we had a family reunion. Saw lots of family we hadn't seen in ages. Even got to see Claire - the little girl I posted about in the Sanctuary - and she is doing great. You'd never know she beat cancer just a few months ago! Beautiful child.

Got to meet my BIL's new wife. They've been married for a couple of years but I'd never met her before. She's a lovely lady and so funny. We had a great time visiting with her. I really liked her.

Monday we went to the cemetery where our parents are buried. Took us forever to find their spots and it was pretty hot that day. We stayed there for a while, stopped on the way home and ate lunch then came home. We didn't make it to the cemetery where our sister is buried.....too far in the other direction. I told her I wouldn't be able to go out anymore that day so we ordered Chinese food for dinner.

She had to catch a plane at 1 PM yesterday so she left here about 11 AM. She had rented a car so she had to return that at the airport.

I took a nap after she left and thought I'd sleep better last night but I didn't. I woke up several times but took a short nap today after lunch. I have to watch American Idol tonight so I'm sure I'll be ready for sleep by the end of that!

I think this is the longest post I've ever written!