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Reading a good book

I love to read. It took a long time to learn how and once I did, I never stopped. One of my favorite authors is Kay Bratt.  She writes simply delish books.  Every one I have read has been wonderful.  The newest one is called True to Me.  It is a journey of self discovery for the main character, Quinn.  She goes to find out about her mother and discovers herself along the way  I found it a magical journey of hope.  It was beautiful from beginning to end.  I wish I had the words to describe exactly how I felt reading it.  With fibro, like so many of us, it is so hard to concentrate. I did not have this issue with this book. I know, can you imagine??  Being able to focus on a book??  It was that captivating.

A new kindle

I have a nook for reading. It is the nook color.  I just love it.  I now have a kindle fire seven.  I can do so much on it. It is like a computer to me.  I am quite happy with it. 

I went to see the Ellers this past week.  I do so enjoy my time there with the kids.  Hayden had his birthday on Monday. He is now 15.  They grow so fast.  When I came home it appeared that I didn't get the explosive tummy like I have gotten every single time I spend more than a day there.  However, I got a mild case Thursday night.   I was most unhappy.  At least this time was mild. 

My cousin, Danyelle, is getting married in March.  I am so happy for her.  She is very nice.  She is the one I am giving the family locket to.  She is very sentimental so I am glad.  I don't think it is worth much money but it is from my mom who got it from her grandmother who got it from her brother in her 16th birthday.  There are a multitude of reasons why she is getting it over others.  I won't go through that here.

Pairwise these last few weeks have sucks.  My lower back especially.  I don't know what is up but it can disappear any time now.  If I am mindful of how much I stand and where I sit, it isn't so bad.  If I am not well, let's just say I am reminded to pay more attention.

I have been trying something new for anxiety.  Hypnotherapy. My friend is a therapist.   I have had one session.  She recorded a session for me to listen to. I have listened to it three times already.  I slept better last night  than I have in a long time.  I think maybe it will help.  I will keep you posted.

More Peony cuteness.

A Day From Hell

So today sucked, really bad.  I had a test on Monday to see if this flap worked during the digestive cycle. Whatever it is they gave me has caused things from immediate tummy cramps which were extremely painful to this morning lovely gift of explosive diarrhea.  Yes. The joys in life. I will say I believe it is now over but I must be cautious because I don’t want a repeat.  The worse part is that the two lessons I had were actually absences instead of reschedules.  Nothing I can do about though.  Just continue on with the week.

My car is in for repair.  The front brakes and rotors are being fixed as well as the left wheel bearing and left tie rod.  I hope it is done tomorrow so that I have it back before Friday.  I actually didn’t mind not having it because I was sick so I wouldn’t have gone anywhere anyhow!!!  

I have been having issues with my right knee lately.  I am not sure why but if I don’t put cream on it I can’t sleep because of the pain.  Sometimes I just hate my body.  When I am ready to go to sleep and the knee starts in, that is one time I do.


I accidentally stepped on Peony’s paw tonight.  I didn’t mean too.  I picked her up to say sorry and she growled at me.  I understand I stepped on her.   My poor puppy.  We just celebrated her birthday.  She is now six.  Since we don’t really know when her birthday is we picked the Canadian Thanksgiving Day to celebrate.  I wanted to get her a boatload of toys but I can’t right now.  Eventually I will be able too.  Just not right now.

A Friday Night

It is Friday night and I am just relaxing in my chair in my room.  Peony is lying next to my sleeping. She is such a good little doggie.  I love her so much.  She calms my anxiety which can be so overwhelming some days.  I have tried to explain it to my family but they don’t get it.  In some ways that is good in others that is bad. My anxiety has improved in some things. I did panic this past week though.  We got a letter from the township saying that the shingles need to be picked up from the yard.  I thought our roof, which was completely redone in 2008, was falling apart. I called a roof company that was advertising on Facebook.  I set an appointment for today at five.  I was very anxious about this because I don’t know how I would pay this off.  So Bill so the letter and told me that he would put the packaged up shingles in the shed.  I asked if they were from our roof.  He said no.  They are for the shed we are going to build in the spring.  I was like so relieved.  I cancelled the appointment.  I talked to the other Heather (yes there are two of us with the same name in the house) and she said that next time just ask Bill first.  I said I would.  So our roof is doing really good so I am happy.  Now I do know that our furnace will probably be the next big thing to deal with.  Anyway. I am not thinking about that one right now.

It is supposed to be a bit chilly here tomorrow.  I have warm clothes now in the closet so I am ready.  Rose and I changed out all the summer stuff to fall and winter.  I have a few short sleeve tops incase it warms up a bit but mostly it is longer sleeves.

I am hoping to go and see my aunt next weekend.  I am not sure but we may possibly see the Downton Abbey movie.  I have seen it but she loves the series so I would love to see the movie with her.  We haven’t celebrated her birthday yet.  We just haven’t had our schedules lined up to celebrate or when we do, I don’t have the money to get there.  I think she will really like it.  Apparently no one expected it to be such a hit movie. They are making a sequel. I am glad.  I did so enjoy the series and the movie.  It was so fun to go with Jennie and Kathy.  I just know it takes days to recover from such an outing.  

My nausea hasn’t lessen yet.  Even with the latest additional med.  so I take zolfran every eight hours like clockwork.  Then I take this other stuff twice a day.  Generally at five and 11 pm.  In between the zolfran hours.  I have a test Monday to see what may be causing this.  So far the doctor is just saying it is cyclical vomiting syndrome.  She wants to see if there is something not working right since my gallbladder has been taken out.  It happens sometimes.  The scan is later in the evening.  Can’t eat or drink after 2pm.  I can live with that.   It will mess up some meds but not much I can do about that.  I will bring them with me to take as soon as possible.   I just want to not feel so nauseous all the time. That would be beautiful.

I have been trying to read a lot.  Sometimes I can sometimes I can’t. It depends on the pain level for what kind of concentration and focus I have for the day.  Sometimes, I am lucky I can focus on teaching the one student I have for that day.  If I can’t I have to reschedule them.  Fortunately I have very flexible students. They also know I can be flexible back. I wanted to go back teaching full time this fall. Yeah. After having three lessons in a row, I couldn’t focus or concentrate on anything and I had a really bad headache the days I tried to teach more.   I guess that is not happening anytime soon. It bums me out. I used to be able to teach 60 students in one week.  Now I have 10 and it is all I can handle.  It makes me really sad sometimes.  Other times it doesn’t bother me.  Because I really wanted to go back full time, it is bothering me that I can’t.  I think I am stuck in a rut and need to figure out how to get out.

A Resting Sunday

it has been a slow fall as far as lessons this year. I have 12 students so I am happy for that.  I have room for about three more then that is it.  Everything will be full for me at that point.  Christmas music is being pulled out at this time for students as we have a Christmas recital every year.  Other than that, no new news on the teaching front.

I got to see Kathy very briefly yesterday and three of her children.  I was happy to see them.  Matthew, her oldest came to my car to get the guitar books I told him he could have, the girls, wanted to see Peony as I brought her with me, and I needed to have some paperwork signed by Kathy.  I have updated my power of attorney and patient advocate papers as well as my will. So she signed the two that she needed to sign. She was visiting her mom so I met her there.  It is about 45 minutes away.  I didn’t mind the drive at all.  Much stress was lifted because those papers were signed.  It was so needed.   I am now covered incase something happens to me.  I am rather pleased with myself that I am.   On the plus side of this, I did get to speak to Kathy and her children!!!!!

Not much going on today.  I watch the latest episode of NCIS New Orleans. It was good.  I also watched another episode of law and order Los Angeles.  I don’t care for it.  I will stick with the shows I have.  Tonight the NCIS LA is on so I can watch that tomorrow on cbs.  The rest of tonight I am just resting.  I have two lessons tomorrow.  One is a make up from Saturday and the other is a regular Monday lesson.  I may potentially have another, it depends on his work schedule   We have it scheduled but sometimes we need to reschedule for another day. Anyways, C is here for the weekend.  I have enjoyed her company so much.  I got some nice quality time with her yesterday. She is with friends today.  She is just amazing.  A seemed to really like having her help him with his geometry homework.   I thought it was cool.

That’s all for now!!!!!

Downton Abbey Evnt

Saturday was a magical day from start to finish.  I had three lessons. Then my very best friend, Kathy came to see me!!!!  We were going to dinner and a movie during this visit!!!!  Our friend, Jenn was joining us!!!!  I was so looking forward to this for so long!!!   Jenn was coming in from about an hour away so we weren’t sure when exactly she would arrive.  We planned dinner early enough so we wouldn’t hit the dinner rush.  It was a good call. About 10 minutes after we sat down, Jenn arrived!!!!  We ordered and the visiting commenced!!!!!  We talked about everything, just everything!!!!  I was so excited and happy about this day. Then we moved on to the final event of the night!!! The movie!!!!!  Kathy had told me she wanted to see the Downton Abbey movie with me in about June.  I had seen a few episodes but not anything dedicated to it.  I said I would look at the first few to see if I would like it.  She kept telling me I would love it.  I watch the first two and was intrigued. The next thing I knew I finished season one!!!!  Whoa!!!!  Then two and so on!!!!  I simply loved it!!!!!!   I was prepared to see the movie.  When I asked Jenn if she was interested in seeing the movie with me she said she hadn’t seen any of the episodes. As far as I knew it was okay because it would be a stand alone movie.  She is now thinking of watching the entire series.  We have a concert ion our hands.

Today, Kathy and I went to Tim Horton’s for Brunch and chatted some more.  She left to go to her mom’s house.  It is on the way home for her so I am pleased that she went to visit her mom also. It was a beautiful, exhausting weekend.  I napped for about four hours today. I will be okay for sleeping tonight.  I am just so thrilled that it went well.  I did have a bad tummy yesterday but it was under control and wasn’t super bad like the previous week.  I am so glad about that.  Overall, this was worth the wait. It was worth the exhaustion and definitely worth the few days it will take to to recover.

Oh my gosh. I am heading towards the edge of the pain scale

So I have been making small monthly payments to my doctors office.  There was still a balance on the account. They had about a year ago merged with another healthcare group. Wow. I was dismissed from the office. I had no idea. I went to make a payment and get my pain pills refilled and my anxiety pills refilled.  Yeah that is how I found out.  So I paid what I owed and was loaned some of it because I didn’t have it all, the called back with the reference number  now I am waiting to see if I get reinstated or not.  I am in more pain than usual because of the no pain meds. It isn’t anything oxy type. I can’t take them as I get really bad bad headaches from them.  The top part of my back hurts most than usually and so do many of my joints.  I will see how I feel during the night.  I hope to hear by tomorrow morning.  This is nerve wracking and when the fire this wouldn’t have happened. I hope this works.  I have Tylenol and ibuprofen but they don’t do a lot but they do a bit and that is what I need right now.


I have added into my checkbook app on my phone a payment to my doctor every month.  I have two more doctors that I need to pay this month.  This checkbook app has really helped in keeping me on track with stuff. I am really pleased with it.  I have all my monthly bills listed. It is super easy to balance with the bank. It just is so good.  I am quite glad to finally find something that works.  I didn’t like any of the other ones I had tried.

Four more days until Kathy is here!!!!  We are so excited to go and see the downton abbey movie!!    Our friend, Jen is coming too.  We don’t know where we are going for dinner yet but that is okay. We will decide and let Jen know. I can’t wait to see it. It should be marvelous.  I belong to a fan page on Facebook. It is absolutely a hoot.  I had Kathy join too.  She is in love with the show as I am.  She should be as she is the one who got me completely hooked.  She said oh you will love this.  So the skeptic that I am grudgingly watched the first episode. It was interesting.  Then I watched the second and before I knew the first season was over.  I was hooked.  I binged watched all six of the seasons.  I am just so thrilled they made a movie of it.  I hope for many more!!!  From what I have seen, so so many others do to!!!!!

I do hope for some decent sleep tonight.  I have physical therapy tomorrow. I will be bringing my walker in with me to be sized. I want to have it checked so I know it isn’t causing injury to me. So many I see lean heavily bent over on their walkers and I don’t want to do that.  I don’t want to be bent over while using it. Of course I will lean on it. I just don’t want to be bent over.

I am hoping that by tomorrow morning my scripts will be filled and I will be able to pick them up and be in the regular amount of pain. Not this insane amount of pain.  Even my skin is hurting tonight. Even my skin.  Ugh.

Who Stole My Sleep???

I can’t sleep. I have dozed off and on for the last few hours but not really sleeping. I hate this part of fibro so much.  I mean, seriously!!!!  I am so exhausted all the time and then bedtime comes and I can’t sleep??  There is something wrong with that picture.  Something completely wrong. I have read Facebook and read my nook. I took my zolfran med at 2am as usual. I slept for about 45 minutes than woke up nauseous. Zolfran should have taken care of that. I went and got some bread to eat and that has helped a lot.  It absorbs the extra acid in my stomach.


Every night I get to play this game called, will I get cold or hot in the middle of the night and need to change pajamas accordingly.  I got hot and put my hair in a ponytail. Then I changed into my shorts pajamas. I tried to sleep. Still hot. Then I changed into a tank top style pajama top. Now I am fine. I go through this every night.  It is just part of the routine.  I always have the shorts and tank top pajamas near by.

I got my hair cut today.  Heather BT did it. My hair was hurting.  These past few days have not been my best.  When I get a flare up of irritable bowel, I generally also get more of a headache too and it is harder to brush my hair because it hurts to do so.  The last three days my hair has hurt. I could feel every strand of hair on my head and they hurt.  I asked her to cut my hair. I needed it done anyways it wasn’t like out of the blue. I just hadn’t decided when to cut it or how I wanted it done. She cut about five inches off. It feels better now and it doesn’t hurt as much.  Hopefully by noon it will be even better.

I have one lesson planned for today. Victoria.  She is 19 and beautiful.  She sings so lovely and is a really nice person too.  I just love her.  All the littler students love her too.  She is a good role model for them.  Quinn is playing volleyball for her school.  This is exciting too as she is finally in a grade where she can play on team sports at her school.  I am so excited for her to have this opportunity to do this.

I have opened up more availability for students at Takelessons.  I had a new student but then something happened in the family and she can’t start lessons. I am disappointed but I know I will get something else soon.  I am looking into different ways to market myself as a teacher. It is interesting to be a member of this one group on Facebook that talks about the marketing yourself. I haven’t listen to all of it but I will tomorrow and finish up on Tuesday.

That’s about all for tonight. It is now 3:15 am.  I am going to try to get some more sleep!!!!

Back Home Again

I was at my beautiful Ellers these last four days.  H, R, and A were there. We had a good time.  We had some chuckles and some smiles. We also had N get mad at all of us and storm out for a couple of days.  She is going to do what she is going to do.  I want to tell her that everything will be okay but she is going to have to figure it out herself the hard way as many of us have in the past. I unfortunately came home with my irritable bowel syndrome in full swing so today has not been my best day but I am better than earlier, of which I am grateful for. I missed my Peony as you can imagine.  She is one of the loves in my life. I had no lessons today. Both Joe and Ava needed to reschedule which was a good thing. A really good thing. Ava is a pianist who recently start several months ago and Joe is a saxophonist who I have had for the last few years. I have a good amount of students now.  I may be able to handle one more but not more than that. With fibromyalgia I can only work about five hours a week. It keeps me involved enough to help pay bills and make me happy.

My favorite season is upon us. I love fall. Simply love it.  It is the best season of all.  I don’t ache as much as I do in the high humidity or the super cold. I love the turning of the leaves. It is nice enough to breathe and my asthma isn’t so bad either.  Time for tea at night when reading in my room.

So I hope this is a nice weekend to hang out and teach a few lessons and read.

Friday!!!!!!!

It is so hard to believe September is among us already.  Summer was rather stressful.  Things did get worked out of which I am so glad!!  I do hope the fall is much less stress and so far so good.  I have a pretty full schedule for lessons right now.  I no longer miss the 60 lessons a week I used to teach.  I have come to accept the part time I can do. This has taken many years to accept.  I know my limits.  Kathy is coming in a couple of weeks!!!  I can’t wait.  We are going to see the Downton Abbey movie as we are both big fans of the show.

Currently I am in physical therapy.  It is for balance this round.  I don’t have very good balance at all.  I feel like I am going to fall when I walk to far without my walker or coming downstairs. I also need better posture which will help with the not falling.  Tuesday I nearly fell.  It was so scary.  I had to pause and decide if I needed help.  I was okay I just took it slower to get to the car.  I will say the pt is kicking my butt.  I am rather sore by the end of the night on pt days.  It is working on muscles I forgot I have!!!  That is good though.  I am not sure how long I have for pt. I figure my therapist will tell me when I am done.  She is an expert after all.  Heather BT says she has noticed I walk better and seem to be more confident.  I am glad.

Monday I am heading to be with my friends kids for a few days.  She needs to be out of town so I am going to be there. You know how it is when your a mom, you have a short list of who you trust to take care of your kids.  Well I am happy to be on her short list.  I love her kids.  I know I will have H and R. I am not sure about T and A.  A has been doing a lot of babysitting for his brother’s roommate.  He has a toddler and A watches her while he works.  I really enjoy the kids company.  H and I get into some really interesting conversations. R is quieter and is an excellent artist.  H is an excellent artist too.  He likes graffiti art.  She likes all types of art.  I will come home on Wednesday just in time for lessons!!!!!

It is time to pull Christmas music out again.  Sammy came and took care of that.  I have redone the vocal music drawers.  I have everything divided by genre then alphabetical.  It is so much easier to find stuff now!!!!  I was going to do this with the piano music but I have nine file cabinet drawers of piano music so yeah not gonna do that.  I just want Christmas at this point separated.

It is getting chiller out now.  I don’t mind.  We no longer have central air.  It died four years ago.  We do have a portable a/c unit that we put on the kitchen counter.  We also have an attic fan. I have a window fan in my window which also really helps.  Overall we tend to stay pretty okay.  I have been aching more lately but I think that is due to the physical therapy.  I am not totally sure but by bedtime, especially if I have to fill the dishwasher, I am pretty sore.  My headaches are still there like they were three years ago.  I have now had a headache everyday since March of 2003.  My bad headaches aren’t quite as often but I still get them. I now have cyclical vomiting syndrome. Basically I feel like I am going to throw up all the time.  I am on two different meds for that.  They help control most of it.

I am not sure what is up this weekend.  I plan to read and go on Facebook.  I check on my peeps that way.

3 years

Wow!!  It has been three years since I last posted.  Now that I have it for my phone, I shall try to update more often.

Summer is almost over as we are heading into Labor Day Weekend.  I have no real plans except for just hanging around. I have one lesson on Saturday and one on Monday to teach so it isn’t that bad.  So much has happened in the last few years!!  I still have stomach bleeds about once or twice a year.  Considering the meds I take, it isn’t bad.   I have about 13 students right now.  It is a good number. I could take a couple more on but that is about all.  I get way too much pain and exhaustion if I have too many. We did a community service recital this summer as we have for the last few summers. I only allow my students to pick happy songs and songs that the seniors would know.  Once September hits, it is time to dig out Christmas music and competition music for those who are attending.  I am not as involved as I used to be.  The politics have gotten to me.  It just seems to me that my help isn’t wanted. Last year the job I generally do was no longer available and the job I physically can’t do was. So I have come to the conclusion they aren’t interested in anything I can do. If my students want to go, we will go, if they don’t, we won’t. That has never changed.  I have never forced any student to participate.  I don’t believe in that.

Peony is doing awesome.  She is such a beautiful dog!!!  She is my heart!!!!  We enjoy hanging out together as much as possible.  We have two more dogs in the house now.  Xynda, who is a pit bull/boxer mix.  She is 11 and so so sweet. Then we have Valerian.  He is a Yorkie. He is just over a year now.  Peony plays with him unless he is in my room.  She barks him out of my room.  It is like she says no my space.  You can’t invade.  She is getting better at that though.  Xynda she lets do whatever Xynda wants.

Currently, I am doing physical therapy for balance.  My posture is not very good these days so I am going to pt two days a week.  Boy, does it wipe me out!!!!  It is helping though.  That is the good part.

Not much else going on right now.