Wow!  It's Sunday already!  Ugh, how did that happen?  I must have slept through from Friday.  Actually, yesterday was pretty busy with 2 lessons, book club, and going out to dinner.  Book club was fun, short, but fun.  We picked a Christmas book for next time and we are doing "Elephant" Christmas presents.  I had never heard of it, but it sounds really cool.  I am sure I have lots of things that I don't need or want that I can give.  I am going to look at my ornaments collection, I have sooooooo many.  I just love ornaments, only we don't have a big tree right now because there is no room in either the family or the living room.  We just use a small one that is about 3 ft high.  I am not putting up the little houses on the piano this year either, just the tree.  Mom wants pictures on the pianos, so that's what I will do.  She is doing okay today.  Yesterday, she had trouble eating her steak from Outback.  I told them no spice please, and I guess with the way they cook it, some spice is already in the pan, so it had some on it.  She can't handle spices at all.  She liked the potato and the salad though, so that was good.  I get the steak tonight and the rest of her salad.  She hasn't had too much trouble swallowing lately, so I am happy on that.

Bon Jovi is coming to town in March.  Tickets go on sale tomorrow.  I am dying (not literally) to go.  I love Bon Jovi.  They are my favorite band ever.  I am waiting to see if Kathy is going to be able to come to town for it.  I doubt it though since it is in the middle of the week and well, she does have those adorable little ones.  It would be difficult for her to get here for the concert.  She is checking to see what she can do, but like I said, it would be difficult and I know it.  When I called her I didn't even think to look to see what day it was or I would have known it was too hard.  They are playing in Chicago this summer, but that is way too far away a place for me, but only a couple of hours for her so maybe she can see them then.  I will be checking on tickets tomorrow when I get up.  Their new CD is coming out soon too.  I already have their new book, When We Were Beautiful.  

Well, that is enough gushing on BJ.  Pain level is rather low for a change, and my knee is behaving again.  I hope it stays this way.  I am tired of doctors and medicine.  I am sure some of you know exactly what I mean!!!  I hope this finds you doing well and enjoying the nicer weather for a change.  Have a great afternoon.

Sewing day!!!!  I love Fridays!  I truly do!!  They are so fun and exciting.  Little Sarah got to join us with sewing this afternoon.  I bought a little kit for her and she made her first stuffed animal and stuffed flower.  She really did a great job.  I was very pleased with her work.  Hannah help me (she did most of it) cut out bells and basted them for me.  Lydia and Natalie will be done next week with their new tops!  Such exciting news.  Then they had to go and do some math (they are home schooled and didn't do their math in the morning!)  

Rachel had her lesson after sewing this afternoon.  She was so cute when I gave her her Christmas songs.  No choice this year, just handed her two songs and said here they are.  She said, OK.  It works.  She has already sang almost all the other Christmas books I have that are more of the classically arranged, everything but this book so that is how I made the decision for her.  She is so focused on competition, that it doesn't seem to matter to her.  

I am heading for bed.  I thought I would stay awake through law and order, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen.  Mom keeps waking me up during the morning so I am not as well rested as I need to be.  Of course, I don't sleep really that well with the pain either, so it isn't helping.  I am hoping it will get better.  

I hope you are having a great day.

We went to the eye doctor for Mom today.  She is getting reading glasses.  She needs cataract surgery sometime in the near future.  Not immediate, but soon.  she picked really cute glasses that look so nice on her.

After that we went and got our hair cut.  Nothing to exciting there.  Mom is sleeping next to me right now.  It is kinda cute.  I wore her out.  Poor Mom.

My knee is better tonight than yesterday and the day before.  I hope it continues on this track, not up for more pain.  My arm and shoulder are the usual.  Not much happening now, just have to go and heat our dinners so Mom and I can eat.  We're watching Oprah right now.  I love the show.  They are doing the karaoke show.  it is very interesting since I am a singer and a teacher.  I love watching people do their music.

I hope this finds you doing well and having a good day.

Mom had her test this afternoon.  She had no problem swallowing whatever it is they gave her.  So, we are back at the beginning.  This week she hasn't had too much problem.  Maybe it was a phase, I don't know.  So at least there isn't a problem, that is a good thing, I guess.  I hope she doesn't get a problem.  

I did get a call from the doctor's office last night.  Apparently, the knee is swollen (I knew that) and lots of arthritis.  Ugh.  It isn't as bad as yesterday, thank God for that.  My shoulder and arm are a bit sore today.  I didn't do anything to them this time.  

Not much else going on.  Frank and Bob had their lessons this afternoon.  Both are working on their Christmas music for the concert.  I found my favorite Christmas book that I thought was missing, and I still have one left.  I was so happy about that.  I thought both copies were gone, but they aren't!  Yeah!  Most every student has their Christmas music now.  The rest will get them this weekend when they have their lessons.

I hope you are having a great day!

My knee is so sore today.  it is excruciating.  I haven't felt this much pain since the blood clot a few years ago.  I am waiting to hear from the doctors office to tell me what the xray says.  I don't think they will find anything.  It has got to be fibromyalgia because it comes and goes.  If it was something else, it would stay.

I managed to jam my arm with a door again (yes, the sore one, of course.)  Mom is doing alright today.  She has her swallowing test tomorrow.  She so doesn't want to go, but I am making her.  I am tired of her not being able to swallow food and you never know which ones she won't be able to swallow.

Hmm, probably won't hear anything until tomorrow, it is now past 6 pm and the office closes at 6 pm.  I don't want to wait another day!  Guess I have to.  I could go upstairs right now (well, if I could go up the stairs) and go straight to sleep.  I am so so so so so so tired again today.  It has to be the extra pain in my knee.

I hope you are doing alright and not freezing to much!  It is getting rather cold outside!  Bundle up!

We had a good day today.  I had 4 students.  Three Muglia's and Grace.  Peter decided he doesn't want to play clarinet anymore so he is finished with lessons for now.  The three older girls love piano and aren't planning to quit.  I will at least get to see Peter when I go for sewing, so I won't be deprived of my Peter.  He is a good kid.  The four girls picked out their Christmas music during their lessons.  The Muglia girls each gave me a Reese's peanut butter cup.  So I had three.  I love those!!!!  Definitely my favorite candy.  Not that I need candy, I need to lose weight, not gain it.  Speaking of that, I am starting to think that maybe bariatric surgery might be a good idea.  We shall see.  Depends on so many factors.

I had to get a new wheel for my car and two new tires.  ugh.  So expensive.  Tires that came with the car didn't last all that long, only 39,000 miles or so.  I should think I should have gotten more out of them, but I didn't.  At least these tires weren't bald like the front two were.

Don't forget to vote tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!  (a reminder for my American friends.)

Pain is high today.  My knee decided to be dumb and hurt while we were waiting for the tires and wheel.  It still hurts now.  My arm and shoulder aren't so bad, just the knee.  

Okay, putting laundry in the washing machine is very painful on the knee and the hips.  I hate fibromyalgia and arthritis!  I know many of you know what that is like.  I think I will ask Mom to put the stuff in the dryer.  I will turn it on, but she can put it in.  She said she would.  thank God for Mom and her help.  Even with her Alzheimer's she can still do so much.

I hope you are having a great day!  Happy November 2!

What a weekend!  yesterday we went out to dinner for Halloween.  It was cold here so I refused to let Mom pass out candy.  She got so sick two years ago from similar weather.  Just not going to go through that again this year so we went out to eat instead.  it was lots of fun because we didn't have to wait for a table.  I thought it would be a bit busier, but not too busy because it was a family restaurant and most of the families would be trick or treating at that time.

Last night I went and changed all the clocks back, only for mine I forgot to make sure the am and pm were correct.  So needless to say, we missed church because I slept in.  Mom kept coming in my room after 9 am every 15 to 20 minutes to see if I was getting up.  It makes me mad, but she doesn't remember that she was just in, so what can I do.  Nothing.  

I met an old friend at Tim Horton's this afternoon.  We ended up spending 4 1/2 hours with her.  It was great.

Pain isn't so bad right now, but was worse a little earlier.  I am very tired.  I am heading to bed shortly.  I hope you are having a good day.

It was sewing day again!  What a lovely time.  Unfortunately, silly me forgot my machine, which, of course, has Lydia's thread on it so she couldn't do any machine sewing.  She was able to baste a few seams, but that was about it.  I also got there late due to a doctor's appointment.  I don't like going to the doctors.  4th one in 3 weeks.  Nothing major, just checking out my shoulder and if the new sample medicines were doing any good.  They weren't so I won't be getting them.  At least it didn't cost me any money to try the new medicine.  We went out to eat afterward because I wasn't in the mood to heat up our dinners.  We went to our usual restaurant up the road.  We like it there, they are really nice and are helpful when mom needs something.  I had to go to the loo while I was there and Mom got nervous because she didn't know where I was, the waitress was there right away when she noticed Mom was getting upset.  She let Mom know that I was in the loo and would be right back.  Mom calmed immediately.  The waitress let me know Mom got upset while I was gone.  I need to know these details.

I will have to go to the Joann's store this weekend.  Oh my, what a hardship.  He he he!!!  I have to get Natalie some more thread.  She is about out and not quite done with her top.  She should be done next week.  She has one sleeve, the neck hem, sleeve hems, and the bottom hem left, then she is done.  Lydia has two sleeves, neck hem, sleeve hems, and bottom hems left and she will be done.  Hannah will be helping me with Christmas presents next week so she will be sewing with us again next week.  I am excited about that.

I got an X-ray for my knee.  I suspect it will be the same as the shoulder, nothing physically wrong, just fibromyalgia.  The knee comes and goes.  I have some exercises to do.  So now I have shoulder and knee exercises.  As long as they work, I don't care.  I just hope they do.

My arm and shoulder are alright right now, but my head is beginning to really hurt.  I took a pain pill so I hope it kicks in soon.  My knee is fine, of course, because I went to the doctor this morning!  Naturally!  Anyway, it has been a great day and I hope yours is too!  Happy Halloween Eve!

I have two lessons later tonight.  Rachel and her sister, Rebecca.  It's Becca's first official lesson.  She is excited, so I am.  Rachel is doing very well and learning some really hard music.  I am so nice, giving her hard music!  He he he.  How else does she learn?

My arm is okay today, so is my shoulder.  We went to the music store this afternoon to get a few new books, actually they are old books I have to replace because they have disappeared over time.  I did get two new books though so I was glad about that.  Mom helped me choose the new books.  She likes looking at the song titles and music even though she can't read music anymore.  She could when her memory was better.  She is doing pretty well today, although she has this obsession with our jackets and shoes.  She brought them both upstairs again, I had to search for my keys before we went out.  I found them on her bed.

I hope you are having a great day!

We went to Windsor this afternoon to visit Tillie.  It was fun.  We went to the OHIP office and got her application and then we went to the Alzheimer's Society for some info.  Mom peeked into their day away program and said maybe it would be fun to go and visit.  Of course, there is a waiting list, just like everything else in Canada.  After that we went to lunch at Wendy's.  The french fries got stuck in Mom's throat, so no more french fries for Mom.  She doesn't really mind since she really doesn't care either way whether or not she eats them.  By the time she is finished with them they are often cold anyways.  She did fine with her hamburger and had a few sips of her Sprite.  I also am not going to get her anymore pop because she barely drinks it.

I had a hard time at the Alzheimer's Society with the chair.  I made the mistake of sitting in a low chair and had a hard time getting up.  The lady there helped me, but of course I used the left arm, wrong arm.  It hurt when I got up, next time I will sit in a regular chair.  Mom did fine when she heard everything the lady told us.

My arm is sore and so is the shoulder.  My right eye is also sore because the contact irritated it so now I have my glasses on.  My knee is doing all right.  It is supposed to rain tomorrow so it will probably hurt some.  I have an appointment with the doctor about my shoulder.  I haven't heard anything from him so there must be nothing wrong with the shoulder except fibromyalgia.  I suspect that is the same with the knee, unless the arthritis is kicking up a storm, but since it comes and goes, I suspect fibromyalgia.

I hope you are having a good day.  It was beautiful out this afternoon.

I actually got some sleep last night!!!!!!  I made sure Mom understood that I was completely exhausted and needed some sleep.  She didn't do the usual (well, what's apparently usual) come in my room every 15 minutes.  I also put signs on our doors so she would know where her room is.  She mostly stayed out of my room until about 11:30 am this morning, then it was every 5 minutes in my room.  I finally got up because I wasn't going to get any more sleep.  I feel much better than yesterday, that is for sure.  Mom seems to be a bit better than yesterday, although I am not as relaxed as I was a few days ago.

I started leaving her a bowl of cereal on the table to eat in the morning.  She would just have to add milk.  She didn't eat it this morning.  She keeps realizing that and comment on it.  It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

It is pretty nice out right now.  It does look like it will rain soon, but I am not sure if it is supposed to rain today or not.  I hope not.

My arm is not as sore as it was earlier, I had to take a pain pill.  My shoulder is okay except, of course, when I move it wrong.  You would think I would learn not to move it wrong.  

I hope this finds you doing well and having an enjoyable day, despite the overcasty weather.