I am almost done with the costume!  I just have to hem the vest and hem the sleeves, and put the casings for the elastic in the top.  I am glad to be almost done because the play is getting closer!!!  She will look adorable as a fairy.  She is a great kid that is growing up way to fast.  I can't believe she will be 12 soon.  It seems like yesterday she was turning 7.  Wow, how time does fly.

I pulled out the turkey breast to thaw in the fridge.  I am actually getting excited to make dinner.  I haven't cooked in about a year!  At least since last march, the night Mom went into emergency for chest pains.  Ended up not being anything, thankfully, but you never know.  I haven't cooked since.  I have everything ready that we need so Mom and I will be up early on thanksgiving getting the turkey breast ready.  It has the bone in it.  Don't really know what the difference is, except this was the type the store had.  If I do this well, I may cook a bit more often.  It is the standing I have problems with, but Mom can help with that.

I have some Christmas crafts to do after I finish the costume.  I make ornaments for my students every year and Hannah helped me cut them out and basted them so all I have to do is sew them together and stuff them.  We will do that next Friday, our next sewing day.  Their little sister, Sarah, wants to sew to because I bought this beginning sewing kit for her and she did real well with it.  She told her mom she really liked sewing.  So I may start her on some easy stuff for little ones.  She is only 6.

I almost have my Christmas cards done.  They are mostly addressed except a couple.  I will finish them this weekend and mail them out early next week!  I am so proud that they are almost done.  I haven't done cards in several years so this year is cool!

I hope this finds you doing well.  Mom and I are fine, almost healthy (well, healthy for me anyway, just still have a bit of a cough).  We are thankful for our friends and our families!  I hope this season brings you much joy and happiness!

I found the shampoo!  It was in the freezer.  I don't know why I didn't look there in the first place.  I took them out of the bag so Mom would know what they are.  She said she doesn't know why she put them in there but said she believed she did it.  I know she did, but to hear her say it was interesting.  The freezer is her favorite place to put things (like milk and apparently bananas), so I should have known to look there.  I will from now on when I am missing things.  I am not sure if the shampoo is harmed in any way, but I am using it anyways!

I have two students today, so I am happy about that.  I got up really early for me for Mom doctor's appointment.  I am trying to make sure I cover all my angles with her now so I know what is happening.  She answered a few of the questions, so that was good.  I answered the rest.

I hope you are having a great day, and for Agatha - get well soon!  She has the swine flu!  Poor girl!

The shampoo disappeared in our house somewhere, magically, somehow between Friday and today.  I know Mom moved it, but I don't know where.  She has been randomly taking things out of the back room and putting them in my room.  I just empty my room afterward.  I had to use some other shampoo that doesn't work as well on my hair.  Oh well, I hope to find it by tomorrow or so.  It was very expensive so I won't be buying it again any time soon.  Sometimes the little things she does can be frustrating, but I can't really complain to her because she doesn't know she does this stuff at times.  She forgets after she does it.  Considering what could be happening, I will take this, but I will try have more patience with all of this.

Thursday is Thanksgiving, Tillie is coming over.  I am actually going to cook the turkey breast!  Shocking, I know.  I was going to order our dinner and then just finish heating it, but when I added up how much it would cost to have what we would like, it was a lot of money.  I mean a lot of money, so I went to Walmart and bought our dinner.  I bought pre-made mashed potatoes because while I can cook the potatoes, mashing them would be too difficult.  The rest of the stuff will be a piece of cake (or pie! Tis the season!)  The hardest thing will be cleaning out the microwave, I don't want Tillie to see how bad it really is.  So Mom and I are going to clean it on Wednesday afternoon.  

I have managed to keep the dining room pretty clean and emptied of newspapers and magazines and junk mail since Tillie and I cleaned it last Sunday.  I will do a sweep of it on Wednesday afternoon to make sure the dining room is just so for Tillie on Thursday.  I want everything to look nice for our holiday.  I know Tillie wouldn't care what it looks like, but I do.

Speaking of holidays, we may see my brother on the Christmas holidays, if I get my back disability by then.  I have been waiting for months.  I am hoping we will be going to my older brother's for New Year's because we are going to Tillie's on Christmas Day.  It should be a fun holiday.  I haven't seen my older brother in over a year, and my younger brother in about 3 years.  We shall see who we see at Christmas.  It would be a good time for them to spend time with Mom as she is doing mostly well right now.

I am almost done with Lily's costume.  I have to do a few adjustments, and the hems then I am done.  I am glad.  She will have her whole costume then.

I hope this finds you doing well!

Went to the arthritis doctor for a follow up this afternoon.  After waiting for an hour, I saw the doctor.  I really like her, but the waiting is so frustrating.  Just drives me nuts waiting all the time for the doctors when we go.  I feel like I need to schedule a whole day just for a doctor appointment.  Anyways, I can get the cortisone shot after my next blood test in December.  It should help my shoulder move better.  It is somewhat better so I am happy about that.  I can at least move it higher than I could last month.  Mom sees her on Monday.  I have to finish some paperwork for her, then she is ready to go.  I feel like this month has been more doctor visits than anything else.  I can't wait until December when I don't have any appointments.  Mom has her last test Saturday and then we will get the results when we go see the doctor next week.

I bought our dinner for Thanksgiving last night.  I decided that I will cook it myself after all instead of ordering from Boston Market.  I compared the cost, and cooking it won.  It is about $50 cheaper and with Mom's help, I can do it.  The hardest thing will be cleaning the microwave.  It soooooo needs to be cleaned.  I am planning to do that this weekend.  I bought a nice turkey breast, mashed potatoes (Bob Evans pre-made) corn, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, and cornbread stuffing.  The day before thanksgiving I will go to Boston Market and order the cornbread loaf that I love, that will be the only item I will order.  I have to find the thanksgiving table cloth, I may just buy a paper one with matching napkins.

Tonight we have a subdivision meeting at one of our neighbors house.  I am on the board and have enjoyed the meetings so far.  We missed last months because I forgot to write it in the planner.  Silly me.  Mom goes with me.  Then again, Mom goes everywhere with me.  She gets too frightened to stay by herself at all.  In the morning it is sometimes hard for her when she is down stairs and I am in bed.  So far, she doesn't get to upset, usually she finds me upstairs to ask if I am ready to get up.  This morning I got up a little later than usual so when she came in to ask I was like, "what?"  Then I looked at the clocked and was like, oops, guess I am getting up.  She is used to me getting up around 11ish.  She knows I am not a morning person, although some days she is in my room asking me if I am getting up every 10 to 20 minutes and that does get annoying, but I can't do anything about it because she doesn't remember that she already asked.  I am working on patience with that.

Pain isn't too bad considering I was at the arthritis doctor and she had to test my tender points.  Yup, they were sore when she touched them.  The arthritis hasn't gone away either, darn.  I keep hoping they will go away and never come back.  I know, wishful thinking.  I think all of us would like fibro to go away along with all the other problems we have with it.  That would be a dream.

Anyways, I hope this finds you doing well and having a decent day.

It has been a few days since I wrote.  I didn't mean to neglect the blog but it was slightly crazy in the house.  Sunday was a nice day with my cousin Tillie coming over.  We cleaned out the dining room and that took all day.  Hard to believe, but we have some space now.  Thank God for that.  We had a nice visit as she helped me.  She came over in the early part of the day and stayed until about 8ish, then went home.  She will be back next week for Thanksgiving dinner.  I am excited about that.  We are ordering from Boston Market so all I will need to do is heat up the dinner.  Much easier for me than cooking as standing is an issue and it tastes good too.

Yesterday, Mom had her colonoscopy, and she did well.  She came through with flying colors.  Her colon is in good shape which is good news.  She has her scope on Saturday, then another visit with the doctor to see what the results are.  Her swallowing acted up again yesterday, but is okay today.  The nurse told me to expect her to be dehydrated because of the procedure so I was expecting swallowing to be an issue.  She is fine right now and as usual, dozing in the chair as I watch Murder She Wrote.  I love that show, even though I have seen almost every episode at least 2 times each and we have 10 of the 11 seasons on DVD.  Season 11 should be coming out before Christmas.  I am planning for Mom to get me that for Christmas.  

Speaking of Christmas, I have almost finished all my presents.  I am just working on the ornaments I need for my students and I need to get 3 gift certificates for the girls, then I am done.  I will be mailing Abby and William their gifts the day after Thanksgiving.  I also will be mailing my Christmas Cards the day after Thanksgiving too.  I am buying the stamps this week though because I expect the post office will be busy.

I am working on Lily's costume this afternoon.  I love sewing and am glad I have had the opportunity to rediscover the love of it.  Lily will be an adorable fairy in her school play.  Mom and I are planning to go and see it.  Mom loves going to see kids in things like that.  I hope to see my student Grace in her musical that she will be in soon.  Rachel and Rebecca are also in plays right now too.  So we have a busy social life coming up.  I am glad about that.

Pain isn't so bad right now.  My shoulder is getting more mobility in it again.  I am soooooo grateful for that.  I have an appointment with my rheumatoligist tomorrow.  I will get the results for all the x-rays I have had taken.  

I hope this finds you having a great day and enjoying the week before Thanksgiving!

It looked like today was going to be a boring day, but we ended up being rather busy.  A nice surprise.  I found some elastic I need for Lily's skirt so I just have to put the casing on and the elastic in the casing.  So that is almost done.  Monday, Julie and I will work on the top and the vest.  She will be one adorable fairy for her play.

After we stopped at the JoAnn's ETC store, we went to walmart to pick up mom's prescriptions.  She has the stuff she has to take before her colonoscopy and then her new medicine.  The new meds are cheap though, so that is good, as long as they work.  She has two tests this week, a colonoscopy and a scope.  I have a doctor's appointment somewhere in there too.  Busy week for us.  In between, I will be working on Lily's costume, so I am happy about the coming week.

We didn't get tickets for Jessie's play after all.  I am a bit disappointed with that.  Well, better luck next time for that.  I have seen her perform before and she is awesome.  She has grown into such a beautiful young woman.

After walmarts I took Mom to Olive Garden for dinner.  She has been getting very tired lately, so I have tried to do things to keep her awake during the day, because she sure wakes up early in the morning!  I wish she would sleep in more, but she has been a morning person her whole life and that doesn't really change when you get older!

Tillie is coming tomorrow, I think.  I will find out before I go to bed.  That was the tentative plan as of Friday, so unless anything changed, she will be here all day.  I am looking forward to that, I enjoy her visits.

Head is slightly bad tonight, not like the other night, but bad enough.  Arm and shoulder are a little better.  I could even reach with the arm higher than I have been able to!  I was happy on that!!!  Knee is alright today too.  Let's keep it up!

I hope your having a good day too.

Part two of today's post:

I have decided against having weight loss surgery, too many possible problems, with blood clots at the top.  I have a blood disorder that causes blood clots, so that would not be good.  Also, there is a long list of possible problems and none of them sound good.  So, we are back to the basics, trying to exercise more, and watch what I eat, by eating more healthy.  I have a lot of weight to lose so I am starting now.

As usual, it was sewing day.  At first, I thought I would have to cancel because Tillie was going to come over, but she can't until the weekend so it worked out well.  The two girls are almost done, Hannah helped me with Lily's costume.  I am almost done with Lily's costume, I have the petals gathered and ready to be attached to the waistband.  I should be finishing it tomorrow afternoon and the final touches by Sunday afternoon at the latest.  I love sewing these projects.  I don't particularly like sewing clothes for me right now, but I like making things for others.  My clothes are just too big to enjoy sewing.  If Mom helps me, she makes the clothes even bigger so that they fall off, I know I am big, but not as much as she seems to think.  

No teaching music today, just sewing.  Not much going on now that sewing is over.  We just finished dinner too.  I hope this finds you doing well and in less pain if you have any!!!!!

Can't believe it is Thursday already!  I meant to post last night, but I got a really really bad headache.  I am sure some of you know what that is like.  Head still hurts, but not quite like yesterday.

Yesterday started off as a good day.  Julie was here to work on her daughter's costume.  I am helping her re-size the costume and make it.  She sews, but mainly quilts.  Her quilts are beautiful.  Then my cousin, Hayley came by to pick up the stuff she ordered.  It was wonderful to see her.  She was on her way to go visiting friends for a few days.  I hope she has a great time and really enjoys herself.  

I worked on Lily's costume this afternoon.  She will be here for a fitting after she gets out of school.  I am looking forward to that.

Mom went to the tummy doctor early this afternoon.  She has to have a scope and a colonoscopy done next week to find out what is wrong.  She has hardly been eating and drinking and I am not sure why.  She also has trouble swallowing, although that isn't as bad as it was.  She has lost a lot of weight again too, even with the ensure I give her everyday.  I am upping that to two a day.  She isn't in the stage of dementia/Alzheimer's where she forgets how to swallow, so I don't think it is her memory issue, it has to be something else.  I really like my tummy doctor so that is who she saw.  I know she will get to the bottom of the issue.  

Mom has been falling asleep all day again, she has no energy, or very little of it.  The tummy doctor told me to have the family doctor look at her for the dizziness issue.  When she lays on her back or her right side, she gets dizzy.  Has been for about 2 years now.  We have some medicine for when she has a dizzy spell, but not to fix the issue in the first place, so I will make an appointment for her.  Other than these small things, she is pretty much fine.

Pain is medium today, except for the head.  That definitely rates as high.  It is beautiful looking out right now with the sun shining in the dining room, where I am at.  I love the sun!!!!!!!  Well, so far it has been a good day, and I hope this finds you having a good day too.

Bon Jovi released their new CD today!!!!  So far, I have heard the first 3 songs and they are awesome.  I just love bon jovi.  I have seen them about 7 times in concert.  I hope to see them again someday.  I was hoping this coming march when they will be in town, but with it being March, I don't know what the weather will be like and if it is snowy, then I can't use my scooter and I can't use it in the snow.  There is no way I can walk from the parking lot to the inside of the Palace.  it is just too far.  Kathy is keeping track of their tour to see if they will be coming back again soon.

I have decided to look into the weight loss surgery.  I know I always thought I wouldn't do it, but I can't seem to find another way to lose the weight.  I am so tired and sore that I can exercise anymore without not being able breathe.  I am not sure what will happen, but I am looking into.  I have to lose some weight or soon I will be unable to do much at all, and I can't do a whole lot right now.

Pain is medium today.  My arm is a bit sorer than normal, but the shoulder is okay, just the now normal pain with it.  My knee comes and goes.  I see the rheumatologist next week so I will get the results of the x-rays that were taken of both the knee and the shoulder.  I know what the knee results are but I don't know what the shoulder results are.  I am not expecting much.

I hope this finds you having a good day.  I have one student tonight and then no one until later this week.  I definitely need more students.  6 is not enough.

It's Monday again.  I had my two students as usual, so it was a good day that way.  Mom kept waking me up from about 4 am on.  She kept opening up the front door too.  I don't like that at all and I can't seem to get her to stop.  She remembers to open the door but not to close the door.  She is sleeping in her chair at the dining room table right now.  She does that more and more now.  It is getting closer to her moving to a home.  I figure between 6 months and 1 year and she will need 24 hour care that I won't be able to provide.  Of course, I am praying that it is longer than I think.  That would be great, but I can see her failing and so can everyone else.  I hope that in the next 6 months my cousins will be able to see her while she somewhat knows who they are.  She knows their names, but may not recognize their faces because it has been 5 years since she has seen anyone except Tillie and Hayley in the family.  I hope to see my older brother for New Year's this year.  We are going to Tillie's for Christmas and she is planning to ask my younger brother Andrew to come too.  That would be nice, we haven't seen him in a few years since he moved to Canada.

It has been okay so far this day, my right back hip is a bit sorer than usual, but other than that, nothing out of the ordinary.  I hope this finds you doing well, and if you have pain, less that usual!!  happy Fall!!!