Friday 10-7

I only had 1 lesson today.  Acer is ill so he and his sister, Calli didn't have lessons so I only had Emily.  She is 8 now and in 3rd grade.  She is such a cutie.  I think she is finally getting her notes down pat.  She has had a bit of trouble with them.  Emily is in book 1B now and we are in the part of reviewing C Position.  We will be starting Christmas Songs soon.  I meant to pull them out this past weekend, but since I wasn't feeling so hot, I didn't.  I will do that this weekend.  Some of the music is out all ready and some of it just needs to have the CDs and the music copied.  Now that I have a lot more students, it will be necessary to copy the music needed.

The next few weeks are going to hard to get through.  I will need help.  The one year anniversary of Momma going to Heaven.  October 18th is the day she passed away but she started dying on October 9, when she aspirated on her ensure drink.  Those 10 days were some of the worst of my life and to live through the anniversary will be hard too.  I miss her as much as I did then.  I know some relatives have said it is time to get over it, but I listen to my friends who are or were in the position I am in, and they say, it takes a long time.  I believe it.  this past year has been filled with so much emotion that I can't even imagine.  Last year at this time, I believed Momma would last to at least Christmas, or at least I hoped she would.  I wanted to give her a great Christmas, not so much with presents, but with the decorations and doing what she did when we were young.  She made Christmas so magical when I was a small child.  I remember coming home from school and Momma saying that the Christmas Elves came to decorate the house, inside and out.  My brothers and I thought that was just amazing.  The Christmas Elves even had placed all the ornaments that we were able to put on the inside patio room tree.  That was the tree we were allowed to decorate.  Momma, well, we thought the Elves, decorated the living room tree and we three did the big tree.  Momma would have Christmas Records playing and since we had an intercom, it would go through the entire house.  It was just magical and so exciting.  These are the things I remember most about her.  How, even after my dad left us with almost, and I mean almost nothing, she would still make things fun and magical.  She didn't want us to feel sorry for ourselves or be too upset so she kept us busy.  When we got older Christmas got harder because of family strife.  Everyone goes through family strife sometimes in their lives.  Mine was when we were teenagers.  My brothers were making some really bad decisions and going down the wrong road, while Mom was so worried that I would follow in their footsteps and was very hard on me.  I began to hate the holidays, not the time to get ready for them, only the actually holiday itself.  Once I was in my 20s, I began to love the holidays again.  Mom and I moved past our disagreements, we apologized for some of our behaviors.  She apologized for me and I apologized to her.  We became friends, not just Mother and Daughter.  Momma didn't even get to have one more Halloween.  I don't particularly like Halloween, but she loved it.  She loved the costumes the smaller children wore and was so excited to pass out candy for trick or treating.  I hid in the dining room last Halloween.  I shall do that again too.  Memories of Momma dying in the hospice unit are in my head tonight.  I hope the next 12 days won't be so hard for me and I hope I will be able to remember the good times and not the end.  Although, I will say, I was very lucky on the way she died in the way her last words to me were "I love you" and I was able to tell her how much I loved her and goodbye.  So many people don't get that chance and I did.  I am so grateful for that.  I really am.  That was a gift from God Himself.



Monday is the Canadian Thanksgiving.  I have been invited to Tillie's.  I guess much of the family will be going to her house for dinner.  I am not able to attend as next week is a busy week for my Monday students.  I also really don't have the gas and tunnel fare to go so I won't be going.  I am not sure what is going on for Thanksgiving here because I have invited my cousin, Cathy to come like she did last year.  She isn't sure if she can come or not.  As it gets closer we will both know what is going on.  If she doesn't come then I most likely will be going to Kathy's parents with her family.  It is a very fun time when I am there.  I love spending the time with her family.  Since Kathy and I have been friends for 40 years now, I know her parents well too as well as her brother.  I met Dan's, Kathy's younger brother, wife, Tracy last Christmas.  She is a lovely woman and I really liked her a lot.

I am rather tired tonight so I am hoping to get a good night's sleep.  We shall see!  I do hope you are having a good day too!

Thursday 10-6

I had a blood test again today.  It is my monthly protime test to check the thickness or thinness of my blood.  I have to keep it in what is called Therapeutic range.  This is because of my lovely blood disorder can cause blood clots and I don't really one again.  I nearly died the first time.  I truly think it was because my mom went to the nursing station complaining I hadn't seen the doctor and I had been there for 4 hours.  The ER was really busy that night but I was in so much pain and they weren't thinking I would have a blood clot.  When the doctor finally came in about 20 minutes after Mom complained, he thought it was just a pleurisy thing.  I have had pleurisy type things before and this felt different.  I had the X-ray and then about 5 am I had the CT-Scan.  When the nurse came back in she said it would take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours before I get the results.  I sent Mom home because she needed to drive my brother to an appointment that morning.  Well, 15 minutes after she left the doctor and a few nurses came in and all of a sudden my room was super busy with people hanging things and talking amongst themselves.  The doctor was floored and looked it.  He said I had a blood clot and he had no idea why I should have one.  It was in my lung.  Because Mom complained, I was able to get some pain medication when the nurse had come in around 3 ish.  I vaguely remember asking if they were going to give me medicine and send me home.  The doctor looked at my and was like, you don't get to go home with this.  You get admitted into the hospital.  I don't remember too much at that point because I was so tired.  When I woke up again, I was in a hospital room and Momma and Andrew were sitting in the room.  Mom had driven right to the hospital after Andrew's appointment.  I didn't have a key to the house because Mom had driven me so she had been waiting to hear that either I am ready to come home or I am at home.  She didn't hear from me so she thought maybe I was still at the hospital.  Momma sent Andrew in to the info desk and he was surprised that I was admitted.  He told Mom and she parked the car.  He thought Mom would take him home and then go to the hospital to see me.  He was wrong.  It was a good thing too because Mom said shortly after they arrived in my room, the doctor came in.  He asked what happened in the ER last night and Mom told him.  The doctor said that had the ER people waited a couple more hours, I would have died.  Mom was floored.  He also said it was very serious and life threatening.  Andrew had to sit down after that one.  I remember the doctor asking me all these questions that my brain wouldn't let me think.  I remember saying ask my mother.  He did.  She filled him in on as much of my medical history as she could.  I just remember being in so much pain and not being able to walk with it very well.  I never want one of these again so I am very diligent with my blood medicine.  Anyways, that is a short version of discovering the lovely genetic blood disorder.  This is why I cannot have children.  Because of the blood problem, I was told I would never be able to carry a baby to full term.  Now this upset me and blew me away.  However, I never wanted to have my own children.  I always planned on adopting children.  It was kind of weird to be upset by this, but I got over it.  The one benefit of not having children is that I was able to devote my time to Mom and her care.  I was very lucky to have a sweet, good natured, nonviolent Alzheimer's patient.  Many Alzheimer's patients can become very angry, violent, and/or belligerent.  Thankfully, Mom was rarely any of these things!  boy was I blessed in that way because I could keep her here at home and I didn't have to place her somewhere!  Talk about awesomeness!  I will forever be grateful to God for allowing me to be able to take care of my mother.  I just wish he allowed me to have her for a much longer time before he called her home.  I just miss her a lot as I say frequently.

I am watching Project Runway right now.  It is an interesting show.  I learned how to sew at 8 years old.  I was very ill for about 3 to 4 weeks in 3rd grade so I missed school.  Personally, I remember not feeling that bad but of course, when you have several naps a day, a child would feel better.  My younger brother was very ill at that time too so I had my playmate.  At the time, my mother made all my school and church clothes.  I was very happy about that and even felt bad for girls whose Moms didn't make their clothes.  Anyways, Mom was working on an outfit for one of us, I don't remember who, and I kept asking her what was she doing, why was she doing that.  I asked question after question.  She patiently answered each question and had me do some of the work (like pinning) with her.  For my birthday that year, I got my first sewing box with sewing tools in it.  Momma also took me to the store to pick out some fabric and she picked the pattern.  I remember having a choice of a couple, but she picked the style that would be easy for me to do.  Every time I sew, I think of her.  I make my students a Christmas Tree Ornament most years.  I can't say every year because last year and a couple of years ago, I didn't make the presents but I am planning to make them this year.  I have the material already.  I found it a few years ago in the fabric store and I simply love it.  It has a score of a Christmas song with other Christmas elements like the holly and the berries all over it.  It sparkles too!  Anyways, I will post a picture when I get them finished.  I plan to start them at the end of the month.

I had my Breanna this afternoon for her lessons.  Bree takes both piano and voice lessons.  She is going to play her guitar and sing her Christmas songs.  She has picked "Silent Night" and "Jingle Bell Rock".  I can't wait for her to start working on it.  She said she should know the guitar part in a week or two so she can start bringing her guitar to her lesson.  Breanna is a fun student to work with.  Then again, I enjoy working with all my students.

I have to make a CD of the Christmas Songs Calli has chosen.  We both think that this will help her learn her pieces since she will have what they should sound like with both hands.  Calli is a very serious young lady who loves the piano.  She is doing so well, truly, she is such an amazing musician.  She works hard at everything she needs to do.  I give her the tools and she takes off with them.  Acer has chosen his songs too.  We will be starting his Christmas Vocal piece tomorrow.  He is a very neat young man to work with.  You can tell when he likes a piece and when he doesn't.  When he doesn't he likes to pretend he can't remember it.  I know better.  He does know it, he just doesn't want to play it.  He will be 7 in December.  I will also put Acer's piano Christmas pieces on the same CD as his sister, Calli.  Calli was happy with what she needed to learn for this week.  We only got to the right hand of the first page.  She was like, woohoo!  However, tomorrow we will add the left hand.

I have to make the information newsletter about competition that is coming up in February.  At this point, I am not sure outside of Katie who is going to competition.  I will be figuring that out soon before the end of the month.

I am not feeling so good today, I was a bit lightheaded again this afternoon.  I am hoping for a better day tomorrow.  I do hope your day will be good tomorrow too.

Wednesday 10-5

It was another good day.  I got up a bit early because my uncle's girlfriend, Michelle, was coming over.  She had ordered some stuff and it came in.  She took me out to lunch.  It was so much fun.  We went to Olive Garden.  I love that restaurant.  We had a good time chatting.  After she left I had 4 students today.  I had Allison, Benjy, Joiene, and Beth.  They all did very well.

I am rather tired tonight.  I don't have to be up early tomorrow so that is good.  My first lesson is at 2:15 with the lovely Breanna.  She is actually the only lesson I have tomorrow.  I do have a blood test but I need to reschedule because when I made the appointment, I didn't have Breanna at that time, she was earlier in the day.  Laith is absent this week.  His Mom is out of town for work, so no Laith this week.  He is such a cutie and is playing very well.  I really don't want the blood test but I do have to get it.  It has been a month since I last went.

On Extreme Couponing tonight, this woman has 21, yes I said 21 transactions!  That would so piss me off if I was behind them.  I am rather glad I haven't ever gotten behind someone with lots of transactions.  It is an insane show.  Every so often i do think about getting a newspaper to get the coupons inserts.  I don't need a stockpile, that is for sure.  I don't understand the need for 200 bottles of laundry detergent or 89 bottles of BBQ sauce.  I don't need any laundry detergent right now but it would be nice to get it for less than regular price.  I generally forget on Sunday to get newspapers.  Maybe someday I will remember.  So far, I have been getting all the cereal on sale, so that is good.

Dance Moms tonight is about an audition for a music video.  I remember auditions and these judges are much nicer than anyone I ever audition for.  They actually clapped for the dancers at the end.  Yeah, like that ever happened at any audition I ever went on.  I remember sometimes I wouldn't even get to sing or dance and I was done.  I didn't have the look they wanted.  It can be such a nerve wracking thing because you never know what they are truly looking for.  I don't miss auditioning at all.  Not one bit.

I have had a fun filled day.  I hope your day was good too.

Tuesday 10-4

It was a good day today.  I had 3 lessons, Aaiyanna, Charlie, and Natalie.  Natalie normally has lessons tomorrow but this week her mother needed a make up.  I love that I am able to have time available for make ups.  It is such a nice thing to have students think about instead of just missing lessons.  I really like that a lot.  This way both the student and I don't miss out.  My 2 new girls will start not next week but the week after.  The oldest, Brooke, is very involved getting things ready for Homecoming and Spirit Week which is next week.  My class reunion is also next weekend to be inline with Homecoming.  I do remember the Homecoming parade my Senior year.  It downpoured all day including the parade and the game.  We band members were absolutely drenched at some points of the uniform.  We did have ponchos on but your arms and legs were wet as well as your face.  The dance was fun too.  It was different in those days because you couldn't just go as a group.  You had to have a date.  I asked a friend of mine to take me and we had a really good time.

I also had a homeowner association meeting tonight too.  It was very nice to see the neighbors.  I will be writing the monthly newsletter.  I am aiming for November 1 but if I can get one out earlier, I shall.

I met with Katie today for lunch.  She turns 24 tomorrow.  I just love that young woman (I almost said child!)  We visited for 4 hours.  It was spectacular!  i really had a good time catching up on her.  I even got a picture of her blowing out her candle on her ice cream.  She has a very cute look on her face.  I love that picture.  I have known Katie for most of her life now.  I met her when she was 8.  She was in my homeschool choir.  I am so proud of her.  She is now a paramedic!  She is also working on her bachelor's degree in something to do with health management.  Katie is just a very lovely girl.  She also has a new boyfriend from this summer.  He seems like a very nice young man.  I hope he realizes what a treasure he has and cherishes her!  Precious cargo!  That is my Katie!

I am tired now.  I got up a bit early so I could have the extra time with Katie.  I so enjoyed visiting with her.  It was a really a lovely day.  I have 4 wonderful lessons tomorrow, so I expect another good day.  The weather is even a bit warmer so I love that!  I do hope you had a good day too!

a better day, Monday 10-3

I am feeling better today than I was yesterday and the day before.  Looking back, I am wondering if missing my Meloxicam for 2 days may have had a hand in the lightheadedness.  It is possible, I suppose.  My blood pressure didn't change too much from lying down to standing but my heart rate did so I don't know if that is an issue or not.  I am just thankful I am home and better today.  Thank God for that!!!!!

I haven't done tons today as I figured it was best to rest.  I did have 2 lessons.  My Mondays have gone from super busy to just 2 lessons that day.  No, the students did NOT quit (thank goodness for that!) but have moved to other days of the week due to scheduling changes.  I am so thankful that I am able to make these changes.  My schedule is almost filled up now, I just have a few spaces more and then, that is it!  no more students.  However, we are not at that point right now, so that is okay.  I have to copy some pieces for Aaiyanna tomorrow.  She is getting some new pieces and I am copying some others so she will have a binder instead of the books to carry.  I feel this would be better for her as I sometimes need the books she is using for another student.  This way, everything is at both our fingertips should we need them.  Aaiyanna is a lovely student who is working rather hard.  She is an unusual student as in the strength of her voice and her ability to remember melodies.  She really is very good for 7 years old.  Actually, she is singing above her age at this point.  I try to challenge her vocally  but since she is 7, there is a limit of what I will give her.  Fortunately, I have plenty of music for a young lady such as she is.

I will see my Katie tomorrow at 11 am!  I am so very excited about that.  I haven't seen her to hang out with her for so long that I can't remember the last time.  I did see her at the beginning of this month at her sister's wedding, but it was a busy day for her so it isn't like we got to sit and chat for a while so tomorrow it is!  I am getting up early to be with her.  I am meeting her at 11 am at a new restaurant for me, Cheeseburger in Paradise.  I have passed it many a time, but I have never been inside so this will be new for me.  I just miss hanging out and speaking with my Katie.  She is such a busy woman now with school and work and a new boyfriend, that our schedules don't often have time to connect.  I am thankful for tomorrow.

On Wednesday, I will have a new student, Breanna, Brooke's younger sister.  I am thankful to have both of them this week, as I have only met the older one, Brooke.  Brooke is a very good pianist.  I have much plans for this young lady.  I am anxious to meet Breanne to see where she is in the piano world.  now have a Breanna and a Breanne.  Talk about confusing!  However, I think both girls will do just fine and i will not make too many mistakes calling them by the wrong name.  I will also have 4 more students that afternoon and evening.  It will be a great week in teaching.

I am off to copy some music now.  (I just use the scanner in the dining room!)  I need to put together Aaiyanna's binder.  I do hope you are doing well and having a good day.  I am doing much better today than I was this weekend.  Oh, I almost forgot.  If you could please pray from my friends, Bob and Maggie.  Maggie just lost her mother this morning.  She was 92 and yes, while it was expected, it is still very sad and upsetting time for her and her family.  I know many of you know how this time is for a person.  Bob is my student and friend and I simply adore his wife, Maggie.  She is a wonderful person.  thank you!

Sunday 10-2

I don't know what is exactly going on with me, but this is the 2nd day of being dizzy on and off.  It is really getting annoying!  It started yesterday during my lesson with Camille.  It did improve by the nighttime so I thought it was gone.  I got up at 6:50 am this morning and was perfectly fine.  I got dressed in my "good" clothes for church and went.  I got there a few minutes early so that was good.  I found the rest of the choir and we waited until it was time to go for the sound and tech check.  I had a stool to sit on so that was good.  We went through the song once and I was fine.  We went through the song again and 1/2 way through I started getting awfully dizzy.  I thought I was going to pass out.  I move to sit in a different chair in case I was going to pass out.  After a few minutes is was a bit better but I don't know why it hit me like that.  The lights weren't that bright on us.  I didn't think I was over heated at all.  (I had a long sleeve light sweater on)  I will wear short sleeves next week.  After we went through the hymns we were going to sing during the service, we went to the choir room to relax before the service.  I was okay during the service, I was still a bit dizzy, but not to where i thought I was going to pass out.  I ended up leaving right after we finished singing and moved off the stage to the back room.  I was dizzy so I didn't want to stay any longer in case it got worse.  What a morning!  My first singing in the choir during the service and look what happens!

I am still a bit dizzy but not as much as I was this morning at church.  I am heading up for a nap.

I just woke up a bit ago from my little (3 hour) nap.  Before I started doing much after Rick's lesson I popped in the corned beef brisket that I have been meaning to cook this week in the crock pot.  thank goodness they don't go bad quickly like other meat does!  Anyways, I have enough for 2 more meals this week or to put in the freezer.  I love corned beef.

My dizziness right now seems to be gone for the moment.  Of course, I am sitting done though and I did just get up from lying down.  I do hope that this means it is gone and is not coming back.  If it continues, I will have to go to the doctor and I don't want to go.  Don't I see them enough?  So I am hopeful that it isn't going to continue.

Okay, I am feeling a bit lightheaded again.  This has got to stop!  I have a busy week ahead of me and I cannot afford to take time off!  There, end of my rant about myself!

I do have a busy week that I am sooooo looking forward to.  Monday - 2 lessons, Tuesday - 3 lessons and lunch with Katie!, Wednesday - 5 lessons, Thursday - 1 lesson (1 Absent) and Choir practice, Friday - 3 lessons, and Saturday - 3 lessons!  Next Sunday, Rick is absent and again the following Sunday.  He will also be absent almost all of November and December.  Yeah, it is kind of a bummer, but he will start up again in January so that is good.

My lightheadedness came back along with a bad headache so I went to the ER.  6 hours later, they have no answers.  All my tests are fine.  The doctor seems to think that maybe it was from dehydration.  They had such a hard time getting a vein for the IV and blood tests that they used my wrists.  Oh my, let me tell, before you go to the ER make sure you drink a huge thing of water as that is the most painful thing ever.  It burns as it is going in.  Yeah, not interested in that ever happening again.  It is the 2nd time I have had blood taken from there.  I did remember that it hurt really, really, really bad.  So basically, no one knows why I have been lightheaded on and off all day and yesterday.  What can I say?  I hope tomorrow is better.

I hope your evening was a good one!

Saturday 10-1

Yes, it is now October.  Hm.  Today, I only had 1 lesson.  I was very lightheaded today.  At one point, when I was at Walmart, I thought I was about to pass out.  thankfully, I didn't.  I came home and put away the groceries that needed to be put in the fridge and then went to lie down.  I think I slept for a few hours but I wasn't as lightheaded when I was lying down.  (Not that this was a surprise)  I am heading for bed earlier than usual because tomorrow I have to get up at 6:50 am.  Yes, that will be rather early.  The choir has to be at church by 7:30 am.  I am sure most people won't have a problem with that like I will but hey, I can do this once a week.  i will have Rick's lesson at 11 am tomorrow which is earlier than usual but that will leave the afternoon for napping! (If I need it!)

Anyways, not much going on today.  I will be working on the Pottermore website again tomorrow.  I am trying to get into the bank so I can buy my supplies and get my wand!

Have a good night.

the Last Day of September

I can't believe that tomorrow starts the lovely month of October.  Yeah, you know, the month I absolutely hate, especially the week of October 10 through 18.  I dread this month.  Maybe I can sleep through a lot of it.  One can only hope.

Anyways, today was okay.  i have a bit of a sore throat, which is kind of annoying since I just got rid of a cold.  I don't want another one.  I will take some cold medicine tonight before bed to see if I can rid of it by tomorrow.

I had 4 lessons today.  Aaiyanna was here for a make up and she did very well.  I am thinking of pairing her up with Calli for the Spring concert.  yes, I am thinking way ahead.  I would do it for the Christmas Concert except I already have Calli singing with Katie.  I have to pull the music out that I want them to sing.  The are going to sing Candle in the Window.  It is so beautiful.  I think they will really blend beautifully and both girls work so hard that this will be a good experience with both of them.  Calli and Acer both had their lessons after Aaiyanna.  Acer is learning "When the Saints Go Marching In".  He can play the melody in another key but this jazzy arrangement will be really cool for him.  He did pretty well with the fingering too.  He is really coming along with that.  Calli did very well, as usual, in her lessons.  We chose her Christmas Songs for piano today.  We picked her vocal songs a few weeks ago.  So we worked on her first Christmas Song this afternoon.  After their lessons, Emily had her lesson.  She is still having a bit of trouble with her notes, but she is trying really hard.  She is getting better but I don't think she has the confidence with them.  Emily earned her first gift certificate today.  She picked Toys R Us.

I only have 2 lessons tomorrow.  I can sleep in a bit because my first lesson is absent tomorrow.  I have Camille and Katie.  It will be a good day.  Next Saturday I will go grocery shopping with Calli.  She isn't available tomorrow as she is heading for Goalball practice in Kalamazoo so she will be gone all day.  It ends up being a good thing because I don't have the money this weekend to go grocery shopping so that means we will go next week.  Sunday I have to be at church at 7:30 am.  Yes, me then non-morning person has to be at church 7:30 in the morning.  I can do this.  I also have a lesson at 11 am and then I will probably sleep the rest of the afternoon away.  I did enjoy singing in the choir last night.  It was really nice to sing with a group again.  I am just dreading the time of being at church but I will be fine.  The first time will be the hardest.  It is just kind of funny to think that I will be up so early.  I am sure some of my friends and family will chuckle with this one.

It has been a good day so far.  I do need to go and take some cold medicine in a minute.  I do hope you had a good day too.

a very busy Thursday

I had 2 doctor appointments with a lesson thrown in between then I took a small nap before I went to choir practice.  I have joined a church choir.  Today was the first rehearsal that I have attended.  I couldn't before because I had a lesson at that time.  The student quit just this week.  I was disappointed because he was really good.  He hasn't been practicing so his mom made him quit.  I hope that maybe soon he will come back to lessons.  Also, my Benjy and Joiene haven't paid for their next set of lessons from takelesson so I am not sure if they are going to continue.  I am very disappointed.  I do hope that before their next lesson it is taken care of and they will continue.  They are so cute and Benjy is really picking it up despite the lack of practicing.  I can only hope.

The doctor appointments were really just check ups.  The Arthritis Doctor wanted to go over medicine and see how they are working.  She is still not happy about the Meloxicam but without it I can't walk by nighttime.  The tummy doctor wanted to make sure I haven't had any side effects from the Reglan.  I haven't.  I don't have to go back for 6 months.  It is kind of funny but the appointments are a day apart from each other.  At least they are NOT on the same day this time.  One is on Mom's birthday.  We shall see if I will be okay to have the appointment on that day.  It is 6 months away so I won't worry about it right now.

I am pretty tired right now.  It was a nice full day.  I had to get up early because the first doctor appointment was at 11:30 am so I got up at 11 after not sleeping most of the night.  I have to go to the bank tomorrow.  I have my regular 3 students tomorrow plus a make up for Aaiyanna.  I am happy about that.

I just added together how much I spent on fast food this month.  Yeah, it isn't pretty.  There are several bills I could have paid with that money.  I needed this wake up call.  I will do better this next month.  I am glad that I don't have any money I can spend in my bank account right now for fast food.  That is actually a good thing because it will force me to cook the food I have at home.  I, naturally, need milk and bread again.  Those things I tend to go through.  Oh, I also need cereal.  I have been eating cereal for dinner this past week.  I eat a bigger meal earlier in the day so that at night all I need is just cereal.  I am really going to work on this unlike before where I thought I could and well, didn't.

I have a little bit more of a headache than usual tonight.  I am not sure why except maybe the stress of doctor appointments.  I am always stressed about them.  I don't really know why but they stress me out.  I think I am just tired of going to the doctors.  I feel like I spend so much time at the doctors' office.  I know I go for blood tests monthly and sometimes twice a month because of my blood disorder.  I only go for the test, I don't usually see the doctor, thank goodness!  It just sometimes feels like all I do is go there though even if it is just for a blood test.  Thankfully, I am now up to 6 month check ups for both the tummy doctor and the arthritis doctor.  Until recently, it was every 3 months for both.  I am glad I moved up in the world with 6 months in between appointments.  Well, it is time to take my nighttime and get ready for bed shortly.  I will take my medicine now and read for a bit.  I am getting rather tired.

I do hope you had a good day too.  I am nervous about singing at 7:30 am on Sunday.  I won't be the only one who can't stand to sing.  There will be a stool for me to sit on.  I am so thankful for that.  I just can't stand well.

Wednesday - Back to normal, I think

I had two lessons scheduled and they actually happened so I think we are back on track.  Aaiyanna will be having her lesson on Friday so that is good.  It will be a make up from her not being here yesterday so I am glad about that.  I emailed Janice asking if she was still out of town because Aaiyanna didn't come to her lesson.  She called me this morning.  Boy was she so upset when she found out that Aaiyanna didn't come to her lesson.  I asked if she wanted to have a make up this week and she said yes.  So we agreed on Friday.  I am really happy about this.  I will have Aaiyanna, Acer, Calli, and Emily on Friday.  I have to get Emily her gift certificate too on Friday.  She earned her $10 gift certificate from Toys R Us from practicing.  On Saturday, I will have Sandra, Camille, and Katie.  I will only have Breanna tomorrow because of 2 doctor appointments.  I have an appointment with the arthritis doctor and the tummy doctor.  They are really both just check up type appointments.  I go every 3 or 6 months to each of the doctors.  I am hoping for the 6 month next appointment for both.  Now that I have Medicare, doctor appointments don't cost as much as they used to but I still owe all my doctors for previous services.  My regular primary care doctor, I owe about $1200 or so.  Yeah, I will be paying that off for the rest of my life or so it would seem to me.  I am close to paying off the tummy doctor, thank goodness for that.  I owe about $220 for the arthritis doctor so that will be paid off by the end of the year.

I was doing the made another payment on property taxes dance this week.  Last week I sent in another payment and this week I sent in another payment.  I got the receipt from the Country Treasurer and boy is it nice to see the total I owe going down.  It makes me feel good to be able to stay up to date with bills and catching up on others.

I am watching Extreme Couponing on TLC.  Every time I watch this, I think, could I use coupons too.  I DON'T want a stockpile.  That is just unnecessary for me, but would I will be able to save some money. I always forget to get a newspaper on Sundays that have the inserts.  Maybe this week I will go and get one to see what coupons I can get.  I know that they usually have soup coupons and I do need some soup.  I used all my chicken noodle soup this past week when I had a cold so it is time to get more because I have soup a lot.  What I really need to do is start looking at quick and healthy recipes and start cooking more.  I need to stop going out to eat like I do.  I really do for several reasons.  Not only for better food, but for saving money.  I can use the money I save to pay bills and the property taxes.

I am excited for November 11, 2011.  Yes, on 11-11-11, the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 will be available on DVD.  Yes, I plan to purchase it right away.  It will be the only DVD that I will buy right now until those taxes are paid and all bills are up to date.  I will not wait for any reason to purchase.  I will then have the entire set of Harry Potter movies.  That will be so awesome.  I love the last movie best I think.  I am not sure if it is because the last one or what, either way, it doesn't matter why, I love this movie!  I also want to see it in the cheap theatre too.  That way I see it on the big screen for a couple of dollars.  I also get to bring Sarah with me, the 4th Muglia girl.  The older three will go too, but Sarah will get to see it with us.  Sarah was really happy when her Mom told her that.  What changed her mind was when their mom realized that Sarah will watch it at home on the DVD player once the girls own the movie.  If she is going to watch it then, why can't she see it at the theatre?  I am excited that all of us will see it again together.  Of course, this does mean that I will have seen the movie 5 times in the movie theatre.  However, the next time I see it the movie will cost me only about $2 to see it.  The girls are checking the cheap theatre for the movie a lot so we know when we can see it together.

Kelly Lynn was here today.  I printed a whole bunch of information for her about competition.  We also talked about concerts and what to do with them.  I told her how I choose the order of my songs, but she will find her own way with time.  I remember being a new teacher.  I was lucky though because I assisted in the yearly recital at the dance studio so I had some experience helping to run a recital and how to choose who goes where and when.  I learned a lot from Karen and I am very thankful for what I was able to learn by watching and working with her.  Dance studios may do a lot a crazy things, but I did learn a lot from my dance teacher, both what to do and what not to do.  I also learned how to work with parents, another thing Kelly Lynn will learn with time.

My overall pain seems to be a bit higher than normal today.  I am not sure why.  I do hope I sleep well tonight.  I had to move Breanna's lesson from 2 to 2:15 because I have an appointment at 3:15.  This way, Breanna will finish at 3 pm so I have 15 minutes to get to the doctor's.  It should work out well.  I also have my first choir practice tomorrow night.  I am not sure if I will be able to be at church this week because I did tell Rick he could have a lesson at 11 am.  I don't know what services we sing for.  I will find out tomorrow night!

Have a great night.

is it a full moon or what?

What a day for lessons, or no lessons I should say.  My 3:30 and my 6:30 were not here.  They were no shows.  I have no idea why, but they were.  Apparently, the 6:30 did email the company to let them know they wouldn't be here, too bad no one told me.  I have called 2 times before I talked to takelessons and found out.  Then I talked to Brenda, my handsome Benjy and lovely Joiene's mom and made a mistake about what time they could switch too.  It has now been fixed so that is good.  Oh, and my Thursday, 7 pm guy, Logan, has quit.  I did talk to his Mom and she will be dropping off the books that I need back.  I am really bummed that he quit because he was really good.  Well, perhaps later this school year he will start up again.  It is hard to say.  So it has been one of those days.  Can I go back to bed and restart my day?

Tomorrow, Kelly Lynn is coming by at 3 to go over some competition stuff and concert stuff.  I need one of the books she had borrowed for Rebecca.  It is a book for Rebecca's classical category.  This is the first time she is doing the classical category.  We had a chat on Saturday about how she is going to be 11 so this is expected of her.  She will still be in the 10 year old category because she doesn't turn 11 until March, after competition but it is a big deal for the young lady.  This year she will be singing in 3 categories: Classical, Broadway, and Inspirational.  She has picked the Inspirational song already.  We are looking at different Broadway Songs and I will be looking this week for a classical song for her.  I am not sure who all is going to competition this year.  It is almost time to find out.

I was hoping to see Katie tomorrow but I haven't heard from her yet.  She is working on Thursday and out of town this weekend.  I just spoke to the lovely girl.  I will see her on Tuesday next week for lunch. We are meeting at 11 am.  I am very excited about that.  I haven't been able to spend a lot of time with her since she is so busy now.  Katie is an EMT who is about to take her Paramedic Exam.  She will be taking her Practical Exam this weekend.  I am so proud of her.  I really am.  I first met Katie when she was about 8 years old and she was in my homeschool choir.  She has a very nice voice and plays piano beautifully.  She also plays the clarinet too.  I don't know if Katie still teaches piano or not with her very busy schedule.  Katie is a wonderful teacher.  She is very kind and gentle with such an amazing spirit that totally helps her being a good teacher.  I DID get to see my lovely girl at her sister's, Jessie's wedding.  Katie looked beautiful just like her sister did.

Tonight is NCIS night.  It is a very strange case.  This girl pretends to be a high school.  She has been through high school about 4 times now.  Her most recent foster parents are planning to help her through this.  It is an interesting story, strange, but interesting.  All I know, is that I would NOT want to repeat high school for ANY reason.  I didn't like it at all and I don't think repeating it would make me like it even better the second time or a third time.  Now on to NCIS Los Angeles.  I do love these shows.  After  this one, I will go to bed or read for a while.

I am reading an interesting book by Lynn Austin.  She is a historical fiction writer.  So far the book is pretty good.  I have only just started it.  It is called Fire by Night.  It takes place at the beginning of the civil war at the first battle of bull run when the people of Washington were picnicking during the beginning of the battle and when the Union Army started to retreat, well, you can imagine what happened to all the spectators.  Quite frankly, a battle doesn't seem like a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.  The story has two main characters, Phoebe, a woman dressed as a man and joins the Union Army, and Julia who is a society lady who overhears the man she has set her sights on discuss how shallow, and selfish she and her friends are.  He also mentions that they can't seem to do anything by themselves or even for themselves.  This has caused Julia to do some major thinking about her life and her friends lives.  Thus the beginnings of two journeys in which sometime during the book, they must collide.  I know I have read this before about 6 to 7 years ago but I can't remember it at all.  I do remember that I really liked the other books by this author that I have read.  Emptying the drawer that was full of books sure was a good idea because I have found treasures that I haven't read in years.  I think because of the Fibro Fog that I get, I can't remember most of these books so it is like reading brand new books.  What a beautiful treat for me!

It seems to be a missing Mom a lot night for me.  I miss her all the time, but sometimes it is more intense than usual.  Tonight seems to be an intense night.  I would say it is because I had such a rough day with my students not showing up.  I do hope tomorrow is a better day for me.