Saturday 3-10

Next week will be Calli's 12th birthday.  It is hard to believe the young lady will be 12.  Lily just turned 14, another surprise.  I wonder when I will be able to take the young lady out for her birthday.  I hope in the next week or so.

I checked on prices for Guinea Pigs but I can't afford the stuff the little animals need so no Guinea Pigs at this point.  I am glad I checked into it because I was so unsure about whether or not I wanted one.  Apparently, they smell so I don't think I will get one at all.  I don't want my house to smell at all.  It would not be fun.  I guess my beanie babies will be my pets then.  I like beanie babies and Winnie the Pooh animals too.  Right now, all the stuffed animals, beanie babies, and Winnie and friends are all on the piano I don't use right now.  That piano has something wrong with its middle C or D, one of the two, I can't remember which one.  As soon as I have the pianos tuned, it will be fixed.  Sometimes on the piano I am usually using, one of the keys echoes but not very often.  I plan to have the pianos tuned in the spring after winter.  They haven't been tuned in a couple of years.  For not being tuned, they are not badly out of tune, thank goodness!  They are only slightly out of tuned so they are still useable, thankfully.  So far, I think I am the only one who really notices except perhaps Acer, who has perfect pitch.  Speaking of Acer, he is doing a good job at his piano and voice lessons.  He learned the first line of "Windmill" and started the group song for the concert.  I think the group song will be pretty awesome.  We have never done a group song that has harmony before.  Usually, I pick a song and then everyone pretty much already knows it.  I pass out the words and then they sing.  This is something totally different.  We will have rehearsals and everything so it will be ready for the concert.

We lose an hour of sleep tonight.  Yuck.  I hate losing an hour of sleep.  It takes so long to actually get used to it although I am confident this year it will be better or so I am hoping!  I am not as tired as I thought I would since I as up super early yesterday and went to bed at regular time.  I did sleep a bit better than usual for a few hours, which was so awesome.  I was very tired when i woke up for my lovely Camille's piano lesson.  I had originally thought I would take a little nap after Camille's lesson but I had lunch and then Aaiyana was here for her lesson so no time for a nap.  That is alright though, I would rather have the lesson than a nap today.  Aaiyana is a sweet girl most of the time.  Camille is simply a wonderful girl, just simply wonderful.  I have a lot of wonderful girls and boys as well as adults.  Tomorrow is a meeting for the Michigan Music Association.  It is the wrap up meeting from the competition.  If my Aunt and Uncle come to see me tomorrow, I won't go to the meeting.  I would rather visit them instead.  I don't get to see them very often since they live an hour and a half away.  I do go and visit.  I plan to see them a lot during the spring and summer.  That is when they have a lot of family visiting.   They have a pool but I am not interested in swimming.  When I as younger, then I was interested but not now.  The last time I swam in Uncle John's pool I got a bad sunburn on my back.  It was horrible and Mom was on vacation.  I had to have Andrew get me some sunburn stuff and put it on my back.  He couldn't believe how bad it really was.  I didn't realize I was burning or I would have covered up.  My cousin, Cathy and her children were there that day too.  I hope to see her soon too.  Maybe this summer.  I don't have anywhere I plan to go this summer except for a few days at Kathy's.  I always stay at a hotel right near their house.  I usually pick one that has a indoor pool so the kids and Tony can swim while Kathy and I chat.  I enjoyed visiting her last year although I didn't get a chance to go and see her in the summer.  I had gone in the fall of 2010.  I really enjoyed going to see her when I was at competition.  I was able to spend the Friday afternoon and the Saturday evening with her.  I was so exhausted by Sunday afternoon.

II's Diamond Jubilee.  It is pretty cool that she will be there for that.  I will watch a lot of it on TV.  I am sure they will televise it.  Amazon carries the coffee mug of the wedding of William and Catherine.  I believe we have a tea cup of Charles and Diana.  Mom and I were royal family fans.  I think it is the Brit and Canadian in me.  For mom, she was in the Canadian Military so it isn't surprising.  I have been lucky enough to have seen Queen Elizabeth as a teenager and the Queen Mother twice as a child and teen.  All three trips were extremely exciting to me.

I think tomorrow I will also start putting the china cabinet stuff back in it.  Some of the stuff was packed because my cousins were certain I was moving to Canada.  I am not moving anywhere so I need to put the stuff back in the cabinet where it belongs.  I have to go through the collectible thimbles though because I know there are some duplicates.  I don't know what to do with the duplicates.  I had asked Lily if she wanted the duplicates but she didn't seem to interested.  I have asked on face book if anyone wants them.  I am hoping that someone will want them.  Most of them are very pretty.  I also have to put the plates back up at the back of the china cabinet so they will be displayed.  I have one of the queen Mother and one of the Queen too.

I caught my hair on the garage door opener in the car this afternoon.  It hurt so much and pulled some of my hair out.  The clip is what caught my hair in the ponytail.  Fortunately, I was able to get my hair out it pretty fast.  I hope I don't do it again.

I have a semi bad headache tonight.  I think in part because of the hair getting caught in the clip of the garage door opener.  My back isn't as sore as it was last night.  Brain fog is not as bad as the other day, but it is a problem a lot of time.

I think I am going to go to sleep now.  I am super exhausted now.  I have some laundry to do tomorrow as well as a meeting (unless my uncle and aunt come to town).  I hope your day is good too.

Is it really morning? 3-9

It is very strange to be up and wide awake at this hour.  I woke up at 6:30 am and I was very thirsty.  I came down had a drink and went back upstairs.  By the time I got up the stairs, I was wide awake so I went back down the stairs.  I am usually only awake at this hour on Sunday since I have to be at church by 7:30 am and I HATE being late, however, today is Friday and not Sunday.  I have no idea why I am awake.  i didn't sleep too great since I had nightmares of someone breaking in my house and hurting my mother.  It is strange when I have these nightmares because when I dream them I am in my old room and not my new room.  I don't know why but that is what happens.  I haven't had these nightmares in a while.  I had them almost every night right after mom passed away for about the first 6 to 7 months but I haven't had them in a while.  In my nightmares I can't call 911 because my phone is too complicated and I can't get it to dial, which is probably why I won't get one of those new smart phones.  I am afraid that in an emergency, I won't be able to dial 911.  I know this is not a rational fear, but it is a fear nonetheless.  I don't have as many fears as I had right after mom passed away, but I still have some fears left over.  Slowly, they are going away too.  God has taken good care of me so far, I can't imagine that he will stop.  He just isn't that type of a God.  I think some of the old fears have come back because of the new car.  My trade in paid for the entire 2 years of my lease and now I am scared I won't be able to afford a car at the end of the lease.  Another irrational fear, I think.  I am doing much better with my money than I ever have, and yet, I still have much more thriftiness to learn but I am learning.  God has been so faithful as He always has been so I have been learning to lean on Him much more than myself.  That was something Mom always tried to teach me.  Mom was a strong woman because she was so strong in her faith.  She knew that God would help her with everything and she lived that way.  Even in the midst of the horrible divorce, she was sure God would be there and He was.  My mom did not falter when it came to keeping us kids, a roof over our heads, and a way for her to make a living.  My father tried to drive her crazy and put her in a mental institution.  He did NOT win on that one.  Now that I am an adult and can look back at what happened, I just don't understand how a man can one day love his family and the next hate them.  I will never understand how he just decided one day he didn't want to be a husband and a father anymore.  Never.  I did learn a really important lesson back then though.  Be a Mommy's girl, not a Daddy's girl because Daddy left and Mommy never did.  I remember being very upset and devastated because I was a daddy's girl.  I was all about my dad unless I was sick, then I wanted Mommy and only Mommy.  After he started moving in and out, I became my mom's girl and there I stayed.  She used to call me her "gal".  I can still hear her asking where her gal is in my mind.  I haven't heard her voice in 16 or so months but in my memory, I can hear her perfectly.  I have several pictures that will be going up of us from the last few years.  I can't find the picture of Mom and I at Kathy's wedding though. Come to think of it, I can't find ANY of the pictures that were professionally taken at Kathy's wedding.  I know that they are in a box in the guest room and that is it.  I want to put up the one with Mom and I, and the one of Kathy and I.  I remember how excited Mom and I were on Kathy's wedding day.  I think my mother was as excited as I was and I was super super excited!  I loved every moment of her wedding.  It was beautiful and she looked so beautiful and happy that day.  I loved her wedding dress too.  It was a rose print white satin dress with long sleeves (she did get married in November).  I remember at her parents' house the photographer fluffing her dress and me giggling.  I had bought Kathy a bride's survival kit that contained a pair of Snoopy and Woodstock undies.  She wore them on her wedding day.  It did have some practical stuff in it too, but I loved that I bought almost ALL of the stuff right in front of her and she had NO clue!  I loved doing that to Kathy.  I could buy her Christmas present or her birthday present right in front of her, she could even pick it out, and she never realized it was for her.  This has been a major fun thing for me over the years.  I used to do that to Mom too.  One year, she tried on 2 pairs of pants at the store and I bought them for her for Christmas.  She couldn't understand how they both fit perfectly on her when she tried them on at Christmas.  Mom had totally forgotten she tried them on in the store!  It was awesome.  The other day was a totally missing mom horribly day when my friend, Vickie, sent me a message over Face book saying she felt that my mom was sending me hugs that day.  It was on her heart to tell me this.  This was on the horrible missing mom day!  How cool was that?  I thought it was really awesome.

Well, I am actually getting a bit hungry so I need to check the milk date to see if it is still good.  Something tells me it isn't though and I will need to run to Walmart to get some for breakfast.  Since I am rarely up this early, I am not sure what time the stores open but I think Walmart is a 24 hour store.  I will check online.  I hope your day is amazing and wonderful!!!

Choir night!

We are not singing during the first service Sunday.  The children's choir will be singing instead of us.  I don't mind, believe me.  I love listening to the children's choir.  They are so cute and they sing very nicely. We also lose an hour sleep Saturday night.  I am so not looking forward to that.  I hate when we "spring ahead".  Fall's gaining an hour isn't so bad, but the spring one is very hard on my body.  It will take about 3 or so weeks to get used to it.

Choir went well this evening.  We worked on next week's music and the Easter music.  I am not sure if I will be there Easter Sunday.  It all depends on when I need to be at Kathy's parents house.  It is now an hour away so I have to factor in driving time.  I like spending the holidays with Kathy and her family including her parents.  Since I can't spend them with Momma, this is definitely the way to go.  Kathy and family may need to stay at my house when they come in town sometimes if her brother and his family is coming too.  Like I would even mind!  It would be a good time for all of us.  I have the room for them.  The boys would probably have to use an air mattress and sleeping bags, but somehow, I don't think they would mind at all.  Kathy and Tony would take mom's room and the girls would have the other guest room.  We would be nice and cosy.

I feel like I have a lot of brain fog this evening.  My head feels like it is swimming.  I don't like that feeling.  It happens a lot though.  It is something I haven't really gotten used to it like I have with some (not all) of the pain and the exhaustion.  I don't think I will ever get used to the brain fog.

I think my laundry is done drying now.  I can't hear it running.  I think the bell that tells me it is finished is not working anymore.  I am hoping to get another year or so out of the dryer before I need a new one. So far, it is holding up.  I am not sure how old it is.

We are expecting weather in the 60s next week.  Wow, it is March.  We have had so much warm weather this winter.  It has been a totally unexpected winter.  I am glad about that.  I have ached less than last winter and I like it.  I just hope summer isn't too hot.

I am very tired now.  I am heading for bed in a few minutes.  I have to check on my laundry to see if it is ready to go upstairs.  I have another load to do tomorrow, my dark clothes and another load of whites.  I hope you are having a good night.

Wednesday! 3-7

Tomorrow is Lily's birthday.  She will be 14 years old!  I haven't seen her in a couple of months since Christmas, but I plan to take her out to eat for her birthday as soon as she is available.  With her busy schedule, it could be a while.

It has been a strange type week for me so far.  A very strange week indeed.  I am so tired last night.  I did wake up a few times as usual but I couldn't get up until after 12.  I was just that tired.  I am still exhausted.  I will be heading to bed soon.

Benjy should be a happy camper tomorrow evening.  The new lego people came in today.  There are many  lego people in the kit.  That should make him extremely happy as he loves playing with legos while his sister is having lessons.  Joiene likes to play with legos too and the cars.  I have to move some of the music books downstairs tomorrow.  I haven't done it yet.  The stuffed animals are on the other piano now and the ones that belong on the couches are now there.  Over all, the living room is looking really good.  My office is taking shape too so I am happy with that.

Tomorrow, Breanna will not be having her lesson.  She is catching up on her homework from her vacation.  She says she will be here next week.  I will have Benjy, Joiene, Wama, and Deema for their lessons.  Thursday is my busiest day.  I don't mind.  I have choir practice tomorrow night too.  It is always a good time.  I really enjoy being in the choir.  I plan to be at church bright and early on Sunday. I can't believe that we have to change our clocks again.  It is too soon.  I don't like this time change stuff. It takes weeks to get used to the new schedule for me and losing an hour of sleep is a bad thing for me.  I am still recovering from getting up early two days in a row.  That was why I slept in today, trying to catch up on the sleep.  I should be up by regular time tomorrow.  I also have to do laundry tomorrow.  I have a couple of loads to do.  Yuck!  I wish laundry would wash itself.  Wouldn't it be awesome?  Wash itself, dry itself, fold itself, and then put itself away.  That would be so great.  It really would!  However, since laundry doesn't wash itself, I will have to do it myself.  Laundry is one job I hate a lot.  I always wait until the last minute to do it.

Jillian and Brooke are almost finished with level A in piano.  They started piano in December 28, 2011 so this is totally awesome for them.  Their sister, Aubrey is almost done with her first book too.  It is so amazing how well the three of them are doing.  They are also at the point now that they don't need their parents help with practicing anymore.  Mom may have to remind them and they go and play their assignment.  I am so proud and pleased with their progress and I told them so too.  Allison is also doing very well.  She is singing very well and her sight reading is coming along very nicely.

Ooh, I just remembered I need to mark my lessons today.  I better do that now.

Tuesday 3-6

It has been a good day.  I had a few lessons that went well.  Ria has picked her Spring Concert song.  She is also going to sing a duet with Allison.  They will be singing "My Favorite Things".  It should be nice with the two of them.  Charlie was absent again this week.  He is going to do an hour next week and the following week to make up for the weeks he missed.

After lessons I went to the Homeowner association's meeting.  I am on the Board of Directors.  It is a nice evening to meet up with neighbors.  We were planning the block party and the Easter Egg Hunt.  I am the editor of the subdivision's newsletter so I will be passing one out by the end of the week.  We have a few events coming up so I want to make sure everyone knows.

I woke up super early this morning.  I am not as tired as I thought I would be at this time.  I am hoping that I sleep better tonight.  I will be heading to bed shortly.  I have a few lessons tomorrow and some more music to get ready for the students.  I have to get the music for the duet ready and for the group song.  That is the plan for tomorrow.  I also do expect that I will sleep in a bit compared to today or at least I hope to sleep in a bit compared to today.

I think I will read a bit now before heading up the stairs to bed.  I am reading a pretty good book right now and I am about 1/2 way done with it.  I have 2 new books waiting for me to read them.  I finished "Home Front" by Kristin Hannah on Monday.  It was very good as all her books are.  I loaned it to Maggie so she could read it for our little book club.  We are going to meet together once a month.  It is just the two of us because the others are in college now.  It will be fine.  I enjoy Maggie's company and we will have fun.

Monday 3-5

I got mad at my car yesterday because of the repairs that need to be done so I went online to see what kind of value the little red car had.  I received a call from a car salesman.  I went to see how much the car would cost and things like that.  Well, after careful consideration and calming down, I realized that fixing the alternator is much cheaper than a car payment.  As nice as the 2012 focus is, it really isn't practical or necessary to get a new car.  I mean, the car is 6 years old, in good condition, and only has 55,600 miles on it, which is why they are so anxious to have my car.  However, with a cool head, I have decided to just fix the little car and go from there.  I also talked it over with Bob before I made my final decision.  He also agreed that it was better to wait to get a car when I don't really need a new one right now.  So I will keep the little red car and drive her for a longer time.

I woke up again, with a bad headache.  It finally went down about 3:30 or so.  My tummy was so upset most of the day.  I actually thought I was going to be sick at the car dealers.  Fortunately, I didn't and the water helped calm down the tummy.  It is still a little off now.  I figure it will be better by bedtime or I am hoping it will be better.

Bob did very well with his lesson.  His spring concert song is really coming along nicely.  I am pleased with his progress.  Little Rachel is learning a new hand position.  She is working on G position and can read the new notes pretty well for just getting the hand position last week.  Isaac is learning to play 2 notes at one time.  Next week he will start with playing both hands at the same time.  He will need a new classical piece next week.  Overall, most of the students are doing really well and most practice.  I do have a few piano students who don't practice and that is frustrating to me.  I don't understand how the parents and students expect to learn and retain the info without practicing.  The kids are cute and all, and for not practicing they do advanced but it is very, very, very slow, especially for the youngest ones.  For the 4 1/2 year old that doesn't practice, we often do the same pages for a few weeks before adding a new page.  He can imitate anything I play for him, but he doesn't understand how the read the music on the page.  His brother is doing a bit better since he is older but not by much.  On the other hand, my other 2 young students are doing very well.  I think much of the difference is that my young man 4 year old cannot read yet but the other 2 4 year olds can read.  I believe that makes a big difference as well as the fact the the other 2 4 year olds practice almost every day.  Anyways, it was a nice Monday for lessons.

Tomorrow I will take my little car in to be fixed.  Poor little car.  She almost was traded in.  I like the car again.  I am not mad at it anymore.  Sometimes I need to calm down and think about things before reacting to them.  That is all the trip to the dealer was about, pure and simple.  It was about a reaction because I have to put more money in the car.  It has been a good little car and I am sure she will continue to be a good little car.

I hope your day has been a good one.

company day! 3-4

Today Wama, Deema, Lulu, and their mother came for dinner.  They also helped me put away some things in the office and the living room.  I just have the table left to do and that is it.  I am glad about that.  I have some things in the craft room that need to be taken care of soon.  I will look at it tomorrow.  I am very tired tonight now.  After we worked for about 1 1/2 hours, we sat down for dinner.  It was good.  She brought a tomato based sauce with noodles.  I made rice pilaf and corn.  I bought 2 salads from Panera Bread and the girls really liked the dressing.  I thought I had some Italian and Ranch, but I was wrong, I don't.  I also bought a berry coffee cake.  The girls were full and it was time for them to go home, so I had a piece after they left.  It wasn't bad, a bit dry, but it was okay.  Not quite as good as the cakes I make but passable.  We had a nice conversation at the table and I discovered that 5 people do fit quite nicely at the table.  It was a beautiful way to finish the afternoon and start the evening.  I hope that before they leave we will do this again.  It was a lot of fun and we got plenty done.  The girls and I were pleased with what we had finished.  The living room rocks! The office is starting to rock!  In the living room I have to go through the music that is on the table.  I do need some of it in the living room, but most of it can be put away.  The same with the CDs.  Some I need, some I do not.

Tonight is the season premiere of "Army Wives"!  I cannot wait!  Less than one hour and it will start!  I do, however, have a bad headache now.  I didn't earlier, but now I do.  Ugh, I did take my nighttime and my pain pills are a part of the nighttime meds so I should be okay.  If not, I will take some Advil to help it along.  I am not dizzy or lightheaded today so that is a step in the proper direction.  I did miss church again this week because of the car.  I am nervous driving at all with it needing an alternator in it.  I don't wish to buy another battery because I drove too much with the car.  I am taking it in tomorrow to get fixed.  I do hope it isn't too expensive since I don't have that much money right now.  Between the 3 emergency cards there is about $450 or so.  See what I mean about the irresponsibility factor???  Yeah, I am back on track now.

Last night I had a strange thing happen.  I was trimming the toes and when I bent over to do the right foot, I got a cramp in my chest.  I thought, wow, okay, maybe I was bending wrong so I tried a different way and it happened again.  I stopped what I was doing and went to bed.  I will try again tonight before bed and I hope it won't happen again.  It is hard to say.  I have never had pain like that on my right side, the left side when I had a blood clot, but never on the right.  I hope it doesn't mean anything.  One never knows with Fibro and Arthritis!  We live on a roller coaster at times, don't we?  Strange pains, extra exhaustion, dizziness, tummy issues, and a host of other things that plague us.  What can I say?  Life can be rather interesting.

I will be wrapping up the Christmas Ornaments this evening while I am watching "Army Wives".  It is a 2 hour episode so it will be good.  I am thankful that I have help with the house.  Julie has helped a lot too and Lily.  Speaking of Lily, she will be 14 this week!  I can't believe it because I so remember her as a little girl.  She is so grown up now.  Lily has lost that little girl look and looks like a little adult.  I am so proud of her.  She is doing awesome at school.  Her father is in the hospital right now with a post-op infection.  Her mother, Julie, needs a heart valve repair operation.  That will get done next month.  I do hope her dad recovers quickly and comes home safely.  The whole family is such a nice family.  Mom really liked them too.  Both Ross and Julie were so helpful when Mom needed something and when she was dying.  Julie came with me to the funeral home and Ross figured out a way to Skype the funeral service for my brother and uncle.  Now my uncle can cross the border so I have seen him a few times at my house since then.  I really like that he can come over now.  I plan to invite him, my aunt Michelle, and my cousin, Jayson for dinner some time this month.  I now have crock pot liners so when I make the roast, I will just have to toss the bag and wow, my crock pot is empty.  Talk about an easy way to cook!

Well, I think I am going to wrap my ornaments now.  I have to re-glue an arm on one of the Huey, Dewey, and Louie ornament.  I do hope your day was fun too!

more to fix on the little red car! ugh! 3-3

I had to get a new battery today, unfortunately, I also need a new alternator.  Ugh, I hope this is the end for a while as I will NOT have anymore room on the emergency credit cards.  Oh, my irresponsibility!  I could just scream at myself over this!  I have credit cards for emergency use only, yet, since I have gotten then (I think in the fall), I have used them for non emergency use.  Now some of it was for emergency use such as needing new batteries for the scooter and the toilet to be fixed but that is all!  I will spend the next year paying them off as soon as possible and then leaving them in the safe!  If I can't pay cash, I can't get it.  That has been my motto for several years and until I received the new cards, that was what I did.  Then the cards came my way.  Oh my, what can I say?  I have been reckless and irresponsible.  I will fix that and go back to my thrifty ways.  I liked that I paid cash with everything.  I really did.  It made me feel good about my finances, now I do not feel good again about them.  I will fix this.  Also, 2 of my non-online students quit today.  Their old piano teacher retired rather abruptly so then they came to me, well she is taking a few students back on so they are going back to her.  I totally understood, it is just a drag and I really like these girls a lot.  I have a feeling they will be back soon, I just don't know how long.  Their mom would like to continue with me when that happens.  I have no problem with that.  Until then, I will just miss my girls.

So far almost everyone has picked their Spring Concert song except for Calli, Aggie, Laith, Natalie, and Selma.  They are the only ones left who need to do this.  I have copied a few CD with the group song on it and will be making copies of the music for the students next week.  We will need to have a couple of rehearsals for this to work well.  I am confident that it will be awesome and the students will sing beautifully.  Oh, I just remembered, David needs to pick his out too.  Anyways, the spring concert is shaping up really well.  I can't wait to see how the students dress up for it.  I don't expect every student to dress up, just some but they all can if the wish.  I hope I don't forget my camera this time.

Camille is doing super for piano.  She is progressing so beautifully.  I am so pleased with her.  I really am.  She is just jamming away.  She picked her song this afternoon.  her little sisters have been invited to sing with the group at the concert.  One of them, Ella, loves to sing and she can start lessons this fall.  I just love my students!

Tomorrow, I have Deema, Wama, Lulu, and their mother coming for dinner.  I bought fresh broccoli and I have mashed potatoes ready to go.  I will also cook another vegetable for the dinner too.  I may make some pasta instead of mashed potatoes but I am not sure.  I have a nice coffee cake for dessert and rolls to complete the meal.  Overall, I am looking forward to it.  It should be a great afternoon, I think!  I think they are coming around 2 ish but I am not totally sure.  I am planning dinner to be ready for 4 pm so they may come around then since their mom is bringing the meat.  I hope they like what I am cooking.  I really do.  Two chances, I suppose, as my lovely, beautiful, wonderful momma used to say.  Two chances, either they will or they won't.  I am just looking forward to spending some time with them.  They will be moving back to Dubai at the end of the school year.  I will miss them so much!  They are great girls, all 3 of them.  Only 2 take piano.  Lulu (age 4), is still a bit too young.  She is a charmer though!  They all are.

It will be weird to go back to no lessons on Sunday for a while.  Rick is in Hawaii for the rest of the winter.  He will be back in the middle of May, just in time for the recital!  I don't mind having one or so lessons on Sunday, as long as it isn't too many because that would be too exhausting for me.  It is rather annoying that I must always consider the illnesses I have with whatever I do.  I try to be in charge of my life, not them, but I do have to be reasonable about it.  I have managed to stay out of the hospital since the last ER visit in October but if I am not careful, bam!  I will be back in for a few days.  It is truly annoying at times but since it could be so much worse than it is, I will just deal with what I have and be thankful it isn't any worse.  I could not be able to teach at all and that would break my heart completely as I love teaching so much.  I am thankful that my dance teacher, when I was 18, pushed me into teaching.  If it had been left up to me, I would probably never started teaching.  Mom helped a lot too because she taught me how to do a lesson plan whereas Karen, my dance teacher, just left me hanging.  The first few months were horrible because I didn't have much of an idea of what I was doing.  Now I can teach some of the songs, both piano and voice, in my sleep, that is how well I know a lot of this music.

I have to clear of my little round table now for tomorrow.  I have been busy burning CDs so I have CDs all over the table.  I am going to take them into the living room and them move the new books too so I will have an empty table tomorrow night for dinner!

I do hope that today was so much fun for you!!!

Friday 3-2

Mariela was here this afternoon.  She is doing a pretty good job.  I am pleased with it.  My floors get vacuumed and scrubbed along with the bathrooms.  All in all, I am really glad that I got her to help me.  It is well worth the money.  I also really like her.  She is very nice.

My car has the battery light coming on and off.  I sure hope it isn't too expensive because I can't afford to fix an expensive fix.  I don't think so though.  If it needs a new battery, they are not that expensive or at least I hope they aren't.  I think they are about $125, which is expensive, but not like brakes.  Ugh, more car repairs.  I am not ready to get a new car at this point so I will hopefully fix the light situation and then nothing else will go wrong.  Yuck, car repairs!  I am not ready for a car payment again at this point.  I am just not ready.  I am not in a financial position to get another car besides, I don't have a lot of mileage on the car at this point anyway so I don't see the point of getting a new car.  I am taking the car in after Camille's lesson tomorrow.  I already called the auto repair place so they know I am bringing it in.

Acer had his lesson today but Calli is ill so she didn't have her lesson.  Acer was kind of funny when he said he didn't want to sing the group song.  Bill laughed too and said he was singing it anyway.  Acer did.  He wants to sing the harmony parts too.  Emily picked her Spring Concert song tonight.  She is going to play The Bare Necessities from Jungle Book.  I like the song.  Camille is going to pick hers tomorrow during her lesson.  I don't have any lessons on Sunday for a while.  Rick is in Hawaii for a couple months so Sundays are free for a bit.  This Sunday, I have Deema, Wama, and family coming for dinner.  I am going to make a rice or potato dish and vegetables.  I just haven't decided what to make yet.  It is a rough decision of what to make for dinner.  I am also going to have some nice fresh bread.  I will go to the grocery store tomorrow after the car gets taken care of.

I catalogued some music today.  I also discovered that one of the ones I thought wasn't done, really was so I had to change the number on the music.  One book I can't find right now.  I know it isn't too far away, I know it isn't.  I just can't find it right this minute.  I am sure I will find it soon.  I have to copy the CDs too.  I did burn some CDs today while Mariela was here.  I actually got some work done.

I got a call from the doctor today about the tramadol medicine.  I finally have some!  Apparently, the pharmacy made a mistake and should have marked 2 refills not 1 so she did refill my medicine.  She was a little confused about this too but it got taken care of and that is the important thing.  I am not as dizzy or as lightheaded now that I have all my medicines.  It is awful when you are missing your medicines.  I do have a bad headache tonight but not as bad as they can get so I am glad about that.

I hope your day is going good.

Leap Day! 2-29 the beginning of March

Leap Day: Jennie came today and helped me with a few things.  She put up the other curtains in mom's room.  Then we went through the tools that were in mom's room.  The have either been put in one box or in my new tool box.  Then we went to lunch, Wendy's.  It was yummy.  After that I read a bit.  I am dizzy today on and off.  I think because I am totally out of my Tramadol.  I had enough for yesterdays morning dose but that was it.  I forgot to call the doctor to gently remind them that they need to send in a new prescription.

March 1: I was so tired last night that I went to bed early.  I was so dizzy and light headed that I just couldn't stay sitting up anymore.  I had to go lie down.  I feel asleep and woke up again about 2 am and then I went back to sleep shortly after that.  I ended up waking up for the day around 1:30 pm.  I was so exhausted but I think part of it is because of not having the tramadol medicine.  Because it has been 1 1/2 weeks since I haven't had it, I think my body is very unhappy about that.  It is used to getting it 2 times a day.  It does help with the pain, I have decided.  It also keeps my blood pressure from getting too low.  I think that is also part of the reason I am dizzy and light headed.  I remembered to call the doctor's office this afternoon.  I found out why she hasn't sent in the refill yet.  She doesn't accept email requests, only faxes.  I will keep this in mind for the next time I need a refill, which will be in about 2 months as she only gives the medicine 1 refill per prescription.  I don't know why but Doctor G did the same thing.  Maybe it is a law or something like that.  It doesn't really matter to me so it is just curiosity on my part.

I only had 4 lessons today.  Brianne and Brooke will have their lessons on Saturday.  The girls brothers are flying to Florida for Spring Break this coming week so they needed to reschedule.  I didn't mind.  They are still having their lessons only now it is on Saturday instead of today.  I did have Joiene and Benjy today.  They are such joys to have even if they are late most of the time.  I also love Deema and Wama when they have their lessons.  They are coming for dinner on Sunday at around 2 pm.  I am very excited about this.  I will come up with vegetarian rice and vegetable dishes and they are bringing the meat.  It should be a great time for us.  I will have to get one of the folding chairs, but that is okay.  I have 4 of them and only need 1.  Laith was absent and will be absent next week too.

I have a list started of who is playing or singing what for the spring concert.  Joiene, Benjy, Wama, and Deema all chose their songs tonight.  Emily and Calli will make some choices tomorrow.  I know what Acer is singing, but not what he is playing.  I have to pull one more piano book that I really hope is there for the students.

We will have possible storms tomorrow and close to the 50s for the temperature.  It is a strange, warm winter we are having.  So far, in our area, we have very little snow.  Last week, on Thursday, they were predicting a big blizzard north and west of Detroit.  We are north but not in a snow belt area.  However, schools were closing in anticipation.  Well, we got about 2 inches total and some areas, none.  Yup, big snow storm.  However, I will say that north and west (as predicted) got tons of snow.

Anyways, I have to email Rebecca her scores and comments from competition now.  I did call and say that I have the sheets, but her mother has not called me back yet so I am going to email them to her instead.

I hope you are having a good day.

Another Tuesday 2-28

Tomorrow is Leap Day!  It is also the birthday of a composer.  I just don't remember which one!  Some musician I am.  I really don't remember.  I wonder if I can look it up.  Be right back.  It was Rossino, the composer of the Barber of Seville.  I should have remembered that but I didn't.  Music History was 20 years ago and it wasn't exactly my best subject either.

It is NCIS and Dance Moms night.  I found out that several of my facebook friends like Dance Moms.  Yesterday, I had to hide one of my facebook friends posts.  I just couldn't take them anymore.  There are always negative and nothing, I mean nothing, is ever her fault, her kids fault, her sisters fault, or anyone she knows fault.  I know she is having some problems, but some of the things she posts are really inappropriate.  I just hid them all so I won't have to see any of the inappropriate things again.  I like the option of being able to hide some posts if you don't want to see them.  Over all, I like facebook a lot.  I check it once a day so I know what is going on.

I had a lot of absences today.  Just as I expected, Lindsey didn't show for her lesson.  I marked her as a missed lesson.  Today would have been her last lesson.  Sam was absent.  I don't think he is feeling very well today.  His brother won't have a lesson tomorrow because his mom doesn't have anyone to watch the other two boys.  Charlie was also absent.  For the first time, he actually forgot to call me and let me know.  I asked if he wanted to come Thursday or do an hour next week.  He will let me know.

My friend, Jennie is coming over tomorrow to help with a few things.  One, putting up the drapes and curtains in Mom's room and taking some boxes downstairs in the furnace room.  I am thankful for the help.  There are just a few small things that I can't do by myself to have Jennie come and help is great.  This spring, Tony and Kathy are coming to go through the attic and see what is up there.  I know there is some camping gear and some toys along with some Christmas decorations.  Some of the decorations I want, and some I don't.  There are some really cute decorations that Mom had that I want.  I don't want the trees that are up there because they are old and falling apart.  I am hoping to get a new tree for the living room next year.  I just want a slightly bigger one than the one I have.  After we do the drapes and boxes we will go to lunch.  It should be a fun time as well as getting some jobs done around the house that I need help with.

One of my friends has a 6 cm mass on her brain.  It is in the frontal lobe.  She is married to a classmate of mine.  She and I went to college together.  She was in the same music fraternity as I was in.  As a matter fact, she was my big sister when I was a pledge.  I met Kelly in my 2nd semester at Wayne State University.  We were in the same Music History class.  We sat near each other.  Kelly is one of the nicest people you could ever meet.  I hope that the mass is either able to be removed or shrunk into nothing.  She and Greg have 3 (I think) children and they are not adults yet.  They need their Mom and Greg needs his wife.  We are all praying for her and the rest of the family.

There is a wrap up meeting about competition in March.  These meetings are not always well attended by other teachers but the board of directors.  I am glad competition is over for the year.  We had some real problems this year with how some things were done.  I was actually at the point where I didn't really want to go.  I really didn't.  I didn't want to participate at all but I did and I am glad it is over.  I know that the problems we had won't happen again because next year I will be doing a different job.  That makes me rather happy.  I also decided I have no desire to ever be president.  I know some teachers do wish to be, I am just not one of them.  I like being the assistant secretary/treasurer.  That works for me.

We are supposed to be getting snow, freezing rain, and sleet sometime between tonight and tomorrow.  If Jennie's kids don't have school tomorrow, we will have to reschedule our visit.  She just messaged me.    If we have to reschedule, we will.  It isn't a problem.  The temperature is supposed to be about 50 degrees by the afternoon tomorrow.  This winter has been a really warm one.  I can't say that I am upset over it because I don't ache as much as I usually do in the winter.  Especially when I am out of pain pills.  I will be calling the doctor tomorrow to refill the medicine.

I missed my bi-weekly blood test this afternoon.  I thought I was resetting the alarm, but apparently, I didn't so I slept right through it.  I was just so exhausted.  It was more than usual.  I think I should be okay tonight though.  I am getting up a bit earlier than usual because Jennie is possibly coming over.  She will call around 10 to let me know if she is coming or not.  If she doesn't come, I will see if I can go and get the blood test then otherwise I will reschedule it for next week.

I paid a small payment on the 2011 property taxes this after noon.  Starting on March 1, the back taxes from 2011 will go to the county.  At this point, I am a month behind in my 2011 tax payment schedule that I set for myself.  I will be opening a savings account this month to save for property taxes.  I should be getting a letter from the county about the taxes in June with the totals of how much I owe.  Once I get the letter I plan to send in the money that I have saved and then begin sending in payments every month.  So far, I am learning how to stay on a budget and stick to it.  I doing okay.  I am also working on being thrifty and not use credit cards as a means of additional income.  I am not perfect on the credit cards and I must admit there are times I have used them when I shouldn't have.  They are meant for emergencies only and well, 2 of them have not been used for just emergencies.  I have bought teaching music with them as well as food, both at the grocery store and at restaurants.  Yes, I need to improve my credit score, but I have not been doing the "pay off the balance at the end of the month" plan like I wanted to do.  It is something that I am going to continue to work on this year.  This year, I chose to work on my money issues.  It is something I will work on everyday until I am at a point where I am as good as my mother was at this.  My mother had very little wants, material-wise.  She was more into relationships with people.  She did collect a few things, but over all she would rather save her money and see the world.  She was an adventurer and she took us on her adventures.  When we would go on vacation, we saw as much as we could in that area because you never know when you would be there again.  By the time we came home from a vacation, you needed a restful vacation to recover from it.  I have seen many places with her both as a child and as an adult.  Mom also loved to take us camping.  Believe or not, this girly girl who hates to get dirty, LOVES camping.  I just can't do tenting anymore.  I would have to stay at a cabin because I can't sleep on the ground anymore.  It just hurts too much now so my camping is often done in hotels these days.  I used to take my 2 cousins (when they were young) Celia and Samantha camping in the summer.  Then I got too sick to go and they moved to Niagara and we stopped going.  Perhaps one day I will be able to go again.  You never know.

I do hope you are having a good day.  I am looking forward to tomorrow with my friend, Jennie.