Saturday, September 14, 2013

Friday and Saturday 9-13 & 9-14

Friday:

Tonight is a game of thrones night.  We have a skunk somewhere nearby our house because we can smell it in the house.  I sure hope it is gone by morning since I really don't want Maisy or Q having fun with a skunk.  That would be just a mess to clean up.

Saturday:

There seems to be no sign or smell of the skunk from last night so that is awesome.  I am really glad about that.  Skunks may be cute but they sure do smell when they are frightened or in danger.  Yucko on that.  It has been a quiet day mostly as Heather and kids were gone to an activity and Bill at work.  Brandon was here but he is so quiet, you would almost think he is gone so Maisy and I hung out together.  First I had 2 lessons and she sat right near me during the lessons.  She seems to really like music and the lessons as she sits through quite a few when it is just her and I and rarely does she bark during a lesson.  Then Maisy and I took a nap.  I am still quite exhausted today.  I am not sure why, but I really am tired tonight.  We both napped for a while.  She woke up when Heather B-T and kids came home but I slumbered on.  I didn't even really feel her move off the bed.  She loves my fleece blankets on my bed.  She loves to rub her face into the blankets and boy is it cute to watch.  Maisy is a ninja dog too.  Apparently, she got up on the dining room table again today.  This is not being a good girl and the thing is, she KNOWS this!  This is not a secret but she does it anyway!  She knows she is not allowed up on the table but too bad, if no one is looking and a chair is out, up she goes!  Brandon caught her and then she went off the table with her head down.  Heather B-T has caught her too.  I have also but when she did it, I was right next to her.  So we have to all make sure that we push in the dining room chairs so our ninja dog has no way to ninja herself to the table.  Maisy was a good girl when we went to get something to drink.  Generally, in the car, she is a good girl.  She will stay on her side of the car and not come to my lap unless I am ordering something at a drive through.  Then she does until I get my order and then back to the other side she goes.  Overall, she can be a very good girl.  As far as snuggling goes, she is such a good snuggler.  We have a snuggle every night after dinner in the living room.  Right now she is lying down beside me in the dining room as I type.  I had to pause to pet her.  She is looking at the dining room chairs and wanting to get up on one to sit next to me.  I have had to pause a few times to pet her.  Such an easy thing to do.  She is very playful tonight.  I love when she gets so playful.  It is so fun.

There isn't really anything on TV tonight.  I didn't really think so but i checked just in case.  We did watch the last episode of disc 4 so we are on the hold list for disc 5.  I don't mind the wait because it makes the game of thrones stretch out and that is a good thing.  I haven't started the book yet.  I am still finishing a trilogy that I have read before but for some reason, this time it seems harder to stay involved like I was before.  it is really weird because before I liked the story and this time, I am more like ho hum with it.  Strange, I say.  I do have a few new ones in my library that I have gotten either free or really cheap that i am anticipating.  One is about Catherine the great.  I don't know much about her except she is a fascinating character in history.  I also have another book by the author I really like so that will be good too.  I love how I will not, anytime soon, run out of things to read on my nook.  I am a bit behind on my words with friends though.  whoops!  What can I say?  I don't play it at bedtime anymore because it isn't really relaxing.  I do enjoy the game, it is just at night, I wish to be reading as it is more relaxing than thinking words for words with friends.

I have had some pretty bad headaches this last week and I can really feel my hernia in my chest.  It is my stomach pushing through my diaphragm muscle where the esophagus and stomach connect and I really can say it has been rather painful these last few days.  Not painful enough to go to a hospital, just painful.  It is really annoying.  It makes breathing difficult when it is bad, now it is not bad on a continuous motion, just comes and goes when it pleases and that is when it hurts.  Right now it hurts a bit, not as much as earlier so I am hopeful that it is on the way out for hurting.  It would be nice NOT to wake up with it hurting tonight.  I wake up enough in the night, I don't need to wake up anymore.  I have changed when I take my tramadol at night.  I am now taking it at bedtime so that maybe my head won't be so bad when I go to bed.  It gets bad in the middle of the night and drives me crazy.  I want to just sleep without the bad headache!  I know, we all want no pain when we sleep.

I don't particularly have any plans tomorrow except for one lesson with Becca, whom I haven't seen since last year.  I have to look to see what songs I want her to do for competition this year.  I have some ideas for classical but other than that, I am not sure.  I think I may have an idea for inspiration but I don't know if she will like it.  We will try a bunch of things tomorrow to see what she wants.  I believe she is 12 now so no more little kid songs for her.  It is time for her to do a few more grownupish type songs, not completely grown up of course, just a bit more grown up.  I am thinking of a folk song or an English classical piece for classical, a nice hymn for inspirational, and I have no idea for Broadway or pop.  I know that Natalie would like to do a duet with Becca.  Both girls really hit it off last year when they met.  I will have to copy her music for her because my scanner is not working very well so I can't do it here.  Maybe after class we can go to Kinko's and get it done.  We also need to look at Christmas music.  It is the beginning of the busy time of year for me.  I don't mind at all.  I feel like I have been waiting for this all summer to start.  Now it is here.  I also need to type out the info and print it about competition tomorrow.  With everything due much earlier than usual, I need to let the parents know earlier.  I am not sure how turning everything in earlier will make a difference in who can go or not with the fees due the week before Christmas, but I hope it doesn't.  We shall find out, I guess.

I am hoping my Sarah will also be going to competition again this year.  She totally rocked last year and received a 2nd place.  I was thrilled.  Sarah said she wants to do even better this year.  She is such a good piano player.  So far I have Natalie, Becca, Aubrey, Brooke, Jillian, Brooke Ann, Nick, Isabella, and possibly Acer going to competition this year.  I am really happy about that.  We will be playing games in my room at the competition on Saturday night.  I have to pull more music for everyone this week.  Isabella is the first one I see on Monday who is going so I have some ideas for her.  She is interested in the pirates of the Caribbean or lord of the rings or Disney music to play.  We have to choose her classical piece too but that won't be too hard.  I have some ideas about that one too.  Aubrey has picked her classical piece.  Jillian has picked her classical piece and Brooke has picked her championship piece.  As Jillian and Brooke are twins, they are going to be in 2 different categories because I do not want them competition against each other at the age of 6 and it being their first competition ever.  That would just not be good for any of us.  Fortunately, their mom, Michelle, is so supportive of my decisions and totally agrees with me.  It is nice to have parents who support my decisions.  Nick is looking at some pop music.  He knows my guidelines and his mom is in total agreement with them so that is good also.

Well, time for more tea!

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Tuesday 9-10

My cousins, Tilley and Luana came over this afternoon and took me to lunch.  They picked up a lot of books that I am getting rid of so they have plenty to read for themselves now.  It was a nice lunch.  I miss having lunch with Maia though.  I even wrote Tilley and Maia at first and had to erase it.  I know it takes a long time to get used to this new life with Maia in Heaven with Momma.  Anyways, it was a nice lunch and we had a nice visit.  I probably won't see them in person until Canadian Thanksgiving, which is in October.  We are having it on the Sunday so that I can come and it leaves the actual holiday for them to be with the significant others family too.  This way they all can spend time with both sides of the family.  I like it when they do that.  It is at Luana's this year.  Last year it was at Danielle's.  I hope my brother, Andrew will be able to attend too.  I only really get to see him at family get togethers. Darrin was teasing us and asking us if we see each other any other time of the year and I had to say, no, because Andrew works a lot and doesn't have scheduled days off.  That is just the type of work he does.  I am not sure about Christmas because it depends on my aunt and my uncle and whether or not they are having Christmas or going to be going somewhere for Christmas.  Last year, I drove to London to see Andrew.  The last few years I have spent it with Kathy and her family at her parents house.  It is nice because other than that, I don't really get to see her since her schedule is so busy with her work plus the kids so I enjoy spending Christmas Eve with her and Christmas Day.  Last year was the first Christmas Day I had spent with Andrew in about 4 years and I did have a good time.  He wasn't feeling so well though, poor guy.  He made an amazing meal though.  Andrew is an awesome cook, and I mean awesome!!!  With everyone here, I am not sure what will happen with Christmas this year.  I will have gifts for the family so I don't know if we will open them Christmas Eve or Christmas Day or around that time.  It is hard to say and something I certainly don't need to worry about at this time, thankfully.

The Rizolli and Isles season finale is on right now.  I am not sure if I will stay awake for the whole thing, but that is okay.  Tomorrow is when Jen is coming over.  We are going to lunch.  I have decided that I want us to go to Chipotle for lunch.  I don't know if Jen has ever been there but I will find out.  I love that place.  We are going to sing a bit first and then to lunch.  Jen is singing at a music meeting on Friday so she wanted to make sure she knew what she was doing.  I have known Jen since the 7th grade.  She was one of the ones who was always nice to me.  I am glad that face book has brought a lot of my school friends and acquaintances back together again.  It is so nice to see them every few months. I think I have more free time during the day than many of them do.  I know my evenings and afternoons are as busy as theirs are.  I teach at 3 tomorrow since Bob needed to change days because he couldn't attend on Monday.  I don't mind.  It works out.  I do have my lovely 3 girls tomorrow night too as well as Elli and Allison.  I have the cutest piece in mind for Allison.  It is from the "I Love You You're Perfect, Now Change".  It is the Bridesmaid song.  It is also the one that Jen is going to sing.  I just think Allison will just love that piece a lot and since she is at that age where friends will start getting married!!!  Well, how could it go wrong?  I think she will have fun with it.

I am hoping tomorrow will be another Game of Thrones night.  I really wanted to see Rizolli and Isles tonight so I didn't ask about it.  I am really enjoying the series a lot.  I plan to read the books too.  I told Hannah about it but I said that the show was not something she could even watch because it was so graphic.  I said that they would like the story but the graphicness would be an issue.  They would not do well with that at all.  I said I haven't read the book so I don't know how it is as far as graphicness goes but I told her I would let her know.

Today is a bad headache type day.  I don't think I need a shot but I have them just in case.  I know that I have a habit of waiting until it is too late but these shots are break through medicine not for everyday.  I have 3 of them right now.  So far, it seems I take about one a month, sometimes 2.  It all depends on how bad the headaches get.

Calli and I banged heads today.  Wow, it hurt but surprisingly, it didn't seem to completely increase the headache since we banged heads on the opposite side of the headache.  I was really happy about that it didn't make the headache worse.  She was standing up and I was bending down and bam!  We banged heads.  She and I did giggle a bit about it later today.

I didn't finish playing words with friends today.  I usually play in the afternoon now and not before bed.  It is more relaxing to read before bed instead of playing that game.  I enjoy the game but it isn't exactly restful and I need to be restful so I can sleep better.  Since sleep is something we don't do well, I am trying to make a more restful routine for bedtime.

Monday, September 9, 2013

the ups and downs of fibro fog 9-9

A blog post got me thinking tonight.  It was on the ups and downs of fibro fog.  It is true that there are ups to having fibro fog.  You forget bad things that have happened, at least, I have.  I no longer can remember some of the abuse I suffered as a child from relatives (not my Momma but some relatives on my father's side of the family).  For years, I suffered with the haunting memories and how they made me feel.  Momma would try and try to help me (once she actually knew what had happen - because as with most victims, I lied to her at first and it was years before I could face her with the truth).  I went to counselors, psychiatrists, and psychologists, to no avail.  It wasn't until I almost tried to kill myself at 22, that I finally found the help I desperately needed.  I went to a treatment facility for 3 months and it really helped a lot.  It was there I faced what had happened to me and how I did nothing to deserve that type of behavior.  Anyways, the bottom line is, that thanks to fibro fog, I no longer remember the incidents for the most part of which I am very glad about.  I can look back in my childhood of the good things I remember.  Now some of them I can't really remember, Momma or my friends or my brothers would tell me the stories and that is what I mostly remember.

I was the annoying friend who used to be able to tell a friend, for example, Kathy, where we were when something happened, what we were wearing, and who we were with.  Overall, I drove her absolutely bonkers.  I used to smile and laugh at that.  She said she couldn't remember much.  Well, I can't know so we both laugh and talk about what we are doing today, right now and not focusing on the past like I used to.

One thing I have noticed with not only fibro fog, but fibro in general, I tend to focus on the today and not anything else.  Because I don't know what I will feel like day to day, I don't plan too far in advanced but when I do have something I want to do, I rest up for it.  That is definitely something I have learned to do.  I look at the important things in life, friends, family, relationships, and not the rat race that many others are focused on.  Yes, when it comes to the financial world, i will never be on top, but I am able to live and do things for me.  I have made adjustments in my life to make sure I can pay bills and stuff when it comes up.  Sometimes, it is easy, sometimes, it is hard.  I look for the joy in everyday, even when I am in a lot of pain because I know I could easily be in worse pain or in worse condition.  With the tight rope of my health, not just with fibro, but all my other health issues, I have to make sure I eat right, lose weight (down 31 pounds so far!!!), and sleep as much as I need in order to function from day to day.  I am lucky with the friends that I have who live with me.  Never have they ever made me feel bad for sleeping too much or anything like that.  If I sleep until 2:30, they are fine with it.  They may get concerned if I am still asleep at 3 in the afternoon and check on me, but they are supportive of me.  If I am sick and need a shot, they give me my shot.  If I have to go to the ER and cannot drive myself, one of them takes me.  Overall, the household arrangement has been working out wonderful.  My family is pretty much supportive as they can be.  Andrew was getting very worried about my constant weight gain and is thrilled with the weight loss.  He was really flipping out, I guess.  I had no idea.  He said he was ready to call my housemate and discuss it with her because he thought I was going to die from all the weight gain.  I was concerned too but I had no idea how concerned he was until he told me last week.

My headache isn't super bad right now.  I took my bedtime medicine and I am trying to see if the really bad headaches are caused by one of the nighttime supplements that I was taking.  I am hoping that they weren't caused by that because they did help me sleep some.  My neck and back were aching pretty bad last night too and for all last week.  It was just not my week, I guess.

Tomorrow, my cousins, Tilley and Luana are coming to pick me up for lunch.  They are also coming to pick up some books because I am getting rid of all my books except for the LM Montgomery books and anything to do with Harry Potter books.  With my nook, I just don't need that many books.  I am also keeping my sewing books.  For some things, you just have to have the physical book for and crafts and sewing are definitely one of those things.

Well, onto words with friends and relaxing before bed.  I have a bit of a tummy ache right now so I am hopeful it will go away rather shortly.

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Sunday 9-8

Today is my Emily's birthday.  She is now 10 years old.  It is hard to believe but she is already.  Emily is a sweet young lady who plays piano and does very well.  She is one of the sweetest girls I know.  Next to Calli, Emily is definitely the sweetest.  I was so excited to see her 2 Fridays ago for her first lesson since she went to Poland for the summer.  I am very blessed because I have the best students.  i really do.  Today is a no lesson day.  Sometimes on Sunday I have a lesson or two but generally, I don't right now.  It is okay, whatever works for the student generally works for me.

I have a pretty busy week this week as far as appointments go.  Tomorrow is just a couple of lessons and that is it but on Tuesday I am having lunch with my cousins, Tilley and Luana, as well as my busy day for lessons.  Wednesday, my friend, Jen is coming over for a lesson and then we are going to lunch.  I have a few lessons on Wednesday too.  Tuesday and Wednesday are my busy days as far as lessons go.  Thursday is my light day too as well as Monday.  Friday is an in between day.  Same with Saturday.

This whole weekend on ABC family channel is a marathon of Harry Potter movies.  I love these movies a lot.  I am sure I have mentioned that before.  My only wish is that my favorite actor was in them.  No, I have no idea what character he should have played as everyone who was in Harry Potter so suited the roles, but still, he is my favorite actor.  Anyways, I turned off number 6 because Acer was down here but I am not sure where he is right now.  He goes to bed rather early so that is okay.  I should be able to watch the 7th movie part 1 tonight or Game of Thrones, depending on what Brandon and Bill wish to watch after both Calli and Acer head for bed.  I plan to get ready for bed early and then watch the movie or tv show depending on what they decide.  I have all the Harry Potter movies on DVD so it isn't horrible if I miss them on TV.

Pain level is normal today but exhaustion level is extremely high.  I woke up at 2:30 pm.  I usually sleep until about 1:30 on days that I don't have to get up at a certain time, but today, I slept until 2:30 and really, I could have slept even longer.  I am just so tired all the time.  I have been getting super bad headaches at bedtime for the last few months.  I am wondering if it is the melatonin.  Tonight I am going to try the Valerian root just to see if it is the melatonin.  I am not sure, I usually have the really bad ones in the middle of the night, but this has been happening way too often.  Just way too often and they are getting worse.  I need to print a new medicine chart out for me for when I go to the doctor but I keep forgetting.  I will remember eventually.  The nighttime or middle of the night headaches are getting so bad that I am afraid that eventually, I will end up in the ER with them and I am really trying to avoid that.  I have been in the ER way too many times in my life that is for sure.  I would like to keep my record going of not needing the ER.  That is what I want.

Star and I are texting back and forth.  I can't believe I waited so long to get texting.  That is just insane that I did.  Now I text all the time and boy is it much easier to do.  When you need to leave a quick message or you just want to say hi or I love you, they are so much more convenient to use than anything else.  Speaking of which, I need to message Andrew shortly.  I have a question for him.  There, I am done.  See what I mean?  Why did I wait so long to join the 21st century as Andrew calls it?  I have no idea but I have joined and that is that.

I finished reading Where the Red Fern Grows.  I cried so much at the end.  I will not read it again nor will I read a book where the dogs die ever again, which yes, means, I will NOT read Old Yeller.  I remember that the dog dies at the end and how sad I was when I read it as a child, to read it now with maisy in my life, nooooooo way.  I can't handle that much sadness.  I just can't.  I am sad enough.  So I have a book by Lois Duncan called "Gallow Hills".  I just got it in my nook library.  I so love my nook so much.  I don't know how many books I have in the library but many of them were free or very low cost.  This was a low cost book.  I have read many of her books as a young teen and I remember I enjoyed them a lot so I am expecting that I will like these ones a lot too.  Tilley and Luana are coming over with boxes on Tuesday to take a lot of my books back home with them since I am getting rid of my paperback books.  I am keeping some books, but not a whole lot of books.  Many of them are going so they would like them.  I said no problem, come and get them.  Both Tilley and Luana read a lot like I do.  I find it much easier to read with my nook as I can change the size of the font if I need to and sometimes when my eyes hurt, I need to, other times, I don't.  I love reading.  I am so glad that Momma taught me how and well, she rather forced me to learn to read since I wasn't learning how in school.  Boy was she mad at that!  Momma was not a happy camper when she found out I really couldn't read.  Of course, now I can read and I read an awful lot so that is all well and good.  Momma did awesome just like she always did.

It is a nice and quiet evening now.  Everyone is home and relaxing.  It is a pick up dinner tonight.  I am not really that hungry so I had instant breakfast while Acer and Calli had burgers.  Of course, now I want a burger because they are having one but I am not really hungry so I will not have one.

Well, it looks like it will be a Game of Throne night tonight so I am headed up to shower now so I am ready to watch the show.  I love this show so much.  I know Star would love it too but she has a rougher time than I do with graphicness.  I wish she would watch this though because it is right up her alley just like mine.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

A Harry Potter Weekend! 8-7

Right now Harry Potter number 6 is on family channel right now.  I love the Harry Potter movies.  I know there are major changes from the books in some parts, but overall, they kept the story close enough where it no longer bugs me.  I love the 7th part 1 and part 2 movies the best besides the first movie.  The first is my favorite all over but after that the last two movies are my next favorites.  My all time favorite movie ever though is Beauty and the Beast.  I simply adore that movie so much.  The library in the movie is amazing.  Simply amazing.

I had to cut back on my melatonin because it can interfer with the coumadin that I take.  I have made some other changes so I hope it helps me sleep better.  Tomorrow, I get to sleep in and boy am I glad about that.  I am really tired now.  I took my medicine earlier than usual to see if it helped my headaches that I get at night but I succeeded in making myself more tired than usual at this time.  Whoops, what can I say?  I will try it again tomorrow.  I may get this right someday.  It is always a hit and miss thing with us fibro girls.  Lack of sleep is one symptom we all have issues with.  I am so glad I am not alone with this problem.

Maisy and I are enjoying a quiet night together.  We went for a short ride to Panera for dinner.  I got a salad with shrimp.  It was super good.  I love shrimp.  She is such a good rider when we go.  Tonight she did have a barking episode but then she was just fine.  Maisy barks at things she think are coming near the house.  Sometimes she barks at nothing.

Well, I am super tired so I am going to be heading for bed rather shortly.  I just can't stay awake for much longer.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Thursday 9-5

Yesterday was my older brother, Richard's birthday.  He lives in Washington State, very far away from me.  He is married and has 2 children that I haven't seen in 5 years.  I haven't seen him in 3 years.

We are having some deconstruction done in the house this week.  Heather B-T is pulling up the carpeting that is on the upstairs.  Our plan is to have no carpet on the stairs, upstairs hallway, or the bedrooms.  Acer is helping by cleaning up the foam that is stuck to the stair.  We have beautiful wood flooring underneath the stairs and I am glad that she is doing this.  It is something that I have wanted to do this for a long time but I don't have the strength or the energy to do this.  This will be done in stages.    It will take awhile because there is an awful lot of carpet.  The family room and living room will both keep their carpet as neither has hard wood floors underneath, they have plywood and that just isn't really pretty.

I met with the person who is helping me with the hearing aids today.  I have been approved for their program and they will be letting my doctor know.  I have the appointment on September 27 so I am a bit excited about this.  I am nervous too because I am afraid that I will get more headaches with the hearing aids but I will try them.  With the new technologies, I am sure they are much better than the older ones.  I will find out soon.

It has been a good day today overall, I think.  The sun is shining really beautifully and the clouds are puffy white.  I had a good meeting and 2 good lessons.  Tomorrow, I have to get some music for Sarah and Alyssa.  Both need the music by Monday.  If I can't do it tomorrow then I will go on Saturday after my lesson.  Either way, it will get done soon and in time.  Kids seemed to have a good day at school.  Acer and I played bop it pinball on the computer.  He loves playing that game.  Then again, he loves bop it games in general.  I don't think he has tried one he doesn't like even bop it smash, which is used by lights.  He does very well with it by sound.  At first, we thought this game would be useless for him, but he can actually use sound on it so it isn't useless after all.

I don't know if Robin and I are going to meet for tea or not, it all depends on her but it would be nice to see her.  If not, there is always the next time she has a day off.  She works full time so it is not always easy to see her with her busy schedule.

Robin wasn't feeling too well so we aren't going to hang out after all.  Maybe next week.

I am watching my usual Thursday show, Project Runway.  I also had my nightly snuggle with the Maisy girl.  We usually snuggle after dinner when I finish the dishes.  I did dishes earlier today so since it was just Brandon and me for dinner, I chose not to do them again.  I will do them tomorrow.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

The first day of school 9-3

I can't believe it but it is true, today was the first day of school.  Calli is happy with her classes and Acer is happy at his class.  We have a 3rd grader and 7th grader in the house.  They are happy that school has started.  Both kids are at a new school this year so they will be making new friends.  I think both kids are very outgoing and awesome so making friends shouldn't be too hard for them.  Acer is very outgoing and so is Calli.  There was an ice cream social at Acer's school tonight that they all went too.  Acer also likes to go to the high school marching band practice too.  He is a pretty good percussionist and musician all around.  Acer sings and plays the piano too.  There are other instruments that he plays too.  I don't think there is an instrument that Acer hasn't wanted to play that he has met.  He wants to try and play every instrument he can.  I think it is awesome.  Calli also plays piano and sings.  She has a beautiful voice that is 4 octaves, which is very unusual for a child her age.  We discovered her range when she was 12 and started taking voice lessons with me.  She is very happy to be in choir again this year.  I simply adore both children.  They bring such joy and happiness to my life.  The whole family does.  They are such good friends to me and I am sure by now you all know how I feel about Maisy!  Yup!  I love that dog so much!!!!!

I had all my students that I was supposed today.  I was surprised, pleased, but surprised.  Usually, the first week of school, I don't have them all because it is the first week of school.  Sometimes, parents like the first week of school to be empty so they kids can get used to school and homework again.  I don't think Acer or Calli had homework today.  Acer only had a 1/2 day of school while Calli had the full day.  Tomorrow my 3 little Richards' girls will be absent.  They need another week of practice for their lessons so no lessons tomorrow.  Sometimes it just happens that way.

Tonight is a tiring night for us so no Game of Thrones.  It is okay as we have another week to watch it plus Bill brought home the last disc of season 2.  I am glad about that so now we can watch the last 4 episodes without a break.  His library also has season 3.  I hope his library has season 10 for NCIS as I missed most of it.  I also hope they have the last season of NCIS Los Angeles as I missed a lot of that one too.  They are good shows.  I have missed a few Rizolli and Isles but that is okay.  I can catch up on that when they come out on discs too.

My goal for the week is too work on putting the books that I don't want in plastic bags for Bill to take to work for the next library book sale.  I have quite a few, and I mean quite a few.  There are some books that are not going such as anything by LM Montgomery or JK Rowlings or anything about Harry Potter.  I have some really cool books about Harry Potter and the movies that I don't want to give up.  It was funny, the other day I was talking about the bookshelf that is in my room.  Heather B-T was like, what bookshelf.  I said, the one next to the chest of drawers.  She had no idea there was one there. That tells you how much stuff is in my room next to my bed.  I really need to do something with it, I just haven't figured out what I want to do with it yet.

I am getting ready to pull some of the Christmas Music out now since it is almost time to start practicing for the concert for some of the students.  Some of the younger ones and the beginners can wait until later in the fall, but the older ones and the more advanced ones have to start early.  Bob started today with his and Karen picked hers on Saturday.  I have most everything I need for Christmas so I shouldn't have to purchase anything new this year.  I may have to put some stuff in finale to make CDs for the singers but other than that, I should be set to go with music.  Some of the kids have their own books too so that works out really well.  Hannah, Lydia, and Natalie all use Natalie's Christmas book so I don't have to bring one for them, just for Sarah.  I also have to get Sarah her lesson book and her theory book as they can't find the lesson book.  The theory book I knew that I would need to get because everyone has to use their own but I had hoped that they still had the lesson book.  Whoops, oh well, I can easily pick it up.  It isn't a problem.  The problem is just going in to get what I need and coming straight out without other music!  That is the problem.  I tend to start looking at other things and then I want the other things, then I find myself buying other things!  It is not good so it is best if I just run in and run out.  I will do that either tomorrow or Friday depending on what time I get out of bed.  I am really tired tonight so I am not sure what time I will get up.

I am adjusting my nighttime medicines.  The neurologist upped my nighttime headache medicine from 100 to 150.  I also take 20 mg of melatonin and 3 Tylenol PM.  I am going to go down to 2 Tylenol PM because it was really hard to wake up this afternoon when I got up.  Yes, I often sleep late, but this was crazy.  I could have slept for several more hours and that was not normal for me.  I generally have to get up and take some Tylenol in the middle of the night because of pain too.  Ooh, I just remembered, I need to go and get my wrist splints and my walker tomorrow.  I am getting a walker with rollers and a seat so that I will hopefully be able to move from using a scooter to a walker for some of the time.  That is the goal anyways.  I hope so.  I also hope that eventually, I will be able to walk a bit better and for a longer time than I can right now when I lose all the weight.  It is so cool because I don't even think of if I lose all the weight anymore, it is when I lose all the weight.  I just know I will.  I am on a roll and I don't plan to stop.  Yes, I will hit plateaus.  Everyone does but since I don't weigh myself daily or weekly, they won't seem to be so bad I think.  I only get weighed when I have to at the doctors office, otherwise I just go by how my clothes feel.  Right now, they are getting really big and I am happy about that.  I have to stop wearing my favorite purple pajamas now because the pants are really too big. My other two pair aren't as big even though they are the same size because those two pairs have shrunk and the purple pair have not.  I will find out how they fit tonight when I switch to either the red or the green pair.

Well, I think I am heading to bed.  I will play words with friends first and then off to la la land!!!!!

Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor Day 9-2

It was a nice day today.  I went to lunch with Maggie, whom I haven't had lunch with in a really long time.  It was fun.  After that I came home and Calli read the rest of the story she was reading to Acer and I.  It was a boxcar children mystery book.  She is such a good reader.  I enjoy listening to her read to her brother.  Bill barbecued hamburgers and veggies for dinner.

It is a game of thrones episode night again.  We are on episode 6 season 2.  It is such a good show!  Arya is my favorite character and Tyrion is my second favorite character.  He is such a clever character.  He gets away with so much too.

Tomorrow is the first day of school for all the kids around here.  Calli will be in junior high in 7th grade and Acer in elementary school in 3rd grade.  They are excited to be starting a new school year.  It has been a really busy summer for them.  They have had overnight camps, day camps, and play dates all summer long.  I can't wait to hear about their first day of school.  Acer has a half day and Calli a full day.  Acer will probably be home from school by the time I get up.  It is hard to believe that it is September already.  Ugh, another month bites the dust.

I figured out tonight why my right inside part of my knee has been so sore.  There is a huge (4 inches in diameter) bruise there.  It is deep purple and ugly not too mention it really hurts.

Well, I am very achy tonight so I am heading for bed shortly.  I am also really tired now.

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Sunday 9-1

I went to the Celebration of Maia's life party.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I was nervous.  Danielle was in tears at first, which I expected.  I just tried to comfort her as best as I could.  I stayed for a few hours and then I came home.  I hung out with my younger brother, Andrew and caught up with him.  He is so busy that he doesn't get a lot of days off right now so I have to spend time with him when I can.  He is thinking of buying a house or a townhouse.  I am excited for him.  He is doing really well so I am glad for him.  He has a new friend he is hanging out with but they are just friends right now, they aren't dating.  She is 25 and they have a lot in common.  I hope to meet her if they do start dating.  It was nice to see my uncle and aunt as well as many cousins I haven't seen since my momma's funeral and burial.  It is awful, we see each other after someone dies and not in between.  I mean, where we all get together, not just a few at a time.  Everyone brought food and there were some musician friends there playing some good music.  Some of my cousins and their friends were drunk and I am nervous around people who are drunk so that was partially why I left.  I don't stay long at parties where I have a long drive home because I get so exhausted so easy so I have to leave early.  Nicole and her stepdaughter left earlier than I did, but it was nice to see her.  Andrew is pleased with my weight lose.  Apparently, he was getting very worried about the gaining of the weight when it wouldn't stop no matter what I did.  He did comment on how he is glad I am no longer taking the medicine that causes me to gain weight.  I am glad too.  I hope to be down the rest of the 130 pounds I want to lose by next fall.

Maisy and I are snuggling together today.  She had to be crated and well, she was so thirsty when I let her out.  It didn't even faze her that I had her dinner out for her too.  She kept on drinking and drinking and drinking.  I did take her out and she did her business so she won't be doing any in the house, thankfully, but I was so worried.  I texted both Heather B-T and Bill to ask what I should do since it seemed like she was overheated.  both said she would be okay now that she had some water and that she just needed lots of snuggles so we did lots of snuggling.  I am getting tired so we will be heading upstairs soon to go to bed and she will be snuggling upstairs with me too.

I am going to change my face book picture to Maisy's picture.  Now that I have learned how to get the pictures off of my camera, I have a whole bunch to pick from!  She is such a good girl!  I love that dog!!!

Friday, August 30, 2013

It has been a missing Mom day Friday 8-30




With the celebration of Maia's life party coming up, I have been thinking about Mom more and more.  I miss her so much and today just seems to be a missing mom bad day.  I think about her a lot as it is but today I have thought about her more than usual.  I so wish she were here with me.  I know my cousin, Danielle feels the same way as Maia as her mother.  I know both of them are in a much better place than we are but it doesn't stop us from missing them.  My life just doesn't seem complete without her.  It is like there is a big whole in my heart and my life that is empty without her.  I spent so much time with her even before I became her caregiver.  I think because I did get so sick when I was so young that we did spend so much time together.  For a long time she was my caregiver.  There were times when I was so sick, I couldn't even dress myself because the pain was so bad.  We tried so many things before I finally got diagnosed with fibro and the other stuff.  Then when the vasculitis hit, and then the blood clot, it just seemed I didn't get a break for a while.  I am so thankful that I am better than I was then but I am working on being even better.  I know Momma would be so pleased with my losing weight.  I know that for a fact.  She was always encouraging me to eat right.  Okay - when I was a child, I did NOT take that too well and ended up with some major food issues but momma and I worked them out in my early 20s.  After that we just did what I could but with the pain level so high and the exhaustion level through the roof some days, it was hard.  At every turn, Momma was there and now she isn't.  I am glad I took care of her.  I hate that she had to suffer with Alzheimer's.  I hate that disease even more than my own illnesses.  It was awful to watch her lose herself.  At least with my illnesses, I am still me. Yes, underneath the Alzheimer's she was still herself, but she was so buried by Alzheimer's at the end.  I am so glad that I have so many memories of us doing so many things together, even just hanging out and talking or watching TV or me reading to her.  She really liked me reading to her at the end.  I just miss her, both the Momma she became with Alzheimer's and the Momma she was before hand.  I want my momma.  there is no way around it.  I just want my momma.  I want her now.  

At the top are some pictures that I took during the time of 2008 to 2010 of Momma with my phone camera.  I finally learned how to put them on the computer.  These are my favorite of the 10 or so I have of her that I took with my old phone.  I wish I had taken so many more!!!



Thursday, August 29, 2013

Thursday 8-29

I had 2 doctor appointments today.  1 with the neurologist and the second with my primary care doctor. Both are really happy that I have lost 31 pounds as am I.  Dr. G, the primary care doctor, does want me to see a hematologist.  He seems to think that I will have to visit once and then I won't need to go again, which would work for me.  I don't need another doctor that I have to see on a regular basis.  My hemoglobin seems to be normal right now.  A year ago, it was not but now it is.  I don't get it either.  i am no longer taking the iron because it completely upset my stomach and it didn't matter what time I took it so I stopped.

I normally would not have made 2 appointments in one day but I knew I didn't have any lessons so it was okay.  I had the neuro appointment from 4 months ago.  I really like my neurologist a lot.  She is working really hard to find something to stop the daily headaches, especially the really bad ones.  For the past few months I have found that I get a really bad one at about 2 to 4 in the morning.  It is annoying and very difficult at times to deal with.  Generally, I have to come down the stairs and take more medicine, something I don't like to do but when it is necessary, it is necessary.

This Sunday is Maia's celebration of her Life party.  I didn't realize how many people were planning to attend.  Tilley says there will be about 70 to 80 people.  Ugh, I don't do really well at that big of a party, however, I am going.  I want to see my brother and my cousins.  I plan to stay a bit and then head back for home.  Monday is Labor Day and I have no plans for that day.  I also have no lessons.  It will be one of the last times for a long while that I will have 2 days of no lessons.  I don't mind.  Fall is a busy season and I like that.  It is also time to get ready for competition and Christmas.  All in all, I love fall in general as the temps are still nice during the day but not so humid.  I can breathe better in the fall and I tend to ache less in the fall.  I ache more in the extreme heat and the extreme cold so basically, I am a fall and spring girl.

I am going to get a new pair of Christmas pajamas as soon as the catalogue comes out because my pajamas are seriously getting too big.  They aren't to the point where they fall off me, but darn close.  Yes, it is my goal to have them fall off me one day.  It is a feeling I have never had and I really want that feeling to happen to me just once in my life.

Project Runway is on right now.  They have a shoe inspired challenge.  I only own a few pairs of shoes.  I never really got into owning a massive amount of shoes but it is an interesting challenge.  They are all heading on down to the runway now.  I can't wait to see who is going to win and who will go home.

Maisy and I had our daily snuggle today.  She is such a good snuggler.  I would say my anxiety has been lower overall due to the little dog.  Maisy gives love freely and doesn't expect anything but love in return.  I give her lots and lots of love in return.  To me, it is so easy to love her.  Q is also easy to love and as much as it pains me to admit, he behaves better than Maisy too.  Q had his head on my seat at the dining room table today and I almost sat on the dog.  Goofy dog, I don't think he will do that again anytime soon.

I was thinking about going to choir practice but I didn't feel well enough.  I just haven't really felt well enough to do a lot of things yet.  I am hoping that by the end of September I will be feeling well enough to go.  I will just have to and see.

Starting Small with Old Hobbies I Love

  I learned to sew when I was in 3rd grade.  I was 8 years old and home because I was very sick, so was my younger brother.  We both missed ...