The quieter you become the more you can hear ~ Ram Dass



Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday


I thought I was going to kick myself up the head trying to come up with a K word .  My last name begins with a K but then I'd have to kill you all for knowing it j/k LOL.   

I decided to go with Kielbasa LOL. 

I grew up on the stuff since I am part Polish.  We always ate fresh kielbasa but especially every holiday.  My Mom always made the best  kielbasa. I kid you not.   I think I've only made  kielbasa probably once or twice.  

When I make it at home, I usually make Eckrich Kielbasa.  I usually just put it in the oven with a little water and that's it.  I was so happy years ago when I found out that they had skinless.  For that kind, I really like it better.  

Sometimes for holidays besides the fresh Mom would make  Eckrich as well.  She would put the already cooked kielbasa in with pork and beans and put it in the oven.  We did this this past Christmas.  I started making it since for a regular meal.  

My sister-in-law,  Christmas before last, made fresh kielbasa with sauerkraut. She knocked it out of the park.  It tasted almost  just like mom's.

If you like fresh kielbasa we are kindred spirits ;-)

Disclaimer:  No one asked me to write about Eckrich, I did it all on my own ;-) 

That's it for K - go over and check what others did for K. http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/03/alphabe-thursday-k.html

Corky's report

My husband took Corky to the Vet yesterday.  He's up to date with his shots now.  He's put on some weight since last year.  Last year he was 53 now he's 60 pounds. 

My husband said he at first wouldn't go in the door and he had to pick up his two paws and put them in, then he would go.  Also, when it was time for him to go on the table, they put it as low as it would go and they still had to pick him up LOL.  Also, they marked that he was very timid.


Today, I'm going to take his shot records to the nursing home so they can file them.  I think if its still going to be nice like they say on Friday I'm going to take him to see mom.  They haven't seen each other since June.   I just hope I'm going to be able to get him to go inside, if not I'll have to bring her outside I guess.  I know Mom will be happy to see him because she asks about him all the time.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Nuts


Besides working at Juvenile Court, I also worked at a nut factory.

My mom worked for many years at a nut factory, as in walnuts, cashews, pistachio nuts etc.  

When I was in high school I worked during the summers and Christmas vacation there as soon as I turned 16 until I finished high school.  I never worked for the original owner like mom did but I worked for the second owners at the time.  The husband and wife worked together.  Their kids and their kids friends from school also worked there.  Besides mom and me, some of my family worked there as well.   I also got my one girlfriend a job there  You could say it was a pretty family friendly company.

Some of the jobs I did there was pick the bad nuts off the conveyor belt, packaged nuts by hand, and packed tins.  They also did nuts for vending machines.  I did that as well.  When the packaged nuts came out of the machine, we had to put them 100 to a box.  I'm sure I did other stuff but I just don't remember.  They also cooked the nuts there.  It was extremely hot during the summer in there especially in the cooking part. 

A couple of years before I had my son, I went back there part time but this time I worked in the office.  They had catalog sales and I worked on the phone taking orders and doing other officse work.  They were busy all times of the year but especially at Christmas time.  It was crazy.  Shortly after I became pregnant I had to quit.   

When I started I ate tons of different kinds of nuts but after a while as with everything you get sick of them LOL.  

I'm not sure how many years Mom worked there but I know she started when I was in elementary school and quit when she was around 62.  So for a lot of years.  The owners from what I remember eventually sold to another company.  They had a store downtown in the same building as the factory.  For some reason the new owners moved the store down the block from where it used to be.  

I bet not many people can say they worked at a nut company LOL

Monday, March 29, 2010

Woe is me

What a not so good Friday.

Before I went to the dentist, I almost burned the house down.  When we got home from seeing Mom, I decided I better eat something before I went because my mouth might be numb.  I put some bread in the toaster, got on the phone to talk in another room and completely forgot I had put it in.  All of a sudden the smoke detector started going off.  At first I thought maybe the battery was going dead.  Then I could see smoke and my husband went in the kitchen and the toast hadn't popped up.  He couldn't get it to pop up and finally pulled the plug.  OMG, our whole house was filled with smoke.  Needless to say, the bread was totally black.  I had to open all the doors and windows and run a fan.  We're going to have throw it out.

Then came the dentist.  Sure enough I needed to get the tooth pulled.  UGH!!  He gives me three shots of novacaine and tells me "you will feel some pressure".  Heck, I felt a lot more than pressure but I just martyred through because I didn't want more novacaine.  Then they asked if I wanted an implant or bridge.  He had never mentioned an implant before.  It just sounded nasty so I went with the bridge.  I'll have to make an appointment for that when I'm healed.

Then as I was laying on the bed resting and icing my face, I got to watch The Ohio State lose their basketball game.  Oh well, at least I won't have to worry if they get to the final two.

Friday, March 26, 2010

Friday random thoughts

1.  When the gas company came on Tuesday they were done pretty quick. I think it took him longer to check down the basement to make sure there weren't any gas leaks after he was done.  No damage to the lawn either.

2.  One of these days, I know my computer is going to quit.  The last couple of days the fan is making awful noises.  I just need the time to make up my mind to spend the money and go look for one. 

3.  I made an appointment for Corky next week to get a check up and shots.  My husband is taking him to our old vet.  I laughed when the girl asked if he was a new dog.  I told her "he's a new old dog".

4.  The day after they passed the health reform bill when I woke up, the world was still here. j/k  Seriously, people need to get a grip.  There is no reason to be making threatening phone calls etc.  Either side.  If your senator or congress person didn't vote the way you wanted, work to vote them out. 

5.  We got some snow yesterday.  However, buds are starting to come on the trees finally. 

6.  I can't believe Russell outfoxed Boston Rob on Survivor.  Although the way Russell played last year, I should have guessed.  Too bad Rob, it sounded like a good plan.  Looks like Tyson moved on the stupid list of Survivors LOL. 

 7.  I'm really behind on my blog reading.  I'm kind of overwhelmed.  I'm behind over 200 posts.  I'm going to read them eventually because I'm so nosy, I'm afraid I might miss something important LOL.

8.  I just realized Sunday is Palm Sunday and next Sunday is Easter already.  I gotta get on the ball here.

9.  Well, today the rubber meets the road.  I have to go to the dentist.  The antibiotics didn't help all that much.  I hope he doesn't pull my tooth today because I have a lot of stuff to do over the next week.

10.  Have a good weekend everyone. 

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

For letter J, I went with Juvenile Court.  Why you ask?

After I graduated from high school, my friend insists that I called her up one day and said "Let's go jobbin".  Yes, she said, I said "jobbin".  Just so you know, I don't remember using that term but she has a mind like a steel trap unlike me so I defer to her better memory ;-)

Anyhow, from what I remember ;-), another friend of ours worked downtown at Juvenile Court and told us they were hiring.  We went there to apply.  We both got jobs.  She was going to work in the personnel department and I was put in one of two steno pools.  We never did any stenography but I assume at one time they did, thus the name and they just never changed it.

In my office we had to type up reports for the judges.  The probation officers would dictate into Dictaphones their findings regarding whatever the child was being brought in for and then a family history.  We had to put little ear phones in and type as we listened.  We typed on MANUAL typewriters.  We had to use that little white tapey stuff to make corrections.  Boy, was that a pain.  Also, some of the PO's (probation officers) were late in turning in their stuff.  We would be jammed with so many reports to do some times,  we were finishing up right until the deadline of court. I remember also at times,  them coming to me and dictating verbally to me while I typed.  Sometimes they would even come to us about different things that we had to work out with them about different case things.  Talk about stress.  It was very interesting though learning about each kids family history and stuff.

Occasionally, if they needed extra help I would go downstairs and answer phones.  If they didn't answer I would have to page them or take messages.  I loved doing this it was a lot less stressful.  Also, when people came to pick up their messages we could joke around a lot.

Working there was the first time I ever saw someone with a studded nose ring.  This is not unusual now but this was in the 70's.  I think she was a woman before her time LOL.

Also this was a time of sexual harassment.  Although we didn't know that term at the time.  We just knew there were certain people we stayed away from because we considered them jerks.

At that time, I would say most of the PO's were men.  Most were very nice.  I worked there probably for about 7 or 8 years.  I remember how disturbed I became when the PO's that were coming in were starting to be younger than me.  It was an eye opener - even though I was still young.

My supervisor got bumped upstairs when that supervisor left and I was put in charge.  It was then I realized, I wasn't boss material.  I didn't have it in me to tell people what to do.  I still don't - except for my husband.  Probably about a year or so later I quit.

I really enjoyed working there. I did meet a lot of really nice people.   Shortly, before I left we got electric typewriters and it was hard for me to learn.  I suppose now they would have computers.  I bet they are joyful that they don't have to use manual or electric typewriters.  I know I would have been jubilant.

I wish I could juxtapose the PO's now and see if they are much more jaded.  With all the problems kids have nowadays, I'm sure it is more difficult than it used to be.  I'm also sure their caseloads are a lot bigger also.

Go over to Jenny's and see what others used for their J word  http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/03/alphabe-thursday-j.html

Dinner Friends

Last night was dinner friends.  We had a low turnout again.  Only 5 of us.  Although it was a lot of fun because we got to talk to everyone.  I had my usual two glasses of wine. To eat I got a breaded pork chop over angel hair pasta with alfredo sauce.  I love that alfredo sauce although I don't think it's very good health wise.  I brought half of my meal home as usual.  So, I'll probably eat it today.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Gas

Today should be an interesting day.  The gas company is coming to put in new risers outside on the side of the house.  Years ago they found out the type risers they put in were no good.  They are replacing them all over the county.  Today will be our turn.  They will need to turn off the gas.  I'm wondering how much of a mess its going to be to the grass.  I guess we'll see later today.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Party on

When I went to see Mom last Wednesday, the nurse told me she was at the St. Patrick's Day party.  So, I hustled down to where it was and they were still getting everyone situated. I pulled up a chair right behind mom so I could talk to her a little bit.   There was a guy there with a keyboard getting ready to sing.  The whole place was decorated with shamrocks.  The aides must have made a special effort if the residents had green clothes to put them on because most people had green on.  One lady had a white hat with green shamrocks on it.  A couple of the older men residents had on green cardboard top hats.

Finally, the guy started to sing.  He said he sang love songs which he did.  He also sang Danny Boy, When Irish Eyes are Smiling and another Irish song that I didn't recognize.

While he was singing, the activity people gave everyone a very large Shamrock decorated cookie.  I saw the one activities person going up to everyone with a glass but no one was taking it.  There were two residents sitting behind me.  I heard the activities person ask the one woman if she wanted a beer.  It was a very small glass and only about half full.  She said sure.  When the activities person left, I heard her talking to the lady next to her.  I think the lady didn't hear that it was beer.  She had the other lady taste it.  This woman was saying, it tastes like wine, or apple juice or prune juice LOL.  So I turned around and said I think it's beer.  They told me to taste it.  I told them I don't like beer (which I don't) but I told them to let me smell it.  As soon as I saw it, I knew it was beer but I smelled it  and told them yep it's beer.  They kind of both looked at each other.  I ended up having to leave so I don't know what they ever did with it.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Friday thoughts

1.  I can breathe a sigh of relief now.   On Monday we saw "the runner".  He's alive and well.

2.  I called the dentist on Tuesday.  My tooth isn't hurting as much as the bone above the gum (that's probably TMI).  I told them with my cough I doubt I could keep my mouth open without coughing.  I got them to put me on an antibiotic and then I'm going next Friday to get it checked out.  Hopefully, the antibiotic will stop the hurting.

3.  Our son had to get one of his teeth pulled on Monday.

4.  We got most of our taxes done this week.  We just need to get our city taxes done and then that's it for us.

5.  Mom's doing pretty well. When I got there on Wednesday, she was at a St. Patrick's Day party.   She was off the oxygen. Maybe she's turning the corner.   I'll blog more about the party next week.

6.  I haven't cooked at all this week.  One day we had sandwiches.  I don't remember what we had the other day.  On St. Patrick's Day my husband went and got us corned beef and cabbage.  Two dinners was a lot.  I also had it Thursday and they'll be enough to eat it over the weekend.  I try very hard not to eat meat on Fridays during Lent so he usually gets me pierogi's.  Yum.  They are not as good as mom's used to be but they are entirely too much work for me to be eaten so quickly ;-).  As you can tell my meal planning is not going well.

7.  We got our census form yesterday.  I'll have to sit down and fill it out this weekend. It's not like I have anything else to do, right @@.

8.  March madness is on.  I haven't started watching it yet.  I'll probably start tonight when The Ohio State plays.   Although I should have watched it last night, the Ohio Bobcats upset Georgetown.

9.  I keep trying to think of a name for my Friday posts since I'm pretty sure they are always going to be lists.  At first it was Random thoughts, then it was Random Friday (but after I thought about it it didn't make sense).  Now I'm going to try Friday thoughts LOL.  Eventually I'll come up with something I'll be happy with.

10.  Have a good weekend everyone. 

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

I thought and thought until my head almost imploded about what to do for the letter I and decided to write about blogs with a lot of I words thrown in LOL.

I like/love all kinds of blogs.

Some blogs I read let people tell their stories of injustices that happened to them.  I think these are very important issues and may help someone.  At times, they are very intense and I want to hide my eyes but I don't because if they are brave enough to write it, the very least I can do is be brave enough to support them.

Some blogs I read about women who are alcoholics.  I find these woman to be very impressive and incredibly  inspirational.  That they would tell their stories in hope that someone may identify with them and would get help and not feel isolated.  I think the people that write about injustices also have these same traits.

Some blogs I read for fun. I love irreverent and sarcastic humor.  Although sometimes I don't always get it LOL.

Some blogs I read seem almost invisible.  I don't understand why.  There are bloggers who are really good writers with interesting stories to tell  but not a lot of readers.

Some blogs I like to read are considered niche blogs.  You know the food, decorating and craft ones.  I enjoy these not because I usually make the food, decorate or craft like they do but I still find myself going to the blogs to look at the indescribable things they do.

Some blogs I read started out slow and became influential.  I've just recently deleted one from my google reader.  It sort of became a one woman boycott that I'm the only one that knows about ;-).  Although I'm still checking to see if the thing that irritated me has been addressed - so far no.

These are just some of the types of blogs I read.  I'm sure I left out tons of other types I read but I find pretty much any blog I read I can learn something from.

I often wish I could go to the start of everyone's blog and read from the beginning.   But I don't think there's enough time in a day, week or year to do that.

Go over to Jenny's and see what others came up with for the letter I --http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/03/alphabe-thursday-i.html

A tale of two cities

All my life, I've only lived in two cities.  Cleveland and where I live now.

I'm not sure when I was brought home from the hospital where we lived but I know it would have been somewhere in Cleveland.  I tried to get it out of mom but she was somewhat confused on that.

Eventually though when I was still small, we moved in with my father's mother I do know that in Cleveland.  It was a bungalow.  I started school there and we lived there until I was in about the 4th grade.With my poor memory, I hardly remember anything from that time.  One of the things I remember though and this was crazy, the house across a street burned down and no one in my whole family realized until the morning because we all slept through it LOL.

We then moved in with my mother's father.  I think I might have mentioned this before.  It was mostly a one story two family house that shared a bathroom.  However, there was one bedroom upstairs (which was mine)  and a big attic above the rest of the house. Grandpa lived in the front and we lived in the back.  When I was younger we didn't have a dryer and we either had to hang the clothes outside or in the attic.  I still remember getting the clothes down from the attic in winter time and they being stiff as a board.  One crazy thing I remember from this house was the neighbor two doors down.  He held his family hostage for some reason.  He may have been crazy who knows.  I can remember lying on the downstairs bed peeking outside the window watching the police.  I lived with my family  here until I got my first full time job.

When I started working one of the girls I worked with and me decided to get an apartment.  I think I was about 19 or 20 at the time.  I loved it.  After the first year though she decided to move out and I ended up moving as well.  Years and years later, I found out that our tax man owned this building although it wasn't at the time I lived there. He would have been too young.

I went back home but by that time my grandfather had died so I moved into the front part of the house.  It still gave me some freedom so I didn't actually feel like I was living back home even though I was.

I was living there when I met my husband to be.  After a couple of years, I got an apartment by myself this time.  I really wanted the freedom then.

When we decided to get married, I had to move home for a couple of months.  However, by this time my family had moved to my uncle's house which they had been renting out while they were buying it.

After marriage I moved to my husband's which is in the city we live in now.  It was like a condo/townhouse.  I don't know what you call it but they were connected together.  He had a corner one.  So one side was all grass and luckily on the other side was the garage, connected to another garage and then a home.  It was pretty private.  Good thing because at that time, he/we played music very loud LOL.  Coincidentally, I have a friend who lives down the street from there.

About a year later we bought our first home back in Cleveland.  It was a bungalow.  Again we were lucky.  Both of our neighbors on either side had an extra lot that was next to our home.  One had a bunch of fruit trees on theirs and the other one had a super huge raspberry patch.  We always felt ,while we lived in the city but we still weren't right on top of our neighbors.  Also, it was on a very small street.  We lived there until my son was going to start school.  Interesting fact here, this home was only a block and a half from my first apartment.

When we were looking for another home, I always wanted to go back to the city where my husband had lived when we were first married.  We found a home although its pretty much on top of the neighbors but I'm pretty sure its our forever home.  When we bought it we were already thinking that because we wanted a ranch style home for old age LOL.

 How many different places have you lived in your lifetime?

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

He's not as dumb as he pretends

In the backyard we have this make do fence.  It's made out of old railings from the back porch and some chicken wire (yeah, real classy).  It goes from the garage to the regular fence.  My husband put it up years ago, to keep our dog from getting into the garden and behind the garage because that's also a disaster area (yeah, another classy area) Ha. 

He took it down when we didn't have our dog anymore but then had to put it back up when Corky came.  Last week one day I let Corky out.  A little while later I heard him barking.  When I looked out, the neighbor behind us was there with his little Yorkie standing by the back fence.  Corky was practically trying to climb over the fence to get to them.  My husband went out to get him.  Apparently,  two of the fences that are supposed to keep him out of there are just hooked over each other with something.  The neighbor said Corky just pushed it up with his nose and came back there.

I know I like to call Corky quirky but he's not actually too bright.  Now, I'm thinking maybe it's just an act LOL.

Monday, March 15, 2010

It's little like deja vu

Before we left to see mom on Friday the nurse called saying mom had a fever the night before and was coughing a lot.  The doctor put her back on the oxygen, steroids and she was going to get a chest x-ray. When I went to see her they were keeping in her in the bed for the day but she was alert and no confusion.  They did the x-ray while I was there.

Saturday they called and said fluid had infiltrated her lung so it looked like the beginnings of pneumonia.  They put her on an antibiotics again for 7 days.  The doctor was supposed to come and see her.

Sunday when I saw her she was pretty alert.  Her legs looked really good and there were no signs of swelling.   I guess the doctor thought she was pretty good.  Hopefully, after the antibiotics she will be in tip top shape, at least for her. 

Friday, March 12, 2010

Random thoughts

1.  I saw a commercial for V again looks like its going to be on at 10 p.m. on Tuesdays.  Same time as Parenthood.  I missed the first half of Parenthood this week but watched the second half and still liked it.

2.  Time change.  So its changing this weekend.  It still seems too early to me.  I wish they wouldn't have changed it a couple of years back.  I wonder how much energy its saving since they fiddled with it for that reason.

3.  I need something new for my header and put up the birdhouse again.  I can't find any decent pictures that I took to replace it.  I have to put on my thinking cap and figure out something.  I'm too cheap to have someone else do it LOL.

4.  I'm almost caught up with at least my computer stuff although I still have a lot of email to get through - Not so much with the house.

5.  I think I'm in a blogging slump.  Help!!  What do you do?

6.  There is one blog post I'd like to write but I'm not sure what angle to go at it or if its even worth it.  There was something that happened on a blog I read.  I was very disappointed. It makes me think of that line from the movie You've Got Mail - it's nothing personal, just business.  I'm still going to think on it.

7.  I  really love Alphabe-Thursday.  I thought it was going to get easier but it is getting harder.  I'm liking the challenge though.  I think its good for my brain LOL.  I love each persons take on the letter.  I can hardly wait until Thursdays to see what everyone comes up with.

8.  Mom's still pretty much the same.  Although she seemed very tired on Wednesday but she still seems somewhat confused to me.  I hope this just isn't the dementia getting worse. It's a little depressing.

9. Wow, we reached 70 yesterday.  I even had my patio door open for a little bit.  Oh mother nature - you tease ;-)

10.  Unless something earth shattering happens, have a great weekend.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

For the letter H I chose Health care relating to cancer since that's something I know about.  This might be a blog post that I might be hating myself for in the morning but hopefully, it won't be too controversial.  I'm not meaning for it to be.  Honestly.

In May of 2004, I went for my regular gynecological exam and it seemed I was healthy.  In August I went for my mammogram.  I was home a couple of hours and the doctor called saying I needed to get to a surgeon right away. You can imagine how horrified I was. The next day I was at the surgeon's office getting a needle biopsy.  The following day, I was told I had breast cancer and would need surgery. The day I had to go in to talk about what kind of surgery, I felt hopeless and hysterical inside. It was a good thing my husband and friend went with me.  Also, the wonderful surgeon I had let us tape the whole conversation so I could replay it one hundred times or more just so I could understand what happened at that meeting.  I realized also if it wouldn't have been for that mammogram who knows when I would have found out because you couldn't feel it.

The real cost for my surgery (mastectomy) , doctors, tests. was approximately
$14,871.57

Because we had an HMO paid for by my husband's employer at the time the cost to the insurance company was
$5,704.16

The cost for my cancer treatment, tests  (not counting the pills I had to take during chemo and am still taking after chemo) was approximately
$28,073.25

HMO cost was
$13,653.21

I was lucky in some respects with the cost of my cancer treatment because I only needed 4 chemo treatments and no radiation.  If I lived in another state the cost may have been more or less.  This also was in 2004, I can only imagine how much the prices have gone up. 

I can't help but think while people are debating health care and what to do about it what would have happened to me if I had no health insurances or was under-insured.  How would I have paid for it.  I know there are people out there grappling with this now.

I know a lot of people think health care is not a right in America but there is just something wrong to me that some people can't afford it.  Just sayin.

Go over to Jenny's and see what others picked for their H words, I can't wait.  H was again a very hard word for me, but I would imagine its not as horrendous as I is going to be.  http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/03/alphabe-thursday-h.html

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

The 50's

Not the year or someone's age but the temperature.  Yippee!!  We are suppose to get into maybe the mid 50's - temperature wise this week.  It can't come too soon for me.  The snow is slowly starting to melt.  I can see some grass.  In the flowerbeds, I can see the dead marigolds that still have to come out LOL.  My husband never even got the stalks from the sunflowers out yet.  In the fall he just cut them real low.  I do see some green in there although it's weeds but for now I'll take it. 

Sunday when we pulled into the driveway at the nursing home we had to stop for a few minutes to let the geese get off the driveway.

I can't wait until I can open my doors and windows.  Although this little warm up doesn't fool me.  We've had snow on Easter and Opening Day of baseball.  But I'll enjoy it knowing soon it will come and stay.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Mom

I was feeling pretty good yesterday so I went to see Mom.  She was doing well physically.  She's off the oxygen during the day and the steroids.  Her legs looked great.  They were testing her sugar 4 times a day but the nurse said she was going to talk to the doctor about reducing the number of times a day, since its been so good.

Her mind was another story.  She seemed a little confused the first day she was back from the hospital.  Yesterday, she kept trying to tell me things but would just use pronouns and then would stop talking like she forgot what she was going to say.  I've seen her like this before but usually I can figure out what she's trying to tell me but I couldn't. She couldn't seem to concentrate.  It does sound like my cousin, aunt and uncle visited her some time.  Mom didn't remember when or what they talked about.  Good thing she was back from the hospital because I never thought to call them and tell them.

I just got back from seeing her.  She seemed a little less confused today. She talked and talked but really about nothing much.  But still, when I tried to talk to her about the Oscars and stuff she didn't really seem to understand what I was talking about or else couldn't concentrate enough to understand.   She did tell me she got a blood test.  We'll see how she is by Wednesday. 

Friday, March 5, 2010

Random Friday

1.  I watched Parenthood on NBC (must have been all those commercials during the Olympics) on Tuesday.  I guess it is loosely based on an old movie which I don't remember ever seeing.  It seems its not getting great reviews but I kind of liked it.  I hope NBC gives it some time.

2.  I saw a commercial that V is coming back.  I loved the original V and would like to watch this new version but unfortunately it seems they are going to put it back on Tuesdays which is Biggest Loser night for me and now Parenthood.  When the new version was on a few months ago I flipped back and forth for the first episode but I couldn't do that every week and we are not DVR people.  I hope eventually it gets switched to another night.

3.  Even though I haven't seen any of the movies, I look forward to Oscar night to see who wins.

4.  With me being down for the count this week, my house is a wreck, I've got loads of mail to sort through, laundry to do and I'm also behind on my blog reading.  There's always next week.

5.  Its been somewhat sunny.  We are supposed to be in the middle 40's over the weekend.  So bring on the dirty snow and lets melt that snow LOL.

6.  Last Saturday Magellan dropped me off at the hospital to see mom and then picked me up.  We then went to the Olive Garden.  I usually always get Chicken Parmesan.  This time I was more adventurous and got Chicken Alfredo ;-)  It was very good and I brought half of it home to eat the next day. 

7.  I used to be a TV watching news junkie.  Then I had enough and stopped watching.  This week since I had a lot of down time I figured I'd give it another chance.  Nothings changed much in the last few months.  I think my one woman boycott is going to be on again.  I still read their web sites but its easier to control.

8. I'm starting to feel better.  I've been resting, sleeping and drinking a lot of stuff with Vitamin C.  Probably by the weekend I should be good. 

9. PSA -  If you are sneezing a lot and you try to sneeze into a Kleenex, you could accidentally bite the inside of your bottom lip.  So, be careful, ouch!!

10.  Have a great weekend.  I hope you see sunshine and warmer temperatures. 

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Alphabe-Thursday

For G I came up with Gambling. It was the only thing I could think of.

I'm not very much of a gambler.  I've been to a casino once and that was in Canada.  I had gone on a bus trip with some friends to see The Phantom of the Opera.  Before we hit the border at Niagara Falls to cross over to America, we went to Casino Niagara.  We stayed a few hours.  I played the cheap slot machines. I had a great time.

For years, my husband used to play this one particular game in our State lottery.  I forget what the name of it was because we don't have it anymore.  Every week though he would play the same numbers.  He would always play them because we would say "if we don't play and those numbers come up after all these years we'd have to kill ourselves"  Of course, we were just kidding; kind of ;-)  Finally, that game ended and then the State went to Mega Ball.  Now unless it's over 100 million he doesn't play.  I guess we're choosier now.  I think we might even get Powerball soon.  We very rarely play the instant tickets.  I think they do a good business because we see people come out of the store and then gleefully scratch them off in the vehicle, not even waiting to get home.

For many years some people have wanted casino's in Ohio but the majority did not.  In all those years, casinos have been coming to other states surrounding Ohio.  Finally, last year they were able to get a vote from the people to put four casino's in Ohio.  It always seemed rather hypocritical to me that we were allowed to have horse racing, the lottery and church bingo but somehow casino gambling - not so much.  To me it's all gambling, and why should people go to surrounding states to spend their money (no offense to surrounding states ;-)  I guess only time will tell if it will be good or bad for Ohio.  I know I will go at least once to check it out and look forward to it.


Go over to Jenny's and see what others did for the letter G http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/2010/03/alphabe-thursday-g.html

FYI

I'm sick still.  Another day of rest for me. 

I called the nursing home and Mom's doing well.  That's a relief.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Mom

Mom went back to the nursing home yesterday.  She seemed well except she was a little confused when she got back.  I think it will just take her a while to get used to being back.  A lot of the swelling went down in her legs and her breathing was good.  She's still going to get the breathing treatments though and stay on the oxygen for awhile.

All my cryptic talk about the room change ended up being nothing.  Thursday on the day she went to the hospital, the social worker called and said they needed mom's bed for someone else. They were going to pack up her things and store them until she came back.    She said when she got back she might go back to her bed or might end up somewhere else.  Turns out they never did move the person to mom's bed so when she got back her part of the room was empty plus no clothes.  I had to get housekeeping to bring all her stuff back and put everything back myself.

I'm not going today because I think I might have caught some of what my husband had.  When I came home from the nursing home today, I slept about 2 hours and I've been coughing.  I think I'm going to rest all day today and hopefully, I'll feel good on Wednesday.  Thank goodness he's finally starting to feel better.

Monday, March 1, 2010

People we see

We usually go to see Mom a certain time every day at the nursing home.

When the weather was nice and even when it started to snow, we would always see this guy we called "the runner".  He was an elderly gentleman.  We would either see him when we were going or coming home from seeing Mom.  Rain, shine or snow there he would be appropriately dressed for the weather and carrying one weight in his hand.  My husband said sometimes when he was out he would see him running other places.  For the last month or so, we haven't seen him.  Isn't it funny someone we don't even know and we're wondering if he's all right.

We also frequently see a woman that carries a bag.  We call her the "bird lady".  She has what looks to be bread in a bag and we see her stop at different places and puts it out for the animals.  Finally, one day we saw where she actually lives. 

Then there were these two old guys.  We only saw them a few days.  The first time we saw them we were making a turn and there were two turning lanes.  We were in the right turning lane and these two guys when they turned went right into our lane.  My husband honked at the guy and they went about their day.  The next day we noticed these two guys again in the same lane.  I told my husband there are the "two grandpas" and this time we waited to see what they would do.  Sure enough after they turned they came right into the lane they weren't supposed to turn into.  This time my husband didn't honk.  We only saw them one more time but we're always on the lookout for them now.