Whirlwind busy!

Today is my last day at home and there is so much to do. I already know what I am wearing to work tomorrow... a cute navy blue travel dress for Coldwater Creek. It is very office appropriate and should work with whatever weather we are having tomorrow... it should be really hot!

Last night as I came up from watering all the flowers, I heard DH on the phone. It was his supervisor, calling to say that he was coming up tomorrow (today) to take his truck. (Bahhhhh! I hate that!)  Anyway, I've been busy getting the rest of the house put in order, as I don't know who is coming with him or if they will be coming inside. It's hot today and very humid. Yuck!

We also got the call from the doctor's office that our copy of DH's surgical report was ready. We quickly went over to Bloom to get it. It's nice to know what took place during the procedure and what they found. DH does not have a rotator cuff issue.. it was intact. He actually has impingement syndrome and they went in and did debriedment and removed his bursa. (I didn't know they could do that.) He had complete inflammation everywhere it was possible. No wonder he couldn't move his arm or raise it up.

I am satisfied that I will have this house back in good order before the day is done... really... it's just laundry that is left to be done. Yesterday was spent getting slacks hemmed up. My hands were hurting by the time it was all done, and felt great to get it all accomplished. I do prefer to wear dresses or skirts and jackets when I work, but these slacks will really expand my wardrobe as I do think office dress is more on the casual side of things.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (August 30th, 2010)...

Outside my window... It's beautiful, warm and sunny... and will be hot this afternoon!

I am thinking... of all the things I need to get done this coming week.

I am thankful for... getting the good news that I am going back to work!

From the kitchen... the smell of fresh baked brownies fills the air. Yummmm!

I am wearing... a navy and white dotted tank dress... and sandals. Quite comfortable.

I am creating... not much to create this week... I'm hemming slacks!

I am going... to start my new job on Wednesday... I've already been to the post office, bank, Fed Ex drop box, grocery store and gas station today. That should cover it!

I am reading... nothing as of this morning, as I finished the last book in my trilogy series... it was so good!

I am hoping... that DH starts to feel better and stronger soon. I wonder just how he will make it when I am not here during the day.

I am hearing... the fan blowing, computer keys clicking, and sleeping dogs.

Around the house... things are fairly picked up... I could do a load of laundry... (always!)

One of my favorite things... is how Punky waits at the top of the stairs for me to come back... it worries me a little that she will do that all the time after Wednesday.

A few plans for the rest of the week: get things ready for work... start work... survive a new schedule!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Tick Tock, Tick Tock!

Sunday is here already? Where has the time gone? I have been very busy being "nurse" to DH. I have been a constant watch-dog over his pain level and trying to keep it within reasonable bounds. It's a lot of work to keep him fed, hydrated, managed on pain and get him showered and dressed. I don't know how he will manage once I go back to work this week.

I am so excited about that last sentence! I am going back to work... I start on Wednesday. I have missed having a routine and actually having to go to work. I seem to have the house in the shape that I want it for now... and in the coming days, I think we will begin to interview for housekeepers. I want to have someone come in 2 to 4 times a month. We agreed that having a housekeeper come in once a week would go a long way in keeping things going because of busy schedules and commutes. Now we just have to find that person that isn't afraid of dogs, because I don't really want to have to crate the kids if I don't have to... they tend to stay out of the way anyway when cleaning is going on.

So... for now and the next couple of days, I will continue to take care of DH, work on getting my working wardrobe into shape, and make sure that the house is ready for me to return to the workforce full time! I know that Nolli-dog will take into stride... Punky will adjust, she's such a needy girl sometimes.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

A Busy Day...

Today... I left myself sleep until 8:30....  it felt so good! The dogs couldn't let me sleep any longer, they both were at my side of the bed, begging to be let out. I checked on DH... he was having a lot of pain this morning, so he took more meds and went back to sleep. I spent a quiet morning working on simple projects that wouldn't wake him.

I did errands as well, today. I went to the post office, ran to the grocery store... and got things straightened up. Then this afternoon I got really ambitious. It started out with just brushing Punky out... and ended up with me giving her a bath in the kitchen sink and Nolli getting a shower in the tub. They are both shiny clean and smelling much better. I let Punky air dry and her coat is looking very nice.

This afternoon is very nice and pleasant. We are relaxing and I am going to be grilling steaks on the grill. DH isn't up to that task, for sure! I may have to take a power nap before hand... I'm a little tired from just reading about my day.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

A Deep Sigh of Relief!

This has been a tough week for me... last week I received a job offer from a national company and went for a drug screen last Friday. They also had to do a criminal background check and credit check... the last one being the one that worried me the most as I have mountains of medical bills. Being a 2 time cancer survivor isn't a "cheap thing" in life... and I keep working on paying stuff... but y'all know how it goes! Anyway... I just got the call that I cleared and I now have a start date of 9/1! It also makes things much easier on us as we don't have income coming in with DH recovering from surgery.

One thing (or two!) that happened today... I found quite humorous! We decided to go up to the Amish Market to get eggs and produce... as I was headed east, we came upon a company truck, driven by DH's supervisor! What were the odds of that happening!?! DH hit him up on the company phone... he was up in the area servicing an CVS. We were very surprised that we came across each other! Also while we were at the market, one of the Amish vendors that we like shared a little about his life with us... I asked where he was coming from and he told us the area that he lives in. We are familiar with it and know about where he lives. He told us his wife had passed this spring... and how hard it was for him. She had had Alzheimer's for 12 years. His kids had come to see him on Sunday... and it made him appreciate the time he had with his wife and all his children under his roof. I told him that my Mom had passed in February with Alzheimer's and it's hard to have her gone. He appreciated that we had reached out to him to care. (Who knew? Amish??? But he does see us quite regularly at his stand.)

So... I am very relieved and so happy to know that God is so faithful to us in our time of need. I get so worried about things and have very little patience for the things I have no control over. (Don't we all?)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Recovering...

It was a loooooooooonnngggg day yesterday, and an even longer night. I managed to get things under control by midnight... but DH was not able to sleep. He said he just laid there all night long. He did wake me up twice, but I managed to get a little rest, probably out of sheer exhaustion!

Today has been interesting... DH has needed a lot of prompting in his self-care. He has to be prompted to take his pain meds... and to remember to hydrate. He doesn't think to eat unless I ask him. I only hope that he can remember what he has to do to get well by next week.

I had a busy "mom" kind of day... I did lots of cooking and cleaning up and acting like the mom... and I'm tired. I can honestly say that if we had small children right now... I'm certain someone would take them from me... because I just don't have the patience nor the energy. My hat is off to all of you Moms right now!

My nerves are shot today... and I have found myself in tears more than once. Please... as I have asked before... please pray for us, and for me.

Tomorrow, I am going to try and get both dogs bathed... am I asking for punishment or what? I also need to try and get to the post office as well... I have to keep reminding myself that I have to do it all right now... DH is definitely on the "Disabled List." So... I'm gonna go and fix myself an tall, icy glass of diet pepsi and go "veg" in front of the tv for a bit!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~S.

Back Home...

It's been a long day... and we are home again. DH has his arm immobilized... and he was in a lot of pain... now that we are home and he is in bed, with pain meds administered, I am taking a moment to breathe. We don't really know the outcome of the surgery... and notes won't be available for a couple of days. I am going to call the office tomorrow and speak to the P/A about what they found. The doctor had already left the hospital by the time DH had come back from recovery. (I think that is wrong... but what do I know?)

So... I'm off to feed and walk dogs, return phone calls and get DH as ready for sleep as I can. I am hoping to get his pain under control before we go to sleep... and I think I can do it with careful monitoring and tramadol for break-through pain.

Peace, Love and Joy! Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

We're Off!

Yeah... ummm.... off to the hopsital for DH to have his right shoulder scoped. I'll be back later!

How My Heart Feels...

Have you ever felt that things were moving too fast and that you were suppose to be on the bus that had already left the terminal? I have had a heavy heart for a dear friend for over a week... and last night I decided to send her a text to check on her... she had to told me in the past that she didn't like to get phone calls while working, as she owns a boutique and is often the only one there. Anyway... she told me that she didn't have many minutes left on her phone but she could text me. Her last text told me to call her at her shop.

I did call her... and it was a very awkward and strange conversation. I hadn't talked to her in a long time... and it felt awkward, to say the least. I have known her for 20 years now, we've been there for each other through many, many tough times and it was this friend that I stayed with my last 2 days before I moved across the country... she drove me to the airport. I don't know if it's my fault (or no ones! The phone and email works both ways!) that we have lost touch and aren't really a part of each other's lives anymore. It was also awkward to hear her ask me. "How's married life?".... ummm... it's good, we've been blessed so far... and it's been over 2 years now, not exactly a newlywed anymore. And I found I wanted to ask her the same question about her marriage... but I didn't. Like I said... the whole thing was awkward.


I do know that my heart hurts as I remember a time of life that we were closest friends... and that time has passed.

Life does go on... and I am surprised that I do feel closer to people that are able to embrace change and embrace technology as part of that change. I know that I have readers who are my friends, some who are family, and some who are readers because they like my style and that I am who I am... as open and transparent as I can be and still not get into too much trouble.

We talked about health stuff... and she sounded more than a little contrite about her health issues, and I decided that I wasn't going to go into any issues other than having my right knee injected recently. I am struggling with this phone call and how it has made me feel... I guess no matter who we are and where we've been, we all want to go home again... only to find that you really can't. Home is actually where you make it... and friends are family you choose for yourself. It just hurts sometimes when friends decide to pull up their walls and won't let you in anymore. To those of you who still let me in... thank you for your love and friendship... it means more than you know.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

PS.... we still covet your prayers for DH and his surgery which is scheduled for tomorrow and for me...  as I've applied for a job that I would do very well at... I hope I get it.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (August 23rd, 2010)...

Outside my window... it's cloudy and overcast... rain is in the forecast for today.

I am thinking... of all the things I need to accomplish in the coming week, getting DH ready for his surgery.

I am thankful for... health insurance, the good company that DH works for, prayer, family and friends.

From the kitchen... there are yummy leftovers from yesterday, homemade thick crust pizza, a really good stew and cookies!

I am wearing... a long black and white striped tank dress and my black birki sandals.

I am creating... a more orderly closet... and working on my cookbook.

I am going... to the bread store later, and to tackle my sewing pile... it's more getting slacks hemmed... but it's several pairs of slacks!

I am reading... an oldie but a goodie... Lake Wobegon Days.

I am hoping... for a good outcome on DH's shoulder surgery... and good news about something else.

I am hearing... the tv in the bedroom as DH rests, Nolli-dog snoring behind me, and traffic through the open window.

Around the house... there are only a few things out of place, it's fairly neat and orderly.

One of my favorite things... leftovers for dinner...

A few plans for the rest of the week: DH's surgery on Wednesday... and just keeping him comfortable before and after the procedure.

That's how life is this week. Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Saturday Morning Special

I woke up super early... I do that when things weigh on my mind and heart. DH had a tough evening with pain... and I worked hard to get his pain level down. We did ice packs for awhile, then later, I switched to moist heat with the heating pad. I rubbed his shoulder and arm down with Biofreeze. I stayed on a tight schedule of meds and added a muscle relaxer at bedtime. He said that he only woke up twice during the night and was able to go back to sleep. He woke up feeling much better today. He decided to immobilize his arm today to rest his shoulder. That should go a long way in helping to manage his pain.

I did lay back down for a little while this morning... and got about 2 more hours of rest. Then I went out with the dogs, got the paper and had a quiet time, reading and enjoying the cool morning air. (It went down to the mid 50's last night!) When DH finally woke up for the day... I set to making some breakfast... fresh Amish eggs, scrambled with Amish made colby cheese, toast spread with Amish butter, orange juice and good coffee. Good, wholesome flavor... and I loved that as I used Jumbo eggs, most were double yolkers.

Later today, we'll be headed out to one of the local farms to get fresh picked corn for dinner. We've tried several farm stands, and Burgers Farm has the best... and they do pick it fresh everyday. I'm sure I get some tomatoes and hopefully they'll have green beans too... All good stuff to have while it lasts. I love summer time  and how good such fresh produce makes meal planning so easy and delightful!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Still Holding My Breath!

We are waiting on the Lord to move in mysterious ways... I don't know how... I don't know what... but God does... and that's all that matters. Please keep us in your prayers. The stress of it all is about to do me in... and I have to constantly keep letting God have control over what is going on. (And that's never been my strong suit... I always want control!)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Thursday Silliness... trying to keep my sense of humor~

Silliness abounds around us... I woke up at 8:00 this morning... I made myself sleep a little longer. I was pretty wiped out by yesterday. It was very cool this morning, in the low 60's. I got myself together, ate my breakfast and surfed all my usual sites this morning while the news was on. (Remember that part... )

I decided that I was going to go outside and enjoy the cool morning air, plink around on my laptop and just generally chill. I also needed to water the flowers. DH decided to come down with me... and who should we run into, but none other than the landlord. He had been hanging around since about 8:30 this morning. He was getting antsy because a recycling service was going be coming to remove the fridge from the house in front. We somehow managed to say that we would take care of it for him so he could go on with his day... heck, we had nothing else to do!

Anyway... I got cold, so I came upstairs. DH was already back upstairs, taking care of his meds and icing his shoulder according to our little "set schedule". I realized that I needed to go to the post office this morning to mail out our water bill... (we aren't allowed to pay in person... mail only!) I mentioned to DH that I was leaving... and Pumpkin decided that she wanted to go along. (It was only 70 degrees at that point, so it was ok.) We headed to the post office, I did my thing... picked up the mail, etc.) I came home to DH sitting in my chair at the patio table... with his laptop. I sat down at the table and we went through our little stack of mail.

We had to laugh because there was an envelope from Child Services from Connecticut... and inside was a check... for a whopping $1.76! While we were sitting there... a very loud warning siren came blaring from the center of town... and it was very LONG... and very LOUD. DH looked at me... and asked if they had ever done this before... I could only tell him that it was a county wide test... and it had been announced on the morning news cast... to which, he had been sitting next to me on the sofa when I heard it on the news! (ahhh... silliness!)

Great Googly -Moogly! I came upstairs... and as I came into the living room, Nolli-dog let out a whimper, he was quite frightened by all that noise. I decided to make myself a sandwich for an early lunch... (cereal doesn't really last that long with all the trips up and down the stairs.) Just as I was done making my sandwich and deciding if I was going to eat in the kitchen or go back down stairs... the door bell rang. It was the recycling service, and they were instructed by the landlord to come to us to get into the basement to remove the item they were coming for. I got downstairs... took them over to the basement.... and then my phone rang. It was my landlord asking if I minded letting them in.... ummmmm... yeah, I told you that I would do it!

Now, as I sit here... the yard guys have shown up to cut the grass. Yet again, I have to ask them to be sure and cut the areas that are suppose to be cut... they have a great tendency to miss a lot... they can be very quick with the cut... so you have to get out there fast and let them know... I sent DH to do it! (Aren't I just evil!) So... on with the rest of this crazy, silly day. We have DH's last physical therapy appointment tonite, he won't go back until 2 weeks after his shoulder surgery. I just want to get through these next few days... and try not to worry about things... I have to keep faith that God will work it all out!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Ummmm... It's Wednesday.

I am still stressed to the max. Worker's Comp is starting to yank our chain. I went on a job interview today... I really hope I get this job... because it's a job that I can do well... and leave at the office. I won't know about it until early next week. Please send up good vibes and silent prayers that I will be the one they want.

I was good and went to Good Will today and donated several bags of clothes, shoes and handbags. They didn't even bother to give me a donation slip for taxes... don't they do that anymore? My house is fairly clean... I think I will dust again today. (See? ... my mind is cluttered with stuff, I can't even write a decent post!) .... breathe... remember to.... breathe.... breathe... nice and slow.

Thanks for reading this drivel today! Be blessed.
~Suzanne

Tryin' not to lose my mind!

It's been a crazy few days around here. DH is still home... we are at 3 1/2 weeks. We went to the doctor today. I went to get my 3rd and last knee injection of this series. (I can have another set in 6 months! Thereby prolonging having my right knee replaced until... say.. next summer?) I also discovered that I can have injections in my other knee... that may help with my healing process. (It still hurts alot when I am sitting or using stairs.)

Anyway... we also discovered that DH is going to need to have surgery on his shoulder. We were fortunate enough to get on the schedule for next Wednesday, the 25th. If not, we would have had to wait another month. I have all kinds of emotions about this... panic, fear, oh crap!... all being some of those. It's a process... and we both would appreciate your prayers in the days ahead. We (I) need lots and lots of grace right now. All I can say is that at least I have a date for something to happen and then a date for when DH won't be so far up my backside that he practically blinks before I do! (It's bad... the man is always at my side these days... and I swear, he makes my mind up before me! I love him... but I need some space too!

That's what is new around here! Thanks for reading... be blessed!

Lost in the Closet...

I've been in my closets today... doing more purging and some organizing. I am making headway... and can actually see where are my (remaining) shoes are now. It's a good feeling, but I still need to add a couple of organizing pieces to my closet. And I need to move the clothes bar back about 4 inches. (I really don't want to do that because I'll have to take all the clothing out on that one side.) But if I did that... I would gain some valuable real estate just inside the door for the aforementioned closet organizer.

In the guest room closet... I was able to really organize a good deal of our linens, some Christmas stuff and odds and ends of things I am not yet ready to part with. One of my goals this summer was to get a handle on how things have a tendency to either not get put away (because of space issues) or get tossed into the guest room to be dealt with later. I can confess that I am a card carrying member of the procrastinators club for most of my life. I understand that I come by that tendency genetically, no matter how hard I try!

That's what's  happening here! Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Saturday Random Bits...

We are continuing to rake it easy today. I am continuing being the "scheduler" to remind DH to take his ibuprofen on schedule and to ice his shoulder. He's getting the hang of it... I just need to keep reminding him.

We ate a quick lunch and then headed up to the Pocono Amish Market... we actually got there rather late. There were no yummy handdone sausages... and most of the bread and eggs were gone. We ended up getting some yukon gold potatoes, carrots, more small red onions, a couple more zucchini and a dozen snicker doodles. (I need to bake my own... maybe when it becomes fall?)

We took Punky with us... she is such a little nervous nellie in the car sometimes. This trip was no different... she couldn't decide if she wanted to be in the front seat with us or in her little bed in the back. I held her for a good portion of the trip and then sat in DH's lap. Coming home, we put her in the backseat and she settled down fairly well. We turned on Colby Callait and enjoyed the drive home.

I did stop at one of the local roadside stands... one that actually has a farm west of town and they grow their own corn. We picked up corn for dinner... and after we have that, we can decide who we think has the best in the area... as we've sampled just about everyone in the area now. We just love having corn roasted on the grill next to a good NY steak smothered in montreal steak seasoning. That's good summer eating!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Cool... Friday!

It's a much cooler day... and it feels good to have the windows open wide and the fans blowing fresh air into the house. We had to talk Nolli-dog into the vet this morning... it was stitch removal day. I waited out in the car since my track record with that stuff hasn't been too good. (I get very queasy... not good while holding a dog!) DH took him into the exam room and Nolli did get quite anxious... but he did really well with the stitch removal... it didn't even phase him!

We did end up going up to Wilkes-Barre today... the trip involved a work related thing. While I was sitting in the waiting room... there was a guy who came in and he worked for Service-Pro. He sat next to me... and told me about his hand. He was on a job site removing an old storm window and it fell, hitting his left hand. His middle finger won't stay in place now... yuck! He said that he tried to cut and break a piece of sheetrock using his left hand... and it wouldn't hold it in place. That's got to feel weird and yucky! He told me about a few other jobs that they have been on... and that they also do work-site accident clean-ups. Ewwww!

Enough of that... we are home... and DH is taking a nap. He really didn't get any sleep last night. I can't let him sleep too long or he won't sleep tonite! I have left over grilled chicken that I am going to slice and put homemade pesto on it... and serve with 4 cheese tortellini with fresh diced mozzarella, green onions and tomatoes... some alfredo sauce and fresh basil and flat leaf parsley thrown in.... sounds quite good to me!

We are glad for cooler temperatures... that should help on my electric bill. Punky and Nolli are happy and hanging out near the kitchen door... waiting for their dinner.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

A Quiet, Rainy Day.

Today has been a quiet day at home. It was rainy when I woke up and I left DH to sleep in... he needed it. He hasn't really been sleeping these last couple of weeks. He has trouble falling asleep and wakes in the wee hours of the morning. To see him sleeping was a good thing. Nolli-dog is partial to sleeping in as well... he is a cave dweller, he likes it when it's dark and cool. So it was just me and Punky in the dampness of the morning.

With the quiet and the emptiness of both the flower shop and the front house... sometimes, we are the only ones around here during the day. Sometimes, the workers that are coming to give quotes for work on the house will come to our door looking for the landlord... today was one of those times. We are as helpful as we can be, but I sometimes feel bad that I don't have the information that those workers are seeking.

It's been raining off and on today... and we were coming across the city this evening and got caught in a huge downpour.  (I know that it may be confusing... we do live in a small town... just 3 miles away from a fairly large city of 85,000.) DH had another physical therapy appointment that was downtown. I had intended to stop at the store to pick up ingredients needed for dinner, but with the rain, we decided to swing into one of the fast food places that we pass on our way down into the valley where we live. By doing that, we ate dinner much sooner than if I had cooked... it would have ended up being quite late and we don't like to eat after 6:00 if we can help it. But tomorrow... I plan on gathering those dinner ingredients and fixing a good home style Italian pasta dinner! Did I tell y'all that last weekend, we harvested a good portion of the basil that we grew this year? We made some pesto (without the parm) and IOF froze it. It's in nice little portions, ready to thaw and add Parmesan cheese and have for dinner! Yummm!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Grace Under Pressure

Yesterday was a bit of a crazy day with getting paperwork in order, having lab work done and my having mu 2nd knee injection of Eufflexxa. By the time we got back home, ate lunch and sent off paperwork, I was more than a little fried.

We decided to grill chicken for dinner and decided that we would eat dinner before we left for DH's physical therapy session as we wouldn't be back home until 7:30 by the time we made the trip back across the city.
We made it home at about the time I estimated, 7:30 and I rested for just about an hour. Then I went down to water the flowers as it was just after sunset and I could still see what I was doing... ( for a little while at least.)

Just as I was finishing up with the watering... DH came outside to join me. We still needed to get a couple of things done... like take the trash can up to the road. (Thank goodness it's on wheels and I can do it!) Anyway... Punky came downstairs with DH... I  got everything watered and then sat down in one of the patio chairs with Punky-dog. She wanted to be held and I snuggled her and talked to her and even sang to her. She seemed to enjoy it... and then I realized that she was going into a seizure. DH was down at the bottom of the stairs and he ran upstairs to grab honey out of the cupboard. I ran to the top of the stairs with Punky in my arms to meet him. We got about 3 good doses of honey down her... I just held her and  calmed her. It took about 3 minutes for her to totally stop with her tremor. Of course, after expending all that energy, she was ravenously hungry. (That is normal after a dog has a seizure.) We spent quite a bit of time on the couch, keeping her calm and quiet. I was very surprised at myself for being able to run up the stairs while holding 10 pounds of trembling dog. And also surprised that I didn't cry... that's usually my first response to something that scares me! And as of this morning, all seems well.

Please keep us in your prayers as DH is still off of work and we are going through the process for Worker's Compensation. Things are going to be tight around here for awhile. I am in hopes of going back to work myself... it's all in what the good Lord leads as of this point.

Thanks for reading...be blessed!
~Suzanne

Record Round-Up Race Around

Yesterday, being Monday, meant that we were home for the day with no scheduled appointments. My local supermarket was having a great sale on chicken and I actually went to the store all by myself for the first time in 2 weeks! It felt great... even though I was worried I'd spend too much money. (Hey... I saved $12.99 on all the chicken I bought!)

When I got home and unpacked all the groceries, the phone rang. It ended up being the insurance adjuster for DH's work claim. He said that he needed all of DH's paperwork from all of his doctors visits... and... the deadline for all of it was tomorrow! I quickly made a battle plan... and we set out to retrieve all the records.  We hit the 2 doctors offices, and the hospital and DH called P/T and made arrangements to pick up their records the next morning... meaning today! We have everything to date now... and DH is preparing to get them sent off now.

I also went to see my Orthopaedic doctor today for my second injection. She managed to inject my knee on the inside this time... and it still hurt like heck! But, once again, I started to feel better as soon as it was done. I did have her check my left knee... I still have clicking and stiffness. I am due to have an annual  x-ray on it at the end of September. She said she'd have an appointment for me on my last injection. Seems that she didn't like the feel or sound of my knee. (See... there's a reason I'm not ready to have the right knee done!)

So... for now, we are hunkered in under the air conditioner... it's still blazing hot and humid! (I could not get my hair to dry this morning... it was awful.) But they tell us cooler temperatures will arrive tomorrow. I hope so! I want to sit outside and use my patio table while it's still summer. Signs of fall are already making a few appearances... leaves are starting to drop off a few of the maple trees. (That and I can't believe that school starts in 2 weeks.)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (August 9th, 2010)...

Outside my window... the sun is shining bright, there is a slight breeze and there is virtually no traffic.

I am thinking... of errands that need to done in the next couple of days

I am thankful for... a good report back from the Vet, that Nolli is fine and his lump was benign. He finally let us get his bandage off last night!

From the kitchen... there are good leftovers for lunch, and marinade waiting for chicken to soak!

I am wearing... my usual... jeans, white t-shirt of some sort and sandals.

I am creating... not much more than good food since DH is home.

I am going... to the grocery store in awhile. Then the post office (What I call the bad news box... )

I am reading... a fairly good murder mystery called "Lethally Blond"... pretty good so far.

I am hoping... for good MRI results for DH's shoulder.

I am hearing... the fans blowing in the windows, and DH reading the morning paper.

Around the house... there are dishes to be loaded in the dishwasher, and the  frozen pesto that we made from our basil plants needs to be bagged into freezer bags. Rugs need to be laundered today.

One of my favorite things... having tacos for dinner last night... so good and filling... and having left overs!

A few plans for the rest of the week: Fasting blood work tomorrow, my knee injection tomorrow as well... P/T appointments for DH... and waiting for test results. Oh.. and Nolli needs his stitches removed.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

It's hard to believe that we will be celebrating her 1 year anniversary of coming to live with us!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!   ~Suzanne

Quiet Sunday... we hope!

Sunday mornings around here can be pretty quiet. This one is no different. We have been enjoying good coffee and the morning newspaper and a simple breakfast of cheese omelette's, toast and juice. As I look around the house, there are a few chores that need to be done, dusting being one of them. (I dislike dusting... I sneeze all the way through it!) Once the house is in order... I think that we will just be outside on the patio for a good portion of the day... at least until it gets too hot to be outside.

This morning during breakfast, we discussed some of the projects we would like to do on this house in the coming year. (Note... that means not in the near future... but after things return to normal... maybe starting things in the spring.) We are thinking of painting the dining room... and we are thinking of recovering the dining room chair seats. We will decide at that time, if we are taking down the false ceiling in the living room or just painting the panels of the false ceiling. If  we take down the false ceiling... we will have to trim out the top of all the paneling in that room. (I hate paneling... but can't remove it, because what's underneath is worse!) We also have fabric to make cornices for the living room. But we are not ready to start that project until later on in the fall.

We are striving for a peaceful and fairly relaxed day... tacos are on the menu for tonight. (A nice and filling dinner!) Last night we had a great dinner outside... bbq'd chicken done with a dry rub, deep fried zucchini and jalapeno poppers for DH. We ate rather late, but it was nice and cool outside. We could hear the band playing up at the municipal building for Valley Days. We loved hearing the crowd sing along to some of the songs... it both gave us quite a chuckle. Later, there were fireworks lit off... we stayed home because of the crowd... there's only one way in and one way out... so we weren't up for crowds and my knee's have been hurting so I wasn't up for a hike either. There was a lot of foot traffic from families going up with their kids and lots of teenagers as well. Life in a small town in the summer! So... I'm off to get my chores done... and then go outside and sit with the DH and the dogs amidst the flowers.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Sanitized

Sorry everyone... I had to shut down my blog for maintenance and content removal. Everything that needed to be changed has been done... You may now commence to reading! =)

~Suzanne

Layin' Low

We are layin' low today... the most exciting thing we did was go over the mountain to a farm market to buy string beans, corn and tomatoes. We did sit outside for a little bit and enjoy the afternoon sun. Sitting outside, we could hear the music playing up at the borough building on Main Street. Lots of traffic up and down our avenue today for Valley Days.

Last night was the firemen's parade... we brought chairs up to our neighbor's front yard to watch. It was fun and we saw so many well kept trucks and units from our surrounding area. One ladder truck even had a beautiful dalmatian riding up front. We like our little town and how the simple things in life can mean so much. Later, after the sun went down, we came outside to water the flowers and sit in the dark. The cooler low front moved through and dropped the temperature way down to 60 degrees. It felt so good! We sat and talked in the dark and looked at the stars... and listened to crickets and frogs. Sometimes... it really is all about the simple things in life!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Trying Not To Eat A House...

The events of this past week have made me quite nervous and tense. (I am not always so sweet and pleasant when it comes to health issues, worker's comp and not having a paycheck coming anytime soon.)
I know I'm suppose to have faith in God the Father, that he will indeed work things out... but I have it in my nature to sometimes "freak out" beyond my wildest dreams. When I get stressed... I want to eat... and I want to eat everything in my path. Any leftovers in the fridge now don't stand a chance of being around for tomorrow!

I can say this... my house is clean. My kitchen is spotless. My bathroom is clean... and the dogs are taking cover at the sound of the vacuum cleaner running every couple of hours, because they've been laying around on the floor. Stress is just a wonderful motivator, at times!

There are a couple of bright sides to all my turmoil. We still have a little money in the bank... and we have some investment money that we can "cash in" if need be. AND... I got a call from the Vet's office, Nolli-dog's tumor was benign... it was a subcutaneous mass on the outside of his elbow. (Poor baby... he won't let us take off his bandages yet.) AND... DH contacted my computer manufacturer... my laptop is still under warranty and they sent him a new hard drive and software to reinstall in my laptop. It took him just over 2 days to get it all up and running, in between going to doctor's appointments, physical therapy and his MRI. I am actually once again sitting outside, writing at my patio table.

And... tonite is the start of Vally Days... we will be able to sit on the porch at the front house and watch the annual fireman's parade. Yesterday, they were working on out street and had the road closed. It was very quiet... and all the neighbors who needed to leave out block had to come through the front driveway and turn up through ours to get to the street. It was actually kind of humorous as we were sitting outside reading the newspaper as people were leaving for work... we just kept our heads buried in the paper and ignored what was happening. It was very quiet for most of the day... It's rare to have our road closed... but it was so nice and peaceful too!

It suppose to be cooler weather here for the next few days... that will be nice for everyone going to Vally Days. I am certain we will just be sitting out here, enjoying the weather, the noise, and some good food.... I need to watch just how much I eat these days! (I think I hear a rind-ding call my name!)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Tonight... We Recover!

Almost everyone in this house had a doctors visit today! We took Nolli-dog in for surgery to have a growth removed from his elbow this morning. We picked him up around 11:30. He was groggy, but it wasn't as bad as when he had his dewclaws removed, his teeth cleaned and had 2 tumors removed from his tummy all at once. I think where his IV catheter was placed in his left front leg bothers him the most. (They went and left all the tape on it... he does not want us to try and take it off.)

(Removed from prying and sneaky eyes... ahem!)

When the P.A. came in to examine DH, she did a double take... and realized that it was in fact, me sitting in the next chair! She was very interested in why I hadn't scheduled my right knee yet. I told her that I was not "mentally ready" and I still had pain in my left knee while on the stairs. I was thinking of having my right knee injected with Hyalgan again. She said she had something new that was only 3 injections and that she could inject me today! I said ok... and when she was done with DH, she did bring in a box of injection medicine and injected my knee... and she didn't use any freezing spray. And it hurt!!!! She told me that I had the tightest knee joint she'd ever injected and that I didn't have much room in there! I told her that I already knew that... my right knee should have been first one done, but the pain in my left one over-ruled that. I am scheduled for the next 2 Tuesdays. She really wants me to schedule getting my right knee done. I will have to think about it... but as of tonight, my right knee feels so much better!

So... tonight, Nolli is getting lots of extra attention from Mom. He gets to hang out on the sofa with us and gets lots of pain relieving massage. DH continues to do his therapy and ice... and I am trying my hardest not to over do it. (I did take a huge nap (of 30 minutes) after the news. Please pray for us as we go through this next week without any vacation days or sick leave... it's gonna be very tight! Pray for DH to be able to recover from his shoulder issue.

Thanks for reading... be blessed.

A Busy, Worrysome Day Ahead.

This morning I have to take Nolli-dog back to the vet's office. Yesterday we took him to be examined as he has a new red growth that showed up this week on his elbow. It's not in a good spot. And it grew fast. The Vet didn't think that it was too serious, he felt it and Nolli didn't flinch... so that was a good sign. He's more concerned about where it is on his body, being right at the elbow, where it gets a lot of pressure and it gets all of Nolli's weight on it when he gets up.

It's been tough this last evening to keep Nolli quiet... and to keep him from constantly begging for treats and wanting water. Punky seems to be adjusting... and she's taken up residence in her little crate in the bedroom.

(Content removed from prying and sneaky eyes... ahem!)

I am holding it together quite well as I write this... but then, I can fall apart at any moment. I usually do hold it together and lose it later!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (August 2nd, 2010)...
Outside my window... the air is cool and pleasant. It's very quiet this morning.
I am thinking... of all the things that need to be done today, taking Nolli-dog to the vet.
I am thankful for... a comfortable home, a hardworking husband and my 2 loving dogs.
From the kitchen... there are still good things to eat from the Amish Farm Market. Lots of donut peaches, vegetables and baked goods.
I am wearing... my usual outfit, jeans, white t-shirt and sandals
I am creating... a new lap quilt... done is colors to compliment my sofa.
I am going... to take Nolli-dog to the vet today, Over the weekend, we discovered that he has a new growth on his right elbow that is the size of a quarter.
I am reading... my quilting pattern, over and over before I cut anything.
I am hoping... that my laptop can be revived, or at least we can get the hard drive replaced... (I just paid it off!)
I am hearing... the is on... DH is blow drying his hair, and someone is speeding down our street.
Around the house... Punky is asleep in her crate, laundry needs to be done and the dishwasher needs to be ran.
One of my favorite things... going to the Amish Market, and all the good food we get, and being able to interact with such interesting, hardworking people.
A few plans for the rest of the week: DH has an appointment with my Orthopaedic Doctor to have his shoulder evaluated, and I am hoping my laptop can be fixed.

Thanks for reading... be blessed.
~Suzanne

Sunday Morning HaHaHa's!

This was sent to DH by a wonderful friend from one of his work facilities... we apologize in advance if we offend anyone... we are not people who are prone to be descriminatory to anyone. We just found this joke to be very funny... given the circumstances of how we each grew up.

~~~~~~~~~~~
Bacon Tree

Two Mexicans are stuck in the desert after crossing into the United States ,
wandering aimlessly and starving. They are about to just lie down and wait for death, when all of a sudden Luis says.........

"Hey Pepe, do you smell what I smell? Ees bacon, I theenk."

"Si, Luis, eet sure smells like bacon. "

With renewed hope they struggle up the next sand dune, & there, in the distance,
is a tree loaded with bacon.

There's raw bacon, there's fried bacon, back bacon, double smoked bacon ... every
imaginable kind of cured pork.

"Pepe, Pepe, we ees saved. Ees a bacon tree."

"Luis, maybe ees a meerage? We ees in the desert don't forget."

"Pepe, since when deed you ever hear of a meerage that smell like bacon...ees
no meerage, ees a bacon tree."

And with that, Luis staggers towards the tree. He gets to within 5 metres,
Pepe crawling close behind, when suddenly a machine gun opens up, and Luis drops
like a wet sock. Mortally wounded, he warns Pepe with his dying breath,

"Pepe... go back man, you was right, ees not a bacon tree!"

"Luis, Luis mi amigo... what ees it? "

"Pepe.. ees not a bacon tree. Ees...

Ees...


Ees...


Ees...



Ees...
a ham bush...."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HaHAhAHAHAHA!!!!! We both laughed so hard at this. Mostly in part because we watched "Everybody Loves Raymond" last night before we went to bed. We love a good laugh around here... and we often wonder what people think as they walk past our house in the evening's when we are doubled over in laughter as we watch our favorite shows like 2 1/2 Men or reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne