Planning

Would it be wrong to say that I am already planning my flower beds and plantings for Spring in my head? I can't help it... we're done with Christmas and soon will hit the New Year, but I'd rather be getting ready to get my clay pots out and start hitting the green houses. (If I did it now... they would all be closed anyway.)

I guess my southern California blood still runs strong through my veins that I want to be planning on my garden. I don't really know what I will be planting this spring as it depends on how I will be functioning "medically" by that time of year. I see 3 of my doctors in January and we will soon be deciding what issues will be taken care of in the coming months. We can only wait and see at this point... but I haven't scheduled anything with my orthopaedic surgeon yet. And that depends on how well I continue to walk and move about until my right knee tells me that enough is enough.

This past week has been a tough week for me. I have been coming out of being in a "hypo-thyroid state" and all the great side affects that come with it. I'm still cold, but it has gotten better in the last week. I am still very sleepy, but I am able to function with a nap. And as far as my tummy feels... I still have issues with feeling well. I get queasy so easily. I also have to be vigilant with Aleve to keep my body aches in check or I become an "unhappy camper" in  zero to 60 in a blink of an eye.

It's been an adjustment to get used to being at home. I don't miss the stress of getting to work every morning, especially with the snow and ice we've been having lately. I don't miss the constant pressure of meeting percentage numbers all the time nor the constant surveillance of my supervisor monitoring every little action, email or call I made and wanting me to justify my work. (It drove me to distraction and took time away from what I was doing.) I don't know if I will look for something else or not... I will have to wait and see.

~Suzanne

Freezing

Yep... I said it's FREEZING!

Actually... for December, the weather has been quite good. Only a few days of severe weather. Most of the month has been rainy with a few good days thrown in here and there. But for me, it doesn't really matter as I have been in a Crazy state of Hypo-thyroidism and I am nothing but COLD and sleepy.

Poor DH is sleeping in the guest room so he can have a fan blowing on him since I have the heat cranked up and 25 blankets on the bed. My feet are so cold that they keep me awake... distracting me from being able to fall asleep. I have a thick fleece throw that I use during the day, all bundled up with a wool pashmina wrapped around my arms and chest.

I am happy to say that yesterday was my "labs" day and today I started back on my synthroid. I can't wait for this to build up in my system and get back to a semi-normal state. I find that I have short bursts of energy and then I have to sleep... at least 2 hours at a time. I am trying to get myself on a normal schedule since quitting work... but it has been impossible to get one started as of yet.

I am grateful to DH for allowing me to be home while I go thru this medical stuff. He was right in wanting me to stop working. I would not have made it. Along with being cold, I have a terrible lack of attention span and short term memory as of late. And I am cranky from time to time. I am really working on trying to recognize my crankiness and redirecting myself... not easy in this state.

So... I am keeping on... and dealing with a foggy brain while trying to do the basics at home. Yikes!

Thanks for reading... Please stay blessed!
~Suzanne

I went!

My doctor requested that I attend a dietary education class for diabetes as part of my "education"in dealing with being a type 2 insulin diabetic. It wasn't something I was looking forward to at all. I almost didn't go... I hadn't slept well and was feeling quite cold and sluggish with being in my hypo-thyroid state lately. I am very glad I went.

It was nice to have a discussion almost one on one with someone who is also diabetic insulin dependent. She did give me some tips about things I had never known. How to deal with having a low blood sugar and that I should only have 15 grams of carbs to bring it back up... 1 glass of juice should do it. Even though I want to eat and drink everything in sight to get rid of that low. And she explained how to do carb counting and how many carbs to have per meal. Good stuff to know.

I came home and was getting ready to have lunch. I gave myself my lunch time shot and sat down to wait for the 15 - 20 minutes I am suppose to wait before I eat. I was so exhausted that looked at the computer screen for about 5 seconds before I fell sound asleep... and stayed zonked out until 5:30~ That's ridiculous! I sure wasn't planning on doing that for my day. I had stuff to do... and zonking out wasn't on that list. I have an ultrasound scheduled this afternoon on my thyroid and labs scheduled for Monday and then I can start back on my Synthroid.

I am trying to get started on a couple of Christmas gifts even tho I have yet to decorate for the holiday. I don't know that we will, DH has been working so much that I don't have the heart to ask him to bring all those boxes from the basement loft area and have to take them back down once I am done, only to have to bring them out again in 3 weeks to take it all down. I have a few things that I have purchased in October and November that will help with the holiday spirit... but I don't know that I will be doing an entire 6 foot tree with all the lights and bows this year. I hope that next year will be different and I have more energy to do all the fun stuff we do around here for Christmas.

Thanks for reading!
~Suzanne

A Little Bit "Trying"

I am happy to say that I am once again a stay at home wife. DH has begged me for the last 8 or so months to stop working because of the stress level of the job. I finally listened when I had used up all of my sick leave and then used a week of vacation time while I was on bed rest for a relapse on a medical procedure that was done in April.

Now that I am home...  it's been a little crazy around here. I seem to have a never ending honey-do list and seem to drive DH just a little nutso with wanting to get things done. Things are starting to get done and I am happy to report that I have a crafting area set up in the guest room. I haven't had a designated craft area for over 10 years. I am quite excited about it. And I can't wait to share some of my upcoming projects.

I am also working on my health... and it seems to be taking a toll. I have finally seen an endocrinologist and she is treating both my thyroid issues (and possible recurrence of my cancer) and my diabetes. Dealing with both of these issues at the same time has thrown me for a loop. Changes in medications have left me with extreme fatigue and extreme coldness. I find that I only have just so much energy and require a huge amount of sleep. I have more tests this week and labs next week. I can't wait to go back on thyroid meds and start feeling good again.

Thanks for reading! Please stay blessed!
~Suzanne

Finally Home and Loving It!

My last day of work was last Thursday... and I am so thrilled to finally have it over with. As I worked part-time during my last month, the expectation of keeping all my work the same status quo as I did while working full-time just about undid me. I had a supervisor who had very unreal expectations and a very domineering yet subtle devious manner who would email digs and make rude remarks in front of my coworkers caused me to take in the hostility and render my back almost useless with holding all my anger in... needless to say, every night, my back pain was off the charts!

My farewell from work was lovely. I had started to bring home my belongings a few days earlier so I ended up with only 2 small boxes of stuff to carry out on the last day. There was a "dip social" at 10:30 that was moved to our large conference room to become a going away party for me! There were so many good things to eat... including frosted brownies in my honor. There was a lovely card and a very generous gift card to Hobby Lobby wishing me well as I returned home to work on getting healthy and work on crafts.

So now that I am home... I have been a little busy with cleaning and putting the house back in order. We are trying to pare down a little bit and make things a little easier for me to do the upkeep. We shall see just how well I do as I have just discovered from my doctor that I am now out of remission for my papillary/follicular thyroid cancer and we are beginning the work of getting me back to a state of repression. (I knew when my last doctor, tho I loved him, had not made a good move when he changed my levothyroxine dosage.) I am dealing with fatigue and coldness and hoarseness and unwanted weight gain. I want to sleep all the time and simple things like doing dishes or cooking and shopping are kicking my tail.

I am doing a little work on getting the guestroom retro fitted to be my crafting studio. I am very excited about that. It's a process as I have to ask DH to go through his things and move them downstairs to the basement. He isn't using the space as an office anymore since changing jobs... he doesn't have to bring paperwork home anymore. I am excited to start creating again and having space to do it. I used to work at the dining room table, but since DH bought us a new set, I hesitate do anything other than eat at that beautiful table.

I've been doing more cooking in the last month. It's been a little bit of a challenge for me to think of new things to make for dinner. I need to start chronicling what I do and discover in the kitchen... like I did in the early days of this blog. We shall see if I can get it together to do that, too! So... there you have it, the latest in what's going on around here... and the hopes I have in the coming months as I readjust to becoming a stay at home wife again.

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day!
~Suzanne

Our Busy Day!

Last night after DH got home from work... he decided to take me out to dinner. We headed north for his favorite place, Red Robin, for burgers. It was a delicious idea and afterward, we hit Wegmans to do our weekly shopping. Some parts of the store were pretty picked over but we managed to find what we needed. It was great because there weren't too many people and no screaming, crying children to be heard.

We had errands to do today... like head up to Shickshinny to my favorite little gently used gift shop, The Holey Cow. I had several things on hold that I needed to pick up... one of which was a 7 foot tall bird house! They pictures of it posted on Facebook and I told Jeff that I wanted it. There were 3 other people that saw it after me... all wanting it. One even offered to pay more for it, but Carole said nope!

After that... we headed west, had some breakfast at our favorite place and then went to price band saws. From there, we went to the Wal*marts to do some shopping for the stuff we didn't get last night. We headed towards home and DH dropped me off at the nail salon while he went up the hill to the auto parts store to get everything he needed to do an oil change for his truck. We ended up being gone for most of the day and we both wanted nothing more than to put jammies on tonight and chill out in front of the tv.

So... we are all snug and cozy on this chilly November night. Punky has has her dinner and is sleeping at the other end of the sofa from me. DH is in his chair with his lap top and we have reruns of Cosby on... while we both putter around. This is living! And we love it!

Thanks for reading... stayed blessed!
~Suzanne

Tighter Than A Banjo String

Yeppers.... That would be my back! After only working 3 days this week, my back is so tight from the stress, I can barely move. Kinda makes it hard to enjoy my day off. I have lots I want to accomplish today, but I need to pace myself. It's all mostly housework, and some of it will have to wait for DH to get home this afternoon.

My stress level for work has gone through the roof as they realize I am not going to be there to handle all the little "ins and outs" of the location I cover. Some of my co-workers have finally realized just how much I do and the numbers I can get when it all goes according to plan.It's not easy to get down to below 7% on a location that does an average billable amount of 1.4 million a month and I am responsible for collecting what rolls over. It's daunting and if I'm gone for even 1 day... it can all fall apart. I will be sad to not be working, but I will not miss the stress of it.

We did get some wonderful news on the work front for DH... his plant goes on a 4 week layoff starting on Monday. He will not be included in that layoff. Yippee!!!! We prayed hard about that and have worked hard to save as much as we could in case that would happen. He even signed up for his unemployment benefits and got his wait-week applied because of Hurricane Sandy. But it looks like we won't be needing that! (Huge sigh of relief)

Oh... we did not get any snow with the latest N'or Easter... It got cold and I did see a couple of snow flakes on one of the mountain summits I go over on my way home from work... but that was all, I am hoping that the snow waits to start flying until I am safely home and off the roads for work. I have just 9 days of work left... and I can't wait.

Time to get busy and get on with my day. I need to do some cleaning (yuck) and grocery shopping. DH has requested my California Burgers for dinner tonight. (He's only been back on day shift about 2 weeks now so I'm having to get used to planning dinners again.)

Thanks for reading... have a blessed day!
~Suzanne

The Decision has been Made...

I am going to be working part-time for the next month! Working 3 days a week. Today is my first day home. I am excited about being back home. The stress of my job is what the issue has become. I have been told by my boss that I knew it would be that way when I signed on... but it has taken a great toll on my body and my DH has worried for awhile about that.

But the HUGE news about going part-time is that I will really be quitting on November 30th! It's a little scary. I wasn't planning on quitting so soon... but there is no "part-time" work in my division. It will be a little bit tight for a few months... but with not having to spend $60 a week in gas, breakfasts and lunches at about $75 a week and paying for dress-down days and gifts, and insurance on myself... I really wasn't making all that much money. I can find something with less stress, closer to home, making less money and still come out about the same!

But, first of everything... I am doing this for my health. I have already had two weeks of down time in my new calendar year. Once with a bout of cellulosis and once with a double whammy of back spasms and then tachycardia because I stopped breathing in my sleep. It's stress... and I have a boatload of it at work. I told my boss in the beginning, that I'd stay as long as it was fun, and it hasn't been fun in months. There is too much emphasis on the numbers and production. We have new supervisors that don't have much to do other than micromanage and I hate being micromanaged. I've been with my location 2 years and my clients are now my friends as well. I have my style of working and I do a ton of email work... but I am suppose to make calls.... so there is a problem with that, even in a digital age.

So... now it begins. I am looking forward to working with a new camera, adding more content to this little old blog. I am looking forward to finishing my cookbook. I went to the art store and purchased new supplies and I am hoping to do some art projects. So... that the news here at the cottage. Pumpkin and I are hanging out and planning our day. It's sunny but very cold... time to make some spaghetti sauce since it's election day. Don't forget to get out and vote!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Whoa... Wait a minute...

Where did that week go that just passed???? I swear that I just wrote something for this blog, and now here we are...with another week gone past!

I don't have much to share with you, as my life has been centered on work mainly. My hard working
DH has been doing just that as well... working. He's on a 3 week stint and so far, he hasn't been scheduled for the upcoming weekend. (let's all keep our fingers crossed that he actually has some time off.) He called me a little while ago and said he's heard a rumor that he going back to first shift starting Monday! If that's true... I may be able to keep working a while longer to have some what of a normal life again. That has me thinking of having regular meals again, I miss having great food because I won't make it just for myself.

One of my dearest friends is having surgery today for a bad varicose vein and blood clot removal. She's been waiting for this surgery for over 10 weeks and it's been because of her health insurance not being willing to approve her procedure. I can say that I am blessed to never have had an issue with my insurance not approving any procedures. In fact, I just received a summary report  from my last 4 day hospital stay from June... a nice little $75,000.00 stay... and I don't think I will have to pay for any of it... and there were no qualms about any of the procedures or tests I had. I'm keeping her in my prayers and my advice to her was to listen to her doctors and to take her pain meds... no being a hero, take the pills and rest, and you'll usually feel better sooner.

Another one of my friends... that is on the west coast, announced a huge surprise to everyone yesterday. She got married outside at the courthouse yesterday. We are all so happy for her and her new husband.... and all the adventure they have coming up in the next year. How about going on a delayed honeymoon to Dubai???? That is wonderful and amazing! So happy for them and for her 4 kids.

I am very tired tonite... I've been staying up too late the last couple of nights, hoping to see DH before I go to sleep. Needless to say, he's been working over each evening to cover the line he's working... they run until they are out of product which can be anywhere between midnight and one thirty or three am. So, I haven't been going to bed on time and waking up when he gets home. If I don't, we only really see each other in the morning as I get dressed for work. That's it... that's all the time there is during the week. On the weekends, it's more like 4 1/2 hours in the beginning of the day before he heads to work. It's a tough schedule and not one that I really care for.

Oh... we had huge thunderstorms on Sunday... ugly cloud to ground lightening strikes. We had a few strikes over head that caused the house to rattle. Poor Pumpkin was so frightened... she's was in my lap and cuddled under my arms with her head against my chest to seek comfort from her fright. The power went out twice... I hate when we have storms like that.

Thanks for reading... stay blessed!
~Suzanne

Tuesday... Catch Up Time!

It's Tuesday night.... and I am exhausted. As many of you know (from Facebook) I have had more than my share of health issues in the past few years. I am quickly learning my limitations of living with aortic stenosis and an ascending aortic aneurysm along with a few other things... like the after effects of Thyroid cancer, and insulin dependent type 2 diabetes... and osteoarthritis and needing my right knee replaced - 3 years ago! (They did the left knee 3 years ago instead cuz that was the one that hurt!)

I state all of the information only to say... that I went grocery shopping on Saturday... and it kicked my butt!!! I went to the store and usually find a electric riding shopping cart. Not that day, so I ended up having to walk through my shopping trip. In my defense, I did do a few errands and get a mani/pedi before I hit the store. Anyway... I was so tired from all the walking and loading and unloading and carry up the stairs and putting away all the groceries, I didn't do much on Sunday. And I was still feeling it on Monday. More than one coworker told me that I looked pretty tired on Monday.

I managed to feel pretty good during my work day today. I worked hard and covered alot of ground for the start of my next month which accounting wise, will start on the 3rd of August. So... I went to see my hair dresser tonight after work. We always have such a great time when we get together. She does an amazing job with my hair... making sure that I get to be as blond as I want to be without having my very black hair not be brassy or become damaged. It's always so good to get my hair cut and colored... it helps to camouflage my gray hair and the amount of hair I have lost from being sick and medications.

That being said... I was hoping to share that DH and I were planning a get away. But, sadly, that won't be happening anytime soon. His work schedule has been changed to 7 days a week and included lots and lots of overtime. I feel as tho I am living with a mouse... I buy food and put it in the fridge and it disappears! I feel bad for him... and if I didn't get to call him on my lunch or him calling me on his breaktime... we would live on notes for communication. I appreciate how hard he works and it's very hard for him to always be at work.

It's bed time for me and for Punky. I don't have any idea what time DH will be home tonight.
Thanks for reading.... keep us in your prayers!

~Suzanne

What a Trip!

The drive home last night was brought to us by Dorothy and her Ruby Red Slippers and Toto in her picnic basket. Oh * My * Goodness!!!

My ride home started off with a ton of traffic... it took me 3 lights to get from the industrial park I work in to get to the freeway on ramp that is literally less than an 1/8th of mile from that intersection. As I got on to the freeway and began to merge into the right hand lane... my fuel light went off. Great! And not more than 10 seconds after that, I received an EMS text on my phone that there were tornado warnings for my home area. Really Great!

I headed south anyway, going slower than the posted speed limit to see what my gas mileage was going to be... I drove over 5 miles before it even dropped down 1 mile on the gauge. I got off the freeway at the last exit before heading up the mountain so I could get some gas. I drove back about a mile to fill up. While I was doing that, I heard on the local radio that tornadoes were spotted 6 to 8 miles northwest of where I live and headed directly towards home. I figured I would get my fuel and then find a place to sit and ride the storm out.

Well... I pulled into the Taco Hell parking lot and pulled into the drive thru lane. As I did that, I noticed that it was quickly becoming very dark and very windy. I placed my order and then noticed some of the employees were outside with their cellphones taking pictures. It got darker, and then the rains started and the winds picked up. Thunder and lightening started in.... huge lightening strikes and thunder so loud, it rocked my car.

I sat in the parking lot for awhile until the lightening was overhead and was scaring me to death. I decided to take my chances and try to get to the freeway. I was able to make my way... but it was slow going, but at least as I drove south, I seemed to be driving away from the storm. There was debris on the freeway, but I didn't encounter anything of concern on the freeways. Once I pulled off the interstate, it was quite different.

What struck me first was that there was virtually no traffic on our 2 lane highway. The farther south I went on our road... the more stuff I saw, until I had to stop for the fire trucks and rescue workers who were clearing the trees from the road in front of me. I made it through the first light... and came to the second light. That intersection had some real damage... trees down, and loose power lines dangling in the wind. There is a monastery at that corner and they suffered extensive tree damage.

I traveled farther down the road, and made it home. I wasn't certain what I would find when I got here. I had trash cans from several neighbors west of me and lots of debris in the yard. All of our patio furniture was scattered in my neighbors back yard. Not just a little ways... but like, under their deck~ and I was certain my patio umbrella was a goner!

Coming into the house, I could see the high water and debris that came up from the heavy rains along the edge of the patio. The door at the top of the stairs was open, pulled open from the negative air pressure as the windows on the porch were open. As I stepped into the kitchen, I was met by a little red dog, cautiously peering around the corner from the hall, hoping nothing was there to scare her. She was so happy and relived to see me, she instantly jumped and twirled in circles. We were both glad I was finally home. We had heavy thunder storms during the rest of the evening... big boomers that shook the entire house and made my heart skip.

I've been to Kansas... and I've been to Oklahoma, but this is the closest I've ever felt to being Dorothy!

Thanks for reading!
~Suzanne

The places you find things...

I left for work today on time.... DH was sound asleep when I left so I didn't wake him to say good bye. I did give Punky a kiss as she snuggled up to her Dad for a nap. I always feel bad when I don't get to talk to him before I leave, but I just couldn't wake him, he was sleeping so good!

My work day was busy... trying to get calls made in between working on forecasting what my numbers will look like. That's always frustrating because it's like trying to use a crystal ball to see where I am going to end for the month and if my GM will take a bad debt hit for the month. (He despises taking a hit, and the pressure to perform is always at the forefront.) It's tricky and it takes time away from my main work. It makes me nuts and I always need to leave at lunch to regroup.

I went to lunch with 2 coworkers today. Because it was the first time to have Miss Liz go with my friend Tammy and I, conversation was flowing and I didn't pick up my phone to call DH as I usually do. Later, back at my desk, I sent him a text explaining that I went with friends for lunch.

Later, he sent me a text... he had to get gas for his vehicle on his way to work and couldn't find his wallet. He had to use his change stash to buy enough to get him to work and home again tonight. He said his wallet wasn't in his work bag and nor in his car. I came home from work tonight and looked in all the places it would usually be... and found nothing.

He called me on his lunch break... and we talked about his wallet being gone. He said that the last time he can remember using his wallet was Saturday when we went out for Chinese food. His clothes that he had worn were folded up on the end of the guest room bed (his clothes are in the guest room closet because I take up our entire bedroom closet and a second one in the guest room.) I went into the guestroom and checked... and sure enough, his wallet was in his jeans pocket. That means he's been driving back and forth to work for 3 days without his wallet! Oh My Goodness!

We are both so glad to have found his wallet... the thought of having to replace everything is mind boggling and lots of people have to do that everyday. I am just so grateful that we don't have to do that... especially since DH just renewed his drivers license!

Thanks for reading about my day... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Missing Her HeeHeeHee's!

In the last few days, I've been in a very sweet memory place. I have been remembering all the laughter and funniness I used to share with my Mom. Countless times, we would end laying across the bed to talk and all it would take would be a "certain look" and we would both be set off in huge gales of laughter. We would laugh at anything and everything... often leaving everyone else around us left to thinking we were a little bit off our rockers.

I have memories of being ill and having my Mom there with me to take care of me. During my first cancer surgery those many years ago, we laughed all the way to the hospital, as my Mom had brought recipes with her that she had typed and her typo's were hilarious. We had tears rolling down our faces at her typo for "Spanish Nookles" instead of noodles.

I found an old picture in a box in the guest room from an old camping trip with my Mom. Who ever took that picture, caught us in a huge fit of laughter... I don't remember what we were laughing at, but what ever it was, must have been very funny. When my Mom was relaxed and not worrying about anything, she could be very funny. And she was pretty good at laughing at herself... sometimes not always getting her own jokes until a few beats later after we had started laughing, and then it would make her giggle even harder.

I miss my Mom everyday... I miss hearing her laugh, I miss being able to pick up the phone and talk to her... and I really miss her when I don't feel well. Yes, I am a grown woman, but I still miss my Mom when I am struggling with medical issues. I wish that DH could have known her and I know that she would adore him.

Thanks for letting me share some sweet thoughts.
Be Blessed....
~Suzanne

A Daybook Entry

Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (July 22. 2012)...

Outside my window... it's been a partly sunny daym with temps at about 85  degrees.

I am thinking... that I need to get some of the housework under control, or that it's time to hire a housekeeper to help me keep up.

I am thankful for... a hard working husband that works seemingly endless hours to provide for us.

From the kitchen... there is a fresh baked pizza for dinner and some good leftovers for the coming week.

I am wearing... a long black and white paisley sun dress and silver jewelry.

I am creating... a cleaning list to keep me on track, and working on a jewelry organizer to hand on my wall.

I am going... to take Punky to get her nails clipped today... she needs a mani-pedi!

I am reading... a few easy summer reads, all beach themed novels.

I am hoping... to plan a little day trip for DH and I in the coming month.

I am hearing... the air conditioner, DH cleaning out my car, and Punky next to me on the couch.

Around the house... laundry awaits being folded and put away and dishwahser needs to be ran!

One of my favorite things... just finished season 2 of Downton Abbey... can't wait for next season!

 

A few plans for the rest of the week: Just to make it to work every day and hopefully be able to function with my right knee feeling like it doesn't want to do what it's suppose to! I need to make a return to Cracker Barrell... and I need to keep working on keeping up with the house work. I also need to find a new family doctor as mine has taken a new job and to find a new cardiologist that understands all of my heart conditions along with all the other health issues I have.

 

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Struggling to Smile!

This has been a trying week for me. My DH has been called to work early everyday this week and also tagged to stay late as well. The heat has been hard to take...  and to make matters even worse, I got sick yesterday. I couldn't drive myself home... so my manager had to bring me home. Oh my word! She wanted to take me to the hospital but I wouldn't let her because I didn't want to be stranded without a vehicle.

Today was a celebration at lunch and we were all at the back of the building... in the heat. I managed to stay out there for about 2 hours. That's about my limit with heat. I made sure to stay hydrated and watch what I was eating... more protein than anything, not too many carbs and no sugar. When I went in, I was pretty light headed from the heat. (I've been having dizzy spells the last several weeks.) And I had to go right back outside for pictures... it just about undid me. One of the service managers looked at me and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I said no... I didn't want to be stranded.

And to add to my stress level with work, my DH sent me a text that he'd been zapped with 10,000 volts of electricity today. Someone left a live line on top of the conveyor belt he was working on, and didn't say anything. He picked it up with both hands and it knocked him to the ground. Wow... that just freaks me out. I worried all afternoon about him because he was too busy to call me back.

Tonight, he just called me to let me know he's ok. He's been held over to work until 3am again. I worry about him... but at least it's only a 6 mile trip home from work. I told my co-workers today that if anything happens to him or to me, they'd better come to the house and take care of Punky cause she's not big enough to get the door open to let herself out.

On a happier note... DH tells me that he's not working this weekend and he's declined a Friday night holdover. And Project Runway starts tonight! (That's exciting for me!)

Thanks for reading~
Suzanne

Five for Friday (All Random!)

My Randomness just overflows tonight, so I will let it flow! Y'all won't mind, I am certain.

1. DH has worked overtime every night this week. And he will be working the entire weekend. I hope my house doesn't get swallowed up into a huge hole with out him around to give me a hand.

2. Work has been tough this week. I've lots of issues with things not being applied correctly or accounts that were COD and rolling over for 1 or 2 month, only to discover someone wasn't doing their job. (And to think they just got promoted! Isn't that the way it always goes?) My frustration with it all hit an all time high today.

3. I worked late last night, but went out to dinner with a wonderful co-worker and friend after as she worked late as well. We chatted and she shared a really cool idea that she's thinking about for her DH's birthday... she's thinking about buying him his dream Mustang!!!!

4. Tonight, to help with frustration... I did some cooking. I managed to small cannon-ball style meatloaves. I had one for dinner... it was really good. It's something DH can take for dinner tomorrow instead having his usual sandwiches. Change is good.

5. Another dear friend and co-worked shared a hilarious real-life story. Her DH had the day off yesterday and was out doing some errands. He was headed to a local dollar store on a very busy section of highway. As he approached the entrance of the parking lot, a woman was standing out there. He looked at her as he turned in and she looked back at him. (He wears transition lenses for eye wear.) He pulled into a parking space near the front of the store and the woman had ran over and jumped into his truck. He asked what she was doing and she answered, "I'm here to make some money!" He answered, "well, I'm here to buy toothpaste... so get out!" Poor innocent guy, doing errands and getting hi-jacked by a daytime hooker! He picked up the phone and called his wife to tell her as soon as he walked into the store. Hilarious!

That's my Five for Friday.... Thanks for reading!
~Suzanne

A Much Needed Day

It's Sunday... and my DH finally has a day off. He's been working since June 3rd with out any time off except for the 4th of July. They did ask him to work today as well, but he declined. We have spent the day getting errands done and spending time together.

I've stayed busy doing laundry and trying to keep the house cool and groceries stocked. I'm still working full time and am finally starting to feel like myself again. That being said, I am still very tired and still in pain. The doctor gave me prescription strength Aleve and it's helped greatly in helping me function with everything.

I did treat myself to some fun yesterday. I found dvd's of Masterpiece theatre's Downton Abbey. I watched the entire 1st season yesterday... and of course I loved it! Can't wait to watch the 2nd season later this week. I've got to get myself back on schedule for this week, I've been staying up late for when DH comes home from work, so I get a chance to see him. (Those 12 hour days he's been working have made it rather difficult!)

So glad that it's finally getting a little cooler this next week. This heat has been brutal with the heat and trying to keep the house cooler. We had a pretty significant storm yesterday that knocked power out for about 2 hours. It was tough to stay cool with no power and knowing I wouldn't be able to get to the generator by myself. Luckily for me, power was restored quickly.

Thanks for reading... be blessed.
~Suzanne

Excited for the 4th!

I am very excited for the 4th of July. We've had several offers to go to cook-outs. I don't think we will be attending any as DH will finally have a day off! That's what I am excited about... getting to see him for an entire day!!! I don't have the heart to drag him somewhere if he can have a day at home, and he needs the rest.

Our routine around here is that I rise at 6 am to ready myself for the day and leave for work around 7:20.  Some days DH will get up with me and walk Punky for me. That's about the only time we see each other. He will sleep until around noon if he's worked extra hours. He leaves for work at 2:10. If he works an 8 hour day, he will get home at 11:30. I'm usually sound asleep by then and sometimes I will stay up until he gets home... just to say hi before I zonk out for the night. With all of his overtime, we haven't seen each other for days, except when I came home from the hospital last week.

Work has been very aggravating as of late. There are so many changes within my department and I can say that I don't agree with the major changes that have happened. I have to adjust and try to be a team player until I decide what I need to do. My doctor has recommended that I cut back on my hours and when I brought that up... I was told no. I was told that even though my manager had offered me part time hours 6 weeks ago, she has withdrawn that offer and cannot accommodate me at this time. I can stay at 40 hours or go look for something else. (That's such a lovely, motivating thought.)

I did go to the pharmacy this past weekend... and purchased myself some new vitamins and to help me with my stamina and energy. I sure hope they start to work soon. I always am hesitant when starting something new to see how it will react with any of my medications. My doctor added an extra dose of Prilosec at night and I discovered that it interferes with my Ambien and I don't sleep. I shared that with the doctor and he said he had heard that the mix could do that. He also shared that I am sensitive to medicines and it figured that I would be the one that would discover that contradiction.

Today would have been my Mom's 90th birthday. It's hard to believe she's been gone from us for over 2 years now. I still miss talking to her on the phone even though in her last years, she lost that ability to communicate by phone. She just couldn't connect and understand how a telephone worked as her dementia progressed. Her last year was the one where she really shut down and became lost to us. I still miss her smile and laughter and sweet way of making me feel loved.

I am hoping for a little time outside in the morning before it gets too hot tomorrow. I am hoping to spend time in the evening watching the fireflies come out at dusk. I do want to be home for Punky to keep her calm with all the fireworks. She does handle it well, but I'd rather have lights on and music playing so she won't get surprised. She's such a good little dog.

Thanks for reading... be blessed! And Happy 4th of July! Thank you to all our Service Men and Women who keep watch for us so we may enjoy our freedom.

~Suzanne

End of the Intermission!

Wow... How LONG has it been??? So much has happened in the last several months, I don't know where to begin! Our lives are so different since I started this blog over 3 years ago.

We celebrated our 4th wedding anniversary this past month. We didn't do too much, just a nice dinner out and a small cake at home. DH has talked about what he wants to get me to commemorate our annivesary, but hasn't had time to go shopping. He works tons of overtime right now... it's just not that easy.

In the last year, DH lost his job. We managed just fine as he looked for work and went for the job he really wanted. He went to work for a major chocolate company as a mechanic and loves what he does. The money is very good and he started out at a higher rate than his former job paid. The upside is that he only drives 6 miles to work, and he does not have any long nights in front of the computer doing paperwork and research for parts and equipment, which was required but never paid for. The down side... ummm, there really isn't one!!!

I'm still working... passed up an opportunity to go for promotion. But I still get to do special projects and training for my entire division, which I love and so does everyone else. I get to write and design special trainings on corporate culture... it's fun and I love doing it.

Health issues continue to play a factor in what I am doing. I have a few things going on that act up and put me in the hospital from time to time. My COPD has had me down, along with an electrolight imbalance that had everyone running, thinking it was my heart. I spent 4 days in the hospital this past week trying to get back to a normal rate. While I had no magnesium and virtually no potassium, my heart cath did show an increase in the thickening of my aortic heart valve (which is now at 40%) and my aortic anuyerism is now at 4.4. It's always fun around here... and not being able to get up the stairs without being out of breath and in pain is tough.  My blood sugar has been running high as well. I think my issues started when DH started working long hours and I wasn't eating very well or not at all.

We've taken it easy around here on the gardening and flowers. It's just too hard for me, and too much work for DH right now. I miss the mass of color, but I have to be realistic. It's the same with getting another dog, we both miss Nolli and want another dog, but it's not fair to anyone if I can't do my part.

That's all I have for now... I promise that it won't be so long in between posts. I am going back to work tomorrow, even though I don't feel up to it yet. DH will be working all weekend as well. Take care and be blessed!

~Suzanne