Snails Pace

I am moving slower than a snails pace today... My blood pressure still is not down even though they doubled my dosage of "the big, heavy hitter." So, now he's doubled the dosage of the second one to see if we can get the numbers down. He said it might slow me down a little... this is more than a little, but I'll make the adjustment eventually.

I'm glad that it's the weekend... and glad that we can just hang out tomorrow and do what we want... maybe a little laundry and vacuuming, a swish of the feather duster, and we are pretty much done. If fact, I may just work on getting all that done this afternoon while I wait for DH to come home from work. It is Friday after all... and we all know that his supervisor likes to "screw him over" on Friday! Hopefully, he will make it home before 7pm for a change. (I've been praying about my attitude and the Sup's as well... change us both, Lord!)

I did stop by the flower shop yesterday... the owner of the shop finally did some maintenance on the place and had an electrician come in and fix both lights in the work area and in the cooler door! It looks so good in there now. (And you can see what colors you are really working with!... Not that I am doing any work!) It's a small improvement, one that was needed months ago. If it were my shop... I'd give the place a new paint job, inside and out, add a little landscaping and better signage... and reset the layout inside and merchandise, merchandise, merchandise! But... that's not my shop. If I ever win powerball... I'd buy it in a New York minute and do it up right! Miss J knows how I feel about the shop and what needs to be done... if only the owner would listen! (wow... how did I get here?)

I did go to Och's Country Market today... it's truly out in the country! They had some lovely Shasta Daisies that I would have loved to have bought. But, alas, I have no place to put them, and I don't know if I have the energy right now to dig up part of the yard or go out and buy a barrel for them. So, instead, I bought a little fresh produce for dinner and few bulk staple items that I can't find in town. It was fun and I will have to take DH with me next time as I couldn't decide on what kind of pie to buy! We may head over to the Amish Farm Market in the Poconos tomorrow... I am almost out of their delicious rolled creamy butter... that stuff is fabulous! And I can always use more farmer's cheese too!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

I'm back from my appointment...

And the Phyisican's Assistant... worked me over... and then the Doctor worked me over... and I had x-rays that also worked me over! I'm tired and my knees hurt! I will be going back into physical therapy... back in the pool, Thank You Lord! I am also a candidate for Hyalgan... (like I didn't already know that!) Once all the insurance stuff is verified... I will be trekking up to Berwick to do my "thing" in the pool. He talked about my severe arthritis in both of my knees... and told me that when the pain gets so bad that I can't function, then I can have my knees replaced. (I'm just too young to have it done yet since it only lasts 15 years.) That's where I am at for now... no surgery to be done as of yet! Yay!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

I Can't Take It Anymore!

Those of you who know me... know that I have struggled with my knees for almost 10 years. Back in January of 2000, I slipped off of some icy steps while holding a clients baby... I held on to the baby and injured my knees with blunt force trauma from landing on the sidewalk that was 4 steps down. I was rated by the state as having incurred 7-10% permanent knee damage and disability.

I have not been able to go down steps the "normal way" since then.... nor can I kneel down to garden, pass cpr or play with the dog. I have had several series of Synvisk... which is an artificial form of synovium fluid that cushions the cartilage in your joints. I had the longer last Hyalgan done in my left knee, 3 years ago. It did well... and recently quit working. I've gotten to the point that I have to rest after doing basic chores and have to be careful of the side to side motion that we all do when we are doing dishes and cooking and doing laundry. (You don't realize it, but there is a lot of side to side motion in daily life.) Not to mention, all the stairs that I climb up and down during the course of my day. (Some days are better than others.) Last night, after fixing dinner and cleaning up, we ran off to Walmart to pick up prescriptions and a couple of items... when I got back to the car, I was in pain... enough to take my breath away. When we got home... I waited until DH had done all the outside watering and walked the dog before I got the courage to climb the stairs.

Today... I called the doctor and made an appointment. I know that this is going to entail x-rays and that I will have to kneel on the table while those x-rays are taken... Oooowwww! I am hoping to start another Hyalgan series at the very least... and who knows.. maybe it's finally time for new knees. We shall see!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

I Knew It Was Gonna Big!

I just came from the post office.... I've been avoiding going for the last couple of days. My medical bills are due... and Boy, did they ever show up! My little 3 days and 2 nights in the hospital was EXPENSIVE! (Just under $25000 for my little stay!) And it's not the total bill... I still have to be billed for the doctors visits and for doctor who did my 4 minute nuclear stress test. (That should be ridiculously expensive!) All I can say is... Thank you, Lord... for our health insurance! And Thank you, CHC...(hub's company) for covering the $2400 deductible. (Now if only Flex-America would get it together and actually pay it!) I don't ever want to go through that again... but, since the deductible has been met for the fiscal year... I should go and see what else I can have done... like my knees!

Tonight's dinner is one I haven't made in a long time... Beefy Meatballs... with onion gravy and rice. I was going to grill hamburgers... but DH decided he wanted meatballs instead. They're in the oven right now... and it will be an easy dinner again! Rice is done in the microwave... all I need is either a veggie or a salad... hmmm... lemon-basil dressing sounds really good tonight! I guess I'd better go whip some of that up as well.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

A Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY (July 7th, 2009)...

Outside my window... It's cooler today... just the low 60's with a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon, it's was sunny early this morning, but the cloud cover has arrived.

I am thinking... how much fun we had in Connecticut this past weekend.

I am thankful for... new family and new friends... my sweet and enduring husband and sweet funny Nolli-dog.

From the kitchen... there are tons of good eats, wonderfully shared from the kitchen of Uncle Jesse... I don't have to really cook this week!

I am wearing... my usual uniform... jeans, t-shirt and sandals

I am creating... piles of clean laundry from our trip! =)

I am going... to the pharmacy later for DH to get his scripts filled and to the post office.

I am hoping... that our third party insurance benefits payer will finally pay our deductibles.

I am hearing... cars on the street, wind in the trees, someone edge trimming the grass.

Around the house... there are few things to be put away from the trip, but only a few!

One of my favorite things... how Nolli is so happy to be home, how good our bed felt last night, how nice it was to come home to a wonderfully clean house!

A few plans for the rest of the week: to catch up on laundry and contemplate new projects.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

DH and his Uncle Jesse... they have a deep and abiding love and friendship for each other and for family. Two strong, yet gentle men, who both served our country!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

A fast and fun trip

We are heading out to the family reunion this morning! I have the camera ready and hope to get lots of good pictures. Nolli-dog has been nervous and antsy since the suitcases went on the guestroom bed... he finally got it that he was going with us when I packed his dog crate this morning! We are so looking forward to this trip and all the new family I will get to meet!

Please have a wonderful and safe 4th of July weekend!
Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Scrappin'

I added 8 pages to our wedding album today. I wanted to have it finished to take to the family reunion. I didn't do any journaling in it, just did a lot of cropping and embellishments. It was rather fun to spread out my stuff across the dining room table and have little work stations. It went rather quickly doing it that way!

Last night... we had just sat down to dinner and DH's phone went off... he had an emergency call over an hour away. He left at 6 and got home after 1 am this morning. We were up at 6 this morning so he could check in and get his day set up. He came home this afternoon at 5... he was pretty tired. He showered and went to put his feet up and watch the news, I woke him at 6:45 once dinner was ready. He's worked on paper work most of the evening. I think the highlight of the evening was when I busted out the Moose-Tracks ice cream and caramel sauce. (That will make any paperwork go better!)

Tomorrow, I need to finish putting away all of my scrapbook materials and straighten the dining room back up. I should also do a little grocery shopping for next week and do the preliminary packing for Saturday. Oh... DH's sister called tonight... she's decided to come down from New York to the family reunion! I am very excited to meet her for the first time. Another funny thing happened today... DH's baby brother just started a facebook account... so I "friended" him. He's made a few comments on my status updates... so he decided to call me today! That is the first time he's called me and not DH! I guess I really am becoming part of the family!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne