Cozying Up

Yesterday was a long day and a long night. My DH worked a double shift and I could not manage to go to sleep alone in the house last night. (I think I was afraid I was "nod out" and not hear my alarm and forget to go pick him up. He insisted that I keep the car in case anything happened... like a 20 pound black and white dog running off into the night.

I did have a little bit of craziness last night. I reconnected with a girl friend from high school. We met on our freshman year and were very close for awhile. There was another girl that rode our bus and decided she wasn't going to let me have Mz. T as my friend. She drove a huge wedge between us and as I moved at the end of my sophomore year, we lost touch. I had thought of her over the years as her family had the adjoining acreage next to my Aunt Carolyn and Uncle Chet's 5 acre farmette. They moved at the end of the school year as well... to Montana.

We had reconnected back in the 90's somehow.... I don 't really remember. Anyway... along came social media and she friended me. We have briefly messaged each other and read and comment on posts. Last night I sat down, picked up the phone and dialed her up. We talked non-stop for 4 hours! It was wonderful, insightful, introspective and a great source of healing and reconnection. It was like when we were young girls, sitting and talking about life and our dreams.

Ms. T has struggled with health issues and suffers with some of the same maladies that I have, and she has other issues with back surgeries and fighting for mobility. Nobody said getting old was for sissies, that is for certain! She is also dealing with her mother having dementia and I was able to give her some insight and comfort in dealing with that issue.

Because of the phone call, I was not able to relax and sleep like I had hoped. I watched a couple of things on Net*flix.... and stayed awake. I went to get DH early, stopping to get him juice and breakfast. We cozied up to relax and snooze. I napped a couple of hours and DH is still sleeping. I will need to wake him soon so he will sleep tonight. The wind in howling and we are getting snow. I took Punky outside at noon and the cold was too much for her. She started to crash after she came back in, trying to warm up. I gave her honey and some snacks and food to bring her back to recognizing me, poor little dear.

As we ring the old year out and the new year in... we don't make resolutions in this household. We do discuss what we want to change and try to make a plan to carry that out. I am glad this year is over... glad to see some of my health issues improve and continue to work on others that need to improve. We are grateful to be able to have spent Grandma Jeanne's 95th birthday with her, and reconnect with DH's daughters. I am grateful for the wonderful husband and my Punky and Cooper dogs and how they are my essential spirit.

Happy New Year... and thanks for reading!
~Suzanne

It's been awhile

I haven't been posting as of late because I haven't been feeling all that well. Most days, I feel like I've been ran over by a freight train. I ache all over, my right knee is barely holding on as it feels like my lateral ligament is about to let go at any moment. Fatigue grips most of my afternoons. It's all I can do to take a shower and get myself out the door to grocery shopping. If DH is still sleeping (as is the norm when he works 3pm to 3am) I struggle to bring in my purchases and put away the perishables. My day is pretty well shot after that... and I struggle with getting DH's lunch made.

I am starting to wonder if I don't suffer from fibromyalgia what with all the pain my joints are in or if in fact it's arthritis spreading. Most of my summer plans for the yard have been placed on hold due to how I feel and that DH is not home much. He works almost all the time... weekends included. And most of the time, it's a 12 hour day.

We did manage a fast trip to Connecticut for the 4th of July and DH's Grams 95th birthday party. It was a fun time and so many family were there to visit... it was a great party inspite of the heat and humidity. Punky dog didn't take to that heat/humidity combo... she had 3 nice cool dunks in the bathtub to help keep heat exhaustion at bay for her. (That meant I got to spend most of my day in a soaking wet t-shirt in front of the a/c to keep her cool. She's such a cute little dear-heart of a dog that I didn't mind. She is our baby after all!

I think the highlight of my week was seeing a couple of girlfriends from work for lunch this past Friday and having DH home for Sunday. We went out for dinner, it was a lovely evening but I've been exhausted ever since. I bought canning supplies to do some freezer jams, but have yet to go to the Amish market to buy anything. (There's always next year.)

That's all I have... sorry it sounds like a laundry list of aches and pains.
Thanks for reading...

Suzanne

Changing the View

We have had some delightful Springtime weather the last few days. It's been warm and sunny and quite therapeutic for me. I love feeling the sun on my shoulders... and it's been very needed!

DH has been very busy with work. He's been doing a ton of overtime... and working a double shift here and there. He's missed some of the sunshine trying to catch up on his sleep. We finally went and did a get-away day yesterday. We took a slow, meandering drive... and landed down near Reading.

DH took me shopping at a fabric store... and let me kind of go crazy inside. I did splurge on a few wonderful things, but really kept myself in check. There were so many wonderful kinds of fabrics and patterns and I wanted it all. I did get a cute pattern for a dress... but was so overwhelmed with one project I have wanted to do, that I didn't buy any dress yardage! (Silly me!)

It was a fun trip to the city... and included dinner at one of our favorite places to eat... Chipotle! I adore mexican food and love the simplicity of the menu and how healthy it is. I did indulge in guacamole... and loved every bite. We had such a nice time together... laughing and talking and sharing in the day. It was exactly what I needed after spending so much time at home in the last 3 months. I really have been housebound through the winter. I can't wait for better and warmer weather... to be able to work in the flowers of the yard and sit outside with a nice cold drink and play with Punky-dog.

Speaking of Punky... she had a much needed grooming session on Friday. The groomer did such a fabulous job on removing her undercoat... she looks and feels like such a different dog! She knows hows how nice she looks and enjoys all the praise and attention we give her as we tell her how pretty she is! She smells so wonderful... and her mani/pedi turned out lovely. She is such a pretty Pom!

I also spent time with one of my best friends from work... having dinner and a nice long talk while I waited for Punky to be groomed. It was a delight to be able to visit with her. It made me feels so good to share and laugh and feel normal for a change!

That's what is new... what's been happening here for the last few days.
Thanks for reading...

~Suzanne

Friday List

1. It's officially the last day of the month at work... I didn't quite make my goal... but I did beat last month by 2 points!

2. The dreaded Nor'easter we suppose to get last night... ended up going farther east! Yay! No snow to plow!

3. I started working this morning and started to get a panic attack. Luckily, my friend Janie had a xanax as I had left mine at home. (Holy Cow!)

4. I was able to go to lunch with my "condo-buddy" and my friend Tammy today. We went to the sweetest little diner... and the food was to "die for!" And they had a "pickle bar"... with lots of different kinds of pickled things and it comes as a side for your meal!

5. DH is not feeling all that well... but it also means that I don't have to cook anything for dinner.

6. I got good news from my auto insurance this week... they are covering me on my uninsured motorist coverage for all my lost work while being off from my car accident.

7. The house is fairly picked up... so cleaning will be a breeze this weekend.

8. I discovered a mexican eatery north of where I work... and it's a grill type restaurant, much like my so-beloved Chipotle... can't wait to eat there! (I crave good guacamole all the time!)

9. My Darling Husband gave me a wonderful gift this last week... he bought me a Kindle... with a great cover! My first book was "Water for Elephants"... and I loved it! Finished it in 2 days.

10. I am still deciding if I am going to keep XM radio on my car... I only really listen to just a few stations. I have to make that decision soon!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

5.

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.

Girls Night Out

Last night was a rare occurrence for me... I actually went out to dinner with a wonderful group of ladies for the time in over 2 years! Everyone that went was currently, or had been involved, with the flower shop... with me being the only one that has not actually worked there.

We went to a local Japanese steakhouse. It was tucked into a strip mall with a "dollar-type" store and an auto parts store for neighbors. Once inside, you'd never know that you were in a strip mall at all. We were seated at a hibachi grill with 2 grilling areas with the entire space seating about 30 people. Anyway... I was the first in line to our table because of the way we were situated in the waiting area. I ended up sitting at the very end of the bar in our area, right where the hibachi chef would be standing and our food would be waiting on a cart, ready to go on the grill.

Everything started out well... we all got our drinks. Then we placed our order... and then they brought out our soup and then our salads. The usual stuff... then they brought out our food cart... loaded with all our entrees. I was the "odd person out" as I ordered the chicken and steak combo. Everyone else ordered seafood. I could feel my face getting red just thinking about my iodine sensitivity. We all also received 2 sizzling shrimp as an appetizer. It was good... I did go ahead and eat it.

Then the chef put on all the veggies and got them steaming up.... and as part of the "show", he diced up zucchini and would pitch you a piece to catch with your mouth. If you were successful, you were rewarded with "free sake"... I was on the end... I passed on catching veggies, as did the rest of my group. Then the chef came around with the Sake... as I was opening my mouth to say "No, Thank you"... he began to pour it in my mouth... I was trying to get him to stop, but it took a moment for him to understand that I was saying no. Just what I needed... Japanese alcohol! I have no thyroid, I cannot process alcohol. It ended up making me feel sick to my stomach... and it was hard to eat my dinner and have fun while my stomach pitched and rolled every few minutes.


I didn't finish my dinner, and I was the only one to not take my left-overs home. We talked about dessert... and it was decided that a few of us would order and we would share deep-fried cheesecake. My order came... and my friend Jackie and I both tasted it... and didn't like it. It was greasy and tasted like the oil it was cooked in. I asked the girl to take it off of our bill... and the next thing I knew... I was talking to the manager. He tried to convince me that it was a great delicacy and that I should be enjoying it. I told him that both my friend and I took a bite and neither of us like it.... it was yucky and I didn't want to be charged for it. He finally relented and gave me my money back.

We all enjoyed our evening... and we had a great time talking and laughing. The only 2 things that were not great, happened to me. But I am thinking that it was just one of those things where the stars lined up just right! I was so looking forward to spending time with these ladies... and I did have a great time with them.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Running on Tuesday

I am moving slow today... yesterday was a beautiful day with much lower humidity. I decided that I was going to enjoy that beautiful weather... and today I am paying the price for that decision. I went west to do some shopping. It's always warmer west of here. I found some lovely flowers in the garden shop and came home with a couple of beauties. I have no idea what they are, but they are colorful and I love them.

Because I had bought more flowers, I needed to go over the mountain to the Ag-way farm store to buy a couple more clay pots and a little extra potting soil. I enjoyed a great evening potting things up and getting a couple of things deadheaded. I also enjoyed talking on the phone to my dear friend Mis N. and catching up on things. I also enjoyed a visit from Mis J. and her sister. While we were out talking... we enjoyed quite a show of lightening bugs as the sun finally set and darkness fell. Both Nolli and Punky were outside with me and they had a good time as well.

I also had things to take care of that DH normally does. It ended up being trash night and I needed to get the can out to the edge of the road. By the time I came in and got all the dirt off of me, it was pretty late... like 9:30. I had missed all of the evening programming on tv. I fixed myself a snack and fell into the recliner to talk to DH about his day. I could barely keep my eyes open. I love that I managed to keep myself busy and active all day so that I could be tired enough to konk out!

Today, I think I need to head to the greenhouse on the otherside of the mountain to find a couple little things I haven't found as I've looked in the garden shops. I need some sweet alyssum or lobelia. It's suppose to rain today... so I need to get a move on it before it gets here! Hope y'all have a great day!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Just a Simple Day...

I've been busy, busy, busy... Just working on getting the yard done, getting needed shopping done, and spending some time at the flower shop. I've been keeping Miss Alice company in the afternoon while she works on orders for Memorial Day. In between all of that, I've been working on getting the house cleaned for the weekend.

I'm not taking the sleep inducing muscle relaxers anymore... and I am waking up with DH in the morning, once again. And... I'm not having to take a nap these days! Yay for that... having endurance again to get through the day. I am tired at night, but that's a good thing.

I've been sitting out on the patio in the evenings, to help me cool off with the heat and humidity. Last night, I was treated to the first fire flies of the season! They were down by the water in the lilac bushes and went fluttering down the stream edge. All the while, there was amazing heat lightening flashing across the valley sky. It was a fabulous evening. I am headed out there soon to see if there are any fire flies tonite!

We are staying home this weekend... don't have too many plans, other that having friends over on Sunday after church for lunch. I'm looking forward to that... bbq chicken, freezer slaw, ambrosia salad and hot rolls. I'll probably add some deviled eggs and a veggie tray too. Sounds good, right? Better go and walk Punky and Nolli and enjoy the cool evening air.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

New Years Blues...

We were all set to do pretty much "nothing" yesterday for New Years... but it never quite works out that way. My big plans for the day were to take Pumpkin and Nolli with us when we went to Lowes to pick up a couple of things. Nolli loves Lowes!

I ended up waking up with sneeze after sneeze and feeling rather "cold and flu-ish!" My HWM decided to make me some breakfast and he did do a good job of cooking bacon... (and getting grease everywhere) and getting me feeling like I could walk upright again.

I also went on facebook... and discovered some sad news from a friend. My friend Dave, who played his violin at our wedding, has a younger brother named Dan. Dan is a tall, strapping, good looking dude with a kind heart and a wicked sense of humor! He always puts people at ease with his winning smile and twinkling blue eyes... and he could put the "spin" on any party he was at!
Unfortunately... this young man was at the gym on Thursday, and after feeling ill while on the treadmill, got off of it and collapsed. There was a doctor there, who performed CPR... Dan went to the hospital but never woke up. To say that I am deeply saddened is not even adequate. He was a newly wed, to a beautiful woman who teaches 3rd grade and has so much joy in her spirit. I hope that this loss does not squelch that spirit.

And to top off the day... Pumpkin has been quite ill... we gave her a rawhide chew the night before... and she tossed all her cookies in her crate in the afternoon. We spent the rest of the day trying to help Punky... she had one accident because I didn't take her cue to go out. We spent the rest of the day trying to help her out.... I gave her 1/4 of an Imodium... and we were careful to watch her body language. She had another episode of tossing her supper in her crate. We ended up getting some Apple Cider Vinegar from Miss J, and giving Punky some Vinegar and Honey diluted in water with a syringe. We all ended up wearing some of it... but it settled her down until 5 this morning... when she hurled in her crate once again!

Punky's little belly is rumbling and grumbling this morning. I gave her a bland meal of hard boiled egg, rice, oil and salt. She really ate that up! She also had about 20 cc's of Pepto Bismol too. She's resting comfortably in her spot at the end of the sofa now... her brother is laying near by for moral support! (Sweet Nolli!)

Knee-wise... I am having trouble with my knee... it's feeling like it wants to lock and it's painful when it gets past a 90 degree angle. I am having pain when I try to go down the stairs and it hurts to try and extend it straight... so I am sleeping with a pillow again. I see the doctor on Tuesday and it can't come soon enough.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

I am Finished and Ready!

We are all ready for the holiday... I've baked a little, made some candy, have all the items ready for our holiday dinner and all the gifts are wrapped. We've gone to the church Christmas program and we've even done a little visiting already. Nolli and Punky went with me to see Miss Alice at the flower shop and bring her some homemade goodies.

We have plans to meet up with 2 other couples tomorrow for dinner... we're going to the diner down in town! I went to the bank already to get cash so we can leave a nice holiday tip for our server. We're suppose to have some snow and freezing rain tomorrow and I am hoping that it passes before we have to leave for the diner!

I went to physical therapy today... and took Punky with me... she got to go in! She was really very good and sat on my chest while I worked on my knee. I hear that I will more than likely graduate next week... which really means that I will have to continue to work out at home. I am seriously thinking that I will have to "push back" my other surgery date. I don't think I am going to be ready... it's just barely 8 weeks away.

What I really wanted to post is... I wish you all a Wonderful and Warm Holiday! Merry Christmas... Thank you for reading my little blog! I hope you have rich blessings in the coming New Year as well!

~Suzanne

Saturday Excitement!

We were taking it easy on Saturday... we'd had a nice breakfast of french toast and bacon and eggs. Then the phone rang... it was Miss J. from next door. She wanted to tell me that one of the neighbors across the street was having a garage sale... lots and lots of cars had already stopped. So... we got things cleaned up and headed over. We cut across Miss J.'s yard to cross the street. As we got to the edge of the road... a lady was crossing back over to our side, and she told us that she had seen a very tiny kitten go running across our yard. She said she was going to go find it... and with that, she was off.

We went to the garage sale... and DH found a Dell Computer System... (it had the hard drive removed) but it had a 17 inch flat screen monitor, sound card and speakers, keyboard, mouse and an all in one printer... for $30. (The monitor alone is worth $30!) I found a cute little white soup tureen... I've always wanted one... for $1.25. With that... we came home and DH brought all of our treasures into the house. Since it was such a nice day... we were in and out with the dogs, enjoying the sunshine and the yard... doing some laundry in between. As the day wore on, I got tired and went inside to read and rest.

Later... I came out to walk the dogs... (I'm still working with Punky... and I take her out after she's been in her crate to avoid any accidents) and as we came back down the driveway... she found half of an eaten mouse. (Yuck!) I called DH... but he was nowhere around. I even tried his phone... but no answer. So, I put the dogs into the stairwell... just as I saw DH climbing the stairs to the deck next door at Miss J.'s. He was wearing gloves... and had the little kitten in his hands.

He told me that as he was outside working, Miss J. came over to ask him to help her... she could hear the kitten crying under her windows on the North side of the house and had put food and water out... but the kitten wouldn't stop crying. He donned his gloves and went to help her... and as they set out to get the kitten... the kitten ran toward Miss J., who picked her up... and the kitten proceeded to scratch and bite her hand. (oooowwww!) DH took the kitten and held on to it until Miss J could get her cat carrier. We then encouraged Miss J to go to the ER for a tetanus shot. She called her sister who is an ICU nurse and her sister told her that yes, she did need a shot and antibiotics.

We took over care of the kitten while she went to the ER. This little, tiny, cute kitten is about 4 weeks old. But she is wild... and she hisses and spits and wales a pretty good punch for a little kitty. We ended up lending out Punky's crate, it's bigger than Miss J's cat carrier... and we fashioned a disposable litter box out of something DH had in the garage. Miss J is keeping her in one of the rooms in her cellar, off the garage. We thought we had things under control when Miss J called around 8:30 that night, and the little kitty managed to escape the crate from the bottom. DH went back over to catch her and put her back in... and they fashioned a cover from some insulation board to go around the bottom 2/3's of the crate.

Punky is using an old dog crate that is much smaller than she's used to... she doesn't like it one bit! Today... Miss J called to say that she is going to have to keep the kitten for the 10-day observation for rabies... the county animal shelters won't do it. (I've never heard of that... I figured if an animal bit you... it was surrendered and observed by the county.) She's hoping that the shelter would lend her a large cage so that Punky could have her crate back. Punky is currently on a leash and sleeping near by... it could work out to be a good training experience for her and help her get used to be a member of the family!

We aren't sure where this kitten came from... and it also looks like she was attacked at some point because she had dried blood on her side. Miss J says that the kitty hasn't groomed herself at all... which is probably because she's so young. Yesterday... I discovered the other half of the dead mouse... we do have a couple of hawks and some owls that live near by... and our big tree is a favorite roost while they feed. When DH picked up the first part of the mouse on Saturday, a hawk flew out of the tree... screeching the entire time... upset that we threw dinner away, I'm sure. Miss J told us that before we moved in, they would often see bones and fur lying in the driveway under the tree.

We also saw the deer up in the clearing late on Saturday. They have changed color... gotten much darker for Fall and Winter. We haven't decided if we are going to do deer crunch this year. Once you start to feed them, you can't stop during the Winter. It's a rather good expense... I think we'll just put out mineral salt licks for them. I know there are other people that live up the hill in the village that do put out feed... it's probably more than enough.

Thanks for reading... be blessed.
~Suzanne

Domestic Life

It's a lovely Friday morning. It's cool this morning and the breeze is nice. I have all the windows open to air out the house. It's so quiet... just some light traffic and a few crows cawing off in the distance. I have begun my housework to get ready for the weekend. I managed to clean off the desk last night, it's still waiting for a waxing though.

Other chores going on... laundry and getting the bathroom rugs cleaned. I am going to try and change a couple of wall hanging on the porch and tonight, DH is going have to carry my piles of stuff down to the basement. It's time to work on getting some garage sale stuff in order. It keeps getting piled up. It's mostly odds and ends of stuff... maybe a few furniture pieces that I've changed my mind on, but mostly lots of little stuff that it's time to let go of. I just need to go to Staples and buy tags and get started!

I'm also in prayer mode... praying for friends. One is going to visit a friend who has cancer and wants prayer about her visit... and also about a new job in another state. Another friend is going back to work today after her 3 month maternity leave... she's having trouble with leaving her babies.... hard, emotional stuff. I'm also praying over DH and his job, and his other issue of bond. I'm praying over Nolli as well... he hasn't wanted to eat lately. (I did give him some mac and cheese and some broccoli with butter the other night, he chomped that right down!) It seems he doesn't want dog food. I did give him just canned food this morning on a salad plate. I went back a little later and the plate was empty... so that's good!

We are hoping to have company tomorrow... a dear friend from Maryland who is house sitting for her brother in Doylestown wants to come and see us! I am so hoping that she does come, she's never met DH and they would get along so well! And Nolli dog would be over-the-moon happy as he just loves her! I guess I'd better go and get myself started on getting things in order, just in case she decides to visit us. (I'd better make something good to eat too!)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Real Quick!

I just wanted to say that "I Thank You" for all the kind and very caring comments from yesterday. I will take some of them under advisement... and keep pondering and wondering... like I always do!

I'm off to another p/t appointment today. Then, if I can pull myself together, I hear that there is a fabulous farm market down in Hometown. I just have to go and check it out. There's not too much that I need to shop for right now... but then, you never... it is a Farm Market after all!

Last night, I finally received my new phone... and spent most of the evening trying to figure it out. (I miss the days when I was required to take a training on all new equipment!) Anyway... the jury is still out on whether or not I will keep this device... there were a few glitches in transferring my media over... that did not make me happy at all!

Thanks for reading... be blessed! I'll probably post again later!
~Suzanne

Rainy and Dreary

I thought it was "April Showers bring May Flowers".... living in this region of the US is quite similar to living in the Pacific Northwest... except that it gets more snow and it freezes. This morning... I stayed in bed after getting DH out the door to work. It was cold and dreary which made me achy and sleepy. (Plus... I was still tired from not getting a real rest on Wednesday night because of somebody's car alarm going off all night long. It was over on the next block... and I don't think we have police patrols after midnight... small town life!)

Anyway... I finally woke up and had some energy... and proceeded to get Nolli brushed out and get his Frontline Plus on him... (Just a few days late!) Then Lizzy called... and I needed to be active while I talked to her... so I dusted! I still have to dust the hutch in the dining room, but for the most part... the dusting is done in the living room and dining room and office area! Hooray for me!!!

DH just called... his supervisor added 2 more work sites on to his day and then still requires that he drive down to his house to give him paperwork. That means another Friday where DH will get home well past 3:30. We are wondering just what it's going to take to get fair treatment or if we will start praying for another job. I am still praying for work for me... God just doesn't seem to want to open that door for me yet.

We don't really have any plans for the weekend, other than to continue to work on general things around here... clean the porch, do some laundry and hopefully have something good on the grill tomorrow and go to church on Sunday. We do love being home... and we love just being in the yard when the weather is nice and watching everyone else go scurrying by... after living a fast paced life in Maryland where all we did was work or go look for a place to relax... it's nice to sit outside and watch the rest of the world go off to do whatever and enjoy good company with a nice cold drink and some good music on low from the garage.

Tonight's dinner is going to be left overs from the roast and potatoes I made on Tuesday. I'm not sure just what I am doing to make... I may do something mexican style with them or if the rain keeps up... I may make shepards pie. Nolli is nearby as I write this, keeping watch over me and his little treat I gave him from getting brushed. (He's so food motivated!) So... I'm off to get a load of laundry sorted and get my shower... yes, I know it's after noon!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

And the Winner is....

We did the drawing this afternoon... the low tech way. With my brain fog... I couldn't think of doing the random integer thing... I had to ask DH how to spell that! (So not like me!)

Here we go... DH is the guest star for the drawing... Notice that great big hand!

Here he goes... to draw the name of.... (sorry you have to see my ceiling!)

It's Becky S... from Just Bee 'n Me! Yippee! Thank you to all who entered... Becky please send me an email of the address you would like me to send this little package to!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

My Morning, so far...

It's been a busy morning here at the cottage... my neighbor called. They are leaving for a few days to go to a B & B in Rhode Island with friends over from England. She wanted me to have a way to get in to her house if need be... and she forgot to give me a key. So... garage door opener it is! I hope to Not Have to Use it... but nice to know I can help, if needed.

The doorbell rang... it was the UPS driver. He comes by on average, about once or twice a week. I am wondering... what's the percentage of people who get packages in the morning that are still in their pj's? I don't think my UPS driver knows that I have real clothes! Package is for DH... more parts for one of his clients!

And... the phone rang... this time, the land line. Lizzy called... she wanted to know if we were busy for Memorial Day weekend. They will let me know if they are able to fly up for the weekend... that would be so awesome! But... Gary still has to see if he can get the time off. And so would DH... we shall see!

Today... is my big day... I go see my new endocrinologist. I printed off my medical history from WebMD... it's so much easier for me to have it in print than having to sit there and remember while filing out new forms... and it can become part of my medical record for the doctor. I also assigned myself a lifetime ID so that I won't lose any of it when insurance changes are made. I wished I would have had that a few years ago! I wanted DH to go with me... but he needs to be at work right now.

Still making lists for our outdoor project and for things we need around the house. Still trying to fight the urge to buy plants... it's still just a little too early for that. But soon... very soon! (Back home in Washington and down in Maryland... planting is going on... oh, it kills me to wait!) I have so many projects I want to start... but this weekend... look out stores... I've got some shopping to do!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

More Pictures...

We had such a nice day, that day... the weather was warm (8o degrees with mild humidity and then outrageous thunderstorms later.) The wedding was at 2:30. Liz and I got up and got busy with errands and took a couple of trips over to Dale and Gwen's house (our host and hostess).

When we finally had ourselves basically ready, with 1 more trip to Safeway to pick up the cute pink cup cakes... Liz pulled out on to the road from my housing development and headed west. She wasn't paying attention to her speed... and she went "speeding" right into the radar trap that is always set up on Sunday mornings. (oops!) The officer flagged her over... and she stopped... pulled out her license and insurance... and proceeded to cry her way out of a ticket!

I just sat there... looking cool as a cucumber in my little head piece, holding both of our bouquets, dressed in jeans and a white tee-shirt. She told him and I quote..."We're on our way to her weddin' and we're late and she's not even dressed yet! Look at her! And look... see... our dresses are in the back seat!" She was really wailing! The officer leaned into the car and looked at me, looked at the dresses and all of our stuff... and asked where the wedding was... I answered, "It's over the bridge" and he asked, "What time does it start?" And Liz answered, "12:30!" (It was then just 12:18! hahahaha!) So... he said..."Please, just slow down, and have a nice wedding." I said thank you... and off we went. (She was doing 48 in a 35 mph zone.)

On to more pictures~

The kiss!

Being presented as Mr. and Mrs.! What is up with my face?

John is on the phone with his Dad!

Dale... our Host... wore his redneck wedding shirt!

Some of our friends having lunch and visiting...

Enjoying some of my favorite Sparkling Pink Lemonade!

This is John's brother... we both couldn't believe that 1.) he actually came and 2.) he wore this!

John and his best man, Tom. (Also known around these parts as a$$hat.)

Hugs from friends...

Let's blow this pop stand and get outta here!

We were given a little honeymoon gift to a Marriott property... who said we needed to have a certain document before checking in... (which our friend Christy had given them already!) and because of their oversight we were upgraded to a concierge suite on the 10th floor... which was fabulous!

The next day... we were heading off to Annapolis to spend the day and stopped at home to drop off my bags... and discovered just what a jealous witch my roommate had become. (Let's just say that she made the first 18 days of my married life a living hell... it became her job to harass me as we prepared to move to PA. John left the next day to be up here and only come home on the weekends. My roommate actually taped a 30 day eviction notice on my door! How's that for being happy for me??!)

~Did I tell you also that I had to find a new dress the day before... because mine had a mysterious stain down the front of the bodice?

~That's the basic story of our little wedding... it was originally planned for mid-August or September. We had hoped that I would have been able to work those extra 2 or 3 months and save more money to do what we wanted... but this turned out just fine. My friend Char couldn't believe that we did all of that work and coordination in just 3 weeks. It helps if you know where to go to get the stuff you need and have a great hostess like Gwen to help put it all together!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Happy Spring and 1,2,3!

Happy Spring everyone... I went on a little road trip with my friend J today... (she's from the flower shop and my next door neighbor). We went in search of a wonderful greenhouse that sells flower baskets... it was too cold today for them to be open... but now I know where they are and I can go when I am ready! She also took me to a wonderful nursery that sells all kinds of great stuff and I can't wait to go back!

As far as 1,2,3... That would be DH. He has a little known knack for getting boo-boo's on the job. It's not that he's clumsy... he just works so fast... and things happen. When he gets owie's... he does it in 3's. This week, he smashed his thumb... REALLY BAD... and then he smacked his toe and split it open the other night.... and today was #3... and it made me cry when he told me and it made me cry when he came walking around the side of his truck tonight and all I could see was a huge band-aide and dried blood in his hair. (He waited to tell me until after I got home today so he wouldn't spoil my outing!)I can tolerate almost anyone getting hurt... but when it comes to my DH... it makes me physically hurt and want to throw up... and I cry. One of the plant employees had to cut his hair way to clean his wound caused by flying vice grips while he was on a ladder. (sigh.. oh my!)

So... lets end this on a happy note... here's Mr. Nolli... looking all cute and cuddly sweet. Awwww... I just love that dog! Miss J came in for a quick visit and he was just beside himself that she was here! Then he got a little miffed as we were visiting because I think he thought I was going to leave him again. (He is so smart!)

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

More Road Trip Details...

Ok... where did I leave off? Or rather what did I leave out or skip over? Let's go back to the Friend or Foe comment... I did see lots of friends... and a couple of former friends that are now foes... (pretty weird, huh?)



When we were at the funeral... and we were sitting in the back, I was able to scan across the gathering to see who was there. I noticed several people whom I knew to the right side. And lots of people on the left as well... and some one got up to leave for a few minutes, and opened a hole in my sight line to my ex-roommate! And she was not sitting all snug and cozy to her boyfriend named Shea! She was sitting all snug and cozy to someone else! (What the heck???) When I moved out, she was all set on marrying Shea once her daughter graduated high school and left for college... she was all set to marry him and his mansion and swimming pool in Virginia and never have to work again. (Guess not anymore!)



When she and her boyfriend came out of the chapel... she stood at one end of the foyer and just glared at me... she was as uptight and rigid as a 45 year old cat-gut banjo string set in the sun! She stood there and whispered... and realizing that I was not going anywhere, eventually left!



Later on, after we did our couple of errands and went back to the church... she and her boyfriend had pulled into the parking lot in his Silverado pick up... so we just sat in the car and talked until they made their way into the church... then we got out and made our way in. We greeted people we knew and chatted... Lauren, my roommate, had found seats at a table in the far opposite corner from the door, with her back to us.



Blessings and prayers were said for the food, and the family began to make their way to the buffet table. We were visiting with friends from church that hadn't known or realized that we had gotten married and moved. One friend said she thought she just kept missing me because there had been a 3rd service added and I had come to first service while she attended 3rd. So... there we are, chatting away about life and marriage, and from behind us comes the rudest, nasty voice... of Lauren, "Are you guys in line for food?" With a quick glance up, I laughingly and cheerily said.... "No, we are visiting and talking with friends." And with that, she haughtily sashayed past us and got in line. My friend Kathy came up with her peeps to get in line... and came behind us... I told her to please go ahead of us, and she refused! We had to get in line right behind the rigid, frigid witch for the buffet. Oh... horrors!



While at the reception... I took notice of a few things... Miss Lorrie J was there from bible study. When we were in study, Lauren always referred to Miss Lorrie J as "Mommy" and I always assumed they were close. In later findings... they really weren't close at all... that Lauren really was giving Lorrie J that tag as way of coping with issues with her own real life mother. During this reception, she never interacted with Lorrie J at all and ignored her. Which leads me to my next little nugget.... The Evil Text queen was also there. I knew she probably would be, as she was quite close to my dear friend Miss Char. She was also friends with Lauren.... or so I thought. Lauren also ignored her as well.... and the entire time, we (DH and I) observed that she (Evil Text Queen)did not interact with anyone there. She didn't really speak to anyone. I didn't even try to make eye contact, because I knew that if I did... I'd probably start to giggle and I figured that would be even ruder than if I just didn't acknowledge her... after all... this is the person that sent me text messages in the middle of the night begging me to come to my wedding... even on the night before! (She's not real stable...) She just felt adrift and alone during the entire luncheon.



As for Lauren... I told John... that's boyfriend #6 since I've known her! His answer was... or 7... or 8... or 9! (eeewwww! that's alot of DNA to spread around) The reason I tell you this is... as I was preparing to move after getting married... (we did it quickly because of John's transfer) she left me several nasty notes... Like she was angry and upset about the impression I left on her 16 year old daughter because of my many boyfriends! Now... just saying.... I had 1 boyfriend the entire time I lived there... and I married him. She had a total of 5 boyfriends and slept with 4 of them.... and now has moved on from the last one. To that, we say... Yay for Shay! He dodged a bullet and didn't know it! (That has become our new catch phrase around here!)



I do have some other wonderful stories to share... and they don't really involve rude behavior or cattiness! Yes... I'm being real about it... you don't live with someone for a year and see what they are really about and get treated rudely without some fall out! Just sayin! (Yay for Shay!)



Thanks for reading... be blessed!

~Suzanne

Our Road Trip... Details!

Where do I begin? I suppose at the beginning~ We were up early to hit the road...we needed to be at our destination by 10 and it's was about 175 miles to go! We left about 15 minutes late... no big deal. Then I became ravenously hungry about 40 miles away. We stopped at the Golden Arches so we wouldn't lose any time. It worked and we were on our way.

We didn't really have any heavy traffic until we hit Hunt Valley... and we were in the thick of it when we got on to 695. We both remarked about the same time that we didn't miss the rat race feel of Baltimore. We got to our destination about 4 minutes late... and sat in the back. (We went down for a funeral for a dear friends mother.) No one really saw us as we came in... and when my friend got up to do her Eulogy for her mother... she did a little head bob, like she wasn't sure of what she was seeing... that we were sitting in the back of the chapel. When the service was over and we were waiting for the family to say good-bye, we were able to visit a few friends that we hadn't seen in a long time.

When my dear friend came out to the foyer... she immediately stopped and pointed and said, "You did see my head bobble... that I was trying to not lose my place??? I couldn't believe I was seeing you, that you came down to be here!" It was great to give her some support and let her know that I appreciated all that she had done for me when I needed support, so of course I was going to be there for her. We later went to the luncheon held at the church... it was so nice to visit with friends... and to see "foes" that were reacting to our presence as well. (Yes, I was highly amused! More on that later!)

In between the funeral and the luncheon... we were able to go over DH's work office and freshen up and he was able to pick up materials for his truck as well. We then went down to Trader Joes to do some shopping... and for me to pick up some Sparkling Lemonade! (Yummmm!) We got various kinds of things that we don't always find up here or at a much lower price than here. I feel like our larder is full and we have so much to be happy about! We were able to enjoy fabulous croissants for brunch and great french baguette with our dinner last night. Our dear neighbor Miss J took care of Nolli for us... and I took her a great little goodie-bag of sparkling lemonade, some shallots, organic green tea, and some blood oranges.

Well... I need to go and get DH's lunch done for tomorrow and put the rest of the laundry away. I cannot wait to share more with you.... my dear friend Nita called me tonite after I came back for Miss J's to tell me how good it was to see us! That is truly heart warming! Liz called me today as well... God is good and blessings are flowing!

Thanks for reading... (to be continued!) be blessed!

~Suzanne