Well... What Do You Know!

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth... just into a huge pit of work, and trying to keep up with everything else. I have also been fighting a double ear infection, sore throat and bronchitis. I've been on lots of antibiotics and have 2 new medications added to my regular regimen, one being a bronchial inhaler. I've been working through all of it... and it makes me extremely tired by the end of the day.

I've also been dealing with DH traveling more. He's was gone all of last week, and worked yesterday. We have spent most of today getting him repacked to be gone this week as well. It makes for a tough week for me with extra trips up and down the stairs to walk to the dog (which is fabulous when you can't breathe!)

I did manage to get lots of work done in getting my closet organized while DH was gone. And I did get a little bit of shopping and found some great maxi-dresses for work this summer.

We have yet to get all the flowers planted that we usually do... I don't seem to have the stamina to do all the watering that I did last year. I am not doing nearly as much as I did last year now that I am working full time. I am hoping to add having a weekly housekeeper this summer so that I have more time for the things we want to do. We shall see if the does infact happen, as it depends on how much travel DH will have this summer.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~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.

Weary... Bone Weary.

This past couple of weeks has gone by in a blur. My DH traveled out of town last week, so the week before was spent getting ready for that trip. Making sure that all the needed laundry was done, all the snacks and lunch staples were acquired along with things like gatorade and iced tea. Making sure that all prescriptions were filled for the trip as well.

Then it was all assembled and packed, lists crossed off, and he was on his way in the midst of an pretty good "winter snow event." I was left at home to take care of the dogs and keep the home fires burning in between working. Work it's self has been quite stressful for me, with numbers not moving in the proper direction and the pressure to "work my magic" as I have in the past was intensified.

We spent a busy last weekend doing things like getting Nolli-dog groomed and spending a little bit of money at the "electronics store"... and getting everything charged up and set up. I've been trying to grocery shop, get my own prescriptions, get some cooking done... and still get to work on time and find time for all the things that need to be done around here.

Tonite... I am very bone-weary tired. While at the pharmacy, the clerk asked me my birthday... and I gave her my best friend Lizzy's birthday instead of my own! (Her's is the day before mine!) DH was laughing at me and told the clerk that I was really quite tired... that I was not my usual self! So, here I sit after running errands tonite, having dinner at the Chinese buffet.... and I still need to make lunches for tomorrow. I think I will fall into bed now and make lunches when I get up in the morning. It's been over 5 years... and I still have the same fatigue... oh, how I miss my thyroid!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!

It was Dip Day

Today was dip day at work... it was so much fun and all the food brought was really good. There was a good variety of things to choose from... taco dip, queso blanco, red pepper relish dip, spinach dip, pepperoni dip, crab dip, and my own cream cheese, bacon and scallion dip. It was fun to visit and eat with my coworkers that are always so busy during the day that we don't get that opportunity often.

Tonight, DH was tired and wanted to go out to eat. We went to a local coffee shop/ice cream shop for dinner. It was really good food as well. The only draw back of the entire evening was some guy who was seated behind me who whistled through his entire meal. I was so distracted by his endless chirping, I thought I was going to go ever the edge and go "ballistic" on him. Luckily, DH and I chatted and enjoyed our dinner that once he left, it felt positively wonderful!

After dinner, we hit the Wal*mart to pick up DH's medication... and ended up doing some shopping for his trip for work next week. We stayed out much longer than we anticiapated and we are both really tired. The upside is that we won't need to do any running this weekend... we can stay home and relax!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Hangin' It a New Way!

It's beginning to feel like Spring is in the air. It was a fabulous 50 degree day today and we even had a little bit of sunshine this afternoon. To celebrate the coming of Spring and all that it means... we dove into our first project of the year... we re-did my closet!

It's been on my "honey-do list" for quite awhile. I had added some organizers and shoe shelving last year... but this time we took everything out and started over. We are only doing a "fast -job" of it this time.  We are going to re-tape the dry wall and paint when we re-do the carpet in the bedroom this year. This time, we put in new closet rods with support brackets, raising one side higher to add a second clothes bar under it... adding so much more space for hanging all my cardigans and my assortment of t-shirts and tops. It's starting to look more like a closet instead of something that was pretty much slapped together and second thought. This house is over 45 years old... and has been a rental for over 24 years... closets weren't such a huge deal back then.

 I can't wait to get into my closet tomorrow and work at hanging things by category and color! (I know... weird, right?) We're both tired this evening... I ran errands and grocery shopped, and had to run back to the home improvement store with Punky to return one clothes rod that was broken in the package. It's been a busy day... but a good day too! Thank you to my wonderful Hubs for doing such a fabulous thing for me!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Tired Beyond Words...

This past week has been kicking my tail... and DH's tail as well. We're up early... and running all day long. I have still been feeling the after effects of having the flu... and being out of one of my maintenance medications. I tried to to errands and shopping on Saturday and ended up getting ill in the middle of it all... and had to come and sleep. I was gone for most of Sunday, attending a baby shower, which involved a drive and then having to be "entertaining" while feeling puny.

I've also tried to cook ahead and make things for dinner during this week. I've been made some good things to reheat... but it hasn't made any difference as DH has been working overtime and had night calls 2 out of 3 nights so far. He's tired... and I've been having to pick up the slack where he usually helps me. It's been making us both very weary. Running errands after work, shopping, and cooking and cleaning have tuckered me out... and tonite I voted for eating take-out. (So much for reheating what I made!)

Tomorrow I have an appointment after work... the upholstery guy is coming to do repair work on my sofa. We had seam failure on one of the back cushions and it's under warranty. He's coming around 6 pm... and so I have been picking things up and straightening and dusting. I hope I can convince DH to run the vacuum for me... I still can't do the push and pull of the vacuum cleaner.

Work is going well for me... my month turned out better for February than I first thought. I had lots of "old money" come in and it shows that I worked very hard last month. I am running hard to get a good start to this month... not too certain just what my goal will be for March. I do know that my location has lots of work to do to keep up with me... I keep finding problems and issues and I know that they are sick of getting my emails asking for them to do what needs to be done and my checking for accountability. They are not used to having someone hold them accountable for issues that have a way of being swept under the rug... guess who keeps looking under the rug and showing them what needs to be cleaned up!

I've got wrap this up and get busy so the house is a little more under control... still need to pack lunches for tomorrow and get the dishwasher unloaded. I think I hate house work!

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne

Reflections and Thoughts...

As I am enjoying the quiet of the morning... I began to think of the last 2 weeks. We've both had the flu prior to this past week. Work wise... we've both been busy. DH has had such a busy week this past week that I've tried be quiet and let him sleep as much as possible. I seem to be back on a regular sleep cycle of only needing between 7 and 8 hours of rest.

We've had appointments to keep and extra drive times because of weather. We've also begun to take a hard look at finances and where we can cut back to keep up with the rising costs of everything else. I think we are going to be trying to stretch our food dollars and eat at home much more. It's hard to not want to go out for a meal when I fight fatigue as much as I do... living with the after affects of cancer can be really tough sometimes. Yes... I am cancer free... but the changes a body goes through and the maintenance medications also take it's toll on you, be it in energy to carry on through the day or in a myriad of other ways.

We've decided that we are either going to go back to cleaning the house ourselves or have the cleaning lady only come twice a month. We have projects that we want to do this Spring... but we are wondering if we should do them, given the state of world affairs and how they are affecting each of us directly in the pocket book. We've had some big set-backs in the last 6 months... and we don't have our nest egg anymore. We need to be diligent in saving as much as we can but also be smart in how we spend our money. I know that God does supply our needs... but it's also my responsibility to be wise in my spending habits.

Well.... this has gone in a different direction... but it's out there now. We continue to seek what God would have us to do... and we continue to struggle with being human and having wants and desires. I need to remind myself to be content with what I have... it's more than a lot of people have... and I don't want to worry about having to "keep up with the Jones or the Smiths". We are happy and we love our quiet life... and we take great comfort in knowing that God is a restorative God who loves us.

Thanks for reading... be blessed!
~Suzanne