I have plenty of these for slow days!

Dear God,

I drove Dad's truck down in the pasture to  a chinquapin tree, but Dad stayed in the truck while I was picking chinquapins. The door to the truck was open and I heard my dad start to talk. I thought he was talking to me, so I turned to look at him. He was praying.. thanking God for the day and for his children and daughter-in-law. Of course, I got big ol' crocodile tears in my eyes when I heard him, but I just kept on picking the nuts off the tree. He never knew that I heard him. I get teary eyed right now just remembering it. It was a sweet moment...not one that I am likely to forget!

Laid back Saturday

I was deeply involved in getting started on a scrapbook this morning when my cousin,who is in town for only a few days, called and said we needed to go to this Bluegrass Festival while her mother was taking her nap today. OK. We went for a little while and listened and looked. The only reason it was OK is because the weather is divine and I wasn't sweating. Otherwise, I would have been ready to go much sooner. Bluegrass....No...not so much!

Another pet peeve...

The debates are over! STFU now! All the damn pundits, who think they are smart just annoy me enormously! It's over....no one won....no one lost! Give it a rest!I stopped watching after an hour just because I lost interest. I have the attention span of a gnat!

Busy day...

My cousin is visiting from Virginia and she called me this morning to let me know she was in town and that I should come to the assisted living place where her mother (my aunt) lives and see a presentation given by a couple of friends of mine. I went and they couldn't get the projector to recognize their computer to present their power point slides. Technology of that nature left my brain when I retired, so I went across the street to an elementary school and got help. (The presenter is the former superintendent and his wife is a current administrator) Since the people at the school knew them, they sent someone right over to help get them going. I watched their presentation on a trip to Israel and Egypt.

Tonight, we all went to eat at our regular favorite catfish restaurant. The big surprise is that my aunt, who is 92 and my dad's only sibling remaining, wanted to go. She never wants to go anywhere, but since Dad has been diagnosed with lung cancer, he doesn't go see her like he used to. She wanted to see him, so she went. It was a priceless evening and will probably never happen again.

Enough, I say, enough!

This morning I had two medical appointments, both made by my primary care physician's office....otherwise, I wouldn't be going! I was a year overdue for a mammogram, so now that is done and about 10 years overdue for a GYN appointment. Now that's done! When I left out of there, they said,"Come back in 3 years." Yeah, right! Not unless I am once again forced by my doc.....he is just so thorough!!! A little too thorough for me. I want to be left alone! So there! Well, at least until I get sick!

Killer day...

Since brother was taking Dad for his treatment today and also to an appointment with his urologist, I went to Mom and Dad's early and started mowing. Usually, my brother and sister-in-law each get on a mower and finish it off in an hour, but with only me it took about 3 hours and I got it all finished just before they got back from the appointments. Bro was glad I had done it. He is just so busy.

I checked my little fall garden. Something is eating the turnip greens and broccoli and tomatoes. Some carrots are coming up, but they are obscured by weeds and I can barely find them to pull the weeds away from them.

Looks like we may have a good pecan crop for the first time in two years, so I mowed under all the trees so we can find the pecans when they fall.

Usually, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday , we go to the rec center for exercise. I emailed my buds today and told them I would not be joining them since I had already had my "rec" for the day.

Much better today...

Dad was breathing much better today and looked better as well. We visited with the doctor in the elevator going up to chemo and he could tell Dad felt better today. Today was the short day, so we were finished by 10 A.M. and I already had a 30 minute nap. I just can't get used to getting up at 6 A.M. Thank goodness, I won't have to any more this week.

Dad update...

Although he is having trouble breathing again and is very short of breath, the doc could not hear any wheezing. Dad was as weak as I have ever seen him today. He just looked so incredibly old and sad. It was just a long, emotional day. Tomorrow will be shorter. He slept the entire 3 hours of chemo. For that I am very grateful.

I barely had time to sit down a few minutes before I had to go pick up a meat and cheese tray I had ordered for my buds in the krewe to snack on while we worked on the float. I just got home and I am exhausted.

Full speed ahead...

This week is filled to the brim with appointments and other things I have to do. Dad is not feeling well. He says his breathing isn't right. It doesn't hurt, but he is short of breath. It makes me wonder if the tumors are not growing again. He is scheduled for doc and chemo tomorrow. Everything I have read says that this cancer can only be slowed by chemo and may only prolong life a few months. I'll take Dad on Monday and Tuesday, then bro will take over Wednesday and Thursday. I'm afraid this time!!

Check this out!

This is a picture of trucks waiting to be dispatched in my former home town of Orange, Texas. I guess they learned a lot from Rita because it didn't look like this after Rita.

Two new toys

I have a new toy! Never, ever have I used a hedge trimmer. I don't even have a hedge, but I have some plant with red leaves that just grows out of control. Many times I have cut it back with hand trimmers, but it grows so quickly. Finally, I gave up and bought this little jewel. Yep, I'm pretty much a master at it now. I'll probably turn everything in the yard into a topiary now!!!

My other new purchase is a t-shirt. Check it out! It says " I support the pitbull with lipstick".

I caved in!

Last year my doc wanted me on a statin drug to lower cholesterol, but since my cholesterol was only 204, I refused. The HDL was high enough, I thought, to counteract those 4 little points over 200. What do I know? I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV, but I just hate taking medicines. Last week I had my blood work done again and the cholesterol was 209 and once again, his office called and said he wanted me on a drug for that! I finally said, "OK"! I am a diabetic, so I agreed to do it. All the bloodwork was good except those 9 little points. CRAP!

Something stinks!

The photo below is of thousands of dead fish left everywhere after the waters receded in my old home town of Orange, Texas. Just one more reason why I am glad I moved to North Louisiana. Several of my friends ( and I have only heard from a few) had water in their homes. Power is still out most everywhere. Fortunately, they had a cold front go through that is giving them some relief from the heat that can still be brutal in September. So much devastation to so many people that I know.

Draggin' ass!

I am totally used up already today. My brother and I drove up at the same time this morning to start the clean up in my parents' yard where a huge pine tree fell and took out a pecan tree with it. It could have easily fallen on the house and we are so grateful that it didn't. We filled the truck up at least 8 times and my brother cut the tree into pieces and pulled them off with a chain and the tractor. I was not allowed to operate the chain saw. Hell, I couldn't even pick the damn thing up! My arms are already getting sore, one of which still isn't completely healed from that major big fall I took two weeks ago. Tonight I am supposed to go help work on our Mardi Gras float. OUCH!

Dad was not able to go to chemo this morning due his incredible discomfort from the catheter that he has now. Mom canceled his appointment and rescheduled it for next week. I feel so sorry for him. He is tired of going to doctors and it kills him to have to sit back and watch his kids doing all the work.

We survived IKE

Although there was some serious wind, I only had 1/2 inch of rain. A huge dead pine tree fell in my Mom and Dad's back yard narrowly missing the house. It was actually leaning away from the house, so they weren't so worried about it falling on the house. The wind thought otherwise and put it down in the best possible place across the back yard. It will require chain saws, chain and tractors, which my brother is probably doing right now. I told him that, unlike him, I do take a day of rest. I will help tomorrow after we get back from chemo, but not today. He's stubborn. He and his wife will probably have it all done before I get there.

Holy Moly!

I am watching nonstop coverage of IKE pounding on my old home turf. All the images are so familiar to me. Had I still been a resident there, my ass would have been gone. I hope all my buds are gone. Even as far inland as I live now, we will be getting tropical storm level winds. That's enough to kill the power here. Even Gustav knocked out a lot of power last weekend. It's funny to listen to those weather channel people pronounce those Louisiana parish names. Most of them are derivatives of French and uncommon names. I cannot believe so many people chose to stay on Galveston Island.

Where was I?

I was just beginning second period class when my principal came to my door and told me that some asshole had crashed a plane into the WTC. At that time, we didn't know it was a deliberate act of terror. We immediately put on all the TV's in the building and school stopped. I was very concerned for my own family when I learned that the plane was an American Airlines plane from Logan airport in Boston. My cousin, an American flight attendant, was based at Logan airport. I got on the cell phone and called until I found out that she was out of the country. Wow! It could have so easily been her. I was reminded that only a few short years earlier, I had stood on top of the WTC awed by NYC.

Take a moment!

I like it!

Mexican Spider?

I killed what I guess was a Mexican spider in my garage tonight because when I looked down at it after I stepped on it there were at least a hundred babies scurrying everywhere. Yes, they, too, are dead now. Go ahead. Call PETA! I don't care! Here's another big surprise. I don't like spiders either.

I have a headache!

OBAMAMOBILE

This is the Official Democrat Party campaign car designed exactly the way Obama lays out his message.

Just got this in an email. Had to share!

Doctor day...

Dad and I went to the oncologist today to get the results of the CT scan he had last week. Doc said the CT was good news.....no new growth. All the other places were stable. He gave Dad the option of getting two more chemo rounds since they seem to be helping and are not causing any real side effects. So, next week we get another round. On Wednesday my brother is taking him back to the urologist to get some microwave procedure to try to get some relief from his prostate troubles. The procedure he did a couple of weeks ago didn't help. Dad says he isn't getting any sleep at night because of having to get up so many times. I hope this will get him some relief.

Here we go again!

• The power is still not back on in most of Baton Rouge.
• Special needs people are already being evacuated from nursing homes again in N.O.
• The shelters just emptied out here yesterday
• God, Have mercy on Louisiana!

Just my LUCK!

In a newsletter from the Texas Teacher Retirement System, I was notified that our insurance would start paying for the shingles vaccine beginning September 1....when our new year and new deductible starts! Yes, I got mine last week. Of course, I called but to no avail. I would have had to pay for it anyway because my deductible started over, but at least it would have gone toward my deductible!

Yikes!

Fall is in the air! Perfect day....70's all day so I got out and worked in the yard and mowed the grass which would have been easier with a bush hog. Unfortunately, after a couple of strips by the driveway, a snake came out of the grass on the driveway. Of course, I freaked out as I always do when I see a snake. I won't even go see them in the zoo, but I killed it with my hoe. I don't know what kind it is, but it doesn't appear to be a ground rattler like my previous two snakes that I killed in the garage. I thought I was going to make it through this season without seeing one! It's hard to tell from this picture, but it is brown with a stripe down the back and it's only about a foot long. I looked up a copperhead, but it doesn't appear to be a copperhead. I hate snakes. End of story!

Have a wonderful weekend!

What a bunch of whiners!

Lots of people, who would have otherwise been stuck in New Orleans, were brought by bus to our local area. All they have done is whine! They think they should be put up in the Hilton. They came here without necessities and expected them to be given to them....such as diapers, clean clothes, soap, baby formula...you know....the essentials. TV people were on TV telling us they needed new underwear! WTF! What a bunch of morons! That's the whole problem... entitlements have created a bunch of losers! I say that next time we leave their sorry asses there in New Orleans! Dumbasses!

Dark and Dreary

The day is dark and dreary with intermittent rain, but I was up early to meet my brother and Dad at the hospital where Dad was getting yet another CT scan. Brother dropped him off and I stayed with him for the CT. It only took a few minutes, then I took him for some breakfast and on back home. Being the lazy daughter that I am, I put my garage door back down and went back to sleep until 12. This day is not conducive to anything productive!

I watched some of the RNC last night. It's much easier to watch than the DNC. Palin will get my attention tonight. This is how the ticket should look!

I don't get it! Why does this damn duck do what he is supposed to do in Google Documents, but not in blogger.

This one,too! I really wish I was a GEEK!

Still no power

Edited to add: My brother and sister-in-law came to Minden to the Dairy Queen and brought Mom and Dad with them. Afterwards, they came here to catch up on the news. Bro got a call while he was here that power was back on. Yay!

I offered again to go get my mom and dad and bring them here because it's now 24 hours with no power. They have a generator for the freezers and the fridge, but it's hot inside now. Mom has been sitting out in the carport. I guess stubbornness runs in the family! Who knew!

The worst is over...

and it amounted to NOT MUCH...thank goodness. We have had several inches of rain and some wind. It's still raining, but it is much needed rain and we are grateful. My brother has lost power at both his houses and my parents are without power. I offered to go get them and bring them here with me, but Dad didn't want to leave his couch. It's OK! I'm just going to be lazy since I have a good excuse today...plus the fact that my arm still hurts a lot.

Slow day...

Today I was very limited in what I could do. My arm isn't working very well since my fall yesterday. I could barely pull the lever on my recliner to raise the footrest! Any sympathy! Didn't think so!

I did manage to kill a hummingbird and it broke my heart. The little twit came in my garage and once the dumbass gets in, he can't get out. He flies too close to the ceiling and can't see the huge OPEN door. This has happened several times before, so I have a fish net that I use to catch them and get them out so they don't die. I did that today and instead of catching him, he fell to the floor dead!!! I could not revive him. I love my hummers even though they are dumbasses.