Thanksgiving

A friend just sent this link to me, and woke me up out of my self induced misery, and I think it is a shame that I didn't think to find even one soldier to say Happy Thanksgiving to. I am ashamed but maybe this will make up for a little of my own thoughtlessness.

I was depressed because my family is all on the other end of the USA - but they are all safe, in good health, and just rarin' to go. Let us be thankful for what we have instead of dwelling on what we have not (like I've been doing).

Post Op Visit

Well, I've gotten thru the worst part of it. I'm now able to use my fingers - not my thumb yet - but most of my fingers work - for a bit anyway. Still can't open a baby food jar - no matter what I do to it - but I have help for that! LOL

Went to the Doctor and got my stitches out - and a script for antibiotics. There is a bit of red, puffy skin all the way into my palm. After typing a bit - it's still quite sore. . . .

Well we managed to get ourselves together along with our shoeboxes and Papa's favorite green bean casserole and got to Church - even early enough for coffee!!! Pat me on the back!! It helped that I only got about 2 or 3 hours of sleep - if my brain turns off / my arm (or hand) turns on, and getting it turned back off is sometimes very hard to do!!! SO we had a really great Thanksgiving potluck at Church. See, there I am over in the corner!! (and if you look hard, so is Pelik) Really made it nice 'cause we won't do anything special. I mean, c'mon, who would do all of that for 2?? The kids won't eat any of it - and if it's here - I won't quit eating until it's gone. So, we are days ahead of you - we're done with the big Turkey Day!!

Mary (shhhh, don't jinx) is officially potty trained. She hasn't even wet a night diaper for almost a week. She is doing sooooo well. And she did it herself. I.gave.up.on.her . Now for the 2 littlest!! I suppose we will have diapers for awhile after all.

Sharen is full speed ahead on her wedding which is scheduled to happen this Wednesday. She is comfortably unpacking in Klamath Falls and deciding what needs to stay and where and how she can show "her" new collections. Just thinking and picturing it in my mind makes me smile. I know her so well - I can even picture the experessions on her face. I'm so glad that she is happy. And my best wishes, lots of hope, and many prayers for her to stay that way. Life should be bursting with new things every day. Keeps things fresh. . . So if I don't post again before Wednesday, Congratulations and Keep that Grin on Your Face. (See, I already know it's there)

Shoeboxes

Today we "did" our ShoeBoxes to take to the church tomorrow. Pelik insisted that he was a good boy so he should get the stuff instead of having to put it in the box. Mary and Boo just mooned over the stuff and Mary threw herself on the floor when we put the lid on it. I don't think they think much of the idea of "giving". They had another visit yesterday and now the fight is on - Pelik has his Mom and she is his Mom only. He actually came to slapping Mary right across the face for insisting "my Mom" when that isn't what he wants to hear. He just seems to have one issue right after the other. Never satisfied. And he has to worry the issue to death. I brought him in, sat him down and explained that Mommy has 4 kids. He has to share his Mommy with the others. I am Amah to all of them, Papa is Papa to all of them, and Mommy is Mommy to all of them. He sat there and looked over my shoulder the whole time - and went into the room telling himself that she "is MY mommy" just loud enough to make sure I could hear him. He managed to get "grounded" to his room to play - for "not playing nice" - and after his "nap" went right back to the MY MOMMY crap. How long before he goes on to something else???

I felt good packing the shoeboxes. I put a little of most everything on the list in them. I couldn't find any boxes here so we stopped at Payless Shoes last night (our date night) and they donated 3 to our cause. I'm hoping that whatever child receives them - are happy with them. Not a lot can go into them - high hopes, some love, someone acknowledgeing your existance, and a few things to play with. They are done and ready for delivery.

Mary is officially Potty Trained. She even threw such a fit that Papa had to pull over and take her in to potty on the way home from thier visit!! Yea Mary. She even stays dry thru her naps and is dry most mornings. I praise the Lord. I had given up but He stayed with her and she "saw the light" as well as she now hates to be crumbly or wet - even if it is her own sandwich or water soiling her clothes. She's funny!!

Keith has been getting the B12 injections that his Doctor recommended. He did the 3 days in a row (Thankfully we have a neighbor who is a retired nurse - she gave him the shots) and now only needs to do monthly for followup. We will see if there is enough good from these that he won't have to take meds that seem to have potential side-effects 2 pages long. Hopefully, the b12 will do it.

I go to have my stitches out on Monday. My appointment is 8:05, Keith scheduled his meeting at 9 am, and the van is sheduled for the shop at 8:30. Now, I can take the kids to my appointment, I could take the van in - but I have no way to get 4 kids in carseats home if the van stays. So my thought was to wait until after his meeting and he could take the van down - but then it dawned on me - same dilema - If I pick him up - we still need to fit 4 carseats in the vehicle. We only have one that they will all fit in. Oh what a time to need a friend. My only friend here - she's a showbird - they arrived the end of October but are headed back up North on Monday to return after the 1st. So, even tho we know the van is an all-day job - they have to fix some recalled hoses - we have no way to get whoever takes it back home. And the dealership won't guarantee a "return" trip - but I'd almost bet that if I went down there with all 4 and a picnic basket - they'd find a way to get us out of there!!! What a thought!!

Heard from Baby Sister and Baby Daughter - they both updated and I am in 7th heaven - hopefully they will do so more often.

I am fixing LaDaria's "green bean casserole" for the church potluck tomorrow. Papa really likes it. I guess I'll take the crock pot and an extension cord. I've heard that you can heat it in there instead of baking it. I shall try it and see? ?? ?

This was taken a few days (6) after the surgery. I was so totally unaware that I would bruise like this!! Of course, I don't bruise any more than I get really sick - so it was really a shocker for me.
I used a better, clearer, more graphic photo to try to elicit symapthy from my friends and family. It worked to a small part. I got an update from my StepMom that brought me up on what's going on at her work (nothing about her life tho') - It was months coming. And my Sister made a point of callling a couple of times - after I called and left a big depressed sob on her voice mail!! And then she had to call my daughter to get her to call me - but it WORKED. I got to talk to more family in those 3 days than I have since we got back to Florida. And Lord!!! I miss them.
I do a little more with my hand each day - I thought it was bad when I had the shoulder surgery and was laid up then - but my fingers worked. Now - even this - in desperation - is taking me over an hour to put together. I'm a totally one finger left handed typist right now . I felt something go "pop" when I opened the baby food jar - but other than really, really tight - it isn't bad. My feet work just fine, I can walk to anywhere I need to go - I just can't do anything when I get there!!!

Keith is doing all he can to keep up with the kids. He has fixed breakfast and dinner every day for a week now - he has let me start fixing the lunches (pbj's) the last 2 days so he can get his work done. He's had Dr. appointments both days and he has to be able to go out and about some. Dr. Husamy (who had done both my shoulder and wrist surgeries) saw his ankle today. He referred him on up to Orlando to a surgeon that Dr. Husamy has confidence in. He wouldn't do anything with it himself - but says that something can be done - so that is good news. The tests for Parkinson's have come back inconclusive - so they are trying him on a couple of different things - but I don't like the "possible" side effects on the list - so I'd much rather have a little of the "shakes" than ANY of those side-effects.

I've taken all day to type this and as I close - Papa is trying to get three kids who do not take direction hardly at all (anyone notice my "NEW" vocabulary) to eat a dinner that does NOT consist of nuggets and fries. Of course, we've been trying to do this for months now and with our "dinners" this last week - we've had quite a setback.

So thank all of you who have kept me entertained with the jokes, mpgs, jpgs, and I have really enjoyed the personal correspondence I've received from friends and family. Sorry I can't answer them all in person - there wouldn't be enough hours in a week for the way I'm typing now. Keep 'em coming. I'm loving it!!! Even if I did have to shame them into it:)

Election Day

I'm sitting here all lonesome after checking my "blogline" AGAIN with no updates!! Is everyone but me to busy to even say hi? Whhhhhaaaassss uppppppp?

This will probably be my last entry for a few days as tomorrow is the BIG DAY!! I will have the carpal tunnel release done tomorrow afternoon. From what I understand - it will be a few days before my right hand is useable again - and I don't want to wear my left one out!!

I voted. Papa voted. I hope all of you voted.. It is our duty as well as one of the many rights that we have that so many have died for.

I got my laundry done (mostly), I have vaccummed and dusted, Did the floors, Planted my hibiscus, sowed the grass seed that I bought a couple of weeks ago. Put clean sheets on the beds, and bought several types of frozen dinners for the kids. I think I've got it done. I am so monkish about so many things. . . . I've scrubbed the oven, cleaned the washer, washed and rinsed the dryer lint trap. Organized the pantry. Washed and put away all the halloween costumes and decorations. I hope I got enough done so that Papa doesn't have a melt-down. He did great when I had the shoulder surgery - but then I could still use my hand. This time my hand will even be out of commission for awhile. I'll be so glad to have it done and over with. I am praying that it works. Get this done and then work on the rest.

Of course, I'm hoping the Dr will give me some good drugs too!!! I've averaged 3 hours of sleep a night for the last 2 or 3 weeks. I've actually lost count of how long it has been since I've slept for a whole night. I think it was in Rosarito - so it's been awhile. Maybe now. Of course, it isn't always my hands that wake me up. Sometimes it's my feet, or legs, or the horrible every-other-hour sweats. I'm just a mess. But - it'll work out sooner or later.

Pray for me - I'd do it for you!!! And pray for Papa - he will have to put up with me as well as all 4!!

Retirement - A Satire

See if you can seperate out the truth from the frustration. I am expounding on the excesses of time. Remember that I am rather Monkish about many things and Keith is very "laid back" - in so many ways!! I have no friends or close family to "vent" with - so if you want to continue - do so at your own discretion. Hopefully, tomorrow will look all different. But here is today~~

Retirement is so fun!! I know that many envy me! Being off work and with husband being home most of the time is what people spend thier working lives dreaming about! Envy is rampant!!

1. When we (he) bought the new van, he got a maintenance contract to go with it. The van is to be serviced every 3,000 miles or every 3 months. It is already paid for, up front, tidily in the contract (complete with interest) that finances the van. I've been mentioning the need for service since May (or maybe June). Today it made it's trip to the Dealership. It only has 2900 or so miles on it - so it must be ok. Poor Baby, he's so tied up with being RETIRED that he just hasn't had time to take it in. Besides that, he has to be home to help me with the kids.

2. A very sweet resident of the Village passed away recently and we (I) wanted to attend his "Celebration of Life" that was to be held over the weekend. Friday I asked if we could stop at Wally's on the way home from our Visit (since we would be driving directly in front of it) so I could get cards. I wanted one for this occasion as well as a "get well" for a child that will soon be having a minor surgery. AND we needed to get (WIC) milk. (I have to back up here a few days, I went to enroll one of our babies into HeadStart. The bus will not come directly to the Village but to an apartment complex about 3 miles from us. I got the address of the complex - but there are no openings at the school yet. They will call when they have one.) I also have a conversation with myself where I ask if we could get a "specialty" HOME MADE pie from one of the little restaurants nearby, they cost about $1 more than the canned pies at the grocer's "bakery" (they just seem to taste "watery" to me)- or I could just bake something to take. So, anyway I asked to stop at Wally's. We did the visit at the Park, got the kids loaded back into the van, and headed home. I asked why we turned right at an intersection instead of left - I was told that Papa wants to know where the apartment complex is - in case they call soon. So we went down the back roads to home - never got close to Wally's. I had some real trouble sleeping. It just kept going thru my head that I was being totally ignored. Kinda set off - like you do to a 2 year old. So, Saturday morning dawns bright and windy and TIRED and cranky. Mr. Retired heads off to the store absolute first thing, while I fix the kids' breakfast. I'm so spoiled - I never have to leave the house. If Curves would come here . . . . . . So, I finish the breakfast, start laundry, make beds, change clothing, do diapers, and I baked a batch of Turtle Brownies, betc. thinking about Wednesday when I will have my carpal tunnel surgery done - and all that I need to do before I can't do any more (for awhile anyway). Mr. Retired comes home and puts his purchases away. I know this because of the evidence (grocery bags) left on the counters in the kitchen. I see the store bought pie on the stove. I lose it. I cannot believe that NOTHING that I conversed about (evidently all was to myself) ever permeated into anything but the wall. I get over this - evidence of being totally ignored - and Mr. Retired says "the card is over on your computer" - (my computer is a whole other story). SO I find a card that has a Kitty on the front and says "Happy Cat says" - SO I open it to see what Happy Cat says and it says "It will all work out in the end". THIS IS MY SYMPATHY CARD!!!. I'm sick. I'm totally sick to my stomach. I cannot go anywhere. I call the babysitter and tell her I'm sick. I cannot do it. I am at the end of my rope. I turn on a movie. I clean the caca up from the "accident" that happened while she was standing at my elbow telling me that she doesn't need to "potty". I cover my head with the afgan when they want to go 'side, cause I know we have to close the door, 'cause Baby pulls himself up and leans against the screen (and I have visions of it just "popping" off of the tracks and him just going headfirst down the concrete steps) and they (none of them) won't stay 'side with the door closed. They will sit on the top step and scream with snotty noses pressed against the glass until the neighbors come over and ask if there is a problem (ask me how I know that). And if they can't go 'side, they sit on the inside of the door and scream the other way. This weekend I cannot win.

So now I have a huge pecan pie (that isn't even very good) and a worthless card. Our FPA President calls to remind me of a meeting that I need to bring a dessert to - - take a guess at what they are getting!! and it's Sunday. We get all ready, bathed, dressed, and into the car. Pelik is bored before we ever even get to the Church. Boo has taken her shoes and socks off already and Mary is 1/2 out of her carseat. Today has great promise. Already, it's just yesterday in drag.

Nothing New

Since there is absolutely nothing new going on here and I feel the need to "share" something (anything) with someone (anyone), I'm going to give you the links to a couple of sites that S'te has let me in on.

The first one is Freecycle. It has helped me tremendously. Things, things, things. They say that if you were deprived of THINGS as children, you become a packrat. I DON'T THINK SO. I think it is heredity. My Mom was a packrat and I can't make myself throw away anything that still has use. I can't or won't use it again - but "someday I will find someone that can". Well, now I can. I actually have gotten rid of quite a bit (not as much as S'te). DSS receivers that don't go with my cable, a desktop that I reformatted the HD to (but I gave them the windows 98 disks to redo it!), car seats, bikes. I can't think of it all but I know I've emptied closets out. Anyhow, I think this is a great idea and I get the local one e-mailed daily. Like it says - matches leftovers with the hungry!! But I still can't part with the sheets MY great-grandmother crocheted and embroidered on, the newspapers MY mother saved from when Kennedy was killed (complete and wrapped in plastic), doilys that MY grandmother and mother crocheted. No one else would have the connection - I can't put them out - the kids would ruin them -
That's why I just go ahead and give the stuff I make away - why add it to the pile???? S'te asked me once who was going to have to deal with all this stuff when I die - I was totally truthful and said she would. She will get to take the cedar chests full of "stuff" and put it in her house - to open occasionally, look at it and sigh, ahhhhh, close it, and think about it. What else would you do???

The other one is Craig's List. This one came to my attention when I wanted to rent the Condo but tired of paying just under 100 bucks for a 3 day ad. You can find almost ANYTHING out via this site. It has wonders that I've not researched yet. I still go lurking thru just to see what is what and where its at. . . It has US and other countrys and has jobs, personnals, roommates, news, it has just everything. Look it over - you will be absolutely amazed. It is better than a mls listing and much cheaper than the newspaper. And it is all right there!!! You don't have to go thru page after page after page of "stuff" you don't want (ads) to find the ads that you do want.

Now that I've shared my "tidbit" of the ~~~ I might feel a little more connected. NO ONE IS UPDATING AND I'M LONESOME!! Please, someone out there ~~ reach out!

Gotta go start breakfast - same ol' same ol'.

Halloween

And We're Off to the Races!! So, here we are on our way to the Party. Look like a troop or not??
Yup, GGMa brought the kids each a costume or two for Halloween. Doesn't he look cute??? He is a Dalmation (in case you don't really see his ears or tail!) He just had a grand time. We went on down to the Clubhouse here at the Village where the Community Church did a Party for the kids. They went all out too. Hot Dogs, soda, pop corn, and lots and lots of games that this Kidlets could play to "earn" candy and treats.
Pelic got both a Star Wars character and a Spiderman costume but ~ true to form ~ I didn't look at the actual sizes early enough to realize that, one was to big and the other too small. So he wound up with his Birthday cape and his Spiderman Jammies. He did great tho'. He got right with the Trick or Treat theme. After the Party we Trick or Treated our way home so that we could see all the other urchins in thier finery. The BUGS were all invited this evening also - so it was a quicker than planned retreat to the screen room!! Tho the kids were all pretty well covered - I wasn't!! These pests were big enough they hurt WHILE they were biting. I don't usually feel the actual bites - but I sure did this time!!
Here is my little Devil and my
little Bumble Bee. Mary didn't really want her pic taken - she didn't want to stand still that long - and the two's (ya know - what can I say?) Boo gets a
bit upset when I want her pic. She wants to stand behind me and see herself in the camera - she doesn't want it pointed at her - but she loves seeing herself on the computer!! I'll just have to work more with her so that maybe someday she'll be as much of a star as Tetee.

The kids had a great time. The heat stayed with us - it was still over 80 at dark - the rain held of until 7:30 - so we (I) can count our Blessings. All had a good time and it was quickly and totally officially done when the rains came!! Kidlets were in bed by 8:30 and the doorbell didn't ring! AND this year I don't have lots of leftover candy to eat - I got those little plastic sunglasses at the party store and the little ones just loved them!! The teens weren't to thrilled :( but . . . I gave them candy (we really didn't have much).
I did tho', get a call from my little Sis and she had some news that has my jaw dropped clear to the floor!!! I need to wait and see how the Lord works this one out before I actually try to put it into words.