Hi

Today Brandi and family will be here, FINALLY.  I was beginning to think this day would never get here!!!  Can’t wait to see everyone and yup even their two dogs they bring to visit us.  The more the merrier.

Tomorrow hubby turns 60!!  Oh hell no, I will never catch him, I am 4 years behind him!!  He is not happy at turning the big 60 but I keep telling him it’s just a number, you are as old as you feel.  Heck then I must be 120,  ugh.

BooBoo

Haven’t been on here writing much, but I do read the blogs everyday.  Heck can’t live without any of you now!!!!  

I have been nursing a boo boo back for almost a week, dang no wii fit and even like 4 nights of no bowling.  Can you believe that one???  Then when I do bowl trust me I suck eggs at it haha.  Do you realize how much of your back muscles goes into getting that dang ball down the lane?  UGH and OUCH.

Apparently I pulled something while lifting mama one day and trust me it hurts.  Just to stand and walk it’s crazy, and it’s on my left side.  So now I am not only a gimp on my right but on the left too so yep finally made it to the complete gimp stage in my life!!!   But the back is healing , each day it gets better.  I still have to lift mama, do things I always do, but try to keep it to a minimum.  I think walking and carry on is helping more than hurting it.  My own physical therapy huh? 

Weather here has been absolutely perfect for afternoon pool time and I have so taken advantage of it too.  I get mama up earlier now, cleaned, fed and we have our time together.  Then around 2 or so when it’s hot hot hot , I get her in her room, fan on nice and cool.  I put the head part of her bed ( I have a hospital bed for her) to the sitting position, put the rail up ( I read an article they consider a rail “abuse”) and turn her tv on.  She is safe, cool and comfortable.  I know she won’t get out of bed until I go in there and also if she does cat nap, her head isn’t bobbing around like a bobble head, like when she is sitting at the counter, in her recliner or wheelchair.  Once she is settled, cool and safe, I head out to the pool .  I am trying to work up to my 25 laps around but so far not doing very well.  Of course until the back heals I know I won’t.  Finally I just give up, grab my spring floatie which I love, and just float all my cares and worries away.  I know it would be super easy for me to just fall asleep too, so when I get that way, I jump off the floatie to wake myself up.  Damn don’t want to fall asleep and drown in my own backyard, heck no, can’t have that.  I love to float but certainly don’t want to do the “dead man’s float!!!”  

This morning I am going to TRY the wii fit, hoping the yoga moves will help the back. Not too sure if I will attempt the hula hoop or not, have to wait and see if I can even get through the other exercises first. 

My daughter and family will be here one week from today for hubby’s 60th birthday, which is the 17th.   Was going to have a huge bash, but that’s something he doesn’t want, so scaled it down even the gift.  Had a “Trick my truck” b’day planned but nope not now.  It will be simple just the family and a few nice gifts.  No gag gifts darn, he told me this is the first time ever he has been “terrified” of a birthday.  I keep telling him age is only a number but mmm it’s not working.  So scale down I did and it will be easier all the way around too. 

I so love summer time and it does keep me off the computer.  I am on here for a bit while I have coffee then it’s outside I go.  Tend to the garden, have more coffee on the deck, soak up the sun and just enjoy while it’s nice out.  Later in the evening I fire up this hummer to read emails and check blogs again.  Yes, I do check twice a day, then I settle in to spend the evening watching tv with mama.  The days fly by that’s for sure.

So wii fit is calling me and yep I have to answer, then I can get outside before it’s time to get mama up.  See time waits for no one!!!!

TYPO’S

Dang tons of typo’s on the book meme post, sorry

Book Meme

 

Okay Ice Cream Mama tagged me for this book meme so here’s what you do once I tag you.

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

 Book nearest me is Rick Warren’s  “God’s Answers To Life’s Difficult Questions. Page 123’s sentences are; How we get into a crisis, wrong guidance from the Experts.  The centurion who had charge ove Paul ignored his plean and instead followed the advice given by both the captain and the owner of the ship. ( whew one long sentence huh) The left he harbor.  This points up the first reason we get ourselves into a mess:  we listen to the wrong experts. 

Now I will tag:

1.  Angie

2. Kelly M

3. Happy Working Mom

4. True Blue

5. Lucky Gem

Okay hate to leave people out , Kellie I know you have been tagged, but anyone that reads this consider themselves “tagged” :)  There now I feel tons better

Hot Hot Hot

We survived our hottest days of the year so far and me, well hell I loved it.  Both days it got over 100 degrees on our back deck, and that thermometer is in the shade on the porch part.  So hot it was.  I of course didn’t let mama outside, no way.  I got her up earlier, chatted with her through breakfast and lunch, then around 2pm put her in her room.  Well not “put” dang that sounded cruel didn’t it?  I settled her in her room, tv on, fan on, nice and cool and she was SAFE!!!!  That’s when I headed to the pool!!  I am working my way up to the 25 laps that I was at last year, but whew, it’s tough.  But honestly I floated away, relaxed, no worries and just enjoyed the day.  The heat didn’t bother me at all when I was floating.  I did get a tad red, okay alot red but it is all ready turning to brown.  Bryce and Ashley told Ron don’t worry in a few days we will have “Gramjemima” back again.  Nice kids huh?  

I also had to go buy a new phone.  Apparently there was more wrong with my old one than just replacing the battery.  Hahaha I chuckled when I tossed the new phone into the cart.  I could hear everyone bitching me out , blah blah blah.  Know why?   Tee hee I got the exact same phone!!!  Can’t help myself I love my phone, it’s the stainless steel look, plus the hand set is the perfect size.  I swear some of the hand sets are smaller than a cell phone and I can’t have that. When I am gabbing on the phone it’s normall cradled on my shoulder while I am puttering around.  Either getting dinner, switching out and folding laundry, helping mama etc, so I need the perfect “fit.”  So I was right to chuckle.  I never said anything hooked up the new phone then I finally asked if they liked my new phone.  Oh geeze, they were looking all over the place for it, hahahaa I was loving it.  I think it was Ashley that finally realized it was the same and she started the ripple effect of “What the heck?”  ” Why did you get the same piece of crap?” etc.  I’m happy with it so it’s all that counts!!   :) 

On the way home from my phone purchase I stopped at the lumber yard and got three pieces of plywood.  Our solar panels for the pool were so saggy looking and I knew if they stayed that way a; the sun wasn’t hitting all of them and b; yikes what if they broke?  So got that and Greg helped Ron put them under the panels.  OH WOW what a huge difference that made.   Nice straight panels, no ripples and nice warm water flowing into the pool, yeah that’s what I am talking about!!!!  They are up the way they are supposed to be, amazing huh???   :)  It’s only been what 3 yrs Kelly?  Remember you out here helping us get them up???  I think it’s been 3 or maybe 2 years.  Whatever it’s been way too long and all I can say is it’s about time they are the way they should be. 

Didn’t do my wii fit yesterday, way too hot in the house.  We don’t have the luxury of central air, hell normally we don’t need it.  We do have an air conditioner for the main part of the house, but then it’s fans galore throughout, so too hot to exercise yesterday.  Today I will have to get my buns in gear before the heat hits once again.  Right now it’s in the 80’s so it’s okay to work out.  I am bound and determined to shed 10#’s , then after I hit that goal, I will set another 10# goal, then I might be happy, will have to wait and see. 

My favorite camera is wigging out on me, oh NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!  When I went to take a picture yesterday it whirred, shook and shit I thought it was going to explode!!!!  I thought maybe the hot sun, so brought it inside, then Ashley tried it.  On regular setting it video’s, on video setting it video’s , how do I snap a still photo?????  So I took the battery out hoping it would re-set.  This morning nope still wigging out. I did hit one setting and got a still pic, then it went back to being goofy.  I love this camera, it’s compact and comes with me everywhere I go.  Now I have 4 others but you know how it is when you get a favorite, right?  So I am hinting extremly hard to hubby at how much I need a COMPACT camera.  I am shameful when it comes to cameras so yep I am “using” mama right now.  Saying how I can’t carry my other ones when we go out and my purse, plus push the wheel chair.  How mama does so many cute things that I NEED to have my camera with me at all times.  How mama is special and I can never get enough pictures of her.  See I am shameful but dang it I NEED a compact camera and, like the phone, want the EXACT same one.  Tee hee.  But I think first I may just send this in and hopefully it can be fixed.  BUT yeah alway a BUT!!  While its being fixed ( hopefully) I will still need a compact camera, right?  I will badger, hint, rant and rave until I have a working camera.  Hubby’s day off is tomorrow so mmmmmm he should head to the store before his morning coffee!!!!!!!!!  He has to remember “If I’m happy , he’s happy” hahahaha I know I am bad , but hey a girl has to do what a girl has to do!!!!

Rough Two Days

Today and tomorrow are going to be rough for Ashley.  She, and others, have been called back by their high school band teacher to play for Daniel’s memorial service.  Today is the rehearsal and tomorrow is the memorial.  Bethel High School is allowing the service to be held there which I think is awesome on their part.  I know that place will be jammed packed too.  I am just wondering how Ashley and the other kids in the band will do.  Performing and crying at the same time is going to be hard.  I know they want to be perfect for Daniel so it’s going to take tons of strength for each and every one of those kids. 

It will be rough but it will also be closure for all the kids that knew Daniel.  Another step into the real world for them huh?  But still extremely difficult no matter what the age.  Bryce said he will be going to the memorial also so I have a hunch tomorrow will be a “downer” for those two.  They both know we are here for them if they want to or need to talk, that’s about all we can do is support them and help them get through this sad time.

Okay now onto a lighter note, our weather is awesome right now and I am so loving it.  Each day it gets hotter and hotter, all right!!!  Bring it on, I am so ready for it.  Yesterday I got my running around done, floors mopped and house cleaned up so today, oh yeah it’s outside to enjoy the day.  I am glad we have the awning though cause mama needs it.  But if it hits the high 90’s like they say, she will be taking an afternoon nap while I am in the pool.  I so can’t have her in that heat, she is way too fragile. We have a fan out there and the misters but still have to be careful.  It’s funny cause way back mama was the one always outside and the heat never bothered her.  She would be out puttering in her flower garden, cleaning up the yard just on busy lil woman.  Her flower gardens absolutely beautiful too she knew how to make her yard bright and cheery, which matches her character.  She is still bright and cheery, only she don’t know it.  I do and I enjoy every moment of having her here. 

She can still get me laughing so hard I actually get tears running down my face too.  Yesterday was one of those times.  Funny but in some ways not, hell she could have had a heart attack!  We were coming home from Ft Lewis and I always take the back road as it’s much faster.  On the back road on base is all the training sites.  Well the timing was right on cue for us.  I was driving, mama looky looing at everything and I get right in front of the granade range at the exact moment a grenade went off.  Shit it startled me, so loud !  Sweet lil quiet mama jumps, her voice goes up a thousand notches and she says “Oh my God, what the HELL was that?” It just struck me and I started laughing, only because one she never raises her voice and two she never swears.  I told her it was a grenade and she hollers “A grenade??? Why?”  Once I could speak through the laughing I told her we were on Ft Lewis and then she quietly says “oh”  End of subject, just like that, but I swear I laughed all the way home.  Maybe it’s one of those “you had to be there” but if you picture small quiet mama in her own lil world, then try to hear those words yelled out from her mouth, I think you would get the picture.  It has me laughing right now as I am trying to explain it.  I know I am bad, I should have re-assured her that it was just the GI’s practicing etc but nope not me.  Instead I bust out laughing so hard it takes me a few to tell her it’s okay.  Hey I am the type if I see Ron or someone fall I bust out laughing then ask if they are okay.  Sometimes I have even said “hold that pose til I get my camera”  see told you I was bad huh?  Ron got stuck in the blackberry bushes last year.  He fell in a hole and said he was stuck for about 5 minutes but refused to call out for me to help him.  I was like “why? ”  His reply “Cause you would have come over, seen me and told me to hold that pose til I get my camera.”  Hahaha he is so right too, that’s exactly what I would have done!!!!  A kodak moment lost cause he didn’t ask for my help, geeze, go figure!!!!  Told you I am bad to the bone!!!!!  I always have my camera with me, don’t leave home without it, cause you just never know!!!!!

 

 

Where Have I Been!!!!!

Hell who knows, right here but it’s been a zoo around here.  I think, no strike that, I KNOW now it will be calm again because I have learned a new word.  The word is “NO”  and I can actually say it other than practicing in front of the mirror.  Yep and no guilt now.  At first I admit there was some but then I smartened up and thought this family comes first and foremost and that’s the way it’s going to be from here on out.

The ones that had all the trouble with the sexual abuse charge, remember?  Well now they have been evicted from their house.  I got the call and my first thought and question to them was “did this happen due to the sexual abuse charge and all the other crap?”  The answer flat out and like no big deal  “Nope, we just haven’t been paying the rent for months.”  Dang I so wouldn’t admit that to anyone, yikes.  So yeah my mind was whirling for that split second, oh crap how can I help them.  Is there room here etc.  Hell my right hand and left hand met right in the middle of this pea brain of mine, slapping me upside ( both sides) of my head at once.  That brought me back to reality so I said ” I have the newspaper here and I will read all the  vacancies to you.”  Yeah not “oh come live here, come over and re-group ” nope never even mentioned it at all. 

I do get daily phone calls of them wanting to come and “hang out” or swim, or cook out and mmm funny I am always busy.  I have come to the conclusion this is not the public pool, not an Inn and not a restaurant or park.  And get this one day it was we want to come over and bring friends too.  Not no but hell no.  Like I would let strangers in the pool.  If something happened then yeah we would be sued and the ones that brought the extra would be “oh well” and book.  I know that for a fact cause the only time we see or hear from them is when they need or want something.  Well this door mat just got tossed out for good.  I have a new one that says “The Sucker Has Left The Building.”

So other than that we have been busy, now that the weather is beautiful, cleaning up the back yard and deck.  Trust me throughout the winter I used all the shelves out back as my catch all.  Hell it was a great place to hide things and the counters in here looked great!!   :)  We bought new storage cabinets for the porch and have things nice and neat.  At times I feel I am on the wrong deck it’s so clean, wow. 

We got another ladder for the pool. Hubby ordered it saying I needed a way out of the pool fast if I needed to help mama.  So the new ladder is going off the new deck we just added to keep mama close to me when I am swimming, or floating!!  Yeah I float around more, much less exercise !!! 

That dang ladder, ALL DAMN DAY yesterday and it’s still not ready for use.  Hubby ordered the A frame but one that could be converted to a deck ladder also.  Good but, A frame nope we have the deck.  Deck well our new deck is not flush with the top of the pool, it’s 31 ” below.  Adjustments plus have to be made.  We put together, we took apart , we cut, we measured, we put together, we took apart, we measured again, we put together , grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  Finally hubby got the brainstorm to cut the damn deck and sink the ladder, then anchor, great idea.  He starts cutting away and damn one cross brace is right in the way of the ladder.  So now he has to notch out the brace and then anchor.  But it was like 90 to 100 in the sun and by 6pm he had enough.  We worked on that damn ladder from 10 til 6pm almost non stop!!!  It was best to simply walk away and tackle again hopefully Sunday afternoon when he is off work. 

I have been doing my Wii fit faithfully every morning and yahoo have 6.3 more pounds to go to reach my goal of 10lbs to lose.  I think I am hula hooping fat off something , I have to be, dang!!  But the hula hoop is my favorite on wii fit.  I do the yoga, strength, aerobics, and if I have time all the balancing games. I have a routine I am sticking to.  I hit the 20 hour mark the other day, so see I have been using it daily.

Have had people stopping in almost daily to so it’s never dull around this joint.  I think the nice weather has brought everyone out more and some how they end up here.  Some I hadn’t seen since December!!!  Catch up time just gabbing away sucking down the coffee as we yak.

So I have been here most of the time just like a steady stream of everything going on.  Come time to sit and relax I take it one step beyond. I don’t sit, I sprawl out on the couch, and relax haha more like collapse but do enjoy the evenings.  After all I need to rest up before our 10pm bowling date, which yup, we still bowl nightly and still love it.  Crank up the music and bowl away!!

Now I think I have established a better routine around here so can spend the mornings and some evenings on the computer.  I have been reading all your blogs, just too lazy to write, plus I didn’t want to just get on here and have it all a downer.  I have worked out all my anger, frustration etc and you know what??  I really am getting to love the word NO , it’s pretty awesome!!!!  I like our family life just as it is, don’t need to take any more people or animals in right now, the INN is full!!!!

 

I am so “blue”

Yeah I am rarely like that trust me.  I am not the type person to be down and “blue” cause I always try to find the bright side to everything.

First I am really blue due to one of Ashley’s friends being killed in a car accident Monday afternoon around 4:30pm.  Daniel and Brian were on their way back from a trip to California.  Brian fell asleep at the wheel and ended up going over to the side of the freeway and hitting a truck that was sitting there.  The semi box was like totaled as was Brian’s truck.  Daniel died and Brian still in the hospital with broken legs, pelvis and other injuries, non life threatening thank goodness.  Ashley was a basket case when she got called and I just felt “OH MY GOSH so damn young, with his entire life ahead of him” Daniel was 19 yrs old  such a shame. 

Then the saga of the sexual abuse charge against our friend still going on.  CPS keeps stalling on interviewing the girls.  She ( the one that bitches about my smoke) still coming over, upset etc and how can I confront her on how I feel?   Nope I am not like that, yet I get onto myself when they leave.  Big talker no action, SUCKER tatooed all over me, yet my heart still goes out to them in that situation.  It’s sad. 

Next it’s our “home!”  It just doesn’t feel like a home anymore and I am very upset about it.  I can pretend to act like Bryce isn’t here, cannot talk to him, have anything to do with him, but hell it hurts and cuts so deep into my view of family.  We have done all we can for him and the rest is up to him, but what is he doing?  NOTHING, still playing his games, not doing a damn thing around here except eating and sleeping and this situation is not even bothering him.  Hasn’t called for counseling so that tells me he isn’t ready and to be honest, he never will be.  I soooooooooooooo hate having our home like this it’s awful.

So there you have it, one family devastated due to their young son’s death, never to see him again, only have their memories.  One family devastated due to a kid lying, dad has to leave, little ones upset and missing their dad, and this family not sure if they want daughter to come home once this is settled or not. 

Then here Bryce has everything ,and the love is there but he chooses video games over it.  How the hell can three families be torn upside down in an “instant” and why?  Thank GOD we don’t have the death or accusations but we still don’t have our “family” anymore either. 

So all of the above and the cold rainy weather, geeze no wonder I am blue. 

Services for Daniels pending right now but when they happen it will be a rough road for all these teens and my heart goes out to each and everyone of them.  Brian that has to live with this the rest of his life, and oh his family, for them I cry, mourn and PRAY to the max.

Quiet Week End

And was it ever nice.  The family headed over to Eastern Washington then last night the little ones spent the night at friend,s so the dad could be at home.  I got mama back into her routine and I got back into mine such as it is.  Now I so don’t mind helping anyone don’t get me wrong, but it’s also nice to be “normal” for a change too.  If anything around here is normal, hahaha I doubt that, not is this house of mis-fits. 

Went to Ashley final choir/ band concert Friday night.  Dang she looked so good up there singing and then playing in the band, yep so proud of here.  Got home after 10pm so mama went right to bed, and she was more than ready, really tired.  Of course after that played our normal 2 hours of Wii bowling.  Yeah I am catching the old man, I got a few perfect scores and him, NADDA yahoo.  He is still 100 perfect games ahead of me, but in due time I will catch him , hahahaha.  Yeah I dream alot too!!!

Saturday did nothing.  Well laundry, cleaning, caring for mama but it was nice.  Cooked for 2 instead of 10, quiet supper which mama ate, then watched a movie.

Yesterday more dusting, windexing, caring for mama, cooking for 5 not 10 and then finally got to sit outside for a bit.  When hubby got home we started in on getting the gate made.  Hopefully today or tomorrow it will be all done, then I will find some more projects to jump into . 

Today it’s head to the store to replenish the cupboards and fridge, yikes.  I am out of tons of things but the worst milk.  A drop of whole milk left and no 2% at all.  Also need to go get Father’s Day cards and wrapping paper.  No way will I be out in the last minute dash at the end of the week.  I want it all done today so I can just do whatever the rest of the week. 

So it may sound boring to all of you but to me far from it.  So much to do during the day for mama that time flies.  Without the extra people around though, it’s a breeze, no problems at all.  Routine is fine with me and trust me I won’t even knock it again!!!!  You don’t realize how good you have things and how under control you are until “disaster” strikes and you are smack dab in the middle of it.  I now know and appreciate my everyday routine and life!!!!

10 HOURS!!!!

Yahoo!!  I was doing my Wii fit work out this morning and bam this flashing 10 hours comes on the screen and my time “piggy” bank turns GOLD!!!  Pretty neat and got me excited cause I know this is one program that I have been sticking too. 

Every morning I take the time fire up the Wii and start with Yoga, then go to Physical Training, on to Aerobics and finish up with Balancing.  Now alot I can’t do because of my bad foot but I do all that I can.  yep and every damn time it comes on and tells me I am out of balance, hahaha.  I know that!!  Then it will say try placing your foot flat, toe and heel touching, mmmm can’t do that so that’s why I just continue on being out of balance. 

It’s like I am not even exercising and time flies.  I force myself to stop actually.  I run through each task once no matter if I beat my high score or not and by the time I am done close to an hour is up.  A fun hour but then I did my fitness test and a profitable hour.  I have lost 1.9 pounds so far, YAHOO!!! 

If you don’t have the Wii fitness and you are like me that hates to exercise, find one!!!  It’s way too much fun to even be classified as exercise yet it works, it really does!!!!  It’s the best $89.99 I have ever spent, I can tell you that much.  I am staying with it, not tired of it and feeling so much better about myself.  Well of course when it comes to the touching the toes aspect, yeah imagine that hummer of a machine calling me a COUCH POTATO, yep it really did hahaha. But I so can’t even balance and try to touch my toes no way not this gimp.  One of these days though I will get it, that is my main goal, to get through it all without it telling me I am a couch potato!!!!!!  See the motivation there??  From a machine of all things, geeze!!!