One week old and I haven't met him.

======================

Today I woke to cool weather and low humidity, which caused me to react in a frenzy of opening windows and the front door.  I do so hate the hot and muggy.

Lunch today with the Old School Gal Pals.  For some reason, they decided to drive down here to Howell.  I checked the menu prices and I'm not liking the $10.00 price for a sandwich!

I like to have our lunches in Durand, which is about a 35 minute drive from here and close to my sister, so that I can swing by for a visit after lunch.  Saves time and gas.

I don't know who suggested Howell--it will an hour drive for those coming from Owosso (north of Durand).  I guess they thought it would be more convenient for Beth and me?

I don't even know where the place is so had to do a Map Quest.  LOL and, Bethie is off on vacation so she won't be there.  I am curious to see how many of the 11 of us show up.

====================

A Dear Friend just diagnosed with breast cancer.  She is taking it better than I am.  She's just about the age of my daughter Pammie, and it feels like one of my own kids had to go through this.  It just makes me sad for her.  I know she will be all right, but still.......

People keep telling her what a strong woman she is and I think.....    people always say that, like there is any other choice?

We aren't all that strong, but what can we do when we are faced with the death of a husband, or a malignancy, or other life threatening disease?  

We have to walk through it or stumble through it or just make it through however we can.  It is as it is.  There are only two choices--get through or give up, and we rarely give up.

People have told me, that for all I have gone through, what a strong woman I am.  It just makes me laugh inside.

I certainly am not.  I'm scared most of the time.  Sometimes I get so anxious, my whole body shakes.  I wake up each morning with a lot of depression.

I just put one foot in front of the other and keep stumbling along.  If I have any strength, it comes in my faith that God will get me through anything I have to face.  He has for 80 years, why would He quit on me now?

It's a beautiful day today.  I will take it with no expectations and tonight, during my prayers, I will thank God for this day.

I knew last night that grand daughter Helene's C-section was scheduled this morning at 10:15 and got notice and a photo at 10:43, but Karen made be vow secrecy and not post anything on FB.

I didn't hear another word.  I called my sister at 6:00, she hadn't heard anything either, so of course, all sorts of worries came into my head.  Was the baby all right?  Was Helene all right.

So I e-mailed Karen and told her we had to have some information.
====================
Harrison Curtis Klar--his middle name in honor of his great grandpa Rivard who died last year.  I have no idea who Harrison honors or what we are going to call him.  Harry?  Oh--I hope not!
8 # 3 oz, 21" long

Do you remember me telling you, big sister Della was born on her grandmother's birthday--my daughter Karen's and now--this one born on his Aunt and God Mother, Madeleine's 23rd birthday.

It appears one can schedule a C-section on a special day, if it is time for the birth.
=======================

Madeleine posted some photos on FB at 6:30, so I figured they were "public" and I wouldn't get into trouble for posting on my own page.  LOL
=======================

Hey!  I'm fine.

How can it be two weeks since I last posted?
Nothing happening around here.
New great grandson should be born this week.
I guess because of all the rain we had in the spring and now this hot weather, the flowers in my garden are taller and fuller than they have ever been.  The Cone flowers are 5 feet tall!  The Lemon Day Lily is 5 feet across!

The Lilies have taken over that garden--none of my Iris bloomed this year.  I know I need to lift the Iris and put them in a new space, but where?

It's not like I am capable or even have the room, to dig another garden.  Then, I had a thought.  Can Iris be grown in containers?  I Googled and sure enough, they can.

I have 3 large containers behind this garden, planted 2 with tomato plants and one with a trellis and Morning Glory.  This fall, I will rip those dead plants out, or even if they aren't dead, and plant my Iris in them, pull the containers up close to the back of this garden and...see what happens.
==================
Today is Tuesday.  I haven't been out since last Friday.  It got real hot and humid again, so I just stayed inside, worked on some genealogy stuff, cross stitched and cleaned.  No, I do not have Cabin Fever.  I have always been content to stay home and unlike my neighbor, Dar, do not HAVE to go out and drive somewhere every day.

Speaking of Dar, she was over Sunday.  Her Dad is 98 years old and she is getting tired of him.  She feels he is too confining to her life.  Now that she has recovered from her accident, 3 years ago, she wants more freedom.

She's on a kick now to sell her home and move to Greece, where she lived 10 years before she moved here 8 years ago.  There is a fly in the ointment, her daughter that she doesn't speak to, bought and owns the house.  Dar would have to buy her out and the last time she mentioned it to daughter, daughter refused.  Daughter lives in Indianapolis, Indiana and probably will never move back here, but she won't sell that house to Dar.

When I asked her why she wanted to move back to Greece, when she had friends and family here, she said that she has "better" friends in Greece.  Both her brothers live in this area.  Her best friend Sheila, lives just up the street.

I told her that a lot can happen in 8 years, especially as the Greek economy has fallen and her friend over there is 85 years old.

"Sometimes we have a memory of a place that grows in our minds until it becomes a sort of paradise for us....when in reality, when and if we go back, we see that it isn't at all as grand as we remembered."

Dar is 77 years old and has many health problems.  I would think now is the time to downsize and stay here, but she said, "The day after my Dad dies, I'm buying a plane ticket to Greece!"
==============
Didn't I go through this same thing when I was her age?  Wanting to move back "home"?  Then when it was too expensive, soon came to the realization, I am right where I need to be.

Very pregnant Grand Daughter Helene and Della.  Grandma Daughter Karen was upstairs painting the nursery and Grandpa was putting the bassinet together.

I don't know why I get so fussed up about the heat and humidity.  It's almost like this weather makes me mad.  Like there is anything I can do about?

I guess it's because it's like winter--which I actually like, but being all closed up in the house, with blinds lowered to keep out the sun's heat and the A/C fan running, instead of the furnace heat fan, at this time of year, when I want to be outside...just ticks me off.

So, just to tick me off, it is going to be the hottest this week, with temps in the 90's, which means "feels like" triple digits.  That and the fact the A/C in my car only comes through the vents sporadically, ticks me off even more.  I don't like to sweat!!!

By the way--I looked back in my journal and exactly a year ago this week, we had the same kind of weather.  It's Mid-July in Michigan, what else should I expect?  Except--it ticks me off.

=================

The last time I spoke with my 2nd ex husband, he was just out of the hospital from prostate cancer surgery.  He was working on putting in his garden and feeling pretty good.  I had fully intended to get up to visit him this early summer...when we have our Gal Pals lunch in Durand, it is only a few miles north to his place....I just never was in the mood to listen to his political rants.

Last Saturday was his birthday, so I called him.  No answer, so I left a message, but he has not called back.  I don't know how to find out what is going on.  His children do not associate with him.  He has very few friends--like maybe 5. He could be dead for all I know.  I check the obits everyday, but that really doesn't mean anything.  Sometimes people die and if there is no services, there is no obit printed in the paper.  There would be no services for him.

Sad isn't it?  To live 88 years and have no one in your life who cares?  He drove them all away.  Seven wives and I doubt any of them would care...except for me, because I feel sorry for his poor soul.

=================

I am going to sneak out this afternoon to get my hair cut.  Only a 6 mile ride, so I think I can survive with no A/C in the car.  It looks like rain.  I hope it pours all the way there and back--at least that would cool down the car's exterior.

See ya----------

Lord have mercy!

Sometimes I feel like I'm on a Ferris Wheel.  I'm either at the bottom, at the top, or the wheel has stopped and I'm stuck in the middle.  I think I prefer the middle.  Not too high, not too low, just swinging gently in the middle.

I so dreaded Monday.  I didn't know which "car" task to do first.  Did I drive up to Howell to Auto Parts and have them check the code to see why my Check Engine light was on?  Did I drive down to Brighton first to set up an appointment at the body shop to get my passenger side mirror replaced?  I had pondered on this most of the weekend.  I felt so tired, I didn't want to do either one.

I wanted Fred to just do it for me.  He could do the running around and take care of it for me.  I think of Fred a lot.  He loved to go grocery shopping.  He'd haul in the groceries AND put them away.  and of course, his Social Security check, along with mine, paid all the household bills with some left over.

Well, Fred has been gone these last 7 1/2 long years.  So......

I must have had a God Whisper because as I was pondering my Monday duties, I got the idea to call my car repair guys down in Brighton.

"Just bring the car in, Judy.  We can check the Code and see what's going on.  It won't cost anything."

That meant, after I was done there, I would stop at the body shop on the way home---which was only 4 blocks from the service garage and on the same side of the street.  No trying to make a left hand turn across 3 lanes of traffic in the middle of the block.

I got to the service garage at 2:30--told the guys I thought it was probably the O2 Sensor.  (Having worked in a car dealership service department sure comes in handy.)  It took the guy 5 minutes.  Sure enough it is the O2 Sensor, but as long as the car is not running rough, I can just keep driving and have it replaced when I want.  (Get enough money).  The O2 Sensor regulates the gas/oil mixture.  If it is bad, gas mileage will be down and black smoke comes out the exhaust.  The car is running smooth as my cat's fur, so I am not going to worry about it.

On to the body shop.  Girl in there, took my old mirror, ordered a new one and said she'd call when it came in.

I was home by 3:35!!!!!

I am a bit uneasy with driving around without a passenger side mirror.  Not that I need one.  My rear view mirror makes seeing the right side road activity possible.  But you just never know--some cop might see it's missing and pull me over.  So--being the brilliant woman that I am, I have the paper from the body shop, showing the mirror has been ordered, in my purse.  Proof.

Not that I've driven anywhere since Monday, but..............

==================

We've had 3 days of wonderful weather.  After a week of being shut up in the house with the A/C running, suddenly the humidity calmed down, the temps were in the mid '70's and in the '60's at night, so windows were open for night time sleeping.  I just find it so nice to have the bedroom window open at night.

================

Have you ever had an eyelid twitch?  How annoying, right?  For a month or more, I have had twitches in my back muscles.  I only feel them if I am leaning back in my chair or if I lay on my left side at night, but still annoying and I wonder--what causes them.

Age related, right?

I got an e-mail from my cousin.  She has been having digestive problems.  All tests are negative, but bouts of diarrhea, for unknown reasons.  The doc told her it was "age related".

Now that I have reached Level 80, I suppose I am going to have age related stuff.  Age Related means there is nothing they can do for it, I suppose.

Like, dark, crusty spots all over my back.  Drooping eyelids.  Hair falling out.  Arthritis pain.  Twitches in my back muscles.  Constipation.

Ah-hh, it's a wonderful life.

Dear Blog Diary--

I am so weary.  

So tired of the constant battle with this pain.

So tired of the constant worry about money to pay bills.

So tired of having no motivation to do anything.

It is an effort just to get through the day.

Dirty dishes pile up on the counter and, I don't care.

The carpeting needs vacuuming, cat fur, crumbs, pieces of yarn and floss and, I don't care.

It's been so hot and humid.  The A/C on the car only works intermittently. 

I had to drive a 75 mile round trip to visit a friend who needed help on her family tree.  It should have been a pleasant time, but she is slow and talks constantly.  The help she needed took 30 minutes, but I was there 3 hours before I could escape...and escape it felt like.

No food for the cats.  Out of bottled water, milk, bread, plus 2 bags of bottle returns.  I had to go to Walmart to pick up 3 prescriptions and it was the hottest day of the week.    The store feels cool but still very humid.

The gas tank light is lit.  $25.00 and not even full.  So hot standing there filling the tank.

Went through the car wash and my passenger side mirror got ripped off by the scrub brushes.  Didn't this just happen with the driver's side mirror a few months ago?

On the way home, the "Check Engine" light came on.  Now what?

I owe the lawn mowing guy $40.00 and my budget is already $65.00 in the hole.

This next week is going to be very busy, plus I have to find a place to replace my mirror and somewhere that will not charge too much to see why the check engine light is shining.

No phone calls for two weeks.  I have no idea what the family is doing or how they are doing.  They have no idea if I'm even still alive and don't seem to care.  If I didn't post on Face Book everyday, I wonder how long it would take before they noticed and checked on me.

Very, very weary.

My daughter Karen posted this photo on Face Book.
I had not seen it before and it brought tears.
This is after she and Mark had walked Madeleine down the aisle and were about to hand her off to Stefan.

You ask?
Who is this weird character and why is Judy with him?

I've known him since he was 10.  A neighbor and classmate of Karen's.  A kid that worked on the farm for my Daddy and played 4-H softball for him.

Character?  He certainly is!  You should see some of the stuff he posts on Face Book.  

Rabidly political?  Oh my!

Hard, crude language?  It would burn your ears and make your eyes water.

In reality?  Sweet.  Caring.  Thoughtful.  Very tender.

============

It had been about 4 years since I've seen Harold, or Hal as he likes to be called.  He came for a visit back then.

He messaged me Monday, said he would be up in Howell and wanted to know if he could take me out to lunch for my birthday.

"Sure". I said.

"I'll pick you up at one".

"Two would be better."

"Okay.  See ya at two."

So unlike me to be so spontaneous.

======================

He arrived in his Mustang convertible, offered me a hat, which I declined and off we went.

A restaurant in Howell that specializes in steak and seafood.  Classy place.  Was I a bit embarrassed to walk in with him?  Not a bit.  He is quirky and today--quirky is cool.

He said to order whatever I wanted, so I did.  He retired from Dow Chemical Corporation at age 55, lives alone, has lots of moola--"live it up", he said.

I had French Onion soup, giant shrimp cocktail and a Maine lobster tail.  It was superb!.  He had raw steak 2 inches thick.

We talked--for 2 hours--politics, religion, the old days.  Memories he had of my Daddy and Karen and the other kids in their class, which of course I know.

Back in the convertible and home.

He doesn't talk rough, around me.  He is very respectful, around me.  He continually made me laugh.

I asked him if he was going to their class reunion--40 years.  He said, "Sure."  I told him I'd see him there.....because I had already been invited to attend by the other "kids" in his class.  They were and still are, my favorite class of all my kids.

===================

What a great day.

We should start referring to age
as "levels".
Being LVL 80 sounds way more awesome and wise, than just being old.
============
Karen was playing '50's music in the background and apparently I decided to get up and dance.

Maddie had decorated my birthday cake.  It had a "4" between two goal-post candles, which meant "4 Score".  
MOM was made with blueberries and if you turned it around, it spelled, "WOW".

Birthday tradition.  Pammie paints my toenails.  She hates it.  It makes me feel pampered, so she does it because.....I'm the Momma.

Two years ago.

Well, it's official.

I have completed 80 years of life.

It feels weird.  You'd be surprised how differently 80 feels from 79--which I was on Thursday.  When someone asks how old I am, when told 79, they just kept on, but when told 80, it's like now they view me as elderly.  A lot of "youngers" view the elderly as slow, falling down, memory loss, in the way, sort of humans they have to put up with.

I don't understand at all how I got to be this old, this quick.  There seems to be no definition of how 80 year old's are suppose to think or act.  I don't feel 80 in my mind.  I just don't quite know what I am supposed to do now.  

My face isn't full of wrinkles.  I don't have dentures.  I don't use a cane or a walker.  I am still quite straight and tall and not hunched half over with Arthritis.  I don't take naps and I'm not Lactose or Gluten intolerant.  I don't wear Depends, I still eat spicy food and I go to bed at midnight not 9:00pm.  I drink way too much caffeine and puff on my nicotine vapor pen.

People say, "Age is only a number."

Yeah...it's a number.  A really high number.

It's a scary number.  I've seen it in neighbors, family and friends.  80 is when everything starts to go wrong.  Pacemakers and heart surgeries become the norm.  Old age diseases set in.  You start thinking about which nursing home or care facility you can afford.  You make sure all your important papers are up to date and you plan your funeral.

It happens so quickly.  You feel great one day and the next you have taken a fall and your internal organs are bleeding.  You get the news of a terminal disease.  The next thing you know, you're in Hospice.  The next few years are going to bring all of this.

I should be grateful, and I am, that I've lived this long.  So many of my friends have not had that privilege.  I miss them, but know in the back of my mind, I will soon join them.

Negative?  No, realistic.  Truths that I know are coming and wondering how I will handle it all.

I hope gracefully, but I very much doubt it.

I don't know who I am anymore.  

It is very disconcerting. 

I got an e-mail notice Friday that the Meijer store was having their 10 for $10.00, 11th one free sale.  I needed cat food and me food and of course, Diet Pepsi.

So up to the Meijer store, because you know how much I love to shop on a Saturday...NOT! With 457 of my closest friends joining me in the store.

NO 10 for $10.00 sale going on. Apparently I did not read my e-mail carefully enough--it started Sunday.

I had my list and my $40.00. I figured it would cost me $36.00.

Got up to the check-out, back is screaming in pain, thanks to my Meijer M-Perks I got $3.00 off my order. Grand total = $37.32.

Took the $10.00 left from Thursday's lunch, when I DIDN'T get gas, and put it in the tank. 3.80 gallons. Got me up to 1/2 tank again.

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. 

I had a few tears of frustration as I started home and then had to wait in traffic for several families of Geese to cross Grand River Road.

That made me laugh!

===================

I did absolutely nothing this past weekend.  It rained most of both days, so it was a good excuse to stay in my recliner, watch the golf tournament and crochet.  I also made out a list of things I have to get done.  So far, at 10:40 on this Monday morning, I haven't done any of them.  LOL

=====================

I have a new lawn mowing guy.  The guy I've had for 10 years is going to retire, so he is trying to get as much $$ as he can and is only mowing large lawns or people that want to be mowed every week.

I can only afford every other week--$20.00 a mow.  He suggested another guy so Jackie and Dar and I had him mow....and an awful job he did!  Still charging $20.00.  There were areas that were either too long or scalped.  Even if the grass was wet, he'd mow.  Two hours later, when the sun had dried up the grass, it would stand up and be 5-6 inches long again.

Two weeks ago, Dar hired on a guy that is a cousin to our mutual friend Sheila.  When he was done mowing, Dar's lawn looked like carpet!!!  So Jackie and I talked to him about doing ours.

He and I had a separate chat.  I told him I could only afford $40.00 a month, so I could only get mine done every other week.  He offered to do mine EVERY week for $10.00 a mow.  He said as long as he was doing Jackie's and Dar's across the street, it wouldn't be any problem to come over and do mine.  He does a great job!!

The three of us chipped in a little bit of money to get business cards made for him and Dar went around passing them out to people in this area of the park.  She also gave some to our original mowing guy, telling him that we didn't like the guy he suggested and when he is ready to retire, to give his customers the new guys business card.  

This new guy has said he will also help with other lawn maintenance chores--trimming hedges, weeding our gardens..whatever we need.  The other guys don't do that--they only mow.

=================

Well--I'd better get going on that "chore list".  Of course, there's always tomorrow.  LOL

It's difficult to post anything when I am in The Pits.

It's difficult to post anything when minutes, hours, days are all the same.

The struggles remain.
Back Pain
Money worries
Lack of motivation
Loneliness

No one wants to read about all that negative stuff.
====================
When it hasn't rained, which it does, every other day, our weather has been beautiful.  Sunny and in the 70's, which is my kind of weather because I hate hot and humid.

My Old School Gal Pals luncheon was last Thursday.  I didn't know if I should go.  It was just miles from The Farm and when we have it in that town, I get to make a stop to visit "Lil Sis" on my way home.

I had less than 1/2 tank of gas and no money left in the gas budget envelope.  It was a 75 mile round trip and how would I pay for my lunch?
Emotionally, I needed to go.  To drive up through familiar countryside.  To look at the fields and see if any of the crops were coming up or even planted, it has been so wet.  I needed to see friends and my sister.
I had $60.00 left in my grocery budget envelope.  $60.00 and it wasn't even the middle of the month.  How is that going to last me the rest of the month?
That made me mad!
I live a simple life, but can't even enjoy a once a month lunch out because there is never any extra money in the budget.
So, I took a twenty out of the grocery envelope and off I went.

It rained constantly from here to there and back again.  I have a bad windshield wiper.  The rubber blade keeps wanting to slide out of the metal holder....so every few miles, I had to stop, get out in the rain and slide the blade back into place.

The lunch was great.  9 of us there, only missing our Bethie who couldn't make it.  My lunch total came to $6.00 because I ordered the cheapest menu item--4 tacos.  A $2.00 tip brought it up to $8.00 so I still had $12.00 for gas.

The time spent with my sister was wonderful.  We sat and talked for an hour and a half.  My BIL fixed my wiper blade, he thinks.  It did stay together for the trip home.  Then it was nearly 5:00 and time for me to head home.  Going home always brings me a certain amount of peace.
============
Jennifer's oldest, Andrew, my grand son that I was always so close too, graduated way out in New Jersey.  Karen had flown out for the event and sent a video to me.  It made me cry.  He will be going to Bentley University in September--wherever that is.  Somewhere near Boston I guess.
Ever since they moved, I've been depressed.
============
I have to get to the store today.  Cats need food and so do I.  I have been eating peanut butter sandwiches for the last three days and I don't really like peanut butter, so I am getting sick of them real fast.

Now as I look in the grocery budget envelope and realize there is only $40.00--it just makes me angry again.

Was the emotional lift really more important than food?  I can't rob Peter to pay Paul because Peter has no money.

Was food for my soul more important than food for my body?
==========================
See, I told you it was all going to be negative.

How disappointing to go through nearly 8 weeks of physical therapy to realize it had done no good.

The pain returned the day before the wedding and by Monday I was suffering miserably.  I went in on Wednesday and all the stretches and exercises and deep tissue massage didn't relieve the pain at all.

Then it dawned on me.  The Prednisone I was on had lasted 5 weeks.  I told my therapist my feelings and he agreed.  He said it was very unfair, for therapist and patient, to try and help someone while they were on a pain relieving medicine.  The minute the Prednisone dissipated from my system, the pain came back just like it was when I first began this process in early April.  So, I parted company with the PT.

I wasn't very hopeful to begin with.  I knew they couldn't cure it, but hoped they could minimize it.  Well, the Prednisone minimized it...not the PT, which very well may have irritated it more.

So...I figure, my back is going to hurt if I work or if I rest and since I had outside work to do...............................
====================
Got my front porch railings and steps painted.  Got my raised bed garden out by the shed, worked up with a garden fork and planted with Zinnia seeds.

I still need to sweep the 457 million Maple Whizzers that are piled up on my driveway and put them into a yard waste bag, but that will have to wait for another day.
=======================
June 10th, I go back to the Physiatrist and see what other ideas he has.  I have friends that have been on maintenance Prednisone for years for their Arthritis, with no ill effects.

I am going to ask him if this is a possibility for me.  I WILL NOT have any more injections in my back as they are painful to get and I have had them before with hardly any relief from the pain.
================
I'm going to live another 15 years and I don't want to live it like this!!!!!

Saturday--Madeleine's wedding.  It was all done in Latin, so I didn't understand much of it.  Very sedate--no kiss at the end.  The bridegroom comes from a family of 7 brothers--1st generation German immigrants.

My Jersey Boy Andrew

Grand Parents:

Gary Miller (my ex), his wife Diane, me, Karen, Madeleine & Stefan, Mark and his mother Elaine

The Rivard Family

I now have 10 grand children

1 great grand girl and a great grand son coming late July

Della, Helene & Mike Klar. Morgan & Marcus Rivard.  Mark, Maddie & Stefan, Karen

Susanna Rivard & James, and Carolyn Hicks and Stephen Rivard who will marry June 6, 2020

=====================================

Sunday was a surprise graduation brunch for My Jersey Boy Andrew.  17 years old, enrolling at Bentley University near Boston.

He accomplished the goal of all my grandsons.  

He is taller than grandma.

Pammie and I sat with these kids because neither one of us

could get enough of them.

Pam was nanny to the two youngest and spent

months last year in New Jersey taking care

of the youngest.

Andrew 17-Elise 15- Alex 12- Evan 7 

Sometimes my life is so strange, I just have to laugh.

I had my flower money all tucked away and the list made out and calculated. $70.00.

I had to go to Walmart to pick up a prescription, which was no charge today. I looked through their garden center, it was a mess, but I did find a beleaguered geranium which should come to life once I get it planted and I got some bird seed because I am all out. $19.82

Then over to Lowes where I found two beautiful tomato plants, and red impatiens. I bought a hanging basket of yellow petunias because I can pull that apart and it cost less than buying single ones. Found some white ones on sale to--they are near death, but I think they will come back when I dead head them. $45.93

I got 4 dollars and 25 cents back.

Then over to Meijer because I have been out of milk, bread, butter, cereal, jam and fruit for over a week.

My food assistance--($16.00) was good on the 21st and I had 4 dollars and 25 cents.

I got what I needed and up to pay. Swiped my Bridge card and the rest of the bill was $3.89. I handed her the 4.00 left from my flower purchase and...................

I GOT CHANGE BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!

i have lees than a quarter tank of gas and two necessary trips to Brighton next week.

I have $4.45 in my checking account, but all the bills for May are paid.

I laughed half the way home.

It's hysterical the way I live, but everything is great!

WOW!!

PT today, more stretches and leg strengthening. At the end, he asked to see how fast I could walk to the end of the building. As I was walking faster and faster, it occurred to me, "I wonder if I can run." It's been many years since I've been able to run.

As I neared the end of the walkway, I turned around and started jogging back toward him. At first I felt like Frankenstein, glumping along, unsteady and weaving from side to side--then my steps became more regular and smoother.

The shocked look on his face, as I jogged faster. I'm sure he thought, "this old woman is going to fall and break a hip."

Meanwhile I am yelling, "I can run! I can run!"

When I left there, I walked really fast to my car and there was no pain in my back!

This weekend will be the real test. I will be walking a lot, and standing a lot.

I report back to PT next Wednesday. The way my back feels, I think it may be my last session.

YOWSA. I feel great!

The people that live across the street, moved in about 5 years ago.  They are the ONLY people in this part of the park that have a double lot and set up their home, across both lots, facing the street.  Their son was the park manager at the time.

The fact that they took away my entire view of the service drive and the woods beyond did not endear them to me.  I used to see deer and Sand Cranes and such almost daily--until they obstructed my view.

They were never the friendliest.  Not ones to call out a "Hi" when they see you outside.  I did take them warm chocolate chip cookies the day they moved in and if I see her while I am out, I will walk over and chat for awhile.

Bob and Marilyn, in their mid-70's.  Their younger son (40ish) and his son, Tristan (17) live there.  Bob went out every morning at precisely 8:00 to go into Brighton to have breakfast with friends.  Marilyn went out every other morning to shop at Meijer.  I have never seen any of the men come out to help her carry in groceries.

A few months ago, Bob had an infection in one of the tracts in his gall bladder.  He nearly died.  Then he was in rehab for two weeks.  He came home and was once again into his routine of "breakfast with the boys".

Then I noticed that he was walking with a cane and Marilyn drove him into town every morning.

Then he used a walker and only went to breakfast a couple of times a week.  Last week, I saw her and her son struggle to get Bob out of the car and into a walker with a seat on it and try to get him into the house.

Last weekend, there were a lot of cars parked out in front of their house.   This past Monday, there was a hospital bed brought into their house.

Tuesday, I saw their son out mowing the lawn.  I walked over and asked, "Dad's in bad shape?"

He nodded.

"I noticed you had a lot of visitors and no place for them to park."

"Yeah, my sister was here."

"Well...I just wanted to tell you and you can tell your Mom, anyone of your visitors can use my extra parking space."

He actually smiled.

"You can move one of your cars over, or have anyone park there."

"Thanks.  I will come and knock on your door when we need it."

"Nope.  You don't have to do that.  Just park there whenever you need it.  Night or day--several days--just use it whenever."

"Thanks."

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We all have space to park two cars in our drive/parking pads.  I only have one car.  Maybe having that extra space for them to park, right across the street, will help them out.

Meanwhile, I know what's going on inside that house and it makes me sad.  I especially feel for the teenager.  Coming home from school every day, wondering, when you walk in, if Grandpa is still alive or on his way out.  Is he going to die while you're there?  It's kind of hard to ignore the hospital bed set up in the middle of the living room.

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Yesterday I met Karen in Brighton to go to the round-about mall to find me a pair of shoes for the wedding.  I knew what I wanted.  Comfortable flats in navy blue.  We were going to check out 3-4 stores.

First, because we were right in front of the Kohl's store, we checked there.  Neither one of us likes that store.  Everything is "on sale".  Inflated prices, with a nice sale ticket which is probably the original price anyway.

We walked WAAAAAY back to the shoe department.  Karen picked up a pair of shoes and said, "What about these, Mom?"

I tried them on.  They fit perfectly and felt like comfy slippers.

"They look really nice," Karen said.

"Yeah but...they are black.  I know with my long skirt, they won't show much, but I really want a dark navy blue."

So my resourceful daughter leads me up to the customer service desk, presents the shoe and says, "Can you check to see if there are any shoes like this, in the back?  We need this size only in navy."

Then she tells me to go sit on the bench while she does the run back to the shoe department.

About 20 minutes later she appears.  "They don't have them here, but I had them call the Howell store.  They have them and are going to hold them for us.  Plus, I have a 30% off coupon."

YAY!!!

We get in our cars.  She is going up the expressway and I am going the back way home.  "I'll meet you at your house.  You can hop in my car and we'll drive up to Howell and get them.  Follow me."

"I can't drive on the expressway, Honey."  I said.  "I don't think this car can go 75, without something dropping off."

So off we go and I arrive home before her.  Which makes me kind of worried.  Did she get in an accident or a slow down on the expressway, because there is no way--me driving the back way and through Brighton, that I could have beat her.

Just as I was pondering all this, in she drives.  Gets out with a shoe box in her hand.

"I figured as long as I was flying up the expressway, just to keep on going up to Howell."

Took us less than an hour.  I hate walking all around shopping, so it was a win for me.  Karen has school exams she has to grade this weekend and the wedding next weekend, she doesn't need the whole "hauling Mom around" scenario.

Even then, she offered to haul out my pots from the shed so I can plant annuals.  She offered to vacuum if I needed it.  She took the bedding out of the dryer and turned the mattress and made my bed for me.

I knew when she was born, she was special.  I know that even more today.  What a blessing she is.

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This week I have PT Monday and Wednesday.  Hair trim on Tuesday.  Finish up the coordination of how I am going to get to the wedding and home from the reception and the wedding on Saturday.

Because Jennifer's whole family is coming in for the wedding, she decided to have a surprise graduation open house for her oldest, Andrew on Sunday, in Brighton.  Thankfully I can make it there all by myself!!!

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This sounds terrible, but personally?  I can't wait for it all to be over, including PT.

I just want to get back to my quiet, uncomplicated, peaceful way of life.

My PT on this past Monday seemed to really help.  I woke up  Tuesday morning with hardly any pain.  Of course it got a bit worse as I walked through the day, but all in all....I was pretty happy.

Back to the Physiatrist on Wednesday--he checked me out and recommended 4 more weeks of PT AND he prescribed another pack of Prednisone.  I LOVE Prednisone.  While I am on it, I have no pain, no where and my attitude is way up there.  It makes me feel so good.

He said that sometimes the Prednisone, will help for longer than it is taken.  That it knocks out the inflammation and...since he noticed the inflammation is down--he is hoping this might really help.  Back to him in six weeks.  I gotta call and get my PT started back up.

All I want is to be able to walk up that aisle at Maddie's wedding and not be screaming in pain!
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Speaking of Maddie, she graduated Nursing School last week with a 4.0= A.  She is working at a large hospital in this area--the same one Fred was always in, and she has already been hired full-time by them.

How long will that last?  She gets married on May 25th and I figured she'll be pregnant by May 31st.  HAH!  She and her "to-be" are both virgins and in their marriage are not going to ever use any form of birth control.  YIKES!
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Jennifer was in the area, from New Jersey, here on business.  Since that was the case, she and Karen and Maddie took me to supper at Outback.

I haven't seen Jen in nearly a year, still, when we hugged, I noticed she kind of held back.  When Karen hugs me, it is full on with a full kiss on the mouth.  Jen sort of hugs me lightly and an air kiss directed somewhere near my cheek.

Oh well, it is as it is and at least she is cordial and talkative.

That old woman in the back-center is me.  I look like the Wreck of the Hesperes!!  Trying to let my hair grow out a bit for the wedding.  I can't wait until I can get it cut waaaaaaaay short again in June!
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This morning, I woke up at 7:45.  Unheard of for me.  I had a terrific pain in between my shoulder blades, into my left shoulder.  I, of course, assumed I was having a heart attack or AFib, so I clipped my Pulse-Ox on my finger and my heart rate was steady at 61.

It may have been I slept wrong?  Then I had a bout of diarrhea and a lot of burping, so it probably was from the French Onion soup I ate at supper...because after all that, the pain disappeared.  Can gas build up that high in your back?
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I went to the Old School Gal Pals luncheon today.  It's the first time I've been in 5 months.  We had a good chat.  I wasn't really feeling all that well, so was glad to get home.  I sat down in my recliner at 5:00 and woke up at 7:00.

Like the saying, "I guess I really needed the nap."