L'chiam

We may not have to go back to the Bankruptcy Court.  Tom (attorney) thinks he can send the judge a copy of the contract and that will suffice.  If not--I did it once and now I know, I can do it again.  That's the best part of challenging myself!

I have Zinnias that are over six foot tall!!!

 I love these flowers.  I did nothing special for them to grow.  I put Round-Up on the soil of the raised bed last fall and this spring, gave it a good deep digging up and coated it with Preen.  A week later, I took my two packets of Burpees seeds, purchased from Wal-Mart.  Dug a small trench back by the shed and sprinkled in the tall variety.  Dug another trench up by the front and put in the short variety.

I sprinkled it down and...that's is all I have done with that garden all summer.  No fertilizer, no watering even.  They get the western sun and when it rains, the rains slides off the shed roof into their flower bed.  Amazing!!!  I shall do this next spring, but I am going to plant a sunflower in the center of the back row--just for fun and to see what happens.

============================
This morning, the new neighbor's finally had a gas line put in to the back of their home.  All these cold nights and mornings and they have had no heat.  I don't know why their sidewalk and other, single parking pad have not been laid, but when she came home this afternoon, she pulled into the new drive.

We don't expect to see any gardens at this place.  I understand neither one of them is into working outside.
====================
Dar came over this morning and woke me up.  I was so exhausted from all the stress yesterday, that I was still asleep at 9:00.

She brought back my dress and told me that she had more compliments on Sunday, than she has ever had in her life and how so many said she had "lost weight".  AHA  Will she take the hint that wearing tight clothes makes you look fat and wearing a bit looser clothes, makes you look better?

She didn't seem to have any drama over the weekend of wedding and Yacht Club fiestas.  I can't imagine that from her.  She did say that everyone at the wedding realizes that, at 92, this is probably her Dad's last big "do" and he was dressed in a tux and, "They must have taken a hundred or more pictures of Daddy and I."
<"me" would be the correct pronoun, but I digress>

She took her Daddy home at midnight, both of them spending the night at her brother's home and that the door, which was suppose to be open, was locked and, "I had to crawl through the doggie door to get inside!"

Her brother has a Cocker Spaniel and I cannot imagine Dar getting her wide shoulders and rather wide hips through a door for a Cocker Spaniel, but I laughed at the mental picture I had.  She may have embellished the story a bit?
===========================
There is definitely something wrong with Merle.  They both came down this afternoon.  They had just purchased a second TV to use in their one tiny bedroom as they fight over what to watch on the one in the living room.  Nowadays, no Owner's Manuel is packed with new products.  It is available on-line and since Pearl couldn't figure out how to find it, Merle wondered if I could and then print it out for him.  I did and 90 pages later he had it in his hands and wandered home.

After having cut the cable cable to the Internet last week, Pearl was concerned about what he would do to "screw up the TV hook-up."

"I am worried about him.  This morning, I asked him if he could spread some lineament on my back.  I handed him the bottle.  It has a cap and then a roller-ball thingie--kind of like deodorant."

"Okay."

"He sat behind me for quite a while, it seemed and then he said, 'I don't know how to open this.'  It is just a regular bottle with a cap on it and he didn't know how to unscrew the cap!"

"Oh my gosh!"

"Yesterday, when he got home from work, I fed him lunch and he laid back in his chair and slept until supper time.  I made him supper and he laid back in his chair and slept for another two hours.  When I woke him up to go to bed, he said, 'When are you going to make lunch'.  It was dark outside and he thought he hadn't had lunch and didn't remember eating supper!"

"Oh, Pearl."

"He has always taken care of me and now, I have to take care of him.  How am I going to take care of a senile old man?  I don't like this one bit!"

"Did he find out anything from the sleep study he took last Thursday?  Did he find out how many times he woke up?"

"I don't know."

"When they got him up in the morning, didn't they tell him?"

"He didn't ask, I guess."

"Okay---I gotta tell you this.  You both need to ask more questions when you are at a doctor's office...or in hospital!  This is the difference between you and Merle and Fred and me.  When Fred had his sleep study, when he got home in the morning, he knew how many times he had woken up during the night and if it was within normal ranges or if he needed a bi-pap machine.  They went over the results with him and suggested he get a bi-pap and later that morning, HE called his primary care doc and made an appointment as soon as he could get in.  Fred had the machine by the end of the week."

"Well, we have yo go back to his primary care doctor and he will tell us the results and then we can make a decision."

"But--I think you both need to be more pro-active.  Personally, I think that Merle has Sleep Apnea.  That's why he is so tired and may be why he get confused.  He probably needs a bi-pap and...the sooner the better!  The older we get, the quicker you have to catch these kinds of things."

"We just follow along with whatever the doctor's tell us."

"And you never really know what is going on.  You go from one doctor to the next and have all tests, some you don't even need, and you still...never know what is going on.  Ask them--their findings, their suggestions...get angry and ask his primary care doctor, 'Merle has every test imaginable to man.  You say there is nothing wrong, but...something is wrong!'"

"We wait for them to tell us."

"Merle's primary care guy is the same doc that Fred had.  He's really very good.  He will answer any of your questions.  I know he will."

"I don't think Merle really wants to know."

ARRGGH!!!!!
=========================

Tomorrow I go up the road to the little hospital and have my Mammogram, Bone Density and Chest x-ray.  It's been almost two years.  How did I get the appointments?  I TOLD my doctor I wanted a requisition for ALL of them!  

Quit being sheep!  If you are curious about something and you want a non-invasive test, TELL your doctor.  If you want a Doppler Sonogram on your Carotid Arteries (in your neck), tell your doctor.  He may try and pooh-pooh the idea because he listens to those arteries with his stethoscope, but you TELL him, you want the sonogram!  If you are over 65--Medicare will pay for any of those tests.

When I turned 70, I told my doctor that I wanted: an Echo Cardiogram, and an EKG, an abdominal ultra sound, the Doppler Sonogram on my carotid arteries, a check of my Aortic Artery (checking for an aneurysm), appointment with an ENT guy, the name of a good Dermatologist. a check for PAD done on my legs and ankles, a Mammogram, Bone Density Scan and multi-view chest x-ray, and a full blood draw for everything you usually check and cancer markers.

He said, "Why.  You aren't having any problems."

I said, "Because I am seventy and I want to know that everything inside me is okay."

I got them all, sometimes several of the tests at the same place, at the same time.  

I requested that all the test results be mail to ME and my doctor.  When I went back to him, he said, "See, I told you everything was all right."

I said, "Yes...and now I know for sure."

I can't begin to tell you how relieved and happy I was that I got all those tests done.  The results made me feel like a new woman!!!  To know for sure, that I had no problems with any organs, or arteries or...anything.  

The only test I have never had is a colonoscopy. Isn't that weird?  Me that is so pro-active about my health?  But--there is no colon cancer in my family--no cancer of any kind, actually.  When my sister had her first one, they stretched her colon and she was in pain for a week.  When my cousin had his, they perforated his colon and he was in hospital with intestinal infection for three weeks--so...I guess I just will not take that chance.  

I SURVIVED!!!!

Today, was my day in court!!!  NO, I am not going to jail.  It was bankruptcy court.

Boy--I was so nervous and scared, I could not sleep last night.  It was around 2:30 and I had the alarm set for 7:00.

The thing I was most scared of?  The drive up there on the expressway and having car/tire trouble and not being quite sure how to get to the Federal Court Building--even if I have been in that same building twice--25 years ago.

I left here about 9:30 and onto the expressway headed north toward Flint..  I set the cruise control at 69 mph and stayed in the right lane and easily rode along.  I decided to stop at a Rest Area, because 20 minutes later I had to pee.  Back on the road, took the correct exit--turn on the correct street and found the building.  I noticed how Flint has changed in the last 20+ years and, not for the better.  

I had to park over half a block away and wondered how long it would take me to walk back to the building.  I decided to count my steps--I do that sort of thing--it's an OCD symptom.  I know that I can walk 100 steps before I have to stop and rest, so I started off.  1, 2, 3, 4, .......when I got to 100 steps, my back was screaming, but I kept on walking.  I finally had to stop for just a short rest and then off again.  When I got to 246, I was in front of the steps to the building.  The 10 steps up--thank goodness for a hand railing.

Then I was inside and had to put my purse on an x-ray belt and step through a metal detector.  All of a sudden, lights and sounds are going off and I stopped in the middle and said, "I forgot!  I have two metal hips!"

"Just keep walking toward me Ma'am," said a uniformed guy with a wand thingie.  I got up to him and he waved that thing up and down each side, while I stood with my arms out.  Each time it passed over my hip, he sang out a high pitched sound.  Up and down the other side, more singing.  Then he stepped behind me and waved it around my back.  Each time he passed over my buttock, that thing screeched like an Eagle.  Then he asked me to pull my top up and he checked my waist area.  I was scared my underwire bra would set off the screeching wand thingie again!!!

I was embarrassed that my frog belly white waist muffin was out in full view.  I guess he was looking to make sure I didn't have a gun or knife tucked into my waistband?

Down the steps to the building's basement and follow the signs.  I found another bathroom and then walked into a sort of waiting room with chairs and tables.  Six of us sitting there awaiting our attorney's.  It was now 10:35.  My attorney soon came in and told me a bit about what the judge would ask me and then we went into the room where the hearing was.

We were sixth in line.  I found it interesting to watch the proceedings.  Most of the people spoke so softly that the judge had to ask them to speak up.  I guess they were embarrassed when they had to give their names and addresses?  A few of them were young.  Most of them had jobs, one was a GM retiree and had a pension--yet they are getting a clean slate. 

The lady ahead of me, Fredericka, spoke with a very broken accent.  She had filed two years ago and the judge questioned her as to why it had taken her so long to come for the judgment.

"My son, he disabled.  He in hospital last winter and he in hospital in June.  He dying in the Hospice place now.  My sister, she and her baby die in July."

"Have you paid your attorney's fee and court costs?"

"I pay five hundred.  My son, he tell me he pay the rest last week."

The judge looked at her attorney, who shook his head slightly.  In other words, the son had not paid, but told his mother he had.

The judge said, "We can't go forward with the judgment until you or your attorney can find a receipt for the entire amount of attorney and court costs.  You will have to make another appointment and come back."

I felt so sorry for her--when she passed my chair, I reached out squeezed her hand and patted her arm.  Probably not something I should have done, but...I could not, not.

My turn.

"Please raise your right hand.  Do you swear that every answer you give today is truthful"

"I do."

"I need to see your Social Security card and drivers license."

I passed then to him.

"Please give me your full name and your address.

I did.

"Are you in the process of suing anyone?"

"No."

"Is anyone in the process of suing you?"

"No."

"Does anyone owe you money?"

"No."

"Are you entitled to any inheritance?"

I hesitated for a moment, "No."

"Do you own any real estate?"

"No."

"Did you file Federal Income Tax in 2013?"

"No."

My attorney had told me just to answer yes or no and if there were any extended questions, he would answer them, but...the judge had a different idea.

"Ms, Miller, I don't quite understand this annuity you have.  Can you explain it to me."

"It was set up 10 years ago as a, Fixed guaranteed annuity paying out the same monthly amount for 20 years... or less, if I die."

"Why haven't you cashed it in or raised the monthly payout?"

"It is Fixed  I cannot cash it in nor can I change the monthly payment.  It has no intrinsic cash value.  The monthly payout is guaranteed to remain the same for 20 years.  Ten more years."

"I will need to see the original contract."  He looked at my attorney.

"We don't have that with us, but I can get it for you."

"I'll need to see it before I make a judgment."

So, we are released and go outside.  

"The judge doesn't understand that the annuity can't be cashed in.  He is worried that the minute you are cleared for bankruptcy, you'll cash it in."

"Wish I could," I said.  "I tried before and I tried to the the monthly payment raised.  Can't do it.  I'll go home and see if I have the contract."

"Okay.  If you don't, I will write to MetLife and ask for a copy.  By the way...you did great in there!"

"Oh?"

"You weren't a bit nervous when he questioned you.  You were calm and answered all the questions fully and concisely.  Especially after I told you if there was any question of the annuity, I handle the answers.  That means a lot."

"Oh.  Well...Tom...I'm not usually intimidated by court rooms.  Remember, I have had two divorces and have even been in this very building when my second husband was up for contempt of court.  I haven't done anything wrong, so I'm not scared."
<maybe that tiny Ativan I took before I left home, helped?>

"I noticed you hesitated a bit when he asked about any inheritance."

"Yes--it caught me by surprise and I so wanted to say, 'I should have, but my step-mother stole my quarter of a million dollars from my Dad's estate.  Can you do anything about that in this court?' "

He laughed.  "You did just great!"

We start walking to our cars and he wanted to know where I was parked.  I pointed down the block to where my car was still parked--with all four wheels still intact, not up on blocks."

"I'll walk you down."

"No need.  I'll be fine."

"This is Flint!  Are you sure?"

"Yes," I laughed and I walked on.
==============================

  I got back out on the highway, feeling very confident and sort of powerful and tooled on south, at 75 mph, stopping at the Mega Coney Island place, half-way home, to get me a FLINT style Coney Dog and got home in time to watch my soap.

I found the original contract, in my funeral box with all my other important papers and sent off an e-mail to my attorney to let him know I could drop it off at his office this week.
==============================
Pearl came down in a few minutes to see if I was okay and as we were talking, I almost fell asleep.  I guess the whole ordeal took more out of me than I realized--or the fact that I had a short night and an early rising.

She brought me some blooms off her Hydrangea bush to put in a vase and dry.  They are gorgeous!!!

I was so yawny, but I had to stay up to watch the PBS Ken Burns special on the Roosevelt's.  My they are an odd bunch of people--so many mental issues and childhood family freakiness.  Of course they marry their cousins, so...that may have added to their weirdness, but the two President's managed to do a lot of our country.

Interesting

Today's high temperature was: 56 degrees

Cloudy

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

When the weather is like this, I have very little ambition.  I feel little energy and not very inspired.

I got up kind of early (8:00) and glad that I did.  I was showered and dressed when Dar breezed in at 10:00.

"I am so stressed and frazzled. I thought to myself,' I have to go to Judy's to calm down'."

"What's going on?"

"You know I've got the wedding tomorrow."

"Yes."

"Well...Daddy called this morning and he wants me to take him to the Detroit Yacht Club Sunday."

"Yacht Club?  Hm-mm."

"Yes.  We used to go there a lot and he just got a call from one of his old friends and a bunch of them are gathering there tomorrow for an early dinner.  He hasn't seen most of them in thirty years and he wants to go."

"That's nice."

"I DON'T HAVE A THING TO WEAR!!"

"What?  Is this a fancy place?"
<I know it is--I just like to hear her reaction>

"Oh Gawd!  It's the YACHT club!"

"Okay."

"I asked Daddy what he was going to wear and he said, 'just a sport's jacket', so I don't have to wear anything too formal.  I don't have any cocktail dresses to wear.  Oh---I used to have the most beautiful wardrobe.  Formal attire and cocktail dresses.  Gorgeous suits and pant suits.  I don't have anything like that anymore!"

"That was thirty or forty years ago...so I doubt any of those clothes would still be in style anyway."
<sarcasm is lost on her>

"I don't have time to go shopping.  I don't have two hundred dollars to buy a new dress! There aren't any high end stores around here anyway.  OH--what am I going to do?"

"Do you have a nice blazer you could wear with a pair of dress pants?"

"NO.  None of my dress pants fit.  I just gotta lose some weight."

"Ah--I have some fairly nice dresses.  If you want to look at them."

"YES!"

"Okay--come on back to the bedroom."

I walked back and opened up my closet door and started pulling out my dresses and laying them on my bed for her to look at or try on.  

"What size are these?"

"I don't know for sure, but I'm sure they will fit."

"I wear a twelve or a fourteen."
<in your dreams>

"This is my favorite.  A dress with a jacket over it.  You can wear it to anything."

"What size is it?"

"I don't know.  Try it on."

"No.  It looks too business like.  I want something else."

"A pant suit, perhaps?"

"No. Something fall looking." 

"How about this Hunter green coat dress?

"Oh no.  My Dad would take one look at that and................."
<what the heck is wrong with this dress? I love it>

"This would be a nice color, but I think it's the wrong season."

"Oh--I like that.  Let me try it on."

She did.  

"Oh, I don't like the flared skirt."

"If you wanted to wear a long one.  I have this...with the over blouse."

"Ah...no."

"I have a dark green velvet dress, but.................."

"No.  Not that formal."

"Okay, what about this one?"

"Oh.  I like that.  With the fall leaves on it.  Let me try it on."

"Ah...you've got it on backwards.  The opening buttons at the back neck...not the front."

"Oh...I'll take it.  What size is it...it fits really well."

"Ah--let me look.  It's a size eighteen."

"EIGHTEEN!  I HAVE NEVER WORN AN EIGHTEEN IN MY LIFE!"
<maybe you should and your clothes wouldn't look so tight>

"Oh..er..ah...it's probably a small eighteen.  You know.  Nowadays you just can't tell by the size.  You have to try it on to see."
<liar, liar, pants on fire>

"This is so surprising.  I just never thought you'd have dresses like this in your closet."

"Why?  Because I'm a country hick and you don't think I ever get dressed up?"

"Well...kinda."
<bring your rude mouth over here so I can slap you>

"I guess you never asked, but...when I worked for General Motors, I attended a lot of  parties with the executives I worked with.  Then, when I lived in Saginaw, I was the corporate executive secretary for a large business.  I went to many functions, dances and dinners with the big wigs.  When I quit work, I kept a couple of outfits for every season and donated the rest of my work dresses to a community center for underprivileged women going on their first job interviews.  I wore a dress and heels every day to work.  At that time in my life, my closet was filled with dresses and business outfits.  I owned one pair of jeans and three pair of dress slacks.  Kind of the opposite of what my closet holds now."

"Oh."
<like, if you ever cared enough to learn what my life used to be>

"I can't thank you enough!  You've saved my sanity and decreased my stress level about eighty percent!"

"And MY dress will be going to the Detroit YACHT Club.  WOW!"
<apparently sarcasm goes right over her inflated head>

"Yeah.  Isn't that something?"
<like I could give a rat's patootie if my dress or I ever went there>

I took the shoulder pads out and washed and dried it and touched it up with the iron a bit and it is ready for her to come back and pick it up.
======================
It is now 11:00 at night.  I wonder if she still wants the dress?  Who knows with that one!

TBT-2008

I Fainted!

Well--not actually, but..........the phone rang last night and....it was Karen! I haven't talked to her since the middle of August.  She was on her way home, with about 15 minutes to talk.  I am so glad she knows how to drive AND talk on her phone, and it's not against the law here,as yet.

"Hi Mom.  How are you doing?"

"Wonderful, how about you"?  How's the teaching job going?  Is Maddie enjoying college?  When are Helene and Marcus coming home from Europe?  I'm so glad they post pictures on Face Book."
<the conversation shows you who needs to talk more>

"The teaching job is great.  I am teaching AP Calculus and Algebra I and II.  It's been a long time since I have studied Calculus.  Maddie loves her classes.  The kids are flying in late Sunday night."

"What a wonderful experience for them...to be able to tour parts of Europe.  To be able to go together."

"Yes.  Helene wanted to go back to Spain and Rome.  She knows the places to visit and had the time.  Marcus has the money...so it worked out great."

"Have you heard from Jen?"

"No.  I left a message, but she hasn't called back."

"Pammie told me the kids love their new schools.  Andrew is taking advanced math classes at the high school, in the morning. "

"What grade did they finally put him in."

"They skipped him up from sixth to eighth."

"You know, Mom, he really is brilliant."

"Ya, I know, but...he's not very nice to Elise and Alex.  Pammie says he's a bully to them."

"Hm-mm.  I'm at the store now Mom, so I gotta get off the phone."

"Okay, Sweetheart.  Thank you for calling me."

"I will try and call every week from now on."

"Oh, that isn't really necessary.  Every other week would be fine with me.  Just call when you can.  I do love to hear your voice and to know what's going on."

"Okay.  Love you Mom."

"I love you too.  Thanks."
===============================
I just smiled the rest of the evening.  I wonder if Pam said something to her.  When I talked to Pam Sunday night, I said "Sometimes I feel like I am the only one alive.  Is there anyone out there?  A ten minute call once in a while wouldn't hurt, just to check and make sure I'm still alive."

Pammie said, "Oh Mom...we know you're all right.  You're always all right.  Besides...if you dropped dead or something, Pearl has my phone number and she'd call and let us know."
<then I heard her snicker>

BRATS!!! All of them!  Ungrateful brats.  When I think of the pain I went through to deliver those kids--the intense pain.....the sleepless nights..........the teenage problems....................the...........
======================

I went to the food bank today.  They were well stocked today.  The meat in the freezer was amazing!  Top Rib-Eye steak!  2--$17.23 from Meijer's!  Sirloin and  Porterhouse.  BUT I KNEW--I had to get something that would make more than one meal.  So I got 3# of ground Chuck and a 4# Rump Roast.  A couple of ears of Sweet Corn--kind of dried out, but I think if I steam it in the Microwave, it will be okay.  Some canned veggies and 4 cans of cat food like my cats like!  That thrilled me!  There were 8 cans, but I only took 4 and left the other 4 for someone else.  Flour and sugar, a can of chicken AND a can of Salmon--I love Salmon patties.  It's pink salmon, which isn't my favorite, but it will have to do.  Detergent and a pack of bathroom tissue--the thin kind, but it will work.  A dozen eggs!!!  I won't use a dozen eggs in four months, so I gave Jackie seven, because she bakes a lot and I kept five--for the Salmon patties and maybe a couple scrambled eggs, haven't eaten eggs in a long time.

They had large and small packages of Hawaiian Sweet Rolls that I have always wanted to try, but would never buy, so I got a small pack of 4.  They are good, but I prefer a more yeasty roll, but at least I got to try them.  

It was a better trip this time as I kind of am learning what and how much I can get of each thing AND there were four other old ladies in there today, so we chatted and complained about never thinking we'd end up in this position and compared notes and it felt less humiliating.  
=========================
We have had the strangest weather today.  Predicted severe storms.  I checked my radar map and it looked a bit scary.  They said that wind was going to be the big factor in these storms and, flooding.  I don't have to worry about flooding, but wind gusts of 60-70 mph, scare me.  The rain started at noon and it rained and rained--not hard, but just rain. 

The weather guys still kept predicting strong storms as the day progressed.  It started to get more humid and "they" said that would bring on the storms and strong winds, but.............nothing but rain here.

The schools in Detroit released the kids early (noon) because they expected flooded streets and underpasses again, and they did get more rain than we did, but really--no damaging winds and no lightning.

I don't blame the weather guys for scaring me, because, even on my radar that I watch on my computer, it looked very bad.  Thank goodness it wasn't and the cold front is starting to come through and---it is getting cold out there!!!
=================

Nothing is happening across the street.  The parking pad was laid two weeks ago and nothing since.  They don't even park there.  No skirting put on.  No sidewalks.  No nothing.  I don't even know if they are living there.  I see no lights on at night.

They are going to be real quiet neighbor's.  They aren't very sociable.  They don't wave if you see them.  They don't speak unless you speak to them first.  I guess that's a good thing, but...I wonder... what's wrong with them.  LOL

OUCH!

I rarely take medicine for my arthritis.  Usually, any pain I have is sharp and fleeting.  It does not stay around and ache--until this dang shoulder issue.  It just sits there, down in that joint, and aches and aches and only hurts sharp, when I raise that arm.  Even the muscle in my upper arm hurts--if I squeeze it...so I don't.

My TENS unit worked great last night--I slept well and woke up with no pain, but, a few hours into the day, and it is aching again.  I finally rummaged around in the medicine cabinet until I found a bottle of 500 mg Naproxen tables the doc gave me a few years ago.

I am a pill hoarder.  I have Tylenol 3 (with Codeine) in case of a toothache.  I have Percocet left from my hip surgery two years ago.  I have the Naproxen the doc gave me BEFORE the hip surgery.  I also have Amoxycillin--it is not old, that I have to take before dental visits.  In fact, I get my antibiotic from the orthopedic surgeon instead of the dentist, because the ortho guy gives me 28 and the dentist only gives me 4 at a time.   That way, if I get a UTI, I have antibiotic on hand.

I know, you are going to tell me they are too old to take and will not work, or work too much.  So far, so good.  They are all "hard milled" and I don't think lose their effectiveness like capsules would.

So I took a Naproxen this morning and about to take another one for tonight. so I can sleep.  I usually sleep on the side of the ouchie shoulder, so that isn't helping one bit!!!
===================
Look what Maggie the Cat did to me in the middle of the night.

She sleeps down by my ankles and apparently I moved my feet in the middle of the night and she tried to pull my foot back, or thought we were playing a game of Tug-Of-War?  I felt the pain at 3:00, yelled "NO" and kicked her off the foot of the bed.  Do you know how bad a cat scratch stings and burns and hurts?  I got up, slathered some Neosporin on it and went back to sleep.  Dang Cat!!!  Buddy would NEVER do that to his Mommy--although he did nip me the other day because I quit stroking his head! 

I tried to clip her nails tonight.  She was sitting on my lap and I was petting her and she closed her eyes.  I reached for her front paw and stroked it and she didn't bite me.  Then I reached for the clippers and gradually reached for the paw again, she opened one eye and flew off my lap.
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Those of you who commented on Brooklyn The Brat--I didn't feel it was my place to say anything.  Not my family--not my brat!  HAH!

It occurred to me this morning that Darlene seems to be coming over here everyday now.  She has not mentioned Judy L. or Sheila in quite some time.  I am wondering if they have dropped her.  When I got up this morning, I peeked out and saw that her car was gone.  Hurray!!  She had to work.  Of course, then I figured she'd be over tonight when she got home, but...she did not.  Hurray, again.  

As to Jean's response about the sign for my front door.  I did have a couple of signs made up, after Fred died and she seemed to think it was her duty to come everyday to check on me...when I wanted to see no one--especially her.  

I had a "In the Shower" sign.  A "Taking a nap" sign and A "I'm at Pearl's" sign.

A lot of times, I'd put up the "In the Shower" sign, when I wasn't or the "Taking a nap" sign--I never take naps.  I just could not stand her mood swings at that time...and at that time, she was in a continual mental state because of her daughter.

She is not nearly as bad now, but when she does come over, it is NOT to check on me or see how my day is going.  It is always all about her--always!!  At least Pearl and I sit and chat about both our lives, our the world or old times--we have a shared communication.  That has never, ever happened with Dar.  If I do make a mistake and go to say something pertaining to my life, she looks at her watch, checks her cell phone.  She can hardly wait until I shut-up so she can get back to telling me all about her.

There is no way I can change that woman  I guess I will have to look to her visits as fodder for my blog, LOL

I am kind of nervous about the predicted storm tomorrow.  We don't have the high heat and humidity we normally have with severe thunderstorms, but they are saying we are going to have strong winds.  They are coming down from a high elevation.  If we all live through that, the highs are going to be in the low to mid '60's the rest of the week and weekend and the lows in the '40's.  That means our first frost is not all that far away.  

Fall is here and it feels weird to me.  I feel like I have had a really long spring and I am still waiting for summer!

Monday, Monday

A nice cool day--really cool nights now--bad weather coming in Wednesday--high winds--again!  Tor Con of 3 for southern Michigan, 4 for northern Indiana and Illinois and Ohio.

I woke up Sunday morning with a terrific pain in my shoulder joint and down into my bicep.  By afternoon, I was ready to cry and took a couple of Advil and rubbed some horse liniment on it.

Around 5:00, Pearl's daughter stopped by and invited me to go up to the newer part of the Park to have supper with them...so I did!  Pearl's daughter, Margie, lives in a nice big double-wide in the newer part of the park--south of us.  Her daughter Jennifer and grand daughter Brooklyn also live there.

I have never quite seen such a bratty girl as Brooklyn--8 years old.  She is completely spoiled and never disciplined.  Margie and Jennifer are so sweet, and the child really doesn't sass them, but she says nasty things to them.  When Pearl said "Hi" to her, she looked at Pearl and stuck out her tongue, and walked into her play room.  I never did see her say a word to Pearl, her great grandma.

Then she said to Margie, her grandma, "You have so many wrinkles.  You look older than anyone I've ever seen."  Marge is 53 and quite pretty.  Then the kid says, "Look at your teeth.  They are all crooked and dirty looking.  You need to get dentures!"

At another time she said to Jennifer, her mother, "Where were you all morning?  Did you go to churchy-churchy?  You're so bad, you need to go everyday!"

Right about then or MUCH sooner, I would have taken the brat into her room and laid a couple of slaps on her behind.  No--I wouldn't have done that.  I would have slapped her bratty mouth the minute she stuck her tongue out at her great grandma.

All Jennifer and Marge ever say is, "Brooklyn, that's not very nice."

So far, she thinks I'm quite cool--we'll see how long that lasts.
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This morning I looked out and there was the maintenance guy Aaron, at Tami's door leaving her a paper--I assume to clean up her junk pile.  The manager decided to let Aaron do it, as he is all over the park, mowing vacant lots and keeping track of homes, so he would have been the one to see the pile.  I didn't hear her scream as yet, but I am wondering.  Can't wait to see what she does.  Can't wait to see that junk pile gone.

Then at 1:00, I had just sat down to watch my Soap and you know who, came through the door.  Sighing and carrying on...I just kept looking at the TV.

"Oh.  Is your show on now?"

"Yep.  One to two--every day."

"Oh...that's right.  I was over Friday when you were watching it.  I'll be back."
<for some unknown reason, she now comes over every single day>

So, as soon as my Soap was over, I got my list, jumped in the car and headed to the grocery store.

I stopped at the Tractor Supply on the way home to get my two big bags of bird seed--hopefully to get me through the winter.  A nice young man loaded it for me, wheeled it out to my car and put it in the trunk.  Now--always before, Merle has helped me unload it and carry it on the porch and poured it into the metal can I store it in.  BUT--I wasn't about to ask--him with the bad back and all.  If he even mentioned that his back hurt later, Pearl would blame me.

So there I stood.  Open trunk and wondering how I was going to manage two, 35# bags of seed.

I took a couple of deep breaths and sang to myself, "If I have to, I can do anything.  I am strong.  I am invincible.  I am woman!"

Lifted it out, kind of dragged it over to the porch steps.  Lifted it up, one step at a time.  Got it on the porch over by the chairs.

Grabbed it by its "ears" and lifted it up onto the chair. 

Cut the top of the bag with my utility knife 

did the same with the second bag.

and dumped it in.  70# of seed!!!

Then I went back to the car and toted in my  10 bags of groceries because, I knew, if I sat down to rest, I might never get back up.

I no sooner got the last bags in the house and, you know who, drove in her drive and immediately walked over.

She was into her deep sighing of earlier in the day.  Then she proceeded to tell me--AGAIN--about her nephew's elaborate wedding coming up this Saturday.  AGAIN--telling me the family was renting the entire floor of the Renaissance Hotel in Novi.  AGAIN, that her dress was being altered, "just to show the tips of my shoes because it is such a formal wedding."

"Are you wearing the caftan dress that was your Mother's?"

"No.  I was going to, but my sister-in-law told me it was too exotic and I might be the center of attention and detract from the bride."
<take a look in the mirror.  You'd detract from the bride alright, not because of your beauty, but because you'd look ridiculous in that dress!>

"Ah.  Yes."

"The reception is going to have an open bar.  You know, where it is all paid for.  My Daddy is going to wear a tux.  This wedding is going to cost the bride's parents at least....oh, I'd say eighty thousand and my brother is playing at least thirty thousand of that."

"Are you being boastful again?" I said with a smile

"No.  I'm just telling you facts."
<like I could give a mouse's patootie>

"I'm just exhausted," she said.

"Oh why?"

"I have had to run all over today.  Getting my hair re-cut, after that hatchet job I got the other day.  Trying to find shoes.  I had to stop in at the tailor's to have another fitting to get the length right on my dress."

"I'm tired too.  I............."

"Did I tell you that my Dad offered to pay to get that dent out of my trunk because I didn't want to pay the deductible?"

"No.  Well, that's nice of him."

"Plus, I have to take my car in for detailing because my Daddy will be riding with me.  It needs vacuuming and cleaning inside."

"Why don't you vacuum it yourself?"

"Oh...I'm too tired.  Besides it is only going to cost ninety dollars--a steal."
<hm-mm, it cost me seventy to get mine done last spring>

...and then, more and more that I don't remember because...I kinda quit listening.  She finally left ninety minutes later.  I put away the groceries, had some macaroni and tuna salad and sat in my chair watching Jeopardy with the TENS device pads on my shoulder and arm.

I know that I am going to be hurting tomorrow from the lifting today.  I ache tonight, but not too bad, but I think I will take one of my super-nice Percocet pain pills I got after my hip surgery, so that I can at least sleep.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.

P.S.  Have you heard of that new respiratory virus that is happening to young kids and babies.  It starts out like a cold and goes into respiratory distress of respiratory arrest.  Tell your kids about it so they will know to watch the grandkids.  You gotta get them to ER--quickly.