Ringing In The New Year

 A little play on words there. I took a picture of my own hand and realized how old my skin is! And how bumpy my joints are. I mean, I see my own hands all the time, but a picture makes you really look. I took the photo to show you my wedding rings. The last time I had them off my finger was over 25 years ago. I had the diamond reset, as the prongs were loose. After the repair I slipped them back on …….. and they will remain there until I die, because I CANNOT GET THEM OFF. 

My daughter, Jill told me that she would like to have them after I am ….. gone. I know many people want to be buried with sentimental things, but I am not one of them. As far as I am concerned, I can go out the way I came in. No adornments necessary. She said she would have the rings cut off, but I told her to just have them cut my finger off. I won't feel it and why mess up the rings if you don't have to. She did not agree to me solution.

All that aside. I had mentioned to HeWho loves me that since my hands are always in dirt, dishwater or paint, I would like to have just a band. That is assuming I can use some sort of magical technique to remove the ones on my finger. I was thinking that it would be a nice gift for our anniversary. 

HeWho is always at a loss for gift ideas did not take the bait. Our anniversary is December 17. He got a tool bag full of tools for me. He could have given me that for Christmas. My tool bag is purple and all the tools have purple handles. The theory being that if he or anyone else saw a purple tool they would shy away from it, knowing it was mine. All very well and he did put some thought into the gift. He has used them already!

Since the time I told him that the flower bed needed to be fertilized and he gave me 40 lbs. of, yes, manure, for Mother's Day one year, I am very careful about what I say around gifting times of the year. You never know what little nugget of information he might pick up on. He has done much better since the cow crap event. He got on a jewelry kick and I finally had to tell him that I only have 8 fingers. He did eventually try to upgrade my diamond with a one carat flawless diamond in a platinum setting. I am pretty sure this was my 25th anniversary gift.

This was about the time my joints started to grow and my hands would ache from time to time. I don't know if you have ever tried a platinum ring, but they are heavy. The ring was beautiful, but I wore it on my right hand, because I could not get the other rings off. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you will know that the ring was my gift to my baby girl when she got married. I could no longer wear it and was afraid I would lose it and it gives me as much happiness on her finger as it did on mine.

For Christmas, my true love gave to me …….

 exactly what I asked for. And it was a surprise. Just one little problem. He bought the same size he bought when he asked me to marry him! I have to take it back and get a larger size and maybe they can get the old set off. Without cutting them. Maybe.

Another Day In My Life

I awoke at 10 AM! This is unheard of for me. I have not been sleeping well this past week and figured I needed the extra sleep. I dutifully sipped my coffee while holding 3 dogs in my lap and balancing my laptop. It occurred to me, that despite the extra sleep I still felt …… not myself, other-worldly. A little nauseous and dizzy. I gulped down the coffee and was prepared to get a start on the day before me, late though I was.

I did it again! I am out of my special pills (actually, they are capsules). I knew I was not going to have enough to fill two weeks when I put them in the pill taker boxes. I dutifully called the refill in, noting that it was out of refills. Not to worry, the pharmacy will notify the clinic and they will call in a refill along with any accompanying messages, such as, it is time for a visit. Then I simply forgot about it. The refill was accomplished yesterday. The day I took my other pills, less the three magic capsules that keep my head on straight. I was in a hurry, my mind on peg hooks and eyehooks and that delicious piece of space left by the old water heater. 

I would kick myself if I could maintain any balance! I found 3 capsules in another part of the container and took them. Showered (no experiments this day), dressed and readied myself for a trip to Walmart to get those magic capsules!

Walmart is a 25 mile trip door to door from here. My prescription insurance dictates which pharmacies I can use and this is the closest. The two local ones are not on my list. While not ideal, I can usually pair the need for refills with other necessities and make the trip worthwhile. I won't mention that HeWho loves to run errands thinks nothing of traveling to stores 60 miles away, sometimes twice in one day. I am frugal!

So, in my weird state of mind I am traveling along the interstate when it occurs to me that the speed limit is a mere suggestion to the other motorists on the road. Kind of like a sewing pattern or recipe is to me. The suggestions are okay, but if I think I know a better method or ingredient, I will apply it.

Being the time of year that it is, I am careful to stay a mere 6 miles over the posted speed limit of 70. This is a busy interstate. One of the main shipping routes running east and west, it is always busy with trucks. Mostly I stay in the slow lane, since the other drivers seem to be in a race. I do have to pass the big trucks that slow down to 60 or so on the inclines.  Nothing annoys me more than someone flying up to me and just hanging on my rear end until I pass and go back into the slow lane. 

Not once did I spot a state trooper today. I was traveling along at 76 mph and the other vehicles were but a blur as they raced past me. They had to be going at least 85!

Not my only annoyance today. I keep my radio on an easy listening station. Today when I started the car, I noted that the sound coming from the passenger side speakers was full of static. The drivers side was fine. It did not occur to me to change the station until I was on the return trip home. I had made a mental note to have HeWho must have done something to my radio the last time he drove my vehicle take a gander to see what the matter was. Changed the station and it was clear ……. duh! I really need the magic capsules in my system at all times!

And the beginning of my day, I almost forgot ….. While in the warm shower, Martha, the boy cat, opened the bathroom door and let all the nice warm air out while I showered. When I pulled back the curtain the chill air hit me. When I asked him why he did that, he just sat there staring at me and swishing his tail across the floor.

Tomorrow will be better. I hope.

Hauling Water

It is almost over. Christmas, I mean. Then New Years. I plan to leave all the white lights up, so I won't have too much to take down.

 This is the snowman I made for Camper Craig (aka Santa).  The snowman is huge, over 5' tall. We had a tree fall and I requested some slices from the stump. I wanted to stack them ….. 
Since the bottom slice could only be moved around on the hand truck, I knew it would take something strong to hold it all together. With lots of help from Kevin (actually, he did all the heavy lifting, I just directed the placement of the "snow balls"). Seven coats of paint later, some lettering, eyes, buttons and a scarf. He Who did not like the original mouth and kept telling me to add some here and some there. Now I don't particularly like the mouth! Wondering about the nose? A finish nail will be holding a real carrot!

I changed the scarf to a red Christmas print. The one I stuck on it to see what it would look like was too thick to thread between the neck and the 4X4 fence post it is attached to. I knew the strong wind we always get would blow that scarf away. If only we had a silk hat ……

This is the makeshift Christmas tree in our sitting room. I put an old window on the wall with lights and the "tree" is scrap 1X4's attached to a 2X4. The stuffed animals are Eddie's favorite toys.

In the store, I used a live tree. Not mine, just some of the trees and plants that are staying inside over the winter. I have 3 grow lights in the room and I sometimes wonder if people think I am growing a lucrative crop of plants that might have street value!

Hanging plants grace the windows to take advantage of the sparse sunshine. This is just a few. Plants line all the walls in the room and the other side of the store, as well. I try to strategically place them so that the overflow of water drips to plants below. I am not always successful and end up mopping after I water.

Watering is an event. I only water once a week, since the heat is not on in the store. It takes 12 gallons of water. Water is heavy, you know. Especially in my old arthritic hands. So, when I saw one of those coiled green 50' hoses on the clearance rack for a mere $15 I snatched it up and tossed it in my cart.

My thought was to hook it up at my kitchen sink and pull it through the door into the store and use it to water. I knew it would not reach all the plants, but I could refill a container easily and not have to walk back and forth hauling a gallon of water in each hand 6 times. 

I also knew that I would need an adapter to hook that hose to my kitchen faucet. But I am the wife of HeWho knows how to rig things up. Knowing that Santa would be eating breakfast with all the kiddos last Sunday, I brought my dilemma to the attention of HeWho will make 7 or 8 trips to finish a project. I wanted to water on Saturday, Sunday is my usual day ….. but Santa was coming!

Did HeWho take pity on his wife and put an adapter on the faucet? He did not. He mumbled some nonsense about not "finding" what he needed. A week has passed and he has still not managed to "find" what I need. Tomorrow will find me hauling water …… again.

Breakfast With Santa

We did it! The weather cooperated and everything went off without a hitch. HeWho helped …… as long as I gave detailed assignments. He vacuumed the store and meeting room for me. He does love the sound of loud motors, you know. After emptying trash cans, though, he looked a little lost. Almost panicky. I sent him to the store for more syrup. He loves to go on missions.

There is no heat in the store. I turned on the electric heater in the meeting room and asked HeWho loves to go for things to bring the heaters in from the restrooms. Someone stole the heater in the men's room!! The only glitch of the day. 

Santa arrived via golf cart. That is how it happens in a campground. The reindeer are resting up for the big night.

The kids were all excited no matter how he arrived!

Kiddos were intrigued by the bag of gifts, but I made them eat first.

Pancakes. I manned the griddle. These look good. I might have made some sad looking ones and splashed a little batter on myself.

Sausage, too. I cooked all 58 of the links and patties. Nobody will leave hungry!

Santa ignored all the adults and talked to the kids while they ate. After they cleaned their plates, the gift unwrapping took place. I missed it, but I could hear the screams of delight.

It has been a long time since I have bought gifts for so many little people. My grands prefer a check or a wad of cash. This happens when they start to get older.

I confess that I agonized over the gifts. I know all the kids and can guess sizes with ease, but kids want toys, not clothes. I made two shopping trips and am happy to report that I did not see one disappointed face. They ranged in age from 2 to 11. Younger is easier, you can always get an age range on the box. 

Boys are easy, they all love trucks and tractors at the tender age of 2! Cameron's mom seems to be happy, as well!!

"Let's go home, so I can play!"

I love this face! I concentrated on busy games. Hopefully this will help make the days remaining until Christmas pass by faster. 

As they all went home, things got pretty quiet and then were just adults left. HeWho was missing. I thought he must be building a fire in our sitting room. Someone suggested that he was washing dishes. That brought a lot of laughs. I was a little annoyed that he was being anti-social.

After everyone left I picked up the carton of orange juice and the cooled down griddle to take to the kitchen. HEWHO WASHED THE DISHES!!!! I am still in shock. It must be the Christmas miracle.

Hot Water

So, the new tankless water heater is up and running. However, the door/wall is still tilted listlessly by my washing machine. It was late yesterday when the men finished with the installation. I was excited, since I had a very chilly shower yesterday morning.

I was looking forward to my shower this morning. I gulped down my coffee and chatted a bit with my furry friends. Mainly, I was encouraging them to stop their habit of howling when they heard the shower running every morning. I reminded them that I have fly swatters everywhere and am not afraid to use them. I had plans to stand under steaming hot water for a considerable amount of time. I was disappointed.

Yes, the water was hot enough for normal people, I suppose. I am not normal. I like really hot water. Despite that slight disappointment, I am happy that I am no longer mopping random puddles of water from the old water heater.

I had too many things to do today to dwell on the temperature of the water. Santa will be here Sunday to have breakfast with all the children in the park. There are cookies to bake and gifts to wrap. Lights to hang and floors to sweep.

No, I did not finish it all. There is still tomorrow. If I have learned nothing except this one thing in 65 years, then my life has not been wasted. It will all work out. I will get it all done and it will be wonderful. 

I will take pictures in between flipping pancakes and share them with you …… and all the while I will be thinking about my door/wall and all that extra floor space left by that giant water heater. I am itching to tackle the reorganization of my utility/laundry room!

Organizing The Door Wall

And it just keeps getting better!! Our water heater is leaking. No biggie, you say, just replace it …..

A few years ago I organized the utility room. I used lots of shelfs and bins and even 2 liter Coke bottles. You cut a hand size hole where the bottle gets larger, leaving the top and cap intact. Put an eyehook in the cap and screw it back on. Now you can put same size screws, nails, nuts, bolts, etc. in it and hang the bottle on a pegboard wall. You can easily see what is in it. I find my bottles everywhere. Some times with the cap and eyehook missing, sometimes completely intact. 

I have found them inside and outside. I have found them hanging in a tree, sometimes with a bee. I have found them safe and dry, also wet from the  sky. I have found them full and rusty, or empty and dusty. I am after all married to the master of chaos and confusion. But I digress.

In creating what I thought would be a place that would be easy for HeWho drops tools and leaves them lay when he finishes a project, I made a sort of wall out of an extra door I discovered. Just a plain hollow core door. HeWho fancies himself to have engineering knowledge immediately told me that it would NOT WORK. He begrudgingly attached it to the end of the wall as instructed (I have since purchased my own drill and he has been forbidden to even touch it. This did not keep him from stealing my bits and I now keep them hidden in a safe place). I put a set of sturdy, free standing shelves behind it to support the door/wall and smaller set of shelves in front. I was even able to put hooks on 1X4's and use the top front to hand things on. This was a success that I was known to gloat  be proud of.

The old water heater will need to be removed in order to install the new one. And this is where things get tricky. My door/wall is in the way. HeWho loves to drive far away to get things left this morning to get the new tankless gas water heater. I have reservations about this purchase, but a new one similar to the old one is over $1000, the tankless is $700. I just hope it will be able to keep up with the demand. It will have to services the entire main building. That includes our residence, as well as the public showers and laundry room. I hate cold showers. I mentioned this to HeWho was in think tank mode and he says we can always add another tankless unit if the one is not enough. I didn't even bother to point out to him that we would be spending over $1400 if that were the case.

I started early this morning removing all the stuff hanging on my door/wall. Every screw I put it in came out easily enough and I carefully moved things to new or temporary homes, discovery along the way just how disorganized the stuff had become. I make zones, people! You are supposed to respect my zones!! I had one shelving unit devoted to plumbing supplies. Another was for electrical things. Not to mention all my peg walls that now have peg hooks holding two totally unrelated items.

The real issue with the door/wall was the four screws HeWho torqued in. First of all they had that funky star head on them. What, may I ask is wrong with the regular Philips head screw that I favor? I final located the bit. It was in a container that held various screws, some nails, some reflectors, a stun gun and drill bits. All of the these items should have been put in the coke bottles, Well, not the stun gun. It just needs batteries and I might want to use it upon his return!

So, I changed the bit and got one screw out. The other three were torqued in so tight that he stripped the heads. My drill is light weight and cordless and no matter how many bits I tried, I was unable to budge those screws. Had to call upon my wife, Kevin.

I am still not done moving things, but the biggest part is done and out of the way. Had to take a break. I know that HeWho installs things would have moved everything ……. in his own special way. He would have shoved it all out of his way, breaking down my door/wall. My very clever door/wall. The door/wall that worked and stayed up and useful for years. Not that any of my organization made one iota of difference in the way HeWho operates!

Only The Smell Remains

I am happy to report that the damages from my recent bout of forgetfulness were minimal. For just a second I did consider letting the place burn, but my dogs were there and I didn't know if Martha, the fat cat would have come to me or played a game of hide and seek. He has been cantankerous since our return from our trip.

I would not have left him in a burning house. This is not my first adventure with smoke and flames. When the children were young, our house caught fire. I don't think the addition of the family room was done with any permits. The fireplace was faulty ….. in that they built it with WOOD and they did not properly install the brick. Surprisingly enough, HeWho had nothing to do with it. We bought it like that. I just remember the realtor cautioning me to keep an open mind and think of the potential the house had. 

Smoke woke me in the wee hours of the morning and I shook HeWho was sleeping blissfully next to me and told him the house was full of smoke. He agreed and turned his back to me and went right back to sleep. I decided to launch an investigation and discovered that most of the smoke was on the end of the house that held the master bedroom and the family room. The kitchen and living room was between the children's bedrooms and the fireplace.
No smoke hovering in those rooms, so I went quietly down the hall and closed the doors. I told my oldest child to grab his brother and get out if he heard me yell. I was prepared to give similar instructions to my oldest daughter when the power went out with a loud snap.

That's when I realized I was closing my children in a burning house. HeWho woke and I grabbed one child and a cat and he grabbed the youngest, also with a cat. The boys came out one their own and with some convincing the oldest girl came along. We all piled into the family station wagon. HeWho and the oldest boy were teeth chattering cold, so I went back in and gathered some blankets. Oh, we had dialed 911 and we could hear the sirens in the distance. It was like a drive-in movie as we watched them carefully move our Christmas tree and then dismantle the faulty fireplace. 

I was disappointed that HeWho had unlocked the front door. I hated that door and was expecting the firemen to hack it down with an axe. They were really nice, those firemen, moving all the presents under the tree before drowning the fire. It was a Saturday night and I had a pound cake waiting to go to church the next day. I brewed coffee and fed the firemen, put the children back to bed and then took myself to the hospital since I was wheezing from smoke inhalation. That was after I called first to see which doctor was on duty. I wanted to avoid an arterial blood gas and had to make sure I didn't get a doctor that I was unable to manipulate encourage to see things my way.

Ah, memories. After I expressed myself in my last post, I ventured back to the scene of the crime. I will never use the sauce pan again. It was favorite copper bottomed pan. Burned beyond usefulness. It was so sad. I bade it a fond farewell. I will need to order new knobs for the burners. The salt and pepper mills are twisted beyond recognition and there is soot everywhere. The oven still works and so do all the burners. If you can turn them on. It's not that bad, only one knob is melted beyond use.
I went ahead and made one batch of cookies and then cooked dinner.

I had some leftover spaghetti sauce and I had asked HeWho loves to run errands to pick up a can of kidney beans. He got navy beans. He blamed it on the girl stocking the shelves, but how hard is it to read the label? Or just look at the picture on the label? One bean is white and one is red and NAVY and KIDNEY are spelled differently. I had dried beans in the pantry, but given the adventures of the day, I didn't want to drag out the pressure cooker. So, I dumped a can of diced tomatoes and the navy beans in that spaghetti sauce along with some chili powder and called it supper. It was palatable, we ate it. 

I tackled the soot removal the next day. After some research, I wiped the walls and all the other exposed surfaces with dry sponges, then mixed up a batch of vinegar and Dawn. I even cleaned the bathroom, despite the fact that nothing happened to it. The smell of burning plastic still lingers, although I seem to be the only one to smell it.
After the big clean up I made almost 6 dozen cookies and cooked a decent meal.

Today I ventured out and picked up prescriptions for HeWho is not allowed to do this (his inattention to details, he would pick up whatever they handed him and not question the amount or the contents of the bag and these cannot be returned for a refund). I went to the thrift store and scored a new slightly used heavy bottom sauce pan and then got caught up in the Christmas spirit and bought some gifts for the children that reside in the park.

Santa will be here on the 16th to eat breakfast (brunch?) with the kids and they will need something to open, right? It was great fun. I was too tired to cook when I got home. Shopping is hard work! Tomorrow I will be baking cookies and wrapping gifts.

I Quit!

I give up. I quit. I am so done with this day. Sadly, it is only 2 o'clock. I am now coughing only occasionally and having no chills or fever. I caught up with all the chores that seemed to come to an abrupt halt during my unfortunate illness.

The laundry is folded and hung in the closet, the kitchen was cleaned and the floors swept and vacuumed. I even dusted. Bought groceries and all the necessities of life and even made a huge effort in finishing all my painting projects.

Today was going to be the cookie making marathon. I had already made one batch of dough, wrapped and refrigerated it and I was on to the next. This one required melting the butter on the stove before adding the vanilla and dates. I was on a roll, washing up as I went.

I measured the butter and plopped in the sauce pan, put it on the stove and turned the burner on. A medium heat, not high, lest I scorch it and have to start all over. Not my first rodeo, you know. I am old and I know things.

A camper came in and I went into the store …. knowing full well that the stove was on. I am now older and know even more things. I am known to talk to people and I am known to forget things.

I smelled it just before the smoke detector went off. Yes, the butter melted and caught fire. I will never use that sauce pan again (it was my favorite one, of course). I grabbed the handle to the pan and pulled it off the burner, then went to grab some baking soda. The flames went out and I didn't need it. But, the knob to turn the burner off was melted and gnarled. I used a pair of tongs to turn the burner off, then assessed the damage to the surrounding area.

The bottom of the microwave is all melty and the backsplash is black now. The pepper grinder is twisted and unrecognizable. I decided to just walk away and do something else. I restrung some lights on a wooden tree that HeWho had deemed to be all working.

They did not work. I am done. I have no inclination to clean up my mess and am seriously considering going back to bed and hope for a better tomorrow.

Martha, The FAT Boy Cat

I have lost all concept of time. I thought Monday was Sunday, having no memory of Sunday at all. That was the day I went to Walmart to get my RX that I chose not to spend $300 on. But that was Saturday, I thought. Maybe it is Saturday that is lost? No, that was the day I put all my Christmas lights up, except for the ones requiring a ladder. Kevin took care of those on Thanksgiving, despite the fact that he was as sick as I am now. 

Today is Wednesday according to my phone. My throat hurts so bad. Feels like I swallowed a bowling ball and it is still lodged halfway down. I am weak and snotty and not fun to be around. HeWho has announced daily that he is sick as well. If he is, it must be a very mild case, as he keeps jumping up to go places. 

Today he has gone to pick up his mower. Why the hurry? Snow is covering the grounds. Weather predictions call for 60 degrees on Saturday, but even if we did mow this time of year, the grounds will be too soggy. His thought process has always been a baffling mystery to me. A scary place.

Yesterday morning I coughed non-stop for 45 minutes. Being the considerate person that I am, I left the bedroom for this event, so that I would not disturb HeWho slept. In retrospect, I could have stayed. He did not hear his dog barking in the wee hours, standing with her paws on the bed, on his side. She wanted a lift up. She will get down okay, but the bed is so high I must employ a stepstool. I bought doggy steps, but they all just look at them disdainfully. They all prefer to be lifted in human arms.

I know my dogs are spoiled, but I don't care. I love the fact that the male dogs prefer me and Cujo will actually run and hide from the man in the house. Martha, the boy cat has always been low maintenance. If he is trapped in the house he will use the litter box. He prefers the great outdoors  and normally hunts all night.

We usually leave camper Andrea in charge when we travel. She was unavailable this time and Kevin took over my duties. Martha, the boy cat likes Andrea and DJ (husband of Andrea). He know them to be the loving parents of Miss Kitty and accepts them in my absence. Martha is a very touchy feely creature. He greets me with much leg rubbing, so much that he has been known to trip me. He does the same with Andrea, and sticks to his out all night schedule, happy to see her to be let in to lounge the day away in my bed ……. on my pillow and often dragging my night shirt close to knead with his mighty claws.

The litter box remains unused. Andrea was worried the last time she stood in for me. She was going to clean the litter box and was afraid he had made a mess somewhere in the house. So, imagine my surprise upon finding that the litter box was very much used in my absence. Martha was very happy to see me and although he tried to be aloof, he was happy to see his canines.

Kevin told me that Martha would give him the stink eye and run to hide from him. Martha did not go outside the entire time we were gone! No wonder he looked even fatter!

Martha, the boy cat has been inside the last few nights and has made use of the litter box. I am not a fan of changing the litter box and Martha seems to think the entire laundry room belongs to him with his food and litter box. He is a sloppy digger and cat litter litters the floor. He has a self feeder that I filled with a month's supply of food before I left. He ate a two weeks supply in only 7 days! Needless to say, I am now monitoring his food. He has a really pitiful loud meow that tells me he is not happy.

Such is life. The snow is slowly melting and the sun is trying to peek through the clouds. I am sipping hot tea and contemplating a nap. Rest and fluids, you know.

Hair

It's that awkward moment when you are standing in the warm spray of the shower and realize you just washed your hair with moisturizing body wash instead of shampoo. I stood there wondering if I should re-wash my hair with the correct product ……… or should I leave it and see what happens? 

I chose the latter. An experiment, if you will, with me as the subject. Now I wonder if I should use shampoo to wash my body. You know, to even things out. Whatever, we all know I chose the "experiment" because I am cheap thrifty and hate to waste, well, anything. Clean is clean, after all.

Just so you know, the body wash did not work as well as shampoo. Maybe because of the moisturizing aspect. My hair was limp and did not do well that day. I am generous enough to share this with all of you, so that you don't have to wonder.

I did a good job loading the camper for our trip, with only two exceptions. I forgot my styling mousse for my hair and the food from the refrigerator. My hair is baby fine. I was hoping it would become course with age. It is still fine and fly-away, the only difference is that a lot of gray has shown up. I am okay with all the gray, but maybe I should use some color to damage it a little to give it some body.

My sister gave me several bottles of styling product to use. She is not in need of such, as she is undergoing chemo. I bought some slouch hats and took them to her to add to her collection of head covers. My sister and I do not share the same hair type. She has natural curl and was a blond. All this to tell you that the "maintain bouncy curl" product did not work well on my hair. The "insane volume" mousse was indeed, insane. I was two inches taller with that. Took me back in time to the era of big hair.

Today, I washed the hair with shampoo and am sitting here sipping tea with honey as it air dries. Day two of my "cold" (I hope that is all it is) has me sitting in my recliner, tissue close by for my eyes and nose. While I showered, hoping it would make me feel better, HeWho loves a roaring fire, has built one up. He left to help someone do something (I was not listening), and it is 82 degrees in here!! I can't breathe. Every muscle in my body aches and my shoulder is screaming. My nose is dripping and my eyes are streaming. The remedy for the shoulder reeks of menthol and I am just plain miserable. The man does not listen to me!

Oh, yeah, I am having another bad hair day! I am going to open the window and go back to bed.

Not Having A Good Day

The trip stories are over. Before leaving my PCP (primary care giver) ran some blood work on me and referred me to a Rheumatologist. She doubted that I actually have rheumatoid arthritis and I agreed with her assessment, but decided to do the blood work anyway.

I presented myself, as scheduled, to the specialty clinic for evaluation. Now we all agree that I have osteoarthritis. That's the good news. This can be treated with OTC (over the counter) remedies. The only bad thing is that constant use can damage your liver, or your kidneys and mess with your clotting factors in your blood. So, the answer is a topical application to deliver the pain relief, bypassing the digestive system.

The bad news is the cost. I went to pick up the prescription today. Had to wait for the pharmacy to order it. They filled a 90 day supply and ran it through my insurance and the part I was to pay was OVER $300. 

I left the prescription and headed over to the arthritic remedies available without prescription. I bought 3. Each has a different active ingredient. If I have a really bad day, I might use all three simultaneously, along with a cocktail of Tylenol and Motrin. Won't cost $300.

Getting old sucks! Along with that I have the beginnings of a cold. Sore throat, hacking cough, weepy eyes and runny nose. I kept my distance from all those shoppers at Walmart where I refused my prescription. I had a few items to pick up to finish the Christmas lights.

While I was looking, a fellow shopper pushed me aside to peruse the boxes I was considering. All the while, she coughed non-stop with her mouth open. Already not feeling my best, it took considerable self control not to shove her head into her elbow and teach her how to cough in public. 

Home now, I am sitting here with hot tea and Kleenex at my side. All prepared to catch up on all my favorite blogs and find that Blogger will not let me comment. Not having a good day. Maybe I should just crawl into bed ……..

W

The Trip, Even More ...

We were heading west in Georgia when last we were here. It has been 3 years since I have seen my sister. Three years since my dad died. It was bittersweet as we drove through the city that he used to call home. I saw him on every corner and could hear him reading billboards and signs aloud as he drove along. Used to drive me crazy, but I would give anything to hear his voice again.

Now my sister is fighting her battle with cancer. All things considered she looked good, but I am worried about her anyway. I wish I was more available to help her. I can't make her treatment work faster, but I could make her house clean and put dinner on the table. We did feed her while we were there, of course. She wanted to cook, but we wouldn't let her.

We visited our parents' graves and did a little weeding around them. I wish I had thought to bring some bulbs to plant. I am not a cut or artificial flower person, but some daffodils, tulips and day lilies popping up out of the ground would be cheerful. It is a very old cemetery. Looking at some of the old markers, there were some birthdates in the 1700's. Some stones were so old they were illegible. 

HeWho loves a fast food breakfast drove us to the only game in town, Hardee's and while he was inside I noticed this truck pull to the side of the road and park. Hard to see, but it looks like a million mason jars on the bed of the truck. I was curious about the contents. I wondered if it was moonshine!

HeWho has never met a stranger, so he asked the driver. It was corn syrup on the way to the bee hives. I did not know that you have to feed them! You learn something new every day!

The Trip Again

The trip south was quite uneventful. I sat surrounded by dogs, all trying to get my attention. It seemed that everytime they got settled and I would start to doze, we stopped. HeWho would make me hold my bladder in our younger days on a trip,he is the one needing the stops now. Then the stops for fuel and the stops to smoke. I found them all to be very annoying. I was also at his beck and call to refill his soda and bring him snacks. But that was no big deal. Been waiting on this man for almost 44 years now and that is not likely to change.

We stopped near Ringgold, Georgia. This RV park was enormous. It was after hours and we did the night check-in. The night check-in did not include a map and navigating the park in the dark wasn't easy. We ended up pulling into the first empty spot we found. The interstate could be seen from the site and I heard it all night long. It was on hilly terrain, so there was constant truck noises as they braked.

The next morning I woke first and harnessed my canines for their early morning necessities. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a jacket over my night gown, grabbed some poop bags and walked. There was a dog walking area designated by a sign, but they were in the process of adding more sites even closer to the fence right off the interstate. This place was pretty full of what looked to be full-timers. The lots, however were small and not very accommodating. Everything seemed to be really crammed in tight. 

My dogs were really being good. I had the little ultrasonic bark thingy in my hand and they were responding quite well to that. Only problem was the barking and howling when we left them inside without us. They only had 4 accidents the entire trip. Cujo was still on pain meds and antibiotics from his dental visit. He lost 13 teeth, poor baby. He has only 1 front tooth on the top, nothing on the bottom. He was somewhat subdued. Wall-E was pretty much resigned to go on an adventure, not enthusiastic at all. Toni Louise and Charming Eddie loved traveling. They enjoyed looking out the windshield with their paws resting on HeWho's shoulders. They especially loved exploring the grounds at every stop, sniffing the smells and leaving their mark.

We arrived at our destination the next afternoon. Doris and Kevin's house. Doris is actually the cousin of HeWho, but more like a little sister. She and I have a lot in common. We both sew and craft, we are both cheap thrifty. We had a great time. We laughed a lot and Doris poured candles a lot! She was getting ready for a craft venue (taking my wares along with hers). I smelled so many scents, I think I broke my smeller! My store has been restocked with good smells. You can find Casual Candles by Doris at Kan-Do Kampground.

Time seems to move too quickly and we headed out on Thursday morning to head west to Pearson for the second leg of our journey.

The Trip

We are home from our trip to Georgia. I won't say it was uneventful, but you would already assume that, …… I always have adventures.

We left in a flurry of snow, and when we drove out of the snow, the rain came and seemed to follow us all the way. It was dreary and overcast the entire time we were there. The sun stayed hidden until we were preparing to leave. We got a great start and were already through Atlanta by 11 am. HeWho speculated that we would make it home the same day. 

We all know what happens when things are going great. The sun was still shining, what could possibly go wrong? I don't sit up front in the navigator's seat. I tried it and liked seeing
where we were. What I didn't like was the three dogs in my lap. We have a gate to contain them in the back, but the crying and howling is awful. I succumb to their pleas and unfold the sofa and we pile up together with a ton of pillows. They are happy, HeWho is happy, and other than being clueless as to where we are, it is quite comfortable.

So, there I was, an audio book talking in my ear and Jigidi on my laptop. I was into my puzzle, when suddenly the ride got really bumpy. I wondered if HeWho was taking a shortcut on some railroad tracks. Yep, a flat tire. We had to get it repaired and then they rotated the tires. The hardest part of this was finding a place. Siri needs to update her business info. She kept sending us to places that had closed down.

This is where we finally ended up with our flat tire. Still in Georgia. I ride with the shades down. Wall-E does not like to see all the cars and trucks on the roads around us. He is somewhat neurotic, my Wall-E. He also dislikes any changes to his routine. I am very accommodating to my pets. From the looks of the place, you know they were just a bunch of good old boys. They took the offending tire off and repaired it, then rotated the tires for a mere $55! And, it only took about an hour. I did not have to get out while they worked. A good thing, since the canines would have serenaded the work.

This was my view while I waited. The seated man did not get up the entire time. He stopped eating to talk the other gentleman in the photo. The talk was about 5 minutes long. Other than that he was eating. All that stuff on the bench next to him is junk food. Hard to see, as I took the picture through a screen and window. I thought it would be rude to get out and take his picture.

We were behind, for sure, but HeWho was sure he would pull into our park that same night. We did not make it home. We were still in the state of Georgia at 3:30. Engine lights came on. We had to drive slow until HeWho finally found a Walmart and got some gadget to "read" something or other. I have to admit that I did not pay attention to what he said. The plot was getting good in the book.

We stayed in Manchester, TN in a really nice KOA.       More to follow …….

My Vacuum Does Not Suck!

I have been busy painting. Getting packed and ready to go. Each new one is my new favorite!

The flip side. You get these out in the fall and don't have to put them away until after Christmas. Décor for the lazy ……

This guy just needs the bolts for his neck.

Since they will show on the flip side, just hang more bells.

It snowed yesterday. Looks like a postcard.

I love the wet snow on the trees, looks like Christmas.

Can you see the tree in the road to the left behind the pool pump house? That heavy wet snow was a bit too much. Not all of that tree was still alive and I had been nagging encouraging the men here to trim the dead limbs. I know they were over 12' high, but they all just looked at me strangely and snorted. Not everyone likes a good challenge, I suppose. Mother Nature must have heard me and those limbs are no longer a problem.

While the chainsaws buzzed, I tackled my house and store. Don't want to come home to a dirty house. I had a plan. I started the laundry, then swept and mopped the entire house. Second load of laundry, then I put the rugs down and sprinkled that Arm and Hammer freshening stuff on the two biggest rugs. Let that sit while I tackled the kitchen and watered all the house plants.

Watering is not as simple as it may sound. All the hanging baskets and potted plants that grace the outdoors are inside. While that is a whole bunch, I also house camper Andrea's plants. And this year, camper Sharon added some really big trees in pots. The extra retail space is filled with plants. Every window in the store has a group and the extra room has grow lights for the dark corners. It looks a little suspicious with those funky grow lights on. I have shelves in front of my kitchen window and the small window in our sitting area. All full of house plants that will be released to the great outdoors come Spring.

We have a good oxygen supply in here. So, after hauling gallons of water to all the plants, I pulled out the vacuum and started on the rugs. I noticed that it wasn't picking up as well as it should, so I vacuumed slower. The dogs were not thrilled when they saw me plug the machine in. Wall-E jumped up into a chair and gave me the stink-eye. Eddie likes to challenge the machine and was running along side and Toni Louise was making sure the vacuum did not hurt the youngest of her pack. Cujo was on my heels, his usual spot.

I was coughing and all the dogs were sneezing. The beater bar was working, but nothing was being sucked up. I turned it off and looked in the collection container. Nothing was in it and there was a fluffy cloud of dog hair all around me. I would say that my vacuum cleaner sucks, but it didn't and that was a problem.

HeWho was done playing with the chain saw, so he took the machine out to his barn to use the air compressor. After determining that nothing was caught up in the hose, he brought it back and I heard him try it out in the store. Since I was not using the hose, I already knew that was not the problem. So, HeWho popped that vacuum up on the registration counter and took out the filters.

He left the vacuum, the dirty, dusty vacuum, sitting right there on the registration counter. The first thing you see when you enter the store, the place you fill out the registration and pay for purchases. I was less that thrilled when I discovered this ……. when a couple came in to pay for a propane tank. The upright vacuum dominated the space and all around it was dirt and dog hair. I did what I always do and smiled a big smile before announcing that my husband was special.

I finished my chores and sat down to paint some more.

I Love Signs

The weekend is over. Oktoberfest 2018 is behind us. I have more time to do things I want to do. Well, if  I could use my left arm, I could.

I have been painting signs. Christmas and fall signs. I did this one a couple of weeks ago. I love the elf, he is so cute. He looks like he should be in a tree baking cookies.

I rescued these boards from the burn pile. The men looked at me like I was losing my mind. They lack vision!! Still denied the use of a saw (I might cut my finger off) I got creative with what "tools" I had at my disposal. I scored it with a blade and then with a screw driver before I held it against the counter and popped off the part I no longer wanted. Of course I saved it just in case I find a new use for it. The men finally took pity on me and every morning Kevin (aka my wife) checks with me to see if I need anything cut.

The finished product turned pretty good! Those witches look mean and the scare crow looks , well, scared. 

More cedar boards and odd fence boards. The hardest one was the pumpkin/moon scene. That one took up a whole day, with letting the paint dry in between new colors. It is spoken for, along with the "Hocus Pocus". I am partial to the cat and the spider. That cat has a weird forehead. If Martha, the boy cat, looked like that from a side view we would pay the vet a visit!

But, wait!! A secret lies behind those Halloween signs ………

They are reversible!! Two signs in one. I will be loading up any I don't sell here and taking them south. Our cousin (who is like a sister) in Georgia is a crafty lady herself. She does candles and candle melts, while her other half peddles his various wares at craft shows. I have her candles in my store and she has some of my signs to haul around and display for me.

If you ever find yourself in the deepest most southern part of the state of Georgia look for Casual Candles by Doris. She lives in Blackshear, Georgia. You can find her on Facebook, as well. I have some campers who swear by her stuff!!
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A Day Off

Taking a day off is hard to do, but I am determined to avoid as much as I can today.
Yesterday was the last mow of the year ……. I hope. After I finished up with mowing I tackled some garden chores by pulling dead annuals and collecting too much seed. One marigold plant had the biggest root structure I have ever seen with branches going in all directions. I yanked a little too hard and killed my shoulder.

Many annuals still languish in many gardens, but I am determined to rest my shoulder. You never know how much you use a body part until it fails you. I suppose I could clean the kitchen and cook, but here I sit contemplating life. 

Today is my granddaughter, Layla's birthday. Hard to believe that she is 18 years old. Not so very long ago (in my mind) I was walking into the hospital holding her 5 year old brother's hand, on the way to meet her for the first time. I asked Gage if, since he was my heart, his baby sister could be my soul. He looked up at me with those amazing blue eyes and said, "No, Gramma, I am all of that to you!"

Then we held her for the first time and my heart swelled even bigger, as it did with every new grandchild. There are no words that can describe just how much a grandchild is loved. My Layla has grown into an amazing young lady. Painfully shy as a little girl, she now displays poise and grace as she dances in competition. As smart as she is talented, she excels in everything she does. My only recent picture of her is in the dress I wore when I married her Grampa. I would add it here, but she asked me not to. 

It is also Charming Eddie's birthday, he is 2. I rarely remember my dog's birthdates. The fact that he was born on Layla's birthday makes him an exception. Like Layla he is gorgeous and sweet. I don't do birthday parties for my dogs. They lead exceptional lives every day. I sure wish I could see Layla today. Maybe I can take a trip soon and see them all. Not today, though. 

I Hope

It's the most wonderful day of the week …… Oh wait, not all of them are leaving.

While it is quite satisfying to watch the departure of my weekend guests, it has been a very long weekend with some arrivals last Wednesday. Some on Thursday and then Friday and an equal amount on Saturday. Most left today, some are leaving tomorrow, some Tuesday and some on Wednesday. Looks like I am coming full circle with no down time all week. It was also very difficult to make sure that the early arrivals were not blocked in with the late departures.

And that makes for complaints. Guess who gets to hear complaints? I do. While most people understand when I explain my reasons for their site assignment, there is always one who will not be satisfied, no matter what you do. I always start my explanation with an apology and most people can accept that and move on. If they are really irate, I have been known to compensate them with something free to soothe them.

The lady this weekend was not to be assuaged with anything. She was mad and flew into a rage at me. I apologized and tried to explain my situation, but she cut me off. Told me I chose the absolute worst sites in the park and that the sites they wanted were occupied by some campers from another state and "how often do you thing they will return?". Guess I should not have replied that this group returns every year, as that added fuel to her flame (and she didn't need any). After standing mute through the remainder of her tirade, I asked what I could do to make her feel better. I was prepared to refund a night's stay, but she replied with "NOTHING". So, I gave her that.

Later I still felt bad that I had failed to appease her. Her husband did not seem to be as unhappy with the site as she was and their friends had not complained. But, like the rest of the world, I want people to like me …. and my facilities. I decided as I went to bed that I would give them an night's stay as soon as I saw them the next day.

The next day found me just as busy as the previous one checking in campers and selling fire wood and ice and answering the endlessly ringing phone. I had no wiggle room at all on sites, completely booked and no cancellations. Everybody assigned those double sites knew they would have a neighbor backing in. These sites are about 100 to 150 feet long, so it's not like you are on top of each other. I have been in some really tight parks and mine is spacious enough.

The camper who was to occupy the site in front of my disgruntled customer arrived. Very nice people with a puppy. I got a puppy breath fix and lots of puppy kisses before sending them to their site. I get a call telling me the site is blocked by a truck. I send HeWho helps folks park to investigate. The sites in question were on the end and have extra parking space. I even pointed this out to the man when he checked in. I even let him pull in backwards so that his awning would meet the awning of the friend's camper. So, I can only assume that they parked their truck in the remaining space to annoy me.

HeWho always thinks the best of people even agreed that this was the case and he helped the front camper back in the remaining space in front of the truck with just inches to spare. Two can play that game! The front camper with be leaving before the blocked truck and should create no problem for them, but I am betting that it will. HeWho is not quick to anger has agreed to handle the complaint, should it arise.

Just writing this has made me tired! I only have about 4 hours to go, since we try to close early on Sundays (rarely happens, but I can hope). The pot of chili bubbles away in the slow cooker and I am looking forward to a ratty sweatsuit, thick socks, a bowl of chili, cornbread and a movie this evening. I hope.

Scary Is Good

In my last episode I told you about the man who could not back up or win an argument.

He was my very first camper of the day and the day did not improve with time. I checked in another camper. He was to go into site 2. When he reached his site he called to let me know that someone else had taken his site. I did some quick rearranging and got him settled before investigating the problem. Site 4 from the previous evening had taken the wrong site. He was away from the campsite. This mistake on his part created a domino effect since I had also parked a camper in 5, which is in front of 4. Wonder how crazy they thought I was when I made them back in and they could have easily pulled through, since 4 was in 2. This rendered 4 unusable and I lost $70 because I could not park a 5th wheel in that site and had to turn them away. This was irritating to someone already irritated with the world at large.

So, I decided to do a little sign painting, while stuck there at the desk. Something to calm myself and listen to an audio book. I was happily painting away and checking in campers. I had just stood up to stretch my back when I saw a small red car come flying into my campground. The car did not stop or even slow down at the stop signs. Looked to be going about 30mph and headed down my private drive.

Of course I went out the door to investigate. By the time I got out the door and took the ten steps to the left, I see the red car hurtling through my grassy field, still speeding. It had been raining and she was leaving tracks and just missed a pvc water pipe as she made her way back to the road. She turned left (away from me), then suddenly threw the car in reverse and back into the grass at high speed to turn around. When she got to the end of the road (going the wrong way on a one-way road), I was standing in the middle of it.

The woman was young and had a child in the front seat who looked to be too young to be in the front seat (especially with an idiot at the wheel). She was grinning like a fool and looked at me and shrugged her shoulders. I walked to the drivers side and motioned for her to put her window down. She did and I asked her if she needed assistance. She looked at me like I may have lost my mind and said, "Uh, Noooooo."

"What are you doing here?" I ask, still keeping a tiny hold on my patience. "I am lost, I am not familiar with this area." she said impatiently. I probably would have lost it, pill screw up or not. She was speaking to me with no respect whatsoever like a teenager, and her child seemed to find it amusing, as he was laughing and she would look at him after she spoke and they both would laugh.

"So, does being lost render you unable to read?" No answer. "You just blew through my stop signs, speeding in my park, then going down a road clearly marked private before deciding to plow through my grass …. twice. What is wrong with you?" Again with the snort before she replied that she wasn't aware that it was MY grass. Then saying "F#&K YOU!" and spinning her tires as she sped out and headed for the state park down the road. 

The only thing in my hand was my phone and I wasn't going to throw it at her. A hammer, a shovel, a rock …… I would have. Of course HeWho tries to calm me down was not there and just about that time all the reservations start coming in. I was so mad I could have chewed nails and spit them at her. And we wonder why the children are so disrespectful. 

I did get some signs painted in spite of my, um, attitude. This one is my best seller.

Halloween is coming, I sold the broom stick sign.

I am partial to this one …..

Not too happy with my cat, it looks a little scary. Scary is good, I guess.

Coping Skills

I did a really stupid thing not long ago. As careful as I am with the meds of HeWho has no idea what he takes or why, I am not as careful with my own. I get interrupted a lot when I am doing this task. I try to do it early in the morning, but the phone will ring and I will have to abandon them to take a reservation or to listen to a recording trying to convince me to get help with my student loans or tell me I am a lucky winner of a dream vacation.

I count out loud while I am filling to help keep place, but that doesn't always work. While I was filling mine last time about 10 days ago, I got a call and was in a hurry to finish, as I was on the very last bottle of pills. I totally went temporarily stupid and just put one in each of the 14 slots. Supposed to take THREE. But my mind was on a problem in the park and my need to get someone to take care of it in a timely fashion.

About three days into the first week of those pills I noticed that I was becoming quite irritable and just felt crappy. Everybody will have an off day, so I just chalked it  up to that and figured the next day would be better. It wasn't. I even snapped at "my wife". HeWho is used to my moods and really doesn't take offense when I bite his head off. Sometimes I will apologize, but he just blows it off. This went on for 6 days before I figured out what the problem was. During that time I was struggling with insomnia and not getting any good sleep.

Day 6 of this adventure just happened to be a Friday. The busiest day of the week here. I got up and informed my sweet, easy going husband that I hated my life and everybody in it. Even the dogs! Every time I made a sudden movement of my head I could hear what sounded like a cookie sheet full of nuts and bolts being tilted from side to side. "There is something wrong with me," I told him. He was smart enough not to agree whole-heartedly with me and just suggested that I call the clinic and make an appointment.

As I sat there sipping my coffee and pondering life, I remember that I had had the symptoms before …….. when I ran out of those same pills and forgot to re-order them. I got up and checked my pill holder and sure enough, there was only one of those in each slot. He Who calls them my happy pills and he once said he did not care how expensive they were, that he would prostitute himself, if necessary, to pay for them. He really wants me on drugs!!

One of the side effects of stopping suddenly is suicidal thoughts. I can tell you that is not a problem with me. Homicidal thoughts did occur, though. I took two more pills immediately, but the effects do not hit right away. I am still having lots of insomnia, but I am a lot nicer to be around since I corrected my stupid mistake.

That Friday, however was not fun, not at all. My tolerance for stupidity has diminished with age and it would appear that I had no tolerance at all last week-end. Arguing with me was not recommended. Well, to be honest, it never is. I pretend to be happy and smile a lot when I am in a not so terrific mood, but I did not seem to be able to cope last Friday. 

The first man to feel the wrath of my tongue was the man who decided to argue with me about the site assignment. I did not build the park, the sites were here when we got here and I have no choice but to use what we have. Most of the existing sites are double sites, with the hook-ups on the same side. This means that, in order to be able to use both, the camper coming in first, can pull in to the back site, uh-hook their vehicle and the next camper will back-in to the front site.

I make a chart mid-week before the coming weekend. It is like a wedding seating chart. No matter how hard you try, somebody will be unhappy with my decisions. I have to know who is leaving first, so that I don't block them in. I never know who will arrive first, unless they are arriving a day early. So the chart is not written in stone, I am constantly rearranging it as the campers come in to accommodate the coming and goings.

So, when I told the man to park in site 8, leaving site 9 open for a back-in, I did so because he was not scheduled to leave until Monday, while most everyone else would be leaving on Sunday. His wife actually checked in and I told her that they would have a camper in front of them, but that I would make sure not to put anyone in who would be staying longer that they would. I went so far as to explain my reasoning to her.

Not 10 minutes later the phone rang. With a slight hint of hysteria (maybe she screwed up her pills, too?) she informs me that there are no hook ups on the site. Knowing full well that there are, I tell her that I will send someone to help them ……

I had this particular camper charted to go into a back-in initially and changed it when his wife told me he could not back up. Instead of waiting for the two minutes it took for HeWho never walks to drive to the site, they left and came to the office. The man is irate. He tells me that he would rather pull up to site 9. I carefully explained that this would render site 8 useless, unless a short motorhome pulled in behind him and since I have no idea what may come in off the road, I would possibly lose revenue. "Well, I don't care, I want 9."

It was like he flipped a switch on me. "Well, I DO care, since this is how I feed my family and pay my bills. I need to use all my resources." Telling him this I went on to assure him that I would be careful not to put a camper in front of him that would be staying longer than he would be staying. This man was not a good people reader at all. He kept telling me that I was not listening to him and we went about four rounds of explaining the ways of the world to him before I totally lost it.

He was trying to talk over me, so I went totally silent and when he finally shut up I said, "Let me put this in terms that even YOU might understand. It is my way or the highway. This means that you will park where I tell you to, or I will refund your money and you can hit the road."

He went meekly to his site and I texted HeWho shows people how to hook up to sewer and water. "You might want to head to site 8 and try to soothe this man I just emasculated with my words. I don't think I should be behind this desk today ……"

Come to find out, the whole problem with not being able to find any hook ups was because he tried to back in ……. You may recall that his wife said he could not back up.

Tomorrow is Friday again. I am booked solid. No wiggle room at all unless someone cancels. I am not really looking forward to it, although my coping skills are almost back to normal.