The weather is amazing today. I got so much done in my gardens .... wearing capri's and sandals! I was doing chores I normally do in April. The trees are budding and the daffodils and daylilies have poked up through the soil. I removed all the dead leaves, chopped down my ornamental grasses and the tops of the mums. Fresh green growth is already coming up. I just hope we don't have a hard freeze again.
This only about 1/4 of what I gathered to burn. You can clearly see the outer workings of HeWho's beloved junk barn area. I plan to fence this area off and rid it of grass. Gravel is low maintenance and anything behind his fence will be obscured by the fence. A play area for him to tinker to his heart's content.
In the meantime, this is where I burn things. And like the sign at the beginning says ...... this is our nightclub.
I neglected to share the story of the hearing aid procurement with the world. They are used. Found in a wrecked car. I was appalled when HeWho cannot hear presented them like a golden treasure for my approval. "Um, you are not sticking those in your ears, are you?" I asked. He looked at me and asked why that would not be okay. He promised to clean them with alcohol .......
Fortunately, our eye care giver, Barb, has moved to a larger location and leased out some space to a hearing aid provider. All she needs now is a dentist and they could call the business "The Head Shop". I do realize that would be confusing on so many levels. The name shall remain "Here's Two Eyes" in Troy, Missouri. You will be able to see and hear after you go there. HeWho needed new glasses needed to pick them up and while there he visited the hearing aid office.
For less than $200, she reprogrammed the device to fit his needs and re-outfitted the tubing and the part that actually goes in your ear. I feel so much better about them now. I am not all that keen on used appliances that fit into any part of my body. Like used dentures? I won't add any more examples, just use your own imagination.
Now that I have totally grossed everyone out ..... I am happy to report that we can now watch TV without having the volume loud enough for the entire park to hear. So, he can see better and he can hear better, but this does not mean that he can LISTEN better.
Our toaster is on it's last leg. The middle element is no longer working and you have to flip your toast. So, just like I did when faced with replacing my hand mixer, I did a little research. I found a toaster oven/toaster combination that is nice and compact and mentioned that I wanted to order it. It comes in red and in black. While I would prefer the black, I will settle for the red, because it was $20 cheaper. I also ordered the stand mixer with the detachable hand mixer. If we are going to live in the motorhome, we should definitely get multi-use appliances that take up as little space as possible.
I said all this to HeWho can hear just the other day. Today, he went to Walmart to get drinking water and some kind of something having to do with the engine of his vehicle. He told me and I just realized that I also have selective hearing, because I did not pay attention to what he said. This is a sad revelation, the fact that I also have faults ........ But, getting back to HeWho has far more faults that I .....
While at Walmart he bought something for me. He thought I would be thrilled that he had paid attention to me and that I would not have to worry about getting a new toaster to replace the old one. He was close, really close. It is red and it toasts bread. But for only $5 more, I think we can wait for the combination toaster oven/toaster.
Eddie is growing ..... more charming every day. He loves to shred paper. Even when he is doing something wrong, he is adorable.
My front porch plants have over-wintered quite nicely. I have been told several times that sweet potato vine will not live through the winter inside. But, they do ...... see?
My peace lily is blooming again, third time this winter!
Lemon thyme and geraniums.
My wandering jew looks as healthy as when I took it off the front porch. The lavender in the pot below it, did not fair as well ....... but, it is alive.
My extra retail space is filled with hanging and potted plants. So far I haven't lost any of them. It has been a good year for over-wintering.
While all this is going on inside, the green house is slowly coming together. We keep getting interrupted. If not by weather, we have to take care of business. Then there is the running of a household with a sweet little puppy. I read somewhere that it is impossible to be sad while holding a puppy. Not entirely true, but it is very hard.
HeWho is hard of hearing got new hearing aids. He can hear everything I say and even what I mutter under my breath to myself! I will now have to censor that! He also got new glasses today. He can see and hear. I will have to pay closer attention to my hair and make-up, I suppose. It's a whole new world.
Feeling so much better! I still have a lingering cough, but the headache is gone. Back to normal life. Well, as normal as my life can get.
Charming Eddie was due for a booster and vet check. His appointment was last Thursday, at the height of the illness. We had to reschedule and Eddie and I went off to see the vet yesterday. As soon as I tried to put his harness an leash on, I knew two things:
1. Eddie was growing fast. The harness barely made it around his chest. Last time he wore it, it was loose.
2. Eddie was not happy about a trip. He started to bark and whine and "talk" to me.
HeWho tows was not going with us. Eddie and I were on our own and he was not at all happy about it. He refused to stay in his seat and kept climbing into my lap and up to my face. I finally had to put him in the floor and make him stay there. He cried and howled at me for 25 miles. It was a most unpleasant ride. I haven't had to use the kennel with him, but next time he will find his little self safely confined in a kennel for the ride.
As soon as I stopped the car, Eddie shut up. I took him for a walk before we went inside the clinic. I was supposed to bring along a "specimen" to be examined for worms, but Eddie had refused to provide one. I was hoping it would be forthcoming on our little walk there in the grass near the clinic. Eddie sat down there in the grass and refused to move. I gave a little tug on the leash and he stubbornly sat, staring at me in defiance. Did he really think he could better me? All I had to do was bend over and scoop him up.
As soon as we entered the clinic, his little tail began wagging and he greeted the receptionist like she was an old friend. He offered up puppy kisses to his adoring audience and sat politely in my lap while we waited our turn. He knew exactly what he was doing! He was as happy in the exam room to get weighed, but when the tech extracted his specimen, he was indignant! He was more than happy to be back in my arms after that little ordeal. Teach him to let me in on his hiding places in the yard!
So, last time we found ourselves in the vet clinic, my little guy weighed 4 lbs. 4 oz. I was amazed to find that he now weighs 6 lbs. 14 oz. He grew a lot in only 4 weeks. Made me a little sad. Especially since his attitude seems to be growing just as fast! I did mention the big feet to the vet. Eddie's feet are bigger than any of my other dogs. If he grows into his feet, he will be BIG. The vet assured me that he just had big feet, he will be a little guy, low to the ground with big feet.
Our ride home was subdued. Eddie drank a little water, then went to sleep for the trip home. I suppose he was worn out after his display of attitude, along with the indignities he suffered at the hand of the vet. He was given a tasty treat and tricked by a shot that happened while he was chowing down.
Life with Eddie. It is amazing how quickly Eddie has asserted his little self into our lives. He is an accepted member of the pack now. Toni Louise is still not happy about it, but as long as she can monopolize HeWho loves her most, she is okay with sharing my affections with the rest of the animals.
I am sitting here, scrunched into my recliner with three dogs. Cujo and Wall-E are stacked next to me on my left and Eddie is laying alongside my legs. All three are sleeping. Dogs sleep a lot, you know. On my right side is a book case that holds my lap top when not in use. The bottom shelf belongs to Toni Louise. I put an old dresser drawer there. Fits perfectly. Inside is an old comforter that she fancies. I can reach down and give her a pat on the head every now and again. She is quite content with that and very happy that little Eddie's legs are not long enough to access her bed. She will occasionally share her lodgings with Martha, the boy cat. Probably because he out weighs her and has sharp claws.
My coffee cup is empty and the sun shines brightly. Rumors of a warm day have me ready for some out door chores. The dogs will be laying in the sun and I will be (fingers crossed) getting my green house covered and set up for seedlings.
What is that old adage about how long a cold will last? A week to 10 days, I think. If that holds true, I am nearer to the end. It all started last Monday, and since I am still feeling poorly, I can only assume that I got the 10 day version. Lucky me.
I do feel better today, but still dealing with the watery, itchy eyes. My nose is still a little drippy, but so much less than yesterday. I find it ironic that I am experiencing the symptoms usually associated with the beginning of a cold now. I started with the deep chest rattling cough that is usually the end of a cold. I am still sleeping in fits and starts, but this morning when I looked in the mirror, I recognized the person I was before the attack of the cold virus.
I even ventured outside today! I took the garbage out to the dumpster, then I rested. HeWho was trying to be nice, brought some food home to eat. Nothing sounds good, or even tastes good. He went to the local grocery and returned with some chicken tenders and other stuff. There was a biscuit included, not very fresh ...... but the chicken wasn't either. The potato "logs" were cold. Now, one can eat cold fried chicken, but not potatoes. Well. I can't.
As you can guess, there isn't much to choose from in the way of take out food around here. But, having recharged my energy levels, I decided to tackle a most distasteful task. My yard was long overdue for a poop pick up. I figured I might as well get it done before it rains, and my sense of smell isn't working at full power. I shouldn't be so proud of my sniffing acumen, but I can distinguish the puppy poop from the adult dog poop just by smell. Not everyone has that particular skill! I am blessed.
After the poop patrol, I noticed that the wagon holding the results of the last patrol still sat waiting along with some other debris in the wagon in the back yard. I had asked someone to take it to the dumpster as I was beginning my adventure into illness. To be fair, he did get sick, too. He got better a lot quicker, though. But, he was splitting firewood, so I bit the bullet and rolled all the crap to the dumpster.
I am exhausted! My eyes keep leaking tears and the skin around my eyes is red and swollen. If HeWho thinks he knows everything, suggests eye drops to me one more time, I am going to gather up the strength to hit him! The drops he keeps offering are for dry eyes. It helps make the eyes produce more tears, and I don't need more tears!
No more tears! My little canine friends will be at a loss when I start doing my normal activities again. I can only hope that one of the older dogs have advised Eddie that I will not be holding him all day long forever. Eddie is growing, as puppies seem to do at an alarming rate. His body is getting longer, as well as his snout. His fur is not going to be very long, though. Emmy's was longer and her feet were tiny and delicate. Eddie's feet are huge! they are bigger than Cujo's and there is nothing delicate about him. I tried to get a picture of his foot next to Cujo's foot, but for some reason known only to them, they would not cooperate.
I have one more swig of cough syrup and not sure if I will even need it tonight. Fingers crossed for a "normal" night!
Yesterday I woke with a nagging headache, sore throat, shooting ear pains and coughing up my toenails. With much determination, I decided to feel better. I shuffled around for my slippers and finally got them on the wrong feet.
No matter, feet covered, I trudged to the back door with the four canines following along. I felt worse with every step. I open the door to discover a blast of cold air, despite the sun shining brightly. I sneezed and sneezed again. Felt like my head was going to explode and my lips, cracked and dry, having been coated generously with Vaseline the night before, felt furry to my tongue. I have some chap stick, but I did not want to even try to remember where it was.
My lips were furry indeed with dog hair and cat hair. I must have been mouth breathing all night, as I managed to pull some hair from my tongue, as well. I filled the dishes with dog food and water and stumbled to the bathroom for a nice hot shower. I was so sure this would be the cure.
The water did feel good and the house was plenty warm, but as soon as I dried off and put some sweats on, I started trembling violently with chills. Everything hurt, even my toenails. I have not been this sick in awhile. Another day passed in misery.
Being sick all day is no fun, but being sick all night is even worse. I did not want to wake the sick man, but I did want to whine about how miserable I was. My ears felt like someone was shoving an ice pick in them. This led me to fantasize about the relief I would feel if my eardrum burst. Maybe both, if one would provide some relief, just think what two would do. I went on to wonder how sharp the pain would be, what I would use to poke the hole with and how much pressure one would have to exert. You know, just normal thoughts when you are sick. Would this be referred to as piercing your inner ear?
I was laying there coughing and wheezing, vacillating between fever and chills when a memory popped into my mind and I realized that I had cough syrup with CODIENE in the medicine cabinet. I could barely contain my excitement as I slipped from the bed and tip-toed stumbled to the kitchen. Yes, my medicine cabinet is in my kitchen.
I remembered seeing the bottle there and checking the date when I was in a cleaning frenzy. I had toyed with the idea of just tossing it, since there was so little of it and it would soon be expiring. I very carefully measured out the dose and swallowed it. I was so happy, as I just knew this would allow me a good night's sleep.
It did just the opposite. I would doze, then jerk awake. Sometimes shivering and sometimes in a pool of sweat. I was up every three hours swallowing Tylenol, then aspirin. At 3:04, Martha, the boy cat woke me to go outside. I had just settled in and dozed off. Every time I got up, my canine children moved into the warm spot I vacated and took up residence. Meaning that every time I got back into bed, I would have to move three dogs over.
Now, the day is coming to an end. My headache is back, although not as bad as it was yesterday and all night. If I can keep the headache under control, I might just make it. I even managed to make the bed and do the dishes! Not many dishes, mainly soup bowls and glasses. I am drinking orange juice and pineapple juice, some times a little 7-Up to liven it all up. Still no appetite. I ate a piece of dry toast today, tasted like cardboard. Gee, I hope I lose a few pounds.
I have one dose of cough syrup left and am saving it for tonight. I have decided that I will be all better tomorrow, as if this week never happened. Think positive!
Today I was hoping to wake up feeling better. I didn't. Neither did HeWho headed to McDonald's anyway. He took a turn for the worse yesterday and coughed all night. I coughed, as well. It was coughing in stereo.
The humidifier helped some, but my lips are cracked and chapped and I am still coughing. So, you may be asking yourself, why don't you take some cold and flu meds? Because my heart arrhythmia will go nuts. Same thing with HeWho has high blood pressure. We try to tough it out with aspirin and Tylenol. Helps some, but not with the insane sinus pressure.
At one point in the wee hours of the morning I wondered if my ear drums bursting would provide any relief. The cough is non productive, but I feel like someone is sitting on my chest. Sometimes I wake to find Eddie asleep on my chest, but he only weighs 4 lbs. Feels heavier. Like maybe Martha, the boy cat. He must weigh 30 lbs. Martha never misses food opportunities.
My muscles ache, my bone marrow hurts! No appetite, but I am forcing fluids. I am dizzy, too.
But, as sick as I am, HeWho smokes, is even sicker! Yes. I have to admit that he is far sicker than I am. He is so sick that he has forgone his nasty cigarette habit today. He is too sick to smoke and he couldn't eat his sausage biscuit. This is how I can tell that he is so sick.
If he starts to go outside to smoke tomorrow, I will suggest that this will be a perfect time to quit, since he has already made it through that critical first day. Smoking is not allowed inside. Makes me wheeze and I hate the nasty smell.
I hope tomorrow will be the beginning of the end of this bug. I have stuff to do!
