72 Hours Down

It's been 3 days on the husband's "quit". Calm and collected, he grabs a cup of coffee and heads for the patio where he doesn't light a cigarette. He is coping well or appears to be. When I bring it up, he states "I'm not bothered. What's the big deal?" and to this I smile and nod and move on to something else.

As I sit here on the sofa I can view the front yard from the long window placed to the left of me. The green of the yard almost hurts the eye. We have had rain for the past two days, a spin off from that offshore storm I'm sure, and the rain has brightened up the trees and grass. The humidity has also shot straight up the scale if there were one for humidity. I'm sure there is some measurement used though I'm not in the know on what that would be.

Carrie visited yesterday while her mother went to the gym. It's just amazing to follow her train of thought. She mentions something seemingly unimportant and the husband starts asking her questions about what she has just said. He always agrees with whatever she says which just encourages her to open up more. He has a way with her that she trusts and her conversations with him are always worth a listen. She expands on her thoughts and if not for the way he talks with her, we would never get to hear these pearls of thought. I used to worry about her imaginary friends and if she might be a tad schizo but she hastens to correct me when I go too far with her imaginary friends and will use the phrase "in real life" to denote that she is now talking about real things and wants me to be aware.

I'm appropriately coffeed up now and since I'm already typing this from the office(I've since moved from the sofa where I started this blog, to the office), I think this is where I will make a dent into organizing and pitching stuff and doing some cleaning.

And as Nancy Grace (that twit whom I used to like watching and now don't) would say, Goodbye Friend (gagging as I sail out of here).

48 Hours Down

Two days down in the "quit" that the husband is doing. I'm just watching.

The daughter is apparently having a "puff" now and then and that's exactly how I restarted smoking with my first "quit" which I label now as a "stop" and not a real "quit". She is aware so I shall just let that be.

I made my trip to the doctor's office yesterday to find that it is closed on Monday's and Fridays. I was aware of the Friday closures but not of the Monday. I'm guessing he is doing surgery on both of those days. I'm sure he isn't sitting at home. Today I will try again.

I haven't started any new projects and I know there are things to do around here. My biggest desire would be to pull the walls down in the office and put up some sheet rock.  The walls have paneling which has been painted over and the paneling is cheap and poorly installed. I won't start this job as the husband may be leaving this week on a job. Time is up for all those little things I was asking him to finish around here.

I'm off here to do some shredding of papers and tidy up that office.   

24 Hours Down

Yep, it's now 24 hours since the husband has had a cigarette. He does a good job of faking it, I must say. He has headed for the patio a few times yesterday only to reach for the door knob, hesitate, turn and go in the opposite direction. Habits rule!

I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for him. I'm staying quiet and I'm staying out of his way. He has my sympathy. Been there, done that.

Today I make a trip to the podiatrist/surgeon's office with a check and a night splint in hand. I'm going to explain nicely to the bookkeeper the reason I'm returning the splint and then I'll write her a check and pay in full what I owe the doctor. I'll let ya know how this goes. 

 Carrie's mom is contacting her doctor. It's time to have her tonsils out. She will have this done at the same time her brother has his out. She is four and he is seventeen and the voice of experience here says he will have a rougher time then she will. When daughter was 5 yrs old, we both went in together and had our tonsils out and I have to say, it wasn't the best decision I've ever made in my life. She was up and running around while I was miserable for a week.

I'm off here to get a shower and dressed and hopefully back to the house before the temperatures reach the "scorch" mark on the thermometer. 

Carrie, We Must Talk....

Carrie, you're almost 5 yrs old now. I know your birthday isn't until October but still, you are no longer a baby. I've watched you grow from that precious infant into the young lady you are today. Um, that "lady" part of the description for you is what I want to talk with you about.

There you  are dressed in your floral knee length dress, the  crinoline beneath it making wisking sounds as you twirl across the floor in your white leather t-strap shoes. Your hair is pulled back at the crown with a barrette, thick and long, it swings out around you as you dance. You are a lovely princess.

Suddenly you come to a halt. The dance is over. You turn away from me but look back over your shoulder as you move away. Out of that beautiful mouth, you utter these words and this is what we must have a talk about. You say "I have to poop". As you continue your walk to the restroom, you inform me, "I farted".

It's time Carrie my dear. It's time we discuss your need to share too much information with the room at large. Granted, at your age it might be considered kinda cute but I know a young lady that is in her late twenties and still anounces to the room her intention to commit a bodily function each time she leaves the room to go to the restroom and I cringe to think that someday that might be you. We must have a discussion on excusing yourself from a room.

The Best Thing about My "QUIT"

is that I may have been an inspiration to others. Those "others" have observed my "quit" and said to themselves "if she can quit, I should be able to also".

The daughter has quit. I check in with her on occasion to verify that she is still "quit" and she assures me that she is and that it seldom bothers her even at this early stage in her "quit". I'm truly impressed and I know she must be also. I don't think and neither does she that it was as rough as she thought it was going to be although she doesn't want to do those first three days over again. Those were rocky. I think she did her "quit" much better then I did mine but she attributes that to the fact that I had 20 yrs more on her smoking habit then she did. Maybe so. I think it's my "all or nothing" personality. I gave smoking my "all" as I do with most things I commit to and I was truly and sadly commited to those smokes.

The husband announced the other day that when he finished his last two packs of cigarettes, he was quitting. AH? What? Another one quitting? Awesome!

I was much impressed by his declaration. Today he hasn't had a cigarette as he smoked his last one last night. He says "whats the big deal? what's so hard about quitting?" He says this and then though I don't mention it, his patience with everything he encounters is absent. Not only is it absent but it is noticeable that is it so. Quick sharp requests and retorts, a bit of ranting and raving and I watch as he endures and moves forward through his "quit". I stay silent. Talking about it won't help him right now. Staying out of his way and ignoring the rants and raves is all I can do for him. If he makes it through the next three days without giving in and buying cigarettes, he will be on his way to being a quitter. I'm waiting and watching and keeping my fingers crossed for him. If he doesn't make it, I won't say anything to him about it. It doesn't help to badger someone about their habits and addictions or at least that's how I feel on that subject.

I have a little more organizing to do here. Closets and cupboards need a little attention and a hot humid day is the perfect time to spend indoors doing this. 

I'll break out the paint rollers this coming week and do some painting on the ceilings. Nothing exciting going on in my life right now but that's alright too though I've mentioned to the husband a few times that a trip to Colorado would be much appreciated. Maybe he could notify the company he contracts to that he would accept a job in the Rockies. I can be packed in a matter of minutes. 

I'm off here to inspect some closets.

Hot and More Hot

I step outside and the immediate blast of heat is suffocating. I ease back inside and shut the door on it and  I think the air conditioning has made me dependant. Maybe I should turn the air "up" to a higher setting and then the difference between the outside air and the inside air won't be at such extremes from each other.

The handles and knobs have been replaced, the new faucets are in place and I'm marking those task off of The List. The bathroom vanity looks sleek and modern after removing the huge clunky hardware. The old brass faucets had long ago discolored and no amount of scrubbing would make them look presentable. It was time.

The husband worked outside all day yesterday building the wooden stand for his plastic bin that he wanted to set up off the ground. That finished, he used the power washer and cleaned the little house and the privacy fence. Amazing what that power washing can do. The fence that was weathered now looks bright and fresh.
Dinner? Well, steaks, Brussels sprouts sauteed with bacon and onions and a green salad with avocados  prepared and served by the husband.

I'm tempted to ask "what's for dinner"? but since I have no plans on cooking, I wait on that question. I wouldn't want the cook to think I was taking him for granted or worse yet, expecting him to cook.

Naps and tv. My plan for today.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

Oh My!

Could I actually be nearing the end of projects here? The best news yesterday was not having to sand and refinish any of those vanity doors!  When we removed the handles, those gross gaudy huge things that were placed in the center of each door, the space they were attached to had not faded or changed color at all. All I had to do was fill the holes with wood putty and stain the putty to match the doors and with the wild grain of that wood, the holes were unnoticeable.

I cleaned the doors, filled the holes and then another trip to Home Depot was needed. I bought new knobs for that bathroom and while I was there, I also bought replacement knobs for all the cabinets in the laundry room. Little tasks but ones that made a big difference, or at least it did to me. I'm sure no one is  going to come to visit and exclaim over the new knobs. Heck, they probably won't even notice them. I did. I noticed the scarred, outdated, worn handles and knobs. I try to keep this house "market ready" just in case we might want to put it up for sale. I would hate to have a long list of things that would have to be done before trying to sell it.

Today will be a day to finish up on that bathroom. A little wood to stain and the doors to be rehung; the husband will have to drill holes in those doors for the new knobs. He has to install another faucet, a job he hates doing and that's why he is hiding outside right now. Next on my list is painting ceilings.

All these projects are "indoor" and away from the staggering heat outside. The husband tolerates the heat much better then I. Speaking of, and this relates to heat, I mixed up another pitcher of wine coolers. I'll have to stock up on new supplies to make more  as it would be classified as a major disaster to run out of wine coolers.
I'm done for now. It's time to get some stuff finished up here.

Imbibe

Hot apple crisp and poblano chili peppers are two of my very fav things although not together.

This morning before the husband climbed out of bed, I peeled and sliced some Granny Smith apples, layered them in a dish with butter and then sprinkled some cinnamon sugar over them.

Topped with the oatmeal/sugar/butter concoction, I slid the Apple Crisp into the oven for an hour of bake time. The house was filled with the smell of cinnamon and apples. Hot Apple Crisp and vanilla ice cream says winter to me. I don't care. I'll have it in the summer too as well as gumbo that the people here think I'm a bit daffy for cooking on a hot summer day.

Poblanos? Well those will be toasted/grilled till the skin slides off easily, stuffed with cheese and rolled in a batter of flour and eggs and deep fried. Chile Rellenos, refried beans and Spanish Rice is the menu for dinner tonight. I must be in the mood to cook you say?

Not really but I do most of the Tex/Mex cooking here and I want some chile rellenos so I have kitchen duty today. I had to learn to cook Tex/Mex as the restaurants here that pretend to be authentic Mexican restaurants are for the most part a sad imitation. I have had excellent instructors. The husband's mother and sisters have offered many hours of guidance. The only thing I can't do is make a home made tortilla. I've practiced through pounds and pounds of flour and still never could get the tortillas to roll. Flat and firm as a frisbee, the tortillas from my stove were inedible so I buy them and now the stores are selling the ones that are uncooked. These can be cooked when needed and they can pass well as homemade.

I'm feeling very domestic today. I'll burn out before much more time passes and  by the dinner time I'll be ready to order a pizza and wonder why I thought I wanted to do all this cooking.

I'm outta here to do some "make pretty" on that bathroom vanity.

Tasks and Tasks

Another dentist office visit and another hundreds of dollars spent but this time it wasn't me. The husband had his visit for the two cavities to be filled and now he has a wisdom tooth to be removed but we are saving that for July.

We should be all fixed up soon except for the quarterly cleanings. Hopefully there won't be a surgical procedure needed from this household for a while.
Another hot day here. I can't imagine what August will be if the temperatures are in the mid 90s already. 

I made the trip to the daughers' house to pick up my mouse sander. Maybe I'll get started on sanding cupboard doors today. This won't be a long time consuming job. It's only 4 cupboard doors and the box they sit in. The husband can remove the doors and while I'm sanding and refinishing he can install the new faucets for that vanity. He will be wishing for a call to go on a job if I keep finding tasks for him to do here.

I am grateful that he can do these things. I do hire the carpenter on occasion but usually the husband is too busy to get to the larger projects I want done around here.

I'm off to find some shabby clothes that won't be ruined by stains and paints.

To Do

All those little things that no one ever notices whether they are done or not is what we are working on right now. The knobs that needed to be placed on the bathroom vanities, the plug in receptacles with trialing wires that could be tidier and the cabinets that need sanded and refinished are on my hit list while the husband is home and rested from work. He was notified that he had another 10 days free from worry about going out on a job. Immediately my brain start calculating all the little chores that could be completed or even started. Time. Ten days! I could dig out THE LIST and we could accomplish oh so much if we started immediately. I have my list and he has his list and sometimes the two collide in a not nice way.

I am considerate enough to make sure all the tasks on my list are inside jobs that can be done in air conditioned comfort. That's my summer list. I also have a winter list of things such as "attic insulation" and stuff that could be done to the "little house".

We are getting ready to make a trip to Walmart for a few supplies; I need to call the daughter to get my mouse sander back and we will be ready to roll. See those smiles all around here? Ok, maybe not everyone here is smiling but at least there is no blatant resistance.

I'm done. Not really. I'm just getting started.

Heelies

You might not know what heelies are so I'm here to get you informed and up to date on the KEWLness of heelies.

Roller skates that aren't all the time. Part time they are a pair of shoes and part time they are roller skates. There is a button located on the upper outer edges of the soles of these shoes that when pressed let the wheels on the soles of these shoes retract so they can be won as shoes. The kids love em. We are trying to teach Carrie the joys of wearing heelies. Right now, she can't see it. Carrie is not hell bent on riding the edges of life for a thrill. She is a cautious child when it comes to anything that demands that learning a new skill might cause bruises or broken bones. Carrie shys away from "hurt".

Amid squeals of fun and sometimes squeals of terror, I supported her beneath the arms while she tried to stand upright on the heelies. She only dedicates a short amount of time to this learning of something she can't see as a fun thing. I encouraged her to keep going but if I leave her alone for a while, I'll return to find she has stripped off these shoe/heelies and is tripping around happily without them. Sporty might not be the way she leans. Nail polish and fashion seems to be the way she is bent. Makeup and hair isn't a fearful thing for her. To each his own. When she left here to go home with her mother, I sent the heelies and the inline skates with her. Her mother was a competitive skater and that might be just the sort of teacher Carrie requires. I'll be watching for some progress hereafter.

It must be getting close to my nap time. I'm sure it is. I'm getting very very sleepy.........................

Bright and Early, Did I mention Hot?

A cup of coffee and a cool shower, dressed and on my way to the dentist's office shortly after 7AM is how I started this morning. I've made an appointment with my dentist for the husband to have his cavities done on Wednesday.

I wanted to do some shopping but it was too early for the stores to be open so I drove home, waited and a little later drove to Pat's house and together we went shopping. My goal was to find some stemmed glassware for my wine coolers; instead I bought a snow cone machine, snowcone cups and syrup. Funny how that happens huh? It was an impulse purchase. I know Carrie will enjoy making snow cones. It's summer, right? I'll have to call her and tell her we have a surprise for her. She loves surprises. We sashay up to her and bellow out "Special Delivery" for the prettiest girl on Cane Drive. To this she whips our her imaginery identification card which we take and scrutinize to make sure it matches her. She poses with a frozen smile on her face, her head tilted to the left while we monitor her likiness to the imaginery driver's liscense she has handed us. "yep, that"s her alright" and then her gift is handed over to her. She loves this game. It is played when food or drink is served to her and if you should forget, she is quick to remind you about the I.D. thing.

The husband is outside with his newest toy, the pressure washer. I'm inside monitoring the a/c. The weather reports are for temperatures in the mid 90's all this week. I won't be outside unless it's absolutely necessary. It's hot and it's something I avoid at all costs.

It All Started With

that trip to the grocery store this morning. That went well, the lines weren't long so when I got to the checkout lane then out of the store in good time I was a happy shopper. I got home and unloaded everything from the trunk of the car to the counter in the kitchen. When I opened the refrigerator door and looked in, I knew some rearranging was my next task. I started moving stuff around then realized a shelf needed cleaning which lead to cleaning the crisper then the meat bin and, well you get the picture. I ended up cleaning out the whole fridge, wiping and scrubbing and pitching stuff that would make your tummy queasy. I guess it's been a while since I've done this chore. Tonight will definetly be "leftover" night. I could serve a smorgasbord from what is hanging out in that fridge and we have only been home a few days. Too much food cooked for two people. I really think it would be cheaper for us to eat "out".

The husband spent yesterday cleaning and polishing the exterior of his truck and since early this morning he has been detail cleaning the inside. He did say he was almost done and that when he finished we could go somewhere. I countered with "I'm not going anywhere that includes unairconditioned surroundings. Staying home on days like this is not a punishment. I'm cool. I have internet. I have TV. What's not to like about staying home? I know this year is no hotter then last year but I seem to forget how hot the previous summers were and am always surprised by the heat each year. I could add a few more adjectives about the heat but I think we have heard them one and all.

Tomorrow I will schedule an apointment with my dentist for the husband. I'll take him the X Rays that were done in Arizona showing the cavities that need attention. Small, they are, but getting them done right away will prevent him from having to have root canals done. It doesn't make me at all nervous to schedule someone ELSE for a dental visit. I'm done for another 4 months when I will have to have perio-maintainence done.

It's time to mix up some more wine coolers and that's where I will be for a while.

Darco 58.95

I received my bill from the surgeon yesterday and what the insurance company didn't pay was 728.00 which is what will be mine for payment. $345.00 of that total is for the night splint that the insurance company refuses to pay. I know the physician's assistant and I discussed this at the time he delivered that splint to me. He assured me that the doctor would write a letter to the insurance company and vouch for the fact that the splint was a part of the surgery. I waited.

The bill arrived and there it was. Refusal of payment for that splint. Today I went online and found the Darco Splint from Jansen Medical Supply for 58 dollars and change so I ordered one. Monday I will go to the doctor's office with payment in hand for that bill minus 345.00 for the splint charges. I will tell the office personnel that I'm paying this bill in full and I will deliver to them a night splint to replace the one I used from their office. I don't foresee any problem with doing this. We shall see what they think about it. I could understand a mark up on a product held in stock at the doctor's office but to go from 58.00 to 345.00 just steams me. Thankfully I didn't get the walking boot from his office. That would have been an additional 500.00 and I didn't wear it anyway.

I have the green beans cooking with chunks of bacon over them for flavoring. The husband is washing his truck and firing up the pit for the steaks. I have hidden out in the house all day. The heat ya know.

Nuff said.

Charge!

I'm on a roll here. I've actually done something today and it's still early so who knows? I might actually stay on the move. It makes it easier when you don't have pain and for the past two days, I can actually stand and walk without pain to my right leg/foot and that's just a tremendous feeling. I'm getting better..yes I am.

I've stripped the bed,replaced sheets and starting some closet organizing. The husband is going to work on a water leak under the new sink that was placed a few months ago. I've had hot water to it but the cold side of it leaks. I'm aiming on inside tasks as it's too hot and sticky to be outside. What happened to all that rain we were supposed to receive yesterday afternoon? The thunder arrived but the rain was left behind somewhere. Ah, well, I suppose the flowers will need my watering technique sometime today.

I think I might hold off on sipping on wine coolers. A few of those and I feel a need for a long nap. Do ya think that is why I've been "resting" a lot these past three days?

I'm outta here to get a cool shower and finish my home/house work. Steaks on the grill and fresh green beans and a salad is on the menu for this hot day. The less cooking in the kitchen and little clean up is my goal.

Stuff Happens

My neighbor works on a platform in the Gulf; a production platform. We were discussing the Gulf Oil disaster this morning and marveling at the wisdom of some, especially the media. His sister is a manager for BP in Houston. She gets threatening phone calls; all employees of BP are advised to remove the BP emblems from their shirts and coveralls, the company vehicles are having the emblems removed. Employees wearing the emblems and having them on their trucks are getting threatened when they are filling up their vehicles with gas. People are approaching with intentions of having a fist fight!

He (the neighbor) was telling us about the 26 boats surrounding his rig, the helicopters from the coast guard that circled overhead directing the boats on where to lay the boom to collect the oil. Each boat was fully staffed. The media never shows this and this was his complaint. The cleanup crews are there and in full force. Everything is being done that can be done but this isn't broadcast. He too felt the same way most of us here in the Gulf feel. The years gone by with a good record of oil recovery without incident and now this incident which has garnered a moratorium on oil recovery which will cause extreme hardship on this part of the country.

We listen to the reporters and it's not difficult to spot their lack of knowledge on what they are reporting. It's all about drama with the reporters. It's all about politicizing this incident with the senators and congressmen. Mud is being slung at our president as though he has some incite on this problem. He doesn't and why would he? This is a specialized industry. The people in the know are right now trying to solve this problem and that would be British Petroleum.

I watched with interest the "grilling" of the CEO of BP yesterday. The senators got to strut and furl their feathers to show the citizens of the United States that they were on top of this and questioning the authorities. They questioned the CEO as though he would know every decision made at the lower levels of his company. I ask you, how many CEO's know what the lower echelons are doing? They get reports on the progress and recovery but they have hired professionals to operate those rigs and make decisions based on their experience. Micro managing a company as big as BP would be an impossibility.

My neighor was on a platform that was blown away by a hurricane. Storm packers were placed and his rig deserted to await the storm's arrival and passing. The rig sunk in the hurricane and by the grace of whoever, the pipes bent over and didn't break thereby avoiding an oil spill. The hole was lost and no recovery of oil was managed. Stuff happens.

He also recounted a story of a man found pouring old engine oil around his boat and claiming it was from the Deep Water Horizon leak. Everybody is out to make a buck off this. If BP does go broke which we are hoping doesn't happen, what then? Who pays to clean up this mess? There is nothing good about this incident. I'm sure the head ducks at BP have totaled up the amount to drill that hole there in deep water which is a loss along with the loss of all that oil in that reservoir and now the cost to clean up the mess.

Are we angry with BP? I would have to say "no". The real oil people know that this could have happened with any of the big oil companies. Texaco, Shell and any of the others drilling offshore could have encountered this problem.

I'm waiting for gas at the pumps to hit 7.00 a gallon and then I'll get to listen to all those that oppose offshore drilling complain loudly about the price of gas.

I don't argue that it is sad what has happened. It's also sad when a big jet crashes and kills 300 plus on board. We continue to fly those big jets even though most of the crashes are blamed on pilot error. Stuff happens.

It's 0500 and I'm wide awake and ready to get into my car and to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Why would I go this early? Simple. It's 8o degrees right now and that is as cool as it's gonna get today so I would rather get the shopping done early and hide out in the a/c for the rest of the day.

Yesterday I did a few house chores, then poured myself some wine coolers and snuggled down in my big bed for an afternoon of naps and television. While in Arizona, I bought a memory foam topper for my bed. This is for a bed that has a brand new expensive mattress that is a little over 1 yr. old. I think that mattress is a "firm" which isn't really comfy on the hips about halfway through the night. I have to say, the memory foam topper placed on it as soon as I got through the door from the Arizona trip was a winner. I used to dread the thought of climbing in that bed and had actually given thought to purchasing a different mattress. I'm happy this worked as it was a much cheaper fix then buying another king size mattress.

That's it for the exciting news around here. I'm not complaining. Nope, I'm not. I'm thankful I can now get around without cane or crutches. I'm trying to be patient on the healing of this foot and hopeful there isn't another surgery in my future for a while.

And on that note, I'm off to the store before the sun rises and scares me into staying home.

Coolers and Scorpions

I guess you know I've been away from the house for a while. We spent almost two weeks in Arizona or on the road to and from Arizona.

While there we roamed from house to house visiting the husband's siblings. When that was done, we visited his buddies and their wives. We do this each time we make the trip across the country to his home state. It's a long drive so we try to make sure we see everyone when we are in town. We have our favorite little restaurants that we visit. Little Sombrero's sits across from where the old high school was and still serves some of the best tacos and cheese crisps which we indulge in while there. Your meal is served through a walk up window, and you either take it with you or you can eat at picnic tables under an awning with a mist of water that surrounds you for cooling purposes.

The husbands' sister's house is where we stay while there. Chris is a very social type and this visit she introduced me to wine coolers. Wine, sprite, sugar and a variety of fruit sliced and floating in the wine is now my favorite drink. As I sip the wine, I fish in the glass for a slice of orange or strawberry to nibble on.

The wine I enjoyed. The scorpions I was told about, I didn't enjoy. Climbing into bed at night, I flipped the pillows over and under the bright overhead light, I looked for the little critters. Before hopping out of bed in the morning, I surveyed the floor to make sure I didn't encroach on their territory. I was a nervous wreck. While sitting outside, a fly lit on my leg and when the screaming was over, I had to explain myself to the others sitting around. I don't like bugs and scorpions are bugs. I found out that bug spray doesn't kill them. I'm lost without my can of bug spray. I keep a can hidden in most of the rooms in my house. I don't have to go far to get my hands on a can of spray. When I found that didn't' work on scorpions, I was ready to leave the state.

Everyone tells me it's no worse then getting bitten by a bee. This is supposed to make me feel better? No hospitalization is required unless of course, you have an allergy to them. I don't want to find out. I listened to every one's stories about the times they were bitten. I packed and was ready to go as soon as the signal was given by the husband. Give me the heat and humidity of home. Arizona, you can keep the scorpions.

Blah and Blah

I hesitate to mention this, to complain, but damn, it's hot here. Even early in the morning on the patio the heat is felt as soon as you step out the door. I'm not a fan of heat and prefer the winter months here in Southwest Louisiana.

I know this heat is still not as bad as Arizona with their triple digital numbers. I couldn't live in the desert. Though it's dry heat there, it's still heat and hot hot hot.

It's good to be home but I'm feeling a bit lost. I need to get a plan and move forward. For months there have been things I wanted to get done around here but with my foot and knee problems I've had to put those things on hold. There is really no excuse to not start now but I just can't seem to get the move to do it. I have a case of the blahs? Yes, maybe that's it. Hiding out in the house and on the sofa with the TV tuned in to the news, naps at will and that's my life lately. The little vacation was enjoyable and a nice break from routine and should have broken the chain of laziness but it doesn't seem to be working.

Maybe I need to make a list? A list of things I want to get done. I'll try that today.
Right now, I'll get a shower and see where that leads me into today.

Home

The color of green is almost an assault to our visual senses after the desert scenery of the west. Trees, green grass and blooming flowers surround the houses here much unlike the yards in Arizona that are mostly done in desert landscaping.

It's great to be back. The house was hot and stuffy. I had turned off the a/c unit before leaving so it took a few hours to cool it down to a comfortable level. I have unpacking and laundry to do. The husband headed for the shed to get the little tractor to mow the back yard. The front lawn was mowed by the neighbors.

I'm outta here to do some laundry!

Final or Homestretch

We should be home by this evening and for that I'm grateful. I want to crawl out of my own bed and to my own coffee pot in the morning. I want to sit on my patio and listen to the birds sing, chirp and cuss each other out and watch them attack the little squirrel that races away from then over the top of the fence and up the cypress trees. I have to cheer for the squirrel as he is always outnumbered by the ill tempered birds.

I'm again in the lobby though a different one and this morning MSN is on the television for my morning news fix. Storms rolled through here last night as predicted and I could hear the thunder that came with it. I didn't move. Eventually I rolled over for comfort's sake and drifted back to sleep. The temperature here is warmer then yesterday morning's when I awoke in Albq., New Mexico. Soon I will be back in the humid hot bowl of the Gulf. My hair will do the frizz up thing and all will be back to normal in my little world.

I've promised myself a date with a gym and will try to keep it. Getting my muscles back in my legs will be my number one goal for the remainder of this summer. If I can walk with endurance by the fall, I've been promised a vacation and it will be scheduled when the weather cools down which is usually fall which is my fav time to take a trip. The children will be back in school and it's "off season" which usually affects prices and bookings.

I'm off to go back to the room and shower and pack up again. We should be home this afternoon and the husband should be leaving on a job tomorrow. He will be happy to be back to work and I will be content to be back home.

Wichita Falls, Texas

Pump jacks, longhorn cows and miles of railway cars describes the views I've had in the past 8 hrs of driving. I didn't do any of the driving but riding shotgun is where I have been.

I'm numb and looking forward to the next overnight stop and that's where I am right now. Wichita Falls, Texas is my new home for the night. Being home is beginning to be a desirable situation. Not having to climb back in that truck for another day of driving would be fabulous.

I'm going to scout out www.roadfood.com for a rating on restaurants in this area. Hopefully someone has rated the restaurants here.

A hot shower and dinner and a nap. I'll be almost new.

A Post from Yesterday

(This is the post I lost and it should have been posted yesterday morning. I couldn't copy and paste from my laptop after posting it in the wrong place. I'm on the hotel computer here in Albq. and experimenting with this computer to see if I can copy and paste....and it worked!!!

Daylight comes early here in northern Arizona but coffee doesn't. I'm sitting here in the lobby of this hotel watching others that rise early search for that first cup of coffee. Apparently the coffee shop doesn't open until 6:30 so a large group of people with disengaged brains are wandering around with glazed expressions on their faces and I'm one of them.
I've been up since 5AM, lost and foundering in the parking lot. I followed the signs from my room and down long halls that took 90 degree turns to lead me down yet another hall and finally I took an exit out of the building where I did a wake up walk to the lobby. Birds with worms dangling from their mouths were hopping along the walkways confirming that saying "the early bird catches the worm" or that's what I was thinking as I watched him hop along. Apparently that saying doesn't apply to coffee drinkers.
Bus tour people with their little yellow name tags are milling about and will soon board their buses to be herded to the next location. I've never done a bus tour and I can't imagine the rigorous schedule they must keep to pack every tourist site into a two week trip. I'm on vacation to get away from schedules and we usually play it very loose when we are out and about. We sorta know where we will end up at evening time and hope we can find a vacant room in the area.
We have made a plan for today. We will drive the South Rim of the canyon stopping at the lookouts for photo ops and then head for Sante Fe. The coffee shop should have opened while I have been sitting here typing this so I'm off to drink a gallon or two.
Happy trails to me!

A Lobby, Coffee and CNN

Soon we will be packed up and on the road again. I'm in the lobby or maybe a better location address would be the breakfast area of the hotel. Coffee, laptop and the news and I'm pursuing my normal behavior for a hotel stay. The husband is still asleep and I have my cell phone close by. He will call when he is up and dressed and ready to go.

We should be close to Dallas tonight and stay somewhere in the area. I think the husband is ready to be home and back on a job somewhere. He doesn't do well when he is away from work for too long. There is no complaints from me on that as I would rather him be a man that holds a job then one that refuses to.

A foot update? Yes, it's time for a foot update. I'm now 3 months post op and 6 weeks weight bearing on it. Mostly it causes no problems with walking, though the knee still doesn't fully extend and the muscles on that leg are weak. I intend to join some place to work out on some machines when I get back to Lafayette. Both legs need strengthening since I haven't been very active for the past two years. I also plan a walking regiment around my neighborhood. Early morning and late evening walks with a goal to build up the length of those walks until I can do a few miles without the leg cramping up. That's my goal.

I'm off here to drink more coffee and wait on that phone call that gives me the "all clear" signal to return to the room to pack up my stuff and hit the road.

Dinner in New Mexico

Grand Canyon

We visited the canyon this morning then headed toward Albuquerque and that's where we can be found right now. Originally we were going to Sante Fe but then changed our direction and headed here. The husband might be getting homesick? I'm not and the weather here is great. It has warmed up a bit since this morning when it was 47 degrees though I'm expecting it to cool down here again at night. I love this weather.

We will have another day or two of driving before we reach home and will probably stay in Dallas tomorrow night and then home on Tuesday. It's been a great trip thus far and I've enjoyed being out west again.

I'm so out done with this blog thing today and yesterday. I added some typing to the above paragraphs and it wasn't saved so of course it's lost once again. Once typed, I can't repeat the same thing so I'll just move on.

Maybe it's the internet connections at these hotels but right in the middle of typing I will lose internet connection and loose all the typing I was adding to this.

Posting now before this is gone..and I'm tired, sleepy and ready for bed.

Later

Damn it. I posted on the wrong blog. It won't let me cut and paste it to here. Not that it was anything a darn bit important but the fact that it's not here and that I messed up on it makes me impatient with myself.
I need some coffee...and I'll fix it later.

It's Just a Big Hole in the Ground?

That's what my daughter said to me the first time she viewed the Grand Canyon.
We left Casa Grande this morning after the family meeting in the park and headed north and west. Rising out of the desert, the temperatures started to drop and right now I'm sitting in a Best Western lobby waiting for the time we can get into our room which will be in another 3o minutes. It's 49 degrees and I'm wearing a thin shirt and a pair of capris with sandals while everyone around me aren't doing any better in the "appropriate dress" attire for the temperatures here. Most people are in shorts and coats. The ones without a coat are shivering and that would include me.

Yesterday it was 109 degrees in the desert. A hot wind was blowing and dust devils were dancing in the desert. Today the leaves on the trees here in the mountains are twisting and turning in the breeze while the goose bumps dance along my arms and legs.

Tomorrow we will spend the day at the canyon. Tonight I will get a good nights sleep and spend some time checking my email and enjoying internet access. There should be a law prohibiting people from not having internet access. I've been having withdrawal.
Excuse me while I check my mail, my Facebook, my My Space, blogs I read and then pay some bills. I'll be busy for the next few hours.

IN THE ROOM:

We are more then grateful to be out of that truck and into the room. Both laptops are connected to the internet and I have been busy sending the pictures I shot today to family members that requested I email them when I got "connected".

A light rain has started to fall and I am keeping an eye on the temperatures. Should they get to freezing we may see snow. I don't really think that will happen but if it would, I would gladly buy a warm jacket and wear while making snow angels. It's good to be back out west again. Last year at this time I was in Colorado. I do miss the western part of the USA and my hair looks so much better out here then it does in that hot humid climate of the south. I do miss all the bright green grass and trees and flowers of the south.

We will go out for dinner soon. I might have to shop for a sweatshirt to wear if the temps don't climb a bit.

To DINNER:

Nothing to flaunt about the meal we had. I had ribs and I've had better. The husband had prime rib; he has had better. After dinner we went to the IMax and zoomed around the canyon on a six story screen. At times I wished I hadn't just had a meal. The heights were dizzying and running the Colorado in the rafts convinced me that I might not want to try the real thing. We stopped at a gift shop and bought an overpriced and over sized sweat shirt. It is supposed to be up to 76 degrees tomorrow so I probably won't be needing it except for the early morning.

We are 500 miles from Sante Fe which will be our next stop which we probably won't make tomorrow night. I'm in no hurry to get back to the heat and humidity. I've already mentioned that haven't I?

Enough for me tonight. I'm off to surf the net.

Dental and Denial

I'm sitting here in the dentist office blogging. How's that for having connections? My sister in law is the office manager here and my niece is the hygienist. She just finished doing a cleaning on my teeth and now the husband is in the chair having his done. We get the family discount so while here in Arizona, we are taking advantage of it.

I have to have this done every three months and though I dread having to make dental office visits, this one wasn't traumatic at all.

I'm waiting to see the dentist now so this won't be a long post. We plan on leaving here on Saturday and heading for Flagstaff then on to the Grand Canyon before heading home.

While I have access to a computer and the Internet, I'll take advantage of this opportunity to check my email and a few other things online.

I'll be back when I can get back to an online access.

Monday and 110

I can't imagine living here full time. It's hot. Oh, yeah, I know it's hot in Louisiana but hot in Arizona is a lesson in what living in the desert really means.

Hopefully the air conditioner will be fixed today. The repair man has the compressor or is able to get the one needed and will be working on it sometime today. We are still hanging on to the room at the Holiday Inn. We asked for a late check out which allows us to stay until 1400hrs and we are one hour from that time right now so we will be packing up our stuff and moving out of this room.

Visiting family and friends has kept us busy for the past four days and that's what this trip was all about. The last time we were here was two years ago. Sometimes longer spans of time pass then two years so we savor these visits.

I'm out of here to pack up this laptop and wave sadly to the internet. I may try to find a "hot spot" here in town to log on occasionally. No plans yet on when we will leave this town. We are being spontaneous; no plans for now.

Ride

109

Just a quick update. We spent Friday and Saturday night here in Casa Grande visiting family and friends.
Sunday arrives (today) and everything was humming along nicely. It's 109 degrees and the reason I mention this is because about midday we noticed a thin sheen of sweat on our faces and a quick trip to the thermostat confirmed our worse fears. No a/c.

We called the a/c repair man and loaded up our clothes and moved to the Holiday Inn. This is the first internet access I have had since arriving here so I thought I would do a quick up date before we leave for dinner.
I shall return later.

My Bad or A Case of "Can't Do"

0330 rolls around and my eyes pop open so I drag myself out of bed and sneak out to the living room where I flip on the TV then I move to the kitchen where I do some tidying up. I hate to leave anything undone when I'm going away for a while. Mentally I make a list of what to do right before heading out the door. Turn off lamps, check; turn off the heater on the coffee pot, check; turn off the thermostat/ac, check; and as I'm doing this I am getting the garbage bag from beneath the sink so it can be taken out the door before we leave.

Soon the husband is out of bed and by that time I've laid back down on the sofa and was just drifting off to sleep. I ditched that idea and scrambled off the sofa and headed for the shower. A quick shower and shampoo, makeup and hair and I'm dressed and ready to load cameras and laptop. My suitcase is already in the back of the truck.

As we headed down the road, I switched on this laptop and used Word Pad to describe our trip for the next 8 hrs. I didn't type for 8 hrs but would come back to the document and "chart" and then sign off and sign back on later for an update. Guess what? I couldn't copy and paste the darn document here to my blog spot.

Nope, I tried everything. I even copied, pasted it to email and sent it to myself to see if I could copy and paste from there. No good. That idea was equivalent to all the ideas BP is having on plugging that big gaping hole in the ocean floor and as futile.

Oh, I know my blog isn't as important as a spewing hole in the ocean floor that is spreading oil far and wide but it does denote my laziness. I have no intention of copying by hand all that typing to get it over here to my blog.

Condensed version: Left Lafayette at 0600; rain, sun, more rain. Lunch at Mexican food restaurant in Luling, more driving but no rain. Arrived in Ft. Stockton at 1800 hrs. and checked in to the Holiday Inn. Dinner, then to Walmart to get me a book to read on the remainder of the trip tomorrow and now back in the room to relax. Leg is stiff from so little exercise but I plan on sitting on the floor here and doing some stretching. Right now I'm going to soak in a hot tub and I'm not going to get back in that truck again today.

I won't be typing in Word Pad tomorrow. I must find a better way to "chart" as we speed down the blacktop and on to our destination.

Till tomorrow...........I'm done.

A Family of Twelve

In this day and age when a family of four seems a big burden to feed and cloth and educate, my family was almost twice that size. Seven children for my parents to fend for and more then that is my husband's family of twelve. A dozen little ones to care for and I can't imagine how our parents did it.

Today we received news that the husbands eldest sibling has passed on. She had been sick for a while and we had been waiting for this news which came this morning. Tomorrow morning we will leave for Arizona. It won't be a hurried trip as she is to be cremated so the services will be held when the families from far away get there.

I need to pack and cancel my doctor's appointment for tomorrow. I'll pack my laptop with me and be able to check in online daily. I never make a trip without my laptop and my cameras.

I need to sort clothes and pack. I'm done.

Minute by Minute

Yesterday the new tooth/crown was placed which means I shouldn't have to visit the dentist every other week. For this I'm thankful. The dentist visits were never good for a chuckle although if I ever have a problem with low blood pressure, a visit to the dentist chair would be sure to cure that problem.

Another doctors visit today and one tomorrow and I should be done for a while. The podiatrist/surgeon should release me from his care today hopefully. It's just a matter of time now on the remaining healing the Achilles needs to do and yesterday I returned the borrowed crutches. Freedom is in sight.

Now to the most important news. Luling, Texas and the smokehouse there that provides some of the best smoke meat to the public. The husband passed through there on his way home yesterday and stopped to pick up some ribs, brisket and sausage. It was much appreciated here and we enjoyed it for dinner last night. The meat, as usual, was tender and delicious and the husband even bought a container of the BBQ sauce they make in the store there so we could slather the meat with it's spicy hot goodness. Dinner was awesome.

I have to get a quick shower and get dressed and on my way. I'll be back later and publish this.

I've changed my mind on publishing. I doubt that this day is going to get much more exciting and if it does, posting isn't limited; I can always come back here and add on to my memory aide.

I Should Have Known Better

You would think that at my age, I would know my likes and dislikes and there would be no "maybes". Not so apparently.

Carrie returned from the visit to her dad's. Mom and siblings were going to the Cajun Heartland State Fair as is their custom each year to celebrate Ted's birthday. Carrie begged me to come along. She hadn't seen me for the past three days and didn't want to be separated again so I agreed to go. BIG MISTAKE.

It's hot here and the Fair is held outdoors of course. It's difficult trying to get all those rides under roof. I knew it was hot and that we would be outdoors and I still went? What was I thinking? Sweat dripping off my face in rivulets, clothes soaked in it and hordes of people everywhere and I was looking forward to sunset. We arrived at 5PM so that wasn't going to happen for a few more hours. Carrie's face was bright red with a mist of sweat. We sipped on lemonade that daughter stood in a long line to buy. Did I mention the lines yet? Well, yes, there were lines and we stood in them waiting to get an opportunity to get a few minutes of thrill riding. As I stood around in the heat, I mentally added "never again" to my list of stuff I won't do again. It's right there listed below "zoo" which I realized after my last zoo trip that it indeed would be my "last". And to make matters worse, I know I have a fear of heights and what did I do but climb aboard the Ferris Wheel where I cringed in a corner as it made it's revolutions and my mind drifted through the scenes for this same ride in Final Destination, the sequel number I can't remember. Again, what was I thinking?????

Maybe it's the heat? I'm sure that plays a large part in my dislike of the Cajun Heartland State Fair. Maybe it should be held in November in this part of the country. Maybe it's the outrageous prices for everything. 7.00 for a funnel cake? 7.00 for a lemonade?

The upside of this excursion was the people watching that this trip offered. There were quite a variety of them and I'm betting they don't make it into the big town but a few times a year and this was one of those high times for them.

I'll refrain from descriptions.

I have an early morning appointment with my dentist. This, hopefully, will be the last one for a while.

I'm heartbroken. My memory card needed to be scanned for stuff that were in error and I couldn't get last evenings pictures off of it before scanning it and of course I've lost the pictures from the fair. Ah well, worse things have happened; the attending of that fair for one!