Adult Supervision

What a way to start the day.........First of all I didn't want to get up in the first place but I did.  Then I just had to see if "They loved it or listed it".  Then that hot shower felt so good I just couldn't get out.  When I finally made my way back to the bedroom to get dressed I found that I had locked myself out!  Oh brother.......sometimes I think old people need adult supervision.

Ron was able to get the door off the hinges. (he's getting faster since the same thing happened about 2 weeks ago).  I still managed to get to work early.  Once I get moving I'm pretty quick.

Oh glorious Friday you didn't get here any too soon!!!!!!

Well, I ran but I could not hide.  The germs found me and knocked me to the ground.  I've been sick and feeling miserable but a cold can only keep you down for so long.  So, I'm working, coughing, blowing my nose and pushing onward.

I am so looking forward to this being my last year of working.  Sometimes I think my brain has already left the building.  I keep thinking about all the things I want to do when I have the time.  Especially after I get my hip replacement and can walk again without hurting.

I want to join a book club, the YMCA (it seems all the classes I'm interested in are during the work day).  Ron and I want to do a little traveling (as much as the budget our our health will allow).  There are good things ahead. 

Oh, congratulations to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer,  for vetoing senate bill 1062.  Finally a voice of reason from the Republican party...

TGIF

Boy, everyone in my neck of the woods has been sick with either respiratory problems or stomach and intestinal.  My poor daughter had pink eye twice, respiratory & sinus infections, and the stomach bug.  I guess that's what teachers can expect during cold and flu season.

Ron currently has a cold but I've been spared all of it so far.  The only thing I have going is "pop rocks" in my right ear.  Or at least the sound of pop rocks in my right ear.  It's been going on for over a month.  It isn't all the time and there is no pain associated with it.  I just hear what sounds like pop rocks going off every now and then.  Sometimes it is a succession of popping and sometimes it just pops a little bit.  Anyone ever have something like this and if so what was it?  It's just another thing I guess I'd better get checked out before I have surgery.

Ron and I are going to get on a fitness regimen in order to get me ready for surgery.  I have some exercises to do and we are going to work on our diets.  They say every pound you can loose will help with recovery.  

Our weather has teased us a bit lately.  We went from snow to 70 degrees.  Now we are having a lot of wind but the temp is holding around 54.  I know our winter isn't over but we will get teased into thinking we can start planting flowers........... but I've seen it snow here in April so I wouldn't get in a hurry to plant those gardens.

Techno Babies

From nanny cams to electronic baby monitors technology has made child rearing a technology driven endeavor.

I was driving to work this morning and at the stop light glanced over to the car next to me.  A young father was driving with a child in the back seat.  The little boy had a child’s ipad or laptop and was content to play with it in his booster seat.

On Saturday Ron and I were in Okla. City eating lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse.  There was a family of five in a booth not far from us.  Mom and dad on one side and 3 children with various ipads and cell phones were on the other side playing games.  Granted the group was very quiet but it didn’t look natural.  There was no interaction going on between any of them.

Because my knowledge of electronics is so limited it got me to wondering just how much technology is playing a role in young children’s lives today.

Ahh, the first year of a baby's life — learning to sit up, crawl, even walk. But how about playtime in a bouncy seat with an iPad and some cool apps? 

Fisher-Price is selling a baby bouncy seat with an attachment where parents can insert an iPad so baby can watch video content aimed at the youngest children — an idea that is being criticized by the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. The Boston-based advocacy group started an online petition campaign Tuesday, urging Fisher-Price to recall its Newborn-to-Toddler Apptivity Seat for iPads.

"The seat is the ultimate electronic babysitter. Its very existence suggests it's fine to leave babies all alone with an iPad inches from their face," said Susan Linn, the group's director, in an interview. "Babies thrive when they are talked to, played with and cuddled, not when they are alone with a screen."   Of course in the 50’s that is what everyone was saying about television.  “The Electronic Babysitter”.  Oh yeah, we were also warned about sitting too close to the screen as well.

Something on the horizon is Intel’s wearable technology in the crib “The Smart Baby Onesie” parents may now have the added opportunity to keep track of health related data regarding their infants in the crib—including their respiratory rate, and thus be more aware of any potential discomfort or illness developing.

Two green stripes across the chest–sensors which record respiratory rate–provide parents or caregivers with changes in respiratory rate. Potentially signaling breathing difficulty, this data could be valuable in management of patients with asthma or even croup. An additional removable turtle shaped device clipped on front allows monitoring of body temperature, heart rate, as well as activity level.

The reported cost for three onesies and the turtle clip-on will be $199.00 as a starter kit. A 2-pak of onesies will retail for $29.00 for sizes from 0 to 12 months.

I’m not sure what the practical use is for the average infant but I can see it being very reassuring for at risk children or children with special needs.

Since I have no grand children I'm not as informed about the latest gizmos or gadgets for kids.  I'm sure some of you who have grand children have witnessed their technological expertise first hand. 

It is a new world!  

Happy Valentines Day

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!

What a lovely day....everyone being sweet to each other, hearts everywhere...guys scrambling to get something for their sweethearts.  A big day for candy makers and florists.  What's not to love?

I purchased a bunch of valentines and candy for Mike to hand out to his friends and fellow aerobics buddies.  I gave it all to him on Wednesday and he couldn't wait to play Cupid.  I want him to be happy more than anything in this world.  I would give anything if I could make his schizophrenia disappear tomorrow.  But, that's not possible.  I'm so grateful because I know it could be so much worse.  He isn't hearing voices right now and he is sweet and kind to everyone.  I just wish he wasn't so anxious and afraid.

Ron and I are going to go look at a house that is for sale.  It is a large home with two living areas and a bonus room.  It also has an indoor swimming pool which we do not need.  I would fill in the pool.  My idea is that with the pool room and the bonus room we might be able to create an apartment for Mike.  Since we've only seen pictures we aren't able to tell if the layout will work so we are going to make an appointment to go see the house.

I will never be at peace until I have a long range plan to take care of my brother.  I know he will not be able to live on his own forever and I don't know if I would ever be able to handle placing him in a nursing home.  I'm so lucky to have a husband that supports me and understands how I feel about my brother.  He has told me several times that no matter what happens he will always be here for Mike.  He has proven that over and over again.  A lot of men would have hit the trail running before marrying a woman with this kind of responsibility.

Soooo to my Valentine....Let me say I love you with all my heart!  I made a wish and you came true!

For Absolution call 1-800-FORGIVEN

I am many things....I am a wife, mother, sister, friend, caregiver and occasionally confessor.  I don't sit behind a screen in a dimly lit cubicle or anything but I hear confessions all the same.  When my brother does something he believes will not please me he gets consumed by guilt.  This guilt will almost always lead to a cleansing of the soul......the great confession.

Yesterday Mike's med. nurse let me know he called her several times over the last few days.  He called randomly throughout the day with crazy questions and she was worried that he was about to have an episode.  She did tell me that he made her swear she wouldn't tell me he called because I'd get mad at him.   (Hence my own sense of guilt).  So.....he's been acting a little wacky and I arrived at work this morning with a message on my phone from yesterday afternoon asking me to call him as soon as I got to the office.  I did and his question was "How are the roads?"

Now, we haven't had any rain, sleet, hail, snow or spitting on the streets in over a week.  He has been out every day so he knows this. I asked him what was really worrying him......"nothin".   I assured him the roads are fine....have fun....talk to you later.   I hung up...two seconds passed and the phone rings again.  "I called Becky".....started the great confession.  I replied, "Your conscience been bothering you?"    "Yeah" was his response.  

I gave him my absolution speech......told him he can always call me with any questions or concerns.   His job is to have fun and enjoy life.   

He's all better!

Confession is good for the soul......don't believe me....just ask Mike!

Milestones

Yesterday my wonderful, sweet, kind and generous husband turned 65 years old.  I greeted him with a big happy birthday greeting when he woke up.  

He said, "This is a milestone birthday".  

 "Yes, it definitely is, I replied".

"I'm enrolling in Medicare" Ron answered.

But for me the milestone is that his doctors told me almost 5 years ago that he wouldn't see his 65th birthday.  Here we are!  He's doing very well considering and we are happy and just living our lives.  What a blessing!  I'm grateful for every day!

 

Taking Inventory

No, I'm not taking inventory of myself just my kitchen!  Ron and I spent one day last weekend making an inventory of everything and I mean everything in our kitchen.  We made a food inventory of everything in the pantry and cabinets.  I sorted and categorized everything after we wrote it all down.  Then we inventoried the refrigerator and freezer.    Last we inventoried cooking utensils from mixing bowls to pots and pans and then spatulas etc.

The spices took some time since we have so many but we threw out all the expired ones.

Now I have typed up the lists and have them saved on the computer.  I made columns so I could indicate what I have on hand and when something is needed.

I can't tell you how helpful this has been already.  This week it was easy to write a grocery list.  I was able to just look at the inventory and see that if I only got a few things I already had things on hand to make several meals.

What got me started was I kept stopping at the grocery store and guessing whether I had something at home or not.  The straw that broke was when I came home with my 3rd box of saltine crackers.... What shocked me was how many duplicate things I have.....too many mixing bowls.....cooking utensils.....etc.  Stuff I will never use.....so off it went to donate.

I feel so organized!  I even know I have birthday candles from who knows when.........but at least I won't buy anymore. 

Who watched the Beatles tribute Sunday night?  Ron and I thoroughly enjoyed our walk down memory lane.  My question is would we all still be as interested if the remaining Beatles were Ringo and George.  I told Ron I think the phenomenon has remained because Paul is still alive.  You would need Paul or John in order to maintain this level of interest.  What do you think?

Burrrrrrrr it is cold!  We are at 12 degrees this morning and the wind chill is lower than that.  We didn't get a ton of snow but we still have flurries this morning.

Mike gets really anxious when the weather isn't to his liking.  It means he can't go to the gym and that messes up his routine.  He wanted me to call him this morning and let him know how the roads are and I told him to stay home and enjoy the fact that he DOESN'T have to get out!  That is not what he wanted to hear!  He is very irritable!

My replacement has been hired and she's a very sweet young lady.  I think she is going to be awesome......passing on the torch so to speak.

Did anyone see Coca Cola's Super Bowl commercial featuring a multilingual rendition of "America the Beautiful" ?  While it was refreshing to many — it left a bitter taste in the mouth of conservative pundits.   I said at the time that there would be a lot of backlash on that one and sure enough.   What did you think about it?

 

In death as in life, most are wholly unprepared for their own enormity. They retreat along habitual pathways just to find a recognizable neighborhood, no matter how unsatisfying…

-          Stephen Levine