Happy New Year

The last day of 2015!  It has been a good year overall.  I'll never look a gift horse in the mouth so I am happy to have had another year.  We had a crazy week since Christmas.  We've had earthquakes, tonadoes, sleet, snow, flooding you name it we've had it.  But that's just Oklahoma.

Today is the game between Oklahoma and Clemson and my football fans are ready to rumble.  Ron and Bella are sporting their OU jerseys and going to Mike's house to watch the game.  My daughter will be dropping by my house later this afternoon.

My daughter Julie is still recovering from shoulder surgery.  The other day she fell on some ice in her driveway and injured her shoulder again.  They took an x-ray and determined nothing was broken but are now playing the waiting game to see if an MRI will be required to see if she tore anything.  It had only been about 10 days since she had surgery.

We tease about how she is a walking accident but honestly she is.  She had two knee surgeries and after one of them she fell out of her jeep and the jeep ran over her.  She needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap!

Life is good and I'm excited to begin a new year.  I wish everyone peace, love and good health in the New Year!

 

Christmas Day 2015

Merry Christmas from Dani, Ron and Boo!

The concert yesterday was very LOUD!  We saw the Trans Siberian Orchestra and though I went to one of their concerts about 10 years ago I didn't remember it being so loud.  There were a lot of flashing lights, lasers, etc.  The lights just about killed my eyes.  I'm so light sensitive I had to put on my sunglasses and still the lights were killing me.  So I listened to most of the concert with my eyes closed.  By the time it was over my head was pounding.  All I can think is that I'm really getting old!  Ron loved the whole show.

I did my grocery shopping this morning and I'm ready to make a big pot of Christmas Soup.  I make it every years for Christmas Eve.   We will be going to Jamie's house about 5:00.  I'm having that nagging feeling that I've forgotten something but I guess if I did it will just have to remain forgotten.

I'm ready to get the party started!

 

Lookin Good Mr. Kotter

Big heavy sigh............the floors are done!  They look great and we just finished putting all the furniture back.  We decided to wait until spring to paint.  I think it was a good decision!

Ron and I are going to hear an orchestra performance in Okla. City this afternoon.  Then I have to finish last minute grocery shopping.  

My daughters half brother, his wife and new baby came last night and will be staying with Jamie.   They will be here until the 26th.  His grandmother lives here and is on hospice.  They believe she will pass away this week so he wanted to bring the new baby for her to see before she passes. 

I'm just so glad to be project free until January 11th!  I need a breather........

It seems we have been busy every day this past week.  We finished all the gift wrapping and mailing.  Christmas cards were sent.  We replaced the sewer line.  A big expense but I think it will definitely outlast us!  We are having a new vented heater put in the bathroom sometime in January.  We had been replacing the existing one every year because they would burn out so we decided to get an electrician and get it done right.  Because the house is so old the wiring isn't suited for a lot of the current appliances.  A little upgrade is necessary.

Today Ron is taking Mike to a basketball game and Bella and I have the house to ourselves.  Not much fun for Bella since she would rather be with Ron.

Tuesday the new floors will be installed in the spare bedrooms.  Can't wait for that project to be finished!  I still haven't made a decision about paint colors so the rooms may just stay as they are!  Too much to do right now.

I hope everyone has a very merry Christmas!  

Losing a pet is hard!

Ron and I took my daughter's dog Sophie to the vet yesterday to help my daughter out.  Unfortunately we received some bad news that Sophie has cancer.  She is my daughter's precious fur baby and on top of the divorce it is devastating news.  The vet said that even with chemo it would not prolong her life.  She has about 6 months.  She can be kept comfortable for awhile with steroids.  Since Sophie is 14 years old that seems to be the most reasonable course of action to take.  I hated to have to give Jamie this news but her vet is a sweet young lady who gave Jamie her personal cell phone #.  It seems she is also going through a divorce and was so sympathetic to the situation.  She is going to come to Jamie's house when the time comes to let Sophie go.  I thought that was wonderful.

Ron and I were so busy yesterday running around getting things done.  Tomorrow I'm volunteering at school to help my daughter Julie with some things she needs to get done before her surgery on the 17th.  Is life always this blissfully hectic after retirement?  I'm not complaining one bit because I love it!

My next project is to make and can apple butter.  One of my favorites.  But the catch is I've never canned anything in my life and I don't want to mess it up and kill someone.   Plus  I don't have a water bath canner or any other canner for that matter.  Oh what a tangled web we weave..........one thing leading to another.  But I'm gonna give it a try.  I have a recipe for Amish apple butter cooked in the crockpot.  Hope it is fool proof!

miscellaneous thoughts

Wow, I've had so many things rolling through this brain of mine that I can't sort them out enough to make sense of it all.  This election stuff just makes me a ranting crazy woman.  I can't believe the stupidity and gullibility of the American people.  It frustrates me to no end.

Yesterday my daughters turned 45 years of age.  That blows my mind.  I guess they will forever be younger in my mind but I think it is because they never had children.  There is no one younger for comparison.  I am not allowing myself to think about how hold that makes me. 

Yesterday was a hard day for Jamie.  The divorce has knocked the wind our of her sails.  She was depressed and broke down a few times and as a mother I just want to fix it for her and I can't.  I just have to love her through it.

She has gone on a few dates and that has put me back to when they were in college.  I told her that she doesn't have to tell me anything about her private life but that as a single woman now she should have a confidant that she can let know when she is going out and where and with whom.  Also to notify when she is safely back home.  That doesn't have to be me by any means but just someone.  With the internet dating it is especially important to be as safety conscious as possible.  So far she has been very responsible about it and her dates have been with people she has been introduced to by friends.  But I'm aware that there are all sorts of internet sites for meeting people and it is probably just a matter of time..........

I've finished all my shopping and wrapped all my gifts so now I can enjoy baking and cooking.  I'm on a roll!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did I mention how much I LOVE RETIREMENT? 

Ready, set, go

Yesterday the installer came to measure the rooms for the new flooring.  I don't know how long we have to wait before they are installed since the flooring has to be ordered.  But that gives me time to decide about the paint color and finish getting the second room cleared out.  Ron and I have decided to paint the rooms ourselves.

Our Thanksgiving plans are to go to my daughter's house.  My son-in-law is cooking a ham and we are doing the turkey/dressing.  Daughters are preparing all the sides.  Should be fun.  Mike absolutely loves Thanksgiving because we load him up with leftovers.  We have a few guests joining us this year because the more the merrier.  It sure is more relaxing when you are retired.  I don't have to try and fit everything around a work schedule.  I LOVE IT!

I have to try and keep my tendency for perfection in check.  Since we are fixing up things in the house I can get a little obsessed with perfection and cleanliness.  When Ron and I got married I really worked hard to let it go.  When my hip got so bad it really was easier to relinquish control because frankly I had no choice.  But  now I feel great and it is getting harder to reign it in.  

I hate to say this but men are kinda like pigs.  They don't see dirt they just create it.  Ron is a big guy and sometimes he's like a bull in a china closet.  Somehow he can break stuff just walking by it.  After we got married he started using the 1/2 bath in the guest room.  I had fixed the room and bath up very feminine and it had just been redone before the wedding.  He managed to break the soap dish almost immediately. I think it is because it is such a tight space he can't turn around without hitting something.

I'm anxious to get started and even more anxious to be finished!

clearing the cobwebs

I think I'd like to become a minimalist.  I'm not sure I know exactly what that entails but I'm definitely thinking that less is more.  

Upon emptying the guest room I was aghast at the number of cobwebs I found and the dead bugs.  Because the room is small you can't really move the furniture to clean behind or under anything.  YUK........... I think removing carpet and replacing with laminate will make it easier to clean or at least I'm hoping that will be the case.  I'll put the pads under all the furniture legs so they won't scratch the floor but it also makes it easier to slide furniture.  It's a win, win for me.  By the time I'm done with this project I'll at least know the rooms are clean!

The wind is howling today and the temperature dropped to 44 which with the wind feels like 20.  The wind in Okla. always blows which is why I gave up wearing contacts when I was in college.  There was always something blowing into my eyes requiring emergency removal of a contact or two.  Just got to be too much of a hassle.  Of course those were the hard contacts.  I've never tried the soft ones.  Now that I have chronic dry eyes I don't think I could tolerate contacts anyway.

My girlfriend just had cataract surgery and has been able to throw her glasses away (for now).  They did say she may require readers later on after her eyes have completely healed.  She was blind as a bat without her glasses so this is a huge change.  Maybe I will just wait until I have cataract surgery and perhaps I'll be able to get rid of my glasses also. 

It has now been almost 4 months since we retired.  I have finally gotten used to not getting up every morning and going to work.  It's great!  I do lose track of the days a little but I just hung a calendar in the kitchen so maybe I can keep better track.  What a problem to have!  Of course if it weren't for Ron I'd probably be bored.  It's nice retiring together and having his companionship.  I'm so blessed!  I'll never take this time together for granted.

 

spring cleaning in November

We are working on replacing the floors in the two spare bedrooms.  We have one room emptied and will work on the other room tomorrow.  Of course now that the rooms are getting emptied it makes me want to get them painted before we move any furniture back in them.  One project always leads to another I suppose.

I can't count how many times I've painted rooms in this house.  I painted the outside of the house 3 times but finally had vinyl siding installed because I knew I was never going to paint it again in the remainder of my lifetime.  

We need some sheetrock repaired so we are thinking of just hiring the repair and painting done.  I haven't gotten an estimate yet and that might just change my mind.  We wouldn't be starting these projects before the holidays if my daughter wasn't thinking about coming home for awhile until she finds another house to purchase.  

Why is it so hard to pick a paint color?  I like the color I have now but I guess I think if I'm going to go to the trouble of painting I should pick something new.  But change the color then I'll want to buy new linens and the list just goes on and on.   Oh brother.......now I have to make decisions.

This is a hoot! Check it out!

Well, as of this morning I lost the 2 pounds I gained on our trip.  Thank goodness it was only 2 pounds I felt like I did nothing but eat while we were gone.

Yesterday I saw the doctor for my diabetic check up.  My A1C had dropped from 6.7 to 6.3.  He was very happy with that and all my other blood work was perfect.  Kidney function was normal this time because I have been drinking nothing but water and a lot of it.
Dr. A. said that if my A1C continues to drop he will drop my medication from 2 x daily to once.  Then if it drops again he will cut that dose in half. 

So many benefits from weight loss.  Not just the obvious outer changes but the benefits you can't see as well.  I feel great and have more energy than I've had in 10 years.

Today I helped out in the Pre-K class.  Today was pizza day.  The kiddos got to make their own individual pizzas.  What a hoot.  I have so much fun with those little guys and I get so many hugs.
 

We're Back!

Ron and I are back home none the worse for wear.  First of all we had a wonderful visit with Karma and Bill.  It was way too short but we hope to get together again in the near distant future.  

We had a few hiccups along the way the worst being we arrived in Las Vegas but our luggage didn't.  When we checked through Security in Okla. City I set off all the alarms due to my titanium hip.  So I received a full body search and our luggage was flagged by security.  Evidently TSA searched my luggage but failed to put it on the plane when they were done.  So Alegiant Air told us they would be Fed Ex it to us overnight and then send it to our hotel in Kingman, AZ the next day.  So we got our rental car and drove to Kingman. When we got to Kingman Karma and her husband Bill picked us up and we went to dinner and then to Walmart so Ron and I could get what we needed for overnight.  Can't believe I went all that way to end up in a Walmart.  But.........oh well.  

Of course the next day we had no luggage..... Called Alegiant and they informed us our luggage was still sitting in Okla. City.  To make a long and boring story short our luggage went to Tulsa and then was sent to Vegas and finally reached us on Saturday when we were leaving Kingman.  The next day we started the whole thing all over but I'm happy to say the luggage did make it back to Oklahoma with us.  It was never unpacked and I basically only had to wash what we had worn for 3 days................... 

But in spite of all that we had a great time.  Karma is just as I remembered her when we were kids.  She's precious!  We are excited to see them again and hopefully in the near future.

Mike did great while we were gone.  We couldn't get cell phone connection a lot of the time because we were in some mountains but that gave us a break from all the phone calls.  I had so much planned for him to do while we were gone that he didn't have much time to think about anything.  So it gave us a nice break.

Now we are ready to start the process of moving my daughter in with us.  I'm having laminate flooring put in the two bedrooms she will be using.   I've wanted to do it for a long time and now is as good a time as any.  It will be better than the old ratty carpet that is there now and will be easier to keep with her two dogs.  Lots to do in the next two months!

Vacations are great but it's always good to be home again.  And.......Bella didn't punish us for leaving her.  She's just happy to be home again too. 

We are waiting for the airport shuttle to pick us up.  I am so excited to see my friend.  It's only been 40 + years since the last time we saw each other.

Ron and I are feeling guilty about leaving our little dog.  We dropped her off at our daughter's house last night and we have felt guilty every since.  My daughter told me this morning that she is refusing to eat.  Guess she will be a skinny girl by the time we get back Sunday.  Poor Bella.....we have spoiled her rotten.

The computer is back!  I'm so glad to get it back and have it working.  Ron is still mad at himself for downloading the virus but that's water under the bridge.  The only problem is recreating what was on the computer before and establishing our bookmarks again.  There wasn't that much on it since we didn't have the computer that long.

My daughter is showing a strength I don't think she knew she had.  She is slowly beginning the process of finding a new normal.  She will probably have to sell her home as it is too much to maintain on a teachers salary. She is planning to come stay with us after the house sells and then take her time until she finds the best house for her needs.

Ron and I leave Thursday for Kingman AZ.  So excited to see my childhood friend.

Our computer is in the shop after Ron downloaded a virus that took over our computer.  I'm trying to post on my tablet so this will be brief. 

No matter how old our children get a mother still grieves when they are hurting! My daughter is going through a divorce and is grieving the loss of her marriage. She has been devastated by the person she considered her best friend.  They met in kindergarten and started dating in college. He has been a part of her life for so long she doesn't have any memory that doesn't include him.  We are all trying to support her through this very difficult transition in her life. I've been staying with her for the past 2 weeks. Ron will be home tomorrow and he will be a comfort to her as well.

I am asking my friends to pray for my child that her heart be healed!

Good Results

Hooray, another good report from the Oncologist.  Ron's cancer is still in remission!  We are sooo incredibly blessed.  Dr. C. said she always holds her breath when she gets Ron's CT scan results.  She's not the only one.  But we have another 3 month reprieve from cancer.  Ron can go visit his daughter without a care in the world.
I was wanting to get the first results after retirement over with.  My superstitious nature made me afraid that now that we are retired the bomb would fall and we'd get a bad report.  NOT.......

I talked to my girlfriend in Arizona to let her know we are coming in November.  I'm just so excited to see her again.  I have things lined up for Mike to keep him busy while we are gone.  My daughter will take him to her house on Friday and fix him a pizza.  She's going to watch the football game with him on Saturday and take him to church on Sunday.  We'll leave Thursday and be back on Sunday afternoon so I think I've got Mike covered! 

Life is GOOD!

I pray you all have a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday Season.................

Once again we are on the cusp of the holiday season and I'm bracing myself not for the crowds of shoppers but the hoards of complainers who somehow believe they have suffered personal persecution if met by a greeting of happy holidays!  This is just one more on the list of ways people are believing their religious beliefs have been attacked. 

Every day I read some complaint on Facebook that prayer has been taken out of schools.  That the Pledge of Allegiance has been rewritten to exclude "under God" or eliminated all together.  Yet as a substitute teacher I have recited the pledge (in its' original format) with the kids every single morning.  At last Friday's assembly the entire school recited the pledge together followed by a time for meditation, reflection and yes prayer.   

So, my question is what is wrong with people?   Are they misinformed or do they just not care whether the BS they spread on social media is correct or not?  It seems to me people would rather feed the flame with total disregard for the truth.

Our government has never issued a ban on saying "Merry Christmas".  No citizen has ever been arrested for wishing anyone a Merry Christmas.   But if a business chooses to use the more inclusive greeting of Happy Holidays some Christians lose their minds.  It's a business for Pete's sake....just like in advertising they are attempting to appeal to the greatest number of people and not every consumer in America is a Christian.  Go ahead, respond with a hearty "Merry Christmas" if you choose; no one is going to come running out from the shadows to shackle and put you in a stockade for public viewing.  

I'm still trying to figure out what the issue is about concerning prayer in school.  How can ANYONE be prohibited from praying?   If you want to pray you can pray anytime and anywhere.   So what's the beef?  Somehow I get the impression that there are some who don't consider you a "real" Christian if you aren't imposing your beliefs onto others.  Or at least that is what social media would lead you to think.   


 

In the past 15 months I have lost approximately 40 pounds.  Ron and I started Weight Watchers about mid August and we have both continued to lose weight.  It is a great program but it isn't a miracle worker.  What I've learned so far is you HAVE to be mindful of everything you put in your mouth.  Every bite counts.........  If you aren't willing to do that you simply won't lose weight.

Ron has been walking every day and that has helped him a lot.  However, exercise alone will not produce weight loss.  A doctor told me once that you can lose weight without exercising.  It's all about what you eat.  Exercise does help you eat more without gaining weight but it won't make up for a lot of extra calories.

I'm still trying to find a cardio exercise I can do that won't hurt my knee. (still need a knee replacement) But I'm losing because I count everything I eat.  I'd just like to reap the benefits of exercise like increasing my endurance and maybe help me lose a little faster.

So hats off to anyone who has struggled with weight and won the battle.  It is really worth the fight!

 

Being lazy

What a lazy Saturday I am having.  For the past week I have had a hard time sleeping.  I just can't fall asleep.  Thursday night I was up until 4 am and then only slept 3 hours when I did get to sleep.  So yesterday I stayed awake and didn't take a nap just so I'd be sleepy enough to fall asleep.  Still didn't get to sleep until about 10:30.  All this crazy sleep cycle has made me really tired and I don't want to do much.

This morning we did go over to my daughter's house and spread some weed & feed on her lawn.  I've been doing absolutely nothing since then.  Guess it will just be one of those days.

Ron is taking Mike to a baseball game tomorrow so I will have the house to myself for awhile.  Don't know what I'm going to do but I'll think of something.

Oh, yesterday I did listen to some of Trump's speech at the state fair.  All I can say is "Can you spell pompous?"  What a blow hard.  He ranted on and on about how great he is for at least 55 minutes.  He is a complete ass.  I guess this election will be about whether the dumb and stupid out number the marginally intelligent.  I know which group is bigger in my state.  They elected our governor and that says it all.

Muct to do about nothing!

Wow, I can't get over how fast the weeks fly by now that we are retired.  There is always something to do and we are busy every day.  I'm still getting used to the fact that we can go shopping when everyone else is at work.  Stores are much less crowded and it is so much more fun than rushing around on the weekends trying to get everything done and fighting the crowd at the same time.

The Oklahoma State Fair is going on right now and Donald Trump is going to be there this afternoon.  I WILL NOT!  We heard that there will be some group there protesting their disagreement with Mr. Trump but since Oklahoma is a Republican state I imagine their protests will fall on deaf ears.

We made our airline reservation to fly to Las Vegas November 5th.  We are renting a car and driving straight to Kingman, Arizona which is 90 miles east.  There we will visit my childhood friend and spend two nights then we will drive back to Vegas and spend one night and then fly back home.  

We got such a good deal on the flight and rental car that we couldn't pass up the opportunity to go.  I think Mike will be ok for 3 nights without us or at least we will find out one way or another.

I've started doing some Christmas shopping.  I was looking at the Pioneer Woman's line of dishes and cookware that is surprisingly at Walmart.  Since I don't like giving any of my money to  Walmart I haven't purchased any of it but the colors are so pretty.  I've read some reviews that the quality isn't very good but I guess that is to be expected for the price.  Doubt I'll be getting any of it.

I'm wanting to go to some garage sales in search of old wooden frames.  A friend of mine has been making the prettiest picture frame Christmas wreaths out of them.   

Ron and I may go to some sales tomorrow.  I found some frames at Hobby Lobby to paint but they were $19.00.  Don't want to spend that much.

The dog is driving me off the computer.  She keeps standing under the desk panting her bad breath right up my nose.  She has old doggie breath!  I give up!

Yesterday I posted pictures of the "pink" house across the street.  It needs no explanation.  It is hideous and I don't see any hope of it being changed.

But, yesterday afternoon Ron was letting the dog outside when he said, "I think we are being mooned".  I of course went to see what he was talking about and there is our neighbor's yard (at the back of our house) was a 15 to 20 foot statue of a naked lady, bending over mind you.  Her butt facing toward the back of our house.  It is our view from the patio.

Well, intrigued we had to take pictures.  

This thing is huge.  If she were standing I am sure she'd be taller than the roof line of the house.

Actually we got quite tickled.  Ron said he had never seen a lawn ornament quite like it.  We are curious as to what the naked lady is doing.  Ron thinks she is pulling weeds.

Ron says we are living in an eclectic neighborhood.  That all these neighbors are doing is expressing their artistic styles.

I don't know what it is about but I'm afraid my husband will be spending quite a bit of time on the back patio.

This is the view in our backyard.  A 20 foot naked lady.  I'm not sure exactly what she is doing, maybe pulling weeds.