It's a Lazy Morning ... Well ... For Another Hour - LOL

 

I was up late last night, watching an episode of "Brokenwood", so I'm in a bit of a rush today. I start the day out by dropping by my cancer center for a quick update meeting with my Primary Care Physician. I'm hoping to get the OK for an MRI, and that's got to come from him. I'm absolutely fine with that - he's awesome and actually lives just a few blocks away from me. 

We love the Brokenwood Mysteries, and since it was an 
episode that I barely remembered, I stayed up to watch it. 
I gave up my treadmill because of it - I actually needed 
some sleep. 

Since I was running late, I skipped the treadmill today. I have to work, even though it's a "day off" for me, and time isn't my friend today. Yesterday DH and I wrapped and identified and switched out artwork from the store walls. Originals and pieces we feel will do well at auction we'll store and take down to the auction house later this Summer or in the early Fall. He brought a bunch of artwork home yesterday, and we have three that he forgot to load into the pickup that will come home with us tonight. 

I have nothing against being a little lazy. It's 
never something that hangs around for long. 

Sometimes it's nice to be a little lazy, even though I'm really nowhere close to being lazy if truth be told. Still, I had a bit longer sleep-in, and wasn't quite as rushed with my daily meditation as I sometimes am. It's cold, but not snowing, the roads are just fine for driving, so it'll be a nice trip out to the Cancer Center in a bit more than an hour. Right now, however, I'm going to grab a quick breakfast and then get my act together before I head out. Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week. Slava Ukraini. 

It's Going to be a VERY Busy Day

Just a quick post today at the start of a VERY busy morning. The afternoon will be more relaxed (if you can call three loads of laundry and some cooking relaxing), but the morning is packed solid. I start with my swim, of course. I must hit the water on Wednesdays - LOL. Then I get home, drop off my swim clothes and start the first load of laundry before a VERY quick breakfast and heading off to the wilds of the Northern part of the Twin Cities to see my Endocrinologist. 

I'm heading into the wild of Coon Rapids, MN as soon 
as I've had a quick breakfast (although I might push 
breakfast off until late morning). 

I like this doctor, and I haven't seen him for over a year. Itr's a touch-base appointment, and I have no idea what we'll discuss. I can't tell if the infusions I'm getting (at a VERY expensive rate - it's a damned good thing I have health insurance), anyway ... I can't tell if they're doing me any good or not. I haven't had any scans to let us know whether my bone density has improved or not. Maybe it's just stabilized, I really don't know. I have crap bones ... that I do know. I feel like a skyscraper that's developed rust on its' interior beams. Generally, not a healthy thing. 

My bone density is more like the bottom than 
the healthy bone density of the top. That presents 
some serious issues with mobility and possible 
bone breakage in my future. We're trying everything 
we can to improve the density, thus the infusion 
schedule he's got me on. 

But I'll start today off in the pool, then run home and head off to Coon Rapids (yes ... that's the name of the northern suburb where my doctor is located), and after I see him, I can get started on my day - some shopping, a bit of cooking, and some mundane things like paying bills. I'll chat with Aearwen late this afternoon, then toss some chicken into the oven, and call it a busy day done. 

I don't mind being busy, but I also have to be very 
productive today - no choices. So ... I have to be super 
organized and efficient. I'm not always meeting those 
two criteria - LOL. 

I hope all of you have a great Wednesday. Maybe a bit less hectic than mine, but a good one. I'm going to plug in some photos and call this done for today. Slava Ukraini. 

Happy Thursday - It's a Pool Day and There's Nothing Better!

It's back to the swimming pool for the final swim of the week. I do love being in the outdoor pool, and am certainly getting my time in. I'm swimming for 45+ minutes straight every day, and I'm not even thinking about it ... just doing it and enjoying it. As the sun rises in the East and we see it cresting the horizon and causing diamond sparkles of light on the churning waters, it's magic. Today should be lovely - cold air for those of us who greet the dawn at the YMCA, but the water's warm, and we're active, so we're warm too. 

There just isn't anything quite like swimming in the outdoor 
pool in the summers. It does get crowded (although not much 
at 5:00 am), but the water's magnificent and watching the sun 
rise while we're swimming is a great start to our day. We'll 
usually end up with a few days when we're pushed back 
indoors because of lightning or storms, but so far it's been 
darned near perfect! 

I finally got in to see my regular doctor yesterday. She's a fabulous person - we've been together for a decade, maybe even longer, by this time. Bladder infections in women are never fun things to have, and I wanted to get some medication to get this one under control. The preliminary tests came out good, but there is one test that is causing a bit of concern. I think the drugs that I'm picking up from the pharmacy this morning will take care of that too, though. 

Although the bladder infection is almost cleared up, I'm 
still picking up a prescription this morning to help in that 
process. Most of the labwork came back cleared, but one 
thing was still lurking and we need to get that taken care 
of as well. So ... pills will be my friend. 

I spent yesterday in the kitchen cooking my morning fruit and a batch of Alkagizers. I have to work all of next week and part of the following while Chickie is out of town, so I won't have any days off to spend cooking. I had to get everything prepped as much as possible. I might end up having to make another batch of Alkagizers on a Sunday, but I'm hoping not. Life is easier when I can just help in the garden and enjoy the outdoors on my Sundays. I'm playing things by ear, though, and doing them as necessary. 

I love my baked fruit. I used pears and apples in yesterday's 
batch, along with some blueberries. It should be a lovely 
treat for my breakfasts over the next two weeks. It was a 
big batch (although I've made more on occasion), and 
it's taking up quite a bit of my refrigerator space - LOL. 

Chickie and Chickie Mama are heading to Montana for a mini family reunion. They've had the big ones in the past (the last one was two years ago), but this one will really be just to see several different cousins and other relations who still live out there in Big Sky Country. It's a beautiful state, but the winters are a bit harsh (this, coming from someone who lives in Minnesota ... yeah! LOL). 

Montana is a beautiful state - mountain peaks and 
high prairies. Chickie's family came from that 
state, and she loves going back to see it for family 
get-togethers. It's really the only mountains she's 
ever been in or is familiar with. I deal with the 
Rocky Mountains a bit farther south in Colorado 
instead. I've never been to Montana, but maybe 
I'll get there after I retire. Anything is possible. 

So I'm wrapping this up, heading to the pool, and I hope all of you have an absolutely fantastic day. Live it to the fullest, people. It's the only time this day will occur! Be kind and Slava Ukraini. 

It's a Very Busy Monday Already!

Sunday kind of sucked in many aspects. We did get to spend some quality time outdoors because the weather was stunning. So we got more of the yard cleaned up and I swept the patio area, so I'm much happier with how it all looks now. But, we spent more than four hours going over the papers from the attorney, bit by bit. We're not 100% satisfied, and we have questions, but we did get a lot accomplished. Did the attorney do what I wanted? Yes and no. I think things are a bit overly complex, but that's how the law operates. I understand how and why things were stated the way they were, but I don't have to love it. 

I really hate bladder infections. They're uncomfortable 
at best, painful at worst. Mine is in the uncomfortable 
stage, and I'd like to get rid of it now before it gets any 
worse. 

It's a short post today, though, because I want to drop by my clinic on my way in. I've had a bladder infection for almost a week now, and I'm having no success getting rid of it, so I need some prescription assistance. I'll drop off and leave a urine sample, and hopefully my Doc can sent a prescription over to my local pharmacy and I can pick it up by the end of the day. At worst, it might be tomorrow, but since I've already had the damned infection for more than a week, one more day wouldn't be horrific, just uncomfortable. 

I really hate bladder infections. I don't get them often, but 
they're super annoying - itchy and just ... hot and wrong. 
I'm hoping I can leave a urine sample with my Doc's 
people and pick up a prescription by the end of the day. 

DH is cranky because of the time we spent going over the paperwork for the attorney. I don't really blame him, I wasn't in a grand mood after spending too much time dealing with my copy the other day. It was handy that both of us had our own copies, however. I had my notes everywhere and he could make his as he wanted/needed. I think the attorney managed to hit 90% of what we were looking for, but we have questions and comments that we're still pounding out. Still, it was a really productive start, even if it did ruin our Sunday. 

So, have an excellent Monday. I'm off and running, as you can tell. I'll be back tomorrow after my swim. Be kind, smile a lot, and Slava Ukraini. 

It's Going to be a VERY Busy Day - Shopping, Errands and Working for DH

As always, on a swimming day, I'm tight on time, so it's a short post. DH heads to the doctor this afternoon, so I have to be at the shop while he's doing his thing. Aearwen, I'm going to try to keep our weekly convo, despite the location difference. We've been missing too many weeks lately. I might have to help a customer, but we'll deal with that as it happens. 

I think I ordered this skin suit this time - their Kelp 
Forest version. I love their products, but I do usually 
have to replace them every year or so. Of course, I 
use them extensively, so it's not like they're sitting 
in a corner gathering dust (except over the past few 
months of cancer treatment). 

I had thought I had my phone consultation with my memory doc today, but according to My Chart, it's actually scheduled for Friday. That's a bit of a PITA because I'll be in the middle of one thing or another, but at least it's on a "day off" and since it's a virtual visit, having the ability to set up the laptop will be a plus (virtual visits on the phone are rather weird - such a small screen). If he wants to show me anything in print, having the larger laptop screen will be a plus. 

I'm quite curious about what they deduced from my 
cognitive testing a few days ago. I thought the 
follow-up was today, but when checking the "My Chart" 
app, it's actually been rescheduled for Friday. 

Yesterday, the water extraction equipment at the YMCA ate my skinsuit (sigh). Basically, it grabbed one of the arms and pulled at it, shredding it. I was NOT happy - my skin suits are expensive. But, I was back onto SlipIns website ordering a replacement early this morning. I had texted them asking if they could check what size I had ordered the previous time and they responded quickly (Small). So, I got onto the website first thing this morning and ordered a replacement. I'll be stuck with two days in a row in the suit I'm wearing today, but I'll live with that. I guess I'll stay away from the water extractor from now on. *sigh*

I had thought about ordering a second 
skin suit - the Blue Ring Octopus 
version - but they're expensive and I'm 
a bit stretched right now. I'll just replace 
the single suit and wait until next 
Fall or even next Spring before another 
order. 

So, I'm off to the pool. I'm hoping that I have all of the correct dates for all of the proper appointments. I have no actual "free" time right now. I need to go grocery shopping and make my next batch of Ogre Juice, but I have to work for DH this afternoon and have some other appointment of one kind or another taking up some of my morning time as well. Popularity is highly overrated - at least in my current life - LOL. Have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini. 

I Explored the Twin Cities Yesterday - An Experience Saved by Google Maps

 It's Saturday. What are your plans for the weekend? 

I know what I'll be doing - I'll be raking leaves on Sunday. NOT one of my favorite tasks. DH has let them pile up, and we're having one of our last nice weekends, so he'll be out there today and tomorrow, raking and I'll be expected to join in the "fun" tomorrow. I hope he gets the upper front yard done today, then we can work on the upper back yard tomorrow. I think he wants to load the leaves into the back of the pickup truck and haul them to the County yard waste recycling center. Whatever, it'll be a Sunday of hard labor, and somewhere in there he'll want to watch some football and I'll need to do a load of laundry. 

I'm not looking forward to raking the leaves. Up to me? I'd 
hire someone to do it. We have a LOT of trees, so there are 
a LOT of leaves. Ugh! 

Yesterday I was scheduled to see a new doctor - a step up from my standard doctor. He's a specialist in bone work. Since I have now been on Fosomax twice, and the bone scan results from my test earlier this year were disappointing, I'm moving up the scale to a specialist instead of my regular GP. I thought he was located at the clinic just north of my home. OOPS! I was seriously off base on that. 

I had never been to this location of Allina Health before. I guess 
I'll get used to going here if I need an injection every six months. 

Silly me, I didn't check my phone's calendar carefully enough. Instead of being a few short miles from the house, he was at a clinic completely on the other side of town in Coon Rapids (don't ask about city names in my area - they're varied, somewhat weird, and often not in English). It's all part of the greater Metropolitan area, but for me, a person from Denver where it's ALL Denver for miles and miles before getting to the suburbs, the little areas of local government that make up our Metro area is confusing. I had no idea how to get to the new clinic, and had less than an hour to get there. 

I had never used this feature of Google Maps 
before. It worked out REALLY well, and I 
arrived in plenty of time for my 8:50 am 
appointment. 

Fortunately, the receptionist at the wrong clinic was able to help me get Google directional maps on my phone (which makes sense - I use a Google phone), and show me how to use it. Voila! I now knew where I was going and how to get there. I was there in plenty of time. It was a large three-story building, so a major hub of my medical clinics. My new doctor was very nice, quite young (of course, everyone is young to someone of 70 years of age), and very thorough. I enjoyed both him and his assistant, Kate. They sent me down for labs, where I had to wait for 45 minutes before my name was called. The vampire assigned to me needed seven tubes of blood, but she was GOOD. No problems, no pain, and no mark. Results are in my in-box today. I'll take a look later this morning. 

So it was an eventful few hours, and I was really glad to get home. I suspect I'll be shifted over to injections every six months, and if that doesn't work, they'll have to do infusions. All to keep my bones from breaking apart. I'm not a fan of broken bones, so I'll manage to do whatever is needed. I'm out of here, have a great weekend and I'll be back on Monday. Slava Ukraini 

I Wish I Could Be Repaired As Easily As My Car Was

Today starts out really busy, but then will die down to a small roar. I need to return the rental car to the dealer at 7:00 am, and then head to my clinic for an 8:30 am bone density scan. I'm really curious about how my bones are doing. Generally, my bones are great ... except in my hip area where I've been losing bone structure for more than a decade. Thus the bone density drugs which I can only take for a certain time period before giving them a year or two off, and the daily collagen that I add to my morning tea. I'm healthy, I'm active, and I want to stay that way. A broken hip in this house would require us to move, and I'm most DEFINITELY not up to that! 

The ideal is to have bones that look like the bone 
on the left. Mine, unfortunately, are closer to the 
bone on the right (although actually somewhere 
in the middle examples). My leg bones and arm bones 
are great, it's my pelvis that's my problem. But since 
the pelvis is critical, my Doc is keeping a close eye on 
my bones. 

The rental car (which was supplied at no charge by the dealership) was a 2024 Mazda CX-5, exactly the same as Minnion, but a lot newer. New buttons, new dials, but basically the same operation and handling. I was very comfortable in it, but it's white. I really don't like white cars, even though "Cream Puff" my Subaru, was white. But I really prefer cars with color, or if not color, then black. White comes down at the bottom of my list because I live in Minnesota - a land of snow. I don't want to be driving a snow pile around in the winter months - LOL. 

I was pleased to be driving a newer version of my CX-5 
as my rental. It gave me a chance to see what upgrades 
have been made and how it handles. I know I'll have to 
get a new vehicle in a year or three, and I'll probably 
stick with my Mazda because I've never had a car I've 
liked so much. It fits me and my lifestyle to a "T". 

I'll drop off the rental car, then heading to the clinic. THEN I can get to the grocery store about an hour later than usual, get my veggies, and come home to make my "Ogre Juice" for the upcoming week. I'll have to be a bit careful with my spending for a bit. Minnion's repairs were more than $2000, although she was in REALLY good shape for not having been looked at for almost two years. Still, she needed a full set of tires, and those were $1000 of the $2000+. The other monies were for a variety of smaller things plus labor. It could have been worse, but it's still a hit to my budget when we're moving into Fair and Renaissance Festival time. This upcoming Sunday will be our first run out to Fest, which is why I wanted the car examined and repaired, if necessary. I didn't need to have her breaking down on the opposite end of town - the towing fees would be horrific. 

It's only money, right? *sigh* Fortunately I can afford 
the expense, unfortunately, it's a serious punch to the 
budget. No win/no lose, just fact. But I'll have a safe 
car to drive for the next year now, so that's a win. 

I'm working on my current story for LJ Idol. I have to wrap that up today and it's still pulling me into two opposing directions. *sigh*. I don't have to cook anything, though, so spending the day at the computer and cleaning the house for Sharon's visit is looking possible. Hopefully. I hope you have a truly fabulous Friday and I'll be back tomorrow - hopefully with a link to my latest story for you to read. I'll also be sure to let you know when the voting opens (probably in Monday's post). Enjoy your day! Slava Ukraini. 

It's Going to be a Busy "Day Off"

I've been having so much fun watching the Olympic games. The Summer games always make me a bit happier than the winter ones. I love the sports for both of them, but I like the warmth of the Summer games, versus dislike the cold of the Winter ones. I've done sports in both (and all) seasons, though, so I really shouldn't be picky. Still, I'm happy to be watching gymnastics and swimming and archery and skateboarding, etc. So many different sports. So much fun! 

Take a little bit of time from your day to also be kind 
to yourself. All too often, as women (and a few guys), 
we put ourselves last and everyone else first. Give 
a bit of that time back to yourself today. Make yourself 
a cup of tea, maybe read a book for a half hour or 
so. Sit in your garden, feed the birds. Be kind to 
yourself, you're the only you you've got. 

It's a "day off" today, but I start out with a doctor appointment early in the morning. I'm glad I remembered - I had good luck to be able to get it scheduled in the first place. My doctor is very popular and I wouldn't want to disappoint her. She's fabulous! I've been seeing her for years. I knew her when she was still single, she's been married to a fellow physician for years now and they have three children. Yeah - it's been quite a while seeing her. I like that kind of constancy. You can develop a rapport and a history with someone and it cuts through a lot of the BS that happens when you're feeling your way into a newer relationship - personal or professional. 

Always do your best to be kind to others. Spread smiles, 
be happy to see others and greet them with joy. Just 
that little bit of kindness can make the difference in 
someone's day. 

Since I'm in a bit of a rush today - errands, laundry, trash barrels out to the curb, cooking, shopping, etc - AFTER I see my doc, I'm going to cut this a bit shorter than usual. I hope you are going to have a simply awesome day. Please be kind, smile at others (if it's perceived as friendly in your society), help someone in some fashion today, and maybe even sing a little bit. It's a great day to be alive. I'll be back tomorrow, I'm heading off to the pool to get my morning swim in the glorious outdoors. Have an excellent Wednesday. Slava Ukraini. 

Busy, Busy, Busy - It's Quite the Early Morning Ahead

Today starts off with a bang - a quick swim, change of clothing, and off to the doctor's for my annual "wellness" check at 7:30 am. I won't be able to eat breakfast, no time, but I'll grab a baked pears and nuts container for the shop. I'll just have to eat closer to noon than early since I also want to get as many holiday cards worked on as possible. 

Today's schedule is tight and very messed up, but I will 
at least get to the shop in time to work on some holiday 
cards. I'll finalize my mailing list tomorrow, and print out 
the envelopes while working on DH's website stuff. 

Yesterday was a day of errands and cooking. I had four things on my cooking agenda, thinking I'd end up having to push one or two over to Friday. But I actually managed to get all four completed yesterday, so I'm going to devote Friday to DH's website issues instead. I guess that's a win, although it will make for a frustrating Friday as well. 

I really hate that Coach was fired. He actually was/is a 
good coach, just easier to deal with on the chopping block. 
I'm not sure it was the right decision, but it certainly
wasn't my say, so we'll live with the new future on ice. 

So, today I actually slept until my alarm went off, and I refused to minimize my daily meditation at all, so this post is short and quick. We've got a hockey game to watch tonight, and hopefully the major changes that the Front Office did earlier this week (firing the Coach and the Assistant Coach) will actually have an effect. All I know is I'll miss Coach - he was the easiest change the Front Office could make, but he was also a sacrificial lamb. Still, we won the game on Tuesday night after he was fired, so maybe ... maybe ... we can actually win two in a row after tonight. Not holding my breath. The skaters aren't playing as a team, they're not jelling at all. And the season is pretty well trashed at this point. It doesn't change my being a fan - fans stick with their teams through good times and bad. But it makes it harder to be a fan - especially a positive one - LOL. 

Today is a bit of crazy busy first thing in the morning. I think 
I'll really need my swimming time just for a little peace 
and quiet before jumping into my day with both feet. 

On that note and with today's busy, busy schedule, I'm off to the pool. I'm going to really need a good swim today - no question! Have an excellent Thursday and I'll be back tomorrow. Slava Ukraini and חיים למען ישראל.

Schedule Shift - Flexibility is Necessary

It's shortly after 5:00 am - late for a Wednesday post, but here's my crazy day today. In less than an hour, I need to be in the grocery store buying what I need for tonight's dinner and the various things I need for the week ahead. I have Friday as a fall-back day in case I've forgotten anything, but Wednesday is always my main grocery shopping day. 

My pre-surgical physical needed to be made between the 
11th and 18th of April. I'm relieved that my doctor was 
able to squeeze me in first thing in the morning to get this 
done with. Then I'm free until May. 

Why do I need to be at the store at 6:00 am when they open? Because I have a 7:30 am appointment for my pre-surgical physical which I can't miss. But ... (I can hear you thinking) ... why not go to the grocery store on your way home from the doctor? 

CenturyLink is actually a pretty good company, 
but they always put their business customers ahead 
of their individual ones. I don't blame them for that, 
and I've been grateful for that in the past when we've 
had issues at the shop, but to get an appointment 
for repair that's a week distant? That seems a bit 
much just because I'm a residence instead of a 
business. 

Well, that's because I'm stuck at the house from 9:00 until 5:00 waiting for the CenturyLink repair person to check my phone connections and find out why I don't have a land-line right now. Not having a land line certainly isn't the end of the world - most of my communications are made through my cell phone after all. But ... when we have a power outage, or for a couple of other things (like waking DH up over the phone when he needs to get up at a specific time), we need that land line. I reported the issue last week, and today was the first available date. Of course I couldn't schedule for a two-hour time block. No ... it had to be anytime between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm. 

With the exception that I'm stuck at home from 
9:00 until 5:00, it's not much different from 
my standard Wednesday. Everything is being 
compressed into a very busy morning. Hopefully 
my afternoon will be totally kick-back. LOL

So, I pushed my swim off a day and will swim on Thursday and Friday instead of Wednesday and Thursday, and I'll be cooking and spending my day at home instead of doing any outside errands that need to be done. Today I will actually BE a housewife - married to my domicile - LOL. Have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow - hopefully with working phones once again. Slava Ukraini. 

Today Is A Busy, Topsy-Turvy Day - Working On My "Day Off"

I couldn't sleep past 2:30 am. My mind was whirling with my schedule for today - how much I could actually get done and when I needed to be where. I'll relax in the pool while doing my laps - which sounds odd, I'm sure. After all, swimming a mile+ in the pool first thing in the morning isn't necessarily relaxing, but I'm working my body and listening to a good book, and frankly, there's nothing much better. But today will be hell, for sure. 

The goal today is to manage all of the tasks I can do 
and still work for Chickie as soon as I can safely get 
behind the wheel of my car after my eye doctor 
appointment. I'm hoping I won't be too busy at the 
shop for a while after I get there, while my eyes 
manage to return to normal. 

I've already got my personal load of laundry going. I won't get a chance to do DH's load or the household load today at all, they'll have to wait until Friday. I will try to change the sheets on DH's bed tonight, though. He shouldn't have to put up with sheets for more than a week without fresh ones. I figured I would have enough time to do one load for myself this morning, if I started it right away. Because I couldn't sleep, I might even be able to transfer it from the washer to the dryer before I leave for the gym. 

Today's stage of Le Tour de France puts the boys 
squarely in the middle of the Pyrenees with some 
hefty mountain climbing and a summit finish 
yet again. They'll have one more day in the Pyrenees 
tomorrow. I don't have the time to watch live, so 
I've been watching it on Peacock. Thank goodness 
for Peacock. I'd miss it all if it wasn't for streaming. 

Thus are the thoughts whirling around in my head - boring, mundane, and concentrated because there's a lot I have to be able to get done today. Which reminds me - I'm going to set up the laptop quickly and get the masterlist I've been working on for the past week printed out. I finally finished it yesterday afternoon. It's a 50-page document and my printer at home is much faster and more powerful than the emergency printer I keep at the shop. 

I have a small HP Deskjet printer at the shop that looks 
similar to this (not the exact same model, but quite 
similar). I basically got it on sale, with a credit I had, 
and I've kept the prints per month in the free range, 
so although I've had it for more than two years, I haven't 
spent a penny on it yet. Score! 

My shop printer is an HP and I call it my "free" printer. More than two years ago, DH purchased a new chair for me to use at my desk at home. My old chair was in really bad shape and it hurt to sit for any serious length of time. So that left us with a credit at the office supply store which I used on a new printer for the shop. HP has an ink program - if I print less than 15 pages a month, my ink is free. I haven't passed 10 pages a month since I got the printer. It's my "free" printer and it does just fine for us at the shop. Anything major, I print at home on my Epson. 

We are all pieces of kintsugi, in many ways. We all have 
cracks and fissures in our lives that we patch up to the 
best of our ability. Sometimes we can patch them on our 
own, and sometimes others help. None of us are perfect. 

I got my story posted yesterday evening, worked on in on and off throughout the day yesterday with numerous revisions. I'm pleased with it, but I did put warnings on for everyone - it can be a disturbing thing for some people to read. It's violent and could be a trigger for some people. I'm pleased with it, though. It's a human view of kintsugi. On DreamWidth you can find it here - https://erulissedances.dreamwidth.org/881248.html and on Live Journal you can find it here - https://engarian.livejournal.com/1085042.html . I'll let you know when the voting has opened. Hopefully I can do better than the six votes I got for the last story. 

I'm going to miss my usual routine, and my weekly 
conversation with Aearwen. Such are the sacrifices 
I make for a friend, and ChickieMama has been a 
friend for many years. I don't blame her for wanting 
Chickie at her side while she meets with her 
doctors. The two of them will have different 
questions, and between them they'll get a 
thorough understanding of the options and
choices ahead of her. 

I'm out of here. Swimming, then groceries, then the eye doctor, then the shop, and then I can come home and collapse. What a day! I'm feeling the pressure and I really HATE messing with my schedule. But, it's for ChickieMama and she's a good friend, so I might bitch and moan, but there was never a question that I'd work for Chickie so that she could accompany her Mama to Mayo for her meeting with the doctors. Have a good Wednesday, I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with a less crowded schedule. Slava Ukraini. 

What a Busy Friday and Second Call-Out For Cards

Today is a busy "day off", starting with the swimming pool, then home, then an appointment with my Dermatologist, then a couple of errands, and finally home again to get some intense work done on my Holiday Cards (while watching Project Runway on Peacock). Since it's a heavy cards day, it's time for my second "Call Out For Cards". 

(BTW - I would be posting about Project Runway as intensively as I've done in the past, but I can't get photos of the outfits to share with all of you. It's no fun to chat about it if we can't talk about how good or horrible this or that outfit was, so I'm stymied. Sorry!) 

Message me if you want one of this 
year's Holiday Cards. This is the 
Second Call-Out for Cards and I 
only do three, so get in gear and 
get into contact with me. 

Those of you who are long-time e-friends know that I make a total of 50 cards for the holiday season each year. They are different every year. I send a lot of them to my various nieces and nephews and long-time friends, but I always have some open for my e-friends - no matter where they live. The number is firm, and it's a first-come first-serve basis. The only way to make sure you get one is to message me in DW or LJ with your address and your real name (it would seem rather silly to address a card to PookyBear, after all). I ask for nothing in return, although a return card would be delightful and appreciated. 

Hearing from you makes my day. Don't 
assume that because you got a card in the 
past, you'll get one this year. I need to hear 
from you to get you onto the final list. 

I send my cards all over the world. Most do go to friends in the USA, but I also send them to India, South Africa, and various places in Europe. Where you live isn't the problem, I love sending them to my friends. Long-time friends, now's your time to speak up. I caught several of you on the First Call for Cards, but don't wait until the Third Call-Out. The list fills quickly and I'd rather not miss you because you didn't contact me. 

I was using my die cutter in the early morning 
yesterday, but switched to cutting out the 200 
pieces of paper I needed for most of the afternoon. 
I actually managed to get all of those cut out, 
though, so that part is ready to go. Progress! 

I spent most of yesterday working on my cards. Our customers seemed to all come at once, yesterday afternoon, and the rest of the day was quiet, so I got quite a lot done. There's still a lot to do, though. I'll be working on them for quite a while longer. They're fun this year. Labor intensive and fairly complex, although each element is pretty easy. It's a very time-consuming card, and I'm having a lot of fun seeing come to life. It's a total blast. 

I'll have to text my oldest niece later today and make sure 
that none of the assorted nieces and nephews have moved 
to new addresses since last year. I don't always hear about 
moves and changes, but she's always on top of it. 

Have an excellent Friday and I'll be back tomorrow. One of the things I'm doing today (among many others) is pulling the slip cover off the couch and folding it. I'm going to return it to Amazon. I'm not happy with the fit, so I'll have to live without it. At least all of the other dust covers recommended by my allergist fit properly and work for their purpose. But the couch cover just isn't working well, so it goes "Bye-Bye" today. Remember to message me for your Holiday Card and have a wonderful Friday. 

My Schedule Might Shift Today - But Probably Not

DH had an appointment with his general physician yesterday, a person we refer to as "Doctor Ding-Dong". It's not a respectful title, but there's not a lot of respect for him from DH all around. As an indication of how in-demand the doctor is, DH can make an appointment with him less than three weeks ahead. My doctors, on the other hand, require a good six months before they have any openings. 

I've never personally met Dr Ding-Dong, but he 
certainly hasn't merited DH's respect over the 
years. I've encouraged DH to switch doctors, but 
the other doctors at the clinic aren't accepting new 
patients. Or so he says. 

Doctor Ding-Dong did the usual checks and questions, and then talked DH into having both a flu shot and a pneumococcal shot - and they were both in the same arm. Dumb! So, DH was complaining about how much his arm hurt throughout the evening, and was up at 3:00 am this morning, looking horrible and telling me that he had barely gotten any sleep at all. 

DH is feeling horrid. He's not getting any sleep, he 
aches and hurts, he looks his age (which is never 
a good thing at our age), but he's his usual stubborn 
self and refuses to switch days off with me. 
I'll ask him again when I get home from the pool. 

I offered to switch days off with him - I would work today, he could work tomorrow. Even though I have a load of laundry already in the washer, I could manage. In some ways it would be almost better for my schedule. But he turned me down, took some outdated Tylenol, and he's going to tough it out. He said he'll never get another pneumococcal shots, and maybe he'll remember this when he's approached about it again. 

This is a slightly newer model than my own Drumi 
foot-powered washing machine. The top of this 
version is clear, mine is not. But it works the 
same way and I do love my hand washing machine. 

It's my "day off" (unless he switches) and I have a ton of work to do today, including a hand-wash load for my Drummi. I got three sets of cold-weather hose from Amazon yesterday, and they need to be washed before I add them to my clothes drawer and start wearing them. That'll be an afternoon thing - the three new pairs of hosiery and a sweater dress I purchased a month ago and have worn a couple of times. It's a wonderful dress and I love it, but it does need to be hand-washed (ideally). I should also wash the cap I knitted for myself last year. I've been wearing it a lot, lately. It's been cold. 

I'm a bit of a gadget geek, I fully admit it. But 
when I can find something that does exactly 
what I want it to do and does it well, I'm 
delighted. My Drumi does my hand washed 
laundry beautifully. My new bone induction 
headphones for swimming and the treadmill 
are also a delight. I've had failures, but I tend to 
get rid of those quickly. There's no time in
 my life or space in my house for failures. 

On that note, I'm off to the swimming pool for my Wednesday swim. Have an excellent Wednesday, stay flexible (with your time and within your body) and I'll be back tomorrow. *hugs*

I'm Apparently Allergic to a Lot of Environmental Triggers

Yesterday's visit to the allergist was quite interesting. After a lot of questions about various foods and my reactions to them, he declared that I wasn't allergic to any food items (a relief, to be sure). I then shifted the conversation over to environmental triggers, told him I hadn't had a full panel since I was eight, and wondered if I could, perhaps, have one of those scheduled. 

The prick test itself is pretty easy. My PA numbered down 
my back with a removable marker, then pricked at each 
spot with the appropriate allergen. The first two were 
reserved for Histamine (guaranteed to have a reaction) and 
Saline (guaranteed to not have a reaction) as a baseline. 
Then I had to remain on my stomach for 15 minutes until 
the PA came back in to measure and record the results. 

He agreed with that, and said they could do it right away. He explained the procedure of scratches, wait for 15 minutes, then measure the results, to me and sent his PA in to get me settled. After the test had been administered and the results calculated, he would come in and explain the results and any recommendations he might have. 

I adore cats, but have known I am allergic to them 
since I was a child. Nonetheless, I've owned three 
cats over time, and even though they made me 
uncomfortable at times, I wouldn't have changed 
a thing. 

The test consisted of 38 pricks on my back, testing for general reactions, animals, dust mites/roaches, trees in Spring, grasses, and weeds and molds in Fall. Out of the 38 pricks, I reacted to 21, some of which were not a surprise. My general allergies to cats and mice were already known to me (it hadn't stopped me from getting cats on and off through the years - I truly love the little beasts). Dust mites were a problem, with a serious sensitivity to those. The doctor recommended I purchase dust mite shields for all of the beds. So Amazon got a bit richer this morning with a new mattress cover, six pillow protectors and a couch protector ordered. Oh well, it's only money, right? LOL

I ordered a new mattress cover (I needed a new 
one anyway) as well as six pillow protectors 
and a fitted couch protector since I sleep on 
a couch (it's extremely comfortable and far 
removed from DH's loud snoring - win/win). 

I have sensitivity to Ash, Birch, Box Elder, Cottonwood, Elm and Oak, also Timothy grass (no, I have no idea what that is either - LOL). I have sensitivity to Cocklebur, Lamb's quarters, Mugwort, Pigweed, and two types of Ragweed. Only three molds tripped me up - Alternaria, Helminthosporium/Drechslera and Hormodendrum/Cladosporium. Surprisingly, five other molds were completely innocuous to my crazy body. But, my highest sensitivities were to the two different dust mites, and Ash, Birch and Oak trees. Of course, I have a lot of birch around me, as well as some oak, but the predominant tree around me are maples and birch trees. No wonder I have a drippy nose at times. It's not life threatening, but it can be inconvenient at times. 

Since I was passing by my local Vitamin 
Shoppe, I stopped in for some Vitamin D 
in the 5000 u dosage. They actually had it 
on a 2-for-1 sale, so it was a total SCORE! 
I use this shop a lot for my various Trace 
Minerals and other additives that I put into 
my daily veggie smoothies. 

He also recommended I increase my daily dose of Vitamin D from 2000 u to 5000 u. I knew I was getting low on my supply of Vitamin D anyway, so while out and about later that day, I took a quick stop into the Vitamin Shop and picked up a bottle of 5000 u Vitamin D, which actually turned into 2 bottles because they were on 2-for-1 special. Score! 

The day was slipping away from me. It was 3:30 pm and 
I still hadn't eaten lunch. I quickly put a pouch of 
"Everyday Dal" into the microwave. I love this 
company - the meals are really tasty and only take a 
minute to heat up. A total win/win when I'm tight 
on time. 

So, the various tests and conversations with the doctor took my entire morning. The rest of the day passed in a blur, with my not even getting time to have "lunch" until 3:30 pm. Thank goodness I was able to relax for a while, chatting with Aearwen for our weekly catch-up chat. We'll have to skip next week, I'll be working on Chickie's final day of vacation. I'll miss it next week, because it's always a pleasure to just shoot the breeze with an LJ friend who has become a sister of the heart. 

Here's hoping your upcoming day is wonderful, filled with joy and light. I'll research whether the couch cover I just ordered (along with the mattress cover and six pillowcase covers) will actually fit my couch. If not, it will be going back to Amazon almost as quickly as it arrives at my door - LOL. But I wanted to get these items in hand as soon as possible. Dust mites - ICK!!! Have a great day, I'll be back for a quick check-in before tomorrow's swim.