Needing My "Lola" Fix . . .

Well, I am hoping to be able to head to Peoria this weekend . . .

I need my "Lola" fix . . . been awhile . . . need a "fix" BAD . . . :-)

I haven't been to the new shop yet, and can't wait to see it! "Hey Lola" is now in a new location in Peoria Heights, sharing space with "The Moondancer" - - looking forward to seeing it! Their website is up and running. Check it out at www.lolasbeehive.com. Although the site is still under some construction, they have some pictures posted of the new shop, and it looks amazing - - I will definitely report back about it after my trip.

More later . . .

Dodged a Bullet . . .

Went to the Endodontist today about all this jaw pain I've been having.

I do NOT need a root canal - - *whew!*

Dr. Hallam thinks it is a combination of a lot of different factors - - I had a temporary crown placed, then had my anxiety med level drastically reduced, and then had the permanent crown placed . . . all in a matter of 2 weeks time.

He thinks the pain is being caused by all these factors combining to make me clench my jaw at night in my sleep, thus causing the jaw pain and the swelling and tenderness in my jaw hinge. He also recommended I try Tylenot instead of the Advil, since it didn't seem to be doing me that much good. In addition, he advised me to tell my family doctor about all this. As luck would have it, I have an appointment with Dr. Kahn next Wednesday, and I will definitely share all this with him. He may have to up my Prozac level a bit . . .

SO - - after I left Dr. Hallam's office, I went by Dr. Hastings office and let them know what happened. Dr. H. said he wanted me to try a "soft night guard" to wear while I'm sleeping, which would keep me from clenching my jaw. He asked if I had time to get the impressions made right then - - it would take about 15-20 minutes. Well, of course! ANYTHING to help alleviate this PAIN I've been living with!! They got all the impressions made, and I pick up the guard next Monday morning before work.

So instead of heading home with a numb jaw and curling up in bed with my fur-babies, it's back to the office I go to finish out the day. Oh well . . . I was actually happy to be back at work!

By the way - - one of my co-workers who had been to Dr. Hallam had told me he was a real cutie - -
She wasn't lying . . . :-)

(What can I say - - I happen to LIKE "eye candy" . . . )

Catch-up Time

Okay, I know it's been ages since I've posted, but with good reason: Not only have work and class and teaching been keeping me running, I've been suffering from tooth- and jaw-ache. Living on Advil - - without it, I'm in pain, but with it, I'm groggy as hell.

Mea culpa.

But now, I will try to catch everything up. SO - - here goes . . .

Work: It's been pretty hectic. Lots of meetings and activities going on. Everyone gearing up for Semester end (Finals week is coming up), and of course the holidays are just around the corner. Lots of things to catch up on before campus closes for Holiday Break.

**********

I got invited to the Chamber of Commerce's 53rd Annual Community Luncheon last week! There were probably about a dozen of us from the College who attended for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Good food, and lots of good people there. I had a chance to chat with quite a few folks I had not seen in quite a while. Lots of fun.

**********

Next week I'm teaching Intermediate Word Tuesday and Thursday evenings. This should be the last class I'm teaching this semester. I'm already signed on to teach FIVE classes next semster though . . . but it's fun. I enjoy showing people how computer work, and some of the neat things you can do with software programs.

**********

My class is keeping me busy. We have now covered DreamWeaver, Fireworks, and Flash, and now are totally immersed in working on our Semester Projects. Hope I can get mine finished in time, but this TOOTH thing has been kicking my you-know-what, and it's been tough.

**********

Now about the tooth problem - - I had a crown placed about a month ago. I have had some jaw discomfort ever since, right where the dentist had given me the novocaine shot. But it was getting better. BUT - - about 2 weeks ago, my lower left jaw started giving me pain. It was not constant, so I would take a couple of Advil and it would ease up. I figured it was something to do with the crown seating itself, and that it would pass.

WRONG.

It started getting worse - - and worse - - and worse - -

Now it's to the point where I take 2 Advil every 4 hours, and if I'm (God forbid) LATE taking them, I'm in misery. The pain even wakes me up in the middle of the night, so that I'm grabbing for the Advil and the water bottle.

Last week I called my dentist and told them what was happening. After lots of discussion, they said it sounds like I am needing a root canal. They referred me to Dr. Hallam, an Endodontist. He does these things all day long, and is supposedly a "pain-free" dentist, like mine is.

I've talked to a lot of people who have been to him, and they all tell me the same thing. Seems like he's the real deal - - nice, cute, fun, and most important of all - - PAIN-FREE.

We'll see.

ANYWAY - - Monday at 1:00 p.m. is my appointment. I can't wait to get in there and get this taken care of. I have been feeling LOUSY from the discomfort and all the Advil I've been popping.

Wish me luck on Monday - - say a prayer for me - - I'll let you know how it goes.

I'm Sorry!!

I know I know - - it's been practically FOREVER since I typed in an entry . . .

Life has been HECTIC, to say the least.

LOTS going on to fill you in on - - have not had the time to do it with work, homework, sick hubby, etc.

I will be back on this weekend catch up - - that's a promise . . .

Stay tuned.

Bleah . . .

I'm "puny" today - -

There have been some nasty little buggies making the rounds on campus, and I had been really lucky avoiding them. My health has been surprisingly good this Fall, considering the weather. This is usually the kind of weather that throws my sinuses into a tailsping. But I've been lucky so far . . .

Until Saturday.

Hubby Steve came home from a morning hunt with his brother, and was feeling really tired and kinda achy. Then the headache started, and then his stomach got into the act.

By Sunday he was all better, but I was feeling really tired, and kinda achy . . .

I did not have a good feeling about this.

By 1:15 this morning, I was awake and up and feeling LOUSY. I finally made it back to bed around 3:30 a.m. By the time my alarm went off at 5:20 a.m., I was still feeling bad.

BUT - - there were some things on my desk at work that I had to have out to committee members for an 8:00 a.m. meeting on Tuesday, and if I didn't get them the materials TODAY, they would be totally unprepared TOMORROW.

SO - - I dragged my a** out of bed and made it to work.

Hmmm - - not too bad - - I can do this - - really I can . . .

not.

I got the materials out to the committee members, and by 9:30 was on my way back home.

Well, the cats were sure happy to see me - - they LOVE being able to spend the day in bed with Mommy! :-)

I'm feeling quite a bit better this evening. If all goes the same as hubby's did, I should be all okay tomorrow.

But you know, DEAR Hubby Steve - - it's just like I told you at Rural King with the "butt-crack" guy - - you don't necessarily HAVE TO share EVERYTHING with me, y'know . . .

*sigh*

Thanks a bunch, sweetie . . .

(He's SO lucky I love him as much as I do!)

AWESOME Barbeque in Murphysboro

If you ever get the chance to go to Murphysboro, and if you (like Hubby and I) love good barbeque, you must try 17th Street Bar & Grill.

They are Three-Time World Champions for their barbeque. They have been profiled on the Food Network, and also have food booths at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield every year, which is where Hubby first tried their food (and absolutely loved it). In fact, it was SO good, he wanted to check out the actual place to see if the atmosphere matched the food.

It does.

Last weekend on our Day Trip, we made a point to time it so that we would be in the Murphysboro area at lunchtime, and stopped at 17th Street.

The food is fantastic, with large portions and the best quality meats, the service is fast and friendly, the prices are not unreasonable. They have a great sauce, and their own special "Magic Dust" seasoning, which adds a nice flavor to anything you sprinkle it on. They sell their bottled sauce and the Magic Dust there, and we brought some back home with us.

We tried the Combo Platter. You get your choice of two of pork, chicken, or beef, with two sides. We both tried the pork and beef brisket. I got fries and applesauce, Hubby got fries and baked beans. There was SO MUCH food, I ended up eating the brisket and taking my pork home for a sandwich the next day (which was just as good as the previous day!)

It was SO good - - and worth every mile down there.

We will definitely go again - - and I highly recommend you make plans to get down there and try it, too! :-)

Last Weekend's Day Trip

Okay okay - - I know it's almost a week later, but humor me - - it's been a rough week!

But we had some funny things happen on our day trip to Southern Illinois last Saturday . . .

We got up at what my friend Connie would call the "butt-crack of dawn" (rather appropriate, considering what happened during the trip - - but I digress . . . )

Drove to Pana, stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. The Coach had the football team in there for breakfast - - lots of "jocks", proudly wearing their varsity hats, varsity jackets, acting all "macho" and stuff - -

Until one of them walked in - -

wearing shorts - -

and cowboy boots.

I am not kidding.

Hubby Steve gave me this smirk and said, "Makes you proud to be from here, don't it?"

If I wasn't still half asleep, I would have smacked him.

Okay - - head on out of town and down south. We are heading for the Steelville/Murpheysboro area. Hubby Steve is buying a new barrel for his Benelli hunting rifle, and we are to meet him around 10:30. About 20 minutes outside Steelville, Steve calls the guy, who tells us his farm is "way out" in the sticks, so it would be easier for us to meet him at his wife's business in town; a place called "Pooches" . . . o - kayyyyyy, "Pooches" it is.

We get to town and find Pooches, which (appropriately) is a dog grooming business. Hubby walks in first, with me following behind him. The man he is to meet is sitting in the back of the shop. His wife comes up, says "Good Morning!" (all cheery-like - - how DO morning people stand themselves????)

anyway.

Steve says, "I'm supposed to meet Mr. Hicks."

She says, "Oh, I thought you had a dog with you."

To which I say (with a litttle wave from behind Steve's back) - - "No, I'm his wife."

She TOTALLY missed it.

That is, until her husband said, "Are you insulting people's wives again, hon?"

THEN she got it.

And exited to the back room and shut the door.

And didn't come out again until we were leaving.

Now THAT was funny! :-)

The last thing to happen was when we stopped at a Rural King store. Hubby was off looking at whatever he looks out, and I was happy as a lark in the clothing section, checking out these CUTE little sweatshirts with the CUTEST little kittens on them (and they were on SALE, too!) - - minding my own business - - when Hubby comes and drags me out of the clothing section because there is "something" he must share with me . . . he has seen a guy displaying "butt crack."

So what? It's not like I haven't seen it before. He assures me I have NEVER seen ANYTHING quite like this.

*SIGH* Oooo - - kayyyyyy

So off we go - - and he points out the guy - -

And then has to literally help me pick my jaw up from the floor.

The man is bent over the shopping cart - - and I swear - - I SWEAR - -

he had butt crack all the way up to his shoulder blades.

It was AWFUL!!!!

It was like - - here's his belt - - and here's his waist - - but it just kept going and going and going - - all the way up to his shoulder blades.

He took me away from the cute little kittens on the cute little sweatshirts (that were ON SALE) for THAT????

He said he could not have lived with himself if he had not shared something that special with his wife, the love of his life, his life partner . . . yada yada yada . . . . .

How do I put up with him? *sigh*

Oh well - - I'm not bored!

OKAY KELLY - - THIS ONE'S FOR YOU . . .

I've been reprimanded.

I had the NERVE - - the unmitigated GALL - - to bake BROWNIES and not tell Kelly!

And she really told me about it today, too.

*sigh*

Mea culpa - - mea maxima culpa - -

Okay Kelly - - the next time I'm going to bake brownies and bring them in to the office, I PROMISE to post it on here first, to give you plenty of advance notice.

I mean, I wouldn't want you to hike ALL THE WAY DOWN HERE TO THE OTHER END OF THE BUILDING just to see my bright and smiling face, now would I?

(Just like a little kid - - gotta bribe you with food) . . . :-)