Goodbye, 2008

2008 is FINALLY over and done with! And, not a moment too soon for me and my loved ones - - it's been quite a tough year in many, many ways!

• January started out with Dad having his first of 8 surgical procedures. Between all of them, he spent almost 7 months out of the year living with us while recuperating. We love having him here with us, but the poor dear missed his own home and just wanted to be back there, where he belonged. Finally, he was well enough to go back home, and is doing very well! There are still some residual effects from his last procedure, though - - still some numbness in his right hand, and trouble using two fingers on that hand - - but we are hopeful for a full recovery in the coming year.
• June saw me getting my Jeep wrecked, with myself and my nephew inside. We were rear-ended while stopped at a red light by a van going at least 35 MPH. There was over $4500 in damages to my Jeep, but fortunately no one was seriously hurt. After a couple of weeks of sore muscles and body aches, I am fine; my nephew is fine; both of the other drivers involved were not injured. And, my Jeep is all fixed up bright and shiny and looking good!
• July found me losing one of the best bosses I have ever had the privilege to work with. Due to unfortunate circumstances, he had to leave the College and go elsewhere. It was a very bad situation, and thinking about it, even now, makes me VERY angry. So, I won't.
• August found me taking MY turn with the Doctors, instead of Dad. I had a soft tissue mass removed from my right hand. It was larger than they expected, so instead of being off work 2-3 days, I was off work 10-11 days! It was a nice break, but - - I couldn't use my hand to do anything, which was so frustrating! But, the Vicodin took the edge off that! :-)
• September finally brought some very welcome GOOD news - - after 20 months on the market, we finally sold the other house - - FINALLY! Due to the poor housing market, we took a bit of a beating, but at least we are no longer stuck maintaining two places!
• December brought me a new boss, and from the looks of it, she is going to be great to work with. I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes.

Here is hoping 2009 is good for us, and also all of you as well!

Merry Christmas!

Enjoy!

BRRRR!!!!!

Today it is a whopping 4 degrees outside. FOUR WHOLE DEGREES.

The winds are gusting up to 36 MPH.

The wind chill is MINUS EIGHTEEN FREAKIN' DEGREES.

Now that's cold.

But, I'm learning a new skill that may come in handy for these cold winter months . . .

Forthe first time since I was a kid - - around 4th grade, I believe - - I am trying my darndest to learn how to knit. Why? Oh, I don't know, it just seemed like the thing to do at the time. Back then, I took knitting classes from a classmate's mom, and being an active child with the attention span of a gnat, never finished anything.

I don't know how it's going to go this time - - I still have this SERIOUS ADHD thing goin' on - - I can't seem to sit still long enough to get a lot done at one time. I hear people say they sat down one evening and knocked out a scarf in a couple of hours; well, I'll be lucky to finish one in a couple of months! After a few rows, I have to get up and DO something to keep from going a little crazy.

But, I am persistent if nothing else, so here is how I'm doing so far:



This is a scarf pattern I saw on Crazy Aunt Purl's blog, and it sounded pretty simple, so I decided to try it. My friend J (Knitter Extraordinaire) went to JoAnn's Fabrics with me, and she helped me pick out the yarn and the proper needles. This yarn is JoAnn's "Licorice" in black. It's a multi-textured yarn with a mix of black/white/gray, and the different textures give it a real funky, chunky feel.

And, it's oh-so-soft, and will feel yummy on blustery Illinois Winter days (like TODAY). It uses a straight knit stitch, which J showed me how to do, and is extra-wide, using 25 stitches across.

It's been slow going, but I'm getting there!

Finally! They Got Him!

They FINALLY got him:



At approximately 6 AM CST, FBI called Governor Rod Blagojevich's house and asked him to come to the door. He asked if they were joking; they were not.

What happened next? THIS:



He and his Chief of Staff, John Harris, have been arrested on Federal corruption charges.

Maybe the day has finally come when Gov. SON-OF-A-BITCH will get his . . .

Yup, it's been a GOOD day!

It's Holiday Bazaar Time! **UPDATE**

The Bazaar went great! In spite of the nasty weather, we had lots of business. I have more to tell, but right now we are busy clearing out the garage so we can actually PARK in it, and I won't have to scrape the windshield in the morning anymore . . . which will be a very, very good thing.

More later (and pictures, too).



My "Second Annual Holiday Bazaar" is tomorrow, and it's bigger and better than last year. We have 4 people involved in it this year, and have Holiday items galore - - baked goods, Avon, Stained Glass Ornaments, crafts . . . you name it, we probably got it!

Should be fun - - pictures will follow . . .

Wish us luck!

I. HATE. SNOW.

Very much so.

Yesterday we woke up, and the ground was covered with the first snowfall of the season. It wasn't too bad, though, because a lot of the grass was still showing through, and the driveway and roads were still clear. Hmmm - - not TOO bad, I guess. I can handle this.

BUT - -

This morning I got up, and everything was covered. COVERED. And, the wind had kick up, with gusts up to 30 MPH. Blowing and drifting everywhere. Slip-sliding into work this morning. Drifts all across the roads at lunchtime (thank goodness for 4-wheel drive!).

I am NOT ready for this! But then, I never am.

Mother Nature, you can bring Spring back any time now!

Please?

I Can't Make This Stuff Up...

Today Mr. Dizzy and I went to Rural King for their Thanksgiving Day sale. There were a couple of things he saw in the sales flyer he wanted to check out, so we got up early and got there shortly after they opened at 7 AM.

One item of interest was a Black & Decker Table Saw, with stand, on sale for about half of what they normally cost. It seemed like a good one to him, so he loaded the (very BIG) box across the top of our cart, and headed to the checkout.

Once the cashier got him all checked out, we headed to the exit with the very awkward load balanced across the top of the cart. As Mr. Dizzy headed out the door, the security alarm was set off. As you know, those things get quite a bit of attention from people - - every customer in checkout, and all the cashiers, turned to look. As he started to back the cart out of the doorway, our cashier yelled (from quite a distance, so EVERYONE heard this): "Go ahead, it's just your BIG TOOL."

Yes, she said that. I thought I was gonna die laughing.

That is, until about halfway through the parking lot, and then it hit me . . . "How does SHE know you have a big tool????"

He just smirked and didn't say a word....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Heh.

Finally Got It Working!

I got the card reader working, thanks to one of our Tech Gurus at the College, so here are some pics of the masterpiece in progress!

Here it is from last Thursday - - steps are gone, shrubs are torn out, sidewalk is gone:


TODAY - - Concrete footing is poured, blocks are placed:


The workers won't be back now until next week. The concrete all needs a chance to set up, and with the Thanksgiving holidays, it will be Monday before they do any more. We are hoping it will be finished up by the end of next week.

I'll keep posting as things progress!
It's slow going, but it is going to be WONDERFUL when it's finished!

Progress

The porch is coming along nicely! These guys get here VERY early in the morning, though. I am off work this week, preparing for Thanksgiving, and also my 2nd Annual Holiday Bazaar next weekend (more on THAT later!), but I need to make sure I am up and showered and dressed very early, because they are here right at daybreak! I want to be "decent" in case one of them has questions.

I have taken some pictures so I can track progress on the construction, but - - *sigh* - - my card reader on my printer has decided it does not want to work! So I cannot download my pics from my camera at the moment . . . hopefully that will change soon. I may have to callthe College and ask our Tech guys some questions and see what can be done. If it's not one damn thing, it's another . . . I will try to get the pictures posted soon!

Exciting Stuff!

We are getting a front porch built on our house!

They were going to start next week, but contacted us to see if they could start earlier, and we said that would be great! I was getting ready for work this morning, and noticed the contractors were already parked in the driveway.

I will post pictures soon!

Sometimes I Hate My ISP **UPDATE**

A-HA!

SO! In spite of the fact that our ISP insisted (yes, they DID!) that the problem was NOT their equipment and was on OUR END . . .

They were WRONG!

Mr. Dizzy just called and told me their serviceman was up on our roof replacing the receiver, which had gone bad.

YES!


Our Internet connections has been down for almost a week now.

Our ISP says their system shows it's coming in to our house.

It's not reaching either one of our computers.

Our ISP says it's our router.

We unplugged our router, hooked up one of our computers directly into their box. STILL nothing.

SO - - they are coming out "sometime this afternoon" to look at it. (Yeah, thanks for the consideration of MY time and MY work schedule!)

*sigh*

Hopefully I will be back online this evening and can get the post I've been working on put up on this here blog!

Keep your fingers crossed . . .

Yes, I Did!

And I hope you did, too.

The Importance of Voting

I have been doing a lot of reading lately about Alice Paul, one of the leaders of the Women's Suffrage Movement. Alice and many of her peers worked tirelessly to win women the right to vote. Many Suffrage members were arrested, thrown in jail, and tortured. All because they wanted to be considered full citizens and have the right to vote.

Tomorrow is Election Day. Women have people like Alice Paul to thank for the right to vote. Will I be at the polls tomorrow? You bet - - bright and early before heading to work. I will wear my "I Voted" sticker proudly all day.

I don't care which party, or which candidate you are hoping wins this election.

What I DO care about is that you GET.OUT.THERE.AND.VOTE!!!

Happy Halloween!

SO - - Where Do I Begin?

The past couple of months have been really difficult!

Dad’s surgery Sept. 12th was supposed to be a one-day, one hour procedure, to repair the artery in his arm. It turned into a FOUR HOUR procedure with an overnight stay in the hospital.

It seems the artery had an aneurysm so large, it was swelling his arm to the size of a baseball. The main nerve in his arm was stretched across the top of the swelling, and was stretched so thin, it was in danger of snapping. The damage to the artery was so bad that they had to dissect the artery to remove the aneurysm, and then graft a vein in to replace the damaged area that was removed.

*whew*

They then released Dad into our care, with NO home health care, and minimal instructions as to what to do when. Except to tell us that he could not move that arm for the next 3 days. Well, it was in a cast all the way up to his shoulder, so there was no danger of THAT happening.

But then the real fun began . . . they took the cast off, and fitted a plastic splint on his arm that he would have to wear for three weeks. They said he could not remove the splint, because if he moved his arm the wrong way, the graft could snap, and he could quite possibly bleed to death before we could get help for him.

(No stress THERE . . . )

Well, they did not fit the splint right, and it was causing him extreme pain. Also, the cast had rubbed an area of the back of his arm totally raw, and the splint was causing it to bleed profusely. The damn thing was WAY too tight!

After another night of Dad not being able to sleep due to the extreme pain, we took the splint off and put his arm in a sling. We then piled pillows against that arm so that he would not roll over on it and possibly cause some damage.

The next day wee called the office and explained the problem. They told us he had to wear it. Period.

Well, we understood that, but we told them it did not fit right. They told us he had to wear it. Period.

We tried to tell them about the raw area on the back of his arm, and that we were becoming afraid of infection. They told us he had to wear it. Period.
We asked if there was anywhere in our city we could go and get the splint adjusted, and they said “No one we would trust.”

WTF is the deal here? We are asking for help, and we are getting ATTITUDE. Well, now I’m pissed.

Dear Hubby took the splint off, got it in my big roaster filled with hot water, and adjusted it himself. He then loaded it with padding to cushion Dad’s arm better.

I took Dad to the Doctor’s office for a recheck, and inform the doctors of my displeasure with the attitude we had been receiving. They immediately got us in to their therapist who makes the splints (NOT the same one who made it the first time, fortunately!). I explained to her what had been happening, and told her in great, vivid detail what we had been told by the OTHER therapist. Well, she was totally shocked, and very apologetic. And, that they DID work with a Doctor’s office in our city, and the other person should have referred us there for assistance. She promised to get the splint to fit and fit RIGHT.

And, she did. And, she apologized profusely. She also promised to get to the bottom of the situation, find out who we talked to, and get someone’s attitude ADJUSTED. Bless that woman.

A couple of weeks later, we went back to the Doctor, and Dad was told that the splint could now come off, and he could start his therapy. He has been going to his sessions three times a week for three weeks now, and doing a series of exercises at home three times a day, and has made a LOT of progress. The three fingers on his right hand are still pretty numb, and he still can’t grip a pen to write, but yesterday, for the first time since September, he was able to grip a fork and eat with his right hand! YAY DAD!!!

I took him back to Springfield for his recheck yesterday, and the Doctor was very pleased at how well he is doing! He doesn’t need to go back to the Doctor for six weeks, and his therapy sessions are now cut down to two times a week.

Tomorrow afternoon after his therapy session, he is moving back home.

However, he does have therapy sessions next Tuesday and Thursday, and a couple of medical tests on Wednesday, so he is coming back Monday evening, and staying with us until Thursday. Then, he will probably go back home and stay there for good. He’s happy about that, and we are happy for him also, but darn it - - I’m gonna miss having the old guy underfoot!

So, this is a lot of what has kept me off of here so long. I have a LOT of things to blog about, and hope to get to them now that I have a little extra time.

It’s good to be back!

Tomorrow

The past few weeks have been a nightmare . . .

Dad has his recheck appointment at the Doctor's office tomorrow. Hopefully things will be looking good and the Doctor will say he is mending well.

And, hopefully I will get the time to get back on here! I have so many things to blog about, but haven't had the time or the energy!

Wish Dad luck tomorrow at the Doctor's Office!

Back Soon

Had more medical situations with Dad. That, and my own hand surgery issues, has kept me off of here a lot longer than I expected (or wanted!).

Be back soon - - promise! And, thanks for your patience and understanding.

9/11

NEVER FORGET!

Very Important Update On My Other Blog

This is very, VERY important . . .

Please check out my other blog, "Escape From the Money Pit", and catch the latest!

Did I mention that this is very, VERY important?

Oh, I did?

Oh. Just checking.

More later - - but this was my first day back at work following my surgery, and my hand is killing me!

Slow Going

I'm finally able to type a bit with my right hand, but it gets very sore and tired very quickly. I'm still trying to use it as much as I can stand, because the Doctor does want me to exercise it and use it as normally as possible. I still can't use the mouse though - - still hurts too much; so I'm still using it with my left hand.

The right side of my thumb is still numb, and if I happen to move my wrist a certain way I get a "jolt" - - seriously, it's almost like an electric shock! The RN said it was because of the proximity of the surgery site to the nerve that is causing that, and it will clear up eventually. Not any too soon for me!

My main restrictions are gripping too tightly and lifting items that are too heavy. For example, I can't grip hard enough with my right hand to wring out a washcloth (ever tried to wring one of those out one-handed? NOT easy!). Also, an example of an item that is too heavy would be a gallon of milk. So, I have to be pretty careful for awhile yet.

I get the stitches out Sept. 6th, and won't have to see the Doctor before that unless a problem crops up. So please hope for the best. I am.

My hand is getting pretty tired right now, and getting a little bit sore, so it's time to stop typing. More later . . .

All Trussed Up . . .

Like a Thanksgiving turkey!

Bandage is off:




LOTS bigger than they expected to find. Still LOTS of pain, so there won't be any more posts for a few more days.

Time to go hit the pain meds again. I'll be back soon - - promise!

Recovering

I'm back home from my hand surgery. Everything went well. My hand is really starting to hurt, but the Vicodin is taking care of business! (oh yeah!)

Typing one-handed is a real bitch, though - - so I'm not doing any more posts until after Monday.

Thanks for all your kind thoughts - - they are very much appreciated!

I hear the recliner calling me - -





Or maybe it's Carmichael-kitty calling me? Who knows - - all I know is, this is where I plan on spending most of my time this weekend. And yes, Carmie-kitten will be there as well, keeping my lap nice and warm.

More later.

A Brief Hiatus

I will be out of commission for a few days. My hand surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 12 Noon, and I will have the surgical dressing on until sometime Monday morning.

I'm not sure how this is going to work - - being without my right flipper for a few days - - I am SO right-handed, and using my left hand for things is going to be challenging, for sure. I'm hoping that after the surgical dressing is removed on Monday, I will have a little bit more mobility and can use my hand for a few things without a lot of pain and stiffness. We'll see how it goes.

Dear Hubby has told me that he is actually looking forward to having to take care of me! Can you believe that? I hate the thought of him having to do so much for me, but he says he wants to be able to do this for me. Is it any wonder why I love that man so damn much? He's a jewel.

I will be back to work on Wednesday, barring any unforeseen circumstances.

And I hope to be able to create my last Decatur Celebration post as soon as my hand is back in commission!

Please keep me in your thoughts tomorrow. Appreciate it.

Almost Forgot!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DEAR 'DIZZY' . . .
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

(And many, many more . . . . . )

Decatur Celebration, Part 3 - More Saturday

Our Saturday evening band was The Smithereens.



Now, I only remembered one song by them, "A Girl Like You", which I really liked, but I didn't know anything else that they did. We figured it would be a pretty decent show - - and we were NOT disappointed.

The band bus showed up, and the guys got out and come backstage. They were very friendly and personable, but tired. They had gotten into town very late the night before from a show. Hospitality showed them where their green room was, and we figured that was the last we would see of them until sound check.

Sound check:




We were SO wrong!

The guys wanted to spend time out where the people were! They love their fans, and were great with all of us working stage. Not a big ego in the bunch, which is a very refreshing change from some of the performers we have dealt with in the past!

Showtime came, and they put on a helluva show both times:




During their second set, they did their song, "A Girl Like You", but with a twist - - in the middle of the song, they seuged into "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who, and then back into "A Girl Like You" . . . and it was awesome!

After both shows, they spent a lot of time signing autographs and visiting with their fans:


I happened to be standing backstage with Jimmy Babjack, the lead guitar player, and I thanked him for being so nice to all their fans and all of us also. He seemed amazed that I would even say that! He told me that the fans and the people working stage is what it is all about - - that without them, the band was nothing! I told him that we had dealt with a lot of performers who didn't seem to feel that way, and he said, "Well, those guys are a$$holes then! They just don't get it!" I had to laugh - - and told him that he and his bandmates very obviously DID "get" it! Great, great guys.

These guys are so nice - - they can come back and visit us any time!

I leave you with a video of The Smithereens, circa 1989, doing the song "A Girl Like You" - - enjoy!


Be sure to check out YouTube for more Smithereens videos - - they really are a talented bunch of guys! And, did I mention how nice they were? I did? Oh - - okay . . .

Sorry . . . SO Tired

I will finish the posts about Decatur Celebration soon. But, this week is THEWEEKFROMHELL - - seriously. 10-12 hour days, Doctor appointments with Dad, early mornings, late nights, meetings and orientation sessions . . .

I'm exhausted.

I may not get to post until later in the week, but I definitely WILL finish the Celebration posts.

But for now, it's off to bed for me . . . g'night . . . *yawn*

We Interrupt This Blog For An Important Announcement:

Last Saturday, August 2nd, Paul McCartney (yes, THE Paul McCartney) was spotted at a gas station in Springfield, Illinois!

No joke.

Here is a link to the Springfield State Journal-Register article:

http://www.sj-r.com/entertainment/x1768860191/Paul-McCartney-makes-pit-stop-in-Springfield

What's funny to me is that this sighting happened the same night that "Band On the Run", a Paul McCartney and Wings tribute band, was playing at Decatur Celebration. Can you imagine how funny it would have been if Sir Paul and his lady were driving through Decatur and heard THAT?

We now continue with our regularly scheduled posting . . .

Decatur Celebration, Part 2 - Saturday

Saturday morning dawned sunny and cool; Mother Nature was giving us a break for Celebration! Usually it's so damn hot at our stage area, being surrounded by concrete and asphalt, with nary a shade tree in sight. But the weather gods smiled on us this day!

Unfortunately, Dear Hubby and I couldn't get downtown in time for the parade, because of all the yard work that needed done at the OTHER DAMN HOUSE THAT STILL HASN'T SOLD (not that it bothers me or anything, not a bit)(yeah, right).

AAAANNNYYYYWAY - - I was a little p.o.'d that I had to miss the parade, but we got there around Noon to help set up for Saturday's band, The Smithereens.

Now, I had heard of The Smithereens, but I was only familiar with one of their songs, "A Girl Like You", that I think came out around 1989. It's a good song. Find a video of it on YouTube and enjoy it.

The band wasn't supposed to be there for a couple more hours, so Steve and I decided to walk down to see his HERO - - none other than drag racer "Big Daddy" Don Garlits! Big Daddy was there with one of his dragsters, Swamp Rat VIII. I was able to get some pictures to mark the occasion:


The Dragster


Sign telling about the Swamp Rat


"Big Daddy" truck



Steve is thinking, "I get to meet MY HERO,and all I have to wear is this lousy BOWLING SHIRT!"

We then decided to walk around a bit more and see some people. One of the roving characters was the Traffic Cop from Providence, Rhode Island, who is famous for directing traffic IN STYLE - - his name is Tony, and he is a great guy.

Here is a YouTube video of Tony in action:


AND here's Tony at our little downtown party:


It was time to head on back to our Stage and see if the band was there so we could get set up. Saturday night was going to be a busy one. But on our way back, we went by the North Street Stage, and saw an amazing Blues musician, Melvin Taylor. That guy could really make the guitar wail!







We listened to a couple of songs, but then kept on towards our Stage. The good thing was, our stage was just around the corner from the stage Melvin Taylor was on, so we could still hear him as we got ready for our Saturday night show!

Saturday night will be the next post, and it will be a good one!

Decatur Celebration, Part 1 - Friday

Decatur Celebration time - - time to party, time to play, time to work our asses off!

22 blocks of downtown are blocked off starting at 5 AM on Friday, and work begins. Stages are built, vendors are moved in, electric is connected (drops were placed prior to Friday), and supplies are carted in.

Here is our "home away from home" for the next 3 days:

This is the Show Stage, the big main stage of the Celebration. It's our baby to take care of, along with the road crews, sound crews, and entertainers for the stage.

A couple of views from the Stage, down the street, showing some of the preparations for the event:



Everybody is working hard, getting ready for 5 PM Vendor openings, and 6 PM Opening Ceremonies.

At 6 PM, the party officially kicks off, and our first show, Vince Vance and the Valiants, begins:


Can you believe that hair?


He really knows how to work a crowd:


This is a 6-foot replica of Vince's head and hair, that he always has on stage:


Vince and the band have played at the Celebration 5 or 6 times over the years. They put on an incredible show, as always! Check out his website if you want to know about him - - he's a fantastic performer, and just an all-around nice guy!

After their 2 sets were finished (6:30, and 9:45), band equipment was torn down and the stage secured, Vince came backstage and sat with all of us and just visited for almost an hour. He has played in Decatur many, many times over the years at different events, and loves it here. We laughed and chatted, and it felt good to just relax and enjoy the cool night air.

But, it's time to head on home; tomorrow is another busy, busy day!

The Party's Over (UPDATE)

UPDATE: The pictures are now all cropped and cleaned up, and ready for posting! But, tomorrow marks the return to work, so the posts will start this week. Please excuse the delay, but duty calls . . . and YES, my feet STILL hurt!

Decatur Celebration is done and all wrapped up for this year.

I met some truly awesome people, ate lots of junk food, and took tons of cool pictures.

I will dedicate the next few posts to the "Party" and post some pics - - as soon as I get them all downloaded and cleaned up, that is!

I just wish my feet didn't hurt so bad . . .

It's Almost Celebration Time!

This weekend is the annual Decatur Celebration. This will be the 23rd year for the festival, and the 22nd year Dear Hubby and I have worked it.

We work backstage at the big main stage, and it has been all sorts of interesting every year. We never know what to expect from the bands, the roadies, the fans . . . it's always unique, and always pretty crazy. It's hot, it's humid, it's a lot of hard work . . . and we love it.

It is such a blast to meet people you admired for their music many, many years ago, and to see what they are really like. I have had some major disappointments, but have also had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know some good ones.

This year the Celebration has The Smithereens, Plain White T's, Edgar Winter Group, Pauli Carman and Champaign, Caedmon's Call, Jr. Walker's All Stars, Otis Day and the Knights, and many, many more.

Since we spend practically all of our time down there, from Friday evening through Sunday night, there won't be any posts until after the show is over. Dear Hubby and I are taking Monday off work to recuperate, so hopefully I will be able to drag my poor old worn out, sunburned body to the computer and give you an update.

"Celebrate good times, Come On!"

Updates On My Other Blog

Just in case your interested. But seriously, it's not much more than a bitch and moan entry . . . so you have been forewarned . . .
Escape From the Money Pit

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 6)

The phone calls continued on a daily basis, as well as walks along the lake, drives around town, just talking about everything and nothing. Everything was going very well, until one evening he asked me to go walk with him, and he just wasn't acting like himself. When I asked was was wrong, he told me that he had lost his job that day, and was very upset; not just about losing his job, but he was sure that I would not want to be seeing someone who was unemployed, and the money just wasn't going to be there to take me out or do anything. He said he would understand if I didn't want him coming around any more.

Well - - he was wrong.

The job he lost? He was a car salesman. The reason they let him go? They told him - - and this is a quote - - he was "too honest" to make a good car salesman.

YES, they DID give that as their reason.

When he told me this, all I could do was laugh! I then told him that it just clinched for me what I saw in him - - that he was a decent, honest man, and that was the kind of person I liked having in my life. I told him he was stuck with me, so he better just get used to the idea.

Yes, he was kind of shocked. And honestly? So was I.

So the walks along the lake and the drives around town and the long talks continued. We grew very close as friends, and as our friendship grew, so did our feelings for each other. I knew I was in trouble when talking to my roommate one day, and mentioned that if I ever DID get married again, it would be to somebody like him. She said, "Why not him?" And, I didn't have an answer to that; but I couldn't help but think, "Yeah, why not him?"

It was hard for me to let him know how I felt about him. I had been hurt so many times in the past, and was so afraid of it happening again. But, eventually I decided it needed to be said, and I did.

He didn't run away. He stayed there, steady as ever. And, he has not wavered a bit, for 24 years now.

He told me he fell in love with me the minute he saw me walk in The Arch that night, and his feelings only grew stronger every time he saw me. He says his feeling grow ever day, even now, all these years later.

As for me, well - - he made me see that even though I went through a lot of pain and heartbreak with others, it was for a good reason - - it was because he was out there, waiting for me. And we finally found each other.

It's been 24 years now, and I'm looking forward to the next 24. It's just going to keep getting better and better!

It's been fun reliving this story as I have been retelling it. I hope you have enjoyed it!

On His Way Home!

Last night Dad and I talked. He said he was feeling quite a bit better,and thought he would go home. I asked him to wait on that decision until I called the Doctor's office in the morning and get their opinion, and he agreed.

This morning I called and talked to the Nurse, describing how Dad was doing and how his arm was looking. She agreed that since he was improving, she didn't see any reason why he couldn't try going home.

SO - - I called the house and told Dad that I was "kicking him to the curb" - - and I don't think he minded hearing that news at all! :-)

Tomorrow after work, Steve and Dad will head down the road to his house, and I will follow shortly thereafter.

He's pretty happy - - he's looking forward to sitting in his own recliner, and sleeping in his own bed, and I don't blame him one bit.

Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers for Dad. I'm sure they played a big part in his recovery!

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 5)

Sunday came, and was busy as usual, and the date from the night before just kind of faded into a pleasant memory. I kept myself busy and decided NOT think about it any more. And I was succeeding beautifully. Until . . .

The following day - - when I got home from work and found a delivery from a local florist . . . a white milk glass vase with 2 red roses, and a card saying what a nice time he had on our date.

Ohhhhhhh my . . .

As I was standing there, shell-shocked, the phone rang. It was "the man", asking about my day. I kind of stammered into the phone, then apologized and told him I had just gotten home and gotten the delivery from the florist, and thanked him. He said he just wanted me to know that he really did enjoy getting to know me, and would I mind getting together again? I said that would be fine (well, what else COULD I say while holding flowers from him in my hand?) - - we chatted a few more minutes, then hung up.

I just sat there, thinking about the nice time we had, and the conversations we were having, and thought, "Maybe I need to give this one a second look."

And so I did . . .

And yes, there is MORE! :-)

A Turn-Around - - Finally

Dad's arm is amazingly better today!

When he got up this morning, he decided to take an Extra-Strength Tylenol instead of teh Darvocet. He's only allowed up to 4 Darvocet a day, so he wanted to make sure he would be able to take one at bedtime tonight. (Smart man, my Daddy is!)

When I came home at 11:30 to make him some lunch, he said his arm was still tender, but he didn't have much pain; in fact, he had not had to take any more Tylenol, or a Darvocet, or anything! Also, the swelling has gone down significantly, and he dark red color has faded a little.

When I got home at 5:00 this evening, he has still not taken any pain meds! But he said it was starting to get a bit more sore, so he took a Darvocet with supper. He can then take another one at bedtime if its needed.

I think he has finally turned a corner - - and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he just continues to improve.

One - slow - step - at - a - time . . . . . poor dear . . . . .

Here We Go Again . . . *sigh*

We made another trip to the Emergency Room with Dad this morning.

Well, actually, I should say Dear Hubby made the trip with Dad. Dad woke up with almost unbearable pain in his right arm, and the numbness was back in his hand to the point where he couldn't grip anything, not even to take his morning pills. I got up, took a quick shower, and called Hubby at work while I was getting dressed. He said his work was all caught up and then some, and that he was going to come home and he would take Dad to the ER. And he did.

Bless that man. I thank God every day for having him in my life!

Once they left, I finished getting dressed and headed into the office. This is Finals week for the Summer semester, and I had some things that needed done right away for some instructors. And, since my boss is gone until Wednesday, and we are also short-staffed due to one of my Help Desk workers being off sick, I was the only one at the time who could get it done. By being able to get in early, I was able to get everything done that was needed.

Dad was given some Darvocet for pain, and was scheduled to go back to Springfield this afternoon to meet with the doctor (again!) - - by that time, my "stuff" at work was caught up, so I called and told Hubby I could take Dad to Springfield.

He was having none of it. Excuse me??? He's MY Dad, you know . . .

He didn't care. He told me HE was going to take care of things today, and that was that.

*sigh*

Is it any wonder why I love that man?

Anyway, the Doctor told Dad that this is going to take some time to clear up, and to stay with the Darvocet. So Dad is with us for an undetrmined amount of time. Which is fine with us, but it's bugging the hell out of him . . . he wants to go back home! All in good time, Dad - - all in good time.

Keep ya posted.

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 4)

The phone calls from the "new man in my life" continued every evening. The conversations were light, and fun, and I found myself enjoying them, in spite of my determination not to start seeing anyone on a frequent basis. And it was funny - - the closer it got to Saturday, the more nervous I was becoming. I attributed it to the fact that I was going through a self-imposed moratorium on dating, and had not dated in almost a year. That, and Sheri's constant comments on how happy she was that I was dating this guy, and her giggles every time I protested that fact!

Saturday finally came, and found me taking extra care to look my best, all the while telling myself, "It's just one date. ONE DATE! That's all!"

*sigh* Why was I so darned nervous?!?

Finally, the doorbell rang, and there he was. We took off for a club in a nearby city to see a band. I remember that it was a very nice, relaxed evening, and as we had similar taste in music, really enjoyed the band. A Beatles tribute band, as I recall . . .

Later, when he brought me home, he leaned down, gave me a very short, sweet kiss, said goodnight, and was out the door. After he left, I just stood there . . . if this was just one date, and I didn't care one way or the other if I saw him again, why were my toes curling? (Definitely not something to mention to Sheri!)

As I was getting ready for bed, I found myself thinking about the evening, and realized I was smiling. I told myself to STOP THAT. It WAS just one date. I may never see or hear from him again. So STOP IT.

But I fell asleep smiling, all the same.

Yes, there is more . . .

Another Setback

Yesterday morning Dad woke with a lot of pain in the arm they used for the heart stent procedure. Also, his hand was numb. That was 2 of the symptoms they had told us to be on the lookout for, because they signaled that there was a problem.

So I called the Heart Institute in Springfield. They recommended I take him to the Emergency Room right away, which I did. The ER Doctor called Dad's Doctor from there, and a 12 Noon appointment was set for Dad at the Springfield office.

We got Dad over there to get checked out. The Doctor thought it might just be some pressure on the nerve by the incision site, but sent Dad to the Diagnostic Center for an ultrasound, just to be safe.

The ultrasound showed that the artery was showing some leaking around the incision site, and normal blood flow was not making all the way down the arm, causing some numbness in his hand. But, he does still have a good strong pulse in that arm. Also, some of the blood is pooling around the surgery area, which is causing the pressure and pain he is experiencing.

He now has that arm in a sling to ease some of the pressure, and we will be heading back to Springfield for his recheck on Monday . ..

*sigh*

Why is it - - whenever it is supposed to be one of the EASIER procedures . . . it isn't?

Keep my Dear Ol' Daddy in your thoughts and prayers - - appreciate it.

What the Hell Were They Thinking?!?!?!

I went to Springfield to pick up Dad from the hospital yesterday. I got there around 1:15 PM, and was told by staff at the Nurse's Station that he was not ready to be discharged yet - - that there was a "situation" - - and they were not sure when he would be discharged.

A "situation" . . . like what? I had called earlier that morning to check on exactly where I needed to go to get him, and no one had mentioned anything about any "situation" . . .

I could not believe what they told me.

A little background on heart stent patients - - usually, they go in through an artery in the groin area. However, if that artery is not available, such as in Dad's case (because of the past surgery in March that blocked off that artery and a bypass put in), they go in through an artery in the arm. Heart stent patients using the groin artery are ordered to be total bedrest, and laying totally flat on their backs. Patients who had the arm artery used, however, do not have that restriction.

Remember this as we go along. This is important.

Apparently during the night Monday, Dad had to go to the bathroom. The nurse just assumed he was on total bedrest. She ASSUMED this. And because she ASSUMED this, and DIDN'T CHECK THE ORDERS OR CHECK WITH THE DOCTOR LIKE SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO . . . instead of getting him up to go to the bathroom . . .

She had a catheter inserted.

Yes, that's right - - she apparently took in upon herself to have a catheter inserted, COMPLETELY AGAINST DOCTOR'S ORDERS.

Now, anyone who has been following the "Dad Saga" knows of the problems we had last March, when Dad had the catheter problem, and had to wear one for weeks. We just got that problem cleared up, and things are working well - - smooth sailing, so to speak. Even the Urologist has released him and said he doesn't need to check him for another 6 months.

And then this nurse decides to screw that up.

Apparently, when she put in the catheter, Dad said it "hurt like hell", and he was so uncomfortable, between that and staff coming every couple of hours to check his vital signs, he got almost no sleep all night.

WELL!

When his Doctor came in to check on him the next morning and discovered what had happened, he was LIVID! And rightfully so. He investigated and found out who did it, and told the RN he was going downstairs to the Cath Lab to "take care of business."

I hope the bitch got fired.

SO!

I get to the Nurse's Station and they tell me all of this. AAAAAND they got to see the Sicilian temper side of Dizzy Ms. Lizzy. It was not a pretty sight, not at all. I was ranting. I was yelling. I was very, very angry. They ALL knew it.

His urine had a lot of blood in it, and they were having to keep him there until it started clearing up. They did not know how long it would take.

I told them I was not leaving that hospital until 1) he was going with me, and 2) I talked to the Doctor. And, I did not care how late I was there until I did!

They asked me if they released him and he was still having the problem, would I be able to take him to his Urologist the next day? I said NO! If they broke him, THEY were going to fix him! And we were NOT leaving until they did!

The RN talked with the Unit's RN Manager, who came in to talk to me. She was apologizing all over herself. She assured me that Dad would be taken care of. She assured me the Doctor was taking care of whoever caused the problem.

I repeated the same thing to her that I had told the Nurses - - YOU broke him, YOU are going to fix him. Period.

About 4:15, the Doctor came in to see us. He and I had a very good talk. Believe me, he was as upset as I was! This man is very particular about his patients and how they are treated, and what happened to Dad was totally unacceptable. (Well, YEAH) I told the Doctor that I am an only child, that his patient was the only Daddy I have, and I am very, VERY protective of him. I did not appreciate someone not only doing an unnecessary procedure on him, but they caused him physical pain, and after all the problems Dad has had in that area, they better hope they didn't cause any permanent damage! (or else)

I have no doubt that someone is in very bad trouble in the Cath Lab there.

Finally, around 5:30 or so, they said Dad was doing well enough to be discharged. They got all his paperwork ready, and eventually I was able to break him out of there . . . finally!

Dad is doing much better now. His problem finally cleared up last night and has not returned. But he's very tired, his arm is still pretty sore, and can't seem to get enough sleep today. But I'm sure tomorrow will be even better, and hopefully he can go back home on Friday.

Please keep my Dear Ol' Daddy in your thoughts and prayers.

Back Home

Dad is back home with us for a few days now.

I went to Springfield to pick him up from the hospital today, and there was a "situation" . . . I will have to explain more later. Right now I'm exhausted. But it is a very INTERESTING "situation" and I even got to lose my temper a bit and throw a little hissy fit. It was grand and glorious.

Hopefully once THIS stuff settles down, I can get back to the "24 Years Ago" posts - - heck, it was just getting interesting, and then I go and leave you all in suspense . . . nothing like a cliff-hanger, huh? ;-) I'll post the rest soon, that's a promise.

Just gotta get Dad all situated first.

But for now, g'night *yawn*

Everything Went Well!

Dad's procedure went well - - the Doctor is very pleased!

I am now home, and will head back tomorrow afternoon to bring him back to my house for a few days . . . (this sounds familiar, doesn't it?)

Since Dad's surgery in March, they can no longer use the artery in the groin area to go through and place a stent; instead, they have to go in through the arm. That means that he will have to be very careful with that arm for the next 3 days, so instead of staying with me 1-2 days as originally planned, he will probably be with us until the weekend.

That's fine - - he's a very easy houseguest, and Squeaky Kitty is VERY happy to have Grandpa back! She's already been lovin' all over him!

We are all very happy to have this procedure done and over with!

We Interrupt This Blog for the Following Announcement . . .

I am in Springfield at the Heart Institute. They just took Dad back for his heart stent procedure.

I'll be sure to keep you all posted on how he does.

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 3)

That evening on the way home from work, Sheri continued her campaign to get me to go out with "the guy" on the business card. She was persistent, I must admit! Finally, I asked her to give the card back to me. It was a card for a local car dealership, and on the back were places to fill in contact information. I took the card, and on the back, wrote my name and address (figured he already knew where I lived, so what did it matter) and in the blank for the phone number, wrote "Still unlisted (nice try, though!)" - - and handed it back to Sheri. I then told her she could pass it on to her friend next time she saw him.

Little did I know . . .

That night, I was in bed early. All this mandatory overtime was really draining me! It was around 8:30 pm, and I was sitting up in bed reading, when the phone rang. When I answered, there was a very nice-sounding male voice on the other end who said, "So, you are still unlisted, huh?"

Oooooh my - - Sheri, you little brat.

I replied, "Well, yes, I WAS . . . be sure to call our mutual friend and make your goodbyes, because she is toast tomorrow when I see her!" He just laughed and said, "Don't blame her. She said she thought I was a nice guy, and that I should have a chance to talk with you again. I really hope I'm not bothering you."

*sigh* No, of course not. What else did I have to do, except catch up on my sleep? I decided that a brief conversation wouldn't hurt, and might appease Sheri.

That conversation ended TWO HOURS LATER, and somehow, with a date scheduled for the following Saturday night. I told him he could come by and pick me up, so that he would be assured that I would actually meet him this time!

And I figured since I wasn't seeing anyone at that point, a date would be a nice diversion. And, maybe it would quiet Sheri down a bit. And it was just ONE DATE, right? What could that hurt? It's not like I was going to keep seeing the guy, or get serious or anything, right?

Seems like fate had other ideas about that . . . . .

Oh, by the way - - I still have the business card:



That blur in the upper-righ-hand corner is where he wrote my UNLISTED PHONE NUMBER as Sheri gave it to him. Brat.

And yes, there's more . . .

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 2)

The Monday morning following my weekend in St. Louis found me getting up early and driving across town to meet my carpool. About halfway there, I happened to glance over and notice something on my windshield, stuck under the passenger side windshield wiper. What the heck? I pulled over into a parking lot and grabbed it. It was a business card from a local car dealer. I again thought, what the heck? I just bought this new truck, and someone is trying to sell me something? Weird . . .

I put the card on the seat next to me and started driving again. Something was nagging at me about the card - - what was it? But I was tired and sleepy, and just wanted to get across town and meet my carpool so we could get to work.

But as I drove, that nagging feeling kept at me, and I kept glancing at the card. What was going on here? Suddenly it hit me - - Oh my gosh! That was the guy I met last week at the Arch, and I stood up Saturday night! What the . . . ?!?!?! How did he find where I lived? I didn't mention an address - - I just mentioned the "West End", which is pretty darned big! What is going on here?!?!?!

When I got with my carpool, I brought the card with me and told them all the tale. They got a pretty good laugh out of it. Later in the day, one of the carpool members, Sheri, asked me if I still had the card with me. When I said yes, she asked if she could see it again, so I gave it to her. She looked at it for a minute, and then said, "I thought this phone number looked familiar. I know this guy! He really is a nice guy; I think you should go out with him. Really." I told Sheri if she thought he was so nice, she should keep the card and go out with him. She just laughed and said, "No, I think he is nice for YOU!" I disagreed, and would not take the card back from her.

Little did I know what Sheri had in mind for that card, and for me . . .

24 Years Ago . . . (pt. 1)

24 years ago - - July 10, 1984. That date fell on a Tuesday that year. It was my roommate's birthday, and she wanted to go out and celebrate. I volunteered as designated driver, for many reasons - - I had to go to work early the next day, so I didn't need to be drinking anything stronger that soda; also, my roommate had just gotten a new car, and neither of us felt like she needed to be taking any chances with it after celebrating her special day.

So out we went. First to our favorite hang-out, Lock, Stock & Barrel, a pub near the College campus. It was kind of a quiet night, but there was a nice crowd, and lots of friends to hang with.

But then my roomie got bored. She wanted to go to the Arch Lounge. *sigh* The LAST place I wanted to be that night was the Arch! I tried my best to talk her out of it, but it was no use - - it was HER birthday, and she wanted to go to the Arch, and she wanted to go NOW . . . pretty please?

*sigh*

Okay - - so we were off to the Arch.

As we walked into the place, I scoped it out as usual - - it was pretty quiet in there (it was a TUESDAY NIGHT, after all), there was a local band playing that I knew pretty well, and there didn't seem to be any obvious axe murderers loitering around, so I settled into an empty seat at the bar to listen to the band while my roomie found a group of her friends to sit with.

As I was sitting there, sipping a Diet Coke and listening to the band play, the man next to me struck up a conversation. He seemed nice enough, and I was bored just sitting there waiting for roomie, so we started chatting. During the course of the conversation, he started asking for my phone number, but I shut that down, saying that it was unlisted, and it was going to stay that way. He accepted that, but still kept his hand in, hoping I would relent and give him the number, but he was not successful.

Finally, my dear roomie came up and told me that she was going to stay with the other group, and that they had promised to get her home safely. She knew I had to go to work early, so she thought that might be the best thing for her to do. Which was fine, because I was tired, and just wanted to go home at that point.

The man I had been chatting with walked me out to my vehicle, and made one more attempt to get my phone number; he said he really wanted to talk to me some more, that he had really enjoyed getting to know me a little bit. Again, the answer was no.

He then swtiched tactics - - would I at least agree to meet him on Saturday, at a place of my choosing, and at least give him a chance to get to know me a little better? I said yes, but it was just mainly to get him to LEAVE ME ALONE so that I could go home - - I was tired, and morning was coming up fast. So I told him when, and where, and got in my truck and went home.

I had NO intentions of meeting him on Saturday, and I didn't. In fact, I took my son to St. Louis for a weekend of Zoo time and baseball game fun.

I thought that was the end of it, but apparently I had underestimated that man . . .

More to follow.

Medical Update

Update #1:Well, it's "Dad Time" again!

Dad is going to have his second heart stent procedure done this coming Monday. We need to have him in Springfield at 2 PM that day. They will do the procedure, and then keep him overnight. I will go back to Springfield on Tuesday to pick him up and bring him back to our house for a couple of days. So we will have a house guest again for a couple of days! Which is fine - - he's an easy guest to have around.

And Squeak will be so happy - - her "Grandpa" will be back!

Update #2: This time it's for me.

Back last November, I had a small mass show up on my right hand, just below the thumb. I checked with my Doctor, who said he thought it might be a ganglian cyst, which sometimes show up there, because they attach themselves to a tendon. We decided to wait until after the Holidays to pursue it, because you know how THAT time if year is . . . and since it was causing me no pain or discomfort, and was not impeding any hand motion, we decided to wait until after the New Year.

Well, when January hit, that is when all the stuff started with Dad. Every time I tried to schedule something for my hand, I had to cancel it because something else would come up for him. Finally - - FINALLY - - I was able to get back to my Doctor and have him check it again.

By this time, it had grown a little bit, but it still does not cause any pain or discomfort, nor does it impede any motion in any way. My Doctor referred me to a very good Doctor at The Hand Center. They took X-rays, and got me into a room to meet with Dr. S.

When I spoke with Dr. S, he agreed that it could be a ganglian, but the X-rays were pretty inconclusive, so he ordered an MRI for me. I got that done a couple of weeks ago, and yesterday went back to meet with him to discuss the findings. It seems it is NOT a cyst, but a soft tissue mass, similar to a fatty tumor, and he feels the best course of action is to excise it. As in cut into my hand and remove it.

SO - - I now have hand surgery scheduled. It will take place August 22nd. It's fairly minor, and an outpatient procedure. Dear Hubby has already scheduled that day off, and will be there with me the whole day. They will use the "Twilight" anesthesia, so a couple of hours after surgery they will send me home. Steve then plans to stay home in case I need anything (BLESS THAT DEAR MAN!)(I'm definitely keeping him!)

I thought I was handling it all very well, but . . . last night I couldn'd sleep; my blood pressure was pretty high. And today, I felt kinda light-headed and had trouble focusing all day. The boss finally sent me home at 3:00 this afternoon, and when I got home, I immediately laid down and took a short nap. Things are a bit better now, but I still don't feel 100%.

It's all nerves . . . and I realize that everything will be FINE. Really it will. But it's still nerve-wracking.

Why couldn't this be happening to my LEFT hand? I'm predominately right-handed, I make my living on a keyboard and mouse, and this damn thing is on my RIGHT HAND.

*sigh*

2008 has NOT been an easy year for the Jackson household . . .

Happy 4th of July!

ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY!

She's BAAAAAAACK!!!!!

UPDATE: Total damages to the Jeep are right at $4700. Add to that two Doctor visits, 2-1/2 days missed work, 2 prescriptions, and 8 X-rays - - and that is just for ME! Then there is the person in front of me that I was pushed into . . . that guy's insurance company is NOT going to be happy!

Would you look at this?






(Yes, that's me standing by the Jeep)







Isn't she a beauty?

Dad Update - Good News!

Dad and I went to his recheck appointment yesterday with his urologist. Doctor is VERY pleased with the way Dad is doing! The Flomax is doing its job, and there is no surgery being considered at this point in time. Dad doesn't have to come back for a recheck for six months. YAY DAD!

In other "Dad News" - - his second heart stent procedure is scheduled for Monday, July 14th. I will take him to Springfield for that, and it will require an overnight hospital stay; I will be back to pick him up the following afternoon (if he behaves, that is - - otherwise, I will tell him to walk!(Just kidding)

I'll keep you posted on how that goes, but we don't anticipate any problems.

AND another "Dad News" bit - - here is this 83-year-old man, who always says that as his age he doesn't even dare by green bananas . . . is going out today and buying a new car! He talked about it yesterday, and said he was just 'thinking' about it, but that he was in no rush, and didn't plan on doing anything for awile yet.

Well, apparently "a while yet" meant just overnight, because I got a call from him this morning that he had talked to his bank, made loan arrangements, and was getting ready to head to the car dealership this afternoon to try and finalize the deal.

*sigh*

What AM I going to do with that old man? WHAT?

Oh well - - I'm just glad he's happy and is able to do this. I'll post pictures of the car as soon as I can!

The Doctor Says . . .

I cannot believe the lack of respect I get.

From people who are supposed to be my FRIENDS, no less!

I went back to the Doctor today for the two-week recheck from the wreck I was involved in. The X-ray results were good, and I am having no residual aches or pains.

The Doctor said I was "back to normal" . . . and herein lies the problem . . .

Anybody I tell this to laughs at me. LAUGHS!!

One so-called friend told me I should get a second opinion on that . . .

*hmph*

FRIENDS, indeed!

(Actually, I can't deny deserving all this . . . I AM, after all, a BRAT!)

Kitty Belly!

OH, CARMICHAEL!!!!

Look at you, boy!

Showing your belly like that! Have you no shame?



*sigh*

Obviously not . . .

Jeep Update

Took the Jeep to the body shop this morning. He will have it all this week and probably part of next week. He has already torn into it, and said that under all the exterior damage, he didn't find much more. That thing IS built like a tank! He said he feels it will be a "good fix" - - and knowing Butch, it will definitely look brand new by the time he is done with it! (And YES, I will post pictures!)

Until my Jeep baby is back home, I am at the mercy of friends and family to get where I need to go. Fortunately, a close friend at work drives right past my house on her way to work and back home every day, so I am able to hitch rides with her. Thank God for friends and family! Without them, this situation would be an even worse ordeal than it already is.

la-de-da-de-da

I am heartbroken. When I got home from work today and checked the mail, there were not any more envelopes from ambulance chasers! Fickle bastards . . . *heh*

la-de-da-de-da

But I DID get a mailing from the insurance company of the man who ran into me. The letter said that they had been trying to contact me by phone, but were not successful, and that it was imperative that I contact them IMMEDIATELY to discuss this claim.

Funny thing is, the date of the letter is the day AFTER I talked to the them - - and the letter is signed by the SAME PERSON I TALKED TO . . .

NOT a good sign! *sigh*

la-de-da-de-da

Keep you posted.

AND Now We Have the "Ambulance Chasers"...

Update 6/22/08: I just got the second offer of representation yesterday in the mail - - this time, from a local firm. It met the same fate as the previous one (namely, the dreaded SHREDDER!)

When I got home from work today, there was this large, bright fire-engine red envelope in the mail, addressed to me. It was from a Personal Injury law firm, wanting to represent me in my "case" against the guy who hit me. AND (get this!) they could do it for FREE!

Um, yeah. Let's see - - "Lawyers" and "Free" are NOT two words that you EVER find in the same sentence. NOT EVER.

So on top of the other asshats I'm having to deal with, there are the "ambulance chasers" attacking through the mail . . .

*sigh*

Keep ya posted.

$3,200 - - So Far!

Initial estimate on repairs to the Jeep have come in at $3,200. However, both the claims adjustor and the body shop guy have said that once they get the bumpers and fenders off, they know they will find more, so the claims guy has already said he will have to go out there and do an additional estimate.

I missed work Monday and Tuesday, Monday not only because of paperwork and Doctor/Hospital visits, but because I was feeling so crappy. Tuesday I felt even worse, so I stayed home. Wednesday I came to work, but had to come home at lunchtime for the rest of the day because I started feeling so bad. FINALLY, on Thursday, I felt clear-headed for the first time since the wreck. And today (Friday) is a little better still.

L-O-N-G, S-L-O-W process . . . *sigh*

IN OTHER NEWS - -

The insurance company of the guy who hit me has called me twice so far, and the guy yesterday wanted to "settle" on my medical claims. I said no. He told me the amount he was willing to offer. I said no. He offered to have an open-ended deal for all of (get this!) 30 days. I said NO. I am NOT settling. I don't know if I will have problems after 30 days, and if I do, then I have lost out. I want to make sure I am well and healthy. Period.

My Jeep goes into the body shop on Monday, and the healing process will begin for it also. It's going to take a week or two, but Butch promises that it will be good as new, and I believe him. He does AWESOME work, and I know he will be true to his word. Can't wait to have my baby back all bright and shiny again!

The guy who was in front of me that I got pushed into in the wreck has called me at home (WTF?) and told me that he had been "talking to a buddy at work" who told him that since I was the one who hit him, I was partially responsible for his damages! Excuse me, asshole - - I didn't hit you because I wanted to, I was PUSHED INTO YOU. You want to state your case, call my insurance agent. Do not call me at home. Ever again. Period. Leave me the hell alone. (Jerk)

Keep ya posted.

Look At This!

Remember my little cherry tree? The one I blogged about here, and how happy I was that it had actually seemed to recover from the 2006 Ice storm?

WELL - - LOOK AT THIS:




I went outside for a quick walk this morning to try and get some of the "wreck" stiffness out of my body, when I noticed a couple of the branches had quite a few ripe cherries on them. I hurried back inside to get a plastic bag, and picked the ones I could reach.

The other branch is way too high, and will take a ladder to reach the fruit. But, I don't think I can handle a ladder right now, with the pain I'm experiencing and the meds I'm on. So they will have to wait until Dear Hubby Steve gets home.

There may not be enough cherries to make my Daddy a whole cherry pie, but I bet there will be enough to make him a nice cobbler or crisp - - This is what I've been waiting for ever since we moved here!

Later today I will get them pitted and put in a freezer bag, and hopefully be able to add to them as more of the fruit ripens. Can't wait to start baking!