Bullying (part 1)

Found this on Facebook....
(Thanks, Princess Free Zone)

A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stamp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bully’s another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.

When you were growing up, were you ever bullied? I was an extremely shy, awkward little girl, and got bullied unmercifully, by the nuns in the Catholic school I attended, the other kids - - you name it. After entering Junior High and High School, it just continued on. I got SO tired of being picked on and made the butt of practical jokes.

And what the above says is so true....now that I am "all grown up" and living a very good life, there are still times when something might happen, and it brings back those feelings I had when I was young. Yes, the scars still remain.

That teacher was right. And I sure wish she had been around when I was growing up.

(To be continued...)

Danger!

This is just SO Lil Dude.......



I'm just trying to figure out how they got into my house to take his picture?

Random

Ever laughed so hard you cried? Until your stomach hurt?

That was me this weekend.

We had friends come up from the St. Louis area to visit; hadn't seen them in a LONG time. These are the "warped, off-the-wall crazy" kind of friends that we all need to have in our life.

I laughed. The tears streaming down my face. The deep belly laughs that come from just letting go and having FUN.

I so needed that!

So a BIG "Thank You!" goes out to Dave, Pam and Joey for coming up and providing me that opportunity. I love you guys!

Hill Climbin'

No, we did not get on our hiking boots and head out into the open countryside. But we DID do a lot of walking. And sitting. And people watching.

Last Sunday we went to the Newport Hill Climb in Newport, Indiana. Newport is a small town, not too far from the Illinois/Indiana border. It's 2010 Census population was 515 residents. But during their 3-day Hill Climb event? The entire town is PACKED. The entire town is one giant flea market/vendor set-up/food trailers everywhere kind of place.

And a car show. A very big, very nice car show. And that's where Mr. Dizzy and I were mainly there for.

We brought over THIS beauty:


That is a 1965 Pontiac Tempest. Mr. Dizzy's father bought it brand new and drove it off the showroom floor on September 30, 1964. It was one of the first 1965 Pontiac's produced. His father has had it all these years, and has taken excellent care of it. It is ALL original. Nothing has been restored on the car - - NOTHING. Original paint even! The interior is immaculate. Everything about the car is in amazing condition. And, only 76,000 original miles.

Isn't it a beauty?

Newport is about a 2 hour drive from our house. Sunday morning we got up extremely early (3:45 AM? NOT fun) and trailered the car over for the show. I was looking forward to a fun day - - looking at the other cars in the show, meeting some nice new people, walking through the vendors, and of course watching the Hill Climb competition.....

We got over there, and it was FREEZING cold. I mean, seeing your breath/shivering uncontrollably/where the hell is my winter coat kind of freezing. And we were outside. At a car show. With no vendors open yet. And I could NOT stop shivering.......

I was ready to start walking back home. At least I would have worked up a sweat and gotten warm!

Finally, some of the vendors started opening up, and I was on a mission. Find a warm sweatshirt to put on over all my other clothes and add another layer under my coat, and some gloves. Found a sweatshirt vendor, and all he had left was either too small or way too large. Went for the too large (so now Mr. Dizzy has a new shirt to wear!) and finally found some lightweight gloves.

That helped considerably!

The day finally started warming up close to the Noon hour, to the point where I could unzip my coat and be halfway comfortable. But I could not get warm enough, even in the direct sun - - I had been chilled through to my bones! But in spite of this, it was a fun day.

Now, for the "Hill Climb" part of the day - -

Newport has one main attraction in it's small town borders - - a BIG FREAKIN' HILL:

(The photo does NOT do the Hill justice - - it is extremely steep!)

All these antique cars register to climb the hill. It's a class competition, and even though by today's standards the hill doesn't look that intimidating, you should try climbing it in a car that is only pulling 7 horsepower!

According to the Newport Hill Climb Website, the Climb has been going on yearly since 1909. It's a big 3-day event for the town. This is the third year we have gone, and we always have a great time.

If you ever get a chance, you should check out this event. It's really a lot of fun, and with it being so close to where we live, it's a nice little day trip to take.

It felt good to actually be able to get away from home and just spend a day doing something fun. I just hope next time it's just a tad bit warmer!

Back Into the Swing of Things

I need to start blogging again on a more consistent basis. Seriously.

I love to write. It's an outlet for me - - from the stresses of the daily routine. However, I have had NO desire to write lately, due mostly to things going on in life that have just knocked the energy out of me.......

~ Major abdominal surgery in June - I had VERY good intentions of blogging during the 8-week recovery at home, both on this blog and my recipe blog. How much did I write? Nothing. Zilch. Zero. No energy? Partly. No desire? Absolutely. (Same thing for reading. The stack of magazines? Still sitting there. My Kindle? Barely touched.)

~ Losing Squeak. Yes, she was a cat. Just an animal. Or so some people may think. But in reality? She was a FAMILY MEMBER. Daddy's little girl. And her passing left a great big hole in our lives. Hard to shake something like that. Still haven't. Not sure if, or when, we will. She was a pretty special kitty.

~ Work. My office is usually a frantic place. This semester it is doubly so, since my co-worker is going through a high-risk pregnancy and is on total bedrest in hospital for the duration. She is still able to work via online, so anything that can be done on the computer gets sent her way, and I handle all the face-to-face things here in the office. Considering this happened the first week I came back to work and was attempting full days, it's been draining to say the least. Going home and doing anything but collapsing in a heap on the couch the first few weeks was not an option. It's a bit better now, as the semester is well underway AND my energy level has gotten better. Still a ways to go yet though.....

ANYWAY.

All this has conspired against me. It's been rough.

However - - the past week or so I have been feeling the itch to do some writing again. I'm hoping by posting this, it will fan that little flame and get me going again. I have LOTS of things to write about. And I have a lot of recipes to post on my recipe blog. I need to get on it!

I am determined to finish out this year writing more. My stress level needs this as an outlet. Badly.

So you all have been warned. I'm back, and going to do my damndest to stay here.

Daddy's Little Girl

We are heartbroken.


Squeak
2004-2011

Rest in peace, our little Squeaky girl. You will be missed terribly. But, you will always be alive in our hearts.

Celebration Time Again!

It's Decatur Celebration time again this weekend! We are pumped, and ready to go!

I was very concerned that my recent surgery would prevent me from getting down there and working stage this year, and was not looking forward to breaking my 25-year run. However! I definitely AM going to be down there! Not doing as much as in previous years, but still! I will be there!

This year our stage has Fastball on Friday night, Patty Smythe and Scandal on Saturday night, and Night Ranger Sunday night.

Other bands on other stages this year include Here Come the Mummies, Tiffany, Digital Underground, Rose Royce, and many, many more.....it will be a GREAT year. And the forecast sounds like it will be a good weekend.

You can find out everything about the festival at www.decaturcelebration.com. Check it out.

Come on down to downtown Decatur and party with us!

Good Report!

My second post-op at the Doctor yesterday went very well! She is pleased with my healing progress, and thinks everything is looking good. We adjusted my estrogen dosage up a bit to help combat the mood swings (I mostly get "the tears" and will cry at everything, or nothing at all), but there are also times when I will get aggravated at something and just "snap" - - and that is NOT a good thing.

The Doctor has released me to go back to work on August 8th, part-time that first week. That will give my new medicine dosage a chance to start getting leveled out before diving back into the office scene. Fortunately, I have been able to do part-time work hours from my home computer, so it won't be like trying to get re-acclimated after a two month absence!

Am I looking forward to going back to work? Yes and no.

Yes, because I love the work that I do, and my officemates are the best you could ever find anywhere.

No, because - - well, it's been really nice being able to work from home, and spend more time here. I love my home. It's our dream house, and I spend so many work hours away from it that I miss it. And, I have been able to spend more time with my furry kitty-kids, and with Dear Mr. Dizzy also.

This time being home has made me realize that when it comes time for retirement, I will be able to handle it just fine. The problem with that? Well, that time is NOT going to be any time soon, unfortunately - - but someday, it will be our turn. Mr. Dizzy and I are BOTH looking forward to that day!

But, until then, it's back to the office on August 8th, and things will be just fine.

Road Trippin'

OKAY.....yesterday was my Maiden Voyage (or "Virgin Voyage" as my cousin Echo calls it), driving out of town by myself, for the first time since surgery. It consisted of a 35 mile trip to my home town to meet Dad for lunch and spend a little time with family. Mr. Dizzy had to work, so I decided it was time to try venturing out by myself, a little further than the short local trips to the Post Office and Walmart.

The day started out nice and cool, a bit of sun, and a nice breeze. I left the house around 9 AM and headed down. Stopping at a friend's house a few miles outside of my home town gave me a nice little break and a chance to visit, then it was on the rest of the way to Dad's. So far, so good.

Lunch was at my cousin's cafe downtown. I had never had the chance to eat there, since they are only open for lunch during the week, and I'm never down there at that time (too damn busy working all the time!). Lunch was fantastic, and all homemade. Other family members also work there, so it was a nice chance to have a good meal, and also get in a bit of a visit with family.

With our tummies happy, we headed back to Dad's house to spend a little time together. But, I was starting to feel my energy level diminish, so decided to cut the visit short and head back towards home. I made it with no problem, but was starting to feel extremely tired, so leaving early was definitely the right decision!

Mr. Dizzy and I decided that today we would head to the Farmer's Market at the College early, and then on to Tuscola to our booth at the antique shop to check things out, since I had not been able to get there since before surgery. I figured that since we were making it an early night, I would get plenty of sleep and be nice and recuperated for the trip.

I was wrong.....

Even though I slept hard, and slept all night, getting up this morning was a major chore.....I was exhausted! Fortunately, Mr. Dizzy was doing the driving. We stopped at the Farmer's Market and I sleepwalked through that, and then on the way over to the antique shop I kind of dozed. We made a quick pass through our booth, cleaning, rearranging items, and visiting a bit with the shop owner. By that time I was getting pretty tired, so we decided to cut it short and head back towards home.

Once we made it back to town, it was a quick stop for quick bite of lunch, and then - - thankfully - - home.

Is my energy level EVER going to come back? Yes, I know, it takes time. And, it's only been just under 5 weeks since the surgery. But, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am NOT a patient person. And this is really getting to me. I am a high-energy person who is always having to do something to keep busy. This? Is driving me CRAZY.

*sigh*

Oh well.....it will come, all in good time.

Unfortunately, not soon enough for me!

Four Weeks Ago Today.....

My hysterectomy surgery was four weeks ago today. FOUR WEEKS! My, how times flies when you are having fun - - or even when you are not!

So far, the healing process has been going well. I have good days and bad, but the good days are becoming more the norm and the bad days are getting fewer and farther between.

I had high hopes of getting lots of things done while sitting in the recliner or sprawled out on my couch - - there are lots of books to read, a scarf to knit, recipes to be typed into my recipe blog. HIGH HOPES, I has them! But instead of all this, what has been happening instead?

Naps. Lots and lots of naps. And you know what I have discovered? I absolutely LOVE naps! Why we fight them as little kids, I don't understand. They are magical!

My first post-op checkup went well. The Doctor was pleased with my progress, and released me to be able to do some work hours on computer from home. And, I believe this has helped my healing process, because it has allowed me to start feeling like a real part of the team again.

I was also given permission to drive, but am still a bit hesitant about going out of town by myself, and have had to be content with just some short trips aroung town - - the bank, drugstore, grocery store, etc. Hopefully soon I will get my courage up and try an out-of-town trip.My next post-op checkup is July 27th. I am hoping for a return to work on August 1st, possibly half-days that first week. Looking forward to getting back to the office and back in the swing of things.

Wonder if there can be a cot put in my office for my daily nap?

Recovering.......

Surgery was two weeks ago today. Everything went great, and I am home for six weeks recovering. It's slow, but each day I feel a little bit stronger and a little bit better.

The Doctor did have to do a total hysterectomy, because once she got in there, there were many things to deal with, and it was best to just take it all out and get it over with. I am so glad she did.

The best news of all? The final pathology report, stating that EVERYTHING was benign. 100% benign. Thank you, God!

My post-op checkup is this Wednesday, and I think the Doctor will be pleased with my progress!

Surgery

This is like "Deja Vu all over again" - - didn't I just go through surgery last Fall? Well yes, I did, to have my right foot worked on.

But this time? It's a bit more serious.....it's surgery of the "female persuasion".....

Tomorrow morning, I am scheduled for a hysterectomy at 7:30 AM. Hopefully all will go smoothly, and I will be home in a few days. I am off work on Medical Leave for 4-6 weeks.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers, please, and I will post once I am back home and feeling up to it.

Tomorrow's gonna be a L-O-O-O-N-G day......

Happy 25th Anniversary!

Today is our 25th Wedding Anniversary! Yes, 25 years ago today, I was fortunate enough to become the wife to the most wonderful husband in the world.

Photo courtesy of Alida Duff Sullivan

Happy Anniversary, Babe. I would marry you all over again.

Here's to the next 25 years!

Finally - - Spring!

There are signs of Spring all over at the Dizzy household.....

The trees are blooming:


Violets are starting to pop up in the grass, which is getting so green:


And INSIDE the house? It's just as apparent:


LOVES me some Spring.

The Reason for My Absence

See? I really HAVE been busy!

It is such a good feeling to have this process finished! And now I might actually have a little time to do something other than homework!

Back Soon.....

I have been working on a MAJOR educational deal, which has basically taken up the majority of any "spare" time I might otherwise have. This has been going on for a good part of last year, and also since January of this year.

I completed it yesterday.

*DEEP BREATH*

I will have more to report on it once I get my papers from the school, and will share once I do.

Thanks for your patience!

~ Dizzy

Yes, I Took A Break.....

A special "Thank you!" to Eileen Cook for linking to me in her blog. Appreciate it, Eileen! :-)
(And yes, I definitely AM a fan!)

It's been awhile since I posted, but it's been quite hectic at Chez Dizzy! Work, home, cats, family.....*whew*

But I haven't been totally offline; I have been busy posting in my recipe blog, "Cooking In the Kitchen With Dizzy," which is where I have been typing in my favorite family recipes. This way my recipes will be stored electronically and I don't have to worry about misplacing one. And, with the way they are categorized, it will be much easier to find a particular recipe when I need it.

Please check it out sometime!

What a Beautiful Sight

Looked out the window the other evening, and this is what I saw:



Absolutely beautiful.

New Year Cats!

Having been home for just over a week, we have had a lot of good "quality time" to spend with our furbabies.....

Squeak and Lil Dude decided to "help" me changing sheets on the Guest Room bed:


Mr. Dizzy, the "Cat Whisperer" - - no matter where he sits, he always has one or two cats on him:




Carmichael, hamming it up for the camera:


One little slug-a-bug asleep in the sun:


One more little slug-a-bug asleep on the arm of the loveseat:


And one more (not so) little slug-a-bug who WAS asleep on the cat tree, until Mommy woke him up with the camera:


And all is well in the cat's sunroom (we only think it's ours; they know better!):


Can't think of a nicer way to start off the new year than with lovin' furbabies!

2011: Resolutions?

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? I usually don't. But this year, there are some things that I would like to see happen....no, make that things that MUST happen.

• Financial security - - work out some "issues" brought about in 2010 that MUST be resolved.
• Career - - work out a couple of "issues" there as well.....not sure which way this will go, but am hoping for the best.
• Good health - - including maintain a good weight, eat well and have a proper diet, and keep hitting the Gym.
• Love and happiness - - take care of Mr. Dizzy and my furbabies to the best of my ability.
• GET MY SENSE OF HUMOR BACK. With everything that has been going on, I've lost it somewhere.

I think keeping them more "general" and less "specific" (except for the last one) will help me be able to see any progress made during the coming year.

What about you? Any resolutions for the new year?