Happy Birthday Linny Lou!

Tomorrow I'll head to the casino for lunch with the girls. We'll be celebrating the birthday of Linda Pedersen, who I will now display on my blog.

Here's me, Ruthie, and Linda in 1973. A Christmas party, I think. I had just started work at the clinic (topic of my next Town Kid blog) and I sure wish I had this picture full length 'cause I was a whole lot thinner then and not bad looking either.  Not a dish, of course, but definitely not a casserole bowl either.  ha ha

Here's me and Linda and Arlene Wheeler Stapf in the early 90's. This was taken in the billing office at the mill. Arlene was born Oct. 11, 1940 and died in Feb. '95, unfortunately. She was a character, that's for sure. Lots of laughs with that lady.

Here's Linda, Ruth, me and Ruth at the county fair maybe last year?

It's looking mighty gray, wet, and overcast today, but I'm sure thankful we don't have to deal with Hurricane Sandy's aftermath.  Their problems have only just begun.

Got an email from Rose Johnson yesterday with "helpful tips."  I had seen some of them before but I have a tendency to forget  so it was interesting to see them again. This was my favorite.

Gotta get busy around here.  Woke up with a sinus headache and I think I'd best go search my medicine cabinet for a decongestant.   Gonna make some cinnamon rolls too (if I can muster the energy).  My to-do list is mostly "fun stuff at my leisure".....finish a quilt, transcribe diary notes, press two completed cross-stitch designs, work on my jigsaw puzzle, read, nap, and oh yeah..at the bottom of the list....EXERCISE!  Here's hoping I can work it in.  ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Here's some commercials.... good ones!

Stolen in the night

Will I never learn?!  Why oh why can't I get it through my head that the deer are going to visit during the early morning hours and eat any birdseed they can find?!  I'm always a little surprised (although I shouldn't be) how dumb I am!

I guess I'm going to have to accept the fact that I can't watch the birds feeding from my front window (my only front window) and content myself with the backyard only.  I know.  If this is the only thing I can think of to complain about, I should be ashamed. And I am. Sorta. Still ticked, though!

Been listening to the news all morning and very thankful I don't live on the east coast. Mary and Andy are in eastern NY (near Lake Ontario) and should be flying out of there as I type this. They'll head to Chicago and then SeaTac. Mary said they were missing the storm by minutes.

Watched 'Call the Midwife' last night. Just love that show!  I kept watching the main character and finally figured out why I was so intent on watching her face.  She reminds me of how I remember my mother looking when she was young.  It's hard to tell from the pictures here but there is a definite resemblance as I watch the tv screen.

This "one and only" picture I have of my mother as a 20-something is kind of blurry but the nurse in the series definitely takes me back in time.  Right before Midwife is another PBS program about television pioneers. Last night they covered westerns. Next week will be police shows.  Was especially interesting to see the interviews of the stars and how they look today.  Many have since died, like Fess Parker, who I barely recognized as he had more face hair on the show last night.

I think seeing the aging process of all the heroes of the past was probably the most interesting segment of the show. Here's a picture of how my mom aged .....

Both my VCRs were an hour off on time yesterday. I can't understand why they were an hour behind. I think they reset themselves for daylight and standard time but that isn't due to come about until next month.  Weird.

I got a whole lot accomplished yesterday. Just little things but enough to satisfy my 'to-do list'. Gonna run downtown now and see about talking to a person at the senior center who can advise me on prescription insurance.  At least I hope he can. It may end up being a case of me helping myself.

It's broken

My thermastat cover broke off this morning.  Anybody know how I would replace it?  Hardware store?  Or since it's plastic, am I just plain out of luck?  I can always turn it on and off with pliers (like I do my crockpot that also broke) but it's such a pain using a tool. Problem is, this room gets cold fast and because it's kind of small, it warms up fast and gets too warm with the heat on. Which is why it probably broke. I'm always messing with it. Suggestions?

Picture taking

Every once in a while, I'll hear a noise in another part of the house.  I'll sit there for a bit trying to figure out what it was, and then I'll walk around investigating. Sometimes I find it; sometimes I don't.
Twice it's been a suction cup handle in the shower falling on the tile floor making a heck of a racket; once it was a pan "rearranging itself" in the cupboard.  I always have to try and figure it out. Never know when it's gonna' be a man hiding in the closet just waiting to jump my bones.  ha ha  Yesterday I was standing in the kitchen by the sliding glass door and heard a door slam near the utility porch.  Scared me half to death. I stood there watching to see if anyone was coming in and I was all ready to head out the sliding glass door. Even had my hand on the handle. No one appeared.

I slowly walked that direction and heard my garage door closing. Then I figured it had to be one of the twins coming to retrieve something.  I have a garage door code box on the outside that allows the kids to come in if I'm not here.  Also handy in case I lock myself out.  Yesterday it was Maddie coming to pick up her soccer equipment. She couldn't be bothered with ringing the front doorbell or even sticking her head in to say hello and "it's just me getting my stuff."

Wayne was in the car and as they were preparing to back out, I ran out and told her she scared me. Wayne said "I told her she needed to take time and use the door."  Maddie, however, wasn't in the mood for being polite. She rolled her eyes at me, and that didn't sit well either. I've had eyes rolled at me plenty of times raising kids.  Doesn't she realize by this time that I'm going to talk about her on my blog?

I got another small quilt put together yesterday and will work on finishing it up today or tomorrow. I've got a couple letters to write today and I need to sit down and concentrate on getting through a book.

Took a break yesterday afternoon and hooked up with Mary Norton to take in a matinee. We saw Argo. GOOD! GOOD! GOOD! I even had to take a couple of Advil in the middle of it because my shoulders were getting so tense from the suspense.  I thought it would be crowded but it wasn't. Mostly people our age. All the movies I go to these days are usually filled with seniors. 

We got out at 4:45 and I decided spur of the minute to stop at KFC on the way home to pick up dinner.  Service was slow and I ended up with extra crispy instead of original but oh well.... I could tell the girl was new as she kept apologizing for everything.

Just finished a load of laundry and set up newspaper on my table so I can play around with some houseplants that are looking poorly.  My poor ole spider plants keep getting brown tips. I assume that means I'm watering too much. Or not enough. Guess I'll have to google that.  Gonna put in some fresh dirt today along with fertilizer.

I intended to make a quick stop at the neighborhood grocery to pick up a Sunday paper but decided afterwards since I was out and it was early and traffic would be light, I might as well head across town and take a couple pictures of trees.  You have to do stuff like this every now and again to occupy yourself with nature hobbies.

I'd often admired this big ole monkey tail tree in the rundown Chinook Motel parking lot that is up for sale. Decided to pull over and take a couple shots with my phone.  Should have taken my camera, though, as I think I could have gotten better pictures. I came home and played around with them on my computer to brighten and enlarge.

I thought about making a quick stop at McDonalds for a breakfast sandwich since I was in the neighborhood but I had coffee brewing at home so I stopped at Safeway instead to pick up a couple items and then came home and had a bowl of cereal like a good girl.  Picked up some yeast at the store and am playing with the idea of making cinnamon rolls.  I know I shouldn't. I make really good cinnamon rolls and that usually means I'm gonna have more than one.

Mary emailed me a picture of Andy at his high school reunion in Rochester, NY. Said he was having a good time.

And here's one my nephew, Eddie Forcier, posted on Facebook yesterday. That's Eddie on the top.

I saw these sisters on TV last night (a gospel music show I enjoy) and like everyone else, I think they're terrific. They were in the movie 'Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?' It's interesting to see them sing as they got older too.

Rainy weekend day

Coming down pretty good out there, but I'm okay with it.  At least we aren't dealing with the hurricane warnings on the east coast. I'm not sure how I would deal with storm scares like that...especially since I live alone.  I suppose I could figure it out, though. You'd kind of have to.

I've got my rainy day activities all planned.  Will do a little diary transcription (I'm almost through 2009); I'm thinking I might sew a few quilt squares together (I did finish my small quilt yesterday); I've got a  500-piece jigsaw puzzle set up and waiting for me; I've got a good book sitting by my recliner (Dandelion Growing Wild); I've got a brand new movie I haven't even opened yet (Into the
West); and I've got two needle projects sittin' next to my recliner -- a green crochet afghan and a counted cross stitch design that will either become a pillow or a wall hanging.

I posted on my second Leader blog yesterday so if you get a chance, go comment on what view you'd like to see from your window.

Monday I'm going down to the senior center to talk to a SHIBA person (about medical insurance). I'm wondering if that Humana Walmart prescription insurance that I signed up for might not be a good fit for me. It doesn't start until January but it has $325 deductible a year and I have to pay $18.50 a month premiums.  The drugs I take now (2) only cost me $10 each for three months.(At Walmart). Medicare and AARP already pick up pretty much all my medical expenses, and while no one can predict when their life will take a detour and you might be needing a whole lot of drugs, I'm counting on that day being further on into my 70s's.  If I even live that long.  But I won't go there.  Well, I will one day but you know...

Here's one of the favorite pictures I saw on Facebook yesterday...

Is that cute or what?!!!!

I'm  going out to move my two hummingbird feeders just a tad closer to the window. I'll have to make up some fresh nectar to make it worth my while going out there in the rain. I'm surprised at how much activity those feeders are generating.  I've got at least 4 birds coming around several times a day.


Happy Birthday to my ole pal, Ann Robson, over in Issaquah. She was Judy Scott in high school and she helped me get my first office job back in 1961.  It was a little hole-in-the-wall place uptown that put out a mimeograph daily newspaper..  I think it was called Key City News or something like that.  Strictly an amateur outfit but I was happy to have a "newspaper job" and I just knew that the day would come when I'd be the Lois Lane of the newspaper world. Ha ha  Here's me and Ann catching up a few years ago when she was camped at Fort Worden.

One of the shows I like is Dancing with the Stars.   My all time "won't miss guy" is Derek Hough. I think he's one of the best dancers EVER! Here's one I especially liked that he did with Ricki Lake....absolutely fabulous!


 

Sigh....

I probably woke up every hour on the hour last night. I'd look at the clock, groan, roll over, and go back to sleep.  When I wasn't getting up to pee, that is.  Figured if I was awake, why not.  I'm sure the lack of sleep is contributing to my very pissy mood today.  I did bake a pan of brownies, though, so I'll be better in a bit.

I won't go into the very boring details of my medical saga. In short...got a voice message early this morning saying my doctor called in sick so please reschedule.  I'd been eagerly awaiting this particular appt all week long and started to cry.  Didn't cry a lot. Just a little. Mostly I stomped around the house saying very bad words.  Then I decided I'd see another doctor instead.  All I wanted was to find out the results of the 2nd MRI and if I was going to have to be referred to a Seattle neurosurgeon.

Luckily, I got in within the hour.  Unfortunately, this doctor had absolutely no interest whatsoever in answering any of my questions. And he wasn't interested in making a referral because the data would come back to him instead of my regular doctor and "we can't have that."  The 'girl' came in and said my doctor would be in touch after she made a referral but if I didn't hear in two weeks, then call back.
I stomped off to my car in a really bad mood!

Went to Safeway and bought brownie mix. Brownies fix most things.

Got home and decided to call Swedish on my own. After a whole lot of rigamarole where the receptionist had never heard of the doctor I asked about, and after getting transferred and ending up with voice mail, I finally get a call from a girl wanting to know who Dr. Blankenship was.  Sigh....
She then tells me I can't make my own appointment and will just have to wait until the doctor calls in the referral.  Then (maybe a week later) they'll call me to schedule.  Oh, and this doctor is booked through November.  I hung up and went to bake the brownies.

I did get a copy of the MRI results. Makes me wonder if I even needed a 2nd MRI. Findings: Mildly septated syrinx extending from the upper margin of T7 to the mid body of T9, unchanged in appearance from prior exam. No associated contrast enhancement within the syrinx or surrounding cord. No other interval change from prior exam.

So.... I guess my diagnosis is syringomyelia -- a fluid-filled cyst (syrinx) within the spinal cord. As much as I've googled and googled, it's all kinda over my head.  I'll just have to play a waiting game now and see the Seattle doc whenever he can work me in.  With my luck, he'll schedule surgery over Christmas. If I even need surgery.  I just hate not knowing. 

And you know....if I was related to  Obama, I wouldn't be having this wait.  (that's my answer everytime I'm inconvenienced by the medical world.)  No one thinks I'm special except me!

Well, I'll just have to get over myself, I guess.  Need to walk away from this computer for a few hours.  I spend entirely too much time "lookin' stuff up."  Maybe I should take up drinking. I bet my personality would improve. I know my mood would.

Got a real nice email from Kim Seelye Jones today. She told me there's a possibility her book (Dandelion Growing Wild) might be made into a movie....IF it sells well in book stores is one hurdle. So buy it!  I'd love to see another movie about Port Townsend.  And guess what?!  It's a pretty darn good read!  I love seeing places I'm familiar with and people I know in book form. Good entertainment.  Her step-dad, by the way, was in my class until he transferred. He's in my sophomore annual.  Top row on the right. (click to enlarge)

Gotta pick up the twins in a couple hours.  They're at a school dance in the gym right now. Wish I could go early and take pictures but they would kill me.  Mary and Andy are in Rochester, NY and will attend his high school reunion tomorrow.  I'm gonna have lunch with girl friends next Wednesday as we celebrate Linny Lou Pedersen's 69th birthday.

I renewed my subscription to Rolling Stone Magazine.  I got a few issues for a dollar and then called in to cancel.  Yesterday, another issue arrived and it was full of information I was interested in. Everything from books, music, politics, gossip, movie stars. Decided I needed to keep it coming.

Here's a clever picture I saw on Facebook today from Quiltmaker Magazine.

 

And against my better judgement because he already gets entirely too much press...here's an idiot.

 

 

Rosie O'Donnell was on Dr. Oz yesterday talking about her heart attack.  I loved listening to her. She has a definite stage presence.  You could tell Oz was taken with her too.  She said it like it is and of course, I had chest pain the rest of the day and didn't feel all that well.

MRIs make me sad

Well, I survived my 2nd MRI this morning. I was told it would take a little longer than the first one and I was prepared for that. Got a nice surprise, however, when the technician told me I'd only be in the tube 10 or 15 minutes.  YAY!  I had taken a pill but I don't know if it helped all that much. It certainly didn't make me sleepy as I came home and rearranged the living room a bit, changed curtains with my bedroom, moved a few knickknacks, did some computer work, and ran to Safeway to pick up a few items.  Perhaps it will hit me later.

My mood is elevated compared to my state of mind the last few days when I was moping around here. I was both blue and  feeling disappointed in myself about it because heaven knows I'm not the first person to have to deal with medical problems.  While I was in the tube, I let my mind wander over possible topics for my next Town Kid blog. I decided I'd write about my time working at the PT Medical Clinic in 1973-74.

Am reading Kim Jones book 'Dandelion Growing Wild' and enjoying it immensely.  I think it's always fun to read a book with names and places you know. It's kind of giving me the urge to get my book going as well.  Besides the one I'm working on now.  It's more of a bio just for the family.

Here's a couple pictures I took as I came out of the hospital this morning.

 

I think I'm going to have to make some fresh hummingbird nectar this week. I've got at least four birds (and a few bees) frequenting the two feeders all day long.  I sure do miss the goldfinch birds that used to come around. They stopped after the tractor came in across the street to cut down half of the scotch broom.  There's still a lot of scotch broom there but I never see the yellow birds anymore. I'll have to read up on them and see if that's a seasonal thing.  I've got several bird houses in the back yard and while I get lots of wrens (I guess) and crows, I never see the pretty yellow ones.  I'd hang feeders all over my front lawn area if I didn't know the deer would ruin everything.

 

Here's a picture I saw on Facebook of Sharon Sofie on the left, Lew Morello on the right, and the Padia twins, Anna and Dianna, in the middle.

 

 

Wayne delivered my new vacuum this morning. (via FedX)  I'll have to put it together later and see if it works better than the one I returned to QVC.  I bought it online thru Walmart and delivery was free. I can also send it back free if I don't like it.  Bought a Hoover this time as the reviews were good that I read.

 

 

Hmmm... starting to feel a little tired now. I wonder if that tranquilizer is finally kicking in.  I hope not. I'm not in the mood to sleep right now; I've got stuff to do.

Here's that video of Ellen's show yesterday with kids in costume...

New member in the family

Ha Ha ha....Just watched some little kids on Ellen whose parents were very creative with their costumes this year. Go to Ellen's Show and click on the video showing kids' costumes. I loved the Clint Eastwood and Presidential Race.

I guess I'll give myself a six for how much I got accomplished today. Remember my stack of quilt squares that I was sewing together?..

Well, I managed to get the top layer of my quilt done and within the next few days I'll get the backing and inner layer sewn together.

The blue sky material (which will also be the backing) was a cotton sheet I found at Serenity house for $2.

I don't decorate the house the way I used to but I still manage to get at least something up for certain holidays.  Christmas doesn't count.  I have way too many cute decos not to bring them out for the whole month of December.
This is what I set up for Halloween.... That little tree was given to me with money on it for my 50th birthday and I've used it for HOLY COW! THAT CAN'T BE RIGHT...19 YEARS! I used to put Easter decos on it too but I don't think I have those anymore so I just use it for Xmas and halloween.

That runner was given to me several years ago by Sharon Sofie. One side is halloween and the other side is autumn.

The imaging dept. at the hospital called to remind me of my early morning MRI tomorrow. Yeah, like that hasn't already been on my mind all week long. The guy said "You've been here before, right? And not too long ago?"
"Yes...and I will definitely try to act more like an adult tomorrow," I told him.
He laughed. I laughed, and I think it helped ease my nerves a bit.  I'll still be glad when I'm done, though.

Got an email from my sister telling me she's a great grandmother now.  I was the first of my siblings to become a parent but Janie and Les both beat me at being a grandparent.  And Les beat both me and Janie at being a great grandparent. Here's Callum Wyatt Grace, son of Michael & Emily.

Well, I'm off to the kitchen to make some soup for dinner. Had some egg yolks to use up so I made homemade noodles. Yum!

Rod Stewart just came on the Katie Show.  Sexy dude. And here's another sexy dude....

Brrrrr.....

I can't seem to warm up this morning.  I dressed in a pair of sweatpants but had to switch to a heavier pair because the lighter weight one just wasn't doing the trick.  My fingers are like ice and I'm thinking I might just head for the recliner and cover up with a blanket. This is even with the heat on!

I finished a jigsaw puzzle and am playing with the idea of setting up another. Guess I'd better take a picture of it so Hunter can see how it looks (since he did most of the work)

I've also been sewing quilt squares together; then pressing them and sewing more squares together.

Nothing fancy. Just plain ole scraps of material I've had in bins for way too long. I'll probably make this one lap size or a little bigger and then start on the next stack of squares.  I had about four difference sizes of various squares accumulated.

I stuck in a tape of 3 hours of HGTV that I thought I had taped last night but alas, I entered the wrong channel and got a movie that doesn't really interest me.  I spent a little time this morning cleaning up computer files and putting stuff in folders.  For whatever reason, my Itunes library has disappeared again. I just don't get it!  I spent hours deleting duplicate songs and everything was good to go and showing up and playing for me. All 1600 tunes.  Not now, though. I can't find the songs anywhere.

I don't actually listen to the tunes all that much as I have other formats like Pandora but still... where did the music go?  Am hoping my granddaughter can get on the line with me tonight and help me search.

My calendar this week has two medical appts. Wed morning is the 2nd MRI and Friday morning is the doc appt to discuss who I get to make another appt with. Probably a Seattle guy.  I do hate having my routine interrupted with medical appts but oh well, it's not like I'm somebody special and immune from all this aggravation.
 I guess I'll get back to those quilt squares and consider taking a nap. Here's a cute picture my son-in-law posted on FB.

And here's a recording by one of the best bands ever...


3

Cameras, Voting, & Snow

First of all....go to www.ptleader.com    On the left hand side of the homepage is a little girl with a camera and the caption says to 'click here to vote in photo contest.'  Patti Walden, wife of Les who I marched with at our high school graduation, has three pictures submited. Please vote on your favorite. Her numbers are 26, 27, 28.    And thank you!

Granddaughter Catie was in town yesterday to take her mom and stepdad to the airport this morning. We went out for Mexican food about 8 pm last night (she treated) so even though I said I wouldn't post our pic on Facebook, I did it anyhow.  I need to see up close and in my face that I never should be cutting my hair that short again.  Will I never learn?!

And before I forget, here's a couple more pictures I saw on Facebook. First is classmate, Lew Morello with his lady, Sharon Hoare.

And this next one is my nephew, Eddie Forcier's son, Bradley. What a cute couple.  Sorry I don't know her name.

Ran down to the corner grocery store to pick up a PDN newspaper this morning (need the TV section) and saw a  write-up on Jack Guiher. Pam Clise did a nice job. (I'm sending you a copy, Carol)

I also noticed it snowed in the mountains last night.  I decided to take a quick spin around town to get a couple photos. Still haven't mastered taking them with my phone yet but I'm getting there. I hope.

 This house surrounded by the fence belongs to the twins' other Port Angeles grandparents. What a view they have of the mountains.

I kind of look forward to Sunday night television. 'Call the Midwife' is on at 8 pm on PBS and it's well worth the look see.  Have been enjoying the 7 pm show right before it about pioneers of television too. I've been attempting to give certain shows another chance to gain my favor and am kind of liking 'The good wife' and sorry to say....'The Walking Dead.'  hee hee

Well, I'm determined to be more productive than I've been the last few days so it's off to the sewing machine for a little while. I did take the time to fill out my voting ballot last night so at least that's out of my hair. Now if I can just tolerate the never ending repeat political ads being shoved down our throat day and night.  My mute button never got so much use as it's had these past weeks.

Jenni lent me her ABC Distributing catalog a few days back so I'm playing with the idea of getting started on Christmas shopping.  Catie is having a wreath-making party one night this week so she was happy to take all my beads, doodads, and craft stuff home.  I'm kind of on to other things like sewing, reading, and writing so I was pleased to free up closet space.

Here's a singer I think is pretty good...

a test

Been sitting here messing with stuff all morning long. Really should make an attempt to move to another room and try to be more productive.  But.....this is productive too...in a way.  Been scanning in old driver's license photos and others of me through the years so I could see in black and white just how much I've changed. 

As if my large mirror in the bathroom isn't enough to bring on the blues.  Ha!  I had a neat collection all set up on a word document but I can't figure out how to post anything besides a photo or a video on this blog  so I guess I'll have to do each photo individually.   I'm now a full blown narcissist. I'm sure most will probably think I've always been a narcissist. Anybody who decides to write about their underpants certainly has some unresolved issues.  hee hee

Here's some of my driver's license photos. Was hard to ID each year but I think I got fairly close. My weight started out at 135 back in 1982 (according to these  licenses) and then it stayed on 150 for several years before going up to 160, then 180.  Yeah, all lies!  Every one of them!  I think my license now says 180 (I wish) but that's another story. Imagine wishing you weighed 180.  So sad!

 

And going back to the beginning of time.... They were all the same size on my word document but it's too much trouble to resize them for this silly post.  Hee Hee.. look at my baby bottle.