Underpants

Yesterday, once I finished with supper and stacked the dishes in the sink, I opted to head for the recliner and try to get through some of the movies I'd recorded on VHS tapes the past of couple weeks. Stuff like Tombstone, Book of Eli, The Omen, The Departed, and Social network.  I did think about loading the dishwasher but I've reached the point where neatness is  important but I'm not gonna' beat myself up over it if I decide to be lazy.  They can just as easily be loaded up the next morning (and they were).

Sometimes I take this attitude with the laundry I've removed from the dryer.  I usually don't wash clothes except once a week when I've accumulated enough to warrant the water and electricity, although I will make an exception if a favorite t-shirt, sweatshirt, or t-shirt used for sleeping is in the laundry basket and I'm missing it.

I never had enough underpants growing up.   Now that's an interesting statement, don't you think?  My underpants usually came from the Sears catalog and I always favored the cotton briefs with days of the week embroidered on them.  There were times, however, when washing out the underpants in the sink became necessary if the laundry was piling up. Anyhow, these days I probably have close to 3 dozen pairs of underpants.  I still wear the plain ole cotton ones but I don't need days of the week embroidered on them anymore.

Sadly, these underpants seem to be getting bigger as I age.  I wait until I'm down to one pair in the dresser and then I'll wash them up with bleach.  Folding all these underpants (most of which look like they should be sent to the rag barrel) can be boring.  Mainly because they don't fold all that well and look like a neat little pile when I'm done. Ever notice the folded laundry on tv commercials? All the towels are neat and compact. Not mine.  There used to be a time in my young married days when all my linen was new that I needed the towels, hand towels, and wash cloths to be matching and hung exactly "just so" on the bathroom towel racks.

Nowadays I just use a hand towel until it feels like it's time for a fresh one.  I keep getting distracted and meant to discuss the folding of my underpants.  Most of the time I'll sit down and dutifully fold the pants into a halfway presentable pile but if I've got more important things to do, I'm just as likely to pick up the whole bunch in one sweep and toss 'em in the drawer to be pulled out one-by-one each morning.  I don't know why I didn't think of this solution sooner.  Folding underpants is a perfect waste of time.  Ha Ha

 

Hmmm...I wonder if I'm the first person to share their underpants drawer online?  I'm betting yes.

 

I watched Dispatched and Tombstone last night. Liked 'em both although they were mainly just shootem' ups.  Tombstone was especially fun because it had so many super star hunks in it -- like Sam Elliott.  Be still my heart!

 

When I talked to my daughter, Mary, on the phone yesterday, she told me she had a very full lineup of activities today.  Interesting stuff too.  I shared with her my intended lineup for the weekend and it amounted to computer work, reading, jigsaw puzzle, sewing, and television.  Normally, I start to nod off around 9 or 9:30 each night but for some reason that didn't happen last night.  It was 1 a.m. when I finally went to bed, and then guess what happened?  I had insomnia!  I got up a little after 2 a.m. and fixed a cup of cocoa and decided to see if I could change the settings on my blog and do some other cleaning up of files.  I was wide awake until 3:40 a.m.  I went back to bed and found I still couldn't drop off so I got up and took a Benadryl. I figured I'd end up sleeping in until 10 this morning but I was up by 8:15.

 

I've been so discouraged lately at my fatigue and wishing I could stay up past 10 or 11 that I was really surprised that my body clock was so out of whack.  I wonder what causes that. I hadn't been drinking stimulants and while I've been a little stressed this past week or so, I didn't figure it was bad enough to keep me awake at night.  Who knows.  And who cares?  It happens.

 

Was moving photo files from one spot to another and decided I'd post a "passing of time" selection of my kids.  I think I'll make up one of me later today. I must be a glutton for punishment because I know how that's going to end up.

 



Get on with it, Joyce!

Well, time to get back on my horse.  Been riding a loaner pony all week named "Woe is me" but he's starting to get on my nerves so I'm tethering him out in the back forty.  I'm sure I'll ride him again, though. He's always good for a short ride when you've got a case of the blues.

Still waiting to hear from the imaging dept. at the hospital about scheduling my second MRI. Just a reminder that we're only a number these days. I'm reminded of that all the time -- like yesterday when I decided I'd look into getting some medical insurance to cover drugs.  I've been without it for ten years and was lucky enough to only have two prescriptions I needed to take. Both of which were only $10 for 3 months at Walmart. I tried checking out prices online with Walmart's Humana plans but I couldn't quite understand the lingo involved. Called the 1-800 number to talk to a real person, knowing full well that was going to put me in a bad mood.  A mood I was trying to work myself out of.  But I did it anyway.

The red tape involved in dealing with ALL things medical-related these days is over the top stupid! After explaining the terms of the various tiers, I told the girl I was ready to sign up for one of the programs.  Then she had to transfer me to Guy #1.  After holding for five minutes TO GIVE THEM MY MONEY I was so pissed off, I hung up! Guess who called me right back. Yep.  Guy #1.  He kept me on the line for 30 more minutes BUT..... I had to call him back because they couldn't sell me insurance if they called me. I had to call them.  I can feel the steam coming out of my ears.

Once we got into the question and answer crap and I told him I wasn't dying of this and that, I had to verbally say my name out loud and that I was a female. (so it could be recorded although I was already told we were being recorded for quality control. Yeah, right!) Then when he was reading back numbers I was supposed to keep in my files for further reference,he used alpha/numbering or whatever you call it.  123A as in apple, 456 B as in boy, etc.  He didn't use BOY, however. He used Bravo.  And that would have been okay if it didn't come across sounding like brothel everytime he said it.

I know our world has come down to all this marlarkey because of  the ever growing number of low class scumballs from hell that have made it their lifes' work to cheat the system and steal identities, and make the devil proud.  Riding an airplane, entering certain buildings, or even signing up to be a foster parent has required more and more security measures.  How did such a large percentage of our population become so low class and distasteful?

Okay. I'll step down off my soapbox for a few minutes.

I've been reading 'Confessions of a Prairie Bitch' by Alison Argrim (Nellie Oleson on Little House on the Prairie). It's a terrific read, even though my daughter, Jenni, didn't think so. Alison writes well and I've been reading nonstop.  Anxious to get to my next book -- Dandelion Growing Wild by Kim Jones.  more later....

It's a few hours later. Phone rang and it was the doctor's office telling me they  forgot to call in my MRI order to the hospital "but they have it now." And oh, I have to go in a day or so before the MRI for lab work. Apparently they can't inject the IV until they check out my kidney function first. Why, pray tell, didn't they draw the blood while I was in the doctor's office on Tuesday?  Somebody just plain isn't paying attention, that's why! Sooooo.....I just spent an hour sitting in the hospital lab waiting my turn.  I did take my book so all was not lost but it still irritated me. Even finding a parking spot at the hospital is difficult. Worst parking lot in town!  I parked a block away.

After all that aggravation, I figured I might as well run a couple errands. Stopped at Safeway to pick up my pills (to help me deal with the MRI 'cause I'm a weenie) and I was four deep in line for that pickup.  God must have figured I'd had enough BS for one day and the pills only cost me $2.67.  I'm heading back to the tube next Wed. morning at 7:30 a.m.  Then I have to make another doctor appt to discuss the MRI and she'll refer me to another doctor to discuss my options and once I see him, I suppose I'll have to come back a second time for the operation. If that's what the MRI suggests is needed.  I've already resigned myself to that idea that it probably means a couple of Seattle trips to Swedish.  I'm not going to think about that now. One day at a time.

On to other subjects.  Came out of Walgreen's and had this white bird sitting on my car. I guess it's a pigeon.

Earlier this morning I took a couple shots of hummingbirds outside my window. There's 3 or 4 of them now who buzz in regularly....and look how green my lawn is becoming thanks to the rain.

Saw some interesting pictures on Facebook and thought I would share those on my blog today.
First one is my old high school pal, Joanne Plattner Bennett.  Second one is my granddaughter Catie's dad, Dave Merrill & his girlfriend (visiting in Seattle although he lives in FL), and a picture of Barbara Lee Smith (on the right) with two of her sisters.  We went to grade school and high school together.

I watched Emily Owens, MD earlier this week as it starred Meryl Streep's daughter, Mamie Gummer.
She looks a lot like her mom and is a pretty good actress too.  She's the same age now as her mom was when she did Kramer vrs Kramer.

I seldom return things I buy but every now and then, I do go to the trouble of shipping something back.  I did that yesterday with a Shark vacuum I bought on the QVC channel.  I never shop on tv but I was in the market for a better vacuum and their commerical made it look easy to use.  Not when you're 69 and have to study the directions over and over to figure out how the attachments work.  Was especially unhappy with how you had to hold the vacuum in one hand while using the hose attachments.  NOT GOOD.  Now I'll have to pay my Visa and probably wait two months to get the credit back again.  Damn nuisance and I'll think long and hard before I order on shopping channels again.

Was looking for something else on YouTube and came across this commerical which kind of made me chuckle.  Chuckling isn't something I've done too much of this week.


This next video is a real  tearjerker.  Music helped too. Love that song. Anyhow, this is worth the watch..... and yeah, I cried.

No Good in Math

Maddie has a new jacket.  I commented that I LOVED IT!  (mainly because of 1961, my graduation year)  She told me a friend at school loved it too, and when Maddie told her it was the same year her gramma graduated, the friend said:  Ohhhhh...she's so young.

Maddie said:  No.....She's almost 70!  (Maddie told me this friend sucks in math)  Oh well...

Drats! Another MRI needed!

I knew I wasn't going to get off easy this time around. Mainly because my back/leg issues were getting to the point where I knew something was amiss and it wasn't about to go away until I got it fixed.  Went to the doctor this morning to find out the results of my last MRI.  Sadly, I have to go in the tube again. This time with a contrast dye injected first so they can see stuff better.  The radiologist wrote:
The majority of syringomyelia (sih-ring-go-my-E-lee-uh) is associated with Chiari malformation, a condition in which brain tissue protrudes into your spinal canal. Other causes include spinal cord tumors, spinal cord injuries, and damage caused by inflammation around your spinal cord.

The findings on the MRI read: mild lower thoracic cord expansion by a central cord fluid signal collection, which appears to be a mildly septated syrinx measuring about 6 cm long and up to 6 cm in diameter, maximum at T8. Mild anterior degenerative disk disease and spurring at multiple levels.

 

All Greek to me, of course.  I do know that once I have the second MRI, we'll discuss whether back surgery is necessary.  My everyday normal activities have been so restricted these past months (and getting worse all the time) that I've accepted the fact that surgery is most likely going to be on the agenda.  Well, so be it!  I'd rather put up with all that that involves rather than live with this pain that won't let me do even normal physical activity.

 

I've got to keep my eye on the prize and think positive. If I can start going for walks again, life will be GOOD!

 

Gotta get my prescription filled first, though. I know what's involved and I still don't like MRIs!

 

Well, just a short note today.  Spent a couple hours working on my latest Town Kid blog and now I'm too tired to write. 

Techy changes

Lots of changes around here this weekend.  My daughter, Mary, gave me some more lessons on my cell phone, and while it will take me some time to get as active on it as my grandkids are, I figure that sooner or later I'll be up to speed more than I am now. She noticed my setup here on my laptop and old computer and monitor and asked why I was using them the way I was.  I didn't realize I had a choice.

She gave me an early Christmas present and downloaded the Word Program to my laptop.  That means I won't have to switch over to my old computer if I want to work in Word on my book.  She also hooked up my large flat screen monitor and keyboard and mouse so I can use them to work on instead of just using my laptop screen and keyboard.  I still "go through" my laptop to be on the Internet but now I can do all my "stuff" on my larger screen and original keyboard.

I can also still take the laptop into the kitchen or living room if I want to use it there.  My old computer sits nearby and by plugging in certain cords, I can access it if I want to use my old printer, my old scanner, and my Itunes library for my Ipod Shuffle.  All very confusing but I wanted to keep my older printer and scanner because I like them but yet they're too old to hook into my newer laptop. Like I said, way too much to absorb sometimes.  It's really amazing if I stop and look around and see all the black gadgets and machines that have become a part of my life.

Yesterday we all went over to nearby Shane Park to watch Maddie play soccer. They won and I took a mess of photos.

Wayne in red chair, Gramma Kathy in front of him, then Mary and Jenni

Later in the afternoon we headed into Sequim to have dinner at Applebee's. Mary and two gift cards and I had one so our $75 tab was covered. 

On the way out there, I tried to take some pictuers of the pretty falls colors. I may go out this week and drive around to get more.

After dinner we went next door to Walmart as Mary had a long list of things she needed and never has time or energy to make a Walmart run on her side of the water.  I usually have to sit and people watch when I go to Walmart as my back and/or legs start giving me problems and I have to cut my shopping spree short and head to the car.  I didn't really need anything but I did buy one of those green pans (nonstick) that I'd seen on TV.  Jenni said she had just bought one and liked it a lot. I used it this morning and am completely sold!  What a pure delight.

I had been wanting to try out the electric carts at WM but was always too intimidated by them. Maddie was eager to operate one so I taught myself with her help how to maneuver around.  Oh my but that was fun!  I almost hit a couple of people so I slowed the cart down to a crawl until I got the feel of it. I was more at ease using it with the store having fewer customers, and I won't hesitate to use them again if I have a long list and know I have to get from one end of the store to the other.  Most of the time I can manage just having a push cart to hang on to.

Mary left this morning to head into Hadlock for a Halloween Party at Shari Glessing's place. I was surprised how warm it was outside as I helped her load up the car. Temperature gauge on the window said 65.  Still mighty wet though. Been coming down heavily off and on for hours.  I wonder if that's why my eye is flaring up this morning.  It's red and sore and itchy.  Every now and again, I get a little patch of psoriasis on the outside rim. At least I assume that's what it is. Hasn't bothered me for months so I can only assume it's weather-related.  Jenni's been sneezing up a storm too.

Opened up the blinds early this morning and there were two deer getting into the bird seed.  I guess that answers my question of who or what knocked over the seed a couple days ago.  I moved the tall stake to the backyard again and thought I'd try "once more" to put another feeder in front-- only this time right next to my window.   I suspect it won't make a bit of difference to them as I wouldn't put it past them to walk in the house if I left the door open.  I may have to give up trying to have birds feed in the front altogether.

Found a little cornish game hen in the freezer that I forgot I had so I think I'll cook that up tonight. Nothing much on my agenda this week except one doctor appt and various errands to get the kids to their sports practices. Intend to do some writing, some reading, some sewing, and some napping...like right now.

Bird Watchin' Today

Birds are busy in the neighborhood today.  I'm betting this rain is a delight, bringing up worms and such.  I kept noticing increased activity near the bottom of my window and then I discovered that my "newly filled" birdfeeders were knocked over.  I'll reserve judgement one more night before deciding it was the deer.  Could have been piggy bluejays, crows, or just plain ole rain softening up the soil.
At any rate, I lost a lot of seed to the ground, making my place an easy eating area this morning.

I noticed the neighbor's cat has found the view interesting too what with all the sweeping and flying around in the air.  I'm sure she's wishing she had a way to get out here.

I'm taking it easy today. Just threw a load of laundry in the dryer and that will be the extent of housework. I'll finish up one of my journal transciption projects this morning and start on the second diary next Monday.

 I might set up a jigsaw puzzle in the kitchen since I rearranged a bit and have a table available.  Also have some quilt squares stacked neatly in a box waiting for me to carry them to the machine.  Good rainy day project.

No school today but the kids pretty much stay home on their own nowadays. I'm sure Sammy is appreciating that.  Mary arrives tomorrow morning and we'll go to Maddie's soccer game in the afternoon.

I watched both debates last night.  McKenna seems more at ease in front of the camera and well versed on what he has to say.  I'll probably vote for him.  The vice presidential debate was kind of a toss-up.  I thought Biden was cocky, rude, and condescending through a lot of his presentation, and I didn't appreciate the way he grinned at the camera and rolled his eyes while Ryan spoke.  I wasn't particularly impressed with Ryan beforehand but it is politics, afterall, and it's hard to know who's real when you only have television appearances to judge. I'm leaning more towards Obama than Romney but I'm not particularly excited about either candidate.  I'm probably favoring Obama more for the fact that he has Hillary than anything else. I think she's an asset for our country.

I read a pretty good article in Rolling Stone Magazine yesterday about how our political campaigns are screwed up with more and more money being socked into convincing us which side should win; not to mention the media being able to manipulate the masses.  The writer of the article had some valid points to make in how we should change the system but it'll never happen.  Sure would be nice, though, to not have nasty campaign ads shoved down our throat month after month.

I watched a few of the new shows that appeared on the line-up recently. Taped them, of course, so I could FF if I decided they weren't worth my time.  Didn't care for Nashville right off the bat. Basically Taylor Swift opposite Reba and the music sucked too.

The Neighbors is just another Third Rock from the Sun and boring. Guys with Kids is the same ole thing and I refuse to watch anything that has canned laughter, Animal Practice isn't that great although the star of it was wonderful in Weeds. Private Practice and Parenthood make me ill with their contrived way of speaking.  Trying to present a show that is "real" while all I find is that it's real fake.

So it's back to PBS for me. And the really wicked programs like Sons of Anarchy and Breaking Bad.  HGTV has great shows on homes being fixed up or sold, and are way more fun to watch than phony baloney sitcoms.  Also like to watch people cooking although who can afford to eat like that or afford the cookware, food, and appliances.  And who wants to clean up the mess?  Ha Ha

Hope I get some mail today. Am expecting three books (and I've got to put a lid on that impulse buying) but I did sell one on ebay yesterday and that was a nice surprise.  I also learned how to make my own mailing label. Unfortunately, the book wouldn't fit in my mailbox without bending it so I made a quick run down to the corner grocery store that has a substation.  Much to my delight, they have FINALLY fixed their parking lot.  It was way overdue as that store is busy day and night.

Here's a video I found while just browsing on YouTube..... about spotting good buys on antiques...

10-11-12

In a couple of months I'll be able to write 12-12-12.  I like monkeying around and noticing numbers.  I was cleaning up my address list this morning as I needed to add a few new ones and delete a couple others. Noticed slight similarities in some of the data. Two of my cousins (daughters of Sue Johnson) both married guys named Dale. They also have an uncle Dale.  Both have recently relocated -- one to Grand Forks, ND and the other to Oak Harbor, WA. Both ended up with apartment #101.

Since I've followed the trail of where various ancestors have lived over time, I found it interesting that some of the grandkids of my Uncle George ended up in places where he lived as well.  I'm not positive if he ever lived in Oak Harbor but he may have because his brother, Arthur, was born there and I know his folks and grandparents were all from Oak Harbor. Other grandkids of George settled in Albany, OR (where George was born).

I also have two cousins in Gig Harbor who both married guys named Jeff, and I have two cousins who (along with me) named a daughter Jennifer Lynn.  When I was researching my mother's biological roots, I was surprised to find out her dad went to grade school for a period of time in Baker City, OR where his parents married.  When I saw a photo of this grandfather, I thought my brother, Dana, looked very much like him.  And ironically, Dana lived in Baker City for several years teaching school, possibly at the same building where our grandfather attended. When Dana lived in Baker City his address was 950 and when he moved to PT, it was 590. Until I bought a new car, my sister and I had the same license plate numbers - 911.  I could go on and on but I won't.  I just think it's interesting.

I took out a subscription to Rolling Stone Magazine recently. One of my impulses like book buying. My first copy came yesterday and I'm really enjoying it.  One of the reasons I subscribed was because I wanted the cover copy with Bob Dylan.  The stores didn't have it yet. My copy yesterday was Taylor Swift (who I find annoying most of the time) so now I have to go back to the stores and see if I can still get my hands on a Dylan cover copy.  My life is so hard sometimes.  Ha!

Speaking of hard...I had my MRI last night.  Unfortunately, I managed to worry myself into a mini panic attack.  Hate it when I do that.  I had taken a valium but I'd spent so long thinking about that damn tube that my calmness wouldn't take hold.  And the tube wasn't even that confining really. I've seen smaller.  They pushed me in (both guys were very nice and understanding) and I closed my eyes and told myself "You've got to do this if you want to get to the bottom of the hip/leg problem." 

I started to panic and asked them to bring me back out.  I took a second pill (apologizing the whole time for being a weenie) and then tried again by taking deep breaths.  I managed.  I laid in there rearranging my living room in  my head and telling myself to get a grip.  Funny thing is, when Jenni picked me up to take me to the hospital (her and the kids were continuing on to Joanne Fabrics to buy halloween costume material) she joked about my nervousness. All the way there she laughed and yelled:  LET ME OUT....LET ME OUT....MY PILLS AREN'T WORKING...LET ME OUT!  I thought it was funny and laughed along with her.  I felt at ease and thought for sure this procedure isn't going to be an issue with me.

Next Tuesday I go to the doctor to see if the MRI revealed anything. If it didn't, I guess we'll try an hip xray.  I have definitely got to keep going until it's fixed as walking for any length of time is becoming a problem that won't let up.

I hit all the second hand stores and a couple of antique shops this morning hoping I could pick up an old beat up narrow table for my hallway.  No luck.  I did pick up a little dollhouse sink for my sink/toilet/tub collection in the bathroom.

I also (on impulse, of course) picked up a rotary phone. Was hoping to find a black one but the price was low enough so I bought it.  I think I'll make a phone tab listing using my old PT number.

Was browsing on Facebook and looked over a few of the cartoons that my son-in-law has posted from time to time.  I think our humor is similar as I loved a lot of them.

I think I'd like to try out this demonstration below...

Maddie had posted a picture of a box that Hunter climbed into so she could duct tape him inside. Jenni thought that was too much fun to miss out on so she hurriedly took over and duct taped it really good.  I can just hear her and Maddie laughing and poor Hunter hollaring.  And I'm sure Sammy was upset too.  Hunter is "the man" as far as Sammy's concerned.

Looking forward to the Vice Presidential debate tonight.  Also have a lot of programs to watch that I taped yesterday.  Especially anxious to see Alaska and Yukon Men.  Mary is coming over Saturday and will spend the night.  She's got a couple of Appleby gift cards and I have one (thank you Shannon!) so we're going to take Jenni, Wayne, and the kids to dinner in Sequim.

Well, guess I'd better get busy. I want to make some oat bran muffins although I'm thinking now I might wait a couple days.  I have bird feeders to fill and hummingbird nectar to replace, living room furniture to move, and diary notations from 2008 to transcribe. I'm almost through this particular journal and will start another tomorrow.  I did manage to clean out Itunes yesterday. Deleted 4260 songs that were duplicated two, three, or four times.  Still not sure how all that happened.  Unfortunately, many of the songs that I recently purchased were no longer in my files.  I'm not happy with Itunes.  Their help program is especially sucky!

Here's a couple more bad dog pictures...

I heard this girl sing on my Pandora Channel yesterday. I got up to see who she was and I'd never heard of her before. Just shows how out of sync I am, I guess, because I looked her up on YouTube and she had over 15 million hits!