What The Heck???????

I have no idea what happened but I can't seem to get the pictures from my camera  out .   Oh, I have the card but my reader isn't working.  I'm going to have to borrow one from the Beast, which I hate to do.  

I came home and immediately got sick.  I kid you not.  Sick to my stomach.  Do you think it might be psychological?  Could be.  I had a ball with my friends and poor Cee became the photographer.  Everyone wanted a picture so she was in charge of taking the pictures with everyone's camera.  If something went wrong with my camera (and there was no indication), I will be sick at heart.  I got a few really good pictures of the great apes and the baby.  The old silverback was down at the bottom of the exhibit but I did get him looking at the camera.  At least, I THINK I got a couple good pictures but only borrowing the Beast's equipment will tell me if something was wrong or not.  

Having a small family reunion at Kay's was really nice.  I bought some good hamburger patties and hot dogs but the hot dog buns were just awful.  Never again will I buy the Aldi's brand.  Yuck!  They fell apart with the first bite.  I also got some cole slaw, potato salad and a couple jello molds that were really tasty.

 But getting to see the twins, Mary and Teri, was fantastic. I used to hang out with them as teenagers and we had more adventures than you could believe.  All in the Irish side of the family. Teri brought along her hubby.  I hadn't seen him in more years than I care to think about.    Their brother, Richard, had other obligations for the day (his Purple Heart Society).  They had some kind of presentation that day.  Later they had a party going for another charity.  My sister, Bee, came, too.  Plus two of Kay's sons (Brandon is in the Marines) and Ray's girlfriend.  So we had a bunch.  Kay wants to try to put together a real Irish family reunion for next year.  I will just have to pick a date and then see what we can put together. 

Cee and I ended up meeting with my girlfriend, Christina, at the zoo when it opened up and we stayed until it shut down.  It was a long day but a lot of fun.  The EVC's were similar to the electric things you get at Walmart.  Easy to use.  We then found a bar/restaurant and had a great dinner together.  Christina is one of my oldest and dearest friends.  She is just a year older than I am and has to cope with an uncontrolled diabetic, overweight hubby who isn't able to dress or undress himself.  He is suffering from ulcers on his legs and the wound people come a few times a week to dress them.  They drain constantly.  It reminds me of my dear friend, Carol, and what she suffered with not that long ago.  That day, the wound people were going to be there to access him and redress the ulcers.

He is suffering from congestive heart failure, and several other things.  But he's tough and has managed to stay alive despite the doctors predictions for him.

There were several things I didn't get to do....like visit my Aunt Rose, who is dying from breast cancer.  She has Hospice staying with her so she is not alone at night.  Her week is broken up with my Aunt Joan taking a day with her and my niece-in-law taking another day.  Family is so very important and I feel bad that I couldn't get to see her.  But, hopefully, I can make it in October.  

Christina wants me to attend her nephew's wedding.  He's a baseball player and it's 300 people invited.  It's going to be a really nice affair.  She said I could rent a formal gown in Chicago and I would have to do that since I can't afford to buy one that would not make me look like the *poor relation*......LOL.   She said she wants someone that is fun  to go with her since Kenny isn't able to make it.  Me?  Fun?  WOW!!!  It's been a long time since someone said I was fun to be around.  We DO manage a few laughs when we are together.

The Beast is going to a big gathering of his church members in Birmingham tomorrow.  He bought himself a sandwich from Publix to take with him and has several cokes cooling in the fridge.  That means I will have to gather up the eggs plus get the chickens back in the coop at night.  They seem to respond to the signal of the Beast coming outside right around  7 or so and he throws out the corn, which they seem to inhale...LOL.  They are averaging 10 eggs every day.  The Beast DID get a few cartons the last time he went to the supply house but it says on the carton that it contains 12 WHITE eggs.  Ours are brown.  Oh well!  I just need a black felt pen to correct that.

I need some sleep now so I will bid you farewell.  I will catch the Beast in the morning before he leaves and, hopefully, will finally post some pictures tomorrow.  I want to show you the *Bitch* tiara that someone found that ended up on ME (matches my necklace) along with a bunch of tinsel ...  LOL!

Love you all.  ***Hugs***

Home Again, Home Again...!

We made it home this afternoon and were both anxious to settle in after a nice, hot shower.  I will not be posting much in the way of this blog nor any pictures until tomorrow and I hope you forgive me after being away for so long.  Suffice it to say, we had a great time.  I have lots of pictures to share and memories.

But my back is suffering from a night of a not-good mattress and a lack of proper sleep so I am off to dreamland in a few minutes.  I love you all and missed you.  Talk more tomorrow.  ***Hugs***

Last Blog For A While....

Today is the last day at home and Cee got here around 4:30pm.  I made us Denver omelets with some of the fresh 10 eggs the girls laid today.  More and more of the eggs are now the large size ones (which is the size they are supposed to lay).  Now Cee and I are watching the *chick flick* mystery movies on Hallmark.

The Beast is going to leave early tomorrow so he can stop for breakfast (probably for the big breakfast at McD's since he loves the pancakes) but I told him to make sure that we are awake before he leaves.  We'll load up the car and be on our way.  Just one stop at the bank and we hit the highway to Mustachio's.

I showed Cee my bathing suit that I found and she thought it was cute, too.  So what if it really is made for someone younger.  It covers up a lot of me that I don't want to show....LOL.

Only one last chore here at the house before we go to bed for the night and  that's to set up the coffee for morning.  That way, whomever is up first can just plug it in and it will be ready in about 7 minutes.  I am taking my laptop with me but really don't know if I will have the time or energy to blog but we shall just have to wait and see.  But I will have lots to tell you when we get back on the 28th.

Love you all and be happy.  I'll be taking lots of pictures to share with you all.   I'm really excited.  Pray that we have good weather for the whole time.  ***Hugs***

Fun In The Works.....

Cee and I are talking a couple times every day and letting each other know how our packing is coming along and any other things that happen regarding our trip.

I found a bathing suit today.  It's cute and may actually look better on a young person but I thought it was adorable and bought it anyway.  It's black with rows of ruffles down the front of the top.  It ties in the back (so the back is open) and around the neck.  The bottom has a skirt made of a couple rows of ruffles and covers the worst of the scars on my legs.  I also bought a new purse, which I desperately needed.  My denim one was about 5 years old and looked it.  I had hoped to find another (soft) denim purse but I guess they aren't in style in this area.  Oh well.  It will work for me once I get used to the new areas to keep things.

I spoke with my girlfriend, Marilyn, and told her about our planning on going to Brookfield Zoo on Thursday and she is going to join us!  That will be fun.  She is such a nut and I just love her laugh.  Cee is also invited to join me and my friends for our reunion on Sunday (and my birthday surprise!  *cringe*).  A couple of the girls have met her and they say she will fit right in with the rest of us nuts.

I also talked with my bff, Carol.  She said in an email that she tried a couple times to call me but she always runs into the same problem.  It rings once and then cuts off.  Weird.  For a while, it actually connected to a weird company instead of my phone.  I then called her and managed to get through to her.  We talked for about a half an hour.  She is such a sweetheart.  She sent me some money for my birthday to ensure that we have a good time.  It was a wonderful thing for her to do.  I really appreciated it.  And we WILL have a good time.  I promised to take some pictures of the gorillas and such and post them on my blog when we get home.  She loves the great apes.  Even Marilyn said she wants to see them especially.

I'm tired since I didn't get much sleep today and no nap.  The girls were great today and laid 11 eggs.  Three of them are the large size, too.  The others are still only mediums but that will change as they all mature.  I made some egg salad while the Beast was at the wedding taking pictures.  They came out great, in case you are interested.  Everyone will be pleased when they see them.  He printed up a big print of the bride and groom which is wonderful.  Not only do they look especially happy but they look wonderful.  The exposure is fantastic.  


Well, I'm off to bed.  Cee will be spending tomorrow night here with us so we can get going early (by early, I mean around 9am).  I plan on getting up with the Beast before I wake Cee and making us Denver omelets.  I already have the ingredients cut up and ready.  I'll just need to scramble the eggs for each.

Love you all.  Be kind.  You will be repaid in the most unexpected ways.  Trust me on this.  ***Hugs***

Getting Ready For Our Trip.....

Today Cee and I started doing some serious packing for our trip.  Cee bought some goodies for us to snack on while we travel.  She even bought some sugarless hard candy....isn't that sweet of her to do that?  She isn't diabetic but she thought about me when she picked those up.  

I ended up using the small suitcase I have plus another bag....one of those that fold up small but are actually fairly large.  I used that one for my pj's, underwear and bras (yes, I will have to wear those most of the time).

I talked to my girlfriend, Marilyn, and she is going to join us at the zoo on Thursday.  I'm really excited about that.  She hasn't been there in years either so it should be fun for us all.  She is a real card and has the greatest laugh!  I am also to bring Cee with me on Sunday for the reunion with the girls (and they are planning something special for me...but with it being both Marilyn and my girlfriend, Jamie, involved, it's kind of scares me).  Of course, Marilyn said there was no reason to be scared but.....

Poor Marilyn's hubby, Denny, is a diabetic, too.  However, he is not controlled and has high sugar and also has developed a heart problem related to his diabetes, not a true heart problem per se.  He also now has bad sores on his legs that weep and are painful.  The wound people come to his house to treat him due to the fact that he is grossly overweight and it's difficult for him to get around.  Marilyn has a tough row to hoe to get him to his doctor's appointments and, occasionally, she tries to get him out of the house so he doesn't get *cabin fever*.  She has to help him dress and even shower.  It's THAT bad.  I'm almost sure that she will be widowed again for the fourth time within a year or so.  It's sad because he was once a good looking man with no health problems when she married him.  He's actually younger than she is, too.

What amazes me is that she is still cheerful and outgoing.  She comes from a very large family (I thought 7 was bad but her family is even bigger).  She still visits them on occasion or they come to visit her.  Not too often due to her hubby's health but he tries to encourage her.  I really like the guy and wish he was healthier and happier.  

So, I am almost all packed for the 9 days we will be gone.  Cee says she bought herself two of the 7 day pill holders so she doesn't have to drag her pill boxes along with her.  Unfortunately, there are a few I must take along....just in case.  I don't want my IBS-D to show up while we are gone.  The doctor gave me another prescription for the diarrhea....just in case.  He understood why I was worried about that.  

I talked to Mustachio today and found out he and my daughter, Buttmunch, have a bet on what time we will show up in Louisville.  He says around 7, she says 8pm.  I told him they were both wrong because even with stopping for lunch, we should be there around 4-5pm.  It's a 7 hour drive there and we won't be hitting any heavy traffic, hopefully.  When I came home from his house the last time I visited with Chewlee, it only took me 5 hours to get home since there was no traffic...and it WAS a weekday.  I didn't speed either.  I just left right around the same time I am planning on leaving.  I may end up there even earlier but there's no telling until we get on the road.  The worst traffic will be when we go through Huntsville.

I'm watching the weather, too.  I can take the heat but I HATE the rain.  I'm hoping we have good weather all the way there.  If not, oh well!  

We are going out to dinner when we get there at a Japanese restaurant that Mustachio said has wonderful food.  He really likes the place.  I wanted to  hit a Lobster House but he doesn't know where one is there.  I said he could look it up on his computer but I can do that, too.  We may have to hit one when we reach Chicago.  Time will tell.

Love you all.  Time to go back to bed.  Be good and be happy.  Take care during this heat that we all seem to be having.  ***Hugs***

Second Post For The Day.......

Well, the girls were lazy today so they only laid 9 eggs.  I chastised them and gave them the shells from eggs I used up (crushed, of course) and they went nuts!  I couldn't believe how they rushed and started eating them.  Freddy, the rooster, went over and inspected the paper plate that I had used and started crowing.  I swear, he was calling all the girls over like he knew they needed it.  

The Beast decided today that, while I am gone, he is going to open up the coop and let the chickens out in the yard.  He's curious to know what they will be attracted to eating.  He's heard they like weeds (which I know is a fact from what I have given them).  I know they love all kinds of herbs like thyme and oregano.  I understand that they are good for their immune system so I gave them some (after trying to tell the Beast where to find them at the store).  Men can be so thick at times.  However, I notice that they all seem very fit and even plump.  I swear the Beast is thinking about making them for dinner some time.  He thinks we have too many hens.

What's funny and cute, the chickens are not afraid of the cat and she seems to like them but not in a bad way.  She goes over to the coop and they gather around the area where she's at and touch their beaks to her nose.  She got into the coop one day when the Beast was going in to check for eggs and they looked like they were playing.  They don't mind Baron as long as he doesn't bark.  He's got one hell of a bark on him and they all head for the barn when he does bark at something.  It doesn't even have to be them that he is actually barking at either.  The bark alone sends them running for cover.....LOL.

I spent the day trying on some clothes that I wanted to take with me on our trip.  Yikes!  Some things that I have here were from my *fat* days and they are really BIG.  I had to set them aside and I'll drop them off at the Salvation Army store.  They are in good shape but not for me any more.  When I say BIG, I mean it.  One bathing suit that I had was more than likely when I had lost a lot of weight (I was under 100 lbs at the time) and everyone thought I was seriously ill and on the brink of dying.  After trying to get into the suit, I understand why now.  Lord, I must have looked terrible.

I have to try matching up outfits (tops and bottoms) before I start packing.  I think I may have set aside too many tops (or not enough bottoms).  I have one pair of shorts that fit me.  I'll probably wear that to the zoo when we go.  We are going to rent the electric carts they rent there since the zoo is so large and we really want to be able to see as much of it as we can.  But, at our age, we just don't have the stamina for walking.  At least *I* don't.....LOL.  When we went to the zoo in Birmingham with Chewlee, I was constantly having to stop and rest for a while before I could go on.  I swore then that, if we ever go back, I am definitely renting one of the motorized wheelchairs they have.

I'm really sorry we can't take Chewlee with us.  I think she would have fun except the motel we are staying at doesn't have a pool.  I hope Kay and her hubby get home soon and that we can arrange a Saturday get-together for a swim and a barbeque.  I'll buy the ribs, burgers or hot dogs.  Whatever anyone wants.  I'll also have to buy a bathing suit but we can do that when we get to Chicago.  I almost hate the idea because the scars on my leg (the left one) is really nasty looking.  But, hey, if someone has a problem with that, it's THEIR problem, not mine.  It is what it is.

 Remember to give lots of love and hugs to family and friends.  Let them know you care.  Life is too short not to love as much as you can while you can.  Everything can change in a minute....like what happened to my brother.  I miss him although I hadn't seen him in a while.  I did  talk to him on the phone a few months before he died.  I am glad that I told him I loved him as the  last thing I said before I said goodbye.  My heart bleeds over his death.  He was too young.  

Love you all.  Be good and be happy, for heaven's sake.  Get rid of negative people in your life.  You don't need that kind of attitude.  Whether you want to believe it or not, their attitude affects yours after a while around them.  Let them go.  It's better for you in the long run.  ***Hugs***

 

Has Anyone Ever Enjoyed A Spa Day???

I've seen depictions of people enjoying a say at a spa.  It looks like it may be a lot of fun but expensive.  A massage, facial, manicure, pedicure.....that all must be a treat.  However, in this neck of the woods, there is no place like that where you can go to try it out.  But I've often wondered what it would be like to go and be pampered for a day.  Me?  Heck, I would just enjoy a day at a pool on a hot day or an evening sitting in a spa with a nice glass of wine.  Sounds like a treat, no?  I guess it all depends on your point of view and what might be possible in any given situation.

I had hoped to find an affordable motel/hotel that had a pool, at least but there wasn't any I could find that we could afford.  All I can hope for is that Cee and I might go over to Kay's....if she is back from her daughter's house by the time we get up there.  They have a beautiful pool that would be wonderful in this hot weather we are all having.  We'll just have to wait and see.  I would love to buy us some ribs to enjoy if we can talk Pete into cooking them for us on his incredible barbeque. 

I saw pictures that she and her hubby have posted on FB and it looks like they are enjoying themselves.  She was at the zoo with her grandkids and Pete was having fun fishing.  He caught a beautiful bass (at least I think it was a bass....looked like a wide mouth one).  I envy them in many ways.  Mostly for their love for each other and the places they visit.  I have always wanted to travel and I dream of visiting Australia one day.  

I would love to be able to take my kids and grandkids (and my great-grands, too!) to see that part of the world.  I think I would have to win the lottery for that dream to come true.  I know it will never happen with the Beast around.  He pretty much hates all our kids except for the  Princess.  But that's really how he is.  He always has had a favorite and it sure hasn't been one that I agree with.  You should love your kids unless there's one that has rejected family.   We do have one that has done just that.  She chose drugs and a terrible lifestyle over family and even friends that reached out to help her.  Sad but true.  I still cry over her on occasion.  Such a waste.  

Oh, guess what the hens did?  They laid 16 eggs yesterday.  It had to be that some of the hens laid an egg late in the day and then laid again the next morning.  The Beast ended up taking all of them over to one of his church friends and they were really shocked that a dozen hens laid so many eggs in a 24 hour period.  He hasn't checked them today so far but he prefers to check late in the afternoon so that none of them are in the nesting boxes.

I was told, by the Princess, that as long as our house wasn't warm enough to act like an incubator, we could go ahead and keep the eggs in a bowl or basket without refrigerating them.  What seems strange to me is that the eggs all seem to be cool to the touch when the Beast brings them into the house.

Well, I want to get this posted so I will say ta-ta for now.  I may post again later but it all depends on any new or exciting thing that happens.  Remember, of all the things you can be in this life, be kind.  It's a measure of your character and can only enrich you life.  Love your family and friends.  Life is short.  ***Hugs***


 

Four And A Half Hours Later.....

....we finally got our electricity back.  Talk about a shock, however.  I actually saw the lightning hit one of the trees in back (way back) of our house get hit by the lightning just a split second before hearing the BOOM!  I must have jumped a half foot off my chair when I saw the lightning and my heart damn near stopped when I heard the big boom.  It seemed like it happened almost at the same time and it was damn scary!

Thankfully, it was still light out when it happened so finding our flashlights wasn't a problem but sitting here, on one of the hottest nights of the week AND extremely humid, too, was not fun.  Even worse, for some reason, the low voltage alarm on our solar supply went off (in my computer room, of course!) so we couldn't use it.  The Beast hopes it doesn't mean one or both batteries need replacing because they are expensive.  He's hoping it's because he forgot to replace some wires that he *borrowed* to run electric into the chicken coop.  But he'll check that out sometime in the next week, I'm sure.

He did turn on the generator so that the fridge and freezer wouldn't get warm and then he turned on his TV set.  I just grabbed a book and started reading since we had no clue how long this outage would last.  We were one of the first to report it so there was no indication of how general it was.   He finally decided he would rather go to bed early and have the AC on in the bedroom rather than have TV to watch.  Can't blame him for choosing comfort....LOL.

My bff, Carol, came up with a suggestion for helping Baron get into the car without fear of hurting him and I passed it along to the Beast.  He thought it would be worth a try since he would like to get Baron in to the vet's office before Cee and I leave for Chicago.  I hope it works because I know he's in a lot of pain. 

She may just come here Sunday night and spend the night here so we can leave her car here without fear of it being vandalized again while she is gone.  The Beast has an eye doctor's appointment on Monday down in Gadsden at 9:15am and Cee and I want to leave around 9am for Mustachio's.  That way we don't have to rush and we can have the car packed up and ready to go on Sunday. 

Well, now that we have our electricity back on, I can go to bed without worry that our food will go bad.  We are all locked up and plugged back into the outlets where they belong.  Goodnight all and I am sending you my love.  Be happy.  ***Hugs***

Today Was A Day Of Rest For Me.....

I did manage to get some halfway decent rest last night just not enough of it.  So I spent today resting but trying not to sleep much so that I would fall asleep when I was ready tonight.  I'm almost ready now to hit the hay so I thought I would get this posted right away.

Tara stopped by today, which was a bit of a surprise.  It's been a long time since she last did that.  I was napping so I never heard her but at least the Beast thought to give her a dozen eggs before she left.  Phew!  He could have given her two dozen and she would probably use them up faster than we will.  That is, unless the Beast gets busy making his banana bread and some of the other things he keeps buying (cake mixes) but has stopped baking.

The Beast spent some time talking to the bride and groom that are getting married this Saturday and he got a bit of a surprise.  It seems they are having 13 bridesmaids and groomsmen standing up for them.  That's one hell of a wedding party and it means he has to change the lens he planned on using for the pictures of the wedding party.  I don't believe he's even SEEN a wedding party that large...LOL....let alone photographed one.  Oh well.  He's got his work cut out for him.

Tomorrow I have to get really busy working on packing, checking my lists and finishing straightening up in my computer room.  I do intend to FINALLY get this rug cleaned.  I've put it off long enough now that I don't think Baron will be wanting to come into my room once he hears the machine running.  Also, the Beast has no plans on going anywhere so his man will be close by all day long.

I feel bad for him because I know he' hurting.  The bad thing is that the Beast can't get him into the car to take him to the vet's office.  Baron doesn't seem to be able to lift the right legs that enable him to get in without hurting himself and I think the Beast is too afraid to lift him for fear of hurting him, too.  I just wish I knew of some OTC medication that would give him temporary relief so that we could get him in to see the vet and get some real medication for him.

Time for me to get some sleep now.  I hope I can sleep more than a few hours at a time.  I stopped drinking any liquids a few hours ago so I shouldn't have to wake up every two hours to pee....at least I hope not.

Love you all.  Have a great Hump Day.  ***Hugs***

Icky Day All Around.....

I don't think there's anything worse than feeling damn tired and not being able to either get to sleep or stay asleep.  That was my night last night.  I was exhausted and even went to bed early, thinking that I would wake up to use the bathroom and would be able to finish the post I had started but not finished.  Wrong on all counts.

I finally fell asleep for more than an hour around 8 am or so and didn't wake up until noon.  Then I had a tummy ache that just wouldn't go away for the next couple hours.  I fell asleep again for a couple hours and then woke up, scared, because I knew I either had an oncoming case of diarrhea or a huge fart in the works.  I ran to the bathroom and ended up letting loose the longest fart I have ever had the privilege of performing in my entire life.  I'm sure it was Bratfink-worthy....LOL.

I was fairly sure that the hens would lay a few more eggs today but never expected that they would lay 9 more.  The Beast had to come in and get a bag for them because even HE was shocked.   He said either Freddy was in disguise or one of the girls had laid two eggs today.  I told him that the four he found this morning could actually have been laid last night and he said that was true, he hadn't considered that.  So I immediately boiled all of them plus a few more and then got them iced but didn't peel them.  I just wasn't up to standing that long.  I'll do it in the morning.

Now that I am feeling okay tummy-wise, I am still tired and want to hit the sack asap.   So I am going to close this for now and do just that.

Love you all.  Keep your fingers crossed for me that I can get and stay asleep for more than an hour or so tonight.  Be happy.  ***Hugs***

Bigger And Bigger.....

The girls laid 9 eggs today and 8 of them were large.  I'm so proud...but I am also flooded with eggs!!!  The Beast said we have too many chickens and he may have a point.  But I hate the thought of just what he would do with what he considers *excess*.  If we didn't have Freddy, I could keep the eggs in a basket on the counter.  But, if there's the chance that they are fertilized, then they have to go in the fridge.  Besides the 3-1/2  dozen that I have in cartons, the bowl I have the other eggs in overfloweth!  

I slept well last night....just 3 hours in a row due to waking for a bathroom break.  But I was able to go right back to sleep and I woke up normally at 8am feeling good.  I felt so good that I even got dressed!   

However, I fell asleep and, although I woke up several times during the night, I didn't finish this blog.  I just was so tired that I couldn't even think of doing it.  So I beg your forgiveness.  I ended up sleeping until noon before I could think about getting up.  Poor Baron and the Beast had the same problem except the Beast forced himself to get up....just a little later than his usual time....LOL.

I'm going to just get this posted with one thing from today.  Only four eggs this morning and two were large, two were kind of medium in size.  GAH!!!  I told the Beast he needed to make his banana bread and I'll make some egg salad.  After that...I have no idea what I am going to do.  Maybe send some over to the Beast's friends from his church that live around us. 

Love you all.  Be good and be kind.  It's good for everyone.  ***Hugs***

Cee And I Talk About The New Wrinkle.....

...and, since I found a motel that is affordable, we decided that we will play it by ear and just roll with the punches.  We are, after all, not *on vacation* unless you call retirement a vacation.  Actually, it IS in a way, but it lasts all year long.  LOL!  So, unlike Mustachio, who will have to return to work, we can just do what we like, when we like it.   We have no jobs.  Those pressures are over for us.  Now we have different pressures....

We got a dozen eggs from the girls today and the majority of them were the large size their breed is supposed to lay.  Guess they are almost all *fully mature* now.  But I MUST boil some eggs tomorrow and make us some egg salad.  My fridge is damn near overflowing with eggs already.  I have 4-1/2 dozen eggs right now in it.  I think I will bring some to Mustachio when we drive up there.  

I'm glad that Sheepie will still be there so we can visit for a bit before her move back down to Alabama.  She and her ex-fiance have worked through their problems and are reuniting.  I'm so happy for her that they are getting back together.  She really loved/loves him.  I just hope he deserves that love.

I'm  really beat today for some reason.  I read all the *side effects* sections on the flyers that the pharmacy always includes with your prescriptions.  I had no idea that my neuropathy medication can cause both sleepiness AND insomnia.  I take a LOT of them, too.  What a weird combination of side effects.  Either it can put you to sleep OR keep you awake at night.  Sheesh!

Well, I am going to stop trying to fight it and get my butt to bed.  The Beast went around a half hour ago.  This is late for him but he doesn't go to church until 1pm.  He can sleep in if he wants.  He went to a wedding shower today to take pictures of it.  He was asked to do that as well as take pictures of their wedding, which is next Saturday.  He actually got the 9 year old daughter of one of the women (she's known to be difficult to photograph because she is incredibly shy) to pose for pictures for him.  He had taken a picture of her with a group of kids from the church and she loved her picture.  So, when he said he wanted to take her picture, she was eager for him to do it.  I saw the results and he did a great job of getting her to smile naturally.  She's going to love the ones he printed up of her.  She looks beautiful.

Well, goodnight all.  Love you all dearly.  Be good.  Be happy.  Dance before the music is over and live before your life is over.  It can be in just the twinkle of an eye.  ***Hugs***

A Weird Wrinkle To Our Plans.....

Talked to Mustachio tonight and he's decided he's not going to join Cee and I on our trip to Chicago.  Neither Cee or I can afford a motel for a week so he wants us to stay at his place for a couple days.  He said he has a pool there for us to enjoy and he promised to feed us well.  This means steaks since that's his favorite and he goes to this special upscale market to get his.

In reality, there's no reason we can't do that.  Maybe just one day more than we planned.  Then another day with Betty.  That would mean we would get to Chicago on Thursday.  That leaves us four days there with one day spent at the zoo.  I tried calling Kay but had to leave a message on her phone to call me back.  I'm not sure if she is staying with her daughter still who just had a baby on the second of this month.  She usually stays the first two weeks.  With all the places that she and her hubby have gone to this year (Mexico and Tahiti), I wasn't sure if she had any more vacation time left.

I may have to bite the bullet and pay for our motel if I can find one cheap enough.  Oh well.  C'est la vie. (NOTE:  I found us a motel in Naperville that isn't too pricey and I can afford to pay for.  It just means I have to be very very careful with what I spend.  I reserved the room for Cee and me and I am relieved!)  I understand why my son isn't going.  He really needs the dental work done and doing it on his vacation time works perfectly for him.  He was so torn about it but decided that he really didn't have any of our family that he was close to since my brother, Uncle Icky, died.  He was close to him and talked to him often on the phone.  

I'm going to check on motels after I finish this and see what I can find for the dates we would need it.  It's only 10 days until we leave and I have never gone up there with no real destination before.  It's kind of scary.  I also have to call Cee and tell her about the change in plans.  We shall see what we shall see.

The girls only laid six this morning and the Beast found two more this afternoon but one of them felt like rubber.  He threw that one against the fence and the chickens all ran toward it and ate it all up.  He said it was really weird how they fought over it.  He's going to throw the shells I have saved and crushed up a bit to them tomorrow instead of the corn.  The feed they are getting has calcium in it but I guess they need more, hence the shells that I saved.  Lots of people who have chickens have told us to do that.

Well, time to get this posted and my butt to bed.  Love you all.  Remember to be kind...not always because someone deserves it but because it's a part of YOU.  ***Hugs***

So Here I Sit....

I bit the bullet and went over to Cee's today.  I brought over the only other suitcase that I found and it was the one that we used to be able to take onto the plane as a carry on.  That was before the airlines all made that option much smaller and it's more child size now.  They just want to force you to pay the $25 fee for checking in baggage.  But that is neither here nor there.  At least it's bigger than what she has.  If she needs, she can use it and one of her pieces that she has which is overnight size.

 The hens only laid six eggs today but one of them was finally the large size that they are supposed to be known for.  I was told they would be fully mature in this month and it looks like they are finally there.  The next few days will tell.

I stopped at KFC on my way home and treated myself to 10 hot wings and some cole slaw.  They asked me if I minded waiting for five more minutes for fresh fried wings and I said I would love to wait for fresh ones.  They gave me 14 of them for being so nice (which was a surprise) and I shared them with the Beast when I got home.  They tasted so good to me and I had more flats so that was a treat, too.

I have the cards for the kids ready for them so I just need to get off my butt and go over to the Princess' to give them to them.  Cee and I won't be here for their party and I want them to have them.  Today was actually Gunner's 2nd birthday.  He is such a cutie pie.  Such a great disposition and how he loves to eat.  He eats anything you put in front of him.  He's not the least bit fussy, unlike his sister was even as a baby.  But Chewlee is getting better that way.  She does eat salad at times, which she never used to do and she eats mashed potatoes and a few other things that she used to turn down.  It was *eat it or go hungry* once her mother had her full time.  I admit that I catered a lot to the things that Chewlee liked to eat.  I can't help it.  From the time I was a kid, I couldn't let anyone go hungry.  I remember too many times when there was never enough to go around for seconds and my stomach growled for more.  It was tough to feed 9 people in the 50's with the money my dad made.  He did the best he could and so did mom but.......

Well, I just woke up to go to the bathroom and then get this done.  Love you all but I am headed back to bed.  I'm tired from the heat and being busy today once I got home.  I had some things I had to go through in my dresser and some things that needed throwing away.  But I have almost finished with that now.  I'll only need a few more hours and that will be another chore, long put off, that I have accomplished.  I count my successes in small chores done successfully....LOL.

Be good.  ***Hugs***

Second Post For The Day......

Well, the girls outdid themselves today.  There were 13 eggs between the two nesting boxes and the two eggs found on the shelf.  I figure one of the hens laid one late yesterday and it seems like they all laid an egg today.  I don't think they lay more than one egg a day but what do I really know about that?  I'm just flabbergasted about it.  So is the Beast.  I think it's incredible.

I'm back to my blonde.  It took me a couple months to get rid of the red that I tried but now I feel like me again.  I forgot to mention that yesterday.  

I'm showered and almost ready for bed now so I am going to say goodnight.  I have to figure out what to do with all these eggs now.  I think I understand now why my cousin, Deb, makes so many things with eggs.  I think she has about the same number of chickens as we do but they are older and probably more regular with the eggs they lay.  I really wish we didn't have a rooster so I could keep the eggs on the counter in a basket.  But the fact that they might be fertilized makes that impossible.  *Sigh*

Love you all.  ***Hugs***

I Get Delayed......

Well, that was unexpected!  I was getting ready to clean the rug after I vacuumed my computer room well and I ended up being asked by the Beast to wait to do it.    Why?  Because of Baron.  We think Baron might have arthritis but the Beast is going to have to take him to the vet to be sure.   He actually  had a hard time getting up from a rug (scatter type) and had to be helped.  The reason the Beast didn't want me to get my rug wet today was because he is doing a lot of running around and Baron likes to come in with me when he's gone.

If the rug is wet, it won't be comfortable for Baron to lay down on and we don't want to make him more miserable than he is.  If he IS suffering with arthritis pain, we hope the vet will have something we can give him to make him more comfortable.  A woman the Beast knows saw Baron and thought he was beautiful but asked if he had arthritis.  When he asked her why she thought that, she said she has always had Rottweilers and they have the same problem due to their size and weight.  It was in the way she saw he was walking that reminded her of her dogs.  The Beast said he hadn't thought of that (although I had said it a time or two to him) so now he is watching and trying to make changes around here so that Baron doesn't suffer.

He's put some non-slip strips on all the stairs so that Baron feels more secure going up and down them.  The reason he would go down the front stairs is because we have those on them and have almost since we first moved in here.  So I have to wait to do the rug until either the Beast takes Baron to the vet to see what we can do for him or the Beast is going to stick around and not be running off to Lowe's or Walmart or Aldie's or any of the other places he went to today.

If you haven't figured it out, today was our *payday* so he had some shopping to do, including replacing his electric sander.  The old one was probably 30 years old so it really DID need replacing.  It looks like it should be trashed.  At least what he replaced it with was cheap.  It's not like he needs to use it all that much but he did need to rough up the stairs a bit for the strips.

So here I sit, babysitting the dog.  I may just say the hell with it and go over to Cee's tomorrow.  I may have to get the suitcase and bring it over to her so she can see if it works for her  or not.  I'm feeling a bit of cabin fever and the need to go out and do something different.

Well, this is one of the earliest posts I've ever done but  you will have to forgive me for that.  I just wanted to get it down early since I need to do a few things before I shower and get ready for bed later.  Love you all and I hope you have had a good week so far.  ***Hugs***

Poor Rooster.....

I woke up fairly early today but I just didn't feel like tackling the rug for some reason.  But I did make up my mind that it MUST be done tomorrow.  No more procrastination.  

I folded more clothes today and went through my clothes, trying to select what I was going to take with me on my trip.  Cee called and I am going to let her use the medium size suitcase so that she doesn't have to use two small cases for a week's worth of clothes.  We used to be good at packing a week's worth of clothes in a small carry-on size suitcase (with wheels) but we are long past that stage nowadays.  We old people are a bit more fussy about our comfort and what we want to wear.

I didn't even ask the Beast about eggs today because our poor rooster has obviously been in a fight  with some critter.  I think he must have fought it off from hurting the hens.  He's got feathers on the back of his neck that have been pulled out and there's an open wound there, too.  Thankfully, he's able to function and the Beast looked at the wound and it looks clean so we are just going to watch it for now.  I told him to close up the coop so no critters can get in looking for *food* or eggs or whatever.

Love you all.  I'm tired so I am going to bed now and try to get some decent sleep.  I hope that I get over this spell of procrastination by then....LOL.  Be good and be kind.  ***Hugs***

Nothing New Today.....

 I didn't get my rug done today.  Without going into long reasons, it was changing of the sheets and blankets plus the Beast's undies day.  So I was busy doing other things and catching up a bit on the sleep I didn't get last night.  I kept getting cramps in my ankles of all places!  But I did finally get some good rest in between helping get the clean sheets on our bed.  

Today was a six egg day.  Actually the hens laid seven but there was one that got broken in the nesting box.  The Beast gave the six good eggs to a friend of his from his church.  Since they got to see the eggs in the  nesting box, it tickled them to get the fresh eggs.

The Beast is preparing for the wedding he will be photographing on the 18th.  He had to get some more glossy print papers for the ones that he will do up for the bride and groom and he will put the rest on a CD so that they can print up whatever anyone else may want.  Since this acts as his present to the two, he doesn't charge anything for doing it but he tries very hard to get great pictures for them.  He usually does a nice job but I have to remind him about taking a few pictures that are kind of on the *romantic* side for their memories down the line.

I did keep on doing some *clean-up* of things that need to be put away now that the weather has gotten hot.  Like my heated blankets (the lap one for at my desk and the one I liked to sleep under).  I got those cleaned up a bit, folded and looked for the plastic container that I usually put them into but couldn't find it.  So I just folded them and put them up for the summer.  One more thing out of the way.  But...tomorrow....that MUST be the day for cleaning the rug.  It's really a mess once I started really looking at it.  My *illness* did nothing for it, trust me.  I started doing a bit of spot cleaning for the worst of it and I hope that the rug cleaner we own does the rest.

Then I must address clearing up the bookcase a bit.  Little by little, I have made it a repository of various things that really don't belong there.  Like some of my face creams, baby lotion, skin cream for my legs and feet....that kind of stuff.  Oh well.  That's easy to do when you are trying to do two or three things at once....LOL.  Just put the bottle or jar within easy reach so when you need it later (or tomorrow), it's right there within easy reach.

I want to get them back where they belong so that the Beast doesn't decide to clear another thing that he has no business taking care of since it doesn't belong to him.  Oh, another thing that I discovered.  The Beast didn't throw out all my picture albums.  But he DID put them up on a high shelf in the master closet and he forgot he did that.  He tried to tell me that *I* must have done it.  I know I didn't so here's another instance of his memory either going out on him or he's lying through his teeth.
 But at least I found them and can now show them to Chewlee when she is here next.

That's about it for now.  Love you all and I just hope that I can get this rug done so I can get over to Cee's house.  I also need to try to get to the Princess' house so I can give the kids their birthday cards.  I decided to give them money and let their mother take them shopping for something they want.  Since I can't make it to their party on the 25th (Cee and I will be in Chicago then), I wanted them to have it before I go.  The time is coming up quickly now.  

Be good.  Be happy.  Stay cool and dry.  Say a little prayer for the poor people in the Houston area that are affected by all the flooding.  ***Hugs***

And The Game Is Afoot~~

Today Mustachio got serious about the trip to Chicago.  Looks like it's going to be a 2-car caravan since he will need to return on Sunday, the 26th and Cee and I won't be leaving until the 27th since MY reunion with my girlfriends is on that Sunday.  AND...this is the primary reason that I am making the trip.  You can't ignore friendships that have lasted almost 54 years, can you?

Of course, that Sunday is also my 70th birthday.  Seventy years old.  My god but that seems like an incredible age to me.  My bff is 10 years older than I am and I can't even imagine how she feels when she thinks about being that age.  Truth is, no one feels as old as they are.  Age is a number, not the way you feel in your heart.  As you grow older (in numbers), you will discover this for yourself, too.

I'm really looking forward to this trip with Cee and Mustachio.  We hope to make it to Brookfield Zoo one day that we are up there.  I want to call Kay and see if she is *up* for a barbeque at her place on Saturday.  I'll buy the hamburgers and hot dogs and some ribs, too, I hope.    I would love to spend the day around her pool and see the pictures from their trips.  I saw what she posted on Facebook and I am sooooooo jealous.  But I am also so very happy for her because she is a great person.  She's been a hard-working woman all her life and she deserves that kind of happiness.  I'm so happy that Pete loves her the way he does.  She deserves to be happy after all the misery my brother put her through.  

Mustachio is booking our motel for the five days he will be there and I am hoping that Kay might let Cee and I come over on Sunday and spend the night with them.  Cee and I will leave on Monday for our trip (via Louisville then on to Nashville to see Marcus and family).  My grandson is now out of the Marines and back home so we will be able to see him, too.  Then it's home again....sigh.  By then, we will be glad to be back, I'm sure.

Today I got to visit with the *girls* and gathered another egg (the Beast had already gotten four early in the morning).  I think this last one was kind of hard for the hen to lay.  It might actually have been her first.  It is actually pointy and makes you think she had a difficult time getting it out.  I gave them some corn but I think they were disappointed that I hadn't gathered any greens for them.  Tomorrow.  Tomorrow.

I took Baron out front for a bit and watched our little fur baby trying to cuddle up with him when he was relaxing on the driveway.  She was so cute.  When she gave up on his playing with her, she came over to me for some loving.  She has such a sweet disposition.  She came into the house with us when we went in and did her routine walkabout.  She cuddled with Baron by the front door for a bit then came over to me to get me to let her back outside.  She only *visits* with us from time-to-time.  

I did some clothes and hung them up right away.  I hope to be able to vacuum and then clean my rug in my computer room tomorrow.  I want to go over to Cee's house on Tuesday to let her know what all Mustachio wants to do with us when we get to Chicago.  I know he doesn't want us to rush anywhere and I assured him that was never my intention.  I want to be able to stop here and there or when we see something we might like to explore (like this one interesting shopping center I've seen but never stopped at).  It looks like something out of a mining town and I would love to see it close up.  But I don't remember just where it is located so we will have to keep a lookout for ads about it.  I'm sure there are billboards that advertise it.

Once I have my rug cleaned, I will start on packing my suitcase.  No, I'm not the least bit excited....LOL.  My son, Mustachio, wants to do a good deed for this place that he once lived in when he was down and out.  He wants to host a barbeque for the guys that live there and the man that owns it.  My son stayed there when he was kind of down-and-out and got his shit together while he stayed there.  Without that place, he would probably not be in the position he is today.  I told him that I thought that was a really sweet thing for him to do.  With Father's Day coming up, many of the guys staying there have no family (or children) and he just felt it would be a good spirit lifter for them all.  He's very grateful for the chance it gave him to change the course he was on and get his shit together.  I love him for that.  I told him that I was very proud of him as my son.  He has a good heart.

Well, I didn't sleep well last night and I am so tired that I can barely keep my eyes open.  Love you all.  Be good and be happy.  Life is too short to let your spirits be ruined by anything or anyone.  Chin up (or chins, whatever!) and dance in the rain.  Laugh with your whole body and who cares?  ***Hugs***

All Quiet On The Southern Front.....

Today the girls were lazy and we only got four eggs.  Oh well.  But all four were *regular* size eggs.  Funny but I made myself a fried egg sandwich for breakfast (the Beast declined...he didn't feel well) and the egg I used was a double yolk-er.  The hens have laid quite a few of these since they started laying eggs last month.

It was supposed to be a stormy afternoon and night but we haven't even had a sprinkle.  The skies looked awful but it was just warm, calm and overcast.  Not much in the way of wind even.  Not that it mattered.  I am feeling good but am still a bit on the weak side.  I'm still trying to rehydrate after all the diarrhea of the past two weeks.  You pay for that, one way or another.  It will be a few days yet before I trust myself to do more than stay at home and recuperate.  I do plan on going in to see the doctor on Monday just to be checked for a possible UTI.  I think that is actually due to the other problem.  

I talked to Cee this evening to find out how her day had gone with Chance and they were watching dinosaur cartoons on TV with dinosaurs like the ones in the cartoon about *How to train your dragon*.  These were not the same ones but the dragons were similar.  Whatever.  It was just enjoyable she said.

Looks like my son, Mustachio, is only going to join us for the first three days of our trip to Chicago due to dental appointments that he needs to keep but, no matter.  I will just have to call Kay and find out if she can stand company for the last three days we will be there.  I will find us somewhere, I am sure.

Well, I must get ready for bed.  It's late and I am tired.  Love you all.  Be good.  Be kind.  Remember, life teaches you lessons that you sometimes need to learn so keep aware.  ***Hugs***

Today Was A Good Day!

I had a fantastic day today.  Cee came by and went home with some of my pea soup for her and Chance's dinner tomorrow.  He's staying over at *grandma's* house tomorrow night to give his mom, Tara, and her boyfriend, time to go out to dinner and a show.   Everyone needs one of those every once in a while.  

In talking with my son, Mustachio, he mentioned my egg drop soup.  I hadn't made any of that in ages so guess what I did?  Yep.  I made some and then ended up eating it all.  LOL!  I think I actually craved the salt in it more than anything since I had diarrhea for so long and have been a bit on the dehydrated side.

I also made some rice pudding which I have to correct in the morning.  I made it a bit too dry because we were a little low on milk.  Oh well.  All cooks have that happen to them every once in a while.  I'll make it all better tomorrow.

I also discovered that I had some *old* tops in my other closet that I have been trying on.  It's like discovering a whole new wardrobe....almost.  At least I have some things that I haven't been able to wear for a long time and they are all in good shape.  One outfit is really cute and I had actually forgotten I owned it.  I haven't tried that one on yet because I desperately need a shower.  I didn't want to have to wash it just because I tried it on.  For some reason, I sweat like a pig last night.  It was on the warm side however.

Today the hens outdid themselves and laid 8 eggs!  We already have 3-1/2 dozen in the fridge, mostly theirs, so we gave the 8 to our next door neighbor.  The Beast told him it was because he put up with *Freddy*, the rooster, crowing in the afternoons.  He laughed and said his 6 year old daughter makes more noise than Freddy does.  As soon as ALL the eggs are normal size, we will give Dennis and Diane a dozen of them.  Just because.  *Grin*  Even the Beast thought that was funny.

All the eggs is why I got busy making some stuff.  I wanted to use up the eggs now that we are getting so many every day.  I think I understand why my cousin, Deb, in Texas, makes so many egg dishes every day.  She has about the same amount of hens that we do.

Well, I MUST get into the shower now that I am feeling so much better.  I was a bit afraid of having an *attack* in the shower and perhaps falling.  I love you all and thanks for all the prayers.  I am so looking forward to my trip to Chicago now.  ***Hugs***

Minor Setback That Was My Fault....

Before I get to the *setback*, I have to tell you one of the things I am hating about Windows 10.  It keeps changing my settings on different things (like the size of my icons and even my mouse pointer), every time it has an *update*.   I get things where I want them and then, BAM!, it changes everything to where IT wants them to be.  *Grrr!*

Now, as for my setback.  Yes, I did a dumb thing.  I was so happy to find my appetite yesterday that today, when the Beast asked me what I had a taste for, I told him some shrimp.  I meant like cocktail shrimp since peel-and-eat is not something found around here so far from any sea waters.  But, you can get some fresh, cooked shrimp from Publix that is just perfect.  The problem is that I didn't ask myself if I SHOULD have some.  So I paid a price for it a couple hours afterward when I just barely made it to the bathroom in time...

So, I took my medication (I haven't been taking the full dosage that I can take) and then a shot of Kaopectate (oh how I hate that stuff!) but I didn't want this to be a one-step forward, two-steps back kind of day.  So far, so good.  I also decided to make some split pea soup even though it required sending the Beast off to the store again because we were out of celery and he hadn't replaced it yet.   Then I ate a stalk of celery with some french onion dip (just a touch) since I figured the fiber would be good for me.  I knew the celery still counts as a veggie and I hadn't eaten much of those the past two weeks.  I (again) forgot to remind the Beast about picking up some V-8 juice because we both forgot to add it to the list.  I remembered it too late and the Beast didn't take his phone with him.

Now the Beast is making noises like he doesn't want me to go to Chicago because he's *worried* about my health.  I told him that I wouldn't want to go if there was a chance of me having to go through this crap especially with Cee and Mustachio.  It's just too embarrassing and too grisly.  We can always cancel our motel reservations and I don't think that Cee or my son would disagree about the reason why.  I would hate to disappoint my friends but sometimes those things can't be helped.  Especially since my gf, Marilyn, said she had something planned for my birthday.  It's the same day as our meeting day and I told her if she embarrasses me too much, it may be years before she sees me again....LOL.  She can be funny but she really never tries to overdo her shenanigans.

She's been the same since I first met her years and years ago.  I knew her even before I met my hubby and we will be married for 52 years this year.  That's a long time to be friends, don't you think?

Well, I have to go check on my soup again.  I guess the carrots are a bit sweeter than normal since I am combating that sweetness right now (so sad that I have to keep taste-testing it...LOL).  Love you all.  Be good and have some fun.  Laugh a lot.  ***Hugs***

My Appetite Is Back!!!

Today I found my appetite.  Yep.  I had sausage gravy and biscuits this morning and then, later, got an incredible craving for pineapple.  I knew we had pineapple chunks in the pantry so I went and got a nice can, took about 1/3 of the chunks (and some of the juice, of course) and ate those.  Then it was time for a toaster waffle.  No idea why but it appealed to me.  No tummy ache, nothing, but it all tasted good to me.  

Later, I enjoyed a fried chicken TV dinner.  I had craved that and now I feel wonderful.  I took my meds and am going to finally take the nap I have wanted all day.  No nausea so far  and I am  taking the other medication on a six hour schedule.  At least until I am sure the diarrhea is gone.  It seems to have been going that way the last 24 hours.  You have NO idea how great that is after suffering with it for damn near two weeks.  I wll be glad when I finally get to see the GE and find out if there's anything serious going on.

Update on the chickens.  Today, it was five eggs.  That is all on THAT.  I now have 3-1/2 dozen eggs in the fridge.  I guess I will cook a bunch tomorrow and make some egg salad.  That's always been a favorite around here.  I may even bring some over to Cee's since I have something I need to do for her.

My son texted me (Mustachio) last night.  The gist of it was that I gather my daughter, Buttmunch, made them some split pea soup last night.  His comment was that her's was good but MINE rocks!  He says I make the best he's had so far.  *Grin*  I have no idea what she could be doing that makes the difference but I suspect she may not remember all the spices I use or else there's not enough of the onions, celery and carrots.  No clue here.  But it's nice to know he like mine best of all.  I'll have to talk to her when Cee and I get to Louisville.

Wow!  That's coming up fast now.  I was a bit upset to find out that the Princess put the party for the two kids back due to not being able to get the plastic area for the slip-and-slide dodgeball that Chewlee wants to be able to play.  It's been set for the 25th of June and Cee and I will be in Chicago.  So I don't get to enjoy it after all.  *Insert sad face here*.  I do have to get  a card for Gunner and figure if I am going to just give him cash or buy something for him.  I'll probably do that either tomorrow or this weekend and then figure on getting the things for the kids to the Princess after that.

Time to close and get that nap.  Love you all.  Thanks for the good thoughts and prayers you may have said to help get me over this bout.  Be good.  Be happy.  Stay dry and be careful driving.  ***Hugs***