Happy WednesPAY!!!

Yep, you guessed it - for us underpaid State employees - it's PAYDAY!!! WOOHOO!!! Hope everyone is doing well! I'm good; leaving today at 4:00 for my 1 year surgeon's appt. I truly can't believe it's been a year, but I guess when I look at Kaity & Brian, I can see that a year really has passed. I'm kind of apprehensive about going, it's convoluted thinking, because you really can't argue with a 135 pound loss in a year. I know DVR's not gonna chastise me, especially because he's changed from flogging patients with a wet noodle to a lower carb version!!! Seriously, I'm not sure why I'm kind of scared, I just am. We'll see. Again, how can anyone knock a 135 pound loss? Saying this repeatedly throughout the day to myself. Of course, it doesn't help that his scale is always different from mine at home, which is much kinder to my psyche!!!! Went to the knee replacement seminar last night with my parents in prep for Dad's surgery at 12:30 on Monday. God help me & Mom - pray for us! Dad was borderline rude at the seminar - not vocal, but just like sucking his teeth in disgust and sighing LOUDLY. Particularly when they were discussing nutrition. Now, this is a man who has diabetes and had a quadruple bypass in early 05, along with repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm and repair of his renal arteries in September of 05, so you'd think he'd be mindful of his health, right? WRONG! He started smoking again and follows neither a diabetic nor heart-healthy diet. He doesn't drink alcohol, which appears to be the only vice he doesn't indulge in. He's already complaining about the hospital food, which at Franklin Square, really does bite, but he knows they'll be giving him Mrs. Dash and Splenda. Since he's not going to change at the age of 64, I'm going to talk to his dr., and see if he can't just have regular food. If he doesn't comply at home, I really don't care if he does in the hospital. Him not driving for 4 weeks is going to be bitey, too. Sorry if I seem heartless; don't get me wrong, I love my Dad and I respect him because he's my Dad, but I don't have much respect for him as a person. God, I sound like a terrible person!! Mom & I, but especially Mom, have put up with a lot of crap from him over the years, which has only gotten worse as he's gotten older. Mom & I have decided that after his surgery, we both are going to develop serious substance abuse problems!!!! Okay, thanks for letting me whine. I'm glad I can type this out, because I'd probably sound like a real beatch if I vocalized it. What's up with you all today? Oh, yeah, Mo was sweet enough to bring her camera on Sunday, so if anyone's interested in seeing pictures of us DIVAS, email me with your email address and I'll forward them. Thanks again, Moie!!! Take care, Tia

Good morning Tia I really feel for you with your Dad. I have had a checkered past with my Dad so I can relate to many of the things you said. My issues with Dad are very different than yours, but Dads are Dads. Please vent here whenever you need to don't hold back!!!! I've not had to go through a major surgery or health thing with my Dad (he just turned 85) and he's been sober for coming up on 36 years now (August 15, 1970) but believe me there have been times .... I've had 50 plus years of listening to my Mom 'witch' about my Dad and I finally see that it's her problem .. not his .. if that makes sense. He's a challenge, but if you could have seen how devoted he was to her comfort, etc. when she had open heart surgery last fall .. and she continues to whine and complain. The interview yesterday went well. Probably because I don't have an 'emotional' investment in it. The first question had to do with what have I done professionally and what brought me to the interview. I covered the last 30 years in more than a few sentences and wound up with the fact that if I was not their choice for the position that it would not be the end of my world and if I was the choice it would be a hard decision for me to make to accept or not. At this point, I have accomplished what I wanted. I applied and was interviewed so I don't have any what-if doubts for not even trying. The more $$$ is attractive, but I have many projects going now in this job that I would like to see to completion and I LIKE what I do now. I guess I will have to see what happens .. IF they do offer me the job. They won't be making a decision until sometime next week so I will just go off to NJ this weekend and not give it a thought .... YEAH .. SURE I got my Chicago Visitors Guide in the mail the other day and I've been busy looking at it (going to Chicago for a conference in October .. assuming I stay in this job). Just my luck the day I am getting to Chicago EARLY to spend a day sightseeing, etc. before the conference starts is the day of the Chicago Marathon. I'm now worried that will 'mess' me up. ARGGGGGHHHH!!!! Anyway, I've got to get some stuff going here. Talk to you later. Hugs & smoochies, Mo

Thanks, Moie!!! It's so hard with my Dad, I mean, I was always a Daddy's girl, and to see him for who he really is just torques me. My parents probably should've divorced years ago, and now, they really can't afford to. Their marriage is a big part of why I don't feel the need to marry again. Been there, done that. Everyone says I should move out, but my Mom doesn't drive, and I'm not leaving her there. No, I shouldn't feel responsible for her life, and she herself would tell me that, but I feel like I need to "take care" of her. She did it for me all those years, right? That's not to say she's perfect - who is? but no one deserves the kind of life she's had. This is TMI, but when she was in the hospital recovering from having 1/2 of her left lung removed due to a cancer scare, he took the opportunity to take a mortgage out on the paid off house because he'd gotten them in trouble gambling. Now, mind you, this was at Christmas time, and he has the mortgage company come to the house because she had to sign the papers, and she's sitting there on the sofa with chest tubes hooked up to oxygen!!! I gotta stop talking about this, 'cause I'm gonna sit here and cry if I don't!! Tears of sadness for Mom and tears of pissed-offness for me!!! But thanks for listening!! Okay, I know you already know what you want with this job. It comes through loud and clear on the pinuter (Baby Kaity-speak). Try not to fret about it too much. What are you going to NJ for? Fun? Work?? I've never been to Chicago - always wanted to check out their expensive stores on the Magnificent Mile. So you do that for me if you want, okay? Mr. Mo going with you? If you get a map of the marathon, maybe you could sightsee away from there. If you do that while the race is ongoing, you might have your pick of restaurants, etc. Have a great day, and thanks again! Tia

We are going to Bridgeport NJ to the dirt track for the Sat night races! One of my best 'net' g/f's lives in southern Jersey and we get together all the time (we meet in Delaware half way .. lol .. for lunch usually). We are getting together with some other net racing buddies for a Saturday night at the track. Originally, Mr Mo and I planned to take the motorhome, but by the time we pay $25 to park it overnight at the track AND put fuel in it .. we will spend $75-100 .. and a hotel room is $74, soooo .. we are doing the hotel room thing. I am doing the Chicago thing without Mr Mo. He was in Chicago last year the same week I was at this same conference in Nashville. We have been to Chicago a few times together. I have a racing buddy who lives out that way. She's got me on her calendar for October 22 and we are going to do something together that Sunday. I've been trying to find a map of the marathon route. So far no luck (you would think it would be on the marathon website .. but naw .. that would make it too easy ) I am thinking the Magnificent Mile is a GOOD idea!!!! I can shop any time ... last year in Nashville I shopped a wee bit TOOO much and had to buy another suitcase to get my stuff home .. Our 'Tuesday' night event with the conference is the Tut exhibit at at the Field Museum. That sounds awesome. Next year the conference is in Boston in September and I am thinking Mr Mo will want to go .. specially if it means he can go to Fenway and see the Red Sox play. Hugs, Mo

NJ sounds like fun - minus the racing - sorry, Mo, I just can't get into NASCAR!! Shopping is my sport of choice!!! How about the Chicago Chamber of Commerce website? Oohhh, I'd LOVE to see the Tut exhibit. Okay, next year is a banner year for me - it will be the first anniversary of my 39th birthday, so I'm trying to plan some trips - $$$ allowing, of course. If Mr. Mo doesn't want to go to Boston and you want some company, let me know. I've never been and always wanted to go. Let me know. I'm feeling foul right now, did you ever feel like "staph" instead of "staff?" That's how I'm feeling right now. Tia

Hey there! If Mr Mo doesn't go you are absolutely welcome to go to Boston with me. My conference is Mon-Wed and I would probably fly out on either the Friday or EARLY Saturday a.m. before that Monday. I got my guide book from the Chicago visitors center web site. I'm going to google the 'route' for the marathon when I have a few minutes and see what I get that way. I still have until October 21 before I need to be REALLY concerned since I don't fly out until early a.m. Oct 22. I hope you are not coming down with something. xoxoxox, Mo

Okay, I'm serious about Boston - so if he's not there, I will be! The only thing I'm coming down with is a "staph" infection - I'm sick and tired of being left out of the loop here. I basically was given this job because I'm a friend of a friend of the Colonel's - I was supposed to work for the friend in his capacity as COS to the Colonel, but it got all political and my friend was pulled, but I had to stay. So THE SUPERVISOR didn't get to pick me, and while I don't think it's anything personal, she's kind of territorial. Not that I don't/can't do my job, but you know, knowledge is power. I don't care about power - I've been on the job for 21 years, 9 to go, and I'm not interested in anything other than doing my job and supporting the Col. I don't like not knowing what I need to know - I don't need anyone's help to look like a moron, I can do that just fine on my own, thanks!!!!!!! There, now, aren't you sorry you asked? Going to drink another slug of *****berry Koolaid with a Haterade shooter!!!!! Tia

Hello all! Wednesday is here...and I am doing this nasty bowel prep for surgery TOMORROW!! I can't beleive it is finally here... I am so glad this cool front came through, makes walking a lot better! I know that I don't know you all personally, I can relate with the whole "dad" thing...my father has 19 children, I am the third oldest. Out of the other 18, there is only 1 other girl. Dad disowned me when I was born and has forbid me to see my siblings...so I guess I really dont have a "dad," I have a father. I would love to make peace with him, he just refuses to do so. So anyways, have a good Wednesday! I will catch up with you all when I am discharged!

Hey Leslie - You must be so excited!!! I am, and it's not even my surgery day!!! But you can keep the bowel prep - NO THANK YOU!!! 19 kids - OMG! I'm sorry you have or rather don't have that relationship with your father. Don't get me wrong, I love my Dad, and am scared to death at the prospect of losing him, but there is simply no excuse for mistreating another human being. Not pain, aggravation, fear, etc. It would be much easier to deal with him if he was just scared, but he'll be mean, which is scary for us! Oh, well, he'll have to deal with it, and unfortunately, so will my Mom - I get to go back to work the next day! Mom doesn't drive, though, so I'll pick him up on Thursday. You can bet if he gives me any lip, I'll be hitting potholes!!!!! So anyway, back to you - I'm sure you're feeling a myriad of emotions - it's all normal. I'm seeing DVR this afternoon for my 1 year - time flies, so I'll be sure to tell him to take extra special care of you. I'll also say a prayer for an uneventful surgery/recovery. Walk as soon as you're able, it does help. By 10:30 p.m., the night of my surgery, they walked me around the floor with assistance. After that, I was doing 2 laps by myself (well, me and the IV pole) every 2 hours. The nurses were amazed! They were real nice, and you'll be in Unit 48, where they're very familiar with wls needs. The barium test was not as bad as everyone made it out to be, and you'll be happy to get it done so you can have something to drink once DVR reads the results!!! I had my test at 8:00 a.m. the morning after surgery and he okayed for me to drink at 2 p.m. Popsicles never tasted so good!!! So that's it - walk, drink, and be a good girl! We'll see you on the "OTHER SIDE!!" XOXOXO, Teresa

Thanks for the words of encouragement and support...I am soooo looking forward to tomorrow, really! Have to be at the hospital at 8am, so I am sure I will not be able to sleep tonight! Once again thanks! And tell DVR to get some sleep tonight, lol!