TGIF

Good Morning Sisters,

I woke up around 2:00, and couldn't get back to sleep.  So, I got out of bed, and made a batch of muffins to take to Colleen's in when I go to watch Frankie, and possibly Izzy.  With all the rain, and melting snow, the back roads, which are not paved, might be too muddy for the school buses to drive on.  So far, school has not been cancelled.  But, it could happen.  Lincoln doesn't have school on Fridays, because he's only in Pre-K.  Colleen is taking him to Speech Therapy in the morning.  In a way, I'm hoping Izzy doesn't have school.  I don't get to spend as much time with her, because of school. 

In the afternoon, I'm heading to my ENT doc.  After I get home, I am baking cupcakes for the missions luncheon at church on Sunday.  I'll also be browning the meat for turkey chili, which I'm putting together on Saturday night, and taking to the church to cook Sunday morning, in my crockpot.  

The irony is that I won't be at the luncheon.  I'm taking Izzy and Lincoln to see "Beauty and the Beast" at the Wharton Center, on Michigan State's campus.  I'm so excited, because they have been to three professional musical theater productions.  Two years ago, in August, they saw Aunt Casey play Maria, in "The Sound of Music," in St. Louis.  Then, last July, Chris and Casey took them to see "Annie," on Broadway.  Then, at Christmas, they saw Aunt Casey in the musical "Oliver," in a theater in North Jersey.  I'm sure they'll enjoy it.  Right after I ordered our tickets, I read that they don't allow kids under 5 in the audience.  I am sure that they will not notice that Lincoln is only 4 years old.  He's very well behaved.  Sits in church for the beginning of the service, and is tall for his age.  Plus, he did not have any problems in any of the other shows he saw.

Well, I'm not sure if I should go back to bed, or just stay awake.  I guess I'll just lay in bed, and try to catch some winks.

Hope everyone has a blessed, safe day.

Love,

Trish

Trish - You're the early bird who catches the worm!  Sorry you couldn't sleep, but sounds like you were productive.  I used to toss and turn all night, and would often get up, but lately I've been sleeping too much.  I've been super tired lately and I blame too much sleep.  Doesn't make sense, but I'm dragging lately.  Think depression might have something to do with it so I may speak to my PCP about meds.  I know "the surgery" won't solve all my issues, but I'm hoping increased mobility will help because I need to get this body moving.

Taylor is coming this weekend, and my daughter may be staying a night or two also.  She has some evening functions here in town tonight and tomorrow night, so she'll probably stay here rather than driving home.  Really glad I'll be able to spend some time with her -- looking forward to having a "mother-daughter talk" about some things.

Hope everyone is doing well - sending good thoughts your way.

Hi Mary,

I had zero ability to get out of bed a week ago.  I was late to my Docent training the first two weeks.  I'm praying I can be able to get there on time tomorrow.  We're going to be handling the animals tomorrow.  I'm so looking forward to that, and do not want to miss a minute of it.

I hope that now that I've completed my iron infusions, I'm able to start getting up at a decent hour on a regular basis.

Hugs,

Trish

Good morning Trish, Mary and everyone.....

Trish...I had the opposite problem last night. It was 3:30 before I finally went to bed. Glad you at least got some things done. I envy you so much time with your grandchildren. I sure do miss mine! I am sure the children will love "Beauty and the Beast", I sure would!!

Mary...you just keep thinking positive. You make me excited for you as you are looking so forward to your surgery!! Have a great weekend with your family! 

As for me....I had to go out and clear off my car as it was buried in snow. The plows needed to do the lot. We got a lot of SNOW and plenty of ice under it. The cars here were just coated in ice. I had no idea how I was going to clear my car off with my sore and tender hands. Just as I started  I got a helper. One of the ladies had her grandson visiting. He came running out and cleared it off for me. What a great kid!! Thank you Jesus!!!  I will be staying in as the roads are pretty bad. I can always find things to do.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Prayers daily for many of our wonderful OFF family!

Lots of love and bunches of hugs....connie d

Connie,

Sorry you had to clean off your car this morning.  Izzy didn't have school today, so we got to spend some time together this morning.

Must scoot.

Love,

Trish

Hello Trish, Mary G, and Connie and all my OFF sistas!

Well, I am back from the hematologist.  She could find nothing abnormal with my blood test results.  So what did she do?  Release me?  Oh, no, draw more blood and order more tests.  Really?  This feels like so much overkill to me.  There's nothing wrong with me.  I just had bad luck with my operation.  At least that's what I think.

So, I have a question.  When I first joined OFF, there was a sista here who packed up and moved to either Central or South America?  Does anyone remember this?  Can you remember where she and her husband moved?

The reason I am asking is that my crazy husband has a bug in his ear about us moving to Belize and becoming ex-pats.  I have to admit the notion is intriguing.  Especially if it would make our retirement money stretch further.  He has a couple of buddies who live full time in Costa Rica and another one who lives in the Phillipines.  I'm not totally against the idea, but it needs a LOT of research first.

We had a great time last night in San Antonio with my friend Lisa and her husband Bruce.  I posted some pics on FB.  If I can remember how to do it, I'm going to change my avatar on OFF to a new pic of Butch and I that we took last night.  It's one of the best pictures of us that we've ever had.  I think I look older since my round of operations and staph infection in December, but what the hell.  You can't outrun Father Time, now can you?

Anyway, I did really well with my food last night.  For one thing, Lisa and Bruce were really watching me because they know about my WLS, and I guess they are curious because Lisa is considering it.  And for another, I am trying really hard to reestablish my good eating habits again.  So I ordered the shrimp enbrochette from the appetiser menu and side order of veggies.  I only ate two of the shrimp (huge shrimp, stuffed with seafood stuffing, cheese and jalapenos, and THEN wrapped in BACON--yum!!!) and a few of the veggies.  That way I room for a bite of dessert, which Butch and I shared.  Bananas foster, oh my!  Oh, and I had the most delicious drink: moscato wine, ginger ale, peaches, strawberries and fresh basil.  It was fabulous!  It was funny, but Lisa ordered the exact same thing I did, although she did eat all of hers.  She's been on the fence about WLS ever since I can remember.  She's like most of us.  She'll diet for awhile and then gain and then diet again.  I wish she would just do it!

It's so gorgeous here today.  Sunny, warm, delicious light breeze.  I love early spring!  It just feels as though the world is full of possibilities!

Still no word on our house deal.  Grrrrr.  I've got a call into the realtor.  We don't know whether to hang in there and hope the seller comes through, or just back out and start searching all over again.  I don't think we're going to make our Mar 3rd closing date at this rate.

DARN.

We're babysitting the boys this evening.  Seems to be a regular Friday night thing with us now, but that's okay.  One night a week isn't bad at all.  But Chris and Mike both have to work on Sunday because the son of the CEO of Hobby Lobby is coming in for a visit next week.  I swear, they are all but making the employees scrub the toilets with a toothbrush!  I told Chris to try and be happy for the overtime.  The extra money will be nice to have when they are setting up their new household.  Anyway, we'll have the boys on Sunday, too.

Well, I'm off to do some research on Belize.  Oh, and I STILL haven't managed to get my website transferred!!!  I have tried everything and everyone I can think of to help me with it.  I'm back to waiting for tech support to get back in touch with me again, and there's nothing I can do but sit here and wait.  Very frustrating!!!

Love you all!

Vickie, her name is Jan Cook. She is on Facebook. I haven't seen her there a lot lately. She moved to Ecuador and has a coffee farm. Not sure how it's working for her ... she was from Missouri, not far from Branson. I would worry about health care down south, but I have read that ex-pat health care isn't all that bad. I don't think I'd do it by myself (although I've moved other places by myself, all in this country). 

I thought Hobby Lobby didn't do anything on Sunday. They made a big deal of not opening on Sunday and not making employees work on Sunday. 

Eileen:  I remember Jan Cook.  I knew she and hubby had moved but didn't realize they now have a coffee farm.  I recall how she used to post photos of her gorgeous flower gardens.  Hope she and hubby are doing well.

Cindy P.

My cousin mived to the Phillipines. He used to live in Miami. He said hus disability would go farther. His wife is from there.

Hi Vickie,

When I was told to get tested for the clotting disorder I have, because it's genetic, my Primary Doc referred me to the hematologist when he got the results.  She ordered a huge battery of tests.  They took  slew of vials of blood.  It doesn't sound like overkill that your hematologist ordered more bloodwork.  They are the blood experts.  There has to be some reason your started bleeding post-op.  

I sometimes get a bloody nose, that never stops, if my INR is too high, from the Coumadin. 

My dear friend in Florida almost lost her husband, first to a blood clot, then he almost bled to death.  It took many hospitalizations and surgeries to save his life, and get him stableized.  Your doctor is making sure they find whatever could possibly have been the reason for your bleeding.

Love you,

Trish