One more sleep til…

Happy almost Thanksgiving from the Pacific Northwest, the Eastern Oregon side. It has been an week full of odd things. Some have been good. I can finally actually walk and move. After a day of busy, I am beyond tired, but am managing quite well. (so far!) At least in the physical realm. Spiritually and in actually getting things done….not as well.

I’ve been absolutely angry at my family. Every year I am here, I start my holiday decorating around Thanksgiving. The holiday dishes are on the table, everything is spick and span, and there are just a few things left to put up. This year? Granted, I haven’t been feeling good, but I decided to try and do a speck of decorating and discovered it was going to be impossible. The Craftsman is not done with lights yet. (he goes all out in the lighting department and takes up the majority of the unfinished addition to empty his several totes of lights) I managed to put up a couple of things, Little Bear helped me when he heard a crash. After a bit, I stopped being angry. It just isn’t worth it. Perhaps it will get done on Saturday after Thanksgiving. (The Craftsman did find some holiday décor from Norway and Sweden that I’d taken from mom’s stash. I’m thankful to have those! I also have a mini nativity and a Russian doll nesting set from mom’s—I made her the nativity). It’s been horrible to clean, too- The funniest thing? Little Bear drives me to frustration and then does amazing helpful things. Two of the photos he’s shared with me:

I want another nativity in the shape of a cross (I collect nativities). I’ve wanted this since spring 2014 and it’s been thought about. I was hoping for help and was told ‘he had some ideas’. It is still not done. Nor is a giant earring holder I had started and The Craftsman took over last spring. He’s been busy with other things. (I think) Yet, in the larger scheme of things, I’m sure they will get done eventually and there are many other things much more important.  Like walking without limping, being able to purchase groceries, water (even if ours here has been doused with a percentage of bleach because a new well was opened), gas heating, inexpensive electricity, cats (usually), and so much more.

Photo by Eric Antunes on Pexels.com

Photo by Zun Zun on Pexels.com

This Wednesday, I did manage to get out and about. I went shopping for last things I forgot (and completely didn’t realize I needed nasty white sugar!). I bought myself flowers (it is a friend’s birthday tomorrow, so I decided they were for both of us. She’s hundreds of miles away and so she won’t mind me keeping them in the window!). I went to a movie all by myself (as usual). For $5 I saw ‘The Holy Grail’ on a big screen and completely loved it. (the guys are at the movies tonight. The Ford vs Ferrari one. I could not watch that. I get vertigo with Wii golf! Cars racing on hills is a bad idea.) I stayed home to bake a pie.

Photo by Malidate Van on Pexels.com

I’m rolling my eyes. I panicked because I noted I didn’t have the sugar AFTER I got everything measured and ready to mix. (I used brown, we’ll see how it goes) I made a whole lot of extra crust for decorations on the pie, too. I checked it and they looked almost done. The next time I checked, not more than two minutes later, they were overdone and on the extreme dark side of brown. So annoying! I did get most of the downstairs vacuumed and the dishes done, regular activities, but still they are done.  I’m going to post this also. Because I am on the desktop and Little Bear uses this to watch videos. (he’s been watching animal ones lately. Hilarious!)

For those in the US, may your plates be empty and your tummies full. For those in other places, have a splendid rest of the week!!!! (and be careful with those deals on Amazon!)

The Girl and The Spider (some visuals)

I’m not fond of spiders. I prefer them in the outdoors, admire their spinning, love certain fictional arachnids, and am pretty much terrified of them. I think it is their legs. Things with many legs moving all at the same time intimidate me (I have enough trouble with two), plus they are FAST! I once wrote an erotic type horror story with insects. BAD imagination. I’ll share an excerpt. This story is about a girl looking for a house. Her name is Ivy. She moves into a house with pest problems, she has a cat named Baloo and meets a masculine ghost. I’m starting at the end of the story…

Once in the bath, she opened the body wash called peppermint candy scrub. It smelled good enough to eat. She lit another candle and turned off the overhead lights, leaving on one small mirror light to help illuminate the pretty pink and white bathroom. She turned on the water and sighed as the warm spray hit her tense skin. Lathering up she remembered to shake out her bath pouf as one too many times she found earwigs residing inside. This time it was empty. Ivy was humming and bouncing to Jingle Bell Rock when she thought she heard a meow. Startled, she turned off the faucet and grabbed her towel to wipe the water from her eyes. She called for Baloo, but not a creature was stirring.

Ivy decided to get out and as she stood in the wet porcelain tub she noticed a funny fuzzy clump near the top of her shower. How she hadn’t seen it earlier surprised her, she actually liked caterpillars and hoped to catch it so she could see what it became. Gently she flicked water at it and the thing broke apart into thousands of daddy long legs that scrambled down the wall and onto her. She stumbled back and heard a gurgling noise from the sink near the tub, as Ivy frantically turned she saw an army of earwigs and centipedes emerging from the drain and coming towards her. She felt something biting her feet and looked down to see dozens of ants attacking her from below, blood was streaming down her legs as various insects scaled her body, gouging out a path on her skin. Frantically, she tried to towel them off and only managed to help them in their fleshly assault. More spiders boiled out of the cracks under the molding, rodents came in through the open bathroom door. Crying and screaming, she grabbed the shower curtain which ripped as she slipped and fell. She hit her head on the tub. As she passed out she felt more bugs enter her open mouth and crawl into her nose.

Hours later the Christmas music finished. In the bathroom a fuzzy snowflake towel spotted with red draped over a stripped skeleton gripping a torn shower curtain. In the living room a single gingerbread candle tipped into a basket of pinecones and blazed merrily, the resulting smoke sending hundreds of creatures into the cold night. And in the kitchen, a tall shape bent to stroke a smaller whiskered spirit as they waited for Ivy.

Unfortunately, right now is that time of year when crawling critters move to warmer locations, like inside a house. Little Bear has been absolutely amazing at finding and eradicating spiders before I even see them. (Granted, he calls my attention to his good deeds, so his chivalrous attentions are not quite as!) I entirely appreciate his gallantry, none the less. Especially as he is the son who used to bring such spiders as Brown Recluse into the house and keep them in containers in the laundry room. He also did this with jumping spiders (which are gorgeous and lovely as long as they stay away from me!).

The other day, I was starting to feel better and opted to take a shower. (I haven’t been getting dirty, so don’t really need them as often. Which is good, it hurts to climb in and out of the tub!) I got into the bathroom and briefly thought of spiders, but it was brief. I turned on the water, adjusted the shower head, and climbed in. I had barely gotten wet when I noticed a large brown scurrying on the floor of the tub. My eyes opened in horror as I realized what it was. I, myself scuttled to the back of the tub, trying to breathe and decide what to do, besides screech. (I know I did that, my throat hurt for hours afterwards!)

I didn’t want water all over the bathroom, but I did NOT want to stay in the shower with that creature! (fully recalling the story I’d crafted!) Shaking, I slid the curtains away from the front of the tub and as quickly as possible stepped out onto the towel I’d put on the floor. I grabbed mine up off the nearby stool and stood dripping and gasping (and probably still shrieking). I shuddered, watching it nimbly dodge the hot water swirling around it near the drain. It was so fast and big! I snagged open the cupboard under the sink and saw nothing useful. Pantyliners, Ivory soap, shampoo, Nyquil, and then rubbing alcohol. (are those two latter the same thing?) I grabbed the rubbing alcohol and proceeded to pour it on the dark thing in the tub. Eventually, it went down the drain (yes, I know, but it was NOT itsy or bitsy!).

Shaking, I wondered if I could get back in and finish what I was doing. I did, but I was one terrified girl. Keeping one eye on the drain and the walls and the curtains (wondering if that darn thing had been hiding inside the fabric one with friends) and trying to wash my hair while keeping those stressed eyes open AND cursing my creativity. (did you know that water dripping down bare flesh feels remarkably like something is crawling on you?)

After I dried off, I admit I heavily indulged in both chocolate and caffeine. I’d have had ice cream, too, but I didn’t want to break into Little Bear’s stash (he’s protective of his ice cream!). I think I’ll wait til someone is home when I shower next.  I really don’t like sharing tub time with spiders…..

Photo by Jeffrey Czum on Pexels.com

Wondrous and Weird.

I tried to log into WP on the desktop and ended up on an obscure site–it didn’t like my name and password, so I hope it didn’t ding me for some scam!!! However, that is not what I wanted to share today. There are a lot of odd things in this world. Some of them are fascinating and others are just absolutely crazy!! Be amused and enlightened. (note: there are a LOT of links!)

First is one of my heroes. I’d love to have been her or like her (except for the way she died!) Lou Graham was a woman who changed Seattle or at least she helped shape it. Yet, she has been ignored. I think I’ll add this author’s book about her to my want list! Madam Lou definitely wasn’t weird, but the way she was lost in history is.

Now I’m going to move on to something I thought was only found in another favorite book series. Glasses and birds. Dr. Doolittle often prescribes glasses for animals. I had no idea it was a real thing, though!! Yes, there really are and were spectacles for chickens!! The wiki link has a bit about them, but the video from YouTube and television…I’ll be jiggered!!!

Rolled sandwiches. I have read about them in old books, in our modern day tortillas are used. I found the original version, but gracious! It definitely looks like way too much work!! Actually, most of the sandwiches made before the 60’s appear time consuming. I’m a fan of easy and delicious. I have also learned from Yummy Lummy to clean up as I go. (I didn’t do this as much, but do now..and I think of Gary as I do it!) As I get ready for the holidays, recipes fascinate and intrigue me. Especially when I read about something I’ve not heard of before.

There was something else that struck my funny bone, but I cannot recall what it was. No matter, I’ll probably remember when I post this! I’ll leave you with a couple of rather barbed comebacks from history.

 

 

 

What an Afternoon!

A super long edition. Again!!! And I just realised I’m on the desktop and not my laptop and so the picture of the ‘rules’ won’t be in this post! (I’m rolling my eyes at myself!!) So, will add a picture Little Bear took one November years ago.

Tuesday of this week I had an MRI.  I wasn’t really looking forward to this experience, I’ve been in a bit of pain lately and lying still for a few minutes is not easy, this MRI was supposed to last a couple of hours. It was, thankfully, less than the 3 they set aside! (Plus, the MRI I had when they put the clip in my left breast is not a fond memory!) The last week hasn’t been easy for any kind of movement. Because of the lack of coordination, I didn’t really want to drive. Thankfully, a friend took me in after The Craftsman said he could pick me up after. (huh, this has happened more than once. She’s picked me up and he’s taken me in or vice versa. I think I should get her flowers as a thank you!)

Tall Man and Shadow came to get me from the waiting area almost immediately. (Tall Man was a nice, delightfully bearded man who, I think, did most of the imaging. Shadow was also tall and she was shadowing him that afternoon) I was surprised, even though I’d been warned, by needing to change into hospital issue. (I not only took a picture of the informational note on the wall, I read it carefully!) I did stop in the bathroom first. Since I was having an injection, I had consumed bottles of electrolyte water to fatten my veins. (It didn’t seem to work very well) After I changed, Tall Man taped Vitamin E tablets to my back on my spine (it has something to do with marking where the imaging is supposed to be. I forgot to have The Craftsman remove them and ended up bullying Little Bear into doing it. He was incredulous when he saw them and asked ‘What kind of Dr tapes pills to their patients???’)

Tall Man suggested putting my bag in a locked cupboard (I almost couldn’t lock it, it hurt so much to reach the darn thing!) We slowly walked to the room, me clutching the key so hard I thought I’d have imprints!! I’d forgotten how tall the beds are for the machine and should have asked for a step stool. I was being tough (that didn’t work very well either!!).  Tall Man helped me up and got me situated. He was incredibly kind at helping me get comfy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t long before I was squiggling around like a worm on a hot sidewalk. Tall Man stopped the test and after a few tears from me and the suggestion from him that we postpone it to get pain meds from my doctor (I really should have taken something while in the car, I didn’t want them to interfere with anything, though. I should have known better.), it resumed.

I tried focusing on anything but the intense pain in my right arm and shoulder. Kissing, floating in the kayak in the sunshine with a book, soaking up sunshine in the yard, experiences I’ve enjoyed, people I adore, book scenes I’ve read, and the inlet. Underneath was the pain, so I think I managed. I do wish Tall Man would have commented more on what he was doing. At one point a different woman came out to adjust me before imaging started again. I think she tried to find a vein for the dye injection, I’m not positive.

They ended up getting someone from the emergency department to stick me. Fortunately, that person was able to use an inner wrist vein. It still hurts and I wasn’t entirely reassured by the brief conversation I thought I heard, ‘Does she need all of it? I’ll keep pushing.’ The dye wasn’t near as painful as the poke!!! Thankfully, the warm blanket they gave me to help heat the veins also helped a little bit with the pain in my arm and shoulder. Which was a positive thing!

I did have to stop thinking about the inlet or the lake, too. The bed area of the machine was warm and shaking under my lower back. It was like sitting on a bench in the sunshine in a bouncy loud vehicle and my bladder was beginning to object!! Thinking about water only made it worse! Tall Man did talk a bit more often the latter portion of the MRI. Although, when he said it would be only 20 more minutes and there were only a couple of pictures left, I am pretty sure he was being overly optimistic.  After two shaking cycles, it started up several more times and it was the LONGEST 20 minutes ever.

Finally, it was over. I had a dickens of a time getting up and was seriously dazed. I did smile when he noticed I had blue and purple hair, although I’m not sure my quip about it matching bruises was as funny as I thought. (I do love how surprised people are when the ‘see’ my hidden locks!) That pinball game walking I’d mentioned previously? It was just as bad. Tall Man was a bit concerned and I did grasp his arm firmly as I staggered down the hall. After a bathroom break, I checked my glucose and found it was much lower than it should have been. (Another reason for disorientation!) I slowly dressed after crunching three glucose tablets and honestly thought about trying to doze against the wall. I knew I couldn’t, but I sure wanted to! Tall Man had a wheelchair outside the door and after a moment of tough Alaskan girl, I caved and climbed in. He did move the footrests for me to place my toesies on, although I couldn’t reach them anyway!!

Once in the waiting area, I decided I’d be ok and sat down on a bench seat. The Craftsman said he’d be about 45 minutes, so TnT and Podman kept me entertained with texts and I had a book.

In retrospect, the bearded Tall Man deserved a hug, shoot they ALL did! They were so kind and helpful. The funny odd part of these tests is that not a single one was for my sore arm and shoulder and none of them will be interpreted to me til sometime in January when I have my follow up visit. I only hope I don’t need to go back anytime soon. I’d not mind seeing them again, I just don’t want it via the imaging department!! (I’d probably not recognize them. Like when you were a kid and saw teachers in the grocery store and didn’t know who they were!)

Whining

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😫 I don’t feel good, but that’s no excuse. I’ve made The Craftsman annoyed with me. I didn’t make it to church, I just do not feel good. Joints and muscles hurt, I’ve got a headache, and I’m tired and dizzy. (Little Bear didn’t get there either, but he only turned off his alarm for that extra five minutes that lasted more than two hours.) Anyway, today was a celebration honoring everyone who has been in public service anywhere, dead or alive. The Craftsman called it a Memorial service and I objected. The American holiday this week is for veterans. People who are still alive and have been or are  in military service. Memorial Day is in May.  His attitude, as he was dashing around the kitchen getting his lunch ready, showed me my observation was off. I apologized, he said he knew ‘it was because you don’t feel good’. I came back to the room and am using up iPad battery by whining.

I’d curl up back in bed, except my glucose is a bit low. (Another reason for headaches.) I’ll wait til everyone is out of the kitchen and find something. I’m walking a bit like an old fashioned pinball game at times, challenging and intriguing at the same time. Thankfully, the house doesn’t have too many things to run into. I’ve not gotten bruises since leaving home with all the carrying I did up there. Little Bear put some things I couldn’t reach away for me here. I crawled up into the kitchen window to clean that last week (not fun!) and put the latest bouquet of flowers I bought in it. They are a pinky purple and one of the sunsets matched it briefly. 😍😍😍 I’ve got a picture, but it’s on the camera and I don’t want to walk upstairs to the laptop to load photos. Lazy lady! Which reminds me, I need to go up anyway today. I’ve got a couple of Alaskan bills to pay ASAP. No rest for the wicked! (Or whatever that proverb is!)

 

While Waiting

With 18 calls ahead of me while I wait to figure out what to do with mum’s PFD, I decided to do a spot of blog writing….or I could write in my laptop journal. (I’ve not written in either in ages!) A PFD is a check from the state of Alaska, they are funds sent out each year to eligible Alaskans. Since mom died at the end of 2018, she was still eligible to receive the monies if I sent in the proper documentation. So, I did. The state kindly sent a check to the Oregon address. To my mother. Which, when I took it to the bank, they would not cash for me cuz it was in mom’s name. Today I’m waiting to chat to someone to see if it can be reissued to the estate instead of mom, especially since she’s going to have a very difficult time signing and cashing this thing!

This entire week has been frustrating. I had a blood draw last Saturday, fully expecting the lab results to be sent to three different offices. When I arrived at the first office on Wednesday, they had not gotten them yet. The next day, at the second office, it was found they had not received results yet, either. When I got back to the house, I contacted the lab myself and found that they hadn’t gotten the faxes for certain tests to be done! So, the lovely lady (who was determined to figure out what the scoop was and, oddly, called herself Sherlock Holmes—I am reading some Sherlock stories!!!) discovered that since they lab query was not on file with them anywhere (the doctor office did send them!), we had another option. I do not want to have more blood taken, but it appears that ‘lavender’ vials are kept in storage for a week. Since an A1C is from a lavender tube, if my doctor office called and talked to Sherlock personally, they could do the test. Now an A1C test can be done with a simple finger stick. Which was done in the endocrinology office twice! The first time it came up blank, the second time it read an error! So, the nurse opted to have me come in next week for a draw. (I’d much prefer the blood storage choice!)

Well, I just got off the phone with a couple of very helpful men in Alaska. The checks are always sent to the address of the executor and written to the individual. The banker I spoke to is one who knows me very well and has helped me with much of mom’s stuff. He was surprised we’d need the estate account, but he recalled I did have the information in order if I do need to set it up. Or, he said, I could just get back north in April before the check is ‘out of date’ and cash it then! I laughed. I’ll visit the bank here before my 3 hours of MRI on Tuesday and see what happens.

I did purchase some bulbs this week. I wanted a bag of hope (bulbs are hope, they look dead and bloom later!). However, I think I may need The Craftsman to cut a box in half for me to plant them. I have an old bottomless apple box I’d put bulbs in previously. Unfortunately, those boxes need a LOT of dirt to fill them enough. So, if it was cut in half it would be practically perfect. I may need to lasagna plant before the box gets done. (Lasagna planting is a simple way to plant gardens. Most of my tubs or boxes are planted in this fashion. Mum got me a book on this ages ago and most of it is pretty logical. Some doesn’t work in EO, but a lot of things pertaining to gardens elsewhere doesn’t work here!) I really want to put these bulbs in soil. I can always add a box later. I am going to see if I can get a screen to put down under the layers in order to keep out the rodents who adore tulips. The bulbs I bought are daffs and something else, but hoping I get tulips for a stocking stuffer at Christmas! (speaking of lasagna and plants, GH has a great recycle for her chopsticks and her dollar house plant!)

Other than that, not much going on in this sector. I’ve been light headed and dizzy off and on. Hoping the MRI will show something during my January follow up. I did learn that my platelets were low, but the doctor who noted it had me contact my primary since specialist doctors are not supposed to take care of things outside their specialty. (this doctor is sweet, she has noted many things I’ve passed on to a primary, who didn’t notice anything!) My iPad is being annoying and running out of juice super-fast. I’ve deleted and turned off apps and done everything except set it back to absolutely clean and start it anew. As the site where I found this information said, that route is a pain in the apps, but sometimes it is the only one that works! Lol (At least I’d be able to rise fast in the few games I play!!) So, even though I have several new books I’ve downloaded, I finally went to the library and got 3 to keep me a few days!!

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“It’s a hard thing to risk what you know and are sure of, just for the possibility of something better. Even when it’s a pretty strong possibility, and something that’s a whole lot better.” Patricia Wrede