Thursday, December 30, 2010

My 2011 Contract

Following is the 2011 Contract sent to my by a friend. I've emailed it to a few of you but this morning woke up thinking, "I think everyone needs this."


After serious & cautious consideration... your contract of friendship has been renewed for the New Year 2011


It was a very hard decision to make... So try not to screw it up!!!


My Wish for You in 2011


May peace break into your home and may thieves come to steal your debts.


May the pockets of your jeans become a magnet for $100 bills.


May love stick to your face like Vaseline and may laughter assault your lips!


May happiness slap you across the face and may your tears be that of joy


May the problems you had, forget your home address!


In simple words ..............


May 2011 be the best year of your life!!!




Happy New Year!!

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The Wind Matches My Disposition

It's 18 degrees here with a northwest wind that gusts from 12-28 mph. The skies are gray and thus far there is no snow falling. Fine with me.

I ventured outside twice yesterday. Once to burn paper garbage - which will be illegal in this state come April 1, 2011 - and once for the mail.

This is my third day without a pain pill due to the multiple reactions I had to it. That in itself, does not bode well for my disposition. I took a Tylenol PM last night hoping it would knock me out for awhile. No luck. At 3 a.m. I took a super hot shower and drank some decaf tea thinking that would help. No luck again.

Sweetie's been up since 8:30 which is late for him. He left me one cup of coffee so I made another pot. I'm ignoring the cheesecake in the fridge. Devouring more sweets isn't advisable given my blood sugar level. And come to think of it, that is likely affecting my mood too.

So what to do?

How about I take my own advice and blow these thoughts out of my mind. When I get stuck on thinking about the past it robs me of the present. Can't change one bit of yesterday and certainly don't want to mess with tomorrow as it's not here yet.

So today I'll practice looking around me at all I DO have. And immediately I know that it is ENOUGH.

So to hell with ungrateful, spiteful, alienating, self-absorbed, mis-informed, gossiping, jealous and vengeful people. Karma will visit them sooner or later.

There, I feel better already.

And thank you to Bellen for your comment. What you describe is so familiar and sad. And thank you to you know who, who always finds a ray of sunshine or a good laugh in everything I mention.

And now, it's time to savor this quiet, comfy household and my dear Sweetie and our precious Lady and Kitty Kitty. They are enough.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Consoling Myself

Made cherry cheesecake tonight. Decided what the heck may as well indulge. Seeing as I indulged and sent each of my five grand kids a Christmas card with money. Have not received a thing from any of them - though I forgive the five year old cause of his age. There is no excuse for the two 11-year-old or the 18 and 19 year old.

The last time I shall be so foolish.

No wonder we don't bother with decorating and "celebrating" Christmas as most people do.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Christmas Plans

We don't celebrate Christmas with the typical fanfare. In fact, we don't decorate. We don't put up a tree; We don't exchange gifts.

We usually make a nice meal and spend time reflecting on the year and telling one another what we're thankful for.

This year we're skipping the big meal because we just had ham a week ago. We'll fix a big dinner on New Year's Day.

We did, however, stimulate the local economy today. Bought more new windows, new kitchen sink and faucets, above the counter microwave with vent, new toilet and filled the gas tank.

Good think our holiday baking is done because Sweetie came home and tore the kitchen apart.

I thought I'd come home and spend a day curled up reading & sipping tea. NOT. I've hauled old stuff outside; burned paper garbage and done a load of laundry after unloading everything on the counters and fixing lunch.

Strange, I thought this was a holiday.

Oh well, we thankful. Even if we're working on Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

Have a safe and blessed Christmas everyone.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

One Strange Day!

I woke up to pounding this morning. Took me a bit to realize it was someone at the front door - which we don't use. Grabbed my robe, tripped over the cat, and opened the door. No one there. No tracks. No car.

Okay, I told myself I must've been dreaming.

Got back in bed, adjusted my pillows and heard the pounding again.

To heck with the robe. This time I warned the cat to get out of my way and flung the door open again. NOTHING THERE!

I didn't need a morning like this. Had a restless night.

By this time I can't go back to bed and must have been bitching to boot 'cause now Sweetie is standing in the bedroom doorway asking, "What's all the racket?"

I tell him some one's been pounding on the door so he opens the door. "How you figure that when there aren't any tracks in the snow?" he asks.

"I know what I heard," I said as I turned my head while pouring water into the coffee pot. When my feet got wet I realized what I'd done.

A few expletives later I had the mess picked up and the coffee brewing. Sweetie says, "I sure hope you're not gonna be a grouch all day."

Well, say certain things to me at certain times and you'll get a response. Sometimes it's a silent response - like I ain't cooking a thing today. I ain't cleaning either. I'm gonna sit and read all day. so there.

Four chapters into the first book he says, "Aren't you gonna fix yourself some breakfast?" I brought the cookie container to my chair side table.

Then he asks if I'm gonna get dressed cause he's going to town; meaning he wants me to come with him. "No, I'm staying home today."

So he leaves for an hour and comes home with more plumbing supplies. "I'll go outside and turn the water back on; you tell me if there's any leaks," he says half an hour later. At least that's what he said he told me. All I heard was "I'll go outside."

He comes storming in the house and says, "Can't you hear me?" as he walks toward our bathroom. A few curses later he returns and drops a wet bath rug on my lap.

Good thing I had turned the book face down when he started swearing or it would have been a mess.

And that was just the beginning of our day.

Some days get better. Some get worse. Some get so strange that all you can do is laugh.

Our feral cat, Slick, who comes inside nearly every day for a drink and some head scratching, got in a fight with Kitty Kitty. I picked him up and planted his sassy butt on the deck and closed the door. Reached down to get the dog's dish and Slick was drinking from it.

I thought Slick had scooted back in without me seeing him. So, out the door he goes again and I shut the door again while looking down, just to be sure he's out and I'm in.

I turn around, take three steps toward my chair and Slick is jumping onto my ottoman. I kid you not.

"What the H**?"

About this time, Sweetie comes out of the bathroom and says, "Guess you're right about cats being beneath the garden tub." He had the tub access door open and Slick was using it as his RE-entry point.

Once the plumbing job was complete, Slick was placed outside again and hasn't been seen since.

Then, about supper time I'm cleaning the cat litter box and hear a car motor. Looked up to see who had arrived and noticed our car tail lights were on & exhaust was steaming out the tailpipe.

"What the H**" again.

We hand our car keys in the laundry room. There were all there. I stepped into the kitchen to see if Sweetie had gone out the front door or had another remote starter in his hand. He was asleep in his recliner.

So I go outside and check the car. It was obvious there was no one in it but by then I was ready to believe in ghosts. I go back in to wake Sweetie up.

"You're not gonna believe this but the car started itself," I say.

"So turn it off," he says.

"But it started itself without a remote," I tell him. No he's pissed that I woke him up. To add fuel to the fire I say, "Either get up and figure out what's going on or I'll go for a ride and we'll see when I come home."

So he goes to the car, puts his foot on the brake, comes inside and says, "I think you should have been doing something around here today. You're really weird when you sit all day!"

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

And then he asks what's for dinner. I showed him the cookie container.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Nearly $300 Later

Appointment was for noon. Saw the nurse at 1 p.m. and the doctor 55 minutes later. We agreed on the need for CBC, CA125, liver enzyme test and urine sample.

Discovered I have a severe bladder infection. Three medications were prescribed: two for the bladder, one for the Irritable Bowel Syndrome. An ultrasound is ordered for next Thursday. Lab results should be back by then. She also felt I had suspicious swelling in one area and urged me to apply for Medicaid because I may be in for lots more tests.

My family history is full of cancer so she is concerned I'm following in my mother's footsteps. Hope not but what can one do other than get up the next day and deal with whatever the news is.

Liked the doctor and her staff. The clinic has a lab and a portable ultrasound outfit comes every Thursday so that's convenient.

Came home, took a nap, addressed Christmas cards and fixed hamburgers for supper. I have a writing assignment to complete as well as making spinach quiche for the writer's Christmas party.

Guess I should get busy. Have a great evening all, Treesong

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dr.'s Noon Tomorrow

So I discovered one needs an appointment at the "walk in clinic."
So I called back to the clinic at the end of our road. They had not returned my call last week, after saying the doctor would decide that day whether to take me on as a new patient. Twenty minutes ago her receptionist called back.

"Dr. has decided she'll accept you as a new patient. However, she wanted me to let you know the office call will be anywhere from $143 - $200."

I calmly asked if this was because as a new patient the office call included a complete history. "No, it all depends on how much time she spends with you."

You can bet my greenbacks I'm gonna make my request short and sweet. "I'd like a CBC and CA125 blood tests and a colonoscopy ordered."

Truth be told, I'm only going in because I fear cancer or a ruptured bowel based on my history.

Is it any wonder emergency rooms are full of patients who have no real emergency?
Is it any wonder people put off going to the doctor?

This news is certainly not calming my gut down!

Now That My Hair's Clean...

it appears to have inspired me to do or contemplate other strange things!

Once my hair dried I went in search of a jar of taco seasoning and Sweetie's "70 below boots" - in the garage! And why not? I have scoured this house top to bottom, opened every box, and looked behind, beneath and above everything. And still the taco seasoning eludes me. One whole pound of it!!!! I even had the crazy thought that I'd find it inside his boots!

After climbing over buckets and boxes and stacked of lumber and rakes and motors and crates to no avail I was ready to pitch it all, of course. So I went to town. What better way to cool my rising blood pressure than looking through other people's cast offs. Miracle of miracles I didn't find a thing. I know, hard to believe I didn't drag more stuff home. All I can figure is I had looked at so much of ours (his really) that everything I saw looked like it belonged in the same landfill as what I'd just climbed through.

So, I stopped to visit my elderly friend. She'd spent time listening to the local police scanner reporting more of her granddaughter's dysfunctional behavior. In the midst of this her daughter called twice bitching about the situation and blaming her for the whole mess. Isn't it always the previous generation's fault when people make stupid decisions?

After telling me her woes I told her of my extended shampoo. A little levity brought a smile to her face and left the craziness behind.

Later in the day I searched online recipes for "cabbage casseroles," "writing prompts," and "french country antiques." For good measure my last search was "why do I wonder."

Let's just say these searches led my down various other paths and before I knew it Sweetie had kissed me goodnight, their was one light on in the house and I was hungry again. No wonder. It was now 2:13 a.m.

Instead of sleeping in as one would expect, I was awake at 6:15 a.m. After making a pot of coffee and enjoying a blueberry yogurt I decided I'll do what I hate most. Go to the doctor. For two months I've tried to ignore something; changed my diet; taken home remedies and entered various symptoms in medical sights. About all it's done is made me anxious while the symptoms seem to increase. So, today's the day. Yuck.

Meanwhile, have a great day folks. Treesong

Monday, December 13, 2010

A Wet Head Full of Shampoo

Thanks to a certain man I cohabitate with, I'll be sitting here in my wing chair, with a wet head full of shampoo. Why? Because he did NOT plug the heat tape in on the water pipes.

I am severely pissed.

To further piss me off, I discovered he has used most of our stored gallons of water for the outside cats and cleaning his hands in the garage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So off to the store he goes for gallons and gallons of water and then his hind end best be beneath this place figuring out how to unthaw the pipes.

NOT a good day.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Shopping Again

We're still living on our preps for food and personal care products but a move always entails a need to repair/replace/renovate so a shopping we have gone.

Today it was slippers for Sweetie. Cold feet with little circulation make him a cranky fella. After three stops - the first being Goodwill - I found a size 12 fake fur lined, soled boot type slipper. The price was $20 which I knew he'd have a fit about. Which is why I suggested he stay in the car while I went in and looked. As the cashier scanned them she asked if I had any coupons or bottle return slips. Nope. Next thing I know she says, "Well, lucky you, I do. These are $4 off." Music to my ears.

Got out to our car, tapped on Sweetie's window and waved the slippers at him. Mr. Grumpy with the freezing feet, rolled the window down. I said, "open up and try these on. If you don't like them I'll return them now." First thing he says is, "How much?"

I gave him one of my looks and he dutifully removed a shoe. "Hmmm, these are kinda nice," he says. "How much?" I said $16 he said to return them. No surprise there!

I said, "Come on, we're going home" and got in the car. Sometimes a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do.

While at Goodwill I scored big time. Reversible twin size quilt that still had that new stiffness to it. $10.

Huge plastic bowl that had several plastic food storage containers in it. No prices. How'd that happen? I had no interest in the bowl but the containers, with their shiny, flawless surfaces, were begging to go home with me. At the checkout the gal said, "49 cents each." Fine with me as I know what they cost new.

I also bought a few long sleeved tees and a pair of flannel pj pants for me. Grand total was $3.29 because some careless soul spilled their drink on them and then walked away. Never to be put off by anything other than a dead body, I slid hangers across the rack as though nothing had happened and found what I wanted. Took all four pieces to the checkout and said, "These items shouldn't be out here, they're damaged." The gal thanked me and made like she would pitch them in the garbage. I said, "If you're going to throw them away, I'll take them." She said it wasn't really store policy but I extended my hands and said I'd hate to dumpster dive behind the store. For a second she looked shocked then said, "A woman after my own heart." I'd like to further acquaint myself with her!

Next stop was the hardware store for a part for the garden tub that Sweetie will soon immerse himself in. After a 10 minute ride home we unloaded and ate leftovers for lunch. God bless leftovers. Most things taste better the second or third time around.

While waiting to fill prescriptions at Walmart I had browsed the clothing aisles. Think sticker shock. I never pay their full price, nor their sale I so I'd have a heart attack if I ever visited Macys or some women's boutique. On the other hand, I have a weakness for certain antiques so the lottery would come in handy!

Anyway, back on track here. Being frugal is in my blood. Must have had a transfusion while asleep because I wasn't always this way. But, God am I grateful I am now!!!! And the best part is, I feel rich, wealthy and completely satisfied.

Well, time to finish my assignment for tomorrow's writing group. Have a great evening everyone. Treesong

Monday, December 6, 2010

You've Got to Be Kidding!!

A few things I've encountered this past week:

"You don't use your dryer? How do you get your clothes dry?"

"I've only got $6.50 until payday. Wanna go have breakfast?" Payday was one week away.

A woman in line at the local grocery store: "I can get more at the food pantry but I don't like what they offer." She plunked down a case of beer, five pot pies and two TV dinners and asked the cashier if she knew of a good backyard mechanic. "Gotta get my car looked at and thought maybe he'd accept a few beers until I get paid." In this world, she probably could barter beer for mechanic work.

A friend's daughter began work Wednesday after five years of unemployment. Yes, five years. By Saturday morning she talked of quitting. "If they think I'm gonna put up with other people not doing their fare share when we've all got a quota to meet, they're crazy." Welcome to the real world. There's always someone who doesn't do their fair share. Get over it.

We bought 3 cases of canned cat food and the largest bag of dry cat food we could find. As I placed the dry food in a covered trash can the neighbor asked why I was "throwing it away." When I said I was storing it, he said, "why buy so much at one time? You're a mile from a store." Because I can buy 12 times as much and have plenty on hand instead of making multiple trips.

We paid off ONE of our mortgages yesterday. Great feeling. Friend asked what we did to celebrate, "Bought three new windows and a carpet remnant for this place," I said. "But what did you do to celebrate?" she asked again. "THAT is what I did." She shook her head and said, "Well I would have gone shopping and out to dinner and maybe a movie." Probably. Which explains why we paid a mortgage off and she and her hubby are usually broke.

But the best thing I heard all week was this: "I am so glad you know how to squeeze a quarter our of a nickel." (from Sweetie)