Sunday, August 31, 2008

Updates and More Updates SNAGS

    

I'm going to try and make this very quick, right, hunh?  The girls and I are off to Erie today to for a mini-vacay.  We plan to bicycle around Presque Isle, hit the beach for a bit, and eat, of course.  Boy, I think we all need it.  Becky is still sad, I'm a jumble of nerves, Megan also.

My SIL......she had a strep infection that she thought was a virus in May.  She never had it taken care of.  It moved into her heart and destroyed her aortic valve.  In fact, the valve was totally missing.  She had emergency open heart on Friday and is doing pretty well considering.  The docs are surprised that she is alive.

My BF is having his surgery Wednesday.  I try not to even think about that.  I'll be off and there.  We went out Friday night and he had renewed energy.  We had a wonderful time together.

Now, this mama sweats the small things.  Meg's loans again.  Any of you that have been with me a while know that this is a total nightmare for at least a month to get my co-signed loans through each and every year she has been in college.  Wellllll....I signed on to the bank website as always and was directed to AES.  I cringed because AES is servicing all alternate loans now.  That org. is a nightmare.  I started Aug. 22.  I've had 3 applications rejected for silly reasons.  They wiped them all out and let me set up a new one up on Friday.  Everything was going smooth.  Meg got an e-mail that said the co-signing went through and all was ready for review and for her to e-sign, which she did.  Next morning  ....REJECT.  They don't open until Tues.  Now, I have no idea if the application was rejected or I was denied as co-signer.  There is absolutely no explanation online.  I couldn't sleep last night.  This stuff drives me out of my mind.

My car was back in the shop two weeks ago getting a sway bar and bushings and a new fan for the AC/heat; all covered by the warranty, thank the Lord.  Now, it's making another clunking noise under the hood in a different area.  They had my car three days the last time with no loaner.  It's going on Tues. I need it by Wed.  Ugh.  So, do we take Becky's new car with the manual to Erie?  I have always driven sticks but Joey said these are newer and different. She doesn't want to drive it that far yet.  Do I chance my car for 85 miles there and back?  Oy?

Well, I need to get my butt in gear and read some journals while I drink my coffee.  I'm taking my camera so I'll be posting some pictures tomorrow.  Love & Hugs to all............

 

                

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Would You Like to Fly? SNAGS

              

Yesterday was a different day, for sure.  The weather both today and yesterday was gorgeous, warm and just right for the pool but also for flying.  Yep....Megan's early graduation present to herself was skydiving.  She and a friend had it planned for a while.  I knew about it but not the exact date.  She talked her sister into going also so Joe and I went to observe.  I did a photoslide of it.  Not the best because I resized the pictures so they didn't come out as clear as they should.

 



 

It was fascinating, amazing, a myriad of things all rolled into one just watching.  I'd love to do it but don't have the money right now.  It's tandem jumping with an instructor with you.  I'm not sure about other states, etc. but it's the law in Pa. to tandem jump at first.  Megan love, loved it!  Megan is my daredevil who'll ride every single ride in the amusement park.  Poor Becky got nauseous but did see it through to the end.  Megan's instructor was flipping them upside and all around.  13,000 ft in the sky.  The plane looked like an ant.  Megan is living with Becky now and school starts tomorrow for her and Joey also.

Prayers/good thoughts, etc. needed again.....my brother's wife is severely ill and in the ICU.  She's 58, started running a fever a few days ago and now most organs are just shutting down.  She's in an excellent hospital here barely hanging on to life and no clue, at this time as to what is wrong.  They just keep doing test after test.  She has always been extremely fit and eats so healthy.   I know my relationship is strained with my brother and his wife but truly I do pray that she gets better.  My brother is beside himself.  I actually feel terrible for both ofthem.

Someone asked me about tutorials and PSP.  I rarely do them because they never seem to come out right or something is forgotten.  I use parts of tutorials at times.  The top tag and bottom tag are both adapted from the same tutorial but changed somewhat. 

AND....am I doing 10 hr days ASAP?   Nope....weird hunh?  I fussed for two years but am somewhat apprehensive about doing it again.  Don't know why but I think I'll wait a while.   Now, how about that???  Surprised the family, for sure.

HUGS to all...........CHRIS

               

 

 

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Catching Up/SNAGS

                 

Hi all!  I have so much to say that I could write a book.  I definitely need to start updating more often and catching up with alerts.  I just can't keep up with everything but I'm trying. 

My BF saw the doctor yesterday.  The dr. who did the stents is not doing the surgery.  Each doctor has specialties.  The surgeon is the chief of staff.  He sees him Tues and will have the date scheduled.  There will be one bypass....the artery is 90% blocked and couldn't be stented because of the location.  I'm seeing my doctor Monday for my yearly check up and plan to have another stress test done.  It's been 4 years since my last one.

I'll save the news about the "three stooges" of mine for later. 

I'm walking 4,200 steps a day which is about 2 miles.  It takes 30 min.  According to my BF's cardiac notebook, which is extensive, that is what I should be doing for my age.  I've cut back on the cheeses, etc.  I'm eating steamed veggies and chicken for lunch.  I've only lost 5 lbs. in a month but that's good enough.  LOL...yesterday we had pizza and a cake for a guy who was retiring at work.  So.....I totally blew it.

I'm off for my walk in a minute or two.  Many of you commented that my place looked rural and sort of scary.  Actually, (hope I'm not jinxing myself) it is very safe.  We rarely lock our doors.  It's like a step back in time here.

Anyway, one more thing, and this cracks me up.  Compressed time has been approved for our division.  So, am I starting the first of September on 10 hr days????????  I think I'll do a poll on this one because y'all know I've been fussing for two years about working five days a week so here goes.....  (An explanation for those who are confused....I worked 4 10 hr days for 8 years.  I had every Wed off.  Two years ago, I was promoted to a new division but had to go back to the traditional 5 day work week.  I have never stopped fussing about that since that time.)

 

 

I'm off for my walk.  The weather is hot today so I'm going to float in my pool...whoo hoo!

                

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Welcome to my Neighborhood & Some SNAGS

             

I've been taking some new directions in my life lately.  One is walking.  I started at lunch a couple of weeks ago with a ten minute walk.  Now, I'm doing 30 minutes at lunch daily.  I walk Grizzly around our cul-de-sac at night which is about 1/2 mile.  Now, I haven't lost one lb. :( but my blood pressure is super, and my pulse is lower than it's been in years.  I'm going to tweek my diet around a bit although I thought I had or was at least eating the same as pre-exercise.  Plus I can have little conversations with myself and many times God which helps relieve the stress. 

I walked a couple of miles around my neigborhood today and photographed my journey.  LOL...probably pretty boring but I did a photo slide and captioned it.  It's sort of rural; something I love after the "burbs."  I love being able to walk outside and see woods.  So, if you care to see a piece of my world, feel free to take in a bit of the video.  The music is from Rockyou.com and will last until I add enough entries to "lose" it.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Summer SNAGS

LOL....better late than never.  I sure would love to be sitting at beach somewhere warm but it's not gonna happen this year.

            

         

                

Already August/SNAGS

        

My alerts are finally pretty much working; working extremely well.  I had and still have several entries from people to catch up with. 

Things are relatively quiet for the time being around here.  We have finally been having some summer weather here but it's August already.  Got to float in my pool yesterday.  Lovely day but the cloud cover is back again today.

My BF has an appt on Aug 18th to set up the surgery.  The doctor needs to make sure that the stents have healed completely before any surgery date is confirmed.  I have been trying to talk with him about after care.  They can now do the band-aid incision in some cases instead of breaking the sternum.  I'm not too sure he will fall into that category.  I don't want to delve too far into that and worry him but my dad had two open heart surgeries.  No piece of cake with the breastbone healing.

Megan is still at home but will be living with Becky in the fall.  She didn't need a 12 month lease and couldn't find anyplace with less than 10 months so the sisters will be roomies.  LOL...this should be interesting.  They totally fought, physically scratching and pulling hair, when they were kids.  Hopefully, they are adult enough now to co-exist.

My son just got back from Ocean City, Md. and may have a torn meniscus.  He has an MRI scheduled for next week.

Forgot to mention that I had my handy dandy Randy (the plumber) back again.  My upstairs toilet was leaking.  It needed a new wax seal thingie.  He had to move it a little because the floor wasn't in the best shape behind the toilet.  Well, it's leaking a bit on the one side again.  Back he comes again tomorrow night.  He's sure it will just need an adjustment so this wax seal settles.  Keeping my fingers crossed because he did say I should get 2,000 flushes out of the last fix before I need to replace that part of the floor...ugh.

My BF and I got to go out Friday night.  We  ran into Megan and a couple of her friends.  She was the Designated Driver and drinking diet Pepsi.  Still weird to see her in a lounge setting. I've started walking at lunch because I cannot lose a pound.  If I eat one desert or a meal that isn't a salad...boom, the weight comes right back on.  I've been taking Grizzly around the neighborhood in the evenings.  We had to start out slow because of his joints but he needs to move some also.

I'm getting back into PSP more but still haven't done much tagging.  Hopefully, that will come along also.

If I haven't been around to see you, I shall be tonight.  I still have a bunch of alerts to go through.  I have a couple of blinkies here.  We do blinkies twice a week in my one group.

 

                 

 

           

 

BIG HUGS Chris