What to do?

My mom went home on Sunday, and she made it safe and sound. Monday, my youngest was home from school for a teacher work day. Today I have been washing the laundry that accumulated since Sunday, all 3 loads. They are outside drying in the beatiful sun. I have been kinda lonely here today. It is so quiet. I don't know what to do. I know what my mom would say..."move this and move that (furniture), but my ankle is a little sore from climbing up and down the stairs from doing laundry. I still have to take it a little easy on the ankle or I will be sorry later. I guess I'm just a little down. Alone. Depressed.

New Blog-Go Check It Out

An old college roommate of mine started a blog. It is about her adventures abroad as a missionary. She was an English major in college, and has a way with writing. If you interested in a great cerebral read, go check her out at http://welltraveledchick.blogspot.com/
Right now, Meredith (affectionately known as Mere) is posting about her adventures (or misadventures) in Ethiopia.

All Alone

Well, my mom, the mommanator to those who know her, left at 7am this morning to go back to Florida. She came up to help me while I had surgery and was confined to the bed. I will miss her, and her cleaning ways. She did all the laundry for me while she was here. That alone is not an easy task. Trying to keep up on the laundry alone is a full time job. Before she left, she managed to move all my furniture around, to make room for new furniture from her NJ house. Her brother drove to my house yesterday to deliver a couch, 2 chairs, a freezer, and his oldest daughter who left with my mom to stay with her for 2 weeks. I am so excited about having a new couch. I know that it is not brand new, but it is only a couple of years old, and it is in much better shape than the one I had. Now, all I have to do is paint my living room, but that will have to wait. The next project in the house has to be redoing my girls' room. After that, then another bathroom remodel. These remodels will not be nearly as involved as that last remodel. The girls' room only need wallpaper stripped and painted. The other bathroom is a little more involved, as the current floor needs to be removed, a little sub-floor repair, then install a new floor. Then new cabinet and sink, wallpaper removal, and paint. I have been wanting to do the floor in there for quite a while, but am a little scared about the sub-floor. I don't know why, but sub-flooring is a little tricky. After those 2 rooms, then painting the living rooms, then I will have to have all my hardwood floor refinished, not to mention a new front porch-hey, anyone want to come and help? By the time I do all this, then it will be time to start over....oh, the joys of owning a house. At least I am still one of the lucky ones, and I am still able to think about remodeling my house, and not worring about when it will be foreclosed. Actually, I love house remodeling. It is so exhilarating to see it all come together. So, what are your passions?

Weirdness

This is a photo that I took of a flower and inverted the colors. I kinda like it this way. What do you think? It has a strange artistic look about it, at least to me it does. I guess that I'm kinda strange that way.

Well, I have physical therapy in about an hour, and will have to go soon. My ankle is doing quite well, just one spot that really aches still.

Sunday Sickness

This has been one killer of a cold season. Today, my youngest woke with a fever and sore throat. While me, my mom, and the other 3 kiddos went to church, mu sister stayed home with the youngest. When we finally returned home, poor little Danny was lying in the bed with those big sad eyes almost crying. He felt as hot as a firecracker, and he cried every time he swallowed. I tried to give him a Popsicle to eat, but the poor fella cried with each bite saying it hurt too bad to swallow. Finally, my mom and I were able to get some Motrin into him, and he finally took something to drink. Now, he is running around outside with his big brother playing. It is so amazing to watch kids be sick. One minute they can be crying hysterical and only wanting mommy (or grandma) to console them, the next minute, they are running around. I know that he really is not feeling good, and his throat is beet red, and I suspect he has strep, but have to wait till the morning when I can get a doctor appointment for him.

Church was great this morning. We are having a revival week at church this week. Harold Vaughn is at the church for the week. If you are not familiar with him, his main ministry is church revivals. He goes around to different churches during their revivals. Today his sermon was on the importance of having God as you Saviour, and if you die today and face your maker, would you be prepared. I know of about 10 people in the second service who got saved. They is a major party in heaven today. Praise God, and am so excited about the next services.

Coffee anyone? It'll be ready in 15mins

Since I have had my ankle surgery, my job allows me to continue to keep working and not need to take disability while my ankle heals. I know that I am real lucky, however, I hate 5am calls. There is nothing worse than being in your last hour of sleep and the phone rings. I take care of the issue, only to realize that I only have 30mins before I need to get up. Guess I better just make coffee and lunches. Hey, maybe I will surprise the kids and make pancakes for breakfast....but then again, I just caught my girls trying to sneak around into my mom's room. Ahh grandma will be so blessed.....3 grand babies and one dog in her bed....better her than me, that bed is only so big.

Warning-Soap Box Post

Went to the doctor today for my first post-op appointment. The cast came off. Now, I have to wear a walking cast for at least until I see him again (April 11). I also have to start physical therapy 2/week for the next month. Taking the first step was a little rough, but each step is a little easier.

Sometimes being a nurse is a terrible thing, as I see things and know that they are not being done according to standard of practice. The office aide (dare I say nurse) cut off my cast then the doctor asked her to remove my stitches. Well, being a nurse and knowing the importance of hand washing, I expected her to wash her hands before removing the stitches. Did she? No! I understand that in today's health care industry, actual hand washing with soap and water is gone by the wayside, and alcohol based hand cleansers are all the rage. Even though the CDC and JACHO (JACHO is the accreditation agency) all recommend only using alcohol based hand cleansers when washing with water is not possible. Well, there was a wash basin with soap and paper towels in the room where my cast was removed. I was really perturbed by the fact that she dared to touch my wound without clean hands. Yes, she had on gloves, but that is no excuse. I almost told her to wash her hands, and I should have. I did however tell the doctor about it, and he told me that she should have and that he would have a talk to her. Hand washing is the exact reason why these super bugs (multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria) are becoming the norm. A simple thing such as hand washing can do so much. The best thing about it that is just plain old soap is enough. You don't need antibacterial soap for it to be effective, just proper technique. The following is put out by the CDC to explain how to properly wash your hands and when you should wash your hands.

When to Wash
• Before eating.
• Before, during, and after handling or preparing food.
• After contact with blood or body fluids (like vomit, nasal secretions, or saliva). • After changing a diaper.
• After you use the bathroom.
• After handling animals, their toys, leashes, or waste.
• After touching something that could be contaminated (such as a trash can, cleaning cloth, drain, or soil).
• Before dressing a wound, giving medicine or inserting contact lenses.
• More often when someone in your home is sick.
• Whenever they look dirty.
How to Wash
• Wet your hands and apply liquid, bar, or powder soap.
• Rub hands together vigorously to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
• Continue for 20 seconds! It takes that long for the soap and scrubbing action to dislodge and remove stubborn germs. Need a timer? Imagine singing “Happy Birthday” all the way through – twice!
• Rinse hands well under running water.
• Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer.
• If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.
(I always add one more point-After using the paper towel to turn off the faucet, then use it to open the door)
Remember: If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based wipe or hand gel!

If everyone followed these few simple rules, there would be a lot less illness. After all, have you ever watched the number of people who use the bathroom who do not wash their hands. They will go to the bathroom, go to the mirror, look in the mirror, play with their hair, then leave. They touch the door handle when they leave, and if you are at a buffet.....they then go and touch the serving spoons. Think about it. Next time you go out to eat, and have to use the restroom, watch through the door, you'll see what I mean. YUCK!!! That is why I always add using the paper towel to open the door.

Okay, off my soap box. I'll go back and just put my foot up and rest now.

Bitter Sweet Memories

This time of year is always packed with family holidays, today is no exception. 40 years ago today my parents were married. Of course it is bittersweet this year, and tears will flow, but tears of memories and joy. No tears of sorrow are allowed. My dad would never have wanted tears of sorrow. We have nothing to be sad about. Sure, it's hard and he is missed, but he is the lucky one. He is celebrating with us. Having the ultimate celebration with God. Right now he would be smacking me upside my head for crying and I can hear his telling me to knock it off, but still the tears flow. Yes, I miss my dad, and will continue to miss him.

I am thankful for the time we had with him, thankful for my parents getting married 40 yrs ago today (in the snow no less). Thankful for having parents who loved each other deeply, and openly. Thankful for being loved by my parents. Thankful for having him as long as we did. Thankful for my parents giving me life.

Thanks Mom

To hear my mom tell the story is a riot. 37 years ago today at 330am she was awoken with waves of nausea every 15 minutes. Being 2 weeks over due, and the size of the side of a barn, she decides to call the doctor, and tells my dad to go iron a shirt. The doctor tells her to go to the hospital to go get checked out. My mom and dad drive 20 miles on icy back roads to get to the hospital. All the while, my mom telling my dad to drive faster or the baby was going to come out on the floor of the car. My dad telling her that he is already going 70 mph and that he can't go faster. It must have been a riot to watch. They finally make it to the hospital, only to have a run in with the registration person trying to get insurance info, never mind, there she is in active labor trying not to give birth to me on the hospital floor. My mom is finally given a room and told by the nurse to relax. No checks were made, even though my mom kept telling the nurse to check her as she was having this baby. Finally, the nurse decides that the only way to shut my mom up would be to check her out. She lifts the sheet to see that my mom was crowning. They rush my mom to the delivery room, make my mom transfer from the hospital bed to the delivery bed (mind you, my head was half out by then. Not a minute after getting on the delivery bed, I was born and 6:30am. All 10lb 13.5oz of me.
Mom-thanks for putting up with my non-sense for all these years, and for having great stories like these to share. I know that I have been causing you grief for the last 37 years, and I will continue to give you grief.
Today, I will try to keep my foot up and relax, but only if we can go shopping a little first.
Hope you all have a great day-I plan on trying to have fun.

Wednesday-Surgery

Well, I'm done with surgery. The doctor said things were better than first believed. He only had to clean out the joint, no ligament repair was needed. After getting in there and seeing everything, he said the ligaments looked like they had healed some and were not as bad as first believed, so he just cleaned out the joint. Apparently, the joint was riddled with several bone fragments. One was as big as the end of a thumb...fairly large. At least the removal of the bone fragments should stop all the pain I was having. The best part, recovery is more like 2 weeks, not 8+ weeks as first thought.

My bathroom is basically done. It is finally completely usable. The only thing not completed is the painting. I refuse to pay someone to paint, especially when talking about 100 sq feet. It's just a waste of money to me, not to mention I am a little bit of a perfectionist when it comes to painting, and even though they do this for a living, it would not be up to my standard. Better I just paint it myself and be happy then pay someone and be upset that it is not exactly perfect. At least the shower is usable, the sink is working, and the trim is all up. Looks so different, and wonderful just the way it is. I can deal until I can paint. I can't wait to take a shower in it (just in time since I am now stuck downstairs for the next few weeks).

Well, I really should be resting instead of computing, so I better go lay down, prop my foot and enjoy the meds.

Tuesday Fun

Today the kiddos had a late start to school. The older 3 had a 1 hr delay, and the little guy got to stay home with mommy for 2 extra hours. Since it wasn't until 11am that the littlest started, we went to the store and bought pasta noodles to make Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner. Right now, the boys are playing each other with their Nintendo DS. It is so much fun to watch, and see the youngest actually beat the oldest at video games. Earlier, the boys were playing football in the house. The funniest thing is that Danny (6yr old) actually would break tackles from Kenny (10yr old). Danny is one of those natural talents at sports. Kenny, on the other hand, actually has to work hard at sports. How different the boys are.

Tomorrow the contractor comes to finish my bathroom. I'm so excited! And I think I like it!.....As the song goes.

Gotta go do more laundry, those kids can dirty more laundry than I can keep up with.

Snow Fun

Here is a little video of my kiddos having fun this morning in the snow. All said and done, I guess we had about 6 inches of snow. Not bad for a end of winter storm. Usually, these end of winter storms always pack a punch. I have said it before, and I will say it again, "You are never safe for not getting snow until at lease March 20th", at least around these parts. There has been more than one biggy around the ides of March (right around my birhtday). Kids had a blast with our snow day breakfast out, driving around on snow packed roads, making snow cream, watching movies with On-Demand, and playing in the fluffy cold stuff. All and all, pretty good snow day fun was had by all. Hope you enjoy the video.

Any Wonder We are Having a Freak March Storm??

These are pictures from some local weather cameras. Right now it is snowing heavily outside. Kids are off of school, so soon off to go have breakfast. In DC today a protest/civil disobedience is planned. For what? you ask....Global Warming. I find humor in this. To read more about the planned civil disobedience read here
Well, the kiddos are anxious to get out in the wintry white stuff, so I better go get dressed and stop laughing at those crazies who will be protesting global warming in the largest snow this season. I need to go throw snowball.