Currently

The sun is shining brightly and it looks beautiful outside my window, but it's a lie. After yet another day of temperatures in the 80s on Saturday, the mercury has taken a dip. Yesterday was in the 50s. Today's high was in the 40s. We saw a few snow flurries in the area last night/early this morning. We have a freeze warning tonight. It's going to be tough on the blooming things, notably, my stepdad's fruit trees. Mom reports they are absolutely loaded with blossoms this year. If they freeze it will likely be another year (in a series of years) with no fruit. We are not worrying about that as our apple tree blew over in a storm a couple of months ago.

I'm still working on reading My Friends by Fredrick Backman. I haven't had a lot of time to read in the past week.

On the television you'll find American Idol tonight. We finished all the episodes of Tim's pick, Fubar, over the weekend and went back to Cross. Cross only has a few more episodes, I think, and then maybe we'll pick back up with Marshalls.

I've been listening to a LOT of lawnmowers in the past week. Spring has truly sprung and the grass is growing like crazy. Our daughter has mown ours twice!

Dinner was Italian tonight. We had the spaghetti special and a small pizza from one of our favorite delivery places.

I'm thinking I'm totally NOT happy with the newest development around here. You all know how much I looooove snakes. Well, I've lived in this neighborhood for most of my life and I have never seen a single snake. Our daughter reported last year that a garter snake turned up in their yard. Nooo. This year she reported seeing two or three. No-ooo! Then Saturday this turned up in my yard.

Oh, H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS-NOOOOOOO!!!!

I'm feeling pretty achy. My feet are feeling better, thanks to a pair of wide-toe box, zero-drop sneakers I found on Amazon, but the rest of me? M'eh. I've been "collecting" a lot of videos of exercises to strengthen knees, ankles, and everything else. I need to start pushing myself to do them now. Hopefully, they will help more than physical therapy did the last time.

We're celebrating several things. Today is my stepdad's birthday. He's 85. Tomorrow is his and Mom's anniversary. And Saturday he is coming home. We're being a bit reserved in our celebration of that one. He is, of course, delighted, but Mom is very uneasy about it. He'll still have the wound vac and require visiting nurses. He gets around, but maybe not that great. Still, they say he is doing so well they can't justify keeping him. Adding to Mom's nervousness is that she has no idea what needs done to prepare. She asked his case manager and she said, "We don't know. The whole team is meeting Wednesday and we'll decide then." That will give Mom two days to get it all together.

I'm enjoying in-season fruits right now. The mandarin oranges have been soooo yummy.

This week I'm giggling at...

 

Saturday 9: Drive My Car

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) Who would you allow, without hesitation, to drive your car?  My husband and... yeah, nobody else.

2) When you're riding in the backseat, do you use your seatbelt?  Yes, I do, but I don't ride in the back very often. I get sleepy when I do. 

 

3) In this song, a young girl tells her boyfriend she wants to be a movie star. What were your aspirations when you were in your late teens/early 20's? Did you realize them?  I was in college studying journalism and dreaming of being a globe-trotting reporter. I didn't realize that dream as I ended up getting married rather than finishing my degree. As it turns out, I'm not all that disappointed. I loathe what the news media has turned into.

 
4) The song was reportedly inspired in part by the relationship between popular British singer Cilla Black and her future husband. Cilla wanted him on the record label's payroll, so he became her road manager and driver. Have you ever worked for, or with, someone with whom you were romantically involved?  My husband and I met at work. Workplace romances are kind of weird because everyone is watching to see how it turns out.

 

5) Although this Beatles song is credited to Lennon-McCartney, it was written mostly by Paul. He recalls showing up at John Lennon's house with the tune ready to go, and lyrics they both agreed were "crap." John gave Paul the car theme, and he took it from there. When has someone recently helped you out of a jam?  I don't think I've been in any jams recently.

 

6) Paul also handles the lead vocals. When you hear a Beatles record, can you tell which band member is singing lead?  I think so. They had pretty distinct voices.

7) When it was first released, this record got a lot of attention for the intricate guitar work by Paul and George Harrison. It's got a lot of percussion on it, too, including cowbell and tambourine. Have you ever played either cowbell or tambourine? (Do you think it sounds like fun?)  I've not played either one. It might be fun. All I can think of since you mentioned cowbells is this...

8) Lava lamps were already popular in England but they weren't introduced to the United States until 1965. Today Walmart carries more than 20 different lava lamps. Have you ever owned one?  No, which is kind of surprising since I had infinity lights, disco lights, black lights and everything else in my teenage lair.

 
9) Random question: Do you have a recurring dream?  Not that I'm aware of. I rarely remember my dreams so I suppose it's possible.

Thanks to Sam for the questions and music.

Play along here.

 

Currently

I am

Reading... My Friends by Erik Backman.

Watching... American Idol and Tim discovered Arnold Schwarzenegger's show Fubar so that was on a lot over the weekend.

Listening... I've been in the mood for 50's rock and roll classics.

Eating... trying to be healthier (think lots of fruits and veggies) after a few stressful months fueled by comfort foods.

Thinking... about how to decorate for our company picnic. They announced at work today that it's going to be in June this year and the theme is "cowboy." My coworker, Don, and I are the "creative people" at work who do all the decorating and this is no different. We are already throwing all kinds of ideas around.

Feeling... pretty darn good.

Celebrating... my stepdad was accepted into the good rehab place we were hoping for and he will be transferred there tomorrow.

Enjoying... spending more time outside as the weather keeps getting nicer.

Weather... it's been gorgeous! At 9:30 p.m. it's still 73 degrees. We're to get a couple of cooler days over the weekend, but then it's going to warm right back up.

Giggling...

Accurate Pennsylvania signage.

I can't unsee it...

Thankful Thursday

It's time once again to list just a few of the things I've been thankful for this week. 

This week's blessings:

* Mom poured boiling water on her hand. I'm not sure how, but when I saw it the day after it looked like her hand, wrist, and a bit beyond that were deeply bruised. She confessed to the water incident after I asked and tried to brush it off. She didn't see a doctor, but it has stopped hurting and is now peeling. It could have been much worse. I'm thankful it wasn't.

* Our daughter and her family are all finally over the flu and healthy again...and no one else has come down with it.

* My boss told me today that she is still honoring my requested vacation time in July. It won't be paid time off and I won't get the bonus, but I can live with that. I was worried as I had to use all my PTO time plus get the FMLA leave last month to take care of our daughter's children when she was unable to.

* On Saturday Tim and our son-in-law started cutting up the logs from the Poplar that we had cut down back in November. They hauled one trailer load to our daughter's friend for summer bonfires. Our son-in-law has someone else to take the rest once they get it cut up. They worked on it again tonight. Tim also started cutting up the apple tree that blew over one windy day. It's been too windy to work on these projects (or raining) up until this past week.

* My tailbone was only sore for a couple of days following getting knocked down by a client last Thursday. No serious damage.

* I got my Walmart order placed tonight so I can pick it up after work tomorrow and not have to deal with it over the weekend.

* My stepdad has finally agreed that he should go to a rehabilitation facility for a while before coming home. He still needs a lot of care and it would be too much for Mom to deal with. The only bad part is the facility both he and Mom want him to go to is over an hour away, but provided they have room for him it's the best choice health-wise. It has a 73% success rate (success being patients going home and not going to the hospital or dying in the first 31 days). All of the other choices had much, much worse ratings.

Of course there is much more I'm thankful for, but I have to stop somewhere and it's time to head to bed. Have a blessed day tomorrow!

Currently

I am

Reading... just about done with The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen.

Watching... it's Monday so American Idol, of course!

Listening... to the furnace run. After hitting 85 degrees on Saturday, it's cold again.

Eating... Easter leftovers - ham, pasta salad, baked beans, deviled eggs, and strawberry pie.

Thinking... about going to play with the otters. It feels like we've been waiting forever and now it's only a few weeks away.

Feeling... a little m'eh and hoping it's allergies since everything has started blooming like crazy and not the flu that's been floating around in my daughter's family.

Celebrating... my stepdad is doing pretty well for the shape he is in. They are beginning to talk about where he will go next. He wants to come home, which will mean home health aides, all kinds of therapy and I don't even know what all...AT HOME. Mom is trying to gently discourage that and point him toward a dedicated rehab facility or a nursing home that handles the kind of wounds he has and the rehab. She really doesn't want him to come home yet. I agree. I think it would be too much for her to handle until he gets stronger. Still, it's great that he's to the point he can even think of it. A month ago we weren't sure if he would make it or even lose his leg.

Enjoying... seeing all the spring flowers and trees budding out.

Weather... we're going below freezing tonight and may even see a little snow in the morning with a high of only 39. We're heading back to the mid to upper 70s by the end of the week.

Giggling...

Thankful Thursday on Good Friday

I meant to post last night for Thankful Thursday, but when I finally cracked open the laptop it took all of about five minutes for me to fall asleep. I slept a couple of hours sitting here in my recliner before waking up just enough to stumble to bed. I hadn't realized I was that tired, but I guess the day took more out of me than I realized. Well, one event, anyway.

We had our Easter celebration at work yesterday. Normally it's a breakfast and then we're done and everyone goes back to work. This year it was a lunch because a long time employee chose to get married at work during the party. Because of all that, we didn't go back to work. It turned into a dance party. 

It was long because I had a female one-on-one who is very demanding and mentally exhausting. My coworker, Don, who I fill in for with his (also very demanding) one-on-one needed a few minutes away from his guy, who has been out of sorts and extremely demanding lately (something is going on with him, but we don't know what). He tried to walk out of the room several times, but his guy kept following him. Finally, it seemed like he was going to comply. He said "Okay" and turned to me and came like he was going to dance. Then he swung his hips into me as hard as he could. That sent me flying into a table (hit my side) and before I could get my balance the chairs slid apart and I knew I was going down. I managed to spin around so I landed on my behind rather than on my knees. 

The fallout is that my side is sore and my tail bone/butt/lower back is really hurting. Also, going forward no one but Don can watch that consumer because he was never good at listening to anyone but Don and now he isn't even listening to him. I am relieved as he is the one I have talked about taking out all day by myself when Don is not there. It's been okay in the past, but with whatever is going on with him I've been worried how he would be and I'd be out somewhere by myself with no one to help.

So that's where I am...stiff and sore, but nothing terribly wrong and a lot to do today.

One day late, here's my Thankful Thursday list. 

1. I'm thankful I am only stiff and sore today.

2. I'm thankful for all the coworkers and clients who gathered around me wanting to help, showed concern, and were glad I wasn't seriously hurt.

3. I'm thankful the rain is done for the day so I can go get the last of what I need for Easter.

4. I'm thankful tomorrow is going to be nice so we can still have the egg hunt with the grandchildren. With our daughter still getting over the flu she decided we should not get together for Easter dinner on Sunday. She doesn't want to expose my mom to the germs because of her age and the fact that my stepdad is still in the hospital.

5. I'm thankful Mom is going to come to our house. I'm still cooking the ham, but things will be more relaxed. We'll box up some food for our daughter's family.

6. I'm thankful our grandson started a new ADHD medication and is doing very well with it. It has helped a lot with his schooling. Our granddaughter has an appointment today to see about trying an ADHD medication. Getting her to sit still for class is impossible!

There's more I am thankful for, but I do need to get moving and take care of the last of my Easter shopping. Have a blessed and beautiful day on this Good Friday!

The Non-Challenge Gratitude Challenge

Huh? If the title leaves you scratching your head, you may want to pop over to Kwizgiver's blog and read about it. This is something new (and I think worthwhile) that she has created. It is all about noticing the little things. She creates the prompts and the first one posted today. New prompts will post once a week for the rest of the month. 

Today's Prompt:  One thing you can hear, and one thing you can touch.

Hear:  I loved listening to a heavy downpour this morning. I find rainstorms soothing and lovely as long as they don't come with strong winds or dangerous lightning.

Touch:  A hot shower beating down on bunched up neck and shoulder muscles, relaxing away the tension of a difficult work day.