Visit with my doctor

Blood pressure (Photo credit: williamhartz)

Hmm…that almost makes it sound like we went out to lunch or something, doesn’t it?  Nothing quite that enjoyable, I’m afraid.  But don’t be concerned, it was nothing traumatic either.

I went in for a routine check up and to discuss the pain issues I’ve been having.  Surprisingly, my blood pressure was a little high…that doesn’t happen very often.  She did give me a prescription for a diuretic, with the explanation that women often have a slight rise in their blood pressure when they’ve been retaining water.  Okay, that I can accept.

Of course we discussed my weight.  I’d applied for a free program that my company was offering, but it was based on our biometric screening and my numbers on everything were good..so I was turned down.  Her comment was that I “wasn’t sick enough”…I suppose that’s a positive thing, right?  Got to get back to my daily visits to SparkPeople.com…it works when I work it…just like most everything in life.

Then on to the pain issues.  There was nothing she could find wrong during the routine check up, but she has scheduled a couple of tests during the next two weeks…so maybe we’ll know more then.  Oh yeah, and I can’t forget that she’s scheduled a mammogram next week…yippee…not a lot in life that I enjoy more than a good mammogram…but it’s a necessary evil, so I’ll force myself to follow through with it.

I’ve only been seeing this doctor since last fall, but I really like her.  Unbelievably, she remembered things about my work schedule, the stresses in my life and my issues with food, weight and body image…so, I’ll see her again in a couple of weeks and we’ll go from there.  Until then, I’m trying to eat better and exercise more…solves a lot of problems when I do that…how about you?

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The things kids say…

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I had another fun-filled day at work today…crazy busy…trying to get a lot done and only succeeding in halfway finishing anything.  I did have an experience that had me chuckling the rest of the day though.

While on register, a little boy (I found out he was 6) came up and started talking to me.  Out of the blue, he swept his arm around and said, “These are all my brothers and sisters.  We all have the same mom, but have lots of different dads.”  What do you say to that?  Then he proceeded to tell me which of his brothers and sisters have the same dad.  Honestly, I had no idea what to say so I just told him that it sounds like they all have a lot of fun together.

Then he was telling me about some craft project he’d done…”When I did it before, I messed up.  So I’m going to do it again.  Last year I was only 5.  Now that I’m 6 I can do it better.”  I told him there were all kinds of things he could do better now that he’s 6.  I think I’ve made a new little friend.

His poor mother…she told me he was a talker…I think I believe it!

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I Am Legend…or the book I thought I’d never finish

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Okay, let me get this out there first thing, I am an avid reader…always have been.  I have favorite authors (James Patterson, Patricia Cornwell, John Sandford, Janet Evanovich, Iris Johansen, Lee Child, and so on) and I devour their books.  They always end much too quickly and then the long wait begins again for the next book that they’ve written to hit the bookstore (or Amazon’s page).

While I’m waiting for new books by my favorite authors, I pick up anything that looks like it might be good (how else do you find new favorite authors, right?).  Being the frugal person that I am try to be…I often get books on the cheap at the local Friends of the Library bookstore or Goodwill.  (Yes, I could check books out at the library, but then you have to remember to take them back…and I always forget…that tends to get me in a lot of trouble..you know those librarians…I’d rather have the school bully mad at me than have a librarian give me that cold librarian stare).

A few weeks ago, I bought several books at Goodwill.  One of those books was I Am Legend…you know, the one that they made into a movie starring Will Smith?  I must admit, I never saw the movie and hadn’t heard anything about it, so really had no idea what the book was about…but they made a movie out of it so someone must have thought it was good, right?  Oh my word…I started the book…and gave up on it, setting it aside in favor of another book.  Read a few more books, then came back to I Am Legend…having forgotten why I stopped reading it in the first place.  Started over, read a little until I could go no further.  Set it aside once again.  Read several more books until I had no books in the house that I hadn’t already read.  Kept seeing I Am Legend sitting there on the bedroom table.  I didn’t really want to pick it up, but being the voracious reader that I am, had to have something to read.  So I picked it up and forced myself to finish it.  And believe me when I tell you I had to force myself to finish it (heck, I had to force myself not to throw it across the room).

I was a little more than halfway through the book when there was an abrupt plot change.  I kept reading, thinking what in the world is going on here?  Kept reading, getting more and more confused…then it dawned on me…I had finished I Am Legend and was now reading short stories…sadly none of the short stories were any better than I Am Legend…thankfully today I managed to get out and buy some new (used) books to read…one of them by Lee Child…ahh…reading is a pleasure again.

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It’s Girl Scout cookie time

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Have any of your little girl scouts hit you up to buy a few boxes of cookies?  I’ve got a friend who has a grand-daughter who sells a ton of Girl Scout cookies…if you talked with this little girl for a few minutes you’d know why she’s so successful with her cookie selling…she’s one of the sweetest, most cheerful little girls I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.

Well, I ordered a couple of boxes of cookies from Hannah a few weeks ago.  I’d kind of forgotten about doing that until I saw some girls had set up a table at Kroger to sell their cookies.  I wonder how they decide who gets to do that?  Surely they have lots of little girls (or their mothers) who would like to do that.  So how does the store manager say no to some of those cute little girls and yes to others?

Anyhow, I remembered that I had ordered some cookies…but now I can’t remember what kinds.  Surely I must have ordered Thin Mints…right?  Or what is that kind of peanut buttery cookie that I like?  Or did I order that new lemon cookie?  I guess this will be a very pleasant surprise when I get the cookies.

And someone told me that there were no calories, fat, or sugar in Girl Scout cookies, only lots of vitamins and good for you things…that’s right…right?

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How do you decide when it’s time to have your pet put to sleep?

Let me start by saying I’m not talking about Spooky…she’s fine…mean as ever…

Spooky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m talking about Goldi…poor old Goldi…she showed up a few years back…cold and hungry.  I really didn’t want another cat, but I felt sorry for her.  So I fed her and gave her some water on the back patio, hoping she’d find her way back home. 

 

Who knows what her story is?  Was she abandoned?  Did she escape and couldn’t find her way back home?  I have no idea.  She is so friendly that it’s obvious she was once someone’s pet.  This is why I preach to people to keep their cats inside…bad things happen to them on the outside…

 

Goldi was probably luckier than most stray cats.  I never found out where her people were, but I did take her to the vet and had her checked out.  Other than being old and skinny, there wasn’t anything wrong with her.  So I let her explore the house and try to get used to Spooky.  Funny, Spooky wanted to be friends right away, but Goldi never warmed up to her.  Maybe because she was so old and didn’t want to play…So they never really became friends, but they tolerated one another.

 

A few days ago, I noticed Goldi was becoming lethargic…still eating well, drinking enough…but just not getting around like she had before.  Last night, she just kind of stayed on a chair in the spare bedroom, didn’t come downstairs to eat.  When I took food up to her, she ate it, but I could tell something was wrong.

 

I took her to the vet this morning.  She wasn’t happy about that.  (Is there a cat in the world who enjoys going to the vet?)  They examined her, took some blood, all of those good things.  As far as they could tell, without further tests, she’s just getting really old.

 

I kind of feel guilty for not okaying more extensive tests, but it’s not something I feel like I can afford…then I question myself, if it were Spooky in this situation, would I go ahead and pay for the other tests?  I have to admit, I would be inclined to.  Does that make me uncaring for not doing it for Goldi?  The vet and I discussed putting her to sleep.  She said she didn’t think Goldi was in pain, but that it’s not always easy to tell with cats.

 

I brought her back home and have made her as comfortable as I can upstairs in the spare room where she can be warm and keep away from Spook.  She’s still eating and drinking.  I go in and pet her and talk to her several times a day.  But I don’t know…should I think more seriously about having her put to sleep?  How do you know when it’s time?  She doesn’t seem to be in pain, but she’s also not really doing much…I know it’s only a matter of time now.

 

Would it be better for her to just go ahead and schedule it sooner rather than later?  I just feel so bad for her.  What have you done in these types of situations?

Spooky and Goldi

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Perplexing responses to posts

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I imagine that most of us who have been blogging for a while have come across some replies to our posts that had us shaking our heads.  I had that happen this morning.  Several months ago, I posted about the stir that Kate Middleton created simply by wearing pantyhose…that apparently, while I wasn’t looking, pantyhose had gone out of fashion.  https://run4joy59.wordpress.com/2011/07/20/shes-wearing-gasp-pantyhose/

This morning I reread that post, thinking maybe I’d forgotten just what I’d written…the response from a reader today made me wonder if I’d unintentionally insulted women who wear pantyhose…but, after reading the original post, I still don’t see it that way.  I thought my post was poking fun at the fashionistas who were making such a fuss over Kate Middleton’s wearing of pantyhose, that she was somehow committing some kind of fashion faux pas.

This reader didn’t see it the same way tho…his/her comment was…

“If you don’t wear hose, whatever. If another woman does though, why do you dismiss her. Why do you care if she wears? Just like it isn’t her business why you don’t, why is it your business if she does? She’s no more out of date or fashion with her wear than you are with your daily yoga pants self.”

This still makes me smile…my “daily yoga pants self”…I’ve never actually worn yoga pants although they certainly look like they’d be comfy.  And I do find it kind of flattering that people are still reading posts published 5 months ago…At first, I wondered if my writing was unclear…I do tend to use humor and sarcasm and it’s not always easy to convey that in a blog post.  Then I just threw my hands in the air and went upstairs to take off my pantyhose and put on a pair of  yoga pants…

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Aww…Valentine’s Day…

 Do you celebrate this holiday?  Do you even care?  It’s nice to receive flowers and candy…even nicer to receive expensive jewelry…but is this really what this day should be about?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we did something special for someone who totally doesn’t expect it?  Like give a little box of candy to the elderly lady down the road who has outlived her husband and doesn’t have anyone else in her life.  Or give flowers to the struggling single mother. Or homemade cookies to the overworked teacher in your kid’s classroom.

And then I think, do we really need a holiday to do these nice things for people?  Maybe we do, but I don’t think it should be that way.  I think we would all be happier, and our world would be a better place, if we consistently did things to brighten the days of others.  Can you imagine how so many things would change if we all did that?  If, instead of focusing on what I want, we focused on how to make someone else’s day better?

So…Valentine’s Day?  How did you celebrate?  I took a cute little knick knack to the elderly lady down the street, left it anonymously…maybe she’ll think Cupid paid her a visit!!

(Image: http://wordplay.hubpages.com/hub/valentine-hearts )

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Vacation, writing, chores

pinterest nwf (Photo credit: cambodia4kidsorg)

I’m on a little bitty vacation right now.  I go back to work on Friday (weird, I know, but with the work schedule I keep, that’s the best way to do it), so I’ve got a few days to get a bit done, caught up on, started…

As I mentioned in my previous post, I’ve allowed myself to become quite the slacker with my writing…I think I can use this week to redevelop the daily writing habit.  I have to, it’s one of the things in my life that keeps me sane (or at least what passes for sane in my crazy life).

I’ve also been going through a lot of my “stuff”…funny, I’m pretty careful with what I buy any more, but still end up with several boxes/bags of items to pitch or donate.  How in the world does that happen?  Seriously, I go through things at least twice a year.  You wouldn’t think I would have much to get rid of after several years of doing this, would you?  But you’d be wrong with that assumption.  Right now, I have a bag of magazines  to donate (bingo ladies in my complex?), a couple of bags of books to take to the Friends of the Library tomorrow, and some clothes to take to Goodwill.  At least I’m pretty much past the stage of having knick knacks to get rid of.

Today’s focus is going to be the kitchen.  I did clean the oven yesterday.  It really didn’t need a lot of cleaning, just wiping out, so that was fairly easy.  But I want to pull everything out of the fridge and freezer, clean it completely, then reorganize it when I put it back…and I may just have to make up a big pot of veggie soup using frozen leftovers just to get rid of some of the little containers filling my freezer.  Then I want to pull all of the furniture out and do a good mopping.  I admit, I’m not the world’s best at that, only do a complete job of it a few times a year.  Usually leave the plant stands in front of the window and just reach under them.  But not today.  Today I’ll move everything and use the little steam cleaner and get it done right!

I don’t know about anyone else, but I feel so much better when my house is totally clean and organized.  Oh, I did clean off my desk yesterday…found $3 in expired ECBs from CVS.  Don’t think that didn’t make me mad!  Note to self, that’s why you immediately cut them from the receipt and put them in wallet in purse.  {Head slap}

So, I can’t promise I won’t spend any time at all on Pinterest (or Facebook) today, but I can promise that it won’t be the entire day!  What about you?   Got any plans for your Monday?

spring comes early this year

And what kind of crazy winter has this been?  Daffodils trying to bloom in early February?

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Oh no, I’ve been Pinterested

Pinterest (Photo credit: stevegarfield)

How could I have allowed this to happen?  I kept hearing all of the chatter surrounding Pinterest, but I resisted…until just a few days ago…and now I find myself pinning everything…creating my own boards…looking thru all of the latest pins, then getting sidetracked into viewing other people’s boards…and then repinning some of their pins…does it ever end?

Did I really need something else to occupy my time?  No, no, no…but there’s so much inspiration out there…motivating quotes (you know, for that fitness journey I’m still on), style and decorating ideas, gardening and birds, funny kitty antics, healthy eating, crockpot recipes, and on and on and on…

Are you pinning on Pinterest?  Care to share?

Komen Foundation: Race for the Consumer

Komen Foundation: Race for the Consumer.